Ready For Tate Football And Aggie Fries?
August 11, 2017
Are you ready for some Tate High School football and Aggie Fries? Then tonight is your night.
“Meet the Aggies” will take place in the Tate cafeteria beginning at 5:30 with team and cheerleader introductions at 6:00 with a scrimmage game at 7:00. A band preview will be held from 6-7 p.m. with a look at this year’s show from the Showband of the South.
Aggie burgers and fries will be on sale in the stadium as well as new Aggie apparel and gear in the Aggie Shack.
Mobile Beats Pensacola
August 11, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos third baseman Nick Senzel continued his dog-and-pony show for the Cincinnati Reds.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft drilled two homers in a game for the first time in his professional career and recorded his fifth four-RBI game in Thursday’s 10-9 series opening loss to the Mobile BayBears in front of 4,102 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said the bad thing about Senzel is he comes up every nine batters.
“I wish I could hit him every inning,” Kelly said. “They only let him bat once every nine times. I wish he could get to the plate more.”
For his part, Senzel said he approaches the plate wanting to make good contact, not hit dingers.
“I’m not worried about hitting it over the fence,” Senzel said. “I’m just being aggressive and trying to hit the ball hard.”
Senzel, the Reds top prospect and the 11th ranked prospect in the minor leagues, crushed the ball to right center into the Hill-Kelly Dodge hill in the first inning with shortstop Blake Trahan on base to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 2-0.
In the second inning, Senzel earned his third RBI of the game when he lined a single to center that drove in Trahan and put Pensacola ahead, 5-3.
Senzel lead off the fifth inning with a solo shot just right of the 400-foot mark in dead center and the Blue Wahoos trailed, 8-6. He went 3-4 with a walk and stolen base Thursday and now is 14-40 or .350 in his last 11 games with two homers and 10 RBIs.
The last time the University of Tennessee product produced four RBIs happened in a June 10 game for the High-A Daytona Tortugas against the Palm Beach Cardinals in the Florida State League.
The 22-year-old, who is batting .341 in Double-A, upped his home run total to seven with Pensacola and 11 on the year including his first half with Daytona.
Both Kelly and Senzel admired his home run to center field.
“He hit a fastball neck-high over the center field fence,” Kelly said. “That’s pretty impressive.”
Senzel added: “I took a good swing at it. It finally got out. I was happy to see it go.”
However, Pensacola blew the 4-0 lead it built in the bottom of the first inning.
Mobile came right back in its next at bat in the top of the second inning when BayBears catcher Jose Briceno clubbed a three-run blast to left center with second baseman Jose Rojas and left fielder Zach Gibbons on base. Briceno seventh homer pulled Mobile within, 4-3. The catcher, who had a 6-RBI game, had his second four-RBI game this season. Briceno went 2-3 with a homer, double and walk.
Mobile overtook its rival Pensacola with a four-run inning of its own in the third inning to go ahead, 7-5. The teams are 8-8 in head-to-head games this year.
BayBears center fielder Brennon Lund scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded and second baseman Jose Rojas at the plate to trail Pensacola, 5-4. Rojas then tied the game, 5-5, with a sacrifice fly to right center that scored first baseman Matt Thaiss. BayBears left fielder Zach Gibbons smashed a grounder down the third base line into left field to drive in third baseman Zach Houchins, who had singled, for the go-ahead run, 6-5.
Pensacola reliever Domingo Tapia replaced starter Keury Mella and Briceno ripped a double to left field to drive in Gibbons for his fourth RBI and a 7-5 Mobile lead.
Back-to-back doubles by Mobile’s Rojas and Gibbons in the fifth inning put the BayBears ahead, 8-5.
Mella got knocked out of the game by Mobile after 2.2 innings after the BayBears scored seven runs on six hits a walk and one strikeout. It was his shortest outing since he lasted 1.2 innings in his second start of the year April 14 when he gave up five runs on six hits to the Biloxi Shuckers.
The 23-year-old Mella earned the loss and is 2-10 this season and remains winless at Blue Wahoos Stadium and in his last 10 starts.
Trailing 10-6 entering the ninth inning, Pensacola’s Trahan, left fielder Gabriel Guerrero and Senzel all scored but the game ended, 10-9.
The Blue Wahoos are now 3-8 in its last 11 games and have fallen to fourth place in the South Division with a 21-25 record. The first half champs are 61-55 overall.
Pensacola trails Mobile, which is 24-22 in the second half, by three games. The BayBears are 54-61 overall.
“We have to get better earlier in the game,” Senzel said. “We haven’t played well the last two and a half weeks. It’s been a rough stretch.”
Update: McKenzie Road Boil Water Notice Rescinded
August 11, 2017
Update 8/14: This boil water notice has been rescinded.
Cottage Hill Water Works has issued a precautionary boil water notice for the portion of McKenzie Road between Eastman Lane and Chavers Road..
Precautionary Boil Water Notices are issued as a part of the standard protocol following any loss of water pressure, whether as a result of planned maintenance activities or unscheduled repairs.
As a precaution, it is advised that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient. A s an alternative, bottled water may be used. Residents are also advised to take precautions when bathing, especially immunocompromised individuals, infants, or the elderly.
This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until the problem has been corrected and a bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink.
For more information, call (850) 968-5485.
Cantonment Woman Arrested In Pensacola Burglaries
August 10, 2017
A Cantonment woman has been charged with multiple counts
Maxine Lakesha Davis-Eakins, age 23 of Quintette Road, was arrested in connection with the burglary of a home on North 19th Avenue, a shed on East Lloyd Street, a BMW stolen in Perdido Key and recovered at Bayview Park, the burglary of a condo on Perdido Key and the attempted burglary of a vehicle on East Lee Street.
She was charged with multiple counts of burglary, two counts of resisting an officer, grand theft of a motor vehicle and petit theft. She remained in the Escambia County Jail Thursday morning with bond set at $38,500.
Her boyfriend, 24-year old Rodney Dwayne Anderson of Pensacola allegedly took part in the burglaries with Davis-Eakins. He was previously arrested on related charges and was jailed with bond set at $53,000.
Send Us Your Back To School Photos!
August 10, 2017
It’s the first day of school in Escambia County, and we want to share your photos.
Send us your back to school photos along with the first name of your child, grade and school. Submit the photos on the back to school post on our Facebook page or on Twitter @northescambia.com. On Thursday, we’ll publish as many photos as we can.
Pictured: Three of our submitted back to school photos from last year. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Chiefs Name Smith As New Athletic Director
August 10, 2017
Coach Obreonne Smith has been named the new athletic director at Northview High School.
“Coach Smith brings an element of ‘people skills’ to the position, as she exhibits great enthusiasm for the success of all sports at Northview and the goal of assisting all student athletes and other students involved in extracurricular activities,” Northview Principal Gayle Weaver said. “Northview is truly excited about the future of our athletic program under the guidance of Coach Smith.”
Smith is currently the head volleyball coach. She has taught and coached at Northview for 15 years, during which time she has coached multiple sports, including cheerleading.
Century Holds First Budget Meeting
August 10, 2017
The Century Town Council held the first of two workshops Wednesday afternoon to work on setting the town’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Another meeting is scheduled for August 24 at 4 p.m. in the council chambers at the Century Town Hall at 7995 North Century Boulevard.
In previous years, the town council has held budget workshop meetings much earlier. During the past couple of years, the town has held two budget workshops in June, followed by one or two meetings to complete the process in July.
The fiscal year 2016-2017 budget in Century was $4.26 million.
Molino Park PTA Holds ‘Welcome Back’ Lunch For School Staffers
August 10, 2017
The Molino Park Elementary School PTA showed their appreciation to the school’s teacher’s faculty and staff with a catered back to school luncheon on Wednesday. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Showers And Thunderstorms For The First Day Of School
August 10, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Higher Pay Sought For FHP Troopers
August 10, 2017
Short about 200 troopers and seeking higher salaries to be more competitive with other law-enforcement agencies, the state Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is backing Gov. Rick Scott’s call to boost pay as part of an election-year budget plan.
The department, which includes the Florida Highway Patrol, is proposing a more-than 10 percent increase in starting pay for troopers as part of a legislative budget request.
Susan Carey, the department’s chief financial officer, told state Cabinet aides on Wednesday that recruitment and retention has been an issue for years. State law-enforcement officers received a 5 percent pay raise in the budget that took effect July 1, and the new proposal would provide an additional increase in the fiscal year that starts in July 2018.
“With the Legislature, Cabinet and governor’s support we were fortunate to have a salary increase for our law enforcement officers in the current fiscal year,” Carey said. “We would like to go further with the new fiscal year.”
Under the proposal, which doesn’t have an overall total amount attached, the annual starting pay would go from about $38,000 to $42,000.
Under the plan, a trooper would earn $60,000, based on an “experienced-based incremental pay plan,” after 20 years.
The department is budgeted for 1,974 full time troopers, but lost 203 troopers in 2016.
Part of the failure to retain officers has been linked to other law-enforcement agencies offering higher pay.
“The FHP continues to have difficulty hiring and retaining qualified candidates due to the inability to pay a comparable rate with local and federal law-enforcement agencies,” said the department’s budget request, which goes before Scott and the Cabinet next Wednesday. “Consequently, all trained and experienced staff will look for competitive salaries elsewhere. Funds invested in training, uniforms, physicals, and other costs associated with these positions is lost.”
Scott, who is expected to run for U.S. Senate next year, said last month he will ask for $30 million to cover pay raises for state law-enforcement officers for the fiscal year that begins July 2018. Law-enforcement officers are spread across different state agencies.
The raise that took effect last month came as Florida’s rookie trooper pay had been deemed the lowest among the 49 states with patrols.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average police officer pay in Florida is $55,050 a year, with the low end of starting salaries at $36,000.
Entry level pay with the Miami-Dade police is $45,074. Jupiter police offer a $49,268 starting salary to officers who are state certified. In Tallahassee, pay starts at $45,192. For Jacksonville Beach, pay starts at $39,395.
The proposal by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which has a $472.2 million budget for the current fiscal year, was included with $35.5 million in additional requests the agency intends to put before lawmakers during the 2018 legislative session. The session starts in January.
Among the other requests:
— FHP Academy dorm renovation: $3.4 million.
— FHP active shooter training building: $2.9 million.
— DUI centralized database: $1.75 million.
— FHP dispatch relocation in Orlando: $1.32 million.
— Hand-held narcotic analyzers: $885,272.
— Security in driver’s license offices: $740,000.
— Increased operating costs for driver’s license offices: $675,910.
— FHP safety equipment, electric flares: $450,000.