Wahoos Beat Jackson
May 22, 2015
Zach Vincej came into Thursday’s game hitting .200 with only one run-batted in for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
However, the shortstop went 2-4 on the night, launching a three-run line drive over the left field wall that gave him his first homer of the year and raised his average to .220.
Vincej’s homer also lifted Pensacola to a six-run sixth inning and a victory, 8-5, in the opening of the five-game series with the Jackson Generals in front of 4,227 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Vincej, who was coming off of seven days on the disabled list with a left wrist contusion, said it felt good to get all of the hanging curveball from Jackson reliever Jordan Shippers, who was pounding him inside with fastballs.
“I’ve had a couple frustrating months myself personally,” Vincej said. “I had to remind myself it’s a long season and you just have to be resilient at the end of the day. I knew I got a good piece of it. It was a nice feeling. I’m glad everything worked out.”
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said a home run is a home run.
“It was great,” said Kelly, whose team is now on a 10-4 winning streak since May 7. “Fortunately, they give you the same number of points whether it goes over by an inch or 100-feet. Zach has had a tough time. But since he’s spent time on the DL, he’s been swinging the bat well since he has come back.”
Six of the Blue Wahoos eight runs – the most they’ve scored in a game this season – came from the bottom four batters in the order: third baseman Juan Perez, Vincej, DH Cam Maron and left fielder Juan Silva.
“We had six RBIs and six runs scored from the bottom of the lineup,” Kelly said. “That’s huge. Now, everybody is kind of on a roll.”
Jackson went ahead, 3-2, in the top of the sixth inning on five walks, four by Pensacola reliever Layne Somsen who lasted 0.1 innings and was charged with the runs.
That’s when the Blue Wahoos came right back with six straight runners on base, who all scored to put Pensacola back on top, 8-3.
“We’re believing in each other,” Vincej said of Pensacola, which improved to 18-23 on the season. “If they put three, we can put up three, as well. We have to keep our confidence going.”
Former Police Officer Still Missing; Vehicle Found In McDavid
May 21, 2015
The search in continuing for a missing Flomaton man, a former police officer, whose vehicle was found abandoned near McDavid.
John Douglas Oswalt, 35, last communicated with family members on Sunday, May 3, according to Flomaton Police Chief Bryan Davis. He was last seen in the Pensacola area that morning.
His silver in color Chrysler Crossfire was found abandoned on Pine Barren Road near McDavid about 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5 by the Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office. At that time, an Escambia County K-9 unit searched the area around the vehicle with no results. The Flomaton Police Department also attempted unsuccessfully to locate Oswalt at his home on Jackson Street in Flomaton. Search warrants have been executed for his vehicle and home.
Davis said Wednesday that his office had only received two possible tips about Oswalt, with one of those reported sightings extremely unlikely.
Oswalt is former Memphis (TN) police officer, according to friends and family. He is described as a white male, about six feet tall with hazel eyes and bald head. No clothing description was known. Oswalt previously listed a home address in Cantonment.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Oswalt should contact the Flomaton Police Department at (251) 296-5811 or their local law enforcement agency.
Century Business Challenge Idea Becomes Reality: New Daycare To Open Soon
May 21, 2015
An idea in the running for the $25,000 Century Business Challenge is already set to become a reality, regardless of the contest outcome to be announced next month.
The Abundant Life Assembly of God Church will open a daycare on June 1. Director Heather Smith said she felt led to open a daycare about five years ago, but she put the idea aside.
“But back in the fall, the idea just started to kind of resurfaced again,” she said.
In December, the Century Business Challenge was announced by Quint and Rishy Studer, with $25,000 and a possible location in the Century Business Center. The church has applied for the challenge, but decided to go ahead and open the Abundant Life Children of Hope Center on June 1. The daycare will begin with space for 29 children from 6 week old to Pre-K…allowing their mothers, or fathers, the chance to go to work or school.
“I saw the need for Century, Smith said. “We see the need. We want to be a blessing to the community.”
Open enrollment is underway now. Applications can be picked up from the church on North Century Boulevard Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Daycare hours will be 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call (850) 256-5227.
A recent economic development plan created by the University of West Florida Haas Center identified the need for a daycare in Century.
Scott: Lawmakers ‘Know My Priorities’ For Special Session
May 21, 2015
Gov. Rick Scott resumed his push Wednesday for a massive tax-cut package and a “historic” increase in school funding, downplaying a call for agency heads to prepare for a bare-bones budget.
“I’m cautiously optimistic that we’ll have a good special session,” Scott said when asked about the state having to scale down to its critical needs if lawmakers fail to hammer out a budget before July 1.
Though the House and Senate continue to have a sizable divide over health-care funding as they head into next month’s special session, at least some lawmakers appear to want to please the governor when it comes to tax cuts. Scott proposed a $673 million tax-cut package early this year, and the House later offered a $690 million plan.
House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, said tax cuts will be “a priority” for the upcoming session.
“The Finance and Tax Committee will be tasked to come up with a bill to reflect the Legislature’s new joint budget number, which has not yet been determined,” Crisafulli said in an email Wednesday.
The Senate remains a little more guarded as Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, continues to work with his chamber to draft a schedule for the session that begins June 1. Senate leaders did not offer a full tax-cut package during this spring’s regular session, though Senate committees advanced individual tax-cut bills.
“The question has been how to balance a desire to reduce taxes against other priorities, particularly given the uncertainty surrounding health care funding,” Katie Betta, Gardiner’s spokeswoman, said in an email Wednesday.
The Senate has proposed spending $2.8 billion in federal Medicaid money to help hundreds of thousands of lower-income Floridians purchase private insurance.
Senate leaders argue that could help in negotiations with the federal officials over the future of the $2.2 billion Low Income Pool, or LIP, program. LIP mostly sends money to hospitals and other health providers that care for large numbers of low-income residents. The LIP program is scheduled to expire June 30, unless federal official approve an extension.
Scott has joined the House in fiercely opposing any health-care expansion funded through the federal Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.
Scott deflected questions Wednesday when asked if he’d threatened to veto a budget that fails to include his top session priorities. When pressed, Scott repeated that the House and Senate are aware of his priorities, which include higher per-student funding for public schools. His tax-cut plan is dominated by a proposed reduction in the communications-services tax on cell-phone and pay-TV bills.
“I want to continue what I’ve done every session, which is to work with the House and Senate to work on the problems of our state,” Scott told reporters in Tallahassee. “They know my priorities.”
Scott’s statement is less pessimistic than the outlook he offered when interviewed May 10 on FOX News. During that interview, he said the tax-cut package and proposed increase in education funding could be in jeopardy if the health-care battle kept the Legislature from completing a budget by June 30.
“We won’t put more money into schools, which I wanted to do,” Scott said during the FOX News interview. “We won’t cut taxes, which I wanted to do. We’ll just leave the money there and deal with it in our next session, which starts in January.”
Since then, budget leaders from the House and Senate started meeting to discuss the special session. On Friday, House and Senate leaders formally called the session, which could last from June 1 to June 20.
During this spring’s regular session, the House voted 112-3 to approve its tax-cut package. The package included Scott’s call for a 3.6 percentage-point reduction in the communications-services tax, totaling about $470 million in cuts.
The House proposal would have also eliminated sales taxes on college textbooks and made a series of other tax cuts, including reducing a tax on commercial-real estate leases from 6 percent to 5.8 percent and providing a three-day sales-tax holiday for back-to-school shoppers.
Along with his focus on tax cuts, Scott has requested increasing per-student school funding to $7,176, a roughly $261 per-student increase from the current year. Scott’s per-student funding would be $50 higher than the previous high in the 2007-08 budget year.
The State Board of Education on Wednesday sought to build support for that idea, voting unanimously to once again call on the Legislature to provide record funding.
“I’d like to also remind everyone here and the legislators that we actually have a surplus this year, and let’s not forget that,” said outgoing Board of Education Chairman Gary Chartrand. “I know there’s some issues with the health care, and the Legislature’s coming together to work that out.”
But Chartrand also indicated that schools should come before Scott’s other signature proposal.
“There’s also tax cuts that have been proposed, and I would hope that we would fund education first before we moved in any other direction,” he said.
Education Commissioner Pam Stewart highlighted the state’s recent gains in areas like high-school graduation and said that funding was “absolutely critical” to continuing the momentum.
Stewart also said school districts had been forced by tight budgets in recent years to be more careful in figuring out which funding initiatives should take priority.
“I think the time is the right one,” she said. “Everything is set in place for this Legislature to do the right thing by education in the state of Florida and really invest in the economic development of our state through the education system.”
by Jim Turner and Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Sheriff’s Office Clean Sweep Today In Cottage Hill
May 21, 2015
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a Clean Sweep in the Cottage Hill area this morning.
The Clean Sweep will begin at the Cottage Hill Baptist Church at 230 Williams Ditch Road and concentrate on the area east of Highway 95, McKenzie Road, Williams Ditch Road and Eden Lane.
The focus of “Operation Clean Sweep” is to work with Neighborhood Watch groups, residents, churches and business owners to control and prevent the damaging effects of criminal activity, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Northview Grad Robinson Signs Pensacola State Basketball Scholarship
May 21, 2015
Neino Robinson, a 2014 graduate of Northview High School, signed a basketball scholarship Wednesday with Pensacola State College.
The Florida Association of Basketball Coaches named Robinson to the 2013-2014 Boys Class 1A All-State first team.
Robinson, was the only public school player from Escambia County named to any of the associations’ all-state teams in an classification. Players were selected based on in-person evaluations, a review of all-area teams selected by media from around the state, and recognition from the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches.
The Florida Association of Basketball Coaches includes coaches from the high school, junior college and four-year college levels.
One Charged In Jay Burglaries
May 21, 2015
One person has been charged after three nearby businesses were burglarized on Commerce Street in Jay.
Joshua Gay was arrested Wednesday evening in connection with the smash and grab type burglaries. He was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail with bond set at $76,250.
The glass front door of “Jack’s Vapor” was smashed, and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office said Gay was also responsible for burglaries at the Farmer’s Country Market and a convenience store. Investigators said groceries, soda and a roll of pennies were stolen.
Kim Vansant
May 21, 2015
Kim Vansant, born May 20,1958, was a loving mother to Sandy Rainwater and partner in life with Gary Rainwater.
After serving her community in Rome, GA for many years as a nurse she moved to Christian Home, FL and spent her days serving her family and raising her daughter, of whom she was extremely proud. Watching Nascar races and working to support Northview High School filled Kim’s days with excitement. Marveling at her talented daughter twirling flaming batons filled many Friday nights while she waited on the sidelines eager to douse the flame.
Her own flame diminished too quickly on May 18,2015, for those that loved her, but the residual heat from her loving nature will be felt for years to come. A woman who valued friends and family, she was loved by many and will be truly missed.
Kim is survived by her daughter, Sandy Rainwater and life partner, Gary Rainwater; brothers, Tony and Mark Vansant; and a slew of nieces and nephews.
Kim was proceeded in death by her brother, Jerry Vansant, along with her parents.
A service celebrating Kim’s life will be held Saturday, May 23, 2015 at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Bratt.
Mississippi Downs Pensacola
May 21, 2015
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Mississippi Braves played five games that all went down to the wire at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
If you didn’t care who won, it was entertaining baseball. Die hard Blue Wahoos fans, though, left disappointed.
This time the Braves scored four runs on four hits in the top of the ninth inning to go ahead and win, 5-2, in front of 3,207 fans Wednesday. Mississippi took the series, 3-2.
The first three games between the two teams were all decided by one run.
“We’ve played some really good ball games,” said Pensacola Manager Pat Kelly of his team that fell to 17-23 and remain in fourth place in the Southern League South Division. “We had a chance to win all five. Mississippi is a good ball club and we stayed even with them.”
Pensacola center fielder Beau Amaral lined what looked like the game-winning, solo home run just over the right field wall in the seventh inning that put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 2-1. Amaral went 3-5 on the night with a stolen base, his fourth of the season.
However, Mississippi chased Pensacola reliever Zack Weiss in the ninth when first baseman Corban Joseph singled to drive in two runs to put the Braves up, 3-2. Then center fielder Mallex Smith singled to drive in two more with two out, making the final score, 5-2.
Mississippi scored first in the second inning with two out when starting Pensacola pitcher Wandy Peralta walked two and then gave up a single to second baseman Eric Garcia that drove in third baseman Rio Ruiz to go ahead, 1-0.
Blue Wahoos catcher Yovan Gonzalez scored in the third inning to tie the game, 1-1, on second baseman Ryan Wright’s single to center.
Peralta threw six innings of two-hit ball and gave up just one run but he walked six batters.
“When he continues to control his emotions he can stay in the ball game,” Kelly said. “Earlier this season, if he threw nine straight balls, he never would have finished that inning.”
Escambia Holds Hurricane Drill
May 21, 2015
A hurricane drill was held Wednesday at the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center, giving local officials a chance to practice their response to a hurricane slamming into the Escambia County. Hurricane season begins June 1. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
