Community Career, College And Job Fair Thursday Evening At Tate High School
January 30, 2024
A career, college, and job fair will be held Thursday evening at Tate High School.
The event will be held from 5:30 until 7:15 p.m. in the Fryman Gym.
Tate High School students, families and community members are encouraged to attend. Over 40 companies, colleges, and training programs are scheduled to attend and provide information about employment and training.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jacks Branch House Fire Was Caused By Lightning, ECFR Says
January 30, 2024
Escambia County Fire Rescue investigators have determined that a Saturday house fire on Jacks Branch Road was caused by a lightning strike.
The fire was reported about 9:20 a.m in the 900 block of Jacks Branch Road, near Charlemane Drive.
Fighters arrived to find heavy smoke showing from the sing-estory home. Rain and fog made the initial size-up of the situation difficult, according to ECFR, but crews quickly discovered a fire at the rear of the home.
Two cats were found unresponsive inside the home. While ECFR was able to resuscitate one cat, the other passed away. The fire was controlled by 9:54 a.m.
ECFR said the home can be reoccupied after extensive repairs.
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Ernest Ward Middle School Names Students Of The Month
January 30, 2024
Ernest Ward Middle School has announced their December Students of the Month. They are (L-R) eighth grader Hunter Parker, seventh grader Shelby Riffenburg and sixth grader Josiah Randolph. They are pictured with Principal Tyvanna Boulanger. Photo for NorthEscambambia.com, click to enlarge.
High Tuesday In The 60s
January 30, 2024
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 63. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 58. North wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. North wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 67. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
Saturday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.
Community Health Pharmacist Awarded Grant To Improve Antibiotic Use
January 30, 2024
A Community Health Northwest Florida pharmacist has been awarded a grant to enhance patients’ use and knowledge of antibiotics.
Ryan Pinto, PharmD, received the $5,000 highly competitive research grant that will be used to help patients in underserved rural North Florida using antibiotics to treat infections. He was one of only eight people in the U.S. to receive the American Society of Health System Pharmacists Foundation Pharmacy Resident Research Grant.
A Pensacola native, Pinto is working for one year at CHNWF as a resident as part of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health (CoPPS, IPH).
Pinto will be part of a research team that will investigate the impact of an antibiotic stewardship program. This enables collaborative work with a doctor to ensure that patients receive appropriate antibiotics and improves the health of those with infections.
After earning a Doctor of Pharmacy from Auburn University, Pinto returned to Pensacola to care for a familiar population. He says many of the people who visit the center’s pharmacy don’t have a primary care doctor.
“I’m honored and grateful to receive a grant that will have a direct impact on the people who may not receive this attention elsewhere,” Pinto said. “I’m learning a lot and enjoy working with the FAMU faculty and staff and the Community Health staff.”
The grant’s funding will provide resources and be used to hire a biostatistician to manage information obtained through surveys of providers and patients of Community Health. The questionnaires will help determine what they understand about antibiotics and how they should be used to treat illnesses.
A priority for the research led by pharmacists is to educate the community about changes in guidelines and directions for taking antibiotics.
Okere is the mentor to pharmacy residents at the center. Encouraging patients to ask pharmacists questions is another priority for residents because they often don’t have pharmacists to counsel them.
“Patients can experience side effects if given the wrong antibiotic which can lead to them going to the hospital. Our goal is to help prevent adverse effects from occurring,” Okere said.
Okere is optimistic about the study’s outcomes as a precursor to another sizable grant the center has applied for to widen research and reach.
The ASHP Foundation grant “supports quality health service research focused on practice advancement conducted by residents in ASHP-accredited pharmacy residency programs or by residents in pharmacy residency programs” who have applied for ASHP accreditation.
Mary Sandra West Blackmon
January 30, 2024
Mary Sandra West Blackmon, 74, of Birmingham, Alabama, went to heaven on January 28, 2024, after a battle with liver and kidney disease.
Sandra was born on September 23, 1949, to Frank Mason and Mary Kate West in Brewton, Alabama as the youngest of five children. After she graduated from Jay High School in 1967, she
went on to study elementary education at the University of West Florida, in Pensacola.
After graduating with a degree in education, she began teaching in Oklahoma before moving back to Berrydale, kickstarting a 30-year career teaching elementary school and kindergarten, most of it at Munson Elementary School. She also served as the cheerleading sponsor at Munson High School.
In 1968, she married Bill Blackmon in Jay, Florida. They went on to have one daughter, Katie Lynn Blackmon.
She loved children and being an educator was her life-long passion. She also loved watching her daughter Katie play a variety of sports from a very early age, including four years of college
basketball. Grandchildren and sports were her favorite past times. She was an avid country music fan and a huge supporter of Florida State University and the Atlanta Braves.
Family was of the utmost importance to her, and she took great pride in the accomplishments of her brothers, nephews & nieces, and especially her grand-nephews and grand-nieces.
Sandra was predeceased by her parents, Frank Mason and Mary Kate West; and her brothers, Dr.Fred, and Ben West.
She is survived by her daughter, Katie Blackmon Ingram; son-in-law, Clay Ingram; and grandchildren, Zack Ingram, Jake (and wife Nicholle) Ingram; brothers, Don (Maureen) West, and David (Vickie) West.
Pallbearers include Dr. Jason West, David West II, Donald West II, Will West, Benjie West II, and Steve Locklin.
A Funeral Service will be held at Lewis Funeral Home Jay Cornerstone Chapel 4003 Highway 4 Jay, Florida 32565, with visitation Thursday February 1, 2024, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm and funeralservice Friday, February 2, 2024, at 1:00 pm. Interment to immediately follow at Berrydale Community of Christ Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude Hospital, which is a cause she felt very strongly about and donated to routinely.
Additional Development Proposed In Devine Farm Area Would Bring ‘Wildwood Estates’ To 1,067 Lots
January 29, 2024
Additional phases with 215 news lots would bring a development in the area of Devine Road and South Country Road 97 to a total of 1,067 lots, on 777 acres, according to county applications.
The first three phases with 451 lots — Bookhaven 1 and 2, and Iron Rock 1 — are completed. The next three phases, Bookhaven 3 and 4, and Iron Rock 2 are under construction with 401 additional lots.
The remaining phases of Wildwood Estates are currently undeveloped, according to filings with the Escambia County Development Review Committee. Phase 7 will include 13 lots. There are 43 lots proposed for Phase 8 and 159 for Phase 9 in the plans filed by Devine Farms, LLC/Rodney Sutton.
An amended development between Escambia County and Devine Farms, Inc allows up to 1,200 lots.
The plans are in the staff internal review process with no public meeting yet scheduled before the Escambia County Development Review Committee.
Tate Girls Golf Team Named FHSAA Class 3A 2023 Academic Team Champions
January 29, 2024
The Tate girls golf team has been named the FHSAA Class 3A 2023 Academic Team Champions.
With a cumulative team GPA of 3.876, team members are: Eva Grissom, Lilly Hardy, Jordan Smith, Talia Smith, and Kara Wine. They are coached by Melinda Wyatt.
The FHSAA Academic Team Champion recognition program honors teamwork not only in competition, but in the classroom as well. The program recognizes teams in each of the Association’s sanctioned and recognized sports, naming an Academic Team Champion in each classification based on GPA.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
2024 Northview Baseballl Roster Announced
January 29, 2024
The Northview Chiefs have named their 2024 baseball team.
The roster is:
- Robbie Bodiford
- Jack Boutwell
- Jackson Bridges
- Luke Chavers
- Ayden Crabtree
- Taylor Curtis
- Kobi Fiorenti
- Tyler Gilmore
- Brayden Gindl
- Gage Harrison
- Nate Jones
- Kelan Jurey
- Dane King
- Rylan Minor
- Easten Odom
- Jase Portwood
- Colby Pugh
- Brodie Rhodes
- Wyatt Scruggs
- Grayden Sheffield
- Brady Smith
- James Smith
- Will Strawbridge
- Jayden White
Jay Woman Claims Fantasy 5 Ticket Worth Over $120,000 Sold In Molino
January 29, 2024
A Jay woman has claimed a winning Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 ticket purchased in Molino.
The Florida Lottery said Tara Dawn Kerr took the cash option in claiming a ticket worth $122,318.87. The ticket was sold at the Molino First Stop on Highway 95A at Molino Road and was the only winning ticket in the Thursday evening, January 25 drawing.
The January 25 winning numbers were 1-17-23-26-36.