Weekend Weather
February 4, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. West wind 5 to 15 mph becoming north.
- Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. North wind between 5 and 15 mph.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. North wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. North wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 68. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 62.
- Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 63.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.
- Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 63.
Escambia Extension Offering Free Gardening Programs
February 4, 2012
The Escambia County Extension Service is offering hands-on gardening programs featuring local plants, gardening practices, and highlighting the Escambia County Demonstration Garden.
All sessions are free and will be held at the Escambia County Extension Office, 3740 Stefani Road in Cantonment. Preregistration is required and registration closes three days before each event.
The first session, Pruning Lessons for Backyard Plants, demonstrates pruning techniques for roses, hydrangeas, Indian hawthorn, and other common landscape plants.
Participants will also learn how to save some branches, for air layering, to have new starts of their favorite plants.
Participants can attend either Friday, February 17th, or Saturday, February 18th, from 9:30 until 11:30 a.m. The second session, Propagation by Cutting and Division,
features easy propagation techniques for many ornamental greases, perennials, and the care of plants throughout the remainder of the growing season. Participants can attend either Friday, March 9th, or Saturday, March 10th, from 9:30 until 10:30 a.m.
Participants should dress for outdoor weather, bring water, and may bring a lawn chair if needed.
For more information or to register for a specific day, contact Beth Bolles at bbolles@ufl.edu or by phone at (850) 475-5230.
Five Arrested In Joint Undercover Drug Operation
February 4, 2012
The results of a joint drug operation that ended with the arrest of five people were announced Friday afternoon.
The arrests were made Thursday by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Pensacola Police Department and other agencies. The arrests were the result of a joint drug operation conducted throughout Escambia County, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Additional arrests were made on federal charges; a complete list of those arrested on federal charges has not yet been made available.
The following Escambia County residents were arrested on state drug charges:
- Darryl McCall, 32, was charged with one count of possession of marijuana with intent to sell.
- Shaun Hartsfield, 28, was charged with 2 counts possession of marijuana with intent to sell within 1000 feet of school, worship, or business, two counts of possession of marijuana over 20 grams, one count marijuana trafficking/conspiracy.
- Demarcus Kyles, 23, was charged with one count of cocaine possession with intent to sell within a 1000 feet of school, worship, or business, one count cocaine possession, three counts marijuana possession with intent to sell within 1000 feet of school, worship, or business, four counts possession of marijuana over 20 grams, one count marijuana trafficking/conspiracy.
- David Pickett, 27, was charged with one count possession of marijuana with intent to sell within 1000 feetof school, worship, or business, one count marijuana trafficking/conspiracy, one count possession of marijuana over 20 grams.
- Olabisi Allen, 27, was charged with one count marijuana possession with intent to sell within 1000 feet of school, worship, or business, one count possession of marijuana over 20 grams, one count marijuana trafficking/conspiracy.
Cantonment Man Charged With DUI After Interstate Crash
February 3, 2012
A Cantonment man was charged with DUI after an early Friday morning wreck on I-110 in Pensacola.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 23-year old Dustin Michael Mason was traveling north on I-110 just south of Maxwell Street when he ran his 1995 Chrevrolet S-10 pickup into the rear of a trailer on dump truck driven by 60-year odd Morgan Blackmon, Jr. of Pensacola. He also collided with a 2009 sweeper being operated by 52-year old Jeffrey Hedenberg of Pensacola. The dump truck and sweeper were operating on the west shoulder of the interstate at the time of the crash.
Mason was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries; Blackmon and Hedenberg were not injured.
According to the FHP, Mason was charged with careless driving and DUI with property damage following the 3:29 a.m. wreck.
Ernest Ward Middle School To Be Rebuilt; New $16.5 Million Facility Planned
February 3, 2012
A brand new $16.5 million facility is in the works for Ernest Ward Middle School that could open as early as 2013. The new facility will replace the entire Ernest Ward campus, with the exception of the current gymnasium and football stadium.
The Ernest Ward rebuild is part of a sales tax funding plan to be presented to the Escambia County School Board in February. The plan also includes $21.5 million to rebuild A.K. Suter Elementary School and $5 million for projects at every other school in the district. (Click here to read about the other projects.)
In 2010, the school board approved $480,000 for a new Ernest Ward cafeteria that will also be included in the new school facility.
“Suter and Ernest Ward are the oldest facilities in the county,” Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said. “With the Ernest Ward rebuild, you will have high performing schools with very adequate facilities across the north end of the county.”
The oldest buildings at Ernest Ward, including the main classroom wing, were constructed in 1945.
For a photo gallery from the current EWMS campus, click here.
“It’s about time,” Escambia County School Board District 5 member Bill Slayton said. “The superintendent and I have talked about the need since we were elected. This has been my number one priority once the funding was in place. Since we are using sales tax money, this is a case of money being raised in Escambia County and being put right back into Escambia County.”
Architectural design work on the new Ernest Ward facility will begin after the project gets a final go ahead from the school board in late February. The new school, Thomas said, will be completely state of the art, including smart boards and related electronics in each classroom.
In February 2010, the school board approved $480,000 for a new Ernest Ward cafeteria. Design on the cafeteria is currently underway in such a way that it will be part of the new school campus.
Students will be on site during the construction of the new school; it will be built either in front of or behind the current facility. Once the new building is complete, the current building will be torn down, and portables and modular buildings currently on the campus will be removed.
Most of project work in 2012 will include the design and permitting stages. Construction, Thomas said, will likely be underway by 2013. Students could be attending classes in the new building by the 2013-2014 school year in a best-case scenario, Thomas said, but that could easily be postponed to 2014-2015 by any permitting or construction delays.
“This will be a win-win for the community,” Slayton said. “This will pump millions into the economy and save jobs in Escambia County. It’s long overdue.”
For a photo gallery from the current EWMS campus, click here.
Pictured: Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
$48 Million In Construction Projects Planned; Improvements At Every Escambia School
February 3, 2012
Over$48 million in construction projects are planned for the Escambia County School District. Major rebuild projects are planned for Ernest Ward Middle School and A.K. Suter Elementary.
(Click here to read more about the Ernest Ward $16.5 million project.)
Another $5 million is sales tax funding is expected to be allocated for construction and improvement projects at every other school in the district.
Projects planned for North Escambia area schools include:
- Bratt Elementary will receive $75,000 for general renovations to include casework in classrooms (bookshelves and cabinets)
- Jim Allen Elementary will receive $100,000 for general renovations including the replacement of windows in the cafeteria
- Molino Park Elementary will receive $100,000 for sitework, including a 6-foot wide asphalt walking trail
- Ernest Ward Middle will be rebuilt for $16,500,000.
- Ransom Middle School will receive $90,000 for general renovations including updated video and audio for the cafeteria stage
- Northview High School will receive $100,000 for new construction to include a storage facility
- Tate High School will receive $100,000 for general renovations to include the old gym
- West Florida High School will receive $100,000 for sitework, including additional paved parking
All of the projects are subject to approval by the Escambia County School Board. That approval is expected to come in late February.
Rain Chances All Weekend
February 3, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. East wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming north between 5 and 10 mph.
- Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 66. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. North wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 67.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
- Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65.
- Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.
Pro Ball’s Travis Fryman: Putting Away The Childish Things
February 3, 2012
Travis Fyman appeared to be sitting on top of the world. He has just played in his first American League All-Star Game. He had just met and had his picture taken with the president of the United States. The big money was rolling in for the small town boy in the big leagues with the Detroit Tigers.
“If you met me in 1994, you’d say that this guy is living his dreams,” Fryman told a meeting of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Thursday morning before class at Northview High School. “My life and career at that point in my life were better than my dreams as a kid.”
But appearances can be deceiving and it took Fryman a little more to realize what was wrong amidst all that seemed so right.
As for the picture of him with President George H.W. Bush, that problem was pretty obvious when the glossy photo arrived in the mail. After the All-Star Game, the Secret Service had swept the locker room quickly before President Bush visited and posed for a photo with each player.
“I was in my underwear shaking hands with the president of the United States,” Fryman said, evoking a chuckle from the Northview students. “In all of the excitement, I had forgotten to get dressed.”
What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Matthew 16:26
But there was something much more wrong than the President Bush photo with Fryman’s life.
“I was completely miserable and lost in my life,” he said. “I didn’t enjoy playing baseball; I was never satisfied.”
After watching his parents divorce as a teen, one of Fryman’s top goals in life was a happy marriage. That too was falling apart.
Fryman knew his wife was attending a Bible study group with other baseball wives. What he did not know right away was that she gave her life to Jesus in the parking lot of the Detroit Tigers stadium in 1994, right before major league baseball went on strike and ended the season without a World Series.
“…When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” 1 Cor 13:11
Fryman, who now lives in Molino, knew something was just not right in his life. He and wife Kathleen began going to his childhood church, Olive Baptist in Pensacola. On February 25, 1995, he knew what was missing.
“I took my wife by her hand, and we walked down to the front of the church,” he said. “Boy that was a long walk.”
When asked by the pastor why he had come forward, Fryman said, “I’m ready to put away childish things and become the man God wants me to be.”
It turned out, however, that there were still realizations to come for Fryman.
The first game of the 1995 season was against the Seattle Mariners in the King Dome. The normally strong hitter had struck out three times. He was up to bat a fourth time. “The drunks over third base were taunting me, pushing for a fourth strike out.” A bad hit and the old Travis Fryman reared its ugly head and he cursed and threw his helmet with enough force to shatter it.
Back at the hotel after perhaps his worst-ever pro game, Fryman unlocked the door with his key card and slipped inside. It was about to be that real life changing moment.
“I fell on my face, and I cried like a baby,” he said. “God, I don’t want to live my life this way.”
“Jesus requires everything from us because he gave everything,” Fryman, who is now the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Indians, told the Northview FCA members. “You can have a lot of fun in this life but you never know joy until you know God.”
Pictured: Travis Fryman addresses the Northview High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes before school began Thursday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Deputy Sentenced To Jail Time
February 3, 2012
An Escambia County deputy was sentenced to jail time Thursday.
Deputy Zachary McArthur was convicted last month of misdemeanor battery after originally being charged with felony battery. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail and one year probation.
If he successfully completes his sentence, his record will be cleared. McArthur remains on unpaid leave from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office as they continue an internal investigation.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, McArthur battered Justin Johnson while he was being detained at the jail. As a result of the incident Johnson received 11 stitches for an injury to his face. The entire incident was captured on video.
Tate High Drama Dept. Presents “Smile” Saturday Night
February 3, 2012
The Tate High School Drama Department will present the musical “Smile” and Saturday evening in their cafetorium at 7:00.
Ticket prices are $10 for reserved sections and $7 for general admission. The musical, written by Marvin Hamlisch and Howard Ashman, tells of the onstage and offstage activities surrounding the California Young American Miss Pageant in 1985.