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Sunny And Warm Today

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Southeast wind around 5 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. East wind around 5 mph.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southeast wind around 5 mph.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. East wind around 5 mph.

Sunday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. East wind around 5 mph.

Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. East wind around 5 mph.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. East wind around 5 mph.

Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76.

Tuesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76.

Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.

Over $91K In Grants Awarded To 59 Escambia Teachers

Almost five dozen Escambia County teachers were awarded an Escambia County Public Schools Foundation Committee classroom grant Thursday. Grants for Excellence is a competitive grant program through which the Foundation awards funding for classroom projects to enhance curriculum and drive student achievement in Escambia County classrooms.

The committee funded 59 projects for a total of $91,284.87. The Foundation receives funding for the Grants for Excellence program from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, but in order to receive the funding, the board of directors must raise matching dollars from our generous community partners.

The 59 recipients received up to $2,000 each for their innovative classroom projects in the areas of Literacy and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math:

• Derek Akhi, Bellview Middle, “Acting Up, Acting Out”
• Kimberly Andreoli, Bratt Elementary, “Listening through Literacy”
• John Auner, Escambia High, “…To the Moon”
• Edward Bauer, Booker T. Washington High, “Lionfish Prey Selection”
• Bethany Bauer, Jim C. Bailey Middle, “Operation Starry Night”
• Robin Blalock, Tate High, “Couriers of Memory”
• Michael Bloomer, Booker T. Washington High, “Advanced AP Chemistry Lab”
• Angelina Carter, Blue Angels Elementary, “Dash and Dot Makes Learning Fun”
• Brandi Cole, Longleaf Elementary, “SplashMath for Success”
• Laurie Cothran, West Pensacola Elementary, “Drama Drive: A TV Production”
• Tim Deloge, Escambia High, “NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge”
• Diedra Diettel, A.K. Suter Elementary, “Curio ‘city’: A City for the Curious”
• Stephanie Gaffney, Navy Point Elementary, “Discovery Island”
• Krystal Gibson, Beulah Elementary, “Leaders in the ‘Make’ing”
• Jeremy Gibson, West Pensacola Elementary, “Printing: The 3rd Dimension”
• Heather Gillman, Bratt Elementary, “Six Traits to Improve Writing”
• Lisa Hale, West Pensacola Elementary, “Music Makerspace”
• Anna Harageones, A.K. Suter Elementary, “Interested in Informational Texts”
• Melissa Harold, Beulah Elementary, “Literacy Tablet Lab”
• Cristen Hartley, West Pensacola Elementary, “STEM Bowling”
• Catherine Hendren, Pine Meadow Elementary, “Author Study Cross Curricular Project”
• Kelly Hered, Booker T. Washington High, “What Do Fireworks, Lasers, and Neon Signs Have in Common?”
• Pam Hicks, Booker T. Washington High, “Chemistry: How Sweet it Is”
• Blair Husted, O.J. Semmes Elementary, “STEM Out! Club”
• Sarah Ingram, West Florida High, “I Like to Print and I Cannot Lie”
• Elizabeth Isphording, Ransom Middle, “Science Studio”
• Jennifer Kemp, C.A. Weis Elementary, “STEM with Sphero”
• Emma Land, Pine Meadow Elementary, “Ready, Set, Grow”
• Marnie Lowery, West Pensacola Elementary, “The Fabrication Station”
• Dana M. Lupton, Pine Forest High, “All Terrain Robot”
• Peter N. Lupton, Pine Forest High, “A Journey to a Sustainable Tomorrow”
• Matthew MacGregor, Escambia High, “Bringing Back our Bayous”
• Sarah Mason, Blue Angels Elementary, “Makey Makey Eggs and Bakey!”
• Jill Mealy, Ensley Elementary, “Roller Coaster Engineers”
• Cathy S. Melton, C.A. Weis Elementary, “In the Wings”
• Cassie Mense, Myrtle Grove Elementary, “Fourth Grade Engineers”
• Tammy Miller, R.C. Lipscomb Elementary, “Enriching, Creating, and Reaching Others through Technology”
• Angela Mills, NAS Museum, “Understanding Earth’s Atmosphere”
• Molly O’Connor, Roy Hyatt Environmental Center, “Bringing Technology to the Outdoors”
• Jean Odom, N.B. Cook Elementary, “Project Green Screen Video Camp”
• Myra Palmer, Ensley Elementary, “Makerspace Minecraft”
• Dawn Parnell, Pensacola High, “Salty Citizen Scientists”
• Karen Potter, Ransom Middle, “Don’t Judge a Book by its Movie”
• Katherine Powell, Molino Park Elementary, “Getting’ Techie With It”
• Sharon Powers, Longleaf Elementary, “Speaking of Literacy”
• Thomas A. Roberts, Cordova Park Elementary, “Literacy and STEAM – An Unstoppable Combination!”
• Crystal K. Roberts, Ransom Middle, “Makerspace Interface: Literacy and STEAM Powers Unite!”
• Sherry Roughton, Beulah Elementary, “The LEGO Art of Storytelling”
• Milagros Sessions, Workman Middle, “Creating Fertile Spaces”
• Stephanie Phillips, Scenic Heights Elementary, “STEM Discovery with Dash and Dot”
• Tatum Tirado, Booker T. Washington High, “The Math Games”
• Julie Tomlinson, Myrtle Grove Elementary, “Kids Kitchen Conservatory”
• Kevin Turner, Booker T. Washington High, “Measuring Speciation of Tidewater Silversides”
• Rebecca Van Fleet, Bellview Middle, “Fill It Up!”
• Shawn Walker, West Florida High, “Determining Lionfish Prey by using DNA Analysis”
• Casandra Waller, Montclair and C.A. Weis Elementary Schools, “Phys Academy”
• Theresa Ward, Blue Angels Elementary, “Figurative Language?? Go Figure!!”
• Roberta Wetzel, Jim C. Bailey Middle, “Think It and Move It: LEGO Wall in Motion”
• Alisha Wilson, Booker T. Washington High, “Robotic Learning; Where STEM and Literacy Collide”

Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Northview Yearbook Receives Top Columbia Scholastic Press Association Award

For the second consecutive year, the Northview High School Tribal Spirit yearbook staff has been honored  with a Gold Medal from the nationally recognized Columbia Scholastic Press Association, affiliated with Columbia University in New York City and the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.

The staff earned a total of 908 points out of a possible 1000 for their 2015 Tribal Spirit yearbook. The reference section scored 192 out of a possible 200 points.

“You and your staff worked very hard to produce a very solid outstanding publication. The staff made sure that every activity, sport, club, student life, etc. was covered. Very nice job! It was a pleasure to have been part of your community. Lots of luck for 2016,” a statement from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association to the Northview staff said.

The Tribal Spirit yearbook staff and their adviser, Alison Robinson, attended the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Convention in New York City in 2011, 2013 and 2015.

Pictured: Northview Tribal Spirit Yearbook staff members (front, L-R) Jessica Amerson, Ellie Amerson, Bethany Reynolds, (back, L-R)Celeste North, David Weber, Destiny Watson and Jordan Taylor. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Justices Give Geen Light To Solar Initiative

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday approved a proposed ballot initiative that seeks to expand the use of solar energy, moving the state one step closer to a fierce political battle next year.

Making clear they were not offering an opinion on the merits of the proposal, justices ruled 6-1 that the initiative, backed by a group called Floridians for Solar Choice, met legal standards to go before voters. The group now will have to submit 683,149 valid petition signatures by Feb. 1 to qualify for the November 2016 ballot — about 500,000 more than it had submitted as of Thursday morning.

“We are thrilled with the high court’s ruling so that voters may have the opportunity to vote on removing a barrier that currently blocks Florida’s families and businesses from greater energy choices through the power of the free market,” Tory Perfetti, chairman of Floridians for Solar Choice, said in a prepared statement immediately after the Supreme Court decision. “People power is what will get us on the ballot, and we continue to gather thousands of signatures each week from Floridians eager for solar choice.”

The proposed constitutional amendment, in part, would allow businesses to generate and sell up to two megawatts of solar power to customers on the same or neighboring properties. In doing so, it would largely shield the solar producers from state and local regulations.

The initiative has drawn opposition from a coalition including major electric utilities and has spawned a competing solar ballot proposal. That proposal, spearheaded by the group Consumers for Smart Solar, is awaiting a review by the Supreme Court.

Dick Batchelor, co-chairman of Consumers for Smart Solar, said it was “unfortunate” that justices approved the Floridians for Solar Choice proposal.

“We caution Florida voters about this disingenuous solar ballot measure that favors big out-of-state solar companies instead of Florida consumers,” Batchelor said in a prepared statement. “We simply cannot allow this seriously flawed amendment to pass. This special interest amendment puts Florida consumers, and especially our seniors, at great risk of fraud and abuse.”

The Supreme Court reviews proposed constitutional amendments to make sure they will not be confusing or deceptive to voters. That involves making sure proposed amendments deal with single subjects and that the ballot titles and summaries — the parts seen by most voters — are clearly worded.

The majority opinion, supported by Chief Justice Jorge Labarga and justices Barbara Pariente, R. Fred Lewis, Peggy Quince, Charles Canady and James E.C. Perry, said the Floridians for Solar Choice proposal met the requirements.

“Without considering the merits of the measure, we find that the title and summary clearly and unambiguously inform the voter that the amendment will prevent government and electric utilities from imposing regulatory barriers to supplying local solar electricity up to two megawatts to customers at the same or contiguous property,” the opinion said.

But Justice Ricky Polston dissented, arguing that the ballot summary is “confusing” and doesn’t accurately describe the scope of the proposal.

In part, Polston wrote that the ballot summary “leads the voter to believe that this initiative is about someone who owns a small house or small business with a solar panel on the roof and wants to sell electricity on a small-scale. However, according to the Florida Electric Cooperatives Association, a single local solar generating facility capable of generating two megawatts of electricity would span over 12 acres and could serve approximately 714 customers. The ballot summary does not provide notice to the voter that this proposed amendment provides for this scale of completely unregulated electricity generation.”

With the court’s majority approving the ballot proposal, however, the groups on both sides were clearly readying Thursday for a political fight.

Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, a key supporter of Floridians for Solar Choice, quickly took aim at “big monopoly utilities” that oppose the initiative.

“We fully expect more misleading attacks from the big electric utilities and their proxy front groups in their desperate attempt to limit customer choice,” Smith said in a prepared statement.

by Jim Saunder, The News Service of Florida

Scott Wants $250 Million To Lure Businesses To Florida

Gov. Rick Scott, pressing reluctant lawmakers to fund a “nearly bankrupt” effort to recruit businesses to Florida, said Thursday he will ask for $250 million in 2016 for corporate incentives, with new rules on how the money would be approved and banked.

Scott, addressing the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors in Orlando, also ratcheted up his call for business leaders to lobby lawmakers for the money, advising them not to give in until each legislator publicly announces support for the funding plan.

“If they (lawmakers) don’t put out a press release and say, ‘I absolutely will support these reforms,’ then that’s a no,” Scott said.

Scott spoke with Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, before the Enterprise Florida meeting. But Gardiner, whose members have been skeptical of the public-private business recruitment agency’s claims about a lack of available incentive money, isn’t ready to make a decision on Scott’s request.

“The president told the governor that he was looking forward to reviewing the governor’s proposal in more detail in the coming weeks,” Gardiner spokeswoman Katie Betta said in an email.

House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, said he was looking forward to seeing the details of Scott’s proposal.

“I know we all share the goal of keeping Florida a national leader in job creation,” Crisafulli said in a prepared statement.

The $250 million is part of Scott’s proposal to change the incentives-funding process under Enterprise Florida.

He also wants lawmakers to: create the Florida Enterprise Fund, a trust fund that would keep designated incentive money in the state treasury until companies reach job-creation goals; and to let the House speaker and Senate president sign off on deals that top $1 million instead of waiting for the Joint Legislative Budget Commission to give approval.

Currently, money the state promises a business for relocating to Florida or expanding in the state is placed into a low-yield commercial escrow account, with payouts made when promised new jobs and economic-development performance measures are met.

Lawmakers have been questioning the use of escrow accounts.

Gardiner has proposed the state set an annual statutory cap of $50 million to cover future economic incentive payments, which he noted have never topped $20 million in a single year.

Scott, calling his proposed trust fund the “Let’s beat Texas’ butt enterprise fund,” said the use of the treasury will give the state a better interest rate than the escrow accounts.

Florida Chamber of Commerce President Mark Wilson, an Enterprise Florida board member, called the $250 million request, with the quicker approval process, “a good start.”

“This is about diversifying the economy, which is why this organization was created,” Wilson said of Enterprise Florida.

Earlier this year, Scott asked lawmakers to set aside $85 million for business incentives. The final budget for the fiscal year that started July 1 included $53 million for Enterprise Florida, of which $43 million was for incentives and $10 million was for marketing.

Scott said his latest request is needed to compete with other states, such as New York, which has $150 million for incentives; Texas, which has $90 million; South Carolina, which has $58 million; and Georgia, which has $46 million.

“We’re not going to beat these states if we don’t reform the Quick Action Closing Fund,” said Scott, who repeated a claim he’s made since August that the fund used to complete incentive deals is “nearly bankrupt” for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends June 30.

“I don’t care what anybody says, it will in fact, run out of money,” Scott said.

Members of the Senate Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee questioned such claims Tuesday. They noted that about $141 million is currently held in escrow and that over the prior four years, $112 million that had been available for the agency’s recruitment “toolkit” went unspent.

by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida

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Fall Carnival Today At Molino Park Elementary School (With Auction Item List)

The annual Fall Carnival will be held today at Molino Park Elementary School.

The carnival will take place on the school campus from 4:30 until 7:30  p.m. The event will featuring games, food, entertainment and much more. Everyone is welcome to attend for great family fun.

The carnival’s popular auctions will also take place, with dozens of packages available for bid. Packages include a Yeti cooler, signed items from Caleb Gindl, a North Caroline vacation, numerous restaurant certificates, sports theme items, a Tennessee vacation, a NorthEscambia.com advertising package worth $450, and much more.

For a complete listing of all auction items, click here.

Molino Park Elementary School is located at 899 Highway 97.

Pictured: Scenes from the 2014 Fall Carnival at Molino Park Elementary School. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.

Friday Night Football Schedule

Here is a look at tonight’s high school football games across the North Escambia area.

For live scoring from select games beginning at 7 p.m., click here to like our Facebook page, or click here to follow @northescambia on Twitter.

• Northview at Walton, 7 p.m.
• Tate at Choctaw, 7 p.m.
• Jay at Rocky Bayou Christian, 7 p.m.
• West Florida at Arnold, 7 p.m.
• Mosley at PHS, 7:30 p.m.
• Washington at Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
• Niceville at Pine Forest, 7:30 p.m.
• OPEN:  Escambia, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Navarre, Pace

• Sweet Water at Flomaton, 7 p.m.
• Monroe County at Escambia County (Atmore), 7 p.m.
• Escambia Academy at Glenwood (Phenix City), 7 p.m.
• T.R. Miller at Excel, 7 p.m.
• W.S. Neal at Southside, 7 p.m.

NorthEscambia.com photo.

Martha Smith Welch

Martha Smith Welch, 71, of Cantonment, was called Home on Tuesday, October 20, 2015.

She was a proud retiree of the Escambia County School District with over 32 years of service and a faithful member of Hillcrest Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Ruth Smith; and her grandson, Riley Daniels.

Martha is survived by her husband, Ronald Welch; son, Jeffrey (the late Kim) Welch; daughter, Gena Welch (Mike) Daniels; son, Jason (Stacy) Welch; four granddaughters, Rachel (Clint) Parker, Katie Welch, Sarah Welch, and Reagan Daniels; great-grandson, Carson Parker; and brother, James (Dana) Smith.

Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, October 26, 2015, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home with Dr. Brian Barlow officiating. The family will receive friends at 10:30 a.m. prior to services.

Interment will follow in Barrancas National Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Doug Webb, Leon Colbert, Maurice Whitson, Johnny Lovelace, Dennis Weinman, Mike Daniels, John Adams, and Johnny Adams.

Hillcrest Baptist Church deacons will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.

Edward “Eddie” Ray Savant

Mr. Edward “Eddie” Ray Savant, 70, passed away on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, in Pensacola.

Mr. Savant was a native of Chumuckla and a resident of Santa Rosa County most of his life. Mr. Savant was a member of the Brownsdale Baptist Church. Mr. Savant is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Dianna Savant and two brothers, Robert Jr. and Jimmy Savant.

Mr. Savant is survived by his church family.

Funeral services were held Friday, October 23, 2015, at the Brownsdale Baptist Church with Bro. Jeff Leake officiating.

Burial was at the Traveler’s Rest Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be the men of the church.

Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.

Olene Carraway

Olene Carraway was born on April 2, 1926, and was welcomed into the arms of God on October 21, 2015. She graduated from Ensley High School in Birmingham.

She was living in Birmingham when she met Norman “Duke” Carraway. They married and moved to Pensacola in 1965, then moved to Molino in 1971.

Olene was a faithful member of Highland Baptist Church and a long-time member of the church choir. She was also a member of the Molino Homemakers Club and enjoyed the fellowship with all the ladies. She loved her Lord, her family and her church. Olene and Duke enjoyed traveling in their RV with friends and were long-time members of the Gulf Coast Gofers RV Club.

She is preceded in death by her sisters, Louise (Eugene) McKinney and Dorothy (Joe) Parker.

Olene is survived by her husband, Norman “Duke” Carraway; five children, Michael (Barbara) Beason, Steve (Vanessa) Carraway, Peggy (Steve) Overman, Pamela Myrick and Sharon (Stan) Powell; nine grandchildren, Roy (Emily), Tyler, Leslie, Gary, Rebecca, Valerie, Loren, Kristen, and Alex; and six great -randchildren, Levi, Bayleigh, Peyton, Presley, Kobe and Ashton.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2015, at Highland Baptist Church with Pastor Brian Calhoun officiating.

Burial will follow in Highland Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at 10 a.m. prior to services.

Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with arrangements.

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