Students Of The Month Named
March 2, 2010
Escambia County Students of the Month for February have been named by the Escambia Association for Administrators in Education. The awards are presented monthly to two students from participating schools.
The following students were named from North Escambia area schools:
- Bratt: Kendrell B. Lowery, third grade; Jaylee S. Redmond, kindergarten.
- Jim Allen: Hunter L. Myrick, kindergarten; Kendall E. Newton, kindergarten.
- Molino Park: Reagan G. Daniels, kindergarten; Jaden I. Lewis, kindergarten.
- Ernest Ward: Kelton J. Wooten, seventh grade; Kyle A. Wood, eighth grade.
- Ransom: Britton S. Dunn, eighth grade; Anna M. Del Gallo, eighth grade.
- Northview: Jessica N. Bloodsworth, senior; Seth M. Leonard, senior.
- Tate: Amy E. Sapp, freshman; Tyler D. Emmons, senior.
Pictured top: Seth Leonard and Jessica Bloodsworth, Northview High School’s Students of the Month for February. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Police Impersonator Arrested; Had Badge And Crown Victoria With Lights
March 1, 2010
A Pensacola man allegedly pretending to be a cop was busted by the real thing Sunday at a Pensacola Taco Bell.
Reginald Mahlon Wilson, 27, was charged with impersonating a police office and unlawful use of a police badge.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a Taco Bell on Fairfield Drive Sunday morning in reference to a suspicious individual wearing a police insignia and driving a Ford Crown Victoria.
“When deputies arrived, they observed Wilson driving a green Ford Crown Victoria as described by the caller and wearing a green police style jacket with Dixie County Sheriff’s Office patches and a silver police style badge. A search of the suspect’s vehicle revealed a toggle switch that operated strobe lights on the front of the vehicle,” according to an Escambia Sheriff’s Office press release.
Wilson was released from the Escambia County Jail on $12,000 bond.
Three Charged With Armed Robberies In Molino, Cantonment
March 1, 2010
Three Cantonment men are behind bars, facing a list of charges in connection with an early morning armed robbery spree that included convenience stores in Molino and Cantonment.
The trio is facing charges after the armed robbery of the Tom Thumb Store in Molino and the Tom Thumb in Cantonment,and burglary of the Bindu Food Mart in Cantonment. The robberies began about 3:30 Monday morning at the Molino Tom Thumb and ended with the arrest of the three men in Winn Dixie parking lot in Cantonment shortly before 6 a.m. There was no robbery reported at the Winn Dixie.
Joshua Russell Harris, 21 of 1509 Parker Road Cantonment, is charged with two counts armed robbery and is being held on $150,000 bond. Jonathan Alan Harris, 20, of 1509 Parker Road Cantonment and Christopher Ryan Coon, 23, of 2321 Parker Road Cantonment, are both charged with two counts each accessory to armed robbery and are being held on $100,000 bond each.
Joshua Harris is also charged with larceny, criminal mischief property damage, burglary and possession of marijuana. Jonathan Harris is also charged with burglary, larceny and criminal mischief property damage. Coon is also facing charges of burglary, criminal mischief property damage and larceny.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Tom Thumb at 7331 North Highway 29 in Molino was robbed at 3:26 a.m. Store employees said a white male wearing a gray sweatshirt and a hoodie demanding money while acting as if he had a gun in his pocket. In addition to an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect also took a large amount of change, several butane lighters, some food items and three cartons of cigarettes.
The suspect also threatened to kill the store clerk of she set off the alarm before he fled toward Highway 97 in white Nissan pickup occupied two other white males.
While deputies were investigating the Molino armed robbery, they received a report of a burglary in progtess at the Bindu Food Mart on Muscogee Road. A witness reported three white males, including one in a gray hoodie sweatshirt, had robbed the business and fled in a white Nissan pickup. Deputies arrived to find the front door glass broken and several items taken from within arm’s reach of the damaged door, according to the arrest report.
At short time later, deputies were notified that another armed robbery had occurred at the Tom Thumb at 392 South Highway 29 in Cantonment. The suspect was described as a white male in a gray hoodie swearshirt.
A short time later, deputies located a white Nissan pickup truck in the Cantonment Winn Dixie parking lot that occupied by two white males. A third white male, wearing a gray hoodie sweatshirt, a short distance away in store parking lot.
“All three were intoxicated, had large amounts of change as well as cartons of unopened cigarettes and miscellaneous food items that matched the descriptions provided by witnesses,” deputy John Holcombe wrote in his report. All three were positively identified by the store clerks from both Tom Thumbs.
Jonathon Harris told deputies that the trio had been drinking heavily and “the three discussed knocking over a convenience store”, according to the Sheriff’s Office report. Jonathon Harris said he had agreed to drive the getaway vehicle occupied by his brother Joshua Harris and Coon. Jonathon Harris and Coon both admitted their involvement in the armed robberies and burglary, according to the arrest report.
Johsua Harris sated “that he had been drinking heavily on this date and did not remember anything that had occurred for the entire night,” deputy Holcombe’s report said.
Banks Warn About New Texting Scam
March 1, 2010
Area banks and credit unions are warning people not to respond to text messages that lead you to call a toll free number about your accounts.
The text messages appear to be from your bank or credit union and provide a toll free number.
“Reports are that return calls to the number have the recipient enter card or account data which is ‘validated’ by having it entered a second time. The senders of the messages are conducting a “text-phishing scam,” attempting to trick recipients into providing sensitive financial information,” according to a statement from Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union. Customers of other financial institutions have also reportedly received the text messages.
NorthEscambia.com has received numerous emails from residents in the North Escambia area reporting that they have received such a message.
Gulf Winds and other banks and credit unions do not ask for personal information in text messages or emails. If you receive such a text or email, you are advised not to respond. If you have already responded to such a message and provided your financial information, you should contact your credit union or bank immediately.
Court Sides With School District: Former Out Of State Teachers Not Owed $350,000
March 1, 2010
The First District Court of Appeals has ruled that Escambia County is not obligated to pay in excess of $350,000 in back pay sought by eight teachers that entered the Escambia County School District with out of state experience.
The current and former teachers asserted that they did not receive proper placement on the school district’s salary schedule because they were not given proper credit for their teaching experience outside of Florida. Under the district’s salary schedule, more years of teaching experience equals a higher salary.
The school board asserted that years of experience outside Florida should be treated equally to service in Florida, and the district claimed that was the spirit of law enacted by the Florida Legislature. Each of the eight teachers claimed they were owed back pay up to $101,427 under their interpretation of the law.
“This was a huge win for the taxpayers,” Jeff Bergosh, school board member, said of last week’s court opinion. “The Legislature never intended to give something to out of state teachers that was not given to Florida teachers.”
“The district was fair and consistent in step placement for both in-state and out of state teachers who were new to the district, and it’s nice to do the right thing for all teachers and to come out on top and not be penalized by the courts,” Bergosh wrote on his blog.
For more on the lawsuit, and to read some of the legal documents in the case, visit Bergosh’s blog at jeffbergoshblog.blogspot.com
Contractors Bidding On Escambia Projects Must Follow New Rules
March 1, 2010
Contractors entering sealed bids on Escambia County projects must now play by a new set of rules to do business with the county.
The new policy was designed to eliminated the controversy that followed a rebid on a drainage project in the Maplewood neighborhood.
Now, commissioners can sanction or even disqualify bidders that attempt to influence the board or any county employee in the time between the receipt of a sealed bid and the contract award date. The Purchasing Department already had a similar internal policy, but now it is an official county-wide policy.
Contractors that violate the policy could see a contracted terminated or even suspension from future bids on county projects.
The lobbying policy does not impact a contractor’s other lobbying efforts during zoning procedures, proposal requests or letters of interest on a project.
The policy was created after commissioners rebid the Maplewood project and a State Attorney review into the actions of Commissioner Gene Valentino’s meeting with a contractor.
When bids were opened on November 18 for a Maplewoods drainage project, Gulf Equipment Company of Mobile was low bidder at $1,768,621. Road, Inc. of Cantonment’s bid was $22,982.26 more. The county’s purchasing department recommended to the Escambia County Commission that they approve the Gulf Equipment bid.
Six days later, on November 24, Valentino admitted that he met for about 45 minutes in his office with Roads, Inc. officials, including the company’s president Cody Rawson.
Roads, Inc. officials then contacted commissioners Kevin White, Grover Robinson and Wilson Robertson, telling them that they could correct a mistake on their bid and save the county $100,000.
Valentino made a motion on January 7 to rebid the project because of errors made by county staff. County Administrator Bob McLaughlin and staff members object. The motion passed 4-1, with Commissioner Marie Young against.
A week later, January 14, White made a motion at a Committee of the Whole meeting to reverse the rebid. White, Robinson and Robertson apologized, while Valentino pointed blame at county staff and the bid process. The vote to reverse the rebid and award the contract to Gulf Equipment came on January 21.
Monday Traffic: Lane Closures On Highway 97; Highway 31 Reopen
March 1, 2010
Some changes to be aware of on your Monday drive — lane closures begin today on Highway 97, and Highway 31 is reopen between Atmore and Perdido.
Highway 97 Closures
Monday, crews from Panhandle Grading and Paving will be working to replace a section of guardrail on Highway 97 just south of North Highway 99, according to Shawn Joseph, project administrator for the contractor.
Lanes will be temporarily closed during the guardrail replacement, but one lane is expected to be open at all times.
It’s all part of a project to resurface Highway 97 between Molino and the Alabama state line. The project is expected to last until the fall of 2010.
NorthEscambia.com will continue provide the most current Highway 97 lane closure and construction updates to help you avoid delays.
Highway 31 Reopen
Highway 31 is now reopened between Atmore and Perdido.
The road was closed to repair damage from heavy rain and flooding back in December, including an area near Pineville Road. The closure was expected to last about a month, but work was completed in less than three weeks.
During the closure, the Alabama Department of Transportation detoured traffic along I-65 between the Atmore and Perdido exits.
Grab The Umbrella; Rain Expected By Afternoon
March 1, 2010
There’s a good chance of rain for late Monday afternoon and night as a low pressure system moves across the Gulf of Mexico.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Today: A 50 percent chance of rain after noon. Partly cloudy, with a high near 62. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tonight: Rain. Low around 41. East wind 5 to 15 mph becoming north. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
- Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of rain before 3pm. Cloudy, with a high near 46. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. North wind between 5 and 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 57. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 28. North wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 60. North wind around 5 mph.
- Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 32.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 67.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
JV Lady Chiefs Beat Freeport
March 1, 2010
The Northview JV softball team defeated Freeport 9-6.
Lauren McCall, Shaquanna Jones, Samantha Johnson, Ashley Mooney, Ashton Gibbs, and Kristin Guinto all had one hit for the Chiefs. Taylor Byrd and Savannah Singleton had two apiece.
Shaquanna Jones picked up the win raising her record to fiyr wins and no losses. Northview’s JV record is now 5-0. The next JV game will be at 4 p.m. on March 11th at Northview against the Baker Gators.
Ernest Ward Students Awarded At History Fair
March 1, 2010
Several Ernest Ward Middle School students received awards Saturday for their National History Day projects in a district competition in Pensacola. Victoria Wright’s “Barcode” project won a NSDAR Excellence in History Award, and she received Honorable Mention in the county competition. She also received a T.T. Wentworth Museum Best in Show Award given by West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc.
Courtney Solari’s “Cotton Gin” project won third place in the African American Heritage Awards given by the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
Samantha Barrow and Tamara Green’s “Women’s Suffrage” project won a Holly Benson Women’s History Award and they also received $50 each for their win.
“I was very proud of all of our students,” said Ernest Ward geography teacher Laura Chavers.
The top seven projects from a Ernest Ward History Fair headed to the district competition. EWMS students were required to do research into a topic on the theme Innovation in History: Impact and Change. The research was presented in exhibit form, much like the typical science fair. Students complete projects either individually or in teams of two.
Pictured top: Tamara Green (left) and Samantha Barrow – Womens Suffrage. Pictured below: Courtney Solari – The Cotton Gin: Increasing Cotton Production and Slavery. Pictured bottom: Victoria Wright — Barcodes. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
