Partnership Offers Free Breakfast, Lunch For Kids In Cantonment
May 31, 2017
A Cantonment group has gone to work to address childhood hunger this summer.
“The kids I saw were saying that they were hungry all the time,” said Josh Womack of the Cantonment Improvement Club (CIC). “We got to work because we knew there were resources out there.”
The CIC found Feeding the Gulf Coast, formerly the Bay Area Food Bank, to provide breakfast and lunch to Cantonment area children five days per week.
The first meals were served Tuesday and will continue Monday through Friday until school begins in August. Breakfast is served about 10 a.m. and lunch is served about noon at the Carver Park Resource Center at 208 Webb Street in Cantonment. The meals are free for teens and children under age 18.
The CIC is also working to provide tutoring and learning opportunities in the resource center during meal service times.
Pictured: The first meals were served Tuesday under a new partnership between the Cantonment Improvement Club and Feeding the Gulf Coast. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Seniors Get Look At New ‘ExpressVote’ System
May 31, 2017
The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office is testing their new ADA-compliant ExpressVote system, recently taking it on the road to demonstrate it to senior citizens in Cantonment and Century.
The ExpressVote uses a touch-screen device to mark a paper ballot for tabulation. Voters can received audio assistance, or even Braille instructions, allowing all voters to cast their ballot, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.
The ExpressVote device was used first in the recent special election in Century earlier this year. Last week, Elections Office staff demonstrated the devices at the Council on Aging meal site in Century last Thursday and Tuesday at the Cantonment Council on Aging meal site.
There were will be one of the ExpressVote devices available at each precinct during the 2018 election.
Pictured above and below: The ExpressVote machine demonstrated at the Cantonment Council on Aging meal site. Pictured below: The ExpressVote on display in Century. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Hurricane Season Arriving After Last Year’s Wakeup Call
May 31, 2017
After ending an 11-year stormless streak in 2016, Florida enters its annual hurricane season on Thursday with forecasters predicting an above-average season.
The 2016 season was the most active since 2012, with 15 named storms in the Atlantic Ocean, including seven hurricanes and four major hurricanes.
Hurricane Hermine, a Category 1 storm, struck Florida south of Tallahassee on Sept. 2, marking the first hurricane to hit the state since 2005.
A little more than a month later, Hurricane Matthew, a more powerful storm, moved along the East Coast. Although it did not make landfall in Florida, it caused extensive damage, particularly in Northeast Florida, with some $1.18 billion in property insurance claims, according to the state Office of Insurance Regulation.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in a forecast released last week, predicted a similarly active season this year, based on warm sea-surface temperatures and a weak El Nino ocean-atmosphere pattern. The federal agency is predicting 11 to 17 named storms, five to nine hurricanes and two to four major storms.
The forecast will be updated in early August, right before the peak of the hurricane season, which runs until Nov. 30.
“Regardless of how many storms develop this year, it only takes one to disrupt our lives,” said Robert Fenton, acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Bryan Koon, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said Floridians’ experience with Matthew and Hermine last year may heighten their awareness of the new hurricane season.
“Those folks will have that memory fresh in their minds,” Koon said. “Matthew was such a big storm that it threatened much of the state at some point during its existence. I think people will recognize June 1 maybe a little bit more than they have in the past few years.”
Koon and other state officials stressed the need for Floridians to prepare for the possibility of a major hurricane, which would bring high winds, flooding and power outages. During Hurricane Matthew, some 1.2 million customers of Florida Power and Light, the state’s largest electric utility, lost power at some point.
“Hurricanes are always going to be an inconvenience for us, but the more you plan ahead right now, the better chance you’ll have to get back on your feet and get back to normalcy more quickly,” Koon said.
Koon also said residents need to consider evacuation plans, which do not necessarily mean moving to public storm shelters.
“We want them to plan ahead,” Koon said. “They are going to be much more comfortable staying with somebody they know, or in a hotel, than they would in a shelter. Right now is a great time to start thinking about what you would do in that situation.”
Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier said property insurance coverage should be part of residents’ disaster plans.
“The time to evaluate your insurance coverage, fortify your home and prepare for how to protect yourself and your family is now,” he said.
One tip from Altmaier’s office is that residents can review the “declaration page” of their property insurance policies, which summarizes the coverage.
In last year’s season, more than 119,000 Floridians made property-insurance claims after Hurricane Matthew, with more than 101,000 residential claims.
Hurricane Hermine resulted in nearly 20,000 claims, including 14,000 residential claims, representing $139 million in total losses.
Under a new law signed by Gov. Rick Scott, residents starting Friday will have a three-day tax “holiday” when they will not have to pay sales taxes on “disaster preparedness” supplies.
The exemption covers things like flashlights, portable radios, tarpaulins, first-aid kits, batteries and coolers, with all items having a price limit. For instance, Floridians can buy a portable generator tax free, if it costs $750 or less.
There has already been one named storm in the Atlantic, with Tropical Storm Arlene, a rare pre-season storm that formed over the eastern Atlantic in April. It is included in NOAA’s estimate of up to 17 named Atlantic storms this season.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger and Tom Urban, The News Service of Florida
First Cases Of Dog Flu Confirmed In Florida
May 31, 2017
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in coordination with the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, announced today that the University of Florida has confirmed seven cases of H3N2 canine influenza virus, a.k.a. “dog flu.” Six additional results for the virus are pending. All dogs being treated are in stable condition. There is no evidence that H3N2 canine influenza virus infects people.
While H3N2 has been circulating throughout the country since 2015, this is the first time it has been confirmed in Florida. This is a highly contagious virus. Fortunately, the mortality rate is low. Dog owners can have their veterinarians vaccinate their dogs against canine influenza viruses.
If dog owners suspect a case of dog flu, they should call their veterinarian prior to going to the clinic in order to decrease the chances of spreading the virus to other animals at the clinic. Many dogs have a fever, decreased appetite and lethargy during the first few days of illness. Most dogs recover at home without any complications. Some require hospitalization.
Scott Won’t Say What He Will Do With The Budget
May 31, 2017
Gov. Rick Scott continued to offer few clues Tuesday about what he might do when the newly passed state budget (SB 2500) lands on his desk.
The $82.4 billion package, which lawmakers approved May 8, does not include spending at the levels Scott requested for business recruitment, tourism marketing and repairs to the dike around Lake Okeechobee. Asked for hints Tuesday about how he might address the spending plan, Scott simply repeated his options.
“I have a lot of options,” Scott replied. “I can veto it. I can veto a section or any line. I’m still reviewing it.”
People who have contacted Scott’s office about the budget have been overwhelmingly opposed to it.
The office has received 364 phone calls, 2,786 emails and nine letters in opposition to the budget, according to numbers released Tuesday. The breakdown didn’t address if the opposition was over a single item or the entire package.There have been just four phone calls and two emails in support.
Once the budget is delivered from the Legislature, Scott will have 15 days to act. The budget is slated to take effect with the July 1 start of the fiscal year.
Pictured: Scott during an appearance in Fort Myers on Tuesday. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bratt Elementary Releases Latest Honor Roll
May 31, 2017
The following students were named to the final nine weeks honor roll at Bratt Elementary School:
Kindergarten A Honor Roll
Alexis Amerson
Eric Anthony
Sadie Baker
Nola Barber
Landen Barlow
Abigail Brown
Alysa Bryan
Ava Bryan
Clark Burt
Jaxon Byrd
Carson Eady
Kaedyn Eady
Aubrey Flowers
Kintley Flowers
Pryce Flowers
Josyah Fontenot
Christian Fountain
Olivia Garrett
Nathan Gilmore
Kyndal Hadley
Autumn Heist
Sophia Ikner
Maybree Johnson
Denis Lambeth
Noah Luker
Parker Marsh
Mya McCants
Sophia McMorris
Briley Moore
Demeatree Moorer
Natalia Morales
Rainey Nelson
Jonathan Patrick
Jade Presley
Madison Rice
Ashton Roberts
Caden Sanspree
Kaden Seelig
Kimmora Thomas
James Thompson
Javan Thompson
Brooklyn Turk
Na’Kiyah Williams
First Grade A Honor Roll
Landon Allcock
Gabrielle Boatwright
Jamarreai Davison
Logan Diller
O’Neshia DuBose
Parker Ganey
Sawyer Gilmore
Brody Hall
Camden Jacobson
John McAnally
Hunter Parker
Madalynn Pittman
Christian Roberts
Makinzi Roley
Wyatt Spence
Lani Steadham
Cassandra Stilwell
Kennedy Ward
Kaylee Wilson
First Grade A-B Honor Roll
Govan Alexander
Tyler Amerson
Eli Anthony
Marquis Banks
Serenity Conway
Jacob Dove
Zachary Flowers
Elizabeth Gilley
Michael Greenwell
Peyton Lee
Cameron Moore
Levi Peters
Brooklyn Reynolds
Jackson Sellers
Breah Shelly
Adalynn Southard
Noah Spence
Kameryn Thompson
Second Grade A Honor Roll
Lexi Bingham
Christian Caraway
William Classen
Carlie Davis
Jacobi Dougall
Cathryn Greenwood
Laila Hadley
Lori Hall
Presley Johnson
Kaylee Long
Khloe Mason
Mikayla McAnally
Dakota Richardson
Avery Stuckey
Second Grade A-B Honor Roll
Montgomery Baker
Luke Bryan
Amara Campbell
Madilynne Cardwell
Crimson Davis
Kylar Davis
Thomas Davis
Nolan Eady
Hayden Gipson
Savannah Lowry
Logan Morris
Makayla Plato
Jamie Roberts
Miles Smith
Jake Taylor
Raleigh Warr
Third Grade A Honor Roll
Claire Amerson
Bailey Blackwell
Jackson Bridges
Carley Moore
Jackson Simmons
Talise Gregson
Desiray Bagwell
Addison Classen
Mya Wilson
Kayleb Nicholson
LanDon Johnson
Third Grade A-B Honor Roll
Aakira Davis
Addison Eicher
Brayden Smith
Braylan Shelly
Daniel Johnson
Ellie Adkins
Emily Jarvis
Jasmine Zisa
Jessica Jowers
Jordan Dawson
Justy Starns
Karissa Boatwright
Keeli Knighten
Lauren Abbott
Leann Swearengin
Luke Chavers
Maggie Stewart
Mary-Clayton Dawson
Maxwell Mason
Nevaeh Bush
Samantha Minchew
Shelby Greenwell
Treyton Schoonover
Tristan Crumm
Tristan Johnson
Tyler Carach
Wade Bailey
William Heard
Fourth Grade A Honor Roll
Colton Criswell
Payton Daw
JaCee Dortch
Jamison Gilman
Mary Catherine Hughes
Laura Laborde
Colby Pugh
Ally Richardson
Maggie Scott
Bryce Stabler
Fourth Grade A-B Honor Roll
Luke Amerson
Troy Ard
Madeleine Atallah
Evan Chick
Kinslee Coker
Calene Davis
Richard Emmons
Noah Faulkner
Noah Fehr
Aliyah Fountain
Jared Hudson
Markavia Johnson
Adannaya Mondaca
Landen Robertson
Zakyla Smith
Jonathon Stilwell
Brayden Victor
Raylee Wooten
Fifth Grade A Honor Roll
Raegan Abbott
Sarah Bailey
Haydn Baker
Riley Dawson
Carsyn Dortch
Mayson Edwards
Zykuria Fountain
Maggie Godwin
Ava Gurganus
Berklee Hall
Leah Hetrick
Allyson Jones
Austin Minchew
Jaquez Moorer
Alexis Moya
Bentley Van Pelt
Jacob Spence
Fifth Grade A-B Honor Roll
Rabekah Abbott
Elijah Amerson
Ethan Bingham
Kyle Blanton
Olivia Boatwright
Ava Brock
Kaedence Carter
Edward Conway
Chloe Criswell
Samuel Dettling
Tyteanna Dubose
Gage Eicher
Scotty Elliott
Raleigh Gibson
Joshlynn Helton
Sarah Long
Anija McNeir
Ryan Odom
William Plato
Bryson Sanders
Angel Schoonover
Emily Stilwell
Jaimee Taylor
Corbin Turberville
Raycer Watson
Skyler Williams
Mahle Strikes Out Career-High Nine Hitters In Win
May 31, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos right-hander Tyler Mahle didn’t know that the Cincinnati Reds top dog, Dick Williams, was in the stands watching his performance.
But he said it wouldn’t have mattered if he did know that the Reds president of baseball operations and general manager was there.
Mahle threw seven scoreless innings, gave up three hits and struck out a career-high nine batters as the Blue Wahoos beat the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 6-0, in front of 3,571 fans at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
“I just felt good tonight,” he said. “I had control of all my pitches. My arm felt live.”
It’s the kind of outing that Pensacola manager Pat Kelly has come to expect from the 22-year-old, who Baseball America says is the Reds 12th best prospect in the organization.
“That’s normal for him this year,” Kelly said. “He has had 11 really good starts that we’ve seen so far.”
The Blue Wahoos lineup staked Mahle to a 6-0 lead, something he’s not used to. It allowed him to focus on pitching and earn his first victory since May 8 and first victory after losing two games. He improved to 6-2 on the year and lowered his earned-run average to 1.55.
For the Blue Wahoos it was the team’s sixth shutout win this season. The team improved to 29-22 overall to remain in first place in the Southern League South Division. Pensacola has either led the division or been tied for first in 51 of 57 days this season. With the second place Biloxi Shuckers losing, 7-3, Tuesday to the Mobile BayBears, Pensacola is now up three games in the standings.
“We need to obviously win every series,” said Mahle about the tight race for the first half crown.
Mahle, the Southern League Player of the Month in April, is doing his best by leading the Southern League in victories (6), and having the second-best strikeout total (72), ERA (1.55) and batting average by opponents (.182).
Pensacola is vying to become the first team since the Tennessee Smokies from 2009 to 2011 win four straight half-division titles.
Pensacola scored first when Jacksonville starter Omar Bencomo had an unusual case of lack of control. The Jumbo Shrimps right hander walked the bases loaded. He entered the game allowing just 1.27 walks per nine innings — third best in the Southern League. Pensacola first baseman Eric Jagielo hit a weak blooper to left field that scored left fielder Tyler Goeddel to put the Blue Wahoos on top, 1-0.
Mahle helped himself in the fourth inning when he hit a chopper to shortstop that scored second baseman Alex Blandino to put the Blue Wahoos up, 2-0. With two outs, center fielder Gabriel Guerrero poked a line drive single to right field that drove in both Mahle and Goeddel for a, 4-0, Pensacola lead.
Kelly praised Guerrero’s clutch two-out single.
“We get all those walks and we can’t take advantage of them,” Kelly said, pointing out that Pensacola batters walked seven times in the game. “You think, ‘Are we only going to get one run again?’ Guerrero punching the ball into the gap over there gave us two huge runs.”
Kelly also credited Guerrero’s defense in center field Tuesday. He caught five balls, chasing down three of them.
“Guerrero played terrific,” Kelly said. “To me if you can run, center field is a really good position to play. Gabby can run very well. He’s improving his angles.”
Pensacola tacked on another run in the fifth inning to go up, 5-0, when with two outs shortstop Blake Trahan doubled to drive in Blandino. The Blue Wahoos extended the lead, 6-0, when Jagielo hit a deep sacrifice fly ball to the warning track in right field to score third baseman Josh VanMeter, who doubled to the left center gap to lead-off the inning.
Both Guerrero, who was 1-4 with two RBIs, and Jagielo, who was 1-3 with two RBIs, led the Blue Wahoos at the plate.
The Cincinnati Reds promoted Double-A Blue Wahoos right-hander Austin Ross (5-0, 1.21 ERA) to the Triple-A Louisville Bats. High-A Daytona Tortugas right-hander Jose Lopez (2-4, 2.84) was promoted to replace Ross.
In addition, former Blue Wahoos starter Jackson Stephens got called up to the Cincinnati Reds. The 23-year-old (3-3, 5.79 ERA) will make his Major League debut, if he gets into a game.
Man Gets Life For Armed Robbery Of Nine Mile Raceway Station
May 31, 2017
A man is headed to prison for life for the armed robbery of a Raceway on Nine Mile Road in 2016.
Ryan Erick Cheney, 41, was convicted of armed robbery with a firearm with discharge by Circuit Judge Edward P. Nickinson. Following his conviction, Nickinson immediately sentenced Cheney to life in state prison. Since there is no parole in Florida, Cheney will serve the remainder of his life in prison.
On June 15, 2016, Cheney and co-defendant, Joseph Reynolds, entered the Raceway Gas Station on Nine Mile Road, while Reynolds acted as a lookout, Cheney pointed the firearm at the clerk and demanded money and cigarettes. Cheney discharged the firearm into the floor towards the clerk. Both defendants fled the scene in the getaway vehicle waiting outside driven by co-defendant, Hunter Lafoe. All three defendants were apprehended a few days later.
During the course of the investigation, a bulletin was sent out to law enforcement agencies across the country. Cheney was identified by an agency in New Hampshire. Cheney has an outstanding warrant in New Hampshire for a pending armed robbery charge. Also, Cheney had a prior conviction of robbery and served more than five years in prison in New Hampshire.
On May 26, 2017, Joseph Reynolds pleaded no contest to the charge of robbery with a deadly weapon and Lafoe pleaded no contest to the charge of principal to robbery with a deadly weapon. Both Reynolds and Lafoe will be sentenced on August 29, 2017 before Nickinson.
Reynolds, who was the lookout, faces up to 20 years in state prison for his role in the robbery. Lafoe, who was the getaway driver, faces up to 10 years in state prison for his role in the robbery.
Former Teacher, Coach Arrested For Sexual Contact With A Student
May 30, 2017
A former teacher and coach has been arrested for having sexual contact with a student.
Jason Paul Blaney, age 38 of 4884 Highway 4 in Jay, was employed by the Escambia County (AL) Board of Education as a math teacher, volleyball coach and softball coach at W.S. Neal High School in East Brewton.
Blaney’s May 26 arrest stemmed from a complaint received on March 30, 2017, by the Sheriff’s Office. He was released from the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton on a $10,000 bond.
The case is still under investigation at this time and possible further charges may be pending. The case has been turned over to the District Attorney’s office.
Blaney was hired a W.S. Neal in 2009 after leaving Milton High School, to teach math and coach volleyball. He became softball head coach in February 2016. He resigned his teaching and coaching positions on April 12.
Escambia County, Century Free Up Housing Assistance Funds
May 30, 2017
A new agreement between Escambia County and the Town of Century will free up tens of thousands of dollars in housing assistance.
In May 2016, Escambia County made a total of $260,000 available to tornado victims in the town limits of Century for housing repairs.
To date, $174,761 has been expended or is currently allotted for 10 applicants. The original agreement between Escambia County and Century restricted the assistance to only those impacted by the February 2016 tornado in Century. The deadline for tornado victims to apply for assistance has passed.
An amended agreement recently passed by the Escambia County Commission will free the remaining $85,239 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance regardless of tornado damage.
The application procedure and timeline for the funding has not yet been announced.
Pictured: The first home in the town of Century completed under the SHIP Program through Escambia County and Habitat for Humanity. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.