Tate Grad Awarded Prestigious Southern Illinois University Scholarship
September 2, 2014
A Tate High School graduate has been named has been named a Southern Illinois University Carbondale Chancellor’s Academic Scholar.
Elizabeth Blalock is the daughter of Robin and Timothy Blalock. A National Honor Society member, Blalock graduated in the top 10 percent of her class and was a 2014 selection for Tate High School’s Hall of Fame. She was a member of the Mu Alpha Theta mathematics honor society, Rho Kappa honor society and her Tatel’s social studies student of the year and senior social sciences award recipient. She was a member of the student council, French club, and cross-country and tennis teams. She plans to major in psychology.
The Chancellor’s Academic Scholarship, SIU’s most prestigious award, is a significant achievement for the students as it covers tuition, fees and room and board for four years.
More than 560 students participated in the Chancellor’s and University Excellence Scholarship interview weekend, vying for the competitive scholarships. Each scholarship is based on information that includes the students’ ACT or SAT scores and the students’ academic credentials submitted at the time of admission along with personal interviews. The applicants also show leadership roles in their community and participate in numerous activities.
The award is renewable for four years, contingent upon the students maintaining a 3.0 or higher GPA.
Feeling Sleepy? FHP Cracking Down On Drowsy Driving
September 2, 2014
Do you fight to keep your eyes open and your head up when you are tired? All too often this scenario is real on Florida’s roadways. To help prevent crashes caused by driver fatigue and to bring awareness to the dangers of drowsy driving, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the Florida Department of Transportation are teaming up with lawmakers and safety advocates this week for Florida’s Drowsy Driving Prevention Week September 1–7 in memory of Ronshay Dugan, who was killed by a drowsy driver in 2008.
“Alert drivers make for safer roads,” says DHSMV Executive Director Terry L. Rhodes. “To help get everyone home safely, the Department reminds motorists never to drive tired.”
FDOT Secretary Ananth Prasad said, “The department recognizes that making our roads safer includes driver responsibility and encourages all motorists not to drive drowsy. Be alert every trip, every time you get behind
“Six years ago, the life of a little girl was tragically taken in a crash that easily could have been prevented,” said state Representative Alan Williams, who sponsored the legislation in 2010. “Drowsy driving can be eliminated by simply planning and making a conscious decision to pull over and rest when you’re tired. I applaud Ronshay’s family for keeping her memory alive and fighting to prevent other senseless deaths.”
Here are some tips to prevent drowsy driving from the Florida Highway Patrol
- Allow plenty of time to get to your final destination.
- Avoid driving at times when you would normally be asleep.
- Drink caffeine. Two cups of coffee can increase alertness for several hours.
- Get a good night’s sleep before you travel.
- Take a break every 100 miles or 2 hours.
- Take a nap—find a safe place to take a 15 to 20-minute nap, if you think you might fall asleep.
- Use the buddy system, switch drivers when needed.
Faulk Graduates From Basic Military Training
September 2, 2014
Air Force Airman Randy Faulk graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Faulk is the son of Volante Henderson of Augusta, Ga., and grandson of Junius McGee of Century.
Wahoos Win Season Finale
September 2, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (29-41, 60-80) took the season finale 4-3 over the Birmingham Barons (31-39, 60-80) at Regions Field on Monday afternoon. With the victory, the Blue Wahoos took the season series over the Barons winning eight of 15 games.
The Blue Wahoos got a spot start from RHP Drew Hayes in the season finale. RHP Michael Lorenzen was originally scheduled to pitch, but had reached his innings limit for the season. Hayes tossed 4.0 superb innings for the Wahoos and struck out four batters. He did allow one run on four hits.
The Barons got on the board in the fourth inning off a Rangel Ravelo RBI triple that scored Tim Anderson all the way from first base. The Wahoos kept the Barons lead to just one when Kyle Waldrop threw Ravelo out at home trying to score on a sacrifice fly to right field.
The Blue Wahoos countered in the top of the sixth when Seth Mejias-Brean scored Travis Mattair on an infield single to the left side. Mejias-Brean hustled down the line and just beat out the throw from Barons’ third baseman Chris Curley.
The Barons re-took the lead in the seventh on a single from Michael Earley off Wahoos’ reliever James Walczak, which scored Joey DeMichele from second base. Birmingham’s Nelvin Fuentes could not coax a shutdown inning as Mattair hit a two-out RBI single to score Brodie Greene, who had stolen second earlier in the inning. The Wahoos then loaded the bases on Fuentes and veteran Ray Chang came up with the big hit, scorching a base hit past the third baseman Curley. Mattair and Mejias-Brean both came home to score to give the Blue Wahoos a 4-2 lead.
RHP Shane Dyer earned his franchise leading 22nd save of the season for the Wahoos in the ninth. He did allow a run in the inning, but struck out Anderson to end the game. RHP James Walczak earned his sixth win of the season and Fuentes took the loss for the Barons. This is the first time in Blue Wahoos’ history that the team won on the season’s final day.
by Tommy Thrall
Celebrating 100 Years: Extension’s Role In The Community
September 1, 2014
For 100 years, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension program has been enhancing and sustaining the quality of life by making university research accessible to the public.
UF/IFAS Extension is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences. UF/IFAS has a reputation for excellence in teaching and research on the university campus, which is extended into every community in the state through county extension offices. The local branch of UF/IFAS is typically referred to as “extension,” with “extension agents” tasked with carrying out educational programs.
Since inception, the Escambia County extension agents have translated research from the UF campus into useful instruction for members of the community, taking a highly engaging approach to learning. For example, natural resource agents lead clientele in kayaking trips over seagrass beds to teach them about coastal ecology, while the agriculture agent hosts a biannual farm tour for elected officials. Horticulture agents teach physically and intellectually challenged youth to grow vegetables in a wheelchair accessible garden, while 4-H youth learn legislative procedure at mock sessions in the state capital.
Customer service surveys performed in 2012 indicated 96% of residents who used Escambia County Extension were satisfied with their experience, and 90% of walk-in clientele said the information they received answered their questions or solved their problem.
Annually, Escambia County Extension agents train over 700 volunteers to further the reach of our educational efforts, with a total contribution (in 2012) of 54,035 hours valued at $983,437. Individuals in classes and workshops return to Extension time after time, due to the agents’ ability to utilize relationships with UF and local community members to provide targeted, science-based information through creative teaching methods.
ll of these efforts promote the advancement of agriculture, natural resources and sustainable economic development in Escambia County. Program area advisory committees, comprised of local citizens, assure that programs meet community needs.
Pictured top: Escambia County Extension Agent Carrie Stevenson and 4-H caretaker Ellis Miller blow out the candles on a 100th birthday cake for Escambia Extension. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Developer Plans New Dollar General For Cantonment
September 1, 2014
Plans are currently in the works for a new Dollar General store in Cantonment.
Teramore Development, LLC, of Thomasville, GA, is planning the 9,288 square foot store on a 2.28 acre lot on the northeast corner of the Highway 29 and Neal Road intersection. The lot has been home to various thrift stores for several years.
According plans filed with Escambia County, the new store would not have any vehicular access directly to Highway 29; all driveways would connect to Neal Road. Plans call for the lot to contain 31 parking spaces.
The plans have been presented to the Escambia County Development Review Committee during a pre-application meeting and will be presented for final approval on September 3. The DRC has not made any ruling or recommendations on the store.
The development company previously submitted an initial development review application for a store to be located about one mile away on a 1.03 acre lot at Highway 29 and Woodland Street; however, no additional applications or permits have been pursued for that location.
GED Classes Offered Beginning This Week In Molino
September 1, 2014
GED classes will resume Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at the Molino Community Center. Classes will be on Monday and Thursday evenings in Room 124.
New students can take the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) on for free on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Molino Community Center for students age 18 and over. A photo identification is required for the test. Students under 18 need to get a special waiver obtainable only at the George Stone Technical Center (call 941-6200).
Students may also register online by clicking here.
For more information, call George Stone at (850) 941-6200.
Scott To Pitch New Round Of Tax Cuts As Tag Fees Drop
September 1, 2014
A rollback in vehicle-registration fees, the key part of a $500 million package of tax and fee cuts approved this spring, kicks in Monday as Gov. Rick Scott starts to campaign for a new round of tax cuts.
The election-year reduction in vehicle-registration fees (SB 156), one of two new laws going into effect Monday, is expected to save motorists $17 to $25 a year depending on the size of the vehicles.
The other new law (SB 242) is intended to keep people from stealing the identities of children. The Keeping I.D. Safe (KIDS) Act, backed by Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, would allow parents or guardians to open a file in their child’s name with a major consumer credit bureau and then immediately put a freeze on the account.
However, the reduction in vehicle-registration fees will be the law highlighted over the next two weeks as Scott goes out on his latest campaign tour, this time hop-scotching the state with a pledge to cut $1 billion in taxes over the next two years.
At each stop, Scott will maintain support for a number of sales-tax shopping holidays, along with touting plans to cut the communications-services tax imposed on cable and phone services, eliminate a manufacturing sales tax, phase out both the corporate income tax and a sales tax on commercial leases and enact a constitutional amendment that would prevent residential property taxes from being increased when home values don’t go up.
Little information was immediately available Friday about how each cut could impact the state budget or local government revenues. The planned tax-cut tour follows similar campaign runs in which Scott has pledged to maintain or increase funding for transportation, the environment and schools.
During the tour, scheduled to touch down in 28 cities, Scott will also play up that the vehicle-registration fees were raised as part of a 2009 law signed by Democratic gubernatorial challenger Charlie Crist, then the Republican governor.
Crist’s campaign sent out a release seeking to re-label Scott’s campaign stops as the “empty promises tax tour.”
Scott considered the vehicle-registration fee reduction one of his “critical” priorities during the spring legislative session.
The cut to vehicle-registration fees is expected to trim state revenue by $309.1 million during the current 2014-15 fiscal year and $394.6 million in later years, when the cuts will be in effect for a full 12 months.
The vehicle fee change was included as part of the wide-ranging, $500 million “patchwork of awesomeness” tax package, so named by one of its chief architects, House Finance & Tax Chairman Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne. Among the items in the package were sales-tax holidays, a reduction in the insurance premium tax on bail-bond premiums, and the permanent elimination of sales taxes on college meal plans, therapeutic pet foods, child car seats and bicycle helmets for kids.
The Sept. 1 effective date for the vehicle registration-fee rollback was set to ensure the change could be implemented smoothly, said Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles spokesman John Lucas.
“With the amount of work that’s required to reduce fees and enter it into our system for more than 14 million vehicles that are affected by this fee reduction, it took some time,” Lucas said. “So, we thought September 1 would be a good target date to start from.”
Scott has made cutting taxes and fees a major focus of his administration and his re-election campaign.
The Republican first pledged to eliminate the state’s corporate income tax when he ran in 2010, along with calling for a $1.4 billion property-tax cut as part of a sweeping economic plan he said would not reduce school funding.
Efforts to cut taxes on commercial leases and the communications-services tax have stalled in the Legislature in recent years.
And Scott in 2013 requested a permanent tax cut for manufacturing machinery. Instead he had to wait until the final week of the legislative session before getting lawmakers to include a three-year temporary cut as part of a larger economic-incentives package.
During the campaign, he has repeatedly hammered Crist on tax issues. Increasing vehicle-registration fees was among a number of tax and fee measures that the Republican-dominated Legislature approved in 2009 as the state grappled with a budget shortfall that stemmed from the economic recession.
Other increases in 2009 included a hike in late-payment fees on driver’s license renewals, from $1 to $15. Also, the cost of an original driver’s license went from $27 to $48, first-time registrations of cars went from $100 to $225, and cigarette taxes were increased by $1 a pack.
As part of the upcoming tour, Scott will call for “eliminating more of Charlie Crist’s tax and fee increases,” including the hike on first-time car registrations, according to information released Friday by his campaign.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Wahoos Win Close Contest 2-1 Over Birmingham Barons
September 1, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (28-41, 59-80) defeated the Birmingham Barons (31-38, 60-79) 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at Regions Field. The Blue Wahoos pitched spectacularly well, allowing just one run and striking out 12 batters in total.
The story of the game was RHP Robert Stephenson’s stellar outing for the Blue Wahoos. Stephenson pitched 7.0 innings of one-run ball against Birmingham, notching his seventh win of the season. The righty struck out nine batters in the contest, two off his season-high of 11. Stephenson struck out five batters swinging and four were caught looking. He retired the 11 of the final 12 batters he faced from the fourth through the seventh inning. Stephenson’s 140 strikeouts lead the Southern League and are a Blue Wahoos team record.
The Barons got a run off of Stephenson in the bottom of the first to take a quick 1-0 lead. Rangel Ravelo scored Tim Anderson on a sacrifice fly to deep center field, but the Barons would strand a runner on third base to end the inning.
The Wahoos took the lead from the Barons in the top of the fourth inning. Kyle Waldrop launched his eighth home run of the year to the right field bleachers to tie the contest at one. In the following at-bat, Travis Mattair hit a ground rule double into the Wahoos bullpen. Mattair moved over on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning.
The Wahoos took that same 2-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning and the Barons first two batters of the inning reached base against RHP Shane Dyer. Joey DeMichele put down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position with just one out in the inning. Chris Curley came off the bench to pinch-hit and laced the first pitch he saw right at Seth Mejias-Brean who snagged the ball out of the air for out number two. Dyer coaxed a ground ball down the third base line and Mejias-Brean fired a bullet to Mattair at first base to end the game. It was Dyer’s franchise leading 21st save of the season, which is also good for second in the Southern League.
RHP Terance Marin pitched incredibly well for the Barons in his second Double-A start of the season, but still took the loss. Marin struck out nine batters over 7.2 innings and he allowed two runs on eight hits.
The Blue Wahoos final game of the season begins at 12:30 p.m. at Regions. RHP Michael Lorenzen (4-6, 3.13) will make his final start of the season for the Wahoos. RHP Myles Jaye (4-12, 5.54) is scheduled to start for the Barons.
by Tommy Thrall
Semper Fi Charity Run Is Saturday
September 1, 2014
The Marine Corps Aviation Association announced the date for the 31st annual Semper Fi Charity Run/Walk. The Semper Fi run will be held on Naval Air Station Pensacola. The Race will start near Radford Gymnasium and feature a scenic route throughout the Naval Base. The race is a USATF sanctioned event. Post race events including food, drink, and music, will be held on base at the finish line.
The Semper Fi Charity Run race participants may register online or with a mail-in form. Both forms are available at www.semperficharityrun.org/registration.html. Registration rates are $30 per runner until September 6th. Prices go up to $35 on race day.
The Semper Fi Charity Run began in 1983 with the goal of helping the families of the 241 American service members killed in the bombing attack on the Marine barracks in Beirut. Today, the purpose of the race is to give back to the Pensacola community. All proceeds will benefit the local outreach programs: New Horizons of Northwest Florida, Escambia Westgate School, The Miracle League of Pensacola, Gulf Coast Kids House, and the Boys and Girls Club of the Emerald Coast.
In 2013, Marine Corps Aviation Association was able to raise over $35,000 for the local charities.