Ernest Ward Showcases Talent
October 26, 2011
Ernest Ward Middle School held their annual talent show Tuesday night.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
Awards presented were:
- Kenral Langford, Honorable Mention
- Logan Doremus and Trace Franklin, Honorable Mention
- Abbie Johnson and Liberty Peebles, Audience Choice Award
- Lorri Harrell, Critics Choice Award
The complete list of participants was as follows:
- Koriaun Lewis, played piano and sang “Well Done”
- Alayna Brown and Ashtyn Pressley, sang “The Revelation Song”
- Abbie Johnson and Liberty Peebles, performed skit “The Dud Wars”
- Amber Freeman, sang “Somebody”
- Elizabeth Wright and Amy Branch, performed skit “The Boy Book”
- Reagan Harrell, performed human video routine “Gone without Goodbye”
- Kayla Galvan, sang “Hero”
- Renee McGahan, sang “Sparks Fly”
- Morgan Wiggins, baton routine to “The Way You Make Me Feel”
- Harmoni Till, sang “Never Along”
- Bethany Reynolds, sign language routine to “Bless the Broken Road”
- Kenral Langford, monologue “The Chill”
- Logan Doremus and Trace Franklin, performed skit “Nerd USA”
- Evon Till, sang “Fireflies”
- Lorri Harrell, sang “What Love Really Means”
- Colby and Aaron Dees, performed classic skit “Who’s on First”
- Loudon Leatherberry, sang “Our Song”
Pictured top: Logan Doremus and Trace Franklin perform the skit “Nerd USA” during a talent show Tuesday night at Ernest Ward Middle School. Pictured below: Abbie Johnson and Liberty Peebles performed skit “The Dud Wars”. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cross Country: Northview, Jay, Tate, EWMS, Miller And More
October 26, 2011
Over 140 runners took part in a cross country meet Tuesday afternoon at Northview High School, with T.R. Miller and Pensacola Christian Academy taking top honors.
Baker, Central, Ernest Ward, Jay, Northview, Pensacola Christian, Tate and T.R. Miller took part in the meet hosted by Northview High School.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Results were as follows:
Fastest Boy — Dylan Scott – Baker (17:21)
Fastest Girl — Karisa Nelson – T.R. Miller (18:31)
Team Results –Girls
- 1st TR Miller 27 Points
- 2nd Jay 38 Points
- 3rd PCA 107 Points
- 4th Northview 133 Points
- 5th Baker 145 Points
- 6th Central 181 Points
Team Results — Boys
- 1st PCA 42 Points
- 2nd TR Miller 56 Points
- 3rd Tate 74 Points
- 4th Central 147 Points
- 5th Northview 258 Points
Northview High School
- Top Girls — Georgia Goetter, Lakelynn Parker, Zacarra Davis, Jazzlyn Franklin, Ashley Joiner
- Top Boys — Jarrett Parker, Dakota Craft, Jonathon Moretz, Jack Floyd, Joshua Borelli
- Top Girls — Jessica Thornton, Jorga Agrait, Allison, Savannah Brisn, Ally Settle
- Top Boys – Micah Kemp, Mark Foley
- Top Girls — Bethany Reynolds, Victoria Amerson, Jessica Barrows
- Top Boys — Zachary Calloway, Gavin Coon, Logan Calloway, Jared Townley
- Top Girls — Bethany Davis, Tina Blakely, Hannah Philips, Jessi Whaley
- Top Boys — Thomas Simons Jared Blakely, Daniel Keely, Devante Bonhann, Luke Barnhill
- Top Girls — Kennedy Fuller, Beth Smith, Brandi Bradley, Allaina Morrow, Courtney Rutherford
- Top Boys — Kyle Fuller, Nolan Frady, Keifer Boyett, Morgan Givens, Nick Pooley
- Top Girls — Lauren Cochran, Ann Brock, Katarina Zayas, Monica Smith, Grace Tegenkamp
- Top Boys — Kenneth Cochran, Jared Cirone, Richard Moses, Daniel Posey, Kobi Jekel
- Top Girls — Karisa Nelson, Allie Nelson, Katie Nelson, Amber Nelson, Breann Huff
- Top Boys — Rob Stokes, Andrew Pollite, Christian Carlson, Carter Frezell, Ryan Snowden
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Area Law Enforcement To Hold Drug Take Back Day
October 26, 2011
Several area law enforcement agencies will take part in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, providing individuals the opportunity to voluntarily dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs.
In Escambia County, CVS has donated gift cards to the take back effort and each person turning in outdated and unneeded medications will receive a $5 gift card while supplies last.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office (9 am – 2 pm):
- Molino ESCO Precinct, 5844 North Hwy 29, Molino
- CVS, Perdido Key
- CVS, Brent and Hwy 29
- CVS, Hwy 29 and Kingsfield
- CVS, Davis Hwy and Olive Road
- CVS,Palafox and 9 Mile Road
Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office (10 am – 2pm):
- Main Sheriff’s Office, 5755 E. Milton Rd., Milton
- Navarre District Office, 8597 High School Blvd, Navarre
Poarch Creek Tribal Police Departmen (10 am – 2pm):
- Poarch Creek PD, Jack Springs Road, Atmore
Pictured above: Some of the prescription drugs collected earlier this year during a drug take back day at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Century Precinct. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Mark Your Calendars — Walnut Hill VFD Sets Annual Fish Fry
October 26, 2011
Mark your calendars — the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department has scheduled their 42nd Annual Catfish Fry.
The event will be Saturday, November 5 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Walnut Hill Fire Station on Highway 97.
Plates will be $7 each with your choice of catfish fillets or grilled chicken, plus baked beans, cole slaw, hush puppies, homemade bread and cake. There will also be drawing for door prizes beginning at 1 p.m.
The Northwest Florida Blood Center Bloodmobile will also be on hand for a blood drive.
BP Makes Last $10 Million Payment For Area Tourism; BP Profits Soar
October 26, 2011
BP executives on Tuesday sent the third $10 million installment of a $30 million program created earlier this year to bolster tourism marketing in the Florida Panhandle — the same day BP announced profits of $4.8 billion.
The payment, which targets an area hard hit by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, will be distributed through the Northwest Florida Tourism Council.
“This demonstrates their commitment to restore Northwest Florida tourism,” said Dawn Moliterno, the executive director of Visit South Walton. “The results have already been demonstrated with the recent significant increases in bed tax collection.”
Bed tax receipts in the seven counties of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf and Franklin, indicate the summer season was far ahead of 2010.
Oil giant BP reported higher third quarter profits Tuesday on higher oil prices and its CEO says the company has clearly survived last year’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill. BP announced in the quarter that ended Sept. 30 it had net profit of $4.9 billion, up from $1.8 billion in the same quarter a year earlier.
The company also said it is selling $45 billion in assets to pay for damage from the April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill.
In a statement, BP CEO Bob Dudley said the company had “reached a definite turning point,” from the aftermath of the spill. The company still faces more than 600 lawsuits related to the spill.
By The News Service of Florida
District Volleyball: Northview Falls To No. 1 Baker
October 26, 2011
The Northview Lady Chiefs are out of the district volleyball tournament after a loss Tuesday to No. 1 Baker.
Northview lost to Baker in three straight, 11-25, 10-25, 26-28.
Josie Doucette had two kills, one assist and a dig for the Lady Chiefs, as Morgan Payne had two kills, one assist, and a block. Danielle Steadham added three kills, one block and two digs, while Misty Doran contributed one ace, three kills, one block and four digs
The Lady Chiefs finished their season at 5-19 overall, 3-5 in the district.
McDavid Man Gets 3 Years In Prison On Assault, Battery, Weapons Charges
October 25, 2011
A McDavid man was sentenced Monday to three years in state prison on domestic violence and weapons charges stemming from a May incident.
Jason Edward Potter, 31, of Purdue Road, was charged with domestic violence aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of battery domestic violence, felony possession of weapon by a convicted felon, and criminal mischief.
After pleading guilty to the charges Monday, Judge Terry Terrell sentenced Potter to a minimum mandatory 36 months in prison for possession of a weapon by a convicted felon along with several other concurrent sentences on the additional charges. He was also ordered to pay $1,020 in court costs and other fees.
After an alleged dispute with his sister over $20 in late May 2011, Potter tackled her. He also used his elbow to break the glass out of gun cabinet, take a .22 caliber revolver, load it and threaten to kill himself and say that the police would have to kill him. He was taken into custody by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office without incident.
The sister, age 29, was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Sixth Candidate Prefiles For District 5 Commission Seat
October 25, 2011
A sixth candidate has prefiled to run for District 5 Escambia County Commission in the 2012 general election.
Deanne Patricia Burkett of Copper Ridge Drive Cantonment prefiled Monday as a Republican for the seat held by Kevin White of Molino.
In addition to Burkett and White, Republicans Sam Archer and Jim Taylor have prefiled for the seat. Packy Mitchell and Dennis Wiggins have also announced, running with no party affiliation.
Federal Judge Blocks Florida Welfare Recipient Testing
October 25, 2011
The state’s effort to drug-test welfare recipients hit a roadblock Monday, as a federal judge barred the state from following the plan until there’s a final ruling in the case.
U.S. District Court Judge Mary Scriven rejected the state’s arguments that the drug-testing program did not violate the U.S. Constitution’s ban on unreasonable searches and would instead ensnare thousands of would-be welfare recipients in an impermissible dragnet.
“The constitutional rights of a class of citizens are at stake, and the Constitution dictates that the needs asserted to justify subverting those rights must be special, as the case law defines that term, in order for this exception to the Fourth Amendment to apply,” Scriven wrote. “That showing has not been made on this record.”
Scriven also wrote that the state’s attorneys did not produce “competent evidence that any TANF funds would be saved by instituting a drug testing program.”
Opponents of the drug-testing regimen, which passed during this year’s legislative session and has proven popular in polls, hailed the decision. It came in the case of Luis Lebron, a 35-year-old Orlando resident who applied for benefits in July but refused to take a drug test.
“This should send a message to all lawmakers that the 4th Amendment protects everyone,” said Randall Berg of the Florida Justice Institute, which represented Lebron along with the ACLU of Florida.
Supporters of the measure continued to defend the new law, but said they were trying to decide how to move forward following the judge’s decision.
“Drug testing welfare recipients is just a common-sense way to ensure that welfare dollars are used to help children and get parents back to work,” said Jackie Schutz, deputy press secretary for Gov. Rick Scott. “The governor obviously disagrees with the decision and he will evaluate his options regarding when to appeal.”
“I still believe it’s definitely the right law for Florida and Florida’s children,” said Rep. Jimmie Smith, R-Inverness, who sponsored the drug-testing bill in the House.
The decision also threw a fresh spotlight on the Foundation for Government Accountability, a think tank based in Naples that produced a study and said the testing regime had saved the state $1.8 million in the first quarter and could save hundreds of millions of dollars if applied nationwide.
But Scriven slammed the report, saying it made faulty assumptions and “is not competent expert opinion, nor is it offered as such, nor could it be reasonably construed as such.”
Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, specifically applauded Scriven for tackling the study by the foundation, headed by a Scott ally.
“It’s bad enough they’re actually defending this privacy-gutting law,” she said. “But it’s especially troubling when they’re relying on the self-serving musings of the governor’s friend to justify it.”
The foundation’s president and CEO, Tarren Bragdon, fired back.
“Judge Scriven’s ruling against Florida’s drug-testing requirement for taxpayer-funded welfare cash is disappointing, and removes needed accountability from our welfare system,” Bragdon said. “Our analysis of the law shows that the requirement is saving the state millions in welfare benefits, and helps ensure taxpayer dollars are reserved only for the truly needy.”
By The News Service of Florida
Molino Man Jailed For Sexual Assault On Underage Female
October 25, 2011
A Molino man has been charged with sexually assaulting an underage female.
Lance Dwayne Little, age 23 of Bet Raines Road, was booked in the Escambia County Jail on a felony charge of lewd and lascivious behavior with a victim age 12-16.
Sunday night, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to disturbance. A woman told deputies that Little forced his way into her residence and continued to pursue an encounter with her. As the woman tried to gather her children that were in the house for protection, Little cornered the teen female in her bedroom and touched her inappropriately while soliciting her, according to an arrest report. The girl was able to escape the residence and call for help from two other people who forced Little to leave the residence.
Deputies caught up with Little in a nearby culvert. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $15,000.