Detour: Highway 112 (Muscogee Road) To Close In Alabama Next Week
September 9, 2016
Highway 112 (Muscogee Road) will be closed to traffic in Baldwin County next week.
The closures will be between Barrineau Park Road and the Florida state line from Monday, September 12 to Friday, September 16 for drainage improvements. The closures will be from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day.
See the above map (click to enlarge) for specific closure information and a recommended detour.
Volleyball: Jay Tops Northview
September 9, 2016
The Jay Royals defeated the Northview Chiefs varsity in three sets, 25-15, 25-15, 25-21, Thursday night in Bratt. In JV action. Jay downed Northview 25-13, 25-23.
Northview will travel to Flomaton on Monday (4:00 JV/5:00 varsity), while Jay will host Pensacola Christian today (5:00 JV/6:00 varsity).
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Park Elementary Mourns Loss Of ‘Granny Ward’
September 9, 2016
Molino Park Elementary School is mourning the loss of a beloved volunteer known to most as just “Granny”.
Granny, Mrs. Lillian Adell Ward, passed away Wednesday at age 86. She was a foster grandparent and a longtime volunteer that gave selflessly to the students.
Funeral services for Ward are Friday afternoon at Highland Baptist Church where she was a lifetime member (complete obituary).
Pictured: Molino Park Elementary School volunteer “Granny”, Mrs. Lillian Adell Ward, passed away Wednesday. Pictured below: Granny Ward celebrates her birthday with Molino Park students last May. Photos by Kim Stefansson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Majorettes To Host Mini-Majorette Clinic
September 9, 2016
The Northview High School Majorettes are hosting a Mini-Majorette Clinic on September 13, 14 and 15 from 4-5 p.m. each day. The clinic will teach students baton tricks, skills and a baton routine they will perform during a pregame show on September 16. The clinic is open to any student between age 5 and grade 8. Students should bring their own baton, or one will be provided.
The cost is $25 per child and includes the clinic, a t-shirt, game admission and the performance.
To register, or for more information, click here for a registration form.
Wahoos Drop Playoff Game
September 9, 2016
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos gave up four runs in the third inning to the Mississippi Braves and couldn’t recover Thursday.
Mississippi third baseman Carlos Franco hit a three-run homer in the third inning and 6-foot-6 right-hander Patrick Weigel handcuffed the Pensacola hitters throwing seven scoreless innings to give the Braves a 5-0 win Thursday in front of 3,866 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Mississippi tied the Southern League South Division series, 1-1, and now plays the next two games at 7 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday at Trustmark Park. If Game 5 is needed, it will be played at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly expressed confidence in his team, despite the split at home. The Blue Wahoos won both series at Mississippi, going 7-3.
“Obviously, we wanted to win two here,” Kelly said. “It’s a best of three series now. It’s nice to know we can come back for game five.”
Franco lifted a high deep fly ball into Hill-Kelly Dodge Hill in right field with one out in the third inning to score three runs and put Mississippi on top, 5-0. It was his fifth homer this year.
Pensacola seemed jinxed to start the third inning. Braves center fielder Mallex Smith bunted down the first base line and Pensacola pitcher Jackson Stephens fielded and threw to first base hitting Pensacola first baseman Ray Chang right between the eyes.
Then Braves second baseman Levi Hyams hit a ball that deflected off of Stephens’ glove and reached first. Mississippi slugging left fielder Dustin Peterson smacked a hard liner into center field to score Smith to put the Braves up, 2-0. Franco finished the inning off with the fourth straight hit off of Stephens.
Stephens has been inconsistent in his last five starts. He’s allowed 16 runs in his last 21.1 innings pitched, which is a 6.75 ERA. In the second game of the playoffs, he pitched five innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and a walk, while striking out five.
Meanwhile, Pensacola’s Evan Mitchell pitched three scoreless innings of relief and now has thrown 15.2 scoreless innings. He allowed one hit, one walk and struck out one. Kyle McMyne retired the Braves in order in the ninth.
Kelly said it has been fun watching Mitchell gain confidence on the mound.
“It’s fun to see,” Kelly said. “He’s got great stuff. He has a 94 mph sinker and what a scout told me was a man hole cover slider.”
But the story Thursday was really 22-year-old Weigel who was making just his fourth start in Double-A. The right-hander pitched a gem throwing seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking two and striking out eight.
Pensacola was unable to figure out the Braves’ Weigel, who allowed one Blue Wahoos runner to third base and one to second base. Weigel was called up to Mississippi on Aug. 19 from the Low-A Rome Braves where he was 10-4 with a 2.51 ERA.
“Weigel was good,” Kelly said. “He had all four pitches working. He was very impressive. We had a report on him that if you got him into the stretch he was not very good. We just didn’t get him in the stretch too many times.”
In his last start on Sept. 1 against Biloxi, Weigel was sharp, too. He allowed one unearned run on two hits over 8.1 innings, while striking out four.
Mississippi jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Franco hit a leadoff single to left field. He scored easily from second base when Braves right fielder Connor Lien doubled over the head of Pensacola left fielder Phillip Ervin for a 1-0 lead.
Blue Wahoos leadoff hitter Alex Blandino and No. 3 hitter Sebastian Elizalde got five of the Blue Wahoos six hits Thursday. Blandino was 3-4 with a double, while Elizalde had two singles in four at bats.
In the North Division playoff, the Jackson Generals took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series against the Montgomery Biscuits with a 2-1 victory at home.
No Serious Injuries In Wreck Near Molino Park Elementary School
September 8, 2016
There were no serious injuries in a two vehicle rear-end type crash Thursday morning on Highway 97 in front of Molino Park Elementary School. Both drivers refused transport to the hospital; the accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Report Points To Tight Budget Times Ahead In Florida
September 8, 2016
Lawmakers will face a tight budget during next year’s legislative session and will likely need to take action to head off a shortfall in the near future, a new report suggests.
A draft of the state’s “long-range financial outlook,” set to be considered by a legislative commission next week, raises the prospect that “a structural imbalance” is looming.
For the coming budget year, which begins July 1, the outlook projects a surplus of just $7.5 million — a tiny sliver of the state spending plan, which is now roughly $82 billion. The following year, a budget gap of $1.3 billion could open up, followed by $1.8 billion the year after that.
That could force lawmakers to scale back expected spending or, less likely in a Legislature dominated by Republicans, to boost taxes to pay for budget increases in areas like education and health care. The financial outlook, which is prepared by state economists, is not official until approved by the Joint Legislative Budget Commission, which is made up of House and Senate members.
However, there are conclusions in the report that could change the potential shortfalls, in some cases dramatically. For example, the outlook assumes some increases in spending on areas like education and health care, projecting them to be handled the same as they have been in recent budget years.
It includes a three-year average of tax cuts, which have been popular under Gov. Rick Scott and the GOP legislative leaders, and projects similar decisions in the coming session.
And it accounts for lawmakers setting aside $1 billion each year to deal with unexpected changes in the economy or additional needs that could crop up. No major changes are expected to that policy because lowering the state’s reserves substantially could make it more expensive to issue bonds to pay for construction needs.
Still, legislative leaders admit that the forecast will prompt lawmakers to consider changes to state spending when they begin work on the budget in earnest in March.
“I think it shows that we will have difficult choices to make in the upcoming session, and I think it will force us to make decisions between competing priorities,” incoming Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said.
He said lawmakers who oversee different areas of the state budget will have to take a deep look at whether to continue spending on items approved by previous legislatures.
“We can’t simply reaffirm the priorities of yesterday,” Negron said.
Meanwhile, legislative leaders and Scott are expected to push new priorities. Negron has proposed increasing spending on higher education by $1 billion over the next two years, as well as a plan to use bonds and federal money to boost Everglades restoration.
Incoming House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, has not outlined much in the way of new spending, though he has spoken in the past of overhauling state health-care programs in a way that could save money. Through a spokesman, Corcoran — who currently serves as the House budget chief — declined to comment before the outlook was finalized.
Scott generally unveils his budget proposals in the weeks before the annual legislative session.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee, R-Brandon, said the report didn’t rule out the kind of spending plans proposed by Negron. But doing so would require making offsetting changes elsewhere in the budget.
“I think what that outlook says is that there’s going to have to be some realignment of priorities if additional expenditures of that magnitude are approved,” Lee said.
by The News Service of Florida
Storytime Held Each Week At A Library Branch Near You
September 8, 2016
During Storytime Wednesday at the Molino Branch Library, little readers had a chance to be silly with songs and dancing, two good stories about good manners, played with bubbles and practiced their good manners by sharing bouncy balls.
Storytime — with stories, songs and movement activities designed to build future readers — is held as follows:
Molino Branch
Weekly on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.
(No Winter Break)
Century Branch
Weekly on Thursdays at 4 p.m.
(*Winter Break Dec 12 through Jan 17)
Pensacola Library
Weekly on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.
(*Winter Break Dec 12 through Jan 17)
Southwest Branch
Weekly on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.
(*Winter Break Dec 12 through Jan 17)
Tryon Branch
Mommy & Me: Weekly on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.
Mommy & Me is a lapsit program for babies and their special someone.
Preschool Story Time: Weekly on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
(*Winter Break Dec 12 through Jan 17)
Westside Branch
Weekly on Thursdays at 11:30 a.m.
(No Winter Break)
Pictured: Wednesday’s Storytime at the Molino Branch Library. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ITT Students Urged To Check Out George Stone Technical Center
September 8, 2016
Escambia County School District’s George Stone Technical Center (GSTC) is encouraging students who were enrolled in programs at ITT to consider GSTC as they ask themselves, “What now?”
“We offer programs that lead to certificates that result in students gaining the skills, and earning certifications needed, to work in the student’s desired field, rather than a traditional degree,” said GSTC Principal T.J. Rollins.
“We urge them to take time to consider their employment goals and to come in with their transcripts and meet with one of our counselors and one of our instructors. After working one-on-one, they can determine which of our programs will help them continue to move forward.”
GSTC, for example, offers four programs for those wishing to work with computers:
- Computer Systems & Information Technology (CSIT)
- Cybersecurity, Applied
- Network Support Services (CISCO)
- Network Systems Administration
“We know some feel like this has set them back months. Again, we might be able to help with that concern as well because we have students starting the beginning of every month, so they probably will not have to wait for a spring semester to get started.” Rollins said.
To find out more about programs available at GSTC, go to their web page at www.GeorgeStoneCenter.com. Their online application can be found there as well as links to learn about the variety of Career-to-a-Year programs offered. ITT students with questions about GSTC should call 850-941-6200, ext. 2129.
Let The Music Play: Escambia Academy, Northview Band Photo Gallery
September 8, 2016
For a photo gallery featuring the Northview and Escambia Academy bands from Friday night, click here (including NHS dance team, NJROTC).
For a previous game action gallery click here.
For a previous cheerleader and mini-cheerleader gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
