Photos: Ernest Ward, Ransom Middle Schools Track
April 18, 2012
Ernest Ward Middle and Ransom Middle school boys and girls recently competed in a track meet at Bellview Middle School in Pensacola.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Results from the meet were not provided by the host school.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Scott Signs Budget, Axes $142.7 Million In Projects
April 18, 2012
Wielding his veto pen more lightly than when he struck a record amount of spending authority last year, Gov. Rick Scott signed the budget for the coming fiscal year Tuesday that he boasted would increase education spending by $1 billion — about $150 per student — while making frugal use of taxpayer money.
But Scott hadn’t even left Cunningham Creek Elementary School in St. Johns County before education groups and others began downplaying the spending on schools as insufficient to make up for cuts during Scott’s first year in office, much less earlier reductions in classroom funding.
The education funding debate could play a role in the fall elections, when all 160 legislators will be up for re-election. Weighing in at a shade over $70 billion before Scott’s line-item vetoes, the spending plan is relatively austere aside from the increase for schools.
“This budget is an education budget,” Scott told a small crowd of sometimes squirming but mostly quiet elementary students at the school just across the county line from Jacksonville. Scott said in a morning radio interview before signing the bill that there was no particular significance to the choice of the school – simply that he was invited there.
The governor and lawmakers touted an additional $1 billion in state funding for schools, but districts and others have griped that most of the extra money will be gobbled up to pay for enrollment increases and the loss of income from other sources.
Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, said, however, that “by investing in education and jobs without raising taxes, the budget signed today benefits all of Floridians.”
But the Florida Education Association, the main teachers union, blasted the budget as “dismal.” Democrats also took shots at the plan.
“This budget is nothing more than the same shortsighted priorities of Florida Republicans that has put the special interests ahead of investing in education — while schools are left crumbling around our children,” Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith said in a statement. “That is no way to lead.”
Scott took a few minutes at his budget signing to explain to the students how a bill becomes a law, but didn’t go through the intricacies of the line-item veto process or the $142.7 million in spending projects he slashed from the plan.
That was a sharp decrease from the $615 million in spending Scott nixed last year, even when accounting for the fact that almost $300 million of the 2011 vetoes came from an accounting sleight of hand. Scott said that the smaller number was in part the result of supporters of those projects giving him better information.
In other cases, Scott extracted promises from those receiving the funds. Sarasota County assured the state it would get $12.5 million in additional sales tax receipts as a result of a rowing center funded by the budget — or it would return the money.
“I treated some projects just like we treat economic development,” Scott said. “If we don’t get the return they said they were going to get, they’ll give us the money back.”
The governor also conceded that lawmakers were able to “convince” the onetime outsider governor to give some projects a second look instead of axing them.
But Scott still struck dozens of transportation and cultural programs, from $500,000 for the Bay of Pigs Museum vetoed – on the 51st anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion on April 17 in 1961 – to $1 million to renovate and expand a neighborhood center in the Parramore area of Orlando, to three line items totaling almost $1.4 million for the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium.
Scott also said he had asked state universities to limit tuition increases to 5 percent and look for new efficiencies in how they operate. The governor did not specify whether he had an agreement with the Board of Governors, which can authorize tuition hikes of up to 15 percent, to rein in the increase.
The governor has said he’s not eager to raise the “cost of living,” including tuition bills, for Floridians.
“I’m very comfortable that the Board of Governors will do that sort of review and the right thing will happen,” he said.
Scott didn’t address the fate of the University of South Florida’s Lakeland campus, which is scheduled to become the state’s 12th university. Scott is still considering a measure that would accelerate and overhaul the board’s plan for creating an independent Florida Polytechnic University.
The governor said he signed money in the budget dedicated for the project, but only to make sure that USF was fully funded regardless of what happens to the independence bill, which must be signed or vetoed by the end of the week.
By The News Service of Florida
First Redbox Comes To The Flomaton/Century Area
April 18, 2012
Flomaton and Century have been abuzz the past few days over a new Redbox movie rental kiosk that is now up and running in Flomaton — the first in that immediate area.
The kiosk is located in front of the Dollar General Store on Sidney Manning Boulevard. That is just a few feet from, somewhat ironically, the former location of Movie Gallery and a subsequent independent movie rental business.
When the bankrupt Movie Gallery closed two years ago, industry analysts said the company’s demise was due to the popularity of the online rental service Netflix the standalone Redbox kiosks.
Movie rentals at a Redbox kiosk are $1.20 per day, $1.50 for Blu-ray and $2 per day for games.
Pictured: A new Redbox movie rental kiosk outside the Dollar General in Flomaton, Ala. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Northview To Hold Baseball Camp For NWE, Tri-County Players
April 18, 2012
The Northview Chiefs baseball team will hold a training camp Saturday for Northwest Escambia and Tri-County Cal Ripken players.
The Chiefs baseball players will host the camp from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the school for boy’s minor league and up. A portion of the camp will focus on helping the players transition from Little League to Cal Ripken rules.
The cost is $10 per player. For more information, contact Byron Vaughan at (251) 294-0300 after 5 p.m.
The concession stand will be open during the event.
For more information, click here for an event flier.
NorthEscambia.com file photo by Taylor Rigby, click to enlarge.
Suns Shut Out Wahoos 7-0
April 18, 2012
Jacksonville third baseman Shane Bowman collected three hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs to push the Suns past the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in a rain-shortened 7-0 shutout on Tuesday evening at Pensacola’s multi-use stadium.
The game was called following the first pitch of the ninth inning, when home plate umpire and crew chief Spencer Flynn called for the grounds crew to cover the field with the tarp. Officially the game ended after eight frames, with Jacksonville taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
Bowman (3-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI) brought home runs with a run-scoring single in the third, a two-run base knock in the fifth and a solo home run in the seventh as he led all hitters with three hits. It was the second night in a row Bowman left the yard, as he tied last night’s contest at 4-4 with a solo home run to left in the seventh.
Pensacola RHP Daniel Corcino (4.1 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 0-1 on the year after allowing two earned runs on three hits, while Jacksonville RHP Zach Neal (7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 7 SO) earned the win after yielding six hits while fanning seven in seven shutout innings pitched.
Blue Wahoos RF Yordanys Perez (3-3) accounted for half of the club’s six hits, collecting three hits in his first multi-hit game of his professional career.
Pensacola and Jacksonville will meet again Wednesday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 pm. RHP Tim Crabbe is slated to get the ball for the Blue Wahoos, while the Suns are expected to send LHP Graham Taylor to the mound.
By Andrew Green
Yordanys Perez had three hits in Pensacola’s 7-0 loss to the Jacksonville Suns Tuesday night. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
County Set To Close Molino Building Inspection Office
April 17, 2012
The Escambia County Commission is set to close the Molino Building Inspection Office. Lloyd Kerr, Development Services director, is recommending the closure to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
According to the recommendation, an economic downturn had led to a decrease in permitting revenues; the county’s building inspection fund lost about $612,000 in 2011. The closure and elimination of two permanent positions will save the county about $100,000.
Services will be relocated to the Central Office Complex at 3363 West Park Place in Pensacola, about 17 miles away from the current Molino office.
“This would be a huge mistake and greatly affect the northern end of our county in the near and distant future,” said Paul Mack of Mack Custom Homes of Cantonment. “The past few years have been hard on everyone, but when things get better, and they will get better, the only direction our county can grow is north.”
The Molino Building Inspection Office has been located in the county-owned Escambia County Health Department building at 3470 North Highway 29 since 1989.
“If the only goal for this closure is to reduce the payroll by two employees it seems that it would be just as effective to leave the Molino office alone and eliminate the two positions just as if the Molino office closed,” Mack said, referring to the fact that the Molino Building Inspection Office is located in a county-owned building.
Pictured: The Escambia County Central Office Complex. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Downs Northview; Canes Headed Into Playoffs
April 17, 2012
The Flomaton Hurricanes wrapped up their regular season with a 2-0 win over the Northview Chiefs Monday night in Bratt.
The Hurricanes ended the season with a 23-4 record as they prepare for the state playoff series beginning Friday.
The winning pitcher for Flomaton was James Dean (5-0), pitching four while striking out six, walking two and allowing no hits. Jacob Newton pitched two for FHS, strikingo out three, walking one and allowing no hits, while Hunter Bonds allowed one in one inning on the mound.
Hunger Rigby took the loss for the Chiefs.
For a photo gallery from the game, click here.
The Northview Chiefs have one regular season game remaining Thursday at 6 p.m. at Pensacola High School. And the Flomaton Hurricanes will host the first round of the playoffs against Zion Chapel at 4:30 and 6:30 on Friday.
Flomaton: Hunter Bonds SB; James Dean 2-4 2B, 1B R; Zack Watson SB; Jacob Newton 1-3 1B R; Cody Nolan 1-1 1B; Nick Sutton 1-2 1B.
Pictured: Flomaton traveled to Bratt Monday. NorthEscambia.com photos by Taylor Rigby, click to enlarge.
Rain Likely Tonight
April 17, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1am, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 1am. Low around 62. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
- Wednesday: A chance of showers, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. North wind around 5 mph becoming east. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 83. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Calm wind.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 75. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 56. Southwest wind around 10 mph becoming northwest.
- Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 72.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55.
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 74.
- Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 78.
Man Charged With Aggravated Assault With A Deadly Weapon
April 17, 2012
A Century man is behind bars, charged in a Sunday domestic violence incident.
Thomas Whendell Powell, age 25 of North Century Boulevard, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery, both domestic violence related.
Powell allegedly got into an argument with his wife at a North Century Boulevard apartment. Powell told deputies that he had been drinking heavily and admitted to punching a hole in a wall, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
The victim told deputies that Powell punched a hole in wall, poured his beer over her, grabbed her, and pushed her against the apartment wall several times. She reported that Powell grabbed a kitchen knife and raised it over his head as if he were going to stab her.
Powell remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday morning with bond set at $65,000.
Driver In Deadly Atmore Crash Passes Away
April 17, 2012
The driver in an Atmore crash that killed a 3-month old baby last week has passed away.
Emmett Clyde Gross Jr., 24, of Atmore, died as a result of injuries he received in a single vehicle accident last Thursday in Atmore.
Three-month-old Alexis McGhee died in the single vehicle crash just after 1 p.m. April 12 on Highway 21 near the casino in Atmore. According to Alabama State Troopers, she was not restrained. She was ejected and pronounced dead on the scene.
Gross was driving north on Highway 21 near the casino in a 1985 Oldmobile Cutlass when he lost control. The vehicle left the roadway, hit an embankment, became airborne and landed on its roof in a field. The vehicle then burst in flames.
Gross, who was not wearing a seat belt, was also ejected from the vehicle. Another passenger, one-year-old Kelyn McGhee, was also injured, but later released from the hospital.
The accident remains under investigation by Alabama State Troopers.
The Poarch Fire Department, Atmore Fire Department, Atmore Ambulance, the Atmore Police Department, Poarch Police Department and the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
Pictured: A car burst into flames after a single vehicle accident in Atmore Thursday afternoon. Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.