Proposal Targets Class Size, Higher Teacher Pay
November 13, 2017
The Florida Constitution Revision Commission will consider a proposal that would make it easier for schools to comply with class-size limits, with any financial savings required to go toward higher teacher pay.
Commission member Patricia Levesque, CEO of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, filed the proposal before a deadline last week. If approved by the commission in the coming months, it would go on the November 2018 ballot.
Voters in 2002 approved a constitutional amendment that placed strict limits on public-school class sizes. But the requirements have long been controversial, with many Republicans questioning whether the limits improve student achievement and pointing to the costs. Under Levesque’s proposed constitutional amendment (Proposal 90), schools could comply with class-size limits based on average numbers of students.
For example, the 2002 constitutional amendment set a maximum of 18 students for each teacher in prekindergarten through third grade. Levesque’s proposal would allow schools to have an average of 18 students in those grade levels — an easier standard to meet than a maximum of 18.
The proposal also would require that money “not spent by districts to maintain the school-level average class size maximums must be spent towards raising teacher pay to the national average.” Levesque is a former education staff director in the House who later became a top aide to former Gov. Jeb Bush. The Foundation for Excellence in Education was founded by Bush.
Levesque also is executive director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, another organization founded by Bush.
by The News Service of Florida
UWF Makes Division II History With First Ever NCAA Playoff Bid
November 13, 2017
The UWF football team earned its first-ever bid to the NCAA Division II Football Playoff as announced by the selection committee on Sunday.
UWF was slotted as the No. 6 seed in the Super Region 2 bracket and will travel to play at No. 3 seed Wingate on Saturday, Nov. 18. Kickoff at Irwin Belk Stadium Stadium and John R. Martin Field in Wingate, N.C. is set for 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Tickets will go on sale Monday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. ET. Ticket prices will be announced on Monday morning. Both general admission and reserved seating will be available for purchase from the Wingate Ticket Office at wingatebulldogs.com.
The Argonauts finished the regular-season at 7-3 and in a 5-way tie for second place in the Gulf South Conference with a 5-3 record. UWF was ranked No. 10 in the most recent NCAA Super Region 2 Rankings and pulled off the biggest win in its 2-year history with a 34-29 upset at No. 18/24 West Georgia on Saturday.
Under second-year head coach Pete Shinnick, UWF has now become the fastest team ever to qualify for the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs. The previous mark was three seasons held by UNC Pembroke, who did so in 2009 when Shinnick built the Braves’ program from scratch in 2007.
Wingate went 9-1 and 6-1 in the South Atlantic Conference, dropping its regular-season finale at Tusculum, 25-17.
The UWF-Wingate winner will face the winner of the No. 2 Virginia State-No. 7 West Georgia game.
The Gulf South Conference had four teams receive bids to the playoffs, led by No. 1 seed West Alabama who will have a first round bye before hosting the winner of the No. 5 Delta State-No. 4 Bowie State contest.
Pictured top and inset: Northview High graduate Blake McCall. Photos courtesy Robin L Pooling for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mostly Sunny Monday
November 13, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 69. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 73. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 74.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 56.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 65.
Laurie Bryars Moseley
November 13, 2017
Laurie Bryars Moseley, age 84, passed away Saturday, November 11, 2017, at the nursing home in Bay Minette, AL. She was retired from Vanity Fair Mills in Atmore, AL with 47 years of service. She was born in Atmore, AL to the late Clarence and Mae Bryars. She was a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Bay Minette, AL and was affectionately known as “Bang Bang”. She is preceded in death by her parents; son, Steve Moseley; brothers, Clarence Bryars, Jr., Ellis Bryars and Elton Bryars and sisters, Julia Gibbs and Ruth Caraway.
Mrs. Moseley is survived by her husband of 62 years, J.T. Moseley of Bay Minette, AL; sisters, Betty Vinson and Sammie (Lonnie) Turberville of Atmore, AL and Mary (Charles) Fickling of Perdido, AL; granddaughters, Blaire (Chris) Singleton of Atmore, AL, Gina (Jonathan) Wetzel of Crestview, FL, Miranda (Tony) Moody of Byrneville, FL and grandson, Denver Moseley of Atmore, AL; great-grandchildren, Jaxon Singleton, Cole Singleton, Talerie McGhee, Chesnea Wetzel, Brody Wetzel, Hunter Moseley, Hudson Moody, MaryStephen Moody, Asher Moseley and Dylan Estes.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, November 15, 2017, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Ben Reece officiating.
Burial was in the Oak Hill Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Chris Singleton, Jonathan Wetzel, Tony Moody, Denver Moseley, Hunter Moseley and John Turberville.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Temporary Bridge Opens On Arthur Brown Road In Walnut Hill
November 12, 2017
A temporary bridge opened Saturday over Boggy Creek on Arthur Brown Road, near the Walnut Hill Baptist Church.
Construction started on the temporary bridge in July in order to construct a new permanent bridge. However, main bridge was ordered closed in September after a state inspection found serious structural deficiencies. Work is already underway to construct the new permanent bridge over Boggy Creek, with 11-foot travel lanes, six-foot shoulders and a solid concrete barrier railing. Work is expected to be completed in the spring of 2018.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blue Angels End Season With Veterans Day Show (With Photo Gallery)
November 12, 2017
The Blue Angels closed out their season Saturday afternoon before tens of thousands of people during their Homecoming Air Show on Naval Air Station Pensacola.
The day also included extraordinary aerobatics by performers such as the Vertigo Air Shows Jet Glider, the world’s only jet-launched sail plane, flown by Bob Carlton; an A-4 Skyhawk flown by Paul Wood; the Mig-17 piloted by Randy Ball; the Super Stearman flown by Greg Shelton with Wing Walker Ashley Shelton; and John Klatt with the Screamin’ Sasquatch Jet Waco. The Navy Leap Frogs Parachute Team jumped in to the show and Chris Darnell drove the 300+ mile per hour Shockwave Jet Truck plus many more acts.
Along with incredible flying demonstrations, dozens of military and civilian aircraft were on display. The static displays also included a variety of aircraft ranging from the present-day, state-of- the-art fighters to aircraft from the 1930s.
For a photo gallery from Saturday’s show, click here.
For a photo gallery from Friday’s show, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Ditto Gorme, click to enlarge.
Increasing Clouds, A Few Scattered Showers
November 12, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 47. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 69. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. Calm wind.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 72.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 54.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.
Veterans Honored On 25th Anniversary Of Wall South
November 12, 2017
Crowds gathered Saturday in Pensacola to observe Veterans Day and the 25th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Wall South Vietnam Memorial.l.
Mayor Hayward will formally recognize the dedicated community members that made its construction possible.
Following the Veterans Day Parade, Vice Admiral Jerry Unruh, USNRet. delivered his remarks as the ceremony’s keynote speaker.
The Pensacola Children’s Chorus also participated in the ceremony, performing patriotic favorites.
New granite plaques commemorating the key operations of the Vietnam War were also unveiled at the Wall South.
Prizes were also awarded to local area students who wrote essays on the subject “Why it is important for a community like Pensacola to have a park dedicated to honoring all veterans’ that made the ultimate sacrifice?”. They include four Northview High School NJROTC students — first place Rebekah Amerson and Katlin Roach’e and honorable mentions Crystalyn Daly and Savannah Steadham (pictured bottom).
For more photos, click to enlarge.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Friday Is Deadline For Farmers, Ranchers To Apply For EQIP Funds
November 12, 2017
Florida farmers, ranchers and forest owners can apply until Nov. 17th for financial and technical assistance from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for fiscal year 2017 funding. Although applications are accepted on a continuous basis for all programs, funding selections are typically made once a year.
Through EQIP, agricultural landowners may receive financial and technical assistance to improve soil, water, air, plants, animals and related resources. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland, private non-industrial forestland and other farm or ranch lands. The application deadline also applies to the following EQIP-funded initiatives:
- Organic Producer Initiative
- Seasonal High Tunnels
- Energy Initiative
- Pollinator Initiative
- Longleaf Pine Initiative
- National Water Quality Initiative
- Working Lands for Wildlife
- Gulf of Mexico Initiative
Applicants can begin by visiting the local NRCS field office. The Escambia County Field Office is located at 151 Highway 97 in Molino (in the Escambia County Farm Bureau Building) For more information, call (850) 587-5404 ext 3, or visit www.fl.nrcs.usda.gov.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
November 12, 2017
Drivers will encounter traffic variations on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County
· Interstate 10 (I-10)/U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements Phase I – Drivers will encounter the following traffic impacts on I-10 and U.S. 29 near the interchange (Exits 10A and 10B) from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 through Thursday, Nov. 16 as crews perform construction activities.
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- Alternating lane closures on I-10 east and westbound and U.S. 29 north and southbound.
- Intermittent closure of the U.S. 29 south to I-10 eastbound ramp and the U.S. 29 north to I-10 eastbound ramp. Traffic will be detoured on U.S. 29 to access I-10 eastbound.
- Intermittent closure of the I-10 westbound to U.S. 29 south ramp (Exit 10A). Traffic will be detoured to Exit 10B.
- Alternating lane closures on the I-10 westbound to U.S. 29 north ramp (Exit 10B).
- I-10 Widening from Davis Highway to the Escambia Bay Bridge- The on-ramp from Scenic Highway to I-10 westbound will be closed from 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 to 6:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 13. Traffic will be detoured on I-10 eastbound to Avalon Boulevard (Exit 22) to access I-10 westbound. In addition, drivers will encounter alternating lane closures on I-10 east and westbound near Scenic Highway from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 through Thursday, Nov. 16 as crews perform paving operations.
· U.S. 29 Widening from I-10 to Nine Mile Road- Drivers traveling U.S. 29 and Nine Mile Road will encounter traffic pattern changes from 8 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 through Saturday, Nov. 18 as follows:
· Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 overpass: The nightly eastbound traffic shift onto the westbound inside travel lane continue as crews prepare the area for construction of the support column for the new center bridge deck. Lane restrictions are Sundays, through Thursdays.
· U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road: Drivers may experience alternating lane closures as crews perform drainage operations.
· U.S. 98 (S.R. 30) Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – Drivers will encounter the following traffic impacts on U.S. 98 near the Pensacola Bay Bridge the week of Sunday, Nov. 12.
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- U.S. 98 (Bayfront Parkway) east and westbound alternating lane closures, between 14th Avenue and the bridge, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 through Saturday, Nov. 18 as crews perform striping work and place temporary curb.
- U.S. 98 eastbound near 14th Avenue will be shifted to the left for utility work. Two lanes of traffic will remain open in each direction.
· S.R. 742 (Creighton Road) Construction Improvement Project from east of Davis Highway to Scenic Highway– Intermittent and alternating lane closures between Davis Highway and Scenic Highway from 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 13 through Thursday, Nov. 16 continue as crews perform milling and paving operations, curb replacement, sidewalk repairs, and Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades.
· Nine Mile Road (S.R. 10/U.S. 90A) Widening from Pine Forest Road to U.S. 29- Alternating lane closures on Untreiner Avenue from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 13 through Friday, Nov. 17 as crews perform jack and bore operations.
· I-110 North and Southbound Routine Bridge Maintenance-There will be north and southbound lane restrictions from 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13, to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14 as crews perform routine bridge maintenance at various locations.
· I-10 Routine Maintenance between I-110 and Davis Highway- There will be alternating east and westbound lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14 through Thursday, Nov. 16 as crews replace lights on overhead lights and signs.
Santa Rosa County
- I-10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (Exit 22)- Roadway widening and reconstruction work continues on I-10 and Avalon Boulevard. There will be alternating lane closures on I-10 from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard/Exit 22) from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 through Friday, Nov. 17. In addition, drivers can expect alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard, near the I-10 interchange.
- S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFB boundary to Hickory Hammock Road – Traffic between County Road 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) and the Eglin AFB boundary is restricted to loads less than 11-feet wide. The restriction will be in place until the project is complete.
- U.S. 90 Pavement Testing from Glover lane to Stewart Street (S.R. 87N)- Drivers can expect alternating restrictions from 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16 to 5 a.m. Friday, Nov. 17 as crews perform pavement testing.
Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through the construction zone, and to pay attention for workers and equipment entering and exiting the work area. All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather