NHS Varsity Wins Seventh Straight; JV Wins Too
March 14, 2009
The varsity Chiefs picked up their seventh straight win Friday against Walton, and the junior varsity team added another to their win column.
The Northview High School varsity baseball team beat South Walton 7-3. The varsity team is now 7-2 on the year.
Austin Reid pitched six innings for the Chiefs, allowing just one run.
Scooter Hamilton had two hits, one run and one RBIs. Brad Lowery had one hit and two RBIs. Brad Lowery had three hits and two runs. Dakota Stuckey had one hit; Austin Lowery had one hit and two RBIs. Patrick McPherson had one hit for the Chiefs.
Northview scored one run in the first inning. The second inning saw the Chiefs adding four more to the board. NHS scored a couple more in the third, and the Chiefs added one more in the fourth. South Walton’s scores came in the third and seventh innings.
The junior varsity Chiefs shutout South Walton 10-0.
For a photo gallery from both the varsity and junior varsity game, click here.
Pictured above: Sophomore Austin Arrington at bat for the Chiefs. Submitted photos by Heather Leonard for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Want To Be A Northview Cheerleader?
March 14, 2009
If you want to be a Northview High School cheerleader for the 2009-2010 school year, there are some important dates you need to know.
An informational meeting will be held Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. in the school cafeteria. It is important that all candidates and parents attend this meeting.
A clinic will be held March 21 from 8 a.m. to noon. A practice for all cheerleader candidates will be held March 23 until March 31 from 4:00 until 6:00 each weekday.
Tryouts for the 2009-2010 Northview cheerleading squads will be April 1 at 3:00 p.m.
This is the last year the Northview cheerleaders will be chosen by outside judges. Squads for the 2009-2010 school year will be entirely coach selected.
Stop Crape Murder: Don’t Cut Back Your Myrtles
March 14, 2009
from the Escambia County Extension Service
Crape myrtles are a favorite tree along the Gulf Coast. It seems that every yard has at least one tree and landscapers frequently rely on these flowering trees for street plantings and commercial properties. Crape myrtles are low maintenance plants that reward us with colorful flowers throughout the summer months.
Flowers are not the only virtue of this tree. Many varieties have beautiful bark and growth habits that can be enjoyed all year if trees are not heavily pruned.
Unfortunately, many crape myrtles receive unnecessary pruning every winter in the form of topping or hat-racking. The practice of topping trees is so common that many people believe it to be needed in order for the tree to flower heavily. This is not always true.
Crape myrtles bloom on new growth which will occur without any pruning. Trees will continue to flower without topping and we all can then enjoy the natural shape and shade that the trees provide. Less pruning also saves the need to dispose of all the trimmings and may reduce your need for pesticides to manage unsightly powdery mildew or sooty mold. If you are pruning because your tree is too large for it’s spot, consider removing it and planting a tree or shrub that fits that spot.
There is a crape myrtle for any spot. Crape myrtles cultivars range in size from 1 foot to over 20 feet tall. Shop carefully so that you purchase a suitable plant for your landscape. The publication Crape Myrtle in Florida will help in your selection process.
Pictured top: Crape myrtle trees do not need pruning for new growth. Pictured below: These Crape myrtles were ruined with unnecessary topping. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com.
School Prayer Service Today In Jay; Everyone Invited
March 14, 2009
A prayer service will held Saturday afternoon at Jay High School. Sponsored by over a dozen churches, the service is a direct response to an ACLU lawsuit and a federal court judge’s order against any prayer or promotion of religion in Santa Rosa County Schools.
At 4 p.m. Saturday at least 14 churches will come together on the baseball field at Jay High School to pray for the students in the Jay area. Herring said the gathering will not be impacted by the judge’s order because the event is not school sponsored, and the churches are paying to rent the facility under district guidelines. The event will take place rain or shine.
“We want to encourage these kids to stand in their faith,” said Pastor Mitch Herring of Poplar Dell Baptist Church, “and let them know that they have people praying for them. We want the Lord to raise up leaders at our schools.”
The event is being called “Sounding the Trumpet”. Shofar horns will be sounded during the service. The horn, made from a ram’s horn, is sometimes used in religious ceremonies, often to signify change.
“We are going to come as Christians, not any denomination, and offer prayer that our students will serve the Lord,” said Pastor Herring. His Poplar Dell church is located in North Escambia, but he is taking part in the service because he lives in Jay.
“We want the children to know we are for them, even though they took Baccalaureate away from them,” the pastor said.
Berrydale Baptist, Brownsdale Baptist, Cobbtown Christian, Cobbtown Holiness, Jay First Baptist, Jay Pentacostal, Jay United Methodist, Mt. Carmel United Methodist, Pine Level Baptist and Poplar Dell Baptist Church are among those participating in the non-denominational prayer service.
U.S. District Court Judge Casey Rodgers issued an injunction banning prayer and religion in Santa Rosa County Schools following an ACLU lawsuit against Santa Rosa County. That injunction prevents the school district from promoting or sponsoring prayers during school-sponsored events, including graduation; planning or financing religious Baccalaureate services; holding school-sponsored events at religious venues when alternative locations are reasonably available; and prohibits school officials from promoting their personal religious beliefs in class or during school-sponsored events and activities.
That order has also prompted many Escambia County high schools, including Northview, to eliminate a school sponsored Baccalaureate this year.
Want to go? The prayer service will be held at Jay High School, Saturday at 4 p.m. It is open to the public, not just to people connected to Jay High School or Santa Rosa County. Escambia County residents are encouraged to attend.
Friday Brush Fire Surrounds Walnut Hill House
March 13, 2009
A brush fire in Walnut Hill completely burned the yard around a wood frame house Friday afternoon, but the home was not damaged in the blaze. The fire ,on Railroad Street just off Arthur Brown Road, was reported during the noon hour. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire-Rescue responded to the fire. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
71-Year Old Bratt Man Accused Of Sexually Abusing Two Young Girls Pleads Not Guilty
March 13, 2009
A Bratt man arrested for allegedly abusing two girls — one just five years old — has entered not guilty pleas in Escambia County Circuit Court.
Jody Posey, 71, of 7100 North Pine Road, was arrested by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department and charged with three felony child sexual abuse charges. Bond was set at $100,000 each on two of the cases, and no bond was set on one count. He remains in the Escambia County Jail.
A five-year old girl told investigators that Posey had been “massaging her privates”. The molestation allegedly occurred on multiple occasions over some period of time, according to authorities. The most recent molestation reported by the five-year old was January 9. The girl told officials that Posey told her she would go to jail if she told anyone about the incidents.
Posey was also charged for inappropriately touching a now 16-year girl several times over the last few years.
Posey’s court appointed public defender, Andrew Marks, entered a plea of not guilty on all three charges in Escambia County Circuit Court.
Court records show that the ongoing abuse of the now 16-year old occurred from 2002 to 2006 — when the girl was as young as nine years old.
Posey’s residence at 7100 North Pine Barren road is located north of Highway 4, less than one mile from Northview High School.
Deputies Crack Down On Highway 97 Speeders During Traffic Blitz
March 13, 2009
One after another, Escambia deputies cracked down on speeders on Highway 97 in the heart of Walnut Hill Thursday.
Four deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department Traffic Unit conducted the operation, stopping car after car for violating the speed limit. In the 45 mph stretch of Highway 97 at Arthur Brown Road, near Ernest Ward Middle, deputies stopped vehicles traveling over 60 mph.
“The new sheriff has heard the complaints, and we are going to beef up traffic operations in the north part of the county as much as we can,” said ECSO Traffic Unit Sgt. Ray Griffith. “We are going to answer those complaints.”
Many of the North Escambia traffic complaints have centered on Highway 97, known locally for its speeders and the number of traffic crashes. The recent opening of the Wind Creek Casino in Atmore has led to a noticeable increase in traffic on the highway.
“It’s a small area with the school and the other places, it’s almost like a small town,” the sergeant said about Walnut Hill. “People here have a right to feel safe on the highway.”
The Traffic Unit often spends days in Pensacola working traffic in between escorting funerals. But Sheriff David Morgan has directed the unit to crack down on traffic in North Escambia when time allows, make traffic control a priority.
“We will be back,” Griffith said. “This is not the only time you will see us up here. We won’t do it once and forget about it.”
He said the unit plans to do a similar crackdown in Century in near future, and they plan to return to the Walnut Hill area soon.
Thursday afternoon, four marked units were lined up in a driveway just south of Ernest Ward Middle School, partially hidden from northbound traffic by an old building. One after another, the deputies pulled out after speeders.
The location was picked because of its lower 45 mph speed limit near the school.
The tickets being written Thursday were not cheap. Driving 60 mph in a 45 mph zone is a $266 ticket. Hit 30 mph over the posted speed limit, and the ticket has no fixed cost. The offender is required to see a judge, and the judge sets the fine amount at his or her discretion.
Pictured top: An Escambia County Deputy on a traffic stop Thursday afternoon on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. Pictured middle and below: Deputies line up waiting for the next speeder during a traffic blitz on Highway 97 Thursday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Flu Season Hits Peak
March 13, 2009
Sacred Heart Hospital says that this year’s flu season appears to have peaked in Escambia County. The hospital continues to see an elevated number of patients with influenza or the flu.
The number of patients with flu-like symptoms being tested for influenza has spiked noticeably, up to 481 at its highest point during the week of February 15. For the week ending March 7, the number of patients with flu-like symptoms was still at a high level — 431.
The most recent test results show that 23 percent of the patients tested were positive for the influenza virus.
“That is a high number of flu cases in one week,” says Donna Mayne, Microbiology Lab Manager at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. “Flu activity is still strong in our area with an unusually high number of influenza B cases,” she said.
Influenza is caused by very contagious viruses, which infect the nose, throat and lungs and cause symptoms such as fever, chills, dry cough, muscle aches, extreme fatigue, sore throat, headache and nasal congestion. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can sometimes accompany the flu as well, although these are not the primary symptoms of the flu. What people may call the “stomach flu” is actually gastroenteritis. A person can spread the flu as early as one day before he or she even feels sick, and can continue to pass the flu virus to others for several days after symptoms start.
If you seek treatment soon after your flu-like symptoms begin, your doctor can prescribe a medication that has been effective in lessening the severity and duration of the illness. “These anti-viral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, are only effective within the first 24-to-48 hours of the onset of symptoms,” explains Dr. Michelle Brandhorst, family medicine physician with Sacred Heart Medical Group. “This medical treatment is effective only against influenza viruses, and they will not help the symptoms associated with the common cold or many other flu-like viruses,” she said.
If you or a loved-one develop flu-like symptoms, the hospital says you should visit your family medical doctor as soon as possible.
How should you care for someone with the flu?
As the illness runs its course, follow these self-care tips:
• stay in bed and drink plenty of fluids
• breathing in hot vapors from a shower may help you feel better
• elevate your head at night to help nasal passages drain
• blow your nose to clear any congestion, but do it gently and blow both nostrils at the same time
• use over-the-counter medications for specific symptoms: decongestants can relieve congestion and shrink swelling in your nose and sinuses, antihistamines can stop sneezing and itching and analgesics can relieve pain.
How can you prevent the flu?
To avoid becoming a number on the flu-season chart, keep prevention top-of-mind. Wash your hands thoroughly and often. Avoid sharing utensils for eating and drinking with others (especially if someone is ill). Avoid picking up used tissues, but if you must, wash your hands immediately. Avoid crowds during a flu epidemic. Cover your cough: Grab a tissue and cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing – this helps prevent germs from becoming airborne.
Northview Sweeps Double Header (Updated With Stats)
March 13, 2009
The Northview High School Varsity Baseball team swept a double header from Cottage Hill Academy in Bratt Thursday night. The win was the sixth straight for the Chiefs.
Northview won the first game 6-4. Brad Foster (1-0) was the winning pitcher. He pitched six innings, giving up four runs on four hits. He walked two and struck out seven. Heath Burkett pitched the final inning recording one strikout.
The hitters for Northview included Brad Foster collecting one single. Dabney Langhorne walked four times and scored two runs. Austin Reid has a pair of singles, scored two runs, and had two RBI”s. Austin Lowery was 1 for 3 with a single, and scored a run. Austin Arrington had a double and collected an RBI.
In the second game, Northview won 7-5. Northview scored one in the first, three in the third, two in the fourth, and one in the sixth.
Scooter Hamilton collected singles, scored a run, and had an RBI. Brad Foster had one RBI. Dabney Langhorne had one single, scored two runs, and had one RBI. Dakota Stuckey had a single, double, and had one RBI. Austin Reid had one single and an RBI. Brad Lowery collected two hits, including a double. Austin Arrington had a single and scored two runs. Patrick McPherson had a single and scored a run. Aaron Chancery also picked up a run.
Brad Lowery pitched five innings to pick up the win and move his record to 2-0 on the season. He gave up no runs, on two hits, he walked one, and struck out four.
The chiefs improved their record to 6-2 on the season.
The Chiefs will be at home this afternoon, taking on South Walton in a district game. The junior varsity will hit the field at 4:00, and the varsity game will begin at 6:30.
Click here for more photos from Thursday night’s Northview versus Cottage Hill double header.
Pictured above: Action as Northview beat Cottage Hill Academy Thursday in Bratt.. Submitted photo by Heather Leonard for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
More Info Released On Deadly Alabama Shootings
March 12, 2009
More information has been released in the Tuesday shootings in south Alabama, the deadliest single crime ever recorded in Alabama history.
Col. J. Christopher Murphy, director of the Alabama Department of Public Safety, released the following information Thursday night:
Since the horrific events Tuesday in Coffee and Geneva counties in south Alabama, investigators at the state and local levels, with assistance from federal agencies, have worked virtually without rest to answer the questions surrounding this tragedy. We have said before, and it bears repeating: Tuesday’s violence marks the single deadliest crime in recorded Alabama history, and it has resulted in an intense, unprecedented unified response by law enforcement. From the police and sheriff departments, the district attorneys’ offices, and every other resource, we have fielded a cooperative investigation that, most importantly, is yielding important information about these events.
We have examined multiple crime scenes spread over two counties and more than 20 miles, and we are sifting through a multitude of evidence. Because the author of these events died Tuesday by his own hands, the evidence in this case becomes the ultimate witness. We look to this evidence to provide answers, and tonight we have a much clearer understanding of Tuesday’s events.
While there still is evidence and analysis that we are not at liberty to discuss, on behalf of the investigation, District Attorney McAliley and I would like to provide the following information, which has resulted from this joint investigation and answers many of the questions being asked by the communities in Coffee and Geneva counties, by law enforcement, and by the larger public.
- In 1999, Michael Kenneth McLendon enlisted in the USMC and was discharged one month later for fraudulent enlistment.
- In 2003, McLendon entered the Montgomery Police Academy and was released one month later.
- In 2003, McLendon resigned from employment at Reliable Products of Geneva, Alabama.
- On Wednesday, March 4, 2009, McLendon resigned from employment at Kelley’s Foods in Elba, Alabama.
- McLendon was a self-proclaimed survivalist and was known to purchase large amounts of ammunition. He owned several different types of firearms, including two assault rifles.
- McLendon made a large purchase of ammunition and magazines the day before the homicides.
- McLendon was known to train with the weapons he used in the homicides.
- McLendon made statements of being depressed and dissatisfied with his present position in life. His dream was to become a Marine and later a police officer. Both dreams were unfulfilled.
- McLendon owned body armor, but was not wearing it during these events.
- McLendon had no known criminal history.
- McLendon left a letter that is in the possession of investigators, describing how he killed his mother and his intentions of taking his own life. The letter describes how McLendon harbored ill feelings toward family members due to a family dispute.
- There also is evidence in the possession of investigators that indicates McLendon made a list that expresses his dissatisfaction with others who had grieved him and disappointed him.
- McLendon fired a known 125 rounds at his victims, killing Corrine Gracy Myers, Andrea D. Myers, Lisa White McLendon, James Alford White, Tracy Michelle Wise, Dean James Wise, Virginia E. White, James Irvin Starling, Sonja Smith, and Bruce Wilson Malloy, and injuring six more innocent victims, including Chief Frankie Lindsey and Trooper Mike Gillis, who despite their injuries continued valiantly in pursuit of McLendon in an effort to protect the public.
This investigation is continuing and there are still unanswered questions. But through the evidence collected and analyzed, including the letter McLendon left behind, we have a much better understanding of motive. Our investigators are absolutely convinced that these events began with Michael Kenneth McLendon and died with Michael Kenneth McLendon. There are no indications that there are any lingering threats to the community that stem from this incident. These communities need a chance to grieve and to mourn, but they also need a chance to move past these events, and that is what all of our investigators have been and remain focused on.