Want To Volunteer In The Flood Relief Efforts?
May 9, 2014
As our community begins rebuilding and recovering from last week’s devastating flood, United Way of Escambia County is receiving calls from compassionate volunteers who are ready to help those in need. United Way is currently directing callers to the following organizations serving flood victims:
Operation Blessing
Where: Brownsville Assembly of God, 3100 W. Desoto St., Pensacola, FL 32505
When: Arrive at 8:00am to register and receive an orientation at 8:30am. The volunteer work crews will be in the field from 9:15am-4:30pm, Monday-Saturday.
Contact: You can also call to sign up at (757) 284-9183.
Details: Must be at least 18 years old.
American Red Cross
Where: 222 N. Baylen Street, Pensacola, FL 32502
Contact: LaDonna Spivey at ladonna.spivey@redcross.org.
Details: Include the days and times you are available.
Florida Baptist Disaster Relief Ministries
Hillcrest Baptist Church
Where: Heritage Hall, 800 East Nine Mile Rd, Pensacola, FL 32514
When: 8am-8pm
Contact: (850) 361-4717
National Association of Christian Churches
Where: New Faith Missionary Baptist Church, 223 Massachusetts Ave., Pensacola, FL 32505
When: May 9-11, 8am-5:30pm
Contact: Pastor Jose Ortega at 214-537-9627
What: Volunteers are needed to help with seven to eight projects with residents’ homes including laying sheetrock and gutting out. All equipment and supplies are provided.
Head Start/Community Action Program Committee
Where: Gibson Head Start Center, 710 North C Street, Pensacola 32501 (Located on Cervantes between C and B streets)
When: Wednesday, May 14 and Tuesday, May 20 from 8am-5pm.
What: Debris cleanup.
Contact: Sarah Sutton by email at s.gillette@capc-pensacola.org or Monday-Friday from 8am-3pm at 850.432.2992 ext 438.
Details: Some equipment will be available; however, if you have your own rakes, clippers or gloves please bring them.
Individuals seeking recovery assistance are asked to dial 2-1-1 for information and resource referrals. United Way’s 2-1-1 specialists are capturing victim needs in a database that is being shared with the Emergency Operations Center and local providers who are serving victims. This confidential collection of victim information is shared with FEMA to create an accurate reflection of victim needs and the flood’s impact. It is also shared with organizations that are helping to serve victims.
As volunteer needs continue to surface over the coming weeks, United Way will update the community and direct volunteer groups to organizations that are helping to meet those needs.
United Way encourages residents who would like to give financially, to donate now at www.helpNWFLrecover.org. Donations secured will be divided using the level of impact determined by Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) assessment of loss and impact. Funds will be disbursed by Northwest Florida’s United Ways to their local communities.
For more information on United Way’s involvement in flood recovery efforts, please call 850.434.3157 or visit www.unitedwayescambia.org.
Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Is Saturday
May 9, 2014
On Saturday, Escambia and Santa Rosa Letter Carriers will join forces to help Stamp Out Hunger in our community. In its 22nd year, the annual food drive has grown to the largest national single-day effort that benefits millions of Americans who struggle to put food on the table.
Residents are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag of non-perishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal next to their mailbox prior regular mail delivery on Saturday. Donations may also be dropped off at any U.S. Post Office or Publix Store now through Monday, May 12. Escambia and Santa Rosa County letter carriers will collect food donations for five local organizations including: Manna Food Pantries, Warrington Emergency Aid, Bay Area Food Bank in Pace and Milton, Acts Ministries in Gulf Breeze and We Care Ministries of Navarre United Methodist Church.
Last year, the organizations collected more than 150,000 pounds of food from the drive. Despite previous generous support, the need is still great in our community. Last year, Manna Food Pantries alone helped 42,116 individuals through their network of six pantries in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Of those, 38 percent were children under the age of 18. Another 15 percent were senior citizens. Manna helped 17,993 families and 13 percent of those families were either active duty, retired or veteran military.
Because of the devastating flood that impacted our community last week, Manna had to suspend all services, and currently cannot accept food donations. However, generous community supporters are working diligently to provide a temporary location to store donations from the Stamp Out Hunger drive. These donations will be critical in helping Manna resume normal operations in the weeks to come.
Sandbags, Tarps Available Today
May 9, 2014
Sandbags and tarps are being made available today to Escambia County residents in advance of anticipated heavy rainfall.
Escambia County is making ten filled sandbags available per vehicle to the public at no cost, while supplies last. Full sandbags will available tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Escambia County Road Prison, 601 Highway 297A, Cantonment. A 10-bag limit per vehicle will be imposed until supplies run out.
Residents needing tarps prior to expected rains this weekend to cover belongings that have been brought outside of flooded homes can pick up free tarps from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Escambia County Public Safety Boulding, South Parking Lot, 6575 North W Street. Tarps will be distributed on a first-come first-served basis until supplies are exhausted.
Thomas: Escambia Students Will Not Make Up Missed Flood Days
May 9, 2014
Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said that he will propose not requiring students to make up the two days missed due to flooding.
Escambia students missed April 30 and May 1 due to extreme flooding in some areas.
Students won’t be required to make up the two lost days, as long as Thomas’s proposal is approved by the school board. He said there were sufficient instructional days remaining on the school calendar.
Wahoos Win Pitcher’s Duel
May 9, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos defeated the Chattanooga Lookouts, 3-2, on Thursday night in front of a sell-out crowd at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. The Wahoos (15-19) evened the series in a game in which the starting pitchers shined for both Pensacola and the Lookouts (14-19).
RHP Michael Lorenzen was fantastic in the start for the Wahoos. Each of the first four batters of the game reached for the Lookouts, but Lorenzen was able to work out of the jam and twirl a gem. Lorenzen retired twenty straight batters from the first inning into the seventh and struck out six Lookout batters during the process. The right-hander pitched 7.0 innings and gave up just three hits. RHP James Walczak pitched a perfect eighth inning and struck out one batter and earned his first win of the year.
The Wahoos had a tough time getting hits off of Lookouts starter Andres Santiago. Their first run in the contest scored on an error by second baseman Ryan Adams. Juan Silverio continued his hot hitting in the series, going 3-for-4 with three singles. Right fielder Juan Duran hit an RBI double into the left field gap to score Silverio all the way from first and give the Wahoos the lead in the eighth. Left fielder Steve Selsky added an insurance run with an RBI single to score Duran; Selsky went 3-for-4 with a double on the game.
Santiago had his longest outing of the season; he gave up 1 R/0 ER on five hits through 6.1 innings. Santiago added five strikeouts to his ledger. Reliever Pedro Baez took the loss for the Lookouts; the right-hander pitched 1.2 innings and gave up two runs on four hits.
Jeremy Hazelbaker led off the game with a triple down the right field line and later scored on a Brian Cavazo-Galvez single. Left fielder Scott Schebler had an RBI single in the ninth to cut the lead to one, but Shane Dyer struck out Chris O’Brien to end the game with the tying run at third. Despite allowing the ninth inning run, Dyer remained perfect in his four save tries.
RHP Mikey O’Brien (1-2, 4.24) will make his second start of the season for the Wahoos in the series finale on Friday. O’Brien pitched well in a spot start last week, giving up just 1 R/ER on three hits through 5.0 innings. The Lookouts will counter with RHP Garrett Gould (1-4, 6.41).
by Tommy Thrall
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Chattanooga Lookouts 3-2 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium Thursday. Photo by Michael Spooneybarger/ Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gov pic
May 8, 2014
Inspirational Student Heroes To Be Honored Tonight
May 8, 2014
The annual Inspirational Student Hero Awards were presented Thursday night at the University of West Florida.
Cox Communications recognized 45 students from Escambia County who have overcome extreme challenges in life, such as mental or physical disabilities, severe medical conditions, language barriers or family adversity.
The students were chosen by a committee of leaders at their school. During the event, Cox presented the students with an engraved medallion and certificates of honor from Cox. Congressman Jeff Miller’s office was also be on hand to recognize the students with a certificate.
“Each of the students being recognized is an inspiration to us all. They have shown enduring perseverance, inner strength and courage of character to rise above significant challenges and bring encouragement to others,” stated Jacqui Vines, senior vice president and general manager of Cox Southeast. “It is truly my honor to pay tribute to these student heroes.”
Listed below are the 2014 Cox Inspirational Student Heroes Award winners for Escambia County.
Bellview Elementary — Crystal Hassell
Bellview Middle — Samuel Lyons
Beulah Elementary — Lauren Williams
Blue Angels Elementary — Noah Anderson
Bratt Elementary — Leila Tuberville
Brown Barge Middle — DaJohn Jamison
Byrneville Elementary — Joseph Franklin
C.A. Weis Elementary — Gary Ford
Cordova Park Elementary — Kaleia Richard
Ensley Elementary — Rodnesha English
Escambia High — Josh Wilhelm
Escambia Charter — Brandon Grandison
Ferry Pass Elementary — Alexandra Ceballos
Ferry Pass Middle — Trenton Faulkner
Global Learning Academy — Mikel Jones
Hellen Caro Elementary — Anthony Fisher
Holm Elementary — Cole Oglesby
Jacqueline Harris Prep — Jordan Shipp
Jim Allen Elementary — Molly McArthur
Jim Bailey Middle — Fredricka Walker
Lincoln Park Elementary — Kewaun Hays
Longleaf Elementary — Trinity Smith
McArthur Elementary — James Gray
Montclair Elementary — JaBrea Darnes
Myrtle Grove Elementary — Maxim Houser
N.B. Cook Elementary — Alysa Larsen
Navy Point Elementary — Malachi Durant
Northview High — Kelsie Hudson
O.J. Semmes Elementary — Adrianna Hedrick
Oakcrest Elementary — Antoine Banks
Pensacola High — Samuel Waz
Pine Forest High — Tyler Brady
Pine Meadow Elementary — Alexander Nicholson
Pleasant Grove Elementary — LillyMae Goodman
R. C. Lipscomb Elementary — Hakeem McCreary
Ransom Middle — Kameron Armour
Scenic Heights Elementary — My Nguyen
Sherwood Elementary — Tay’Shun Lewis
Tate High — Logan Hunter
Warrington Elementary — Laniya Thompson
Warrington Middle — Tavaius Dawson
Washington High — Coco Atwood
West Pensacola Elementary — Tyson Reeves, Jr.
Woodham Middle — Brianna Ortiz
Workman Middle — Parker Darling
Navy Training Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing In Molino Field
May 8, 2014
A Navy training helicopter from Whiting Field made an emergency landing late Wednesday afternoon in Molino.
A warning light in the aircraft prompted the pilot to make a controlled landing in a field on Highway 97 across from Molino Park Elementary School. There were no injuries to the helicopter crew.
A witness said the helicopter made what appeared to be an ordinary, controlled approach and landing in the field.
A truck and trailer from Whiting Field was dispatched to retrieve the aircraft and the personnel.
Pictured top: A Navy training helicopter made an emergency landing in a field across from Molino Park Elementary School late Wednesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Former FDLE Chemist Arrested On More Drug Charges
May 8, 2014
Inspectors with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement rearrested former FDLE Pensacola crime laboratory chemist Joseph Graves on additional charges of drug trafficking today.
Investigators believe that Graves, while processing drug cases for FDLE’s Pensacola lab, stole prescription pain pills intended as evidence. He was charged with an additional 41 counts of trafficking in illegal drugs.
Graves bond is set at $1.025 million.
He was originally arrested February 4 on charges of grand theft, 12 counts of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and nine counts of trafficking in illegal drugs. FDLE began the investigation in January, collaborating with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and State Attorney Bill Eddins, after prescription pain pills from the evidence room at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office went missing.
Investigators determined that each case involving missing drugs had been analyzed by Graves, who had been a crime lab analyst in Pensacola since 2005 and was promoted to supervisor in 2009. FDLE has been reviewing evidence from all the cases Graves handled to determine which ones could be compromised. He handled nearly 2,600 cases for 80 law-enforcement agencies spanning 35 counties and 12 judicial circuits.
Free Farm Share Food Distribution Saturday At Ransom Middle
May 8, 2014
In response to the local flooding that has impacted Escambia County, Farm Share and State Rep. Clay Ingram will host a free food distribution event on Saturday, May, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ransom Middle School, 1000 West Kingsfield Road, Cantonment.
District 5 Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry, State Sen. Greg Evers, Superintendent Malcolm Thomas and District 5 School Board Member Bill Slayton will join the volunteer efforts to distribute food to assist families in need.
Families will be provided with Farm Share food bags free of charge with a variety of fresh, in season produce along with water, blankets and other needed goods.
Farm Share is a nonprofit organization working to alleviate hunger and malnutrition by recovering fresh, nutritious food and distributing it to those who need it across Florida.