Lady Chiefs Remain Undefeated; Baseball: Tate Beats Crestview, Jay Over NHS

April 4, 2018

The undefeated Northview Lady Chiefs beat Catholic High School on Monday and J.U. Blacksher Tuesday night.

Northview 10, Catholic 0 (6 innings)

Tori Herrington pitched a shutout Monday evening at Northview as the Lady Chiefs beat the Catholic Crusaders 10-0 in six innings. She faced 22 batters, striking out 14.  Herrington went 3-4 with 3 RBi’s at the plate. Also for Northview: Ashley Ragsdale 1-4, RBI,; Aubree Love 3-4, 2 RBI;  Valen Shelley 3-4, 2 RBI.

For more photos, click here.

Northview 9, J.U. Blacksher 1

The Northview Lady Chiefs beat J.U. Blacksher in Uriah, AL, Tuesday, 9-1.

Tori Herrington had nine strikeouts and was 3-5 with 2 RBI. For Northview: Ashley Ragsdale 2-3; Kendall Enfinger 2-5, RBI; Aubree Love 2-5, 2 RBI; Valen Shelley 2-4, 2 RBI; Heather Knowles 1-4, 2 RBI; Anna Sullivan 1-4; Rylee Huskey 1-4.

Up next, the Lady Chiefs will travel to Jay on Thursday.

BASEBALL

Tate 7, Crestview 0

The Tate Aggies shutout Crestview Tuesday night, 7-0

Jace Dunsford allowed two hits and zero runs over four and a third innings, striking out six.

For Tate: Ryan Greene R, RBI; Reid Halfacre 2-3,  R, RBI; Trent Jeffcoat 1-4, R; Kaden King 1-2, RBI; Raymond Lafleur R; Hunter McLean R; Darrien McDowell R; Jesse Sherrill 2-4, 3B,  R, 2 RBI.

Jay 4, Northview 2

The Jay Royals defeated the Northview Chiefs Tuesday night 4-2 in Jay.

For Northview: Jackson Moore 1-3;  Adam Aliff 1-3, RBI; Seth Killam 2-4 2 R; Tanner Levins 1-2; John Chivington 2-4. RBI.

For Jay: Blayne Miller 2-4, RBI; Judd Smith R; Trevor Flowers 2-3, R; Dutch Burkhead 1-4, R, RBI; Nathan Archer 2-3, R, 2 RBI; Trace Seib 1-2.

Pictured: Northview defeats Catholic. NorthEcambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

FWC Hunter Safety Courses Offered In Molino, Cantonment, Jay

April 4, 2018

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety courses in Molino, Cantonment and Jay.

Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.

All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.

Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.

The locations and times are:

Online-completion courses

Escambia County
April 18 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & May 5 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Molino Community Center
6450 Highway 95A in Molino

Escambia County
April 24 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & May 5 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Bell 4H Center
3618 Stefani Road in Cantonment

Santa Rosa County
April 4 (6. to 10 p.m. CDT) & April 7 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Jay Community Center
5259 Booker Lane in Jay

Traditional courses (must complete all days)

Escambia County
April 24, 25, May 1, 2 (6 to 10 p.m. CDT) & May 5 (7 to 10 a.m. CDT)
Bell 4H Center
3618 Stefani Road in Cantonment

Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at 850-265-3676.

‘Donate Life’ Pelican Unveiled At Tax Collector’s Office

April 4, 2018

A Donate Life Kick-off and Pelican Unveiling event hosted by Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford was held Tuesday afternoon in downtown Pensacola.

April is National Donate Life Month, and Commissioner Doug Underhill presented a proclamation as a new “Donate Life” pelican was unveiled by several dignitaries.

To learn more about organ donation, visit www.donatelife.net.

Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

State Fire Marshal Investigating After Fire Heavily Damages Bratt Home

April 3, 2018

The cause of a fire that heavily damaged a home in Bratt Tuesday afternoon is under investigation.

Flames were erupting several feet into the air from the attic of the concrete block home and the attic was fully involved before the first fire engine  arrived on scene.

A family had reportedly moved out of the home last week and someone else was about to move into the home. The fire appeared to have started in the attic, but the exact cause is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.

There were no injuries reported in the 3:05 p.m. fire.

For more photos, click here.
Video is at the bottom of the page.

The Walnut Hill, McDavid and Century stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Atmore Fire Department, Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the blaze.

Pictured: Flames erupt from the attic of a home in Bratt Tuesday afternoon before the arrival of the first fire engine. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Teen Injured In After-School Crash Tuesday In Bratt

April 3, 2018

A student was injured in a two vehicle crash just school was dismissed at Northview High School Tuesday afternoon in Bratt.

The accident  happened about 3:35 p.m. on West Highway 4 just west of North Highway 99. A 16-year old female was transported to by Escambia County EMS to an area hospital after she apparently rear-ended a pickup truck wile both vehicles were headed east on Highway 4. The occupants of the pickup truck were not injured.

The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.

The Walnut Hill and Century stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the wreck.

NorthEcambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

New Historic Marker To Be Dedicated In Century

April 3, 2018

For the first time in decades, a new state historic marker is set to be dedicated in North Escambia.

The marker commemorating the Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company Residential Historic District will be dedicated at 2 p.m. on April 21 near the corner of Jefferson and Front streets in Century.

According to the planned text for the marker, the Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company was constructed in 1901 and was one of the largest and most advanced pine sawmills east of the Mississippi. Along with the sawmill came the company mill town of Century and housing districts “for black and white families”.  The housing ranged from small shotgun houses to large, two-story executive homes. Today’s current Front, Church, Fourth and Mayo streets, and Jefferson and Pinewood avenues are part of the historic district, consisting of 45 historic structures and a formal garden site. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

The dedication will be followed by a small reception at Jones Park on Fourth Street.

The full text that will appear on the historic marker is below, click to enlarge. Pictured top: Russell Brown of the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society explains the size and design of a new historic marker to be erected in Century during an August 2017 Century Town Council meeting. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

One Injured In Kingsfield Rollover

April 3, 2018

One person was injured in a single vehicle rollover accident about 6:45 p.m. Monday at East Kingsfield Road near  Tate Road. Additional details have not been released as the Florida Highway Patrol continues their investigation. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.

Scott Faces Deadline On Final Batch Of Bills

April 3, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott has a little more than a week to act on the remaining 19 bills from the 2018 legislative session, including a water-related measure drawing fire from environmentalists.

The proposal would allow chemically treated, recycled water to be pumped into the state’s underground aquifer, an effort supporters argue is a means to boost the state’s anount of potable water but which critics fear could contaminate Florida’s supply of drinking water

The contentious measure is part of a wide-ranging bill (HB 1149) that addresses a variety of water-related issues, including rules regarding rebuilding single-family docks and the operation of the C-51 reservoir project south of Lake Okeechobee.

The sweeping proposal also directs the state Department of Environmental Protection and regional water management districts to develop rules for reclaimed-water facility projects that require a permit.

Rep. Bobby Payne, a Palatka Republican who sponsored the measure, said any water being pumped into the aquifer must meet clean water drinking standards.

“Reclaimed water can start out as many different kinds of water,” Payne told members of the House Government Accountability Committee in February. “We often have reclaimed water that we use in irrigation. But this water will be sanitized and reused as (to) the drinking water standard.”

The reclaimed water will help combat salt water intrusion into the aquifer, Payne said.

But David Cullen, a lobbyist for the Sierra Club, said his group opposed the measure because of the potential long-term negative impact caused by the use of chemicals.

Cullen objected to “stuff we don’t know about” at wastewater treatment plants being used to treat water that would go into the aquifer.

“It’s the Pottery Barn rule,” Cullen said. “You break it, you bought it — for decades, perhaps generations.”

Rep. Wengay Newton, a Democrat from St. Petersburg who voted against the measure, also worried the proposal could impact the state’s drinking water supply.

“You have people that are at odds because of fracking, because we don’t know the issue with the chemicals that are injected into the ground in that process,” Newton said. “But we’re okay with taking wastewater, mixed in with chemicals, and then deep-well inject it back into the aquifers.”

But Payne said no environmental agency would allow untreated wastewater to be put into the aquifer.

The Florida Water Environment Association Utility Council and the National Waste & Recycling Association are among the groups backing the measure.

Meanwhile, thousands of opponents have signed onto an online petition seeking a veto from Scott, who is expected to announce a bid for the U.S. Senate next week. During appearances in Marathon and Sarasota last week, Scott sought to boost his environmental credentials by touting his administration’s efforts to protect beaches, the Florida Everglades and Lake Okeechobee.

Other legislation still awaiting action from Scott include a measure (HB 55) that would allow people buying guns to use credit cards to pay for background checks, something they now can do with a personal check, money order or cashier’s check. Another bill (HB 523) would make it a third-degree felony to trespass on airport property where properly placed signs warn people to stay off the grounds.

The governor has until April 10 to act on the last batch of the 195 bills approved during the 60-day session that ended March 11.

So far, Scott has only vetoed a single bill, a “local” bill that would have expanded the governing board of the Palm Beach County Housing Authority.

by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida

Federal Lawsuit Details Sexual Harassment Claims Against Atmore Arby’s

April 3, 2018

NorthEscambia.com has obtained the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit against Beaver’s Inc. alleging that the company violated federal law when it subjected several teenage female employees at an Atmore  Arby’s restaurant to sexual harassment.

NorthEscambia.com was the first local media to report the story early Saturday morning.

The EEOC alleges that between May 4, 2016, and August 11, 2016, Beavers engage in unlawful employment practices at its Atmore Arby’s store in violation of federal law, subjecting female employees to “to severe, pervasive,unwanted, degrading and offensive sexual conduct, based on their female gender.

According to the EEOC, the unlawful sexual harassment was perpetrated by the Atmore Arby’s team leader Montrelle Fisher. The lawsuit details at least 18 incidents and allegations of misconduct by Fisher against two teenagers and other female employees at the store.

The allegations made by the EEOC in the federal lawsuit include:

  • There were multiple incidents in which Fisher made sexually suggested comments to the teens and other females as they worked, and he asked one teen for a hug and kiss on several occasions.
  • Fisher gave a mobile phone to a female employee that contained a photograph of his genitalia. Fisher also made numerous comments to that employee of sexual nature.
  • Fisher made persistent attempts to get the attention of female employees and pursue a sexual relationship with female employees. Fisher sent Facebook and text messages begging two teens to come home with him or let him come home with them. Fisher’s messages included how he wanted to wake up the female  employees in bed with sexual acts and cook them breakfast.
  • Fisher attempted to follow a teen home from work without invitation while texting her, “When are you gonna let me come over and chill with you.” And he followed another teen home from work without invitation.
  • Fisher pursued one teen, pressuring her to spend time with him as a “girlfriend”, and made frequent  unwelcome sexual comments to her.
  • Fisher deliberately invaded the personal space of female employees, including one teen, while she was working in plain view of customers and other employees. Fisher waited for the teen to go into the cooler alone, approached her from behind
  • Fisher made crude sexual comments about female customers in front of female employees.
  • Female employees repeatedly refused Fisher’s sexual advances, but this did not deter Fisher’s harassment.
  • Fisher pressured one female employee to be his “girlfriend” and said he would give  her anything she wanted.

The practices continued until Fisher physically injured one of the teens, according to the EEOC. The lawsuit does not detail the nature of those injuries.

Fisher’s conduct was open and notorious and Arby’s, including its supervisors and managers, was aware of it, but the company failed to take remedial action, the government alleges, creating a hostile work environment and were done with “malice or reckless indifference to the federally protected rights of the teens and other female employees at the Atmore Arby’s.

The EEOC seeks a permanent injunction against Beaver’s from engaging in sexual harassment other other employment practices which discriminate on the basis of sex,  and equal opportunity for women. The EEOC seeks appropriate compensation and punitive damages for the teens and other females.

Traffic Flowing On New County Road 97A Bridge

April 3, 2018

Traffic was recently shifted to a new $3 million bridge replacement project on County Road 97A over Boggy Creek near Enon in Escambia County.  The new modem bridge features 12-foot travel lanes, eight foot shoulders, a solid concrete barrier railing and new bridge approaches.

The bridge that was replaced was constructed in 1969.

Crews are working to disassemble the temporary bridge and completing miscellaneous work items.  The entire project is anticipated to be complete around the end of April, weather permitting.  Work started in January 2017.

NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

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