No TXT When U DRV — Alabama Approves Texting Ban
April 30, 2012
The Alabama Legislature has given final approval to a law that bans texting while driving in Alabama, with just a few minor exceptions.
The Senate approved the bill 28-0, and the House approved a compromise verson 95-0. The law will take effect July 1 or August 1, depending on when it is signed by Gov. Robert Bentley.
The bill makes it illegal to use a cellphone or any other wireless device to communicate by text message, instant message or email while operating a vehicle on a public road or highway.
Exceptions include:
- A driver that is obtaining emergency services.
- A driver whose vehicle was in park on the shoulder of the road.
- A driver getting directions from a navigation or GPS system.
The ban will carry a $25 fine for the first conviction, $50 for the second and $75 for each subsequent conviction. A conviction will also mean a 2-point penalty on a person’s license. A driver’s license is suspended for 60 days for 12 or more points in a two-year period.
The bill does not ban talking on a cellphone while driving.
Fence Artwork Shows Ernest Ward Eagles Spirit
April 30, 2012
The National Junior Honor Society at Ernest Ward Middle School surprised Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry Friday with a piece of fence art.
The group purchased and installed artwork depicting the school’s eagle mascot on the chain link fence in front of the school using specially manufactured plastic cups that snap into the fence.
The eagle artwork was installed by honor society officers Savanna Roux, Bethany Reynolds, Ben Preston, Bradley Van Pelt, Trevor Levins, Thomas Moore and Hunter Connell.
Pictured top: Fence art shows Ernest Ward Middle School Eagle spirit. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
NFL Draft: Atmore’s Linam Signs With San Diego Chargers
April 30, 2012
Former Atmore resident Josh Linam signed with the San Diego Chargers Saturday night on the last day of the 2012 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent. Linam (6-3, 240) is coming off a successful college career as a middle linebacker for the University of Central Florida Knights.
“It feels great. I’m just really excited and fortunate to get a chance to play football. I’m just going to go up there and try to make the most of my opportunity,” Linam told the Orlando Sentinel.
Linam had announced on his Twitter page that he was headed to the Cleveland Browns, but with a last minute offer he was headed to San Diego. Since San Diego did not draft any other linebackers, he said he feels his chances of making the final roster are good. He flies to San Diego on May 10 to being working on making the cut to the 52-man roster.
Linam started 25 of UCF’s last 26 games at middle linebacker, ranking third on the team in 2011 with 66 tackles including a season-high nine vs. East Carolina and UTEP. He also collected 10 tackles for loss, two sacks and a pair of interceptions. Linam received College Football Performance Awards Honorable Mention National Linebacker of the Week honors for his effort against UTEP, which featured 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception.
For his career, Linam registered 165 tackles with 20 tackles for loss and three interceptions in 50 games played.
Linam’s dad, Kevin Linam of Atmore, grew up in San Diego and was an All CIF lineman at Castle Park High School and an All Conference JUDO lineman at Southwestern College.
“This was my dream as a boy and now Josh’s goal since age 8, to play in the NFL,” Kevin Linam said Sunday.
Byrneville Elementary Releases Third Nine Weeks Honor Roll
April 30, 2012
The following students were named to the third nine weeks honor roll at Byrneville Elementary School:
Kindergarten: Mrs. Barberree
All Satisfactory:
Adrianna Atallah
Wyatt Everly
Nolin Godwin
Hank Grant
Sylvia Jarrell
Josh Johnson
Jalona Mundo
Jakyia Newton
Tyler Riggs
Reygan Steadham
Dalton Wolfe
Kindergarten: Mrs. Rogers
All Satisfactory:
Alexa Castro
Riley Dawson
Madalyn Grimes
Camron Howell
Bobbie-Sue Jarrell
Meredith Johnston
Takayla Lewis
Tyson McBride
Aydan Smith
First Grade: Mrs. Dawson
All A’s:
Leah Anderson
Kayla Johnson
Emily Levins
Kaden Odom
Aubrey Stuckey
A/B’s:
Aloysia Dortch
Audrey Goetter
Chase Hampton
Johnnie Howell
Aleigh Thornton
First Grade: Mrs. Thornton
All A’s:
Drake Allen Driskell
A’s and B’s:
Briana Dunsford
Jessica Loftis
Second Grade: Mrs. Weaver
All A’s:
Hunter Borelli
Shelby Cotita
Torka Mills
Dillon Spears
A’s and B’s:
Grace Blackmon
Bama Coburn
Josh Dunsford
Tessa Flowers
Kaitlin Gafford
Taylor Levins
James Loftis
Harley Walker
Third Grade: Mrs. Dunsford
All A’s:
Sophia Cotita
Maille Kilcrease
A’s and B’s:
Travon Brown
Logan Bryan
Brianna Colter
Alyssa Goldenpenny
Abigail Levins
Tyler Merchant
Ty Rolin
Fourth Grade: Mrs. Gilmore/Mrs. Sellers
All A’s:
Ian Gifford
Nicky Trump
A’s and B’s:
Skyler Busbee
Alex Glidewell
Alexis Lee
Cloe Smith
Savannah Steadham
Dadrien Washington
Olivia Watson
Fifth Grade: Mrs. Johnston
All A’s:
Jacob Borelli
Rebecca Diamond
Paige Killam
Seth Killam
Tanner Levins
Alex McMinn
Courtney Payne
Destiny Payne
A’s and B’s:
Austin Adams
Kris Baxter
Matthew Caine
Patton Goetter
Colby Graham
Keyana Macks
Hunter Moseley
Sarah Nelson
Faith Watters
NEP 8U Tigers Take Pace Mid-Season Tourney
April 30, 2012
The NEP Tigers recently won the Mid-Season 8U Softball Tournament at the Pace Sports Complex.
The top two teams in the tournament were both from NEP — the Tigers and the Irish Chix. But the Tigers remained undefeated throughout the tournament, beating the Irish Chix twice in two close battles.
Pictured: (front, L-R) Madelyn Selland, Tasia Hufner, Cherre Rembert, Adison Whitty, Liliana Rollins, (middle) Kayla Althaus, Hailey O’Connor, Kennedy Turner, Emmie Sasser, Oceanna Madison, Paisley Ross, (back) Head Coach Tim O’Connor, Daryl Turner, Jeremy Sasser. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Suns Take Series Over The Blue Wahoos With 4-0 Win
April 30, 2012
The Blue Wahoos were blanked for just the second time this season as the Jacksonville Suns won the five-game set over the Blue Wahoo with a 4-0 series finale win on Sunday afternoon in Jacksonville.
Blue Wahoos starter J.C. Sulbaran (L, 1-3) got off to a fast start but ran into trouble in the fourth inning when he allowed a double by Shawn Bowman followed by a Taylor Krick single to start the inning. Bowman scored on a sacrifice fly to center as he jarred the ball loose from Wahoos catcher Brian Peacock at the plate. Chris Gutierrez singled home Krick later in the inning putting the Suns up 2-0.
Sulbaran allowed another run in the fifth before exiting with two men out in the inning. The Suns tallied another run in the seventh against the Pensacola bullpen on their way to the series clinching win.
The Wahoos scattered just six hits against three Suns pitchers. Bobby Bramhall held the Blue Wahoos bats in check over the first four innings before giving way to Kyle Kaminska (W, 3-1) who earned the win with three shutout innings in relief.
Sulbaran took the loss after he was tagged for three runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings despite striking out seven in the game.
The Blue Wahoos are off on Monday before opening up a five-game homestand with the Jackson Generals on Tuesday night at Pensacola’s multi-use stadium. Tuesday is a Team Tuesday with select players signing autographs on the concourse prior to the game. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. with gates opening at 5:30 p.m.
By Tommy Thrall
Pictured top: Rodriguez has now hit is nine straight after his first-inning single on Sunday for the Blue Wahoos in Jacksonville. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Stafford, Other Elections Supervisors Take On Rick Scott Over Survey
April 29, 2012
Supervisors of Elections from around the state are objecting to survey results distributed last week by the Scott administration that scored them after the January presidential primary on various performance measures , such as how quickly they report results.
Writing for the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections, Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford, a Republican, said the measurements don’t accurately reflect how good the supervisors are at their jobs – and that the supervisors didn’t learn the purpose of the questions they were asked until the Division of Elections put out the results.
Stafford said the supervisors had urged Secretary of State Ken Detzner not to publish the results.
Stafford reminded Scott in a sharply-worded letter sent Wednesday that the governor doesn’t actually have much control over the supervisors – they’re constitutional officers who are elected independently. And the measurements are flawed, he said.
“Unfortunately, the items used in the survey are not, by themselves, true indicators of a supervisor of elections’ office,” Stafford wrote. “Furthermore, the data is flawed in certain instances, thereby yielding a result which is inaccurate….”
Stafford said the survey – if used to produce a public ranking of each supervisor – “has the potential to undermine confidence in Florida’s elections, which we work tirelessly to instill in the public.
“As you are well aware,” Stafford wrote, “we are responsible for carrying out our duties and the citizens and voters in our counties are the persons best able to evaluate that performance.”
The rankings are hard to decipher, but include seven metrics, such as when results were first uploaded on election night, when early voting dates were announced and when absentee ballots were mailed. An eighth “extra credit” category was for returning the survey early.
The rankings went from 1 point for submitting a particular type of data early to negative 1 for submitting it late, and negative 2 for not submitting it at all. For submitting data “on time,” but not early, counties got a 0.
While no county supervisor got the maximum score of eight, several registered a seven. Several supervisors scored at each level all the way down to three counties that received scores of negative 4, the lowest recorded. Those were Brevard, Palm Beach, and Seminole counties.
While the scores made it out – the state sent them to supervisors this week and they were subsequently leaked – Scott’s office said they won’t be used for the moment.
“Gov. Scott has been briefed on the letter from the supervisors of election and agrees to give this issue additional consideration,” Scott spokesman Lane Wright said. “We will wait to post anything online until he’s had time to evaluate the concerns.”
While the survey came from Detzner’s office, Stafford said officials told the supervisors that Scott was driving the measuring effort.
“It was made clear to us that the survey and ranking were initiated out of the governor’s office,” Stafford said in the letter to Scott. “We have requested a meeting with your office to discuss our serious concerns on this issue on numerous occasions over the past several weeks, but have yet to receive a response.”
In addition to the complaints from the supervisors, Democratic lawmakers also criticized Scott on the survey.
“Gov. Scott still hasn’t figured out that there are limits to his authority,” said Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg. “Florida’s elections supervisors deserve support from statewide officers and they shouldn’t have to succumb to meddling by the governor. I am confident that county elections supervisors are willing to participate in meaningful surveys, but I am sure they are opposed to the governor meddling in and undermining both their work and the confidence of voters.”
Fog Tonight, Sunny Monday
April 29, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 60. South wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south between 10 and 15 mph.
- Monday Night: Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Southeast wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southeast wind between 10 and 15 mph.
- Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. East wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southeast wind between 10 and 15 mph.
- Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Southeast wind between 5 and 15 mph.
- Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.
- Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Photos: A Black Tie Affair
April 29, 2012
Residents at Century Care Center enjoyed their third annual Black Tie Ball Friday afternoon with good music, great food and good times with friends.
Dressed in formal attire, the residents were escorted into a ballroom setting where they were served a “formal” dinner.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured: The third annual Black Tie Ball Friday afternoon at Century Care Center. Pictured inset: Robert and Diane Shanks celebrated their 46th anniversary during the event. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Regional Electronics, Household Hazardous Waste Roundup Scheduled
April 29, 2012
Escambia County (Fla.) residents are encouraged to drop off their electronics, household hazardous waste (HHW) and other items not accepted into the regular garbage stream at a Regional Roundup on Saturday, May 5, from 8 a.m. until noon at the former Carver Middle School at 150 East Pond Street in Century.
Businesses and residents of Escambia County (Fla.) can dispose of all types of clean, dry, recyclable electronics including computers, monitors and terminals, keyboards, mice, printers, TVs, copiers, gaming systems, remotes, fax machines, VCRs, stereo systems, cell phones and telephones. Electronics that have been gutted will not be accepted.
HHW items can cause injury if handled improperly. These items will usually have a warning or cautionary statement on their labels using terms such as flammable, corrosive, poison or toxic, and include items such as swimming pool chemicals, cleaners, drain openers, paint and paint products, fuels, gases, lawn and garden chemicals, aerosol cans and automotive repair and maintenance products.
All electronics, household hazardous waste and tires are recycled.
The event is open to all Escambia County (Fla.) residents and businesses, not just those in Century. Residents and businesses from Alabama are not allowed to participate in the event.