Chiefs Playoff Bound Next Week, Face WFHS Tonight
November 12, 2010
The Northview Chiefs have secured the runner-up spot in District 1-A. Freeport, the only team to beat the Chiefs (8-1, 7-1) this year, took District championship.
In the first round of the playoffs next week, Northview will travel to Blountstown (8-1, 5-0).
Tonight’s it’s Senior Night for the Chiefs as senior football players, cheerleaders and band members are honored. Senior Night festivities will begin at 5:45 before the Chiefs host West Florida High School at 7 p.m. in Bratt.
Pictured: La’Mikal Kyles (#17) gains yardage for the Chiefs last Friday night against Vernon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Millions Of Gallons Of Reclaimed Wastewater Put To Use
November 12, 2010
Millions of gallons of reclaimed water now are flowing from the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s new Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment to Gulf Power, a partnership that company officials said is bringing cleaner air and water to Northwest Florida.
Gulf Power’s Plant Crist has started receiving up to 10 million gallons a day of reclaimed water from ECUA’s new plant through a four-mile pipeline connecting the two facilities in Cantonment. The water is being used for the scrubber system at Plant Crist and for generating electricity.
The scrubber system, which cost $645 million and started operating last December, reduces regulated air emissions from Plant Crist by more than 95 percent. And, because of the partnership, Gulf Power will reduce the amount of water it takes from the Escambia River by about 10 million gallons a day.
“We’re giving this reclaimed water a beneficial use while conserving a valuable natural resource,” said Sandy Sims, Gulf Power Public Affairs manager. “While our scrubber has been providing cleaner electricity for almost a year now, this innovative project shows how partners can work together to benefit our customers and the environment — with cleaner air and water.”
The partnership earned Gulf Power and ECUA a 2010 Sustainable Florida Best Practices Award from the Florida Collins Center for Public Policy.
Gulf Power eventually will use up to 17 million gallons a day of reclaimed water, of which more than 80 percent will be evaporated as part of the scrubber, cooling tower and plant operations.
The new ECUA facility eventually will replace the Main Street Wastewater Plant, which had been discharging up to 20 millions of gallons of effluent daily into Pensacola Bay, and stands in a coastal flood zone, vulnerable to storm surge. The new wastewater treatment plant is a zero discharge facility.
Pictured above and below: The Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
W.D. Childers Bribery Case Headed To Federal Court
November 12, 2010
The case of W.D. Childer’s overturned bribery conviction will now be heard by a federal appeals court.
Childer’s bribery conviction was overturned in a federal appeals court in June, with the judge ruling that testimony that was disallowed in the original trial could have led to a different outcome and that his constitutional rights were violated.
Now, 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals will rehear the case after vacating the decision to reverse his conviction.
Childers, who once served as President of the Florida Senate, was convicted of bribery and accepting unlawful compensation for official acts in connection with a Highway 29 soccer complex scandal in 2002 while he served as an Escambia County Commissioner.
The soccer complex scandal eventually landed four Escambia Commissioners in jail on charges that included Childers, Willie Junior, Terry Smith and Mike Bass. Junior was later found dead under a house, committing suicide the day before he was to be sentenced.
Childers, once known as “The Banty Rooster” for bringing home the bacon for Northwest Florida, was released from state prison on June 17, 2009, having served almost three years of a 42-month sentence on the charges related to the $3.9 million soccer complex purchase. Junior testified that he received a collard green pot full of cash in exchange for his vote to purchase the soccer complex.
Childers was also the first man in Florida jailed for violating the open-meeting portion of the Sunshine Law for a phone call he and Smith made to then Supervisor of Elections Bonnie Jones. Childers served about a month in jail before being released.
Most notably for North Escambia, Childers was the man responsible for the funding to four-lane Highway 29 to the Alabama state line.
Today Is Last Day To Order Smoked Butts, Turkeys
November 12, 2010
Today is the final day to place an order in the Northview High School FFA Alumni Smoked Turkey and Boston Butt Sale, just in time for Thanksgiving. And, the Northview FFA’s Fruit Sale is also underway.
Turkeys And Boston Butts
In the annual fund raiser, you can choose either a seven to nine pound smoked Boston butt or a 10-12 pound smoked turkey for $25 each.
Boston butts will be available for pickup on Thursday or Friday, November 18-19, and the smoked turkeys will be available for pickup on Monday or Tuesday, November 22-23.
Proceeds from the sale will go to benefit the Northview High School FFA Scholarship Fund. The sale is sponsored by Archie’s Catering Smokehouse in Molino. For a printable order form that you can mail to the school with your payment, click here. Orders must be placed by Friday, November 12.
Fruit Sale
The NHS FFA is selling citrus in attractive 2/5 or 4/5 bushel boxes perfect for gift wrapping. The Florida citrus is from RiverBrite in Vero Beach.
Orders must be made by Wednesday, December 1. The delivery date is Tuesday, December 14.
For an order form click here. Order forms and payment can be returned to Northview by mail (the address is on the order form), or dropped off at the school office. Fruits available include red apples, grapefruit, navel oranges, tangelos and Hamlin oranges. Mixed trio half bushels are also available.
For more information, call (850) 327-6681, ext. 248.
Tonight’s Prep Football Schedule
November 12, 2010
Here is a schedule of North Escambia area high school football games for tonight:
Florida
It’s the final night of the regular season in Florida.
- West Florida at Northview (Senior Night 5:45, Kickoff 7 p.m.)
- Jay at Wewahitchka
- Pensacola at Escambia
- Gulf Breeze at Navarre
- Catholic at Milton
Alabama
It’s round two of the playoffs in Alabama.
- Escambia County (Atmore) at Jackson
- T.R. Miller at Trinity Montgomery
Northview Parents Invited To ‘Muffins For Moms’ Or ‘Doughnuts For Dads’
November 12, 2010
Northview High School will be reaching out to parents with “Muffins for Moms” and “Doughnuts for Dads”.
The two programs will allow moms and dads to meet with other parents while receiving information on topics such as learning strategies, student progression, the Parent Portal, Google Docs and much more.
“Muffins for Moms” will be held Thursday, November 18, and “Doughnuts For Dads” will be held Tuesday, November 23. Both events will take place from 8-9 a.m. in the Northview High Media Center.
Parents are asked to RSVP to Dray@escambia.k12.fl.us or (850) 327-6681 ext. 221 by Tuesday, November 16.
Local Students Named To All-State Bands
November 12, 2010
Several North Escambia area students are among 23 selected to a Florida Bandmasters Association’ All-State bands.
Travis Allen of Jay High School on the trombone was selected to the All-State High School Honor Band. Chris Snyder of Tate High on the trumpet was selected to the All-State Symphonic Band, while Jacob Dearrington of Tate on the trumpet was named to the All-State Symphonic Orchestra Winds.
Lindsey Gordon of Tate on the piccolo was named to the All-State Concert Orchestra Winds, and Kirstin Pike of Jay on the clarinet was named to the All-State Middle School Honor Band.
Two Ransom Middle School students, Matthew J. Hardy on the tuba and Robin Hall on the saxophone, were selected for the All-State Middle School Band.
The students will perform January 14 and 15 in Tampa during a series of All-State concerts.
Here is the complete list of Escambia and Santa Rosa county students named to one of the All-State bands:
All-State High School Honor Band
- Stephanie Borg, home school, flute
- Kay Jackson, Milton High, bassoon
- Andria Beasley, Navarre High, B flat clarinet
- Travis Allen, Jay High, trombone
- Charles Hernandez, Milton High, baritone
All-State Symphonic Band
- Michael Tran, Pace High, B flat clarinet
- Tyler Gellos, Pensacola Christian Academy, trumpet
- Chris Snyder, Tate High, trumpet
All-State Concert Band
- Katherine Lirette, Pace High, B flat clarinet
- Nancy Taguiam, Pace High, B flat clarinet
All-State Symphonic Orchestra Winds
- Meghan Dunne, Pace High, piccolo and flute
- Jacob Dearrington, Tate High, trumpet.
All-State Concert Orchestra Winds
- Lindsey Gordon, Tate High, piccolo
- Seth Traylor, Gulf Breeze High, French horn
- Jennifer Waters, Pace High, trombone
All-State Middle School Honor Band
- Kristin Pike, Jay High, clarinet.
- David Shin, Bellview Middle, clarinet
- Brandon Malone, Ferry Pass Middle, tenor saxophone
- Patrick Greene, Hobbs Middle, French horn
All-State Middle School Band
- Hank Landrum, Gulf Breeze Middle, B flat clarinet
- Robin Hall, Ransom Middle, alto saxophone
- Jacob Howard, Beulah Academy of Science, trumpet
- Matthew J. Hardy, Ransom Middle, tuba
Photos: Honoring Our Veterans
November 12, 2010
Veterans were honored across the area Thursday. There were parades in Atmore and Pensacola, and at students lined the fence with hundreds of flags at Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill.
For a Veterans Day photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: The Tate High School AJROTC “Aggie Battalion” marched in the Pensacola Veterans Day Parade. Pictured left: Atmore World War II veteran John Garrard waves during the Atmore Veterans Day Parade Thursday morning. Pictured below: Hundreds of flags placed by the Ernest Ward Middle School SGA line the fence at the school. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Traffic Delays Friday On Highway 97 At Highway 29
November 11, 2010
Motorists can expect traffic delays Friday on Highway 97 near the Highway 29 intersection as crews from Panhandle Grading & Paving continue resurfacing operations. Also on Friday, traffic on Highway 95A may encounter traffic delays as crews perform paving operations in the area.
According to Tanya Branton, public information specialist for the Florida Department of Transportation, law enforcement will be on site to assist with traffic control.
The work is part of a $5.7 million project to resurface 22 miles of Highway 97 from Highway 95A in Molino to the Alabama state line.
Honoring Our Veterans: Pensacola
November 11, 2010
The Tate High School AJROTC “Aggie Battalion” marched in the Pensacola Veterans Day Program this morning. Submitted photos by April Mitchell for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.