Tate High Beta Sponsor Stacye Litton Receives National Award
May 24, 2022
Stacye Litton of Tate High School recently achieved national recognition for her work as a National Beta sponsor after being named a 2021-2022 John W. Harris Educator of Excellence.
Named after the organization’s founder, the national award speaks highly of a sponsor’s commitment to celebrating their student’s achievements through National Beta and illustrates their dedication to preparing them to become leaders. To qualify for this award, sponsors must have focused on club growth by achieving National Beta School of Distinction and School of Merit status. They must have committed to leadership and character development by bringing students to National Beta events. They also must have focused on the National Beta motto, “Let Us Lead by Serving Others”, by leading their club to earn a National Beta service hour award.
“It’s been a privilege to be Tate High School’s Beta Club sponsor these past 12 years,” Litton said. “Whether we’re working with Miracle League, Manna Food Bank, or the Escambia Sheriff’s Office Toy Drive, I love seeing the students’ joy in helping the community. We always strive to live out the Beta Club motto ‘Let Us Lead by Serving Others’.”
Only 175 of 20,000 Beta sponsors received the John W. Harris Educator of Excellence award, the highest offered to club sponsors.
Lunar Astronaut Candidates Train at NAS Pensacola
May 24, 2022
Seven NASA astronaut candidates are undergoing flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola as part of a two-year training pipeline to prepare them for participation in the Artemis lunar exploration program.
The NASA Astronaut Candidate Basic Aviation Curriculum (ASCAN BAC) is administered by Training Air Wing Six (TW-6), which is responsible for the training and production of the Naval Flight Officers (NFOs) who serve as navigators, sensor operators, Weapons System Officers, and Electronic Warfare Officers inside naval aviation.
“ASCAN training is only conducted every three to four years and is very condensed compared to Student Naval Flight Officer training,” said TW-6 Ground Training Officer Mr. John Boman, who oversees the ASCAN training at NAS Pensacola. “ASCANs are in class up to 12 hours per day, or they are scheduled for two flight events per day.”
The ASCAN BAC is designed for candidates without prior military aviation training. It aims to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to safely aviate, navigate, and communicate in preparation for follow-on training and responsibilities as NASA flight crew.
“Given the mental aptitude of these individuals, our instructors are able to introduce and practice procedures and skill sets at a quicker pace, which allows us to meet NASA specified training timelines. They have been a pleasure to work with, and knowing that TW-6 helps to put them into space is very rewarding,” said Mr. Boman.
The class includes United States candidates Christina Birch, Andre Douglas, Deniz Burnham, Christopher Williams, and Anil Menon, who were chosen from a field of more than 12,000 applicants, as well as international candidates Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammad Al Mulla of the United Arab Emirates.
Upon arrival at NAS Pensacola, the ASCANs underwent a one-week Aviation Physiology and Aircrew Water Survival training conducted by the Naval Survival Training Institute. They then began the 10-week ASCAN BAC, which is divided into two stages, familiarization and instrument navigation.
The familiarization stage is comprised of ground school, four simulator events, and five flight events in the T-6A Texan II turboprop trainer aircraft. The instrument navigation stage is comprised of ground school, six simulator events, and six flight events also flown in the T-6A.
Several of the ASCANs are now completing flight events in the instrument navigation stage.
According to police helicopter pilot Mohammad Al Mulla, Navy Aircrew Water Survival Training was a new challenge despite his 15 years of flight experience.
“It was a really good challenge. I felt like after accomplishing Water Survival I’m more comfortable flying, even offshore. I felt really good after passing. I’m really glad to be here and learning from the Navy,” Al Mulla said.
Dr. Anil Menon, who has served as a flight surgeon for NASA, Space X, and the U.S. Air Force, says he is grateful for the quality of training provided by the Navy.
“I did general aviation and I’ve paid for myself to learn how to fly and learn from instructors, but I’ve never encountered instructors as good as the Navy instructors that I’ve worked with. I’ve just learned that there’s a next level to aviation, so it really opened up a lot of doors for me and I’m grateful for those teachers,” Menon said.
In addition to safe operation of a jet aircraft, ASCANs have four major categories of training including operating and maintaining the International Space Station’s systems, preparing for spacewalks, developing complex robotics skills, and Russian language skills.
Deniz Burnham, who serves as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserves and holds degrees in chemical and mechanical engineering, says as the team nears the end of their training at NAS Pensacola, they look forward to the next challenge.
“We’ll be moving on to the T-38 back in Houston. The T-6 training gave us a good baseline for crew resource management, checklist discipline, procedural recall…this is kind of the foundation to being a value-added team member, and we all look forward to moving on from Pensacola back to Houston,” Burnham said.
The Artemis program aims to put the next man, first woman, and first person of color on the moon in 2024 and to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by the end of the decade. These accomplishments will in turn prepare humanity for the next step of solar exploration: sending humans to Mars.
story by Ensign Lyndsay Ballew
Pictured: NASA astronaut candidates Christina Birch, Andre Douglas, Deniz Burnham, Christopher Williams, Anil Menon, Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammad Al Mulla stand beside a T6-A Texan II at Naval Air Station Pensacola. The astronaut candidates began Basic Aviation Curriculum at Training Air Wing Six in late March as part of a two-year training pipeline in preparation for serving the Artemis space exploration program. Photo by Ensign Lyndsay Ballew for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Get Spring Game Win Over W.S. Neal
May 24, 2022
The Tate Aggies defeated W.S. Neal 31-12 in their Spring Game at Pete Gindl Stadium.
If you are ready for some more Aggie football, you’ll have to wait until August and even longer for action at home. Tate will open the 2022 season August 26 with three straight weeks of road games at Catholic, Pine Forest and Pensacola. The first home game will be September 9 as Tate hosts the Northview Chiefs.
For more Tate spring game photos, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Jennifer Repine, click to enlarge.
‘Angered’ Sheriff Fires Deputy After Man Dies In ECSO Custody
May 23, 2022
Describing himself as “angered’ over body cam footage, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said Monday that he has terminated a newly-hired probationary deputy involved in the death of man in ECSO custody last Friday.
Deputies responded to a call of an individual acting erratic and potentially suffering from a mental health episode at Beverly Parkway and W Street, next to the Victor Randall Stadium at the Brent Athletic Park. He was taken into custody for a mental health evaluation.
The suspect was placed into the floor of the ECSO cruiser head-first where he was monitored by deputies that decided a few minutes later to remove him from the vehicle.
“He stood there for a period of time, but his medical condition deteriorated quickly,” the sheriff said. EMS was called, and the man was placed in a “recovery position” on his side.
“I wish that we would have done things better. I think that we can do better than what we did on Friday afternoon,” Simmons said. “I’m not saying that what I saw was criminal in nature. What I’m saying is that we have a set of standards, and anything that happens below those standards is unacceptable. When I saw the video and I saw some of the interactions that they had, quite frankly it angered me. This is not what we train our deputies to do; this is not the expectation that I have for our deputies.”
“This level will be adhered to at all times,” he continued.
“I can’t ignore what I see on our body cameras. I can’t ignore actions that fall below our standards.”
While limited in his comments by the ongoing investigation, he did say those standards involve a level of compassion.
“I think that we have a duty to care for the people that are in our custody or that we engage with,” he said. “I think that there were some things that we could have done. I think the fact that we put him on the floor of the cruiser car and he ended up on his stomach in the floor of the cruiser car, to me, is unacceptable….I think that we could have done better, and I wish that we had done better.”
The sheriff said the man’s cause of death has not yet been determined, and he was not saying that the deputies’ actions led to his death.
Simmons said the body camera footage cannot be released by his department due to an open FDLE investigation.
Any disciplinary action, the sheriff said, against the other two deputies involved in the incident will be determined by the outcome of the concurrent ECSO and FDLE investigation. The names of the deputies involved have not been released.
It is expected to be weeks, or even months, before the investigation is completed.
One Charged With Murder After Highway 29 Circle K Shooting; Victim Identified
May 23, 2022
One person was shot and killed at a convenience store at Highway 29 and West Roberts Road Monday morning during an argument about the victim’s wife.
Sheriff Chip Simmons said 35-year old Charles Tyree Moore is charged with second degree murder for the shooting death of 35-year old Durrell Dupree Palmer. Simmons said there had been “interaction” between the individuals going back two years. He said they had an argument over Palmer’s wife about two weeks ago. She was not involved in the incident Monday morning.
“During a conversation that they had actually at the Circle K ended up escalating and ended up in gunfire,” Simmons said Monday afternoon.
Both men were at the Circle K at Highway 29 and West Roberts Road about 7:30 Monday morning when Moore pulled a handgun and fired four or five shots at Palmer, according to the sheriff. The incident occurred outside the store near the gas pumps at the southern end of the parking lot.
Moore fled the scene, but called the ECSO and told them that he would be stopping and placing the gun in the glovebox of his vehicle. Deputies took him into custody within minutes on Palafox Street at Nine Mile Road.
The sheriff said Moore had no criminal history and held a concealed weapons permit.
According to our news partners at WEAR 3, Palmer was a father, community activist and local business owner involved in the Black Lives Matter efforts in Pensacola.
Pictured above and below: A man was shot and killed at the Circle K at the corner of Highway 29 and West Roberts Road about 7:30 Monday morning. Pictured first below: The suspect was taken into custody minutes later on Palafox Street at Nine Mile Road. Photos by Jason Robbins/WEAR 3 and others for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Plans Show Escambia County’s First Wawa Store May Be Located Beulah
May 23, 2022
Beulah may get the first Wawa location in Escambia County.
Plans have been submitted to the Escambia County Development Review Committee for a 5,550 square foot Wawa store at 5251 West Nine Mile Road, on three acres of an 18-acre parcel on the northeast corner of the intersection with County Road 99.
A conceptual drawing indicates that the store would have not only eight fuel pumps, but also electric vehicle charging stations.
About a month ago, NorthEscambia.com first reported that the popular convenience store chain was looking to expand in Escambia County.
In 2022, Wawa will mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of its first Florida store. The store opened July 18, 2012, in Orlando across from SeaWorld. Since then Wawa has expanded rapidly throughout the state and will open its 250th store in Florida later this year. Today, Wawa employs almost 10,000 associates across the Sunshine State.
The project is in the pre-application process before the Escambia Development Review Committee and would go through several additional steps before any construction could begin.
Ransom Middle School Names Students Of The Month
May 23, 2022
Ransom Middle School recently named their Students of the Month for April. They are Dorian Burt and Jazlyn Beddell. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High Cheerleader Kyndell Ammons Signs With Troy
May 23, 2022
Tate High School senior Kyndell Ammons has signed with Troy University. Ammons was a member of both of Tate’s state championship cheer teams. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jif Peanut Butter Products Recalled Over Potential Salmonella Contamination
May 23, 2022
The Escambia County Extension Service is encouraging local residents to check their pantry for Jif Peanut Butter product to see if they are recalled.
The Food and Drug Administration said Salmonella infections have been linked to multiple Jif peanut butter products produced at the J.M. Smucker Company facility in Lexington, Kentucky. These products were sold in Escambia County and across the nation.
J.M. Smucker Company has voluntarily recalled certain Jif brand peanut butter products that have the lot code numbers between 1274425 – 2140425, only if the first seven digits end with 425. The lot numbers are located alongside the best-if-used-by date.
Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve any recalled Jif brand peanut butter that have the lot numbers. This product has a two-year shelf life so consumers should check any Jif peanut butter in their home, according to the FDA.
The recalled products include not only regular Jif peanut butter, but also multiple varieties of Jif branded peanut butters.
If consumers have products matching the above description in their possession, they should dispose of it immediately, according to the FDA.
The FDA recommends that if you have used the recalled Jif brand peanut butter, you should wash and sanitize surfaces and utensils that could have touched the peanut butter. If you or someone in your household ate this peanut butter and have symptoms of salmonellosis, contact your healthcare provider. Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Jay Lady Royals Get Big Sendoff To 1A Softball Final Four
May 23, 2022
The Jay Lady Royals got a big sendoff Sunday afternoon as they headed to Clermont for the FHSAA 1A softball final four at Legends Way Ball Fields.
The Lady Royals (20-5)will take on Liberty County (17-13) Tuesday at noon EDT in the state semifinal. The winner moves on to face either Dixie County or Fort White on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. EDT.
Where: Legends Way Ball Fields (Clermont)
Host: PFX Athletics
Admission: $9 per day if purchased in advance via GoFan, and $12 if purchased day of
Parking: $10.00 for cars/$25.00 for busses (proceeds retained by host organization)
Facility: field layout and parking map
Schedule: click here
Webcast: NFHS Network
Championship lodging: click here
