Rodney Story Named Beulah Academy Of Science Middle School Teacher Of Year
November 4, 2017
Coach Rodney Story has been named the Beulah Academy of Science Middle School Teacher of the Year. Has has been with the school since 2006 as a physical education teacher and basketball coach. He is also assistant baseball coach at Pine Forest High School. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Academy Crushes Cornerstone In Round One (With Gallery)
November 4, 2017
The Escambia Academy Cougars crushed Cornerstone Christian 55-0 in the first round of the AISA playoffs Friday night in Canoe, AL.
Junior quarterback Jabe Dawe ran for two touchdowns for the Cougars while getting 150 plus yards in the air. Fred Flavors recorded touchdown runs of 50 and 46 yards, while MJ Jones and Neikel Robinson returned interceptions for Cougar touchdowns. Chase Bell also had a 16-yard touchdown for Escambia Academy in the fourth quarter.
The No. 4 Escambia Academy Cougars (10-1) will be on the road next Friday night at Macon East (10-1) in Cecil, AL, the AISA semi-finals. No. 6 Macon East is coming off a 38-34 win over Clarke Prep.
Photos by Ditto Gorme for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Time Change: Fall Back, Replace Smoke Alarm Batteries
November 4, 2017
Don’t forget to “fall back” and set your clocks back one hour night before heading off to bed Saturday night as daylight savings time comes to an end.
Escambia Fire Rescue is also reminding residents that it’s time to make another potentially lifesaving change — replace the batteries in your smoke alarm.
“Most home fire fatalities occur overnight when most families are sleeping,” according to Escambia Fire Rescue. “Changing the batteries in your smoke alarms and performing other maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce home fire deaths. Children and senior citizens are most at risk and a working smoke alarm can give the extra seconds needed to get out safely.”
In addition to checking smoke alarms, residents should plan “two ways out” and practice escape routes with the entire family. Families should also prepare a fire safety kit that includes working flashlights and fresh batteries.
Each year more than 3,000 people lose their lives in residential fires. The majority of these deaths are a result of unattended cooking. It is strongly recommended that someone always be present when cooking on top of the stove and that smoke alarms be located properly and in working order. Test the smoke alarm monthly and change the batteries at least every six months.
For more information about fire safety, Escambia County Fire Rescue at 475-5530 or visit www.myescambia.com. For information about obtaining a home smoke alarm call 850-595-HERO (4376).
Escambia Man Convicted Of Vehicular Homicide
November 4, 2017
A man who drove his truck into a home on East Mallory Street and killed a woman who was sitting in the living room has been found guilty of vehicular homicide.
It took the jury about three hours to return the verdict against 31-year old John Dye.
The incident occurred around 6:40 p.m. May 3, 2015. Donna Sue Alexander, 52, of Pensacola was sitting in her living room in the 1600 block of East Mallory Street when a Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck driven by Dye crashed into the house. d Alexander died at the scene.
Lawrence said Dye was northbound on 17th Avenue when the truck left the road, struck the house and entered the living room. The investigation determined Dye was intoxicated from “huffing” Endust electronics cleaner. A chemical in the duster may cause loss of consciousness, loss of control, grogginess, and an overall dazed appearance, according to police.
Friday Night Football Finals
November 4, 2017
Here are Friday night finals from across the area:
FLORIDA
Northview 53 Snook Christian 38
Tate 57, Smith Station 13
Jay 51, Lighthouse 14
West Florida 42, Washington 0
Escambia 31, Pensacola 0
Pine Forest 38, Milton 7
Navarre 42, Niceville 20
Gulf Breeze 48, Gadsden County 6
Pace 54, Catholic 24
ALABAMA
Escambia Academy 55, Cornerstone Christian 0
Faith Academy 21, Escambia County 20
W.S. Neal 27, T.R. Miller 17
Luverne 22, Flomaton 20
Escambia County Escaped Inmate Captured
November 3, 2017
An escaped prisoner from an Escambia County Road Prison has been captured.
Philip James Hammac, 44, was taken into custody Friday afternoon. Hammac was found hiding in the bed of a pickup truck in the Frito-Lay parking lot on McLemore Street.
Hammac ran about 10:30 a.m. while the work crew and supervisors were picking up supplies from the county’s storage yard in Ellyson Industrial Park. Deputies and K-9 teams from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the road prison are searched the area.
Ferry Pass Middle and Ferry Pace Elementary schools were place on lockdown as a precaution.
Anyone that sees Hammac or knows his whereabouts should dial 911.
Hammoc has not been sentenced and was being held on charges of burglary, larceny and possession of methamphetamines. He had been at the Escambia County Road Prison since October 16.
IP Awards $100K In Grants To Local Schools, Community Groups
November 3, 2017
International Paper Pensacola Mill has awarded $100,000 in foundation grants to local community organizations.
“We are privileged to be able to assist our local community organizations in their efforts to make a difference in the lives of the residents and children of Northwest Florida,” said Whitney Fike, communications manager. “Their efforts serve to strengthen our community.”
Local community organizations and their projects that were awarded grants for 2017 are:
- AMI Kids Pensacola, “Student Care Initiative”
- Autism Pensacola, “Summer Learning Lab and Kids for Camp”
- Ballet Pensacola, “Discover Dance”
- Camshire Meadows Homeowners Association, Inc., “Camshire Meadows Playground”
- Cantonment Improvement Committee, “Cantonment Community Outreach Festival”
- Children’s Home Society of Florida, “Tech for Success at C.A. Weis Elementary Community Partnership School”
- Council on Aging of West Florida, “Foster Grandparents for Forests”
- Creative Learning Academy “Early Years Literary Implementation and Improvement”
- Ernest Ward Middle, “Nut Tree Project” and “Outdoor Classroom”
- Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, “Literacy Grants for Excellence”
- Every Child a Reader in Escambia, “Books for the Break”
- Greater First Baptist Church, “Community Literacy Mentoring and Tutoring Program”
- Greater Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Inc., “5th Grade Concerts”
- Gulf Coast Kids House, “Medical Equipment for Assessing Child Victims of Abuse”
- Independence for the Blind, “SOAR to Fitness”
- Jim Allen Elementary School, “EGGStraordinary Readers”
- Junior Achievement of Northwest Florida, “Jr. Achievement in Escambia County”
- Manna Food Bank, “Healthy Kids Initiative”
- Milk and Honey Outreach Ministries, “Literacy and Language”
- My Brothers and Sisters, “Women in Transition”
- Myrtle Grove Elementary, “Learning Literacy Growing Gardens” and MobyMax: Find and Fix Learning Gaps”
- Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center “Environmental Education”
- Okaloosa County 4-H Association, “Garden to Plate: A 4-H School and Community Garden Project”
- Partnership for Community Programs “Bay Day 2018”
- Partnership for a Healthy Community, “Let’s Wiggle, Santa Rosa”
- Pensacola Mess Hall “How do you Measure a Song?”
- Pensacola State College Foundation, Inc., “Family Literacy Program”
- Pensacola United Methodist Community Ministries, “Healthy Meals Refrigerator/Freezer”
- Pensacola Promise Chain Reaction “Chain Reaction Service Learning”
- Quintette Community Park Association “Senior Citizen and Youth Programs”
- Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Florida, “Home for Dinner Program”
- Sacred Heart Foundation, “Virtual Reality Goggles”
- Studer Community Institute, “Brain Bags”
- The Global Corner “The Global Corner Visits Argentina: An Activity Book for Young Explorers”
- The HER Foundation, “Faith Garden”
- University of West Florida Foundation, “Emerald Coast B.E.S.T. Robotics Hub,” “Invitational Summer Institute for the National Writing Project,” and “UWF Community Garden”
Grants are awarded by the IP Foundation in Memphis, Tenn., which focuses on signature causes education, hunger, health and wellness, and disaster relief.
Pictured top: IP grant recipients. Pictured top photo below: Virkeisha Palmer, Ernest Ward Middle School assistant principal, Sherri Stallworth, Ernest Ward Middle School librarian, and Cindy Wilson, Ernest Ward Middle School agriculture teacher, accept two grants from Scott Taylor, manager, International Paper Pensacola mill for projects Nut Tree project and Outdoor Classroom. Middle photo below: Rachel Watts, principal, Jim Allen Elementary accepts a grant from Scott Taylor, manager, International Paper Pensacola mill for the project, EGGStraordinary Readers. Bottom photo: Quintette Community Park Association members accept a grant from Scott Taylor, manager, International Paper Pensacola mill for the project Senior Citizen and Youth Programs. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Spring-Like Forecast
November 3, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Areas of fog after 2am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 59. Calm wind.
Saturday: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Patchy fog after 10pm. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 60. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 81. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 61. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 77.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 71.
Sheriff, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser Return $1 Million To County
November 3, 2017
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan, Tax Collector Scott Lunsford and Property Appraiser Christ Jones have returned over $1 million to the Escambia County Commission.
Morgan’s office returned $243,562.95; Lunsford returned $554,935.17 and Jones returned $241,588.59.
The funds come from fees generated by the offices for fiscal year 2016 –2017 in excess of budget amounts. The unused fees are then returned to the commission as the local taxing authority.
“We work hard to be fiscally responsible with the taxpayers’ money,” Lunsford said. “We are proud to be able to provide the Board of County Commissioners these funds that can be invested in local services that make Escambia County a great place to live.”
These funds are in addition to $914,107.81 returned by Escambia County Clerk and Comptroller Pam Childers, as we previously reported here.
Escambia County ‘Armed Career Criminal’ Gets Federal Prison Time
November 3, 2017
Escambia County resident Donald Anthony Santoriello was sentenced Thursday to federal prison on a weapons charge.
Called a “armed career criminal” by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Santoriello received 200 months as the result of his guilty plea on August 10 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and 24 months consecutive for violating his federal supervised release.
In March 2017, Santoriello was under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for being convicted of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The Probation Office received information that Santoriello was in possession of a firearm, and subsequently law enforcement agents found a firearm in his residence. Santoriello previously had been convicted of crimes dating back to 1987, including first degree robbery, grand theft auto, aggravated assault, and second degree murder.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.