EA Cougars Win Thanksgiving Tournament
November 27, 2010
Escambia Academy opened their season by winning the Lowndes Academy Thanksgiving Tournament in Lowndesboro, Ala.
The EA Cougars (2-0, 0-0) won their first games against Evergreen’s Sparta Academy Warriors 57-54. The Cougars took the championship game 41-40 over the Longhorns of Marengo Academy from Linden, Ala.
Escambia Academy’s Darron McGhee finished as the Lowndes Academy Thanksgiving Tournament MVP. McGhee, Tanner Kirk and Keaton Maher were named to the All-Tournament team.
Pictured top: The Escambia Academy Cougars (front, L-R) Brandon Goddard, Jaylen Henry, Dillon Anderson, (back row) Tanner Boatwright, Tanner Kirk, Blake Quimby, Chris Macks, Keaton Maher, Jordan Sasser, Darren McGhee, coach Kevin Woods. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Geraldine Evers Lambeth
November 26, 2010
Mrs. Geraldine Evers Lambeth, age 72, passed away Wednesday, November 24, 2010, at Jay Hospital.
Mrs. Lambeth was a native of Walnut Hill,and a lifetime resident of the Flomaton community where she was a homemaker and a member of Friendship Freewill Baptist Church.
She is survived by two sons, Tommy (Donna) Lambeth and Danny (Melissa) Lambeth, both of Flomaton; a daughter, DeAnn Lambeth of Flomaton; a sister, Oddette Morris of Flomaton; brother, Leland Evers of California; grandchildren, Matt (Carrie) Lambeth, Mitch (DeAnna) Lambeth, Michelle (Jim) Boutwell, Amber Lambeth, Jessie Chavers, Hunter Chavers; great-grandchildren, Trayton Boutwell, Bryant Lambeth and Isabella Boutwell.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, November 27, 2010, at 11 a.m. from the chapel of Flomaton Funeral Home with Rev. Doug Hogg officiating. Interment will follow in Little Escambia Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. until service time at 11 a.m. at Flomaton Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Darrell Arrant, Frank Green, Jr., Greg Findley, Destry Findley and Eddie Morris.
Support The Chiefs: Meet Them Back At Northview About Midnight
November 26, 2010
Northview Chiefs fans that were unable to attend tonight’s Freeport game are asked to meet the Chiefs back at the school.
The Chiefs will arrive back at Northview about midnight, and fans are asked to line Highway 4 and cheer for the team. They will arrive back in Escambia County on Highway 4 in Century and travel to the school with an escort from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Fans are asked to line up around the school with signs and plenty of cheers, but they can also line Highway 4 and Highway 29 in the Century area.
Signs are encouraged.
Jerry Wayne Boatwright
November 26, 2010
Mr. Jerry Wayne Boatwright, 47, passed away on Tuesday, November 23, 2010, at a Pensacola hospital.
Mr. Boatwright was a native and lifelong resident of Century and attended the Baptist church.
Survivors include his son, Matthew Boatwright of Pensacola; two daughters, Carrie Boatwright and Heather Boatwright, both of Pensacola; three grandchildren; three brothers, Billy and Diane Boatwright of Century, Charles Boatwright of Century, and Doug Boatwright of Pensacola; five sisters, Gloria Jean and Ray Lawson of Century, Judy and David Tillery of Atmore, Margie Knowles of Atmore, Sue and Charles Walston of Century, and Kathy and Donald Edward Walston of Pensacola; and a very good Friend, Rodney Grimes of Century.
Graveside services will be held Saturday, November 27, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. at the Poplar Dell Cemetery with the Rev. Diane Everette officiating.
Visitation will be held Saturday, November 27, 2010, from 12:30 p.m. until funeral time at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Billy Boatwright, Charles Boatwright, Jeremiah Walston, Michael Walston, Rodney Grimes and Doug Boatwright.
Rematch: Northview Faces Freeport In Region Finals Tonight
November 26, 2010
The Northview Chiefs are looking for a rematch victory against Freeport tonight in the Region 1A finals.
The Chiefs (10-1, 7-1) are coming off a huge 20-7 first round playoff win against Blountstown last Friday night. But that’s just the beginning of the success story that began with Northview’s October 28-13 loss to Freeport, the only loss of the season for the Chiefs. Since that October nigh in Freeport, Northview has not even come close to losing. They Chiefs have outscored opponents 157-33, allowing just three touchdowns in their past five games.
“The kids are excited, they want another opportunity at Freeport. It will be a very physical game. It will be good,” NHS Head Coach Sid Wheatley said.
Freeport is coming off a 27-14 win over Liberty County last week in the Class 1A Regional Semi Finals. They are not the same team that beat Northview back in October – the Bulldog’s star starting running back lost his eligibility due to age.
“But they have a great football team,” Wheatley said. “They are coached well; they are confident and have good players. We cannot make mistakes if we want to win.”
Tonight Region 1A final kicks off at 7:30 in Freeport.
Pictured top: Northview defeats Blountstown Friday night in round one of the state playoffs. NorthEscambia.com file photo by Heather Leonard, click to enlarge.
New Gov’s Cuts To Corrections Budget Raises Concerns
November 26, 2010
For many in the North Escambia area, there are concerns that privatization or budget cuts could mean closures at prisons like Century Correctional Institution.
When Governor-elect Rick Scott unveiled his economic plan on the campaign trail this summer, there was a portion that caught law enforcement professionals by surprise, a proposed $1 billion cut to the state’s corrections’ budget.
Scott’s plan for the corrections system is setting up a potentially heated political fight between his new administration, coming in looking to make drastic cuts in what Scott believes is a bloated budget and on the other side law enforcement officials who say his plan is unrealistic and lawmakers who don’t want to be soft on crime.
Scott has maintained that Florida’s per-prisoner costs can be reduced and that he wants to work with the Department of Corrections in looking for ways to bring costs down. And he’s not ruling out any options.
“For those costs that remain out of line, we will look at all available options, including privatization, but the first option is to work with DOC,” said Scott transition spokesman Trey Stapleton.
The potential for a privatization plan don’t sit well with at least one major player who has a role in the development of the criminal justice budget. State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, who was recently appointed chairman of the Senate’s Criminal Justice Appropriations committee, isn’t on board with additional prison privatization.
“I don’t have a problem at government looking at privatization in certain areas, but it should never be in public safety. Never,” Fasano said.
Fasano predicted privatization will be a major discussion point for his committee, though, as legislative committee meetings begin next month and continue into the spring as the 2011 legislative session begins. He said so far, he has not gotten any direction or pressure from Senate President Mike Haridopolos or his other colleagues on the issue.
Haridopolos has not yet assigned other senators to the criminal justice appropriations committee and House Speaker Dean Cannon has not yet named a chair for his subcommittee on criminal justice appropriations. Scott has also not named Corrections secretary.
The governor-elect has, however, appointed an extensive transition team to help him navigate law enforcement issues. The chair of the law enforcement committee for his transition team is Pasco County Sheriff Bob White, who rather than proposing budget cuts, actually asked for more tax dollars, appealing the issue to Gov. Charlie Crist.
Scott has mentioned a few ideas for cutting $1 billion, including using inmate labor to grow prison food and competitively bidding health care contracts, though that is already done to some extent.
The Florida Police Benevolent Association, which backed Scott’s opponent Alex Sink in the election, has noted that even privatizing the system might not result in a $1 billion cut to the budget. The only way to get that big of a savings, said PBA executive director David Murrell, would be to cut personnel or release prisoners early.
“The Department of Corrections has been cut and cut and cut and they’re to a point where it’s a safety issue,” Murrell said. “Mark my words, one of these days there’s going to be a bad incident. It’s gotten to that point where it’s that critical.”
Though the PBA supported Sink, it has fluctuated in its support of Democratic and Republican candidates. But Murrell said he doesn’t believe anyone in the Republican leadership is going to support a budget that will significantly cut criminal justice funding.
“What will really be interesting is if he [Scott] persists into wanting to cut that kind of money and that would fly in the face of the general Republican philosophy of being tough on crime,” Murrell said. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a Republican who wants to look soft on crime.”
Stapleton said that to his knowledge Scott has not had any discussions yet with legislative leadership over the prisons’ budget.
The News Service Florida contributed to this report.
Pictured: A guard tower rises above Century Correctional Institution. Pictured bottom inset: Razor wire lines a fence at Century Correctional Institute. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Girl’s ATV Hit By Drunk Driver
November 26, 2010
A 12-year old Century girl continues to recover after her ATV was hit by an alleged drunk driver’s pickup last weekend.
Beverly Blackmon was transported by LifeFlight to a Pensacola hospital following the weekend accident on Smallwood Lane north of Brewton, Ala.
The driver of the pickup fled the accident scene. He was later identified as Archie Lee Tanner, Jr. 38. He was charged with driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries and booked into the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center. Tanner was not injured in the crash.
Black Friday Sales
November 26, 2010
The day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday — the crazy-hour traditional start to the holiday shopping season. Pictured above: These teens were camped out for a flat screen Friday morning at the Walmart in Brewton. Submitted photo by Eric Hare. Pictured left: The checkout line circles the store twice at Target in Pensacola. Submitted photo by Janalyn Pomeroy. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Rain Ending, Cold
November 26, 2010
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast for the remainder of the long Thanksgiving weekend:
- Tonight…Mostly cloudy in the evening then clearing. Chance of rain in the evening. Lows in the mid 30s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.
- Saturday…Sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.
- Saturday Night…Clear. Lows in the mid 30s. Northeast winds around 5 mph.
- Sunday…Sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.
- Sunday Night…Not as cool. Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s. East winds around 5 mph becoming 5 to 10 mph after midnight.
- Monday…Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers through the day. Isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 70s. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.
- Monday Night…Warmer. Mostly cloudy. Scattered rain showers and isolated thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 50s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
- Tuesday…Cloudy. Scattered rain showers and isolated thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 60s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
- Tuesday Night…Colder. Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain in the evening…then chance of rain showers after midnight. Lows in the upper 30s. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.
- Wednesday…Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s.
- Wednesday Night…Colder…clear. Lows in the upper 20s.
- Thursday…Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s.
- Thursday Night…Clear. Lows in the mid 30s.
- Friday…Sunny. Highs in the lower 60s.
Greg Evers Named To 5 Senate Committees
November 26, 2010
Republican Greg Evers, the Florida senator representing the North Escambia area, was named to several Florida Senate committees Tuesday by Senate President Mike Haridopolos.
Evers was named to the following committees:
- Criminal Justice, chair
- Transportation, vice chair
- Communications, Energy, and Public Utilities
- Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections
- Reapportionment
Most of the committees named Tueday have overwhelming Republican majorities, reflective of the body as a whole, though there are a few that are close.
The Agriculture Committee, which is one of two committees chaired by a Democrat, Gary Siplin, has a slim 4-3 Republican majority, and the high profile Education Pre-K-12 Committee has just three Republicans and two Democrats. Similarly, Children, Families and Elder Affairs has a 3-2 GOP majority, as does Criminal Justice. Military Affairs has a 4-3 GOP majority. In contrast, probably the most politically charged committee, Reapportionment, is the most lopsided, with 16 Republicans and 7 Democrats.
“We are all elected representatives of the citizens of this great state so I believe we should all have the opportunity to serve on committees that interest each of us and best serve the voters,” said Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, in a memo to members. “It is clear that the selections are a reflection of what your constituents are interested in and as well as what each of you individually can bring in the way of insight, experience and in many cases real world expertise.”