Wahoos Win Fifth Straight
August 19, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos second baseman Arismendy Alcantara has made quite an impact on the Double-A ballclub in his first three games for them.
The 25-year-old, in his eighth professional season, got on base four times, scored twice and drove in an RBI Friday in the Blue Wahoos, 8-3, victory over the Mississippi Braves at Trustmark Park.
Pensacola won its fifth straight game and clinched the five-game series against the M-Braves with its third win.
The Blue Wahoos, the first half Southern League South Division champions, improved to 26-27 in the second half. Mississippi fell to 14-37 in the second half.
Many of the Pensacola runs against Mississippi are thanks to Alcantara, who has played in the Major Leagues for the Chicago Cubs, Oakland A’s and Cincinnati Reds. He was 1-for-2 with double Friday and is now 5-for-13 for a .385 batting average, with two doubles, two triples, five runs scored and three RBIs.
In Friday’s game, Alcantara doubled in shortstop Blake Trahan in the third inning to tie the game, 1-1. Pensacola left fielder Gabriel Guerrero followed with a triple to right field to drive in Alcantara for a 2-1 Blue Wahoos lead.
Mississippi had scored first when left fielder Jared James homered to right field in the first inning. The Braves wouldn’t score again until they tacked on two more runs in the ninth inning after Pensacola had surged ahead, 8-1.
Besides Alcantara, Guerrero extended his hitting streak to eight games and recorded his fourth straight multi-hit game going 2-for-4 with a run, triple and an RBI for 44 this season. Guerrero, who is 7-for-13 (.538) against Mississippi, reached 37 multi-hit games for the season.
Pensacola center fielder Jonathan Reynoso was 2-for-5, with a double, run scored and RBI. Meanwhile, first baseman Gavin LaValley hit 1-for-5 with two RBIs.
Austin Ross started his third game since being injured and remains under a strict pitch limit, throwing 69, including 45 for strikes. He threw four innings, allowed one run on three hits, a walk and struck out three.
Reliever Domingo Tapia earned the win for Pensacola to improve to 4-6 with a 4.14 ERA. The big righty pitched three innings, allowed one hit and struck out two.
Gwynne Daniels
August 19, 2017
Gwynne Daniels, 84, of Cantonment, FL passed away Wednesday, August 16, 2017. Gwynne was employed at the telephone company, then went to work at Daniels-Ellis Electrical Supply Company where her husband was the co-owner. She was a longtime member of East Brent Baptist Church. She loved the ladies in her Sunday school class and appreciated their friendship over the years. She enjoyed gardening and fishing.
She will be remembered as a woman who loved her family with all of her heart; she put God first in everything she did. Her greatest joy was doing for others and not expecting anything in return. She was dearly loved and will be missed by all.
She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Leonard B. Daniels and her grandson, Riley Daniels.
She is survived by her sister, Imogene Barnes; brother, Gerald Day; daughters, Zeta Gornick (Joe) and Angie Gilmore (Mark); son, Mike Daniels (Gena); grandchildren, Rachel Parker (Clint), Brandon Gilmore, Chad Gornick, Justin Gilmore, and Reagan Daniels; great-grandsons, Carson Parker and Jackson Parker.
Memorials may be made to The Ronald McDonald House, 5200 Bayou Blvd, Pensacola, FL 32503.
Special thanks to Kita (T-Bird), Hospice and Dr. Malhotra and his staff.
Pallbearers will be Brandon Gilmore, Clint Parker, TJ Monti, Todd McCrory, Ronnie Vinson, Steven Gindle and Mike Lee.
Honorary pallbearers will be Ruth’s Sunday school class.
Visitation will be Tuesday, August 22, 2017, at East Brent Baptist Church beginning at 1 p.m. with the funeral service to follow at 2 p.m. with Dr. Dale Patterson officiating.
Interment will follow at Bayview Memorial Park Cemetery.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with the arrangements.
Child Death Investigation Underway At Ensley Academy; DCF Closes Facility Until Further Notice
August 18, 2017
An active death investigation is underway in Ensley where a 3-year old female was found unresponsive.
The incident happened at the In His Arms Christian Academy on Detroit Boulevard. Initial reports indicated that the child was found outside the facility in a van; that report is currently under investigation, according to Major Andrew Hobbs, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a complete investigation. Authorities said no other children at the facility were harmed or are in danger.
The Florida Department of Children and Families has opened their own investigation into the child’s death and issued an Emergency Suspension Notice closing the facility until further notice.
“As a parent,I am completely heartbroken by the loss of this child,” DCF Secretary Mike Carroll said. “DCF has the highest expectations for childcare providers in our state and news of this tragedy is completely unacceptable. Our agency has opened an investigation and we will close this private childcare facility tonight. We have zero tolerance for carelessness that puts child safety at risk and we will work with law enforcement to hold whoever is responsible fully accountable.”
The State Attorney’s Office also responded to the scene for an investigation.
Further details have not been released. More details will be posted as they become available.
Pictured: An active death investigation is underway in Ensley where a child was reportedly found unresponsive in a van. Photos courtesy David Gonzales, WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lack Of Broadband Internet Hurts Higher Education In Rural Areas
August 18, 2017
The lack of high-speed internet services in many rural areas like North Escambia is one of the challenges hindering Florida’s efforts to increase college degrees and spur economic development, a new report shows.
Some 680,000 Floridians do not have access to a broadband internet service that would allow information to be downloaded at minimum speed of 25 megabits per second, according to the report presented to the state Higher Education Coordinating Council.
Ed Moore, president of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida who compiled the report, said the data should prompt a “hard look at what access there is to digital learning and digital infrastructure across our state.”
“You cannot get ahead if you cannot get online,” Moore said.
Expanding broadband access and online education opportunities could help the state meet the Higher Education Coordinating Council’s goal of having 55 percent of Florida’s working-age population obtain either a college degree or professional certificate by 2025. Less than 47 percent have reached that level.
Moore said the 30 private colleges and universities in his organization now offer 592 degrees and certificates through online courses.
“That’s a whole new world of higher education and creating access,” Moore said. “If you can’t get it in your house, if you can’t get it in your local school, your library or some other facility, it doesn’t mean anything to you.”
Moore’s report, based on Federal Communications Commission data, showed high-speed broadband service was consistently available in Florida’s urban counties, which also correlated with higher income levels, more college degrees and more job growth among the residents.
But his report also identified 13 small, rural counties that were “trailing” in broadband access, ranging from Madison County, with 41 percent of its residents not having access, to Dixie County, with 99 percent without access.
Among those counties, residents with college degrees or certificates ranged from 27 percent in Jefferson County to 12 percent in DeSoto County.
Another 16 counties were designated as “underserved,” ranging from Marion County, with 11 percent without broadband access, to Taylor County, with 37 percent without access.
In addition to providing more educational opportunities, Mark Wilson, president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, said expanding high-speed internet access would help economic development in rural communities.
An analysis from the chamber has shown that while 31 Florida counties have gained jobs since the Great Recession, 36 largely rural counties have lagged behind.
“It happens to overlay that map you talked about almost exactly,” Wilson told Moore.
Wilson said it could result in a “home run” if the education advocates and the rural economic development advocates united behind the effort to improve broadband services.
“This creates an equal opportunity for success for everybody,” he said.
Marshall Criser, chancellor of the state university system, said education leaders should work “collaboratively” with the business community in developing policy recommendations on expanding broadband services.
Criser, a former president of AT&T in Florida, said the state has made efforts to expand internet access and that there were sound reasons for broadband development to follow population densities.
“It’s kind of the chicken or the egg, because there were a lot of people there it made sense to make those investments historically,” Criser said.
And while noting he likes to work almost exclusively on his smart phone, Criser said the development of any recommendations on expanding broadband should take into account “some of the new technology,” which could include wireless and satellite services in addition to broadband delivered over phone lines or fiber optic cable.
He noted the state just enacted a new law that is expected to expand faster wireless services by allowing telecommunications companies to install “small cell” devices on public rights-of-way.
Moore said advancements in technology will be considered as the higher-education council develops its recommendations.
Alan Levine, chairman of the higher-education council, said the council may invite the companies that provide broadband access and infrastructure to talk about the issue.
by Lloyd Dunkelburger, The News Service of Florida
Showers And Thunderstorms, Otherwise A Hot Friday
August 18, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 105. West wind around 5 mph. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
Powerball Jackpot Climbs Over Half-Billion Dollar Mark
August 18, 2017
This Saturday’s Powerball jackpot has hit over a half a billion dollars — an estimated $535 million to be exact. It’s the fifth largest jackpot in the history of the game.
“As the Powerball jackpot continues to grow, it helps the Lottery achieve our mission of maximizing contributions to education,” said Florida Lottery Secretary Jim Poppell. “With every ticket purchased, players have the opportunity to win a prize of life-changing magnitude while benefitting Florida’s students and schools.”
While there was no jackpot winner in Wednesday night’s drawing, Florida Powerball players still won big, with more than 207,000 winning tickets totaling more than $2.6 million in prizes, including one $1 million winner in Clermont. During this jackpot series, more than 1.4 million Florida players have won more than $13.2 million in prizes.
Jackpot prizes are paid in 30 annual installments or as a one-time, lump-sum payment. Winners have 180 days from the applicable drawing to claim their prize. To receive the cash option of an estimated $340.1 million, jackpot prizes must be claimed within 60 days of the drawing.
Friday, 11 a.m.: Story updated to reflect jackpot increase from $510 million to $535 million.
Pictured: The State Line Gift Shop on Highway 97 in Davisville, which sold an $80 million winning Powerball ticket in 2015 to an Alabama woman. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Fatal Flomaton Fire Victim Identified
August 18, 2017
A Flomaton man pronounced deceased after a mobile home fire Tuesday afternoon in Flomaton has been identified.
Jason Edward Reid, 45, was pulled unresponsive from the mobile home in the 400 block of Roosevelt Street, at the corner of Titi Street, and transported by Escambia County EMS to Jay Hospital where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.
A memorial service for Reid will be held Sunday at the 3 p.m. at the Byrneville United Methodist Church on Byrneville Road.
The exact cause of the his death is still under investigation.
Fire officials said that while the mobile home shows little sign of a fire from the outside, there was significant smoke damage throughout. Reid was found in a back bedroom.
The fire is under investigation by the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Lawmakers To Again Consider ‘No Fault’ Repeal
August 18, 2017
A long-discussed proposal to repeal Florida’s no-fault auto insurance system is headed back to the Legislature in 2018.
Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa, filed a bill this week that would repeal the no-fault system, which requires motorists to carry $10,000 in personal-injury protection, or PIP, coverage. In its place, Lee’s bill would require motorists to carry bodily-injury and medical-payment coverages.
Lawmakers have repeatedly considered revamping auto-insurance laws in recent years and passed a 2012 measure aimed at curbing fraud and lowering rates in the PIP system. But in a prepared statement this week, Lee pointed to continuing problems with fraud and high insurance premiums.
“While well intentioned anecdotally, Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law has resulted in widespread fraud, abuse and a complex litigation process,” Lee said. “Since its enactment (in the) `70s, the value of the PIP benefit has eroded, while Florida’s auto insurance premiums continue to rise.”
by The News Service of Florida
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Preseason Football Tonight
August 18, 2017
Here is tonight’s preseason kickoff football schedule:
- Northview at Vernon, 7 p.m. (varsity second half)
- Baker at Jay, 7 p.m.
- Pensacola High at Tate, 7 p.m. (varsity second half)
- West Florida at Pine Forest, 7 p.m. (varsity second half)
- Catholic at Escambia, 7 p.m. (varsity second half)
- Milton at Mosley, 7:30 p.m.
- Gulf Breeze at Choctaw, 7:30 p.m. (varsity second half)
- Crestview at Washington, 7 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Fall Ball Registration Saturday At Molino Ballpark
August 18, 2017
Fall Ball registration at the Molino Ballpark will be held this Saturday from 10 a.m. until 1 pm. for t-ball, softball and baseball.
The registration fee is $55 per child, with age groups as follows:
Wee Ball : 3 years old
Tee Ball :4-6 years old
Baseball Coach Pitch : 7-8 years old
Baseball Minor :9-10 years old
Baseball Major :11-12 years old
Baseball Pony :13-15 years old
Softball Coach Pitch :7-8 years old
Softball 10U : 9-10 years old
Softball 12U :11-12 years old
Softball 16U :13-16 years old
Print a registration form in advance by clicking here.
A registration event will also be held August 26 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Molino Ballpark.