July Pensacola Beach Air Show Will Go On – Without the Blue Angels
April 25, 2013
The annual July air show on Pensacola Beach will go on — without the Navy’s Blue Angels.
The Santa Rosa Island Authority announced Wednesday afternoon that there will be a free air show on Pensacola Beach on July 12 and 13.The show will include 24 aircraft with two warbird jets that perform aerobatics much like those of the Blue Angels, and a concert featuring the R&B-style band “The Tams” from Atlanta at the Gulfside Pavilion.
The show will include OTTO The Helicopter and aerobatic groups Team Aerodynamix and Lima Lima.
The Blue Angels were grounded from air shows for the remainder of the season due to federal budget cuts.
Pictured: Team AeroDynamix will perform at July’s Pensacola Beach Air Show. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NewsRadio1620 Wins Fourth Edward R. Murrow Award
April 25, 2013
NewsRadio1620 has won an Edward R. Murrow First Place Regional Award for its local coverage of the Newtown, Connecticut, shootings on December 14, 2012.
The coverage was anchored by afternoon talk host Branden Rathert, news anchor Jeff Knox and producer Paul Stadden.
The prestigious annual ward is presented by the Radio Television Digital News Foundation honors excellence in journalism and is named for legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow. The station is now eligible to win a national award for the coverage from the RTDNF. This is the fourth consecutive year the station has won the award.
In 2010, NewsRadio1620 won a regional award for coverage of the Billings murders. Coverage of the 2011 Gulf Oil Spill earned a national award for the station. And Rathert won the regional award in 2012 for his documentary, “ESCO 24/7″, based on the crime fighting efforts of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Tate, Pace Advance To 1-6A Title Game
April 25, 2013
The Tate Aggies and the Pace Patriots will face off for the District 1-6A title tonight.
The No. 1 seed Patriots beat Navarre Wednesday afternoon 5-3, while the No. 2. seed Aggies beat the Escambia Gators 5-2 in the semifinals.
Tonight’s District 1-6A game begins at 7::00 at Tate High School.
Evers Wins Ethanol-Free Gas Victory
April 25, 2013
Sen. Greg Evers is applauding the passage of his bill that allows Florida consumers to choose gas that is ethanol free.
“The bill eliminates the unnecessary power of the government to force Florida citizens to buy and sell ethanol blended gasoline,” Evers said in a statement this afternoon. “It returns that power to the people and restores the power of the free market by giving consumers and retailers a choice regarding what fuel they wish to buy.”
But critics of the bill were equally displeased. The bill passage prompted a joint statement from a joint statement, Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, and Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy:
“Today’s Senate vote was a pyrrhic victory for ethanol detractors. It substantively changes nothing because the state mandate was redundant. The federal Renewable Fuel Standard will still apply and, thankfully for consumers who will continue to see savings at the pump, ethanol and other renewable fuels will be sold in Florida,” the Renewable Fuels Association said in a press release. “All this bill has done is put politics and oil industry profits ahead of economic opportunity and jobs in the state. The only result of this legislation will be a loss of jobs and economic opportunity in Florida. Florida has made it clear — biofuels and the valuable jobs that are created in the renewable fuels industry are no longer welcome in Florida.”
First Degree Murder, Arson Indictments In Beating, Burning Death
April 25, 2013
An Escambia County Grand Jury has indicted Anthony Pressley, Kiesha Pugh, and Gregory Williams for arson and first degree murder in death of Melinda McCormick.
McCormick’s body was found beaten and burned on March 31, 2013, at Melei Apartments on Mobile Highway.
Deputies say an autopsy shows McCormick was hit 40 times with a hammer, lead pipe and crow bar. She was still alive when her bed sheets were set on fire, according to the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
All three defendants have confessed, investigators said. They were caught on video headed to and away from the area of the apartment.
House Votes For Tighter Controls For FHSAA
April 25, 2013
The nearly century-old organization that oversees high school athletics in Florida may be entering its final years of eligibility.
The House approved a measure (HB 1279) on Wednesday, in a bi-partisan 89-26 vote, that gives student-athletes more flexibility as to where they play and requires the Florida High School Athletic Association to more closely follow the wishes of the Legislature or be replaced.
The Senate must still take up the measure, either taking up the House bill on the floor or take up a nearly similar proposal (SB 1164) offered by Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland.
Backers of the changes say the overhaul is needed as the FHSAA has used its authority in an arbitrary manner that has overreached when investigating student eligibility and claim the measure could help prevent some students from dropping out by expanding athletic opportunities.
“One hundred years of being an organization doesn’t make you right, it does make you powerful,” said Rep. Elizabeth Porter, R-Lake City.
Opponents contend the matter is a “playground fight” that has been elevated to the Capitol chambers by Lakeland-area lawmakers due to fines imposed against Lakeland High School after students were ruled ineligible to play for infractions ranging from falsifying addresses to receiving impermissible benefits that included free rent.
The opponents say the legislation will also invite frequent transfers, and force administrators and teachers to continually readjust academic plans for students who jump campus to campus.
“This is an awful, awful bill,” said Rep. Kevin Rader, D-Delray Beach. “It’s important we have a good athletic association. To turn it upside down and make it a free agency is something that is disgusting.”
The measure places new restrictions on investigations by the FHSAA, expands the ability for students to transfer schools during the school year, alters the makeup of the board of directors, would give school districts more say over athletic regulations in each county, and sets a 2017 date to sunset the 93-year-old organization.
The overhaul gives charter and home school students more opportunities to play for public and private school teams, gives students the right to try out at schools for a sport that is not offered by their own school, and expands representation on the FHSAA board to charter school, home school and non-public school members and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association.
“We’re not messing with anything that we’re not already messing with currently in law,” Stargel said. “We already set up who the board is. We have the authority to set up who the board is. We already have the ability to dictate bylaws. We’re not changing that now.”
The bill also requires the Legislature to replace the FHSAA by July 2017. If no replacement is found, the commissioner of education could extend the deadline by four years.
By The News Service of Florida
Five-Run Seventh Pushes Pensacola’s Wahoos Past Jackson
April 25, 2013
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos broke open a 3-3 tie with a five-run seventh against the Jackson bullpen and went on beat the Generals 8-4 on Wednesday afternoon. The win gave Pensacola its second series victory of the season, but just its first since the opening homestand against Tennessee.
The Wahoos used a balanced attack to batter a beleaguered Jackson pitching staff. Eight of the nine Pensacola starters recorded at least one base knock with three players driving in multiple runs.
Theo Bowe started the decisive seventh inning with a one-out double, his second of the game, and came around to score the go-ahead run on a Brodie Greene single. Donald Lutz then provided the biggest blow of the frame with a two-run triple to center to open up a three-run cushion. Steve Selsky added an RBI single and scored the final run of the inning on a wild pitch.
It was Pensacola’s second big inning of the game as the Wahoos erased an early 2-0 deficit with a three-run third, thanks in part to two Jackson errors. The Wahoos got an RBI single from Ryan LaMarre, a bases-loaded walk from Greene and a sac fly from Selsky to take a 3-2 lead.
Jackson tied the game at three with a Steven Proscia solo homer in the sixth off Chad Rogers, but the Wahoos immediately responded with the five-run seventh to take the lead for good.
Rogers earned his second win of the season by going seven strong frames, yielding three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out five.
Moises Hernandez took his second loss of the series for the Generals as he gave up four runs in just one-third of an inning. Starter James Gillheeney went six innings for Jackson and gave up three runs (one earned) on three hits before departing with the game tied.
Now halfway through their 10-game road trip, the Blue Wahoos trek across the state of Tennessee to open a five-game series with the Tennessee Smokies tomorrow night. Ryan Dennick (1-0, 2.65) will start for the Wahoos against Tennessee righty Dallas Beeler (1-2, 4.07). First pitch from Smokies Park is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.
Escambia Academy Advances in AISA Playoffs
April 25, 2013
Escambia Academy have advanced to the second round of the Alabama Independent School Association playoffs.
The Cougars swept Kingwood Christian behind strong pitching and timely hitting with wins of 8-2 and 6-0. Michael Thompson pitched in the first game, striking out 14 and allowing only one hit. Reid Bell pitched the second game, striking out 16 and allowing six hits.
Hitters for Escambia Academy were Helton 1-7, Bell 2-5, Thompson 3-7, McAnally 1-3, Sawyer 3-5, Gorum 1-5, and Clark 2-5.
Thursday games will be at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., with another game on Friday, if needed.
Two Hurt In Nine Mile Road Crash
April 24, 2013
Two people were injured in a three vehicle crash early this morning at Nine Mile Road and University Parkway.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 37-year on Jon Kelly Osborne of Pensacola was traveling east on Nine Mile Road at 1:26 a.m. when he failed to stop his 1992 Jeep Cherokee at a red light.
Osborne’s Jeep collided with a 2004 Toyota Camry driven by 18-year old Villardia Philistin of Pensacola. Osborne’s Jeep overturned several times before hitting a curb and stopping in a ditch. A third vehicle, driven by 19-year old Alexander Keiley of Pensacola, collided with debris from the original accident.
Osborne was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries. Philistin was seriously injured and taken to Sacred Heart, while Keiley was not injured.
Charges are pending in the crash, according to FHP.
Charges Dropped In Shooting Outside Cantonment Grocery Store
April 24, 2013
Charges have been dropped against and Alabama man arrested in connection with a shooting in the parking lot of the Grocery Advantage on Highway 29 in Cantonment in August 2012.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Coy Edward Carter, age 34 of Roberstdale, met his estranged wife in the store’s parking lot to return his children to their mother. During the exchange, deputies said a fight broke out between Carter and victim Robert Slay, who was dating Carter’s estranged wife at the time. At some point during the altercation, witnesses reported a gun was fired, and Slay was struck in his leg.
Carter was also transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries sustained during the fight. Deputies said he was not shot.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, all charges against Carter were dropped due to insufficient evidence.
Pictured: The scene of an August 2012 shooting in the parking lot of the Grocery Advantage in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
