Football Playoff Brackets Announced
November 7, 2012
Official football state series playoff brackets were released Tuesday by the Florida High School Athletic Association.
In Class 1A, Northview will host Cottondale on Friday night, November 16. The winner will advance to the Regional Finals on Friday, November 23 against either Freeport or Graceville.
In Class 3A, Pensacola Catholic will travel to Trinity Christian. The winner will advance to play the winner of Providence at Madison County.
In Class 5A, West Florida will host Godby of Tallahassee, and Gulf Breeze will travel to Wakulla, with the winners advance to play in the Regional Semifinals.
In Class6A, Milton will host Niceville, and Pace will travel to Navarre, with the winners squaring off in the Regional Semifinals.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
International Paper To Hold Grant Application Info Meeting
November 7, 2012
International Paper’s Cantonment mill will award $50,000 in foundation grants in 2013 and is hosting a meeting for potential applicants to learn more.
The one hour meeting will be held Thursday, November 15 at 2 p.m. at the mill at 375 Muscogee Road. The meeting will focus on eligibility, criteria and restrictions. Grant committee members will be available for questions.
Reservations to attend the meeting are required as space is limited, however; attendance is not mandatory to apply.
The deadline for all 2013 grant applications is Friday, January 11.
Grants are awarded by the IP Foundation in Memphis, Tenn., which focuses on environmental education, literacy, employee involvement and critical community needs. Applicants must be a registered 501c3 non-profit organization, school, or qualifying government entity to apply.
International Paper To Hold Grant Application Info Meeting
Florida Turnout Maybe A Record; Injured Escambia Woman Votes Before Going To Hospital
November 6, 2012
Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner said Tuesday that enthusiastic voters have flooded to the polls and could prompt a record turnout. With 4.5 million voters casting ballots early, Detzner said turnout may have reached half before the polls opened on Election Day.
“I don’t have any projections to make except that, one, we’ll probably have a record setting year in terms of turnout,” Detzner said. “Early voting was very enthusiastic by people, as you know, and we’re delighted that perhaps even as many as 50 percent of the people might have voted early.”
Detzner also told reporters Tuesday morning about an unidentified Escambia County woman who fell and broke her leg in the parking lot outside a polling precinct, was carried into the polls by her husband to vote and then went to the hospital for treatment.
“We’re grateful for her interest and passion to vote,” Detzner said. Initial reports showed few glitches in more than 6,000 polling precincts, though rain was a factor in some central Florida locations as a storm front passes through the state.
By The News Service of Florida
Vehicle Fire Investigated As Arson
November 6, 2012
Authorities are looking at arson as the cause of vehicle fire this morning in McDavid.
A resident in the 100 block of Brown Road reported that a relative was setting fire to a pickup truck at the home just before 11 a.m.. When firefighters arrived on scene, they reported smoke coming from the cab of the vehicle. The fire was quickly extinguished, and there were no injuries.
The fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The Century and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the fire.
LIVE BLOG: Election 2012
November 6, 2012
This is an archive of a live election day blog.
NorthEscambia.com is covering today’s election live on this blog and on Facebook.
We will update this live blog all day with the latest voting information, turnout reports and more beginning shortly after polls open at 7 a.m. and continuing throughout the day until after polls close at 7 p.m.
You can also take part in our live coverage…click here to read how to send us your photos and information, or just email news@northescambia.com.
Check back for frequent updates; the latest updates are listed first.
LIVE BLOG
2 pm.. This blog has has been temporarily suspended as we devote resources to covering the robbery and murder in Walnut Hill this afternoon. Complete election details tonight on NorthEscambia.com
1:20 p.m. Voters are reporting no line, no waiting at several of the rural precincts in North Escambia. Precincts are typically slower this time of afternoon until people begin to get off work.
Noon – During the previous hour, many North Escambia precincts reporting short waits of just a few minutes, some no waiting. Precincts often get a little busier during the noon hour and people vote with time off for lunch.
11:00 a.m. Don’t forget you can still download a sample ballot at EscambiaVotes.com if you are an Escambia, Florida, voter. You can read and study the amendments in advance and save yourself some time at the poll with the three page ballot. We also published an amendment guide (click here) explaining each one in detail.
10:10 a.m. Smooth and steady…No major problems being reported at the polls in the area this morning, and the lines to vote continue to be steady. Don’t forget your photo ID…that will slow you down and you’ll vote a provisional ballot.
9:00 a.m. Lines still being reported at precincts across the area. In a typical election, things usually begin to slow down a little after 9 a.m. and then get busy again around lunchtime. Let us know what it’s like at your precinct…email news@northescambia.com.
8:20 a.m. About a 20-30 minute wait to vote reported in Jay this morning.
8:10 a.m. Voters in Beulah reporting a wait of about an hour to vote this morning.
8:00 a.m. Voters in Walnut Hill reporting about a 40 minute wait and an unusually long line inside the building. During the primaries, voting in Walnut Hill was pretty much walk in, walk out.
7:15 a.m.. Polls are open. Reports of longer than usual line at polling places across the area. At the First Baptist Church of Bratt, the parking lot was packed with early morning voters (pictured above).
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Deputies Seek Vehicle In Cantonment Home Invasion Murder
November 6, 2012
Investigators are still seeking clues in a deadly drug-related home invasion early Tuesday morning in Escambia County.
The home invasion was reported about 2 a.m. on Stefani Circle, just northeast of the intersection of Stefani Road and Nine Mile Road. Escambia County Sherifss’ deputies found 22-year old Amber Tricona Johnson dead inside the home from an apparent gunshot wound.
Justin Kerry Stanley, 27, was also shot and was transported to a local hospital with injures that did not appear to be life-threatening.
“Investigators are trying to piece together the details of the incident, but it appears that the incident is drug related due to a large amount of narcotics that was found at the residence along with other evidence,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
Investigators are working to identify a suspect in the shootings and they are looking for help locating a vehicle that may have been involved in the murder. The vehicle was described as a 2008 silver, four-door sedan with Florida tag 284NIH.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Cool Tonight, Nice Wednesday
November 6, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Patchy frost after 3am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 36. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 67. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 39. Calm wind.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 74. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. East wind around 5 mph.
- Veterans Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 75.
- Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55.
- Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 76.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 50.
- Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.
Police: Escambia Caregiver Sexually Assaulted 106-Year Old
November 6, 2012
An Escambia County woman was arrested Monday for sexually assaulting a 106-year old woman.
Taquita Lashay Watson, 29, was charged with sexual assault on a victim 12-years of age or older with special conditions. She was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $25,000.
Pensacola Police Department Detective Shannan Fortenberry said Watson had been providing in-home care for the victim, who is bedridden for the most part, for about three months. The investigation determined Watson had used a sexual instrument on the victim in October.
Fortenberry said the investigation is continuing to determine if anyone else may have been victimized by Watson, who has worked as a geriatric patient caregiver for over eight years.
New Atmore Mayor, Council Sworn Into Office
November 6, 2012
A new era began Monday night in Atmore as Jim Staff was sworn in as mayor, replacing longtime Mayor Howard Shell.
After a total of more than two decades in office, current Mayor Howard Shell did not seek re-election. He was first elected to the Atmore City Council 1984 before being appointed mayor after the death of then-Mayor Patricia McKenzie. After winning the mayor’s race twice, he remained in office until being beaten in 1996 by Rodney Owens, an Atmore chiropractor. He returned to office in 2000 and completed his third term since returning to office.
Along with Staff, new council members Chris Harrison and Susan Smith and returning members Chris Walker, Cornell Torrence and Webb Nall were sworn in Monday during a ceremonial meeting.
Pictured top: Newly elected Atmore Mayor Jim Staff (left) is congratulated on election night by outgoing Mayor Howard Shell (right). File photo by Emilie Mims for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Local Teacher Named To State Educators Hall Of Fame
November 6, 2012
A local educator was one of 15 teachers in Alabama honored for excellence in economic education and inducted into the inaugural class of the Alabama Economic Educators Hall of Fame in Birmingham recently.
Gerri McDonald of Walnut Hill and her students at Perdido Elementary/Middle School have been recognized frequently by ACEE. She was selected to attend a weeklong economics workshop held at the New York Stock Exchange and to write curriculum for economics at the International Cooperative Education Exchange Program in Economics held in Washington.
She has also been named the Alabama Economics Teacher of the Year and ACEE Master Teacher of Economics. Her students have consistently placed in the top 10 every year in the Stock Market Game, and have placed first six times. They have also placed first and second in the state in the “Whit King: Entrepreneurship and the American Free Enterprise Essay Contest” two years in a row.
Showing off their understanding of economic concepts and creativity, her students have placed in the top 12 in the state for the past five years in the “Color the Concepts” competition too.
“We have a vision of every student graduating from Alabama’s schools with superior economic education and the knowledge, understanding and skills to make successful economic decisions” said Johnnie Aycock, managing director of ACEE. “Through the Economic Educator Hall of Fame, we had the opportunity to recognize and honor exceptional teachers in Alabama that are having a significant impact on our young people’s knowledge of economic, personal finance and entrepreneurship.”
Pictured top: (L-R) Teacher Gerri McDonald, Gov. Bob Riley and Perdido Principal Craig Smith. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.