Basketball: Jay Over Northview
January 23, 2009
Jay downed Northview Thursday night in girls high school basketball action, 53-32.
Jay took an early 11-6 lead by the end of the first period, and the Royals expanded that lead to 24-10 by the half. Both teams added a baker’s dozen in the third, making it 37-23 going into the fourth period.
Gabe Wesley led the Chiefs with a dozen points on the board at Jay. Shaniqua Jones added half a dozen. Angela Roddriguez, Laneicia Gomez and Shakeria White had four points each, and Taylor Byrd added a couple.
Tessa Hendricks scored 18 for the Royals. Amber Steadham had a dozen, as did Joy Gandy. Ginger Jennings added seven. Becca Calloway had three, and Leely Trevino scored a point.
The Northview boys are on the road Friday night against Walton. The NHS girls don’t hit the court again until January 29.
Carver/Century Closure Could Greatly Impact Byrneville Elementary
January 22, 2009
The impending closure of Carver/Century K-8 School could have a great impact on the future of Byrneville Elementary.
In this exclusive investigative story, NorthEscambia.com takes a look at the future of Byrneville’s charter school.
The facts are simple: Only about 44 percent of the students in the Carver/Century district actually attend the school. On the elementary level, 126 attend Carver/Century, 130 attend Byrneville Elementary and 32 attend Bratt Elementary. But where will the 126 elementary children at Carver/Century end up next year?
The official answer is Bratt Elementary, because Century will become part of Bratt’s district.
But Dee Wolfe–Sullivan, principal at Byrneville, feels like many parents and guardians may choose to send their children to her school rather than having them bused to Bratt. Byrneville Elementary is a charter school ran under district guidelines but under its own set of rules; those rules would allow Byrneville to accept Carver students.
“Some of those parents will want to enroll their children here,” Wolfe-Sullivan said. “But the issue becomes if we have room or not.”
There are currently 166 students at Byrneville, and the school only has a capacity of about 200. When accepting new students, priority would be given to siblings of current students, children of employees and students that reside in the old Byrneville Elementary district. Only after those children were admitted would the school be open to others.
“Depending on how may would want to attend, we might have to have a lottery of some kind to choose,” Wolfe-Sullivan said. “I don’t have room for all of them. We might be able to finance some modulars, building on or something.”
NorthEscambia.com presented a “what if” scenario to Wolfe-Sullivan. “What if the school board closed Carver/Century and then offered the Carver/Century facility to Byrneville Elementary?” we asked.
“We have not discussed the Carver/Century building, so I would have no comment at the present time,” she said.
“If parents want to send their child to Byrneville, we certainly welcome them,” Wolfe-Sullivan added. “We are a small school. Every teacher knows every child, and they know most of the families. It is a great atmosphere.”
The Byrneville principal also said that she wanted to be clear that she is not in favor of Carver/Century’s closing.
“It is a very upsetting situation. I feel that Century needs to have a school,” Wolfe-Sullivan said. “I am concerned people think Byrneville may have played a part in the demise of Century. That’s just not the case.”
She said that most Byrneville charter students originated from the original Byrneville district when the school gained charter status to avoid closure in 2002.
“We didn’t steal students from Carver/Century,” Wolfe-Sullivan said.
Pictured top: Byrneville Principal Dee Wolfe-Sullivan at lunch with a group of students. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Update: 20 Percent To Recycle; Most Have Cans
January 22, 2009
A little less than 20 percent of ECUA customers have signed up for their optional curbside recycling program, and most of those people now have their recycling container.
District 5 Emerald Coast Utilities Authority member Larry Walker says that as of last week, 13,934 customers had signed up for the once a week recycling pickups. Of those, Walker said 12,378 should have received their can by the end of the day last Monday.
The remaining 1,556 should have their recycling cans delivered by next Monday, January 26. Customers that ordered recycling containers by yesterday but after January 14 should have their cans by next Thursday.
Former Allied Waste customers in North Escambia can sign up for the free recycling container by calling 476-0480, emailing support@ecua.org, or downloading a sign-up form from ecua.org.
The new trash and recycling day for most former Allied Waste customers in North Escambia is Tuesday. A few former Allied customers east of Highway 29 and south of Kingsfield Road have Friday as their new pick-up day.
The collection service includes weekly garbage pickup, weekly pickup of recyclables, and weekly yard waste pickup. All services are provided on the same day of the week. In addition, bulky waste pickup service is available once each calendar month at no additional charge.
Trash pick-up in Century continues to be provided by Allied Waste under a contract with the town.
For complete information on the recycling program and ECUA service, click here (pdf).
Sheriff’s Copters Will Be Grounded
January 22, 2009
New Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan will ground the department’s helicopter program as of March 1.
Citing budget problems, Morgan announced Wednesday that he would deactivate the air unit that has been in existence since 2001. The unit currently employees three pilots, three tactical flight officers, and an aviation logistics specialist. The three tactical flight officers are sworn deputies that will be rolled back into patrol units as manpower needs dictate.
Morgan has said that closing the department’s air unit will save his department about $800,000 per year. That includes salaries and costs like maintenance and fuel.
The air unit’s two military surplus OH-58 helicopters will be stored temporarily until futher budget determinations can be made.
The helicopter unit has been used numerous times in the North Escambia area over the past year. The helicopter has been used to search for robbery suspects, missing people and even used to track down a horse running wild and posing a traffic hazard in Century.
Northview NJROTC Holds Military Ball
January 22, 2009
The Northview High School NJROTC held their annual Military Ball recently at the National Museum of Naval Aviation about NAS Pensacola.
It was a joint event with the Washington High School NJROTC unit and the first time any NJROTC unit had held their ball at this unique location. Over 110 cadets and their dates attended the evening. Kings and queens, princes and princesses were selected by their peers.
The King and Queen were Dalton Cummings and Kayla Brewer (pictured top). The Junior/Sophomore Prince and Princess were Elliott Ross and Tyler Hunter (pictured below). The Freshman Prince and Princess were Cardean Smith and Kayla Miles (pictured bottom).
Click here for more photos from the Military Ball.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com.
the road to the crown Part Three
January 22, 2009
Today, it’s part three of our five part series “the road to the crown”. We are following 32 young ladies at Northview High School in their quest for the crown and the title of “Miss Northview High School” for 2009.
We’ve posted more photos today from Wednesday afternoon’s dress rehearsal. They are in black and white so we can show them to you without spoiling the excitement of seeing the gowns in their colorful splendor Saturday night. Plus we thought the black and white was just cool looking in a retro old-newspaper kind of way. See the photo gallery by clicking here.
All of the tickets for Saturday night’s pageant have been sold. The final practice is over. Our series “the road to the crown” will continue Friday and Saturday morning. We will introduce you to each girl and learn more about their accomplishments with a complete biography for all 32 contestants. The pageant is Saturday night at 7:00, and NorthEscambia.com will have the new Miss Northview High School and all the photos here Sunday morning.
Click here to read part one of “the road to the crown”.
Click here to read part two of “the road to the crown”.
Driver Walks Away Uninjured In Highway 97 Wreck
January 22, 2009
The driver of a car involved in a single vehicle accident south of Walnut Hill Wednesday night walked away uninjured.
The accident happened about 6:20 p.m. on Highway 97 about a mile and a half north of White Ash Road. The driver of a Chevrolet Malibu lost control while headed northbound on Highway 97, crossed the center line, struck a culvert and became airborne. The vehicle landed on the driver’s side just off the pavement.
The female was driver was standing outside the vehicle when units from the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue arrived on the scene. She refused transport to the hospital by Atmore Ambulance.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured above and below: The driver of this car walked away uninjured in this Highway 97 accident Wednesday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Hard Freeze Warning For Tonight
January 21, 2009
A hard freeze warning has been issued for tonight by the National Weather Service for North Escambia and surrounding areas with a low forecast to be in the low 20’s.
The official forecast for tonight calls for a low of 22 with light wind. Thursday will be sunny and not as cool, with a high of 62. Thursday night will be considerably warmer, with a low near 40.
Friday will be sunny and warm, with a forecast high of 73.
The National Weather Service issued the following statement:
…Hard freeze warning in effect from 11 PM this evening to 8 am
CST Wednesday…
The National Weather Service in Mobile has issued a hard freeze
warning…which is in effect from 11 PM this evening to 8 am CST
Wednesday. The hard freeze watch is no longer in effect.
Temperatures will drop below freezing this evening then bottom out
in the upper teens well inland to the mid twenties closer to the
coast. Temperatures will return above freezing during the mid morning
hours.
A hard freeze warning means temperatures falling below 26 degrees
for five or more hours are expected late tonight into Wednesday
morning. These conditions will likely kill crops and other cold
sensitive vegetation. Temperatures such as these can cause exposed
water pipes to burst.
Action should now be completed to ensure adequate warmth for
outdoor pets as well as freeze sensitive outdoor plants and
equipment. Check on the elderly to ensure they have proper
warmth. Those who have gas heat should make sure Carbon monoxide
detectors are in good working order. Make sure portable space
heaters are in good working order and placed well away from
flammable materials such as bedding and curtains.
Bratt Second Graders Delayed
January 21, 2009
Bratt Elementary School second graders that attended a field trip today did not arrive back at the school in time to ride their regular bus home.
The students were put on later buses and transported home.
We are told that the bus transporting the students broke down in Pensacola.
Suspect Impersonates Deputy; Pulls Over Teen Female
January 21, 2009
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department is searching for a man who was impersonating a law enforcement officer last night near Beulah.
Deputies are seeking a man who pulled over a 16-year old female about 5:30 last night in the area of West Nine Mile Road and Beulah Road. The female told deputies that when she saw flashing lights behind her vehicle, she pulled over to the side of the road.
The victim described the suspect as a white male about 6-foot 2-inches tall with dark, bushy hair, stocky build and a mole under his left eye. She described him as being in his late twenties to early thirties. The suspect approached the victim’s vehicle, and he asked her to stop out of the vehicle.
Because the suspect did not appear to be a law enforcement officer and refused to identify himself, the teen refused to exit her vehicle.
“The victim asked why she was being pulled over at which time she stated the suspect was almost laughing while speaking with her,” according to a press release from Escambia Sheriff’s Department Spokesman Sgt. Ted Roy. “After a few more questions the suspect walked to the rear of her vehicle as if to look at the tag, walked back to her vehicle and stated, ‘You’re free to go. Somebody must have been playing a prank on you’.”
The suspect was seen leaving in what was described as a possible late model Toyota Camry, white in color with blue/purple dash lights and the word “Sheriff” in small green letters on the driver’s door.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with any information on this suspect to call the Sheriff’s Office at 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at 433-STOP.
Impersonating a police officer is a felony and punishable by up to five years in prison, and using blue lights is a misdemeanor of the first degree, according to Roy.