Ernest Ward Field Day Canceled Due To Lockdown Will Be Held Today

April 9, 2010

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Students at Ernest Ward Middle School will enjoy a Field Day today that they missed two weeks ago while the school was in a lockdown following a dismissal time fight.

The EWMS students were scheduled to have the Field Day on March 26, but the event was postponed as a precaution after a March 25 fight that sent a bus driver to the hospital and seven Ernest Ward and Northview High School students to jail. The seven students were also suspended from school.

The school was out last week for Spring Break. Since students returned to class this week, there have been no violent incidents reported.

Man Pleads Not Guilty To Attempting To Strangle Ex-wife

April 9, 2010

A North Escambia man pleaded not guilty Thursday to allegedly attempting to strangle his ex-wife, with whom he was residing with in violation of a 12-year old restraining order.

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Harvey Lamar Brown, 52, of Highway 4A, Century, is charged with felony domestic battery by strangulation and contempt of court for willfully violating a restraining order.  After the entry of his not guilty plea on Thursday, Judge Frank Bell set Brown’s jury trial for July 19. He remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $100,000.

According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, the victim said her ex-husband apparently became jealous because she talked to a young man at a yard sale outside her home. When she went inside, a confrontation erupted, and Brown “strangled her to the point of almost passing out”, Deputy Jeff Gardner wrote in his report. When the victim attempted to call for help, Brown allegedly threw her on the floor and tried to break her neck, the report states.

The victim escaped and ran to a neighbor’s house to call for help. She refused medical treatment.

Brown acknowledged to deputies that an argument had occurred and said that the victim had bitten him on the arm. He admitted to the deputy that they “got into a fight (and) tussled around”.

According to the arrest report, a permanent domestic violence injunction was issued against Brown in December, 1997. Deputy Gardner wrote in his report that Brown thought the injunction had been recalled and that “she mislead him into living with her”. The report states Brown had become the caregiver for the victim, who is suffering from a medical condition.

Criminal Charges Filed Against The Arts Council Of Northwest Florida

April 9, 2010

The State Attorney’s Office has filed two criminal charges against the Arts Council of Northwest Florida for making false official statements.

artsfull.jpgComplaints investigated by the State Attorney’s Office alleged that the Arts Council filed false reports with Escambia County and the City of Pensacola in order to receive funding and that the designated funds received were used improperly.

That SAO found wrongdoing on the part of the arts organization over “an extended period of time”, according to a report filed Thursday by Chief Assistant State Attorney Gregory Marcille.

In fiscal year 2009, the Arts Council received $100,000 in funding from Escambia County and $60,000 from the City of Pensacola. $120,000 of the funds were to be distributed to a dozen different arts organizations. The agreement with the county stated that the council was to be reimbursed after writing checks to the arts organizations. The Arts Council will provide copies of the checks to Escambia County that were supposedly sent to the arts groups. In reality, the Arts Council was withholding the checks and providing a false statement to the county, according to Marcille’s report.

The City of Pensacola made a lump sum payment each year, and the SAO found that it became regular practice for th group to use the current funding to pay expenses from the prior year.

Marcille said in his report that there was no evidence that anyone misappropriated funds for their own use, and no individuals were charged in connection with the incident.

The Arts Council of Northwest Florida will be arraigned on April 29 before Judge David Ackerman.

To read the full report from the State Attorney’s Office, click here.

Jay Wins Track Meet; Northview Places Second, Third

April 9, 2010

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Jay’s boys and girls won a recent seven-school track meet, while the Northview girls placed second and the Northview boys placed third.

The meet at Central High School included track teams from Century, Northview, Jay, Florala, W.S. Neal, Paxton and Pensacola Christian School.

Full results from the meet are below.

OVERALL GIRLS POINTS
132-Jay
102-Northview
68-Central
67-Paxton
46-WS Neal
46-Florala
4-Pensacola Christian

OVERALL BOYS POINTS
160-Jay
143-WS Neal
84-Northview
23- Paxton
20-Pensacola Christian
14-Central
14-Florala

Event -Girls High Jump
1st Katie, Paxton 4’10”
2nd Welch, Paxton 4’6”
3rd Gomez, L Northview 4’6”

Event – Boys High Jump
1st- Elliott, WS Neal 6’4”
2nd- Butts, Paxton 5’10”
3rd Ewing, WS Neal 5’10”

Event – Girls Triple Jump
1st Gomez, L Northview 30’8.5”
2nd Floyd, Northview 29’2”

Event – Boys Triple Jump
1st Elliott, WS Neal 41’11.5”
2nd Gibson, J Northview HS 35’
3rd Flowers, Jay 32’3”

Event- Girls Long Jump
1st Blackman, Jay 14’11”
2nd Ellis, Jay 14’3”
3rd Forsythe, Central 13’5”


Event-Boys Long Jump

1st Nicholson WS Neal 20’11”
2nd Elliott WS Neal 18’5”
3rd Ewing, WS Neal 17’9.5”

Event-Girls Shot Put
1st Walker, Paxton 30’2”
2nd Edwards, Jay 27’10”
3rd Williams, Florala 27’7”

Event- Boys Shot put
1st Moore, Northview 38’9.5”
2nd Lisonbee, Jay 37’7”
3rd Gilmore, Jay 37’6”

Event- Girls Discus
1st Walker, Paxton 134’3”
2nd Hawthorne, WS Neal 87’1”
3rd Cergeira, Jay 72’1”

Event-Boys Discus
1st Moore, Northview 105’2”
2nd Gilmore, Jay 100’10”
3rd Wright, Central 90’

Event – Girls 4×800 Meter Relay
1st Jay 11:12
2nd Northview HS 14;43

Event -Boys 4×800 Meter Relay
1st Jay 9:32
2nd WS Neal 10:32

Event -Girls 100 Meters Hurdles
1st Evans, Paxton 18:53
2nd Floyd, Northview HS 18.54
3rd Ellis Jay 19:03

Event-Boys 110 Meters Hurdles
1st Nicholsen, WS Neal 15:88
2nd Brabham, Jay 18:67
3rd Jackson, Northview 20:74

Event-Girls 100 Meters
1st Radfred, Florala 14:08
2nd Hobbs, Florala 14:09
3rd Stallworth WS Neal 14:37

Event-Boys 100 Meters
1st Nicholson, WS Neal 11:72
2nd Elliott, WS Neal 11:94
3rd Ewing, WS Neal 12:10

Event-Girls 1600
1st Treviad, Jay 6:14
2nd Smith, Central 6:21
3rd Geotter, Northview 6:32

Event-Boys 1600
1st Nadsady, Jay 5:10
2nd Price, Paxton 5:38
3rd Kemp Jay 5:48

Event – Girls 4×100 Relay
1st Northview HS 54.56
2nd Florala 55.78
3rd Central 55.58

Event-Boys 4 X 100 Relay
1st Jay 51.95
2nd Florala 55.66
3rd Pensacola Christian 57.00

Event-Girls 400 Meters
1st- Golden, Jay 1:05.74
2nd Ellis, Jay 1:08.96
3rd Thomas, Jay 1:11.98

Event-Boys 400 Meters
1st Coticid, Jay 59.05
2nd Kennedy, Jay 59.28
3rd Flowers, Jay 59.53

Event -Girls 300 Meter Hurdles
1st Evans, Paxton 57.80
2nd Ramsey, Paxton 58.35
3rd Jernigan, Central 58.40

Event-Boys 300 Hurdles
1st Brabham, Jay 44.02
2nd Nettles, WS Neal 47.54
3rd Alexander, WS Neal 49.52

Event- Girls 800 Meters
1st- Blackman, Jay 2:39.19
2nd Forsythe, Central 2:43.12
3rd Trestino, Jay 2:46.74

Event-Boys 800 Meters
1st Fisher, Jay 2:21
2nd Phillips, Jay 2:22
3rd Nasady, Jay 2:24

Event-Girls 200 Meters
1st Crook, WS Neal 29.88
2nd Mitchell, Northview 29.86
3rd Russo, Central 30.02

Event-Boys 200 Meters
1st Dixon, Northview 24.62
2nd Nettles, WS Neal 25.22
3rd Jackson, Northview 25.23

Event- Girls 3200 Meters
1st Smith, Central 13:53
2nd Thornton, Jay 13:59
3rd Brown, Jay 15:42

Event-Boys 3200 Meters
1st Regehr, WS Neal 12:13
2nd Kemp, Jay 12:10
3rd Gomez, WS Neal 12:58

Event – Girls 4×400 Relay
1st Jay 4:28
2nd Central 4:55
3rd Florala 5:21

Event – Boys 4×400 Relay
1st Northview HS
2nd Jay
3rd Central

Pictured top: A few members of the Northview High School girls track team. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Damage To Sandy Hollow Bridge More Extensive Than First Reported

April 9, 2010

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Escambia County now says that damage to the Sandy Hollow Bridge in Davisville is worse than initially reported.

Updated information released Thursday afternoon shows that the needed repairs are much more substantial than first reported by Escambia County. The bridge on Sandy Hollow Road will require eight new piles to be driven, the replacement of the abutment and wing walls on the south end and the replacement of the guardrail.

The work is scheduled to begin Monday and is expected to continue for about two weeks.

The emergency closure of the bridge on Sandy Hollow Road was announced Wednesday afternoon due to the Florida Department of Transportation’s bridge consultant, Volkert and Associates, inspection of the bridge. At that time, Escambia County said just one or possibly two of the pilings that support the bridge would be replaced.

Highway 97 is the detour for the road, which runs from West Highway 4 to Gobbler Road. The bridge, located about a mile and a half south of Highway 4, already had a restricted weight limit of 20 tons.

Pictured above: Work crews place barricades on Sandy Hollow Road late Wednesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Woman, Infant Escape Serious Injury In Collision With Train

April 8, 2010

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A woman and an infant escaped serious injury in a train versus car accident Thursday morning in the Friendship community near Flomaton.

The 21-year old and her 18-month old infant were transported by ambulance to Jay Hospital. Their injuries were not life threatening; authorities said the infant’s injuries were minor. The mother was reportedly wearing her seat belt, and the child was properly restrained in a car seat.

The woman’s car collided with the southbound Alabama Railroad train about 7:45 a.m. at a crossing on Wolf Log Road the intersection of Jordan Road.

The accident is still under investigation.

Pictured top: The driver and an infant passenger in this car escape serious injury in a collision with a train this morning near Flomaton. Pictured below: The car’s bumper can be seen on the tracks in front of the train. NorthEscambia.com photos by Alisa Hart, click to enlarge.

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Your Forecast: Cooler Tonight

April 8, 2010

A few scattered showers are still possible this afternoon, but most of use will see a little sun. By tonight, it will be a bit cooler.Here is your official North Escambia area forecast for Thursday:

  • Today: Cloudy, with a slight chance of a shower. A high of 71.
  • Tonight: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 46. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
  • Friday: Sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming north between 5 and 10 mph.
  • Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42. Calm wind.
  • Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming east between 5 and 10 mph.
  • Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 44. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
  • Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 76. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
  • Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51. South wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm.
  • Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
  • Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.
  • Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.
  • Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54.
  • Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

Former Northview Coach Named New Escambia County High Head Coach

April 8, 2010

Former Northview High School offensive coordinator Mark Heaton has been named the new head football coach at Escambia County High School in Atmore.

heaton11.jpgHeaton’s appointment was unanimously approved Thursday afternoon by the Escambia County (Ala.) School Board after a short executive session. Heaton was one of seven candidates for the job interviewed by School Superintendent Billy Hines and Assistant Superintendent Randall Little. Escambia County High School Principal Harvey Means was left out of the selection process because his contract was non-renewed in March by the school board.

“I was excited that this opportunity presented itself,” Heaton told NorthEscambia.com. “God really opened the door wide open and kicked me through it. I hope we are going to be blessed and prosper.”

The new Blue Devils head coach believes he can return the program to glory. And he’s not aiming low, setting a goal of  state championship, something Escambia County High School has not seen since 1983.

“There’s a lot of deep tradition at Escambia County,” he said. “This is a great time and a great opportunity to build on that tradition.”

Heaton admitted that he will miss J.U. Blacksher where he was 13-9, including a trip to the state playoffs.

“I’m going to miss a lot of those kids,” he said. “I am so proud of them and the program.” He spent early Thursday evening calling his J.U. Blacksher seniors to tell them about his decision to take the Escambia County job. He will meet with the entire team on Friday to announce that he’s leaving.

Heaton’s first day as the new Blue Devils head coach will be April 18.

Heaton is a 1997 graduate of Demopolis (Ala.) High School where he was a student teacher for one year. He then joined the coaching staff at Oglethorpe County High School in Crawford, Georgia under Cody Keene. Two years later, he would eventually follow Keene to Northview High School.

heatonfam.jpgHeaton joined the Northview coaching staff as an offensive coordinator in 2004 under Keene. After four seasons with the Chiefs, Heaton was hired from a field of 28 as head coach at J.U. Blacksher in Uriah, Ala.

He is a 2001 graduate of the University of West Alabama where he played on scholarship as a quarterback and punter.

Heaton’s wife, Betty Heaton, will remain at Northview High School where she currently is the head volleyball coach and teaches reading. The couple lives in Atmore, and they have two preschool daughters, Jae and Payton.

Heaton replaces Kyle Davis at Escambia County High. Davis was fired with a 16-35 record over five seasons.

Pictured top: New Escambia County High School Coach Mark Heaton. Pictured bottom: (L-R) Jay, Betty, Payton and Mark Heaton. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Several ‘Sweeping Change’ Education Bills Up For A Vote Today

April 8, 2010

Several bills that could usher in sweeping changes to the state’s education landscape are up for a final vote in the House on Thursday, the last stop before the governor’s desk.

Class sizes could grow, more kids could go to private schools on the taxpayers, the FCAT could be phased out at the high school level and teachers could see their pay raises based on their students’ achievement. The bills have been part of a highly politicized, partisan process that has divided the education community.

HB 7189/SB 6
The most controversial measure before the Legislature this year would strip away tenure from public school teachers, instead basing their salary, in part, on student performance.

A measure filed in the Senate on the first day of session would partly base teacher pay raises on the results of their students on standardized exams. But the Department of Education has yet to determine exactly how student learning gains would be measured and will outline those proposals throughout the summer if it becomes law.

The Florida Education Association has come out swinging against the legislation with teachers flooding lawmakers’ offices with emails, letters and phone calls. A House committee also scheduled eight hours to hear the measure earlier this week and 120 people signed up to speak on the legislation. It has also gained national attention with a representative of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce testifying at a committee meeting along with a representative of an education think tank in North Carolina.

Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna, stressed that the students aren’t being required to hit a certain mark on exams, they just need to show gains from the previous year.

“The focus is not on the end performance, it focuses on a learning gain,” she said.

Democrats proposed several amendments to the legislation, all of which were knocked down by the Republican majority in a session that went late into the night on Wednesday. The amendments included a measure to remove penalties from schools who reward teachers based on years of service, a proposal to include external factors such as a child’s socioeconomic status in their progress, and an exemption for military personnel from having their teaching certificates revoked.

“This bill is a slap in the face to every teacher out there,” said Rep. Mia Jones, D-Jacksonville.

The House gave the bill preliminary approval on Wednesday night setting it up for a vote on Thursday.

HJR 7039/SJR 2

The House will also vote on whether ask the voters to knock down a class size provision in the state constitution.

In 2002, Florida voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment that would cap class sizes at 18 students for kindergarten through third grade, 22 in fourth through eighth grade, and 25 in high school. Smaller classes have been phased in since 2002, but at the start of the 2010 school year, every classroom would have to meet those hard caps.

The joint resolution would roll back the requirement so that class size would be calculated at a grade-level average, not an individual classroom cap. Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, the House sponsor, said this was a school flexibility measure. “We are not repealing the class size amendment,” he said on the House floor Wednesday.

The measure requires a three-fifths vote to make it to the November 2010 ballot where it requires 60 percent voter approval to pass.

HB 1009/SB 2126

Included in the package of bills is a measure to massively expand the state’s voucher program, the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, so more low income students could choose to attend private school. The program, established in 2001, gives companies a tax credit in exchange for contributing to the program.

The bill would add revenue sources and expand the cap on how much in scholarship money can be awarded from $118 million to $140 million and increase the individual award over time from the current level of $3,950 to 80 percent of the per pupil spending awarded by the state to public schools. Currently, the state spends about $6,900 per public school student.

HB 7053

The FCAT would be phased out at the high school level under HB 7053. The legislation would implement end-of-course exams in algebra, geometry and biology, phasing out the ninth and 10th grade FCAT in mathematics and the high school science FCAT.

Report Details Crime Levels In Escambia, Santa Rosa

April 8, 2010

The rate of serious crimes in Florida fell to a 39-year low in 2009, while the number of most violent crimes in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties showed little change.

In violent crime categories — murder, forcible sex offenses, robbery and aggravated assault — Escambia County had a slight increase from 2008 to 2009 in the number of forcible rapes (161 to 193) and aggravated assaults (1,852 to 1,884). Murders decreased (22 to 18) as did robberies (692 to 636).

In Santa Rosa County, there was  an increase in forcible rapes (17 to 33). There were decreases from 2008 to 2009 in murders (2 to 0), robberies (26 to 21) and aggravated assaults (235 to 183).

From 2008 to 2009, Escambia County had an increase in the number of  burglaries (2,993 to 3,265) and larcenies (8,525 to 8,750). The number of motor vehicles thefts were down (835 to 753).

From 2008 to 2009, Santa Rosa County  had a decrease in the number of burglaries (518 to 480), larcenies (1,484 to 1,386) and motor vehicle thefts (125 to 97).

Escambia County’s crime rate per 100,000 persons was 4,952.1 in 2009, while Santa Rosa County’s crime rate per 1,000 persons was 1,522.4.

The numbers for Escambia County include all crimes reported by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Pensacola Police Department, University of West Florida Police Department,  Pensacola Junior College Police Department and other agencies. Santa Rosa County’s numbers include all crimes reported by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, Milton Police Department, Gulf Breeze Police Department and other agencies.

The numbers were released Thursday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in their 2009 Annual Uniform Crime Report.

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