Don’t Stop Working For It: Winter Olympian Is From Northwest Florida
February 10, 2018
Update 2/21: Mia Mangenello and her speed skating team won the bronze medal in team pursuit, the first medal for U.S. women’s speed skating in 16 years.
Don’t stop working for it is the mantra of a Winter Olympian from Northwest Florida.
Speed skater Mia Mangenello, 28, was born in Fort Walton Beach and later lived in Crestview.
Mangenello’s parents opened Mia’s Italian Restaurant in Crestview and named it after her before selling it. Mia worked there growing up. They later opened Dominic’s Pizzeria in Valparaiso (it’s named for her dad). To this day, she still eats pizza to unwind after competitions.
“As a young child I quickly discovered my talent with inline skating and began to excel in the sport. When inline skating gave way to speed skating, I realized my life passion. With the abundant support of my family, we moved to Salt Lake City, UT, so I could train and pursue an Olympic dream,” she said.
After the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics inspired Manganello to switch from inline roller skating to speed skating, the then-13-year-old and her family made the move from Crestview.
In 2010, however, Manganello missed earning a spot on the U.S. team for the Vancouver Olympics and decided to step off the ice.
“I discovered a new love — competitive cycling,” she said.
She spent the next six years competing in cycling, believing that her speed skating days were over.
“In the winter of 2015, after a long break and a visit back to Salt Lake, the ice called once again. I competed in my first speed skate events in six years, ” Manganello said.
Her comeback was solidified when she claimed three titles at the 2017 U.S. Championships: the 1500m, 5000m and 3000m, which she won with a time that matched the American record. She was a member of the U.S. team at the 2017 World Single Distance Championships, where she finished 13th in the 3000m and 14th in the 1500m.
“Never stop dreaming,” she said online from Gangneung Ice Arena in South Korea. “They really do come true.”
Pictured top: Olympian Mia Mangenello is a Northwest Florida native. Pictured inset: Mangenello sports the official U.S. Olympic team’s official apparel. Pictured below: Mia Mangenello with her parents outside the restaurant in Crestviwe that bears her name. Courtesy photos for NorthEcambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Seriously Injured In Crash; Dog Rescued
February 10, 2018
One person was seriously injured in a single vehicle crash Friday afternoon on I-10 in Pensacola, while their dog was rescued in good condition from the wreckage.
The Jeep SUV ran off the roadway and struck a tree. After being extricated from the vehicle, the victim was transported by ambulance as a “trauma alert” to an area hospital. Further details have not been released by he Florida Highway Patrol as they continue their investigation.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Names Valentine’s Court
February 10, 2018
Ernest Ward Middle School held its annual Valentine’s Dance Friday night, naming a queen and her court based upon student votes.
King Noah Harigel and Queen Shelby Rice reigned over the dance, along with their court: Sixth Grade Knight Bentley Van Pelt, Sixth Grade Maiden Carsyn Dortch, Seventh Grade Knight Kaden Odom and Seventh Grade Elianna Morales.
Pictured top: King Noah Harigel and Queen Shelby Rice. Pictured below: Seventh Grade Knight Kaden Odom and Seventh Grade Elianna Morales. Pictured bottom: Sixth Grade Knight Bentley Van Pelt, Sixth Grade Maiden Carsyn Dortch. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Friday Night Homicide Suspect In Custody
February 10, 2018
A homicide suspect was taken into custody Friday night a short distance from the crime.
Patrick Miles Smith was wanted in connection with the murder that happened about 8:30 p.m. in the Ensley area.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the homicide appears to be domestic violence related.
The ECSO is not releasing further information at this time.
Any with information on this incident is asked to contact the Sheriff’ Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP
Updates will be published on NorthEscambia.com as available.
Gov. Scott Appoints Two To UWF Board
February 10, 2018
Governor Rick Scott announced the appointments of Alonzie Scott and Jill Singer to the University of West Florida Board of Trustees.
Alonzie Scott, 59, of Philadelphia, is the program manager for the Naval Sea Systems Command in Philadelphia. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of West Florida. Scott succeeds LuTimothy May and is appointed for a term beginning February 9, 2018 and ending January 6, 2023.
Jill Singer, 55, of Virginia, is the vice president of national security for AT&T Public Sector. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of West Florida. Singer is appointed to fill a vacant seat for a term beginning February 9, 2018 and ending January 6, 2021.
The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Escambia 4-H Kids Really Know Their Bugs; Team Places Second In State
February 10, 2018
The Escambia County Junior 4-H Insect ID and Skill-a-Thon team really knows their bugs — the team place second in the recent Florida 4-H Insect-a-Thon contest at the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida.
The Skill-a-Thon consisted of insect identification, insect damage matching, a pollinators test, and adult/juvenile insect identification. In addition to the second place junior team (ages 8-10), intermediate (ages 11-13) and senior (ages 14+) teams from Escambia 4-H also competed.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Showers, Isolated Severe Storms Possible
February 10, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
This Afternoon: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 72. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 64. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Sunday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 73. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Sunday Night: Showers. Low around 61. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Monday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 69. East wind around 5 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 59. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Calm wind.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 76.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 75.
Highway 29 Shifts Today Near I-10
February 10, 2018
Southbound traffic shifts westward today onto new temporary pavement on Highway 29 between Hannah Street and I-10. The shift will allow crews to complete the placement of cross drains across the existing southbound lanes. The traffic shift will remain in place for several months, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
House, Senate Tee Up Differing Budget Plans
February 10, 2018
The House and Senate this advanced separate versions of an $87 billion-plus state budget, with the two chambers taking different courses on health-care spending and a plan to link education policy to the budget process.
After initial debate on the bills, the Senate is poised to pass its $87.3 billion bill (SB 2500) on Thursday, and the House is expected to pass its $87.2 billion spending plan (HB 5001). After the floor votes, the chambers will be able to begin negotiating the 2018-2019 budget, facing a March 9 end-of-session deadline.
Although the two bills are only $100 million apart overall, details differ. One major hurdle facing negotiators is a House plan to directly link the $21 billion public-school portion of the budget to passage of a separate 198-page “conforming” bill (HB 7055), which contains dozens of education policy changes, including voucher-like scholarships to let bullied students transfer to private schools.
Rep. Manny Diaz Jr., a Hialeah Republican who leads the House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee, acknowledged that if the House budget bill passed, but the separate policy bill failed, lawmakers would have to return to Tallahassee to pass a budget to fund Florida’s 67 school districts for next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Rep. David Richardson, D-Miami Beach, offered an amendment seeking to sever the link between the education-policy bill and the budget.
“I think this is a bad precedent,” he said, saying there has not been enough public review of the massive education conforming bill, which was only heard by one committee.
But his proposal was defeated in a 72-39 vote, along party lines, with the Republican majority opposing the effort.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said the Senate is taking the position that major policy bills should be handled through the normal committee process and not included in a budget-linked bill. A conforming bill cannot be amended and would only be subject to an up-or-down vote if it is approved in the House-Senate negotiating process.
“Our conforming bills this year are skinny, for the lack of a better word,” Bradley said. “They do only what is a bare necessity to make sure the budget is done in a legal manner.”
But Bradley also said many House education proposals would likely receive Senate support if the measures are handled through the normal bill process.
“Our objections are on procedure, not policy,” Bradley said. “I think as those issues move through the Senate process that they will be receiving favorable votes because there are many of us who are supporters of the parental-empowerment, school-choice movement.”
Another potential sticking point in budget negotiations is a Senate plan revamping the way Medicaid payments are distributed to Florida hospitals. It would replace an existing system that favors facilities that serve a greater percentage of poor and disabled patients with a plan that would increase base Medicaid payments for all hospitals.
House leaders say they favor the current system, noting major hospitals like Jackson Memorial in Miami would face a funding cut in excess of $59 million. House Appropriations Chairman Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami, said he supports helping major not-for-profit hospitals, like Jackson, while he is more skeptical of for-profit hospitals.
Bradley acknowledged the Senate and House plans “are wildly opposite,” but the Senate proposal is designed to spur a policy debate.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Bradley said. “But this is a debate that is long overdue in this building. Don’t fear the debate, we look forward to the debate over how we handle Medicaid payments for our medical providers moving forward.”
In floor action this week, the Senate adopted dozens of amendments to its budget bill, most related to funding local projects across the state.
One of the amendments, sponsored by Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, and several other senators, would boost operational funding for Florida A&M University by $6 million. FAMU lost some $11.5 million in state performance funding this year because it finished near the bottom of annual rankings for the 12 state universities.
The House and Senate budgets would boost state and local funding for public schools by more than $500 million. The House has a $100 increase in per-student funding, while the Senate has a $110 increase.
Neither budget has a general pay raise for state workers. But the Senate bill would increase pay for state law enforcement officers by at least 7 percent, if the officers have 10 or more years of experience. The Senate also would provide a $2,500 pay raise for state firefighters.
The Senate bill would increase salaries for state Supreme Court justices and appellate court judges by 10 percent.
by The News Service of Florida, Lloyd Dunkelberger with contribution from Christine Sexton
Century Woman Charged With Stabbing Fiancé With Knife
February 9, 2018
A Century woman was arrested after allegedly stabbing her fiancé.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a telemarketing company on Commerce Park Circle where they found the stabbing victim. He told deputies his fiancé, 20-year old Tonie Breanna Evelyn Johnson stabbed him with a knife, according to an arrest report.
He sustained a laceration to his left arm and other injuries.
Johnson left the scene and was later detained after a traffic stop on Saufley Field Road.
A witness told deputies that she witnessed Johnson hitting the victim multiple times while in a vehicle but did not know he was stabbed until he got out of the car.
Johnson charged with felony aggravated battery causing bodily harm and released from the Escambia County Jail on a $250 bond.