Local Students Named To All-State Bands
November 12, 2010
Several North Escambia area students are among 23 selected to a Florida Bandmasters Association’ All-State bands.
Travis Allen of Jay High School on the trombone was selected to the All-State High School Honor Band. Chris Snyder of Tate High on the trumpet was selected to the All-State Symphonic Band, while Jacob Dearrington of Tate on the trumpet was named to the All-State Symphonic Orchestra Winds.
Lindsey Gordon of Tate on the piccolo was named to the All-State Concert Orchestra Winds, and Kirstin Pike of Jay on the clarinet was named to the All-State Middle School Honor Band.
Two Ransom Middle School students, Matthew J. Hardy on the tuba and Robin Hall on the saxophone, were selected for the All-State Middle School Band.
The students will perform January 14 and 15 in Tampa during a series of All-State concerts.
Here is the complete list of Escambia and Santa Rosa county students named to one of the All-State bands:
All-State High School Honor Band
- Stephanie Borg, home school, flute
- Kay Jackson, Milton High, bassoon
- Andria Beasley, Navarre High, B flat clarinet
- Travis Allen, Jay High, trombone
- Charles Hernandez, Milton High, baritone
All-State Symphonic Band
- Michael Tran, Pace High, B flat clarinet
- Tyler Gellos, Pensacola Christian Academy, trumpet
- Chris Snyder, Tate High, trumpet
All-State Concert Band
- Katherine Lirette, Pace High, B flat clarinet
- Nancy Taguiam, Pace High, B flat clarinet
All-State Symphonic Orchestra Winds
- Meghan Dunne, Pace High, piccolo and flute
- Jacob Dearrington, Tate High, trumpet.
All-State Concert Orchestra Winds
- Lindsey Gordon, Tate High, piccolo
- Seth Traylor, Gulf Breeze High, French horn
- Jennifer Waters, Pace High, trombone
All-State Middle School Honor Band
- Kristin Pike, Jay High, clarinet.
- David Shin, Bellview Middle, clarinet
- Brandon Malone, Ferry Pass Middle, tenor saxophone
- Patrick Greene, Hobbs Middle, French horn
All-State Middle School Band
- Hank Landrum, Gulf Breeze Middle, B flat clarinet
- Robin Hall, Ransom Middle, alto saxophone
- Jacob Howard, Beulah Academy of Science, trumpet
- Matthew J. Hardy, Ransom Middle, tuba
Photos: Honoring Our Veterans
November 12, 2010
Veterans were honored across the area Thursday. There were parades in Atmore and Pensacola, and at students lined the fence with hundreds of flags at Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill.
For a Veterans Day photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: The Tate High School AJROTC “Aggie Battalion” marched in the Pensacola Veterans Day Parade. Pictured left: Atmore World War II veteran John Garrard waves during the Atmore Veterans Day Parade Thursday morning. Pictured below: Hundreds of flags placed by the Ernest Ward Middle School SGA line the fence at the school. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Traffic Delays Friday On Highway 97 At Highway 29
November 11, 2010
Motorists can expect traffic delays Friday on Highway 97 near the Highway 29 intersection as crews from Panhandle Grading & Paving continue resurfacing operations. Also on Friday, traffic on Highway 95A may encounter traffic delays as crews perform paving operations in the area.
According to Tanya Branton, public information specialist for the Florida Department of Transportation, law enforcement will be on site to assist with traffic control.
The work is part of a $5.7 million project to resurface 22 miles of Highway 97 from Highway 95A in Molino to the Alabama state line.
Honoring Our Veterans: Pensacola
November 11, 2010
The Tate High School AJROTC “Aggie Battalion” marched in the Pensacola Veterans Day Program this morning. Submitted photos by April Mitchell for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Honoring Our Veterans: Walnut Hill
November 11, 2010
On this Veterans Day, hundreds of flags line the fence around Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill. The flag were placed by the EWMS Student Government Association.
The annual Ernest Ward Middle School Veteran Program will be held Friday at 9:30 a.m. in the school gym.
The program will include special music, a drama performance, student presentations and more. The program will also include student-led interviews with area veterans about their wartime service, giving them an opportunity to tell their story “in their own words”. Plans also call for the Coast Guard to land a helicopter at the end of the program and to honor them for their service in catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina and the oil spill.
All veterans are invited to attend. Refreshments will follow the program.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
By The Numbers: Century General Election, Absentee Votes
November 11, 2010
The percentage of voter turnout in Tuesday’s Century general election was much higher than countywide turnout for the 2010 primaries.
There were 318 votes cast in Tuesday’s general election in Century out of 1,081 registered voters — a 29.4 percent turnout. That virtually mirrored the turnout for the October primary when 321 votes were cast — a 29.6 percent turnout. In the August primaries across Escambia County, the voter turnout was 12.6 percent.
Of the 318 votes in Tuesday’s general election, 34 percent (108) were absentee In Escambia County’s August primary, 36.8 percent of ballots were absentee.
The number of absentee ballots “were not unusual at all”, according to Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford.
There were 81 absentee ballots cast Tuesday for winner Jacke Johnston and 27 for Henry Hawkins. Johnston was the Century Town Council Seat 3 winner with 174 votes (54.72%) while Henry Hawkins received 144 votes (45.28%)
For more on Tuesday’s general election in Century, including candidate reaction, click here for previous story.
One Felony Charge Dropped Against Former Fireman; Still Faces Sex Abuse, Misdemeanor Charges
November 11, 2010
A felony grand theft charge against a former Century volunteer fireman has been dropped in a case involving the abandonment of three dogs.
Dustin Ryan Burkett, 28, of Century, still faces one felony count of lewd and lascivious battery on a victim 12 to 15 years of age and misdemeanor charges of abandonment of animals and obstruction of justice. He has pleaded not guilty on all charges.
Burkett’s sexual abuse charge stems from a 2009 incident in which a 15 year old girl told deputies she had intercourse with Burkett at Lake Stone Campground in Century. The encounter, according to the victim, took place on or about March 28, 2009. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received information on April 13, 2009, that the relationship had taken place, and the victim was interviewed at her school on April 28, 2009.
Burkett retained an attorney and refused to meet with the Sheriff’s Office investigators, according to the warrant affidavit.
In an unrelated incident, Burkett was charged with allegedly abandoning three dogs that were reported to be “rescued” by the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue in August.
The Century Station of Escambia-Rescue responded to a reported motor vehicle accident on Sunday, August 22 on North Century Boulevard just south of Tedder Road. They discovered that there was no accident; rather, a motorist had stopped after seeing the three dogs nearly in the road. Both the fire department and the Sheriff’s Office requested that Escambia County Animal Control respond, but the agency refused stating that it did not meet their call-out criteria.
Rather than leave the dogs beside the road, they were taken back to the Century firehouse as firefighters worked to determine what to do with the canines. According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office incident report, the Burkett told his follow firefighters to, “Put them in my truck. I have a pen at my house”.
A Century Volunteer Fire Department officer emailed NorthEscambia.com that night, providing photographs of the dogs and asking for help in find the dogs’ owner. NorthEscambia.com published that story Monday, August 23.
After the article was published on NorthEscambia.com, the dogs’ owner contacted the fire department. According to the ECSO, the owner confronted Burkett at the Century fire station the next evening and asked the whereabouts of his dogs. Burkett according to the incident report, “refused to respond and acted like he didn’t know what (the victim) was talking about”.
The dogs’ owner then went to the Burkett’s residence on Highway 4A and spoke with the suspect’s father. The father was helpful but said that he did not see the dogs or know where his son had put them, the victim told deputies.
Burkett told a fire department officer that he had found a good home for the dogs in Walnut Hill, and the officer contact NorthEscambia.com with the information. Based on that information from the fire department, a followup story was published by NorthEscambia.com on Thursday, August 26, reporting that a home had been found for the dogs.
On Thursday, deputies met with both Burkett and his father. Burkett told deputies, according to their report, that he had given the dogs to a man he met. He told a deputy that he did not know how to contact the man and that the deputy should call his friend. The friend told the deputy by phone that “he did not want to be involved and that he was not going to tell a lie to keep (the suspect) out of trouble”. He said that Burkett contacted him Sunday night and “asked him to cover for him if asked the whereabouts of the missing dogs”. The friend told the deputy that Burkett told him that he took the dogs and dropped them off at the intersection of North Pine Barren Road and Highway 168.
When contacted by phone, the deputy said Burkett admitted to putting the dogs out of his vehicle on Pine Barren Road on Wednesday. About 30 minutes later, Burkett called the suspect again to advise him that he was going to face charges over the dogs. “He advised me that he didn’t kill them or sell them and that he put them out on Sunday,” Deputy David Bashore wrote in his report.
The dogs were found a few days later on Highway 4, not far from Northview High School. They were determined to be in good condition by a veterinarian and returned the owner.
Burkett has been suspended from Escambia Fire Rescue. He is the son of the Century District Fire Chief Reggie Burkett, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Pictured top: Former Century firefighter Dustin Ryan Burkett. Pictured top inset: These cellphone photos show three dogs found the evening of August 22 on North Century Boulevard just south of Tedder Road. The firefighter partially in the photograph is not suspected of any wrongdoing. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
What Was All The Smoke In The Jacks Branch Road Area?
November 11, 2010
There was lots of thick smoke — an even some falling ash — Wednesday night in the Jacks Branch Road area of Escambia County.
According to Sonya Daniel, public information manager for Escambia County, the smoke was from a 300 acre control burn Wednesday west of Jacks Branch Road. Cooler night temperatures and calm wind kept the smoke closer to the ground.
Events Planned For Veterans Day
November 11, 2010
Several programs, parades and events will honor veterans today and Friday in the North Escambia area.
Thursday, November 11
Blue Angels homecoming air show Thursday through Saturday at Pensacola Naval Air Station. Performances begin at 9:30 a.m. with the Blue Angels flying at 2 p.m. each day. There will also be an evening show beginning at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Gates open at 8 a.m. each day. (850) 453-2389.
Friday, November 12
The Byrneville Elementary School Veterans Program will be held in the Northview High School Theater at 9 a.m. on Friday, November 12.
The annual Ernest Ward Middle School Veteran Program will be held Friday, November 12 at 9:30 a.m. in the school gym. The program will include special music, a drama performance, student presentations and more. The program will also include student-led interviews with area veterans about their wartime service, giving them an opportunity to tell their story “in their own words”. Plans also call for the Coast Guard to land a helicopter at the end of the program and to honor them for their service in catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina and the oil spill. All veterans are invited to attend. Refreshments will follow the program.
Honoring Our Veterans: Northview High Holds Annual Program
November 11, 2010
Northview High School honored those that have served in America’s armed forces during the school’s annual Veterans Day program Wednesday morning at the school. During the program, a flag was presented to Joel Day of Atmore, a veteran of World War II that fought in the Battle of the Bulge. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.