Ransom Middle’s Book Club Gets Surprise Thank You Visit From Healing Paws For Warriors
April 26, 2019
Veterans and service dogs from Healing Paws for Warriors surprised Ransom Middle School students this week to thank them for all their hard work in collecting 366 pairs of shoes for the organization.
They had set a goal to collect 100 pairs of shoes to benefit Healing Paws for Warriors, a group that rescues shelter dogs and trains them to become service dogs for veterans.
But the shoes just kept walking in. Pair after pair after pair during the February shoe drive.
When the counting was done, the 35 students that started Kicks for a Cause had collected 366 pairs of shoes.
“These kids, two counties away, saw this and thought, we can make a difference and their difference was huge,” said Shelia Hale, director of operations and co-founder of Healing Paws for Warriors. “What they did by collecting shoes, a goal of 100 (pairs), that they tripled if not more, and then they opened the door for other schools to do the same thing.”
Kicks for a Cause is a shoe drive created by librarian Crystal Roberts and her student book club members for Acts of Kindness Week. Healing Paws will receive $10 for every 25 pairs of donated shoes, helping the organization with the $5,000 cost to train a service dog.The donated shoes will also be used to help needy people in 24 Third World countries.
“I think that (the students) understood the facts about why we did the shoe drive,” Roberts said during the visit, “but today I think they got to see the faces behind the reason we did the shoe drive.”
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Best Of The Class Of 2019 Honored From Escambia High Schools
April 26, 2019
The top students from the Class of 2019 from Escambia County’s high schools were recognized Thursday night as the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation hosted the 2019 Senior Academic Awards program at Washington High School.
The Senior Academic Awards recognized outstanding academic achievement, represented by the top five students from each school with the highest GPAs at the end of the first semester of their senior year and the top student from each of the six academic disciplines. Students received a personalized medallion and a Congressional certificate.
Honorees are listed below under a photo from each school, scroll down, click to enlarge.
Escambia High School
Ava Alfaro-Barber – Top Five
Cameron Downey – Top Five
Angel Goldsby – Top Five
Laney Jernigan – Top Five
Austin Skinnner – Top Five
Sydney Helms – Career & Technical
Kara Muscha – English
Alena Freyhofer – Foreign Language
Jha’Keariyon Wright – Math
Niki Correa – Science
Hannah Aman – Social Studies
Northview High School
Rebecca Nicole Dunn – Top Five
Mikayla Payton Jeneske – Top Five
Seth Hammac Killam – Top Five
Sara Delaney Reynolds – Top Five
Valen Taylor Shelly – Top Five
Ashlan Kaile Harigel – Top Five (early graduate)
Gabrielle F.N. Kline – Career & Technical
Bristol Cade Allen – English
Olivia Grace Porter – Foreign Language
Aaliyah R. Tucker – Math
Austin J. Adams – Science
Justin Alan Cruce – Social Studies
Pensacola High IB Program
Fairchild M. Davis – Top Five
Jacob P. Ferris – Top Five
Gorham D. Partington – Top Five
Ami A. Patel – Top Five
Connor R. Zameska – Top Five
Zachary O. Sahin – Career & Technical
Minh Kieu Thi Tran – English
Parker G. Beverly – Foreign Language
Andrew J. Penton – Math
Andre C. Archer – Science
Savannah Jayne – Social Studies
Reid Harwell – National Merit Finalist
Allee McDonald – National Merit Finalist
Ami Patel – National Merit Finalist
Lillian Wiggins – National Merit Finalist
Pensacola High School
Caitlin Abigail Jennings – Top Five
Liam Ross Kennedy – Top Five
Olivia C. Overvold – Top Five
Richard A. Pope – Top Five
Ifasade Elewa White – Top Five
Kaelynn A. Tanksley – Career & Technical
Adam Jeffrey Davis – English
Anselma Antonio – Foreign Language
Reid M. Sellars – Math
J’Rod Ja’Lynn Nobles – Science
Maya Willliams – Social Studies
Pine Forest High School
Katherine Marie Lupton – Top Five
Noelle E. Matzinger – Top Five
Khanh Quoc Nguyen – Top Five
Jacob Anthony Ward – Top Five
Zialynn M. Wilson – Top Five
Noah Drake Miller – Career & Technical
Kaylie R. McKinney – English
Brianna J. Peters – Foreign Language
Michael D. Gibson – Math
DeAndre T. Williams – Science
Jose Adrian Guerra – Social Studies
Tate High School
Lauren Li Brown – Top Five
John David Dixon – Top Five
Jazmine M. Endress – Top Five
Aaron H. Harberson – Top Five
Briana E. Sabin – Top Five
Jordana R. Jernigan – Career & Technical
Kyler Jayce Nielsen – English
Michael McPherson – Foreign Language
William A. Burns – Math
Bradley Troy Edgar – Science
Cassilyn Owens – Social Studies
Booker T. Washington High School
Kate Bradley – Top Five
Addison Cronk – Top Five
Julia O’Sullivan – Top Five
Walker Parra – Top Five
Johnny Austin Thompson – Top Five
Samuel Jackson – Career & Technical
Kody Kimberl – English
Madeline McCulley – Foreign Language
Joshua Fortune – Math
Jacob Paullin – Science
Madeline Markham – Social Studies
West Florida High School
Maxwell Alderman – Top Five
Mackenzie Schmidt – Top Five
Sara Siler – Top Five
Sage Spiess – Top Five
Phillip Washburn – Top Five
Jasmine Paynter – Career & Technical
Hannah Grace Smith – English
Kaylee Beasley – Foreign Language
Jonathan Hestres- Rivera – Math
Jordan Randall – Science
Sarah Gontarski – Social Studies
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Preps For Hurricane Season
April 26, 2019
Gulf Power Company held their annual storm drill Thursday to prepare employees for the upcoming hurricane season.
The drill is part of the utility’s efforts to access and improve on storm restoration response and ensure employees are ready for storm season.
Thanks to these training drills, when Hurricane Michael slammed into the Panama City area in October of last year, Gulf Power said their employees were ready for action – a coordinated force committed to restoring power and hope. It was a monumental storm – now classified as a Category 5 – that required a monumental response.
Team leaders from across the company participated in several mock scenarios associated with hurricanes forecasted to hit Northwest Florida. Attendees got an inside look at how Gulf Power prepares for and responds to hurricanes impacting its service area.
The drill was held at Gulf Power’s training and storm center on Pine Forest Road.
Pictured: Gulf Power’s annual storm drill Thursday. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Injuries In Highway 29, Quintette Rollover Crash
April 25, 2019
A driver escaped serious injury in a rollover crash Thursday afternoon on Highway 29 near Quintette Road.
The driver refused transport by Escambia County EMS following the crash just before 4 p.m. The BMW left there roadway and overturned into a ditch, coming to rest upright.
The crash was under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Escambia Schools Hiring Armed Force To Protect Elementary Schools
April 25, 2019
The Escambia County School District is looking to hire its own armed force to protect local elementary schools beginning next school year.
“These Campus Security Officers, or CSOs, will serve to protect students in our schools during the school day, 10 months a year,” Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said. “The district will be working with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office to ensure high quality individuals with the appropriate skills, temperament and abilities are selected.”
The CSOs will have no law enforcement authority, except to the extent necessary to prevent or abate an active assailant incident”, according to the district.
The district has tried using off-duty law enforcement officers in elementary schools this school year, but that has proved difficult to provide full coverage.
“We are hoping retired military and retired law enforcement officers, who have maintained their weapons’ permits and skills, will see this opportunity as a new way to continue to serve our community and protect our students,” said Thomas.
Applications will be process through the Escambia County School District, but the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will be responsible for training to include a background screening, psychological evaluation and polygraph test. Applicants will be required to successfully complete 150 hours (approximately 2 months) of training. The first class is expected to begin in June, and trainees will be paid during the training.
The district plans to have 30 participants in the first class. With an expected attrition rate of about one-third, there will be an expected 20 new CSOs from the first class. Another class is planned for August, with an expected total of 40-45 CSOs from the two classes. The ultimate goal is provide a CSO all-day at each elementary school, with additional CSOs to float and cover days off.
Funding for ongoing salary of the CSOs will come from dedicated “Safe Schools Categorical” funding which is separate from instructional or teacher salary funding. The district will not hire more CSOs than it can afford under this separate funding mechanism, and the district will not be arming teachers.
The CSOs will not be placed charter schools such as Byrneville Elementary School or the Beulah Academy of Science at the district’s expense. However, the CSOs will be made available to charter schools if they choose to pay for them.
Campus Security Officers will be required to also complete the fingerprinting and drug screening requirement that ECSD requires of all school district employees prior to being placed in a school. Those selected will have a starting salary at $30,600, plus benefits, for a 10 month position.
To read the full job description, click here.
Century Community Holds Vigil For 4-Year Old Boy Struck, Killed By Vehicle
April 25, 2019
The life of 4-year old Ka’Merius Dortch was honored during a vigil Wednesday evening in Century.
“Kel” as he was affectionately known, was struck by a vehicle and killed in the parking lot of the Carver Community Center on Jefferson Avenue on April 17. About 150 people gathered at the site Wednesday to pray, share their stories and take part in a balloon release. The balloons were blue, Kel’s favorite color.
He dreamed of becoming a firefighter, according to family members. Volunteers from the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue attended the memorial and announced that they have named Kel as an honorary firefighter.
People also brought candles and toys, including stuffed animals and firetrucks, to create a makeshift memorial on the steps of the community center.
Funeral services Ka’Merius Dortch are set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Pilgrim Lodge Missionary Baptist Church at 7000 Jefferson Avenue.
The Florida Highway said 66-year old Alberta Knight of Century was in the parking lot of the community center April 17 when she pulled her Ford SUV forward and struck the child about 6:20 p.m. No charges were filed. The vehicle was on the community center grounds between the building and basketball courts. A basketball could be seen under the vehicle. [Previous story...]
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Third Century Liquor Store Employee Charged With Theft Using Rewards Program
April 25, 2019
A third arrest has been made just as charges have been dropped against two people in connection the theft of thousands of dollars in cash or product from a liquor store in Century in a scheme involving shopper reward points.
Charissa Leigh Clarke, 31, is now charged with felony grand theft and fraud from the Fusion liquor store next to the Food Giant on North Century Boulevard.
Teresa Lachelle Burt, 41, and Latoya Trenise Washington, 31, were arrested last summer on similar charges, but charges against them have been dropped. Assistant State Attorney John Molchan said Wednesday afternoon that Burt and Washington have agreed to make restitution during a mediation hearing.
Clarke is accused of taking cash or product totaling $1,200. Burt was accused of stealing $978, while Washington allegedly took $350. An arrest warrant is still outstanding on a fourth suspect that allegedly took cash or product totaling $573.
The store offered a shopper reward point program, awarding points for each dollar spent to a customer’s reward account. According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Clarke and three other employees would fraudulently assign shopper points to accounts and then reconcile daily transactions by taking possession of product or cash equal to the number of points. Customers were unable to notice anything wrong with their reward transactions.
Pictured: The Fusion liquor store in Century on Wednesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
ECUA Terminates Contract To Haul Recyclables From Santa Rosa County
April 25, 2019
ECUA is terminating their contract with Santa Rosa County for the transportation and processing of recyclables effective April 30.
County officials said they are working with ECUA on a new contract for processing and seeking to replace the transportation services within the next few weeks.
“Recyclable material degrades if not sorted and stored properly, therefore recycling will be diverted to the Central Landfill for disposal until a new transportation vendor is under contract. The county encourages residents to maintain good recycling habits and as part of the franchise agreements with the county, all waste haulers will still be required to collect recyclables separately, so residents will see no change in their existing services,” Santa Rosa County said in a prepared statement.
“Recycling programs in many municipalities have struggled due to increased costs for transportation and processing combined with a limited number of markets since China recently stopped accepting the US’s recyclables. While Santa Rosa County fully supports recycling, significant changes may need to be made to provide a sustainable recycling program in the future,” the statement concluded.
Lady Aggies Celebrate Senior Night With Win Over Gulf Shores
April 25, 2019
The Tate High Lady Aggies celebrate Senior Night Wednesday as they beat Gulf Shores 5-1. There are three seniors on this year’s team- Shelby McClean, Amber DeCoux and Gabby Locke.
Abbie Burks pitched the win for the Tate, allowing six hits and one run with striking out seven in seven innings. Hannah Halfacre led the Aggies at the plate with two hits.
Pictured top: Tate Lady Aggie seniors (L-R) Shelby McClean, Amber DeCoux and Gabby Locke. Pictured below: Tate Lady Aggie Senior Night. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Fall To Escambia
April 25, 2019
The Tate Aggies fell to Escambia 4-3 Wednesday night.
Mason Land, Hunter McLean, Mcdowell, Bryant Orr, Cole Fryman and Chase Tolbert each had a hit for Tate.
Darrien McDowell went five innings, giving up four runs on two hits while striking out six. Jace Dunsford tossed two innings out of the bullpen.
Photos by Crystal Tolbert for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
