West Florida Lady Jags Win Regional Quarterfinal Over Florida High
April 24, 2015
The West Florida Lady Jaguars beat Florida High in Tallahassee 8-4 Thursday in the Region 1-4A quarterfinals.
Hitting for West Florida were Kayla Miller, 1-2; Emily Loring 2-2, RBI; Lauren Carnley 1-4, RBI; Kristin Gunter 2-3, 3 RBI; Jibrasha Moore 1-2, RBI; Bre Rogers 1-2, Farrah Nicholas 2-4. Nicholas pitched seven innings for West Floroida, allowing four funs, 10 hits and striking out one.
West Florida will play at Walton on Tuesday in the regional semi-finals.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Gary Carnley, click to enlarge.
West Florida Jags Win Consecutive District Championship
April 24, 2015
The West Florida High Jaguars beat Catholic 5-2 Thursday night for a back to back District 1-4A titles, and the ninth overall under Coach Marc Conti.
Photos by Missy Reber for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview’s Bates Signs With Baton Rouge Community College
April 24, 2015
Northview High School senior E’Layzha Bates has signed to play basketball with Baton Rouge Community College.
At Northview, she average 10 point and nine rebounds per game, and accounted for more than 75 percent of the team’s offensive output last season. She was also selected to play in the Pensacola Sports Association All-Star game.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Winker Homers, Wahoos Win In Birmingham
April 24, 2015
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos evened up the five-game series in Birmingham with a 5-3 win over the Barons on Thursday night at Regions Field.
Jesse Winker continued to swing a hot bat with a 2-for-5 night including his second home run of the year, which got the Wahoos on the board in the first inning. Pensacola opened up a 5-0 lead with a three run fifth inning sparked by an RBI double from Chris Berset. He finished the game with three two baggers on the night. Zach Vincej singled home Berset later in the inning before Jesse Winker drove in Beau Amaral with his second hit of the night.
Josh Smith (W, 1-0) started for the Blue Wahoos and pitched well in his first Double-A action since he was a Southern League All-Star with Pensacola in 2013. He retired the first seven batter he faced before the Barons got to him for two run in the fourth. Brian Fletcher and Danny Hayes each delivered RBI doubles in the inning to get Birmingham on the board. Fletcher doubled home another run off Smith in the sixth before the bullpen took over and shut the door in the seventh.
Kyle McMyne, Carlos Gonzalez and Ben Klimesh (S, 2) all worked scoreless innings to preserve the win for the Wahoos. Klimesh retired the Barons in order in the ninth to record his second save of the season. Josh Smith was tagged with all three Birmingham runs over six innings on his way to his first win of the year. Mike Recchia (L, 0-1) took the loss for the Barons after allowing all five Wahoos runs, four earned.
The Wahoos are back in action tomorrow night for the final game of the series in Birmingham at 7:05 pm.
The Blue Wahoos return to Pensacola Saturday, April 25th against the Biloxi Shuckers.
Central Water Works Receives Over $1.5 Million For System Improvements
April 23, 2015
During an Earth Day celebration in Byrneville, USDA Rural Development presented Central Water Works with a $1.588 million check to replace existing water lines in both Florida and Alabama.
The check represented $682,300 in grant money at a $906,000 USDA 40-year loan at 2.75 percent interest.
The money will be used the replace existing lines in the utility’s service area. The first part of the project will replace all of Central Water Works’ infrastructure serving about 175 homes just outside Flomaton. Those 2 or 3-inch lines will be upgraded to at least 6-inch lines, plus fire hydrants will be installed so that every residence is within 1,000 feet of a hydrant.
In Florida, funds will be used to replace an old asbestos and cement line on Byrneville Road.
After engineering plans are completed and contracts are let, it will probably be the first of 2016 before Central customers notice any visible work beginning.
“This is something that has been needed for a long time,” Gary Welch, Central Water Works board president. “It will mean improved quality of service for customers, and, for the Alabama customers, it may mean greatly reduced fire insurance rates.”
Best Of The Class Of 2015 Honored
April 23, 2015
Ninety of Escambia County’s high school seniors were honored Thursday tonight at the 2015 Senior Academic Awards presented by the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation.
Honorees include the top five students in each graduating class, as well as one student from each of five disciplines. Escambia County’s National Merit Finalists and National Achievement Finalists were also honored.
Escambia High School: TOP FIVE: Samantha Finklestine, Ryan Fournier, Macayla Gilbert, Tara Skipton, Brian Thompson, DISCIPLINES: Corey Percle, Career & Technology, Britiny Hope Vetitoe, English, Johnathan Pierce, Foreign Language, Jacob Paul Rook, Math, Megan Gillis, Science, Airamis Perez, Social Studies
Northview High School: TOP FIVE: Tristan Brown, Matthew Ryan Chavers, Kyndall Hall, Mallory Ryan, Samantha Sharpless, DISCIPLINES: Tristan Williams, Career & Technology, Austin Cunningham, English, Adriann Lee, Foreign Language, Shania Ward, Math, Joshua Borelli, Science, Charmayne Fountain, Social Studies
Pensacola High School: TOP FIVE: Tanogela Brown, Dacon Buchanan, Savannah Colby, Chloe Gillman, Heather L. Sartain, DISCIPLINES: Seyviana A. Johnson, Career & Technology, Njeri K. Nelms, English, Alberto Bretado, Foreign Language, Wen Wen Xu, Math, Anissa Brooks, Science, Andrew H. Huynh, Social Studies
Pensacola High School IB Program: TOP FIVE: *Jett Crowdis, Krisha Gupta, *Olivia Liseth, *Shayli Patel, *Nadia Razek, DISCIPLINES Lauren Pederson, Career & Technology, Sarah Haley Lenga, English, *Claire Escobedo, Foreign Language, Grace Tan, Math, *Caroline Sullivan, Science, *Laurel Rush, Social Studies, *Lauren Shumpert
*National Merit Finalist
Pine Forest High School: TOP FIVE: Kevin Chen, John Orleans Degraft-Hanson, Karin Marie Fazio, Aubrey Hagle, De’zhanae Marie McCall-Butler, DISCIPLINES Chase Holland, Career & Technology, Vamina Stevenson, English, Brittany Haines, Foreign Language, Alyssa Johnson, Math, Wenjun Ye, Science, Connor Irby, Social Studies
Tate High School: TOP FIVE: Kyle Capehart, Sarah Colburn, Taylor Ertel, *Hannah Philips, Emily Washler, DISCIPLINES Chandler Cotton, Career & Technology, Paxton Metcalf, English, Kristin Wheeler, Foreign Language, Kayla Dixon, Math, Brandon Launstein, Science, Hannah Hargett, Social Studies
*National Merit Finalist
Washington High School: TOP FIVE Elizabeth Barbour, Grayson Evan Bell, Jessica Davis-Gunn, Mallory Lurate, Taylor Daniel Perkins, Michael D. Thompson, DISCIPLINES Mariah Bush, Career & Technology, Kayleigh Fails, English, Kayla Carter, Foreign Language, *Branch Robinson, Math, Jacob Michael Brown, Science, Bailey Elizabeth Porch, Social Studies
*National Achievement Finalist
West Florida High School: TOP FIVE Jamie Marie Butler, Devin Kelby McCormick, Amy Elizabeth Murph, Raleigh Elizabeth Nesbitt, Dane Theodore Stolsig, DISCIPLINES: Christopher “Chris” Manning, Career & Technology, Lauren Elaine Brown, English, Christian J. Gould, Foreign Language, Michael Allen Small, Math, Henry Aaron Windham Thompson, Science, Hydee Nguyen, Social Studies
Clothing Donations Being Accepted To Help Needy In Century Area
April 23, 2015
Clothing donations to help the needy are now being accepted at the Century Town Hall.
The clothing will be distributed May 16 at the second annual Reimagine Century event, which will also include a food giveaway, health screenings, AIDS testing, diabetes information, live music, fishing lessons from Mission Fishin’, free manicures, a laundry detergent giveaway, information from community agencies, free lunch, free haircuts, youth and teen activities and sports, a diaper giveaway and more.
Clothing donations can be dropped off at a trailer outside the Century Town Hall building.
Reimagine Century is sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com.
Overcrowded Animal Shelter Offering Special Adoption Rates
April 23, 2015
The Escambia County Animal Shelter at 200 West Fairfield Drive will be running “Manager’s Specials” on all adoptable animals through the end of the week due to a significant increase in intakes. Since Thursday ECAS has taken in over 160 animals, causing significant overcrowding.
The Shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. To view adoptable animals, visit PetHarbor or stop by the Shelter and meet your new best friend.
Manager’s Special adoption fees are:
- Dogs (over three years of age): $35
- Dogs (under three years of age): $55
- Cats (over three years of age): $20
- Cats (under three years of age): $30
The shelter can be reached by calling (850) 595-3075 or by email at animalshelter@myescambia.com.
Jay Pro Rodeo Friday And Saturday Nights
April 23, 2015
The 13th Annual Jay Pro Rodeo will be held Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at Ted May Arena in Jay.
The 3R Rodeo Company will entertain the crowd with rodeo action including pro bull riding, saddle broncing, calf and team roping, steer wrestling, and women’s breakaway and barrel racing. For the little ones, there’s the calf scramble, free bouncy area, and more. There will also be plenty of great food available at the concession stand.
Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. All proceeds benefit area youth program through the Jay High School SGA and Ted May Arena.
The arena is located a half mile east of the red light on Highway 4 in Jay. Parking is free. For more information, contact Fredrick Barrow at (850) 288-0634.
House Targets Florida High School Athletic Association
April 23, 2015
Legislation that would overhaul the Florida High School Athletic Association easily passed the state House on Wednesday, sending the proposal toward an uncertain future in the Senate.
A handful of Democrats joined Republicans to pass the measure (HB 7137) in an 86-29 vote.
The proposal would overhaul the organization’s governance, setting up a 16-member board to oversee the association. It would also require a third-party review for students suspected of being ineligible and allow students to continue to play while their eligibility is reviewed, though games could be forfeited if a student is later ruled ineligible.
High schools would also be allowed to join the association for some sports, but not in others — particularly football. And students, particularly those at small, private schools, would have more opportunities to participate in sports.
However, lawmakers dropped perhaps the most-controversial provision in the bill, which would have required the education commissioner and the State Board of Education to make a decision in 2017 about whether to keep the association or replace it.
Rep. Manny Diaz Jr., the Hialeah Republican who pushed the bill through the House, said the provision was meant to keep an eye on the association while the changes were made. He suggested to reporters that there were other ways to do that.
“We meet every year, we have session every year, so we can readdress this issue at any time,” Diaz said. “And I think it’s our duty to (do so), because they’re given a statutory monopoly basically, and so we have to review to make sure that they’re doing what they’re supposed to do.”
The bill is the latest chapter in a long-running dispute between lawmakers, particularly those in the House, and the association. Like the NCAA, the organization’s attempts to enforce rules sometimes anger those affected by its decisions. Lawmakers who backed the legislation said the bill was helped along by the association’s attitude.
“I did not see a cooperative spirit that said, ‘You’ve pointed out some good things, let me run back and implement them,’ ” said House Education Chairwoman Marlene O’Toole, R-Lady Lake. “We saw none of that. Should we have had that, we might not have needed a bill.”
Opponents of the legislation said that it could lead to the organization being less vigilant about students being recruited to switch high schools for athletic reasons, though that is technically illegal and would remain so under the bill.
Rep. Kevin Rader, D-Delray Beach, said that only 11 disputes went to the association recently, out of more than 250,000 athletes, and roughly half were decided in favor of the student. Three of the cases, he said, were caused by academic requirements.
“We are trying to change the state of Florida law on a non-profit organization that takes no money from the state for basically less than a handful of kids,” Rader said.
But the bill could run into trouble in the Senate. After the upper chamber’s version of the legislation stalled, it was attached Tuesday to an omnibus education bill (SB 948) during a meeting of the Senate Appropriations Committee. However, so-called legislative “trains” sometimes have difficult passing because of their complexity.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida