Coming Saturday: A Roach Problem At Ernest Ward? And Cops Partying?
May 28, 2010
Make sure you join NorthEscambia.com Saturday morning. Here are some of the stories we are working on:
- There was a problem with a very large roach Friday morning at Ernest Ward Middle School. We’ll tell you what happened and have the photos to show.
- Escambia County deputies were partying on Friday. We’ll tell you why and have the pictures to share.
- And we’ll also have photos and tell you why the first passenger train in decades passed through North Escambia on Friday.
It’s all coming up Saturday morning on NorthEscambia.com
Earl “Fred” Jordan
May 28, 2010
In loving memory, Earl “Fred” Jordan, 68, lost his battle with cancer on Tuesday, May 25, 2010. Fred was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Bernice Jordan and brother Richard. He leaves behind his loving and devoted wife, Linda, son Frank (Kat) Jordan of Sampson, Al, son Dale (Jenny) Asberry of Molino, Florida, brother Ronnie (Linda) Jordan of Pace, Florida and many other family and friends as well as his church family.
Fred retired from the Escambia County school system as a diesel mechanic after 33 years of service. He was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church of Bluff Springs for 13 years. His first love was God. Fred loved to help people who were in need. He also enjoyed watching car races and fishing.
The family will receive friends beginning at 10:00 am, Saturday, May 29, 2010 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North in Cantonment until services begin at 11:00 am with Pastor Kevin Hasty and Pastor James Hughes officiating. Interment will follow at Elizabeth Chapel Cemetery in Chumuckla, Florida .Timmy Pugh, Mickey Pariman, Robert Craddle, Kevin Joiner, Steve Plant and Wayne Pugh will serve as pallbearers. The men’s Sunday school class of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church will serve as honorary pallbearers. The family would like to thank everyone for all the prayers and kindness shown during this difficult time. A special thank you goes out to Covenant Hospice of Santa Rosa County and Century Care Center.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 Highway 29 south Cantonment is in charge of arrangements.
Three Year Old Nearly Drowns; Found Floating Face Down In Pool
May 28, 2010
A three-year old girl is in critical condition after being found floating face down in a pool Thursday evening in the Bay Springs community near Walnut Hill.
Emergency personnel were called to a home in the 10000 block of Highway 97A about 6:20 p.m. after a family member found the child face down in the pool. She was not breathing when removed from the pool.
For an update to this story, click here.
Another family member reportedly performed CPR on the child and revived her. Authorities said it is not known how the child got past a fence surrounding the pool or how long she had been in the water.
The young girl was transported by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where family said she was recovering in a pediatric ICU unit.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Atmore Ambulance and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call.
Pictured above: Atmore Ambulance arrives at the scene of a near drowning Thursday afternoon near Walnut Hill. Pictured below: The three-year old victim was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital by LifeFlight. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two Zachs Each Hit Three-Run Homers
May 28, 2010
Two different players named Zach each hit three-run homers Thursday night as a Northwest Escambia Major League boys team finished their season with a win. Zach Payne, 11, (pictured right) hit a three-run home run in the first inning, and Zach Holland had a three run homer in the fifth as their Amerson Roofing team picked up a 16-12 win. Submitted photo by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
3rd FCAT Reading And Math Results Released; Good News For Most Local Schools
May 28, 2010
FCAT scores for third graders were Thursday with most North Escambia Schools seeing improvement over last year.
Bratt Elementary
Reading 64
Math 84
There was a large decline in the number of Bratt Elementary School third graders scoring a grade level three or better in reading. There were 64 percent at level three or more this year, compared to 78 percent last year and 83 percent two years ago.
Math scores at Bratt Elementary improved from 81 percent at grade level last year to 84 percent this year.
Byrneville Elementary
Reading 91
Math 97
Byrneville Elementary improved in both math and reading. The school jumped from 86 percent at grade level last year in reading to 91 percent this year. The percentage at grade level in math jumped from 93 percent in 2009 to 97 percent in 2010.
Molino Park Elementary
Reading 90
Math 92
Molino Park Elementary saw great improvement in reading scores, jumping from 76 percent in 2008 at grade level, to 81 percent in 2009 and 90 percent in 2010. Math scores improved as well, with 89 percent at grade level last year improving to 92 percent this year.
Jim Allen Elementary
Reading 76
Math 84
Jim Allen Elementary saw declines in math and reading scores. The percent on grade level in reading dropped slightly from 76 to 76 percent, and the percent on grade level in math dropped from 89 percent last year to 84 percent his year.
Escambia District
Reading 71
Math 75
At the county level, Escambia third graders declined just slightly in reading and math. There were 71 percent of third graders in the county making a grade level three or better in 2010, compared to 72 percent in 2009. The percentage making a three or better in math fell from 77 to 75 percent during the past year.
Hwy. 29, Hwy 97 Drivers To Get Break From Road Construction
May 28, 2010
Drivers on Highway 97 and a portion of Highway 29 near Molino will get a temporary reprieve from road construction and lane closures over the Memorial Day weekend.
To ease traffic congestion and insure safety along the roadways in northwest Florida, construction contractors working on state roads will cease operations during the Memorial Day weekend, according to Tanya Sanders Branton, public information specialist for the Florida Department of Transportation.
There will be no work on state roads requiring lane restrictions from Saturday, May 29 through Monday, May 31, she said. All major roads in northwest Florida will be open to normal traffic.
Area Resident Attends American Idol Finals, Wins $25,000
May 28, 2010
Nikki McMullen of Atmore won $25,000 in the AT&T American Idol Sweepstakes Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
Nikki and her daugther Madison were able to attend Tuesday night’s final performances with Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze and Wednesday night’s final show where DeWyze was crowned the new American Idol.
Pictured top: Former American Idol finalists come out to support winner Nikki McMullen of Atmore, Ala. (center) and daughter who won $25,000 at the live event in Los Angeles. AT&T grand prize sweepstakes winner Nikki McMullen poses with daughter Madison, former Idol finalist Megan Joy and her $25,000 winnings. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cats Scratch Pensacola Pelicans
May 28, 2010
The Cats (6-7) grinded out 18 hits off Pelicans pitching to propell them to a resounding 11-5 win over the Pelicans (5-9) Thursday night.
The Cats struck first blood in the 1st inning against Aaron Jackson, when John Allen hit a high bouncing ball up the middle into center to bring in Brian Fryer to make it 1-0 Cats. The Cats woulkdn’t stop there as Seth Fortebberry hammered a double down the right field line which scored Allen to make it 2-0. The scoring didn’t stop there as Kelley Gulledge hit a bouncing ball that snuck through the right side of the infield to bring home Fortenberry for a 3-0 lead. One batter later, Brenan Herrera laced a single to left center to score Gulledge to cap the scoring in the inning at 4-0.
The Cats would tack on three more runs in the 3rd with RBI singles from Herrera, Fryer, and McCoola which busted the game open early for the Cats with the score at 7-0.
The Pels wouldn’t go down quietly and got back in the game in the 4th inning. With runners on first and second with nobody out, John Alonso hit a boomingt ball off the left center field fence to score Javier Brito and Marcos Rodgriguez to cute the deficit to five 7-2.
Lou Palmisano walked following Alonso’s hit. Chase Porch would bunt the runners over and Dallas Christison would bring home Alonso on an RBI groundout to short to make it 7-3 Cats.
The Cats would get a run back on a wild pitch from Pelican Aaron starter which would score Rob Recuenco to increase the lead back to 8-3.
The Pels would get that run right back with one out and nobody on, Antoin Gray hit a towering homerun to left for his first homerun of the 2010 campaign to make it 8-4.
The Cats would add a run in the 6th on an RBI single from Gulledge to get the lead back up to 9-4.
Leading off the bottom of the 6th, Adolfo Gonzalez hit a bomb to left field for his 2nd homerun of the season to make it 9-5.
The Cats would add on to their run total as Herrera hit a blooping single over Gray’s out-stretched glove to score Gulledge to make it 10-5. Jeremy Sauceda would follow with a RBI double down the left field line to give the Cats an 11-5 lead.
Tim Bittner (1-2) gets the win as he pitched 6 innings and gave up 4 runs off 7 hits.
The loss goes to Aaron Jackson (0-2) as he was tagged for 9 runs off 13 hits while striking out 5.
The Pelicans finish the homestand at 3-4 and will be back on the road starting Saturday night against the Shreveport-Bossier Captains. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm with the pregame show at 6:55pm on pensacolapelicans.com.
Hurricane Season Could Be Worst Ever
May 28, 2010
An “active to extremely active” hurricane season is expected for the Atlantic Basin this year according to the seasonal outlook issued Thursday by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center – a division of the National Weather Service.
Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the six-month season, which begins June 1, NOAA is projecting a 70 percent probability of the following ranges:
- 14 to 23 Named Storms (top winds of 39 mph or higher), including:
- 8 to 14 Hurricanes (top winds of 74 mph or higher), of which:
- 3 to 7 could be Major Hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of at least 111 mph)
“If this outlook holds true, this season could be one of the more active on record,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “The greater likelihood of storms brings an increased risk of a landfall. In short, we urge everyone to be prepared.”
The outlook ranges exceed the seasonal average of 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes. Expected factors supporting this outlook are:
- Upper atmospheric winds conducive for storms. Wind shear, which can tear apart storms, will be weaker since El Niño in the eastern Pacific has dissipated. Strong wind shear helped suppress storm development during the 2009 hurricane season.
- Warm Atlantic Ocean water. Sea surface temperatures are expected to remain above average where storms often develop and move across the Atlantic. Record warm temperatures – up to four degrees Fahrenheit above average – are now present in this region.
- High activity era continues. Since 1995, the tropical multi-decadal signal has brought favorable ocean and atmospheric conditions in sync, leading to more active hurricane seasons. Eight of the last 15 seasons rank in the top ten for the most named storms with 2005 in first place with 28 named storms.
“The main uncertainty in this outlook is how much above normal the season will be. Whether or not we approach the high end of the predicted ranges depends partly on whether or not La Niña develops this summer,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “At present we are in a neutral state, but conditions are becoming increasingly favorable for La Niña to develop.”
“FEMA is working across the administration and with our state and local partners to ensure we’re prepared for hurricane season,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “But we can only be as prepared as the public, so it’s important that families and businesses in coastal communities take steps now to be ready. These include developing a communications plan, putting together a kit, and staying informed of the latest forecasts and local emergency plans. You can’t control when a hurricane or other emergency may happen, but you can make sure you’re ready.”
The president recently designated May 23-29, 2010, as National Hurricane Preparedness Week. NOAA and FEMA encourage those living in hurricane-prone states to use this time to review their overall preparedness. More information on individual and family preparedness can be found at www.Ready.gov and www.hurricanes.gov/prepare.
NOAA scientists will continue to monitor evolving conditions in the tropics and will issue an updated hurricane outlook in early August, just prior to what is historically the peak period for hurricane activity.
Log Truck Flips, Driver Injured In North Santa Rosa Crash
May 28, 2010
A Pensacola man was injured in a log truck accident south of Jay Thursday afternoon.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Mark L. Elliott, 49, was traveling south on Annie Penton Road in a 1992 Freightliner when his right tires drifted off the roadway near Howell Pitt Road. The truck overturned, with the logs from the truck’s trailer striking the cab and injuring Elliot.
Elliot was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola by LifeFlight where he was listed in serious condition.
The FHP said charges are pending in the crash.