Tate Aggie Classic Continues
March 18, 2015
The Tate Aggies remain undefeated after a win over Skiatook, OK, Tuesday night in the Aggie Classic. Games continue on Wednesday, with the championships on Thursday.
Tuesday’s Results:
- Tate 11, Skiatook 0
- Milton 7, Washington (OK) 0
- Brentwood 4, Gulf Breeze 3
- West Florida 10, Goodpasture 4
- Shawnee 4, Washington 3
- Christ Presbyterian 4, Pryor 0
- Knoxville Catholic 10, Union (OK) 0
- Edmond North 6, Escambia 4
- Second Baptist 10, Davidson Academy 0
- Brentwood Academy 10, Claremore 0
Monday’s Results:
- Tate Aggies 9, Shawnee, OK 2
- Goodpasture, TN 4, Escambia 2
- Washington 3, Brentwood HS, TN 1
- Davidson Academy, TN 6, West Florida 1 (15 innings)
- Claremore, OK 7, Milton 3
- Pryor, OK vs. Knoxville Catholic, TN 9, Pryor, OK 7
- Second Baptist, TX 14, Washington, OK 4
- Gulf Breeze, 7, Skiatook, OK 5
- Union, OK 3, Christ Presbyterian, TN 2
- Tulsa, OK 3, Christ Presbyterian 2
- Edmond North, OK 6, Brentwood Academy, TN 1
Wednesday Games By Location:
Tate High School
- Wednesday, March 18 — Claremore, OK vs. Second Baptist, TX — 4:00
- Wednesday, March 18 — Tate, FL vs. Union, OK — 7:00
West Florida High School
- Wednesday, March 18 — Brentwood, TN vs. Shawnee, OK — 4:00
- Wednesday, March 18 — West Florida, FL vs. Edmond North, OK — 7:00
Escambia High School
- Wednesday, March 18 — Skiatook, OK vs. Christ Presbyterian, TN — 4:00
- Wednesday, March 18 — Escambia, FL vs. Brentwood Academy, TN — 7:00
Gulf Breeze High School
- Wednesday, March 18 — Washington OK, vs. Goodpasture, TN — 4:00
- Wednesday, March 18 — Gulf Breeze, FL vs. Knoxville Catholic, TN — 7:00
Washington High School
- Wednesday, March 18 — Davidson Academy, TN vs. Milton, FL — 4:00
- Wednesday, March 18 — Washington, FL vs. Pryor, OK — 7:00
Authorities Searching For Escaped Juvenile Inmate
March 17, 2015
UDPATE: This escaped juvenile is back is custody.
Authorities are on the lookout for an escaped juvenile.
About 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Calvin Jerome Eddie, a 15-year old Department of Juvenile Justice inmate, walked away from the Boy’s Base at 200 Chief’s Way. Eddie is from Daytona Beach. He was last seen wearing a dark blue shirt with “AMI” on the back and blue pants. If you have any information as to his whereabouts contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Cantonment Man Convicted Of Kidnapping Elderly Man During Home Invasion, Robbery
March 17, 2015
A Cantonment man that kidnapped an elderly Cantonment man during a 2014 home invasion is headed to prison.
Marcus Demond Stallworth, 22, pleaded no contest Monday and was convicted on charges of battery on a person age 65 or older, kidnapping, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, grant theft auto and home invasion robbery. He was sentenced to 10 years in state prison.
When the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a burglary in the 2000 block of Stacey Road in August 2014, they found the elderly male victim had been kidnapped and driven to his bank. Stallworth withdrew money from the victim’s account using an ATM before driving the victim to a shoe store where he used the victim’s debit card to purchase shoes. Stallworth then ordered the victim to drive him home.
Scott Presents $1.4 Million In Bonus Funds To Escambia Schools
March 17, 2015
Gov. Rick Scott presented $1.4 million in school recognition funding awards to Escambia County schools Monday afternoon. The financial awards were based on sustained or significantly improved student achievement at individual schools.
“These funds will help provide Escambia county schools and teachers with resources they need to continue to build upon their success, and put Florida another step closer to providing our students with the best education system in the nation,” Scott said.
“Our students, teachers, and school staffs are working hard every day, and this recognition funding will play a big role in continuing our success as we continue our journey to excellence,” Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said. Since 1999, Escambia County Schools have received almost $20.4 million in school recognition funds.
Schools may use their award for faculty or staff bonuses, to purchase educational equipment or materials, or hire temporary staff to help maintain or improve student performance. How the money will be spent will be decided by the School Advisory Council at each awarded school.
Escambia County schools receiving school recognition funding were as follows:
Byrneville Elementary , Inc. – $17,360
Ernest Ward Middle – $45,872
Molino Park Elementary – $38,215
Ransom Middle – $142,997
Hellen Caro Elementary – $95,227
Bellview Elementary – $69,608
Bellview Middle – $97,980
Cordova Park Elementary – $70,790
Scenic Heights Elementary – $87,220
A. K. Suter Elementary – $42,361
Warrington Middle – $64,943
J. H. Workman Middle – $97,958
Brown Barge Middle – $59,441
Woodham Middle – $69,947
L. D. Mcarthur Elementary – $74,058
Blue Angels Elementary – $84,917
West Florida High /technical – $125,441
Global Learning Academy – $75,742
Jackie Harris Preparatory Academy – $19,763
Pensacola Beach Charter – $13,524
Newpoint Academy – $15,861
Newpoint Pensacola – $11,392
Pictured: North Escambia principals Brent Brummet from Ransom Middle, Nancy Perry from Ernest Ward Middle, Gov. Rick Scott, Dee Wolfe-Sullivan from Byrneville Elementary and Alice Woodward from Molino Park Elementary Thursday in Pensacola. Photo by Kim Stefansson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Security Breach Affects About 14,000 Sacred Heart Patients
March 17, 2015
Sacred Heart Health Systems is reporting a security breach at one of its third-party vendors has resulted in the possible exposure of health and personal information of about 14,000 patients.
Monday, the hospital said that on February 2, they were by a third-party billing vendor that one of its employee’s email login information had been compromised as the result of an email phishing attack. The hacking attack was detected by the billing vendor on December 3 and the employee’s username and password were shut down the same day.
Upon notice of the incident, Sacred Heart, in cooperation with the billing vendor, immediately launched a thorough investigation into the matter. Sacred Heart engaged computer forensics experts who were able to conduct an analysis of what information was included in the affected email account. After careful review, Sacred Heart was able to determine that the billing vendor’s employee email account contained personal information for approximately 14,000 individuals.
The personal health information in the email account included patient names, date of service, date of birth, diagnosis and procedure, billing account numbers, total charges, and physician name. Approximately 40 individuals’ social security numbers were also compromised. The hackers did not gain access to individual medical records or billing records.
Sacred Heart has sent letters to those potentially affected by the data breach. Identity monitoring and protection services are being offered free of charge for those whose social security number has been affected by the incident. Affected individuals may call 1-877-244-8984, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST with questions.
Communications Tax Cut Moves Forward In Senate
March 17, 2015
Lawmakers continued to charge forward Monday with Gov. Rick Scott’s ambitious proposal to cut taxes on cable-television and cell-phone services knowing the final savings may be smaller.
The Senate Finance and Tax Committee became the second panel to give unanimous support to a proposal (SB 110), sponsored by Chairwoman Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, that would cut the communications-services tax, applied to cell-phone bills and cable and satellite television, by 3.6 percentage points.
Scott’s office has said the cut would save an average Florida family about $43 a year if the cut remains as large as proposed.
Hukill remained optimistic the cut could be included in any final tax-reduction plan that lawmakers approve this year.
“It is my hope that this will be at least a very, very strong part of any tax package we come up with in the House and Senate,” Hukill said.
However, a number of factors could reduce such savings for taxpayers.
A $2 billion hole could be punched in the state budget if no agreement is reached in ongoing negotiations between state and federal officials over funding for the Low Income Pool program, which helps pay for health care for low-income and uninsured patients.
The so-called LIP program is set to expire June 30.
Also, Hukill’s proposal is expected to get thrown into a mix of tax cuts that will be negotiated between the House and Senate. That mix could include a sales-tax holiday on back-to-school items, as well as a reduction in taxes on real-estate leases and an increase in the deductions on corporate-income taxes.
Last year, a reduction in the communications-services tax failed to make Scott’s election-year push for $500 million in cuts, which were highlighted by a reduction in vehicle-registration fees.
On Monday, the Finance and Tax Committee also gave unanimous support to a measure (SB 398) by Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, that would expand the state’s sales-tax exemption on farm equipment.
Stargel’s proposal, expected to eventually reduce state and local revenue by $13.4 million a year, would remove the sales tax on equipment used to store raw products, irrigation equipment, stakes used by farmers to support plants, and aquaculture species that are raised for commercial purposes.
In all, Scott has proposed tax cuts that would total $673 million, with the reduction in the communications-services tax by far the largest.
The cut would lower the communications-services tax on cell-phone and cable TV from 6.65 percent to 3.05 percent and the tax rate on direct-to home satellite services from 10.8 percent to 7.2 percent. State economists estimate the cuts would eventually reduce state revenue by $470.9 million a year.
The proposal is widely supported by the cell phone and cable industry, drawing Sen. Joseph Abruzzo, D-Boynton Beach, to call the measure a “great consumer bill.”
“We have given a lot of tax breaks, but this goes to the consumers,” Abruzzo said.
The overall savings would be a little smaller in the first year, as the Revenue Estimating Conference determined the bill would reduce general revenue by $431.3 in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
MADD Recognizes Local Deputies
March 17, 2015
The Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Northwest Florida Affiliate recently recognized four deputies from Escambia County and three from Santa Rosa County as “top producers” for 2014. Pictured top: Escambia County deputies honored were (L-R) Chad Roop, Samuel Shelley, Harold Pool and John Zabelle with his K-9 Ivan. Pictured below: Santa Rosa deputies recognized were R. Dahl, N. Jordan and D. Walls. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
The Blues Are Back
March 17, 2015
The boys are back in town….the Blue Angels are back home in Pensacola after being gone for three months. The Blue Angels 2015 Pensacola Beach Air Show is set for July 11. Pictured above: Captain Tom Frosch calls “Smoke on” as the Blues fly over Pensacola Beach. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Crist Says He Won’t Run For Office In 2016
March 17, 2015
After losing a bid to unseat Republican Gov. Rick Scott in November, Democrat Charlie Crist ended speculation Monday that he could run for the U.S. Senate in 2016.
“As members of the Florida Democratic Party, we stand for something — fairness, growing the middle class, and policies that strengthen future generations,” Crist, who lost a 2010 Senate bid to Republican Marco Rubio, said in a Facebook post. “I will not be seeking office in 2016, but I will be working alongside you. Too much is at stake for our beautiful Florida to be on the sidelines.”
The 2016 Senate race is drawing heavy speculation, as Rubio weighs whether to run for the presidency or to seek re-election. U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., has emerged as a potential Democratic candidate, but questions swirled around Crist, who was elected governor as a Republican in 2006 and later became an independent before running last year as a Democrat.
by The News Service of Florida
Local Students Represent Czech Republic At Model UN Conference
March 17, 2015
Four Northview High School students recently took part in the 36th annual Florida High Schools Model United Nations conference in Orlando.
The high school conference was modeled after real debate and United Nations actions and programs.
Northview students Madison Weber, Hadley Woodfin, Carly Ward, and Moriah McGahan , under the leadership of teacher Anna Barry, represented the assigned country of the Czech Republic. They learned about the government, history, current problems and other important subjects within the Czech Republic.
Students were provided with topics to debate with representatives of other countries to formulate a resolution paper to solve the problem in a way beneficial to their represented country. There were a total of 21 countries represented by 242 delegates at the conference.
Northview’s Model UN team participated in several committees — NATO, United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Te team was recognized as an honorable delegation.
Last year, Northview became the first Escambia County public school to participate in a Florida High Schools Model United Nations conference.
Pictured top: Northview Model UN participants (L-R) Madison Weber, Hadley Woodfin, Carly Ward, and Moriah McGahan. Pictured below: The team is recognized as an honorable delegation in Orlando. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
