Volleyball: Northview Beats Jay (With Photo Gallery)
September 23, 2011
The Northview Chiefs beat the Jay Royals Thursday in both varsity and junior varsity volleyball in Bratt.
For a photo gallery from the games, click here.
Varsity
The Lady Chiefs defeated the Royals in five — 19-25, 25-22, 18-25, 25-20, 15-12.
Junior Misty Doran led the Lady Chiefs with nine aces, eight kills, three block and 10 digs. Taylor Roberson added two aces, three kills and three digs, while Morgan Payne had one ace, 11 kills, one assist and four blocks. Shelley Mothershed recorded one ace, two kills and 10 assists, and Rebecca Masitias added one assist and seven digs for the Lady Chiefs.
Northview (1-9, 1-3) will host Laurel Hill next Tuesday in Bratt.
Junior Varsity
The JV Lady Chiefs defeated Jay in three — 24-26, 25-21 and 15-11.
Hannah Fiellin had three aces, one kill and four assists for Northview, while Rebecca Grim added two aces, two kills and one assist. Danielle Steadham posted seven kills, one assist, one block and one did, and Tiffani Pritchett had three kills and four assists.
With the win, the JV Chiefs improved to 7-5 overall, 3-1 in the district.
For a photo gallery from the games, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ascend’s Cantonment Plant Adding 102 Jobs
September 23, 2011
A local industry will add over 100 jobs and invest $50 million into their Cantonment plant.
Ascend Performance materials will 102 jobs over a three year period to its nylon manufacturing plant on Old Chemstrand Road. The plant’s annual payroll will eventually increase by $5.61 million, with the average salary for each of the new jobs at $55,000.
Ascend, formerly known as Solutia, received an incentive package worth just over $1 million as part of the expansion from a 10 year exemption from ad valorem taxes, tax rebates and economic development grants from the state.
The plant’s manager says the company is excited about the growth opportunities for the company and the community.
There are currently about 750 employees at the Cantonment facility.
Molino Resident Faces More Charges For Painting Graffiti
September 23, 2011
More charges have been filed against a Molino teen for allegedly painting graffiti on several Pensacola businesses.
Andrew Thomas Plenkers, 19, of Richardson Road was arrested Thursday morning on additional criminal mischief charges, according to Pensacola Police Department Sgt. Chuck Mallett, who is focusing investigations on graffiti in the downtown area.
“We are taking a more proactive look at graffiti in the downtown area as evidenced by this suspect’s recent arrests and others that are pending,” said Pensacola Police Chief Chip W. Simmons. “Those who are inclined to commit this crime need to remember they’re damaging someone’s property.”
Plenkers is suspected of spray painting the word “BEZ” (for be easy) as found September 6 on the following businesses:
- Larry M. Jacobs & Associates, 328 E. Gadsden Street
- Warner Printing, 419 E. Gadsden Street
- A vacant building at 501 E. Cervantes Street
Plenkers was first arrested September 3 and charged with criminal mischief after Sgt. Steve Rankin saw him walking through a parking lot in the 800 block of North Davis Highway.
Rankin said he watched the suspect for a little while before approaching him and making contact with him in the 500 block of East Cervantes Street. During a search of the suspect,
Rankin found a large blue marker in his right front pants pocket. Officers also found several cans of spray paint inside Plenkers’ car.
A freshly painted design that contained the words “BEZ” was found on the east wall of the Coffee Cup restaurant, 520 E. Cervantes St. Mallett said Plenkers is a suspect in additional graffiti cases he is investigating.
Tonight’s Prep Football Schedule
September 23, 2011
Here’s a look at prep football action tonight in the North Escambia area:
Florida
- Northview at South Walton, 7 pm
- Tate at Escambia, 7:30 pm
- Jay at Flomaton 7 pm
- West Florida at Bay, 7 pm
- Milton at PHS, 7:30 pm
- Pace at Pine Forest, 7:30 pm
- Niceville at Navarre, 7:30 pm
- Gulf Breeze at Arnold, 7 pm
- Catholic at Crestview, 7 pm
Alabama
- Jay at Flomaton, 7 pm
- Faith Academy at Escambia County (Atmore), 7 pm
- Patrician at Escambia Academy, 7 pm
- Andalusia at T.R. Miller, 7 pm
- W.S. Neal at Hillcrest, 7 pm
Pensacola Blue Wahoos Get Final Major League Approval
September 23, 2011
After months of waiting, working, and negotiating, Pensacola officially has a major league baseball franchise.
In a letter from the Office of Commissioner Bud Selig, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos were granted official standing by Major League Baseball last week as the Double-A farm club of the Cincinnati Reds franchise. The approval is part of a complicated transaction that involved other minor league teams, the purchase of the Reds’ Carolina Mudcats farm team, and the relocation and renaming of that team to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
The approval from Major League Baseball follows the recent go-ahead by the Southern League, the division of minor league baseball that gave the Blue Wahoos the preliminary go-ahead to come to town. Blue Wahoos President Bruce Baldwin said that the official approval from Major League Baseball triggers a host of other activities and opportunities for the team.
“Because the Blue Wahoos are a franchise of the Major League Baseball Cincinnati Reds, we have to comply with many of the same branding, marketing, and legal standards as Major League teams do. Major League Baseball is rightfully very protective of their product, and so this final approval gives the Blue Wahoos the green light to start doing some of the things that people associate with team sports,” said Baldwin. “Over the next few months, we will be rolling out a new website, unveiling our logo, releasing all sorts of great merchandise for the fans, and our season ticket holders will be picking their seats – all before the end of the year,” said Baldwin
Baldwin was excited about the final approval and looked forward to the next steps in rolling out the new franchise.
“This is great news and we’re really excited about bringing the Blue Wahoos to Pensacola. The stadium is coming along, and now that we’re officially approved by Major League Baseball I think the community and fans will start to see some more activity and excitement around the Blue Wahoos organization,” said Baldwin. “It’s exciting and I’m looking forward to the Blue Wahoo experience being a real draw for Pensacola and our fans, because we believe that a Blue Wahoo game won’t just be a baseball game, but an entire family, social, and entertainment event.”
Escambia Man Indicted For First Degree Murder Of Teen
September 23, 2011
An Escambia County grand jury has indicted 22-year old Jeremy Cornell Rand for first degree murder for the death of Deiante Elijah Graham.
The incident happened during the early morning hours of September 30 at the Royal Crest Apartments on Old Corry Field Road.
“Initial reports stated that a vehicle was parked in the complex and was occupied by two females and one male. They were approached by another unknown male and after an exchange of words, the unknown male pulled out a gun and began firing into the vehicle,” said Sgt. Mike Ward, public information officer for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the day of the event.
After the shooting, the vehicle was driven to the entrance of the Twin Oaks Villas Apartments at 4600 Twin Oaks Drive. Once deputies arrived, they found 17–year old Graham dead from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest.
Murderer Executed; Atmore Resident Faces Death Penalty Next
September 23, 2011
Death row inmate Derrick O’Neal Mason was executed Thursday evening at Holman Prison in Atmore — just less than a month before an Atmore resident is scheduled to die by lethal injection.
Mason (pictured left) was put to death for the 1994 murder of a Huntsville convenience store clerk. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley declined to commute the death sentence to life without parole, and the U.S. Supreme Court and the Alabama Supreme court turned down last ditch efforts by Mason’s attorneys to stop the execution.
Christopher Thomas Johnson of Atmore is scheduled to be executed at Holman Prison on October 20 for admitting to the beating death of his 6-month old son. Johnson said he killed the baby at the couple’s Horner Street residence because he hated his wife.
“You go see Jesus,” were the last words Johnson said to his son, he testified at his trial.
Johnson fired his public defenders and served as his own attorney during his 2006 Escambia County trial, telling the judge and jury that he wanted the death penalty for his actions. It took the jury less than a half hour to return a guilty verdict, and the death penalty was imposed. The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the capital murder conviction and the death penalty for Johnson.
To date, Johnson has decline further appeals.
Thursday Night Fire Damages Walnut Hill Home
September 23, 2011
Fire damaged an unoccupied home in Walnut Hill Thursday night. The fire was reported just after 10 p.m. in the 100 block of Juniper Street, just off Arthur Brown Road. Heavy smoke was pouring from the brick home as firefighters arrived.
There was no one in the home at the time of the fire; there were no injuries reported. The exact cause of the blaze in under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Walnut Hill, McDavid, Molino and Century Stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the blaze, along with the Atmore Fire Department and Atmore Ambulance.
Pictured top: Heavy smoke pours from a Juniper Street home Thursday night before firefighters arrive. Pictured below: The brick home in Walnut Hill received heavy smoke damage.. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escaped Inmates Captured
September 23, 2011
Two inmates are back behind bars, less than 12 hours after escaping from a work release center.
According to the Florida Department of Corrections, 28-year old Rajuan Darnell Grandison and 26-year old Shawn Wesley Halfacre escaped from the Pensacola Work Release Center about 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Both men were recaptured this morning on Kipling Street in Pensacola.
Grandison is a former resident of the 6100 block of Highway 95A in Molino. He was serving five years for a variety of charges including burglary of an occupied dwelling, grand theft auto, resisting an officer with violence, battery on law enforcement an leaving a crash with injuries.
Halfacre is a former resident of the 11000 block of Calvin Street in Pensacola. He was serving one year for leaving a crash with injury.
The Pensacola Work Release Center is located at 3050 North L Street in Pensacola and is under the supervision of the of the Century Correctional Institution.
Museum Dedicates Nixon’s Marine One (With Gallery)
September 23, 2011
National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola official dedicated the “Marine One” helicopter Thursday that was used to transport Presidents Nixon and Ford. The helicopter has been on display in the “Hanger Bay One” building at the museum and now it’s official open to the public.
The aircraft is one of just three or four used to transport Nixon and Ford, including Nixon’s famous goodbye from the lawn of the White House after his resignation in August 1974.
Pictured: Marine One at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.