ECUA Helps Prep Local 4-H Students Headed To Legislative Program
June 22, 2018
Escambia County 4-H students are scheduled to take part in a mock legislative program next week in Tallahassee. In preparation Larry Walker, ECUA District 5 board member, hosted the students Thursday in the ECUA board room to allow the students to practice their legislative skills in a governmental chamber environment.
The training prepared the students for the upcoming 4-H Legislature and gain an understanding of board proceedings similar to legislative committees that happen in organizations in all forms of government and private corporate enterprise.
The local students have participated in an intensive five-part training program, which was directed by 4-H agents and adult volunteers, who contributed their knowledge of parliamentary procedure, research, debating, the art of persuasion, and formal presentation in committee and chamber sessions.
This year’s 4-H Legislature is set for Monday, June 26 through Friday, June 30.
The civic education event allows students to write bills, act as lobbyists, pass the bills through various committees and debate the potential laws on the Capitol House and/or Senate Floor as acting representatives and senators. This exercise provides the 4-H’ers an opportunity to debate issues and experience the legislative process first-hand.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Career Academies, Name Changes In Escambia – Including Northview, Tate
June 22, 2018
There are changes coming to career and technical academies in Escambia County Schools, including a new academy at Tate High School an update to an academy at Northview High School.
Almost two-thirds of middle and high school students in the Escambia County School District enroll in one of the 51 high school or 16 middle school academies.
“We are constantly looking for ways to update the programs we offer to be sure we are doing our best to stay ahead of the upcoming needs of local employers as well as finding programs that will help our students prepare for their future careers,” said Dr. Michelle Taylor, ECSD’s director of Workforce Education. “To do this, we work in partnership with our local business leaders to form advisory councils. These changes are the results of their input as well as our attention to our students’ career and academic interests.”
Three New Workforce Education Academies
Tate High School will be establishing the J.M. Tate High School Agriscience Academy. Agriculture classes have been offered in the past, but now they will be focused into three streams of instruction – Agritechnology, Technical Agriculture Operations and Horticultural Science. Students will strive to achieve industry certifications such as Agricultural Associate Certification, Agricultural Mechanics Specialist Certification, and/or Agritechnology Specialist Certification. Students in the new academy will still have the chance to participate in the Tate FFA program, along with the students in the existing Tate High Veterinary Science Academy.
Pensacola High School will be starting a Culinary Arts Academy to provide rigorous and relevant instruction in academic and technical instruction including opportunities to develop professional skills in the culinary and hospitality career fields. Skills will be acquired for a range of food service careers including chef, restaurant management, nutritionists, food editor/stylists, sales/marketing, food purchasing or catering director, and many more. Academy students will have the chance to earn Industry Certifications in this field of study, to include National ProStart Certificate and Food Safety Manager.
Booker T. Washington High School will now offer a Media Academy for students interested in careers as television production operators, television broadcast technicians, camera operators, and other professional/para-professional technicians, video recording engineers, and audio recording engineers. Television production skills that will be developed will include script writing, lighting, shooting and directing, electronic news gathering, and field production. Industry certification opportunities will include the Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) in Premiere Pro Creative Cloud.
Three ECSD Academies Getting New Names
At Northview High School and Pensacola High School, the Automation and Production Technology Academies will now be branded as Advanced Manufacturing Academies. The course sequence will match the new state curriculum framework and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed for careers in Advanced Manufacturing Technology. Students will gain a foundation of knowledge and experiences in the study of automation technology and its application in the fields of manufacturing, engineering and robotics. Students will also work toward the Industry Certification, Manufacturing Skills Standards Council/Certified Production Technician.
The Booker T. Washington High School Aviation Maintenance Academy is now the Aviation Technology Academy. The new name will better describe the nature of the academy and aligns with local industry needs. Course work starts with a year of Private Pilot Ground School and then moves into three years of Aviation Assembly Technician coursework. Students in the Aviation Technology Academy will have opportunities for work-based learning with local aviation industry partners and will also gain knowledge of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), aviation history and innovations, quality control, aircraft manufacturing processes, and mathematical practices related to the assembly and fabrication of aircraft. They will also gain hands-on experience with aviation tools and materials. The Industry Certification associated with this academy is the Aerospace/Aircraft Assembly (AAA) certification. These high school students will learn foundational aviation maintenance skills that will help prepare them to continue their education at GSTC’s Aviation Maintenance program and earn an Airframe and Powerplant license.
Each of these academies will be affiliated with a Business Advisory Council composed of representatives from businesses and industry leaders who partner with the academies to keep the curriculum current, serve as guest speakers and provide opportunities for work-based learning experiences. Participation in all ECSD career and technical academies include the development of “soft skills” employers in all fields are looking for, such as time management, teamwork, creative problem solving, general employability skills, presentation skills and leadership.
For more information about ECSD Workforce Education options, visit ecsd-fl.schoolloop.com/career.
Pictured: Equipment used in the Advanced Manufacturing Academy at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Purrfect: Adopt An Animal Shelter Cat For Just $20 This Month
June 22, 2018
It’s National Adopt a Shelter Cat Month- the purrfect time of the year to adopt a feline friend from the Escambia County Animal Shelter.
To celebrate, the shelter is offering a special reduced adoption fee of $20 for all cats and kittens for the month of June. Adoption fees include altering of the animal (spay or neutering services), microchip and the initial vaccinations, including rabies vaccinations. Escambia County residents will be required to purchase a license at the time of adoption. This is an additional $11 over the adoption fees and is paid separately.
A few of the cats at the shelter include:
– Scarlet (pictured above) a 3-month old medium hair gray tabby that is nothing but cuteness from ears to her fluffy tail. She’s playful and sweet.
– Apple Sauce (pictured inset) a delightful female tabby that is about 3-years old.
– Violet, pictured below, a a silvery-gray package of pure love. This one year-old female is not only gorgeous, but is incredibly sweet. She loves posing for the camera, and she is most happy snuggling in a lap.
The Escambia County Animal Shelter is located at 200 West Fairfield Drive and is open Monday to Friday from noon until 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. For more information, call (850) 595-3075.
Bratt Elementary Collects 53 Pounds Of Pop Tabs For Ronald McDonald House
June 22, 2018
Bratt Elementary School students collected tens of thousands of pop tabs — those little pull tabs off the tops of aluminum drink cans — to benefit the Ronald McDonald House this year.
Between January and the end of May, the school collected 53.6 pounds of pop tabs that were donated Wednesday.
According to the Ronald McDonald House, there are 1,430 tabs per pound — meaning Bratt Elementary’s 53.6 pound donation would contain an estimated 76,000 tabs. Placed end to end, they would stretch over a mile.
The money from recycling the tabs are used by the facility to help pay their water bill.
File photo.
NWE, Century 8U All-Stars Team Up To Advance To State Tournament
June 22, 2018
A combined Northwest Escambia and Century 8U All-Star team placed second in the recent Cal Ripken Baseball District 7 8U tournament. They now advance to the state 8U Tournament next week in Sylacauga, AL. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Found Shot To Death In Escambia County
June 21, 2018
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a murder Wednesday night in the Mayfair area off Mobile Highway.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to Trenton Drive and Edison Drive to find 19-year old Jaquan Berry. He was dead from multiple gunshot woulds.
There have been no arrests in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Accountant Presents Plan To Correct Century Audit Findings
June 21, 2018
Century’s accountant presented a draft “corrective action plan” Wednesday afternoon with details on how the town can correct negative audit findings.
The town’s most recent audit, covering the fiscal year ending in September 2016, found deteriorating financial conditions that could result in a future “financial emergency”, $3.83 million in transferred special revenue funds that must be repaid, $1.4 million in expenditures in violation of state statutes, over $5,000 in a bank account that did not appear on the books and other deficiencies.
The plan outlined by accountant Robert Hudson proposes fixes and changes for each finding.
he audit found the town had borrowed nearly $4 million from a special revenue fund and those funds should be repaid.
Hudson said about $600,000 derived from the local option gas tax was borrowed from the special revenue fund, but those dollars can be reclassified as operating transfers, not a loan, because Florida law allows the funds to be used for “street maintenance”. And about $1.5 million can be reclassified as transfers for certain infrastructure items and vehicles.
As for the nearly $2 million in loans from special revenue, Hudson said the town should start a repayment plan from the general fund, even if just a few hundred dollars per month.
The bank account not included in the general ledger, as found by the audit, was a “clearing account” where daily deposits were deposited into an account and transferred each day, Hudson said. Once the town started receiving credit cards that settlement would not occur for a few days after submission to the bank, leaving a balance in the account.
Hudson’s corrective action plan will be considered during a special council meeting on Monday, June 25 at 4 p.m.
Luis Gomez and Sandra McMurray-Jackson were the only council members present at Wednesday’s workshop. Ann Brooks, Ben Boutwell and Gary Riley did not attend.
Pictured: Century council members Luis Gomez and Sandra McMurray-Jackson listen as accountant Robert Hudson ( far right) presents an audit finding corrective action plan during Century Town Council workshop Wednesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
New Bridge Now Open On North Highway 99 In Oak Grove
June 21, 2018
Traffic has been shifted to a new North Highway 99 bridge over Pine Barren Creek, just north of the Oak Grove Park.
The new bridge with 11-foot travel lanes and nine-foot shoulders was built just west of the existing bridge, which was constructed in 1955. The old bridge will now be dismantled.
The $4.2 million Florida Department of Transportation project is expected to be completed in a few weeks.
Pictured: A new bridge is now open on North Highway 99 in Oak Grove. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
No Injuries In Cantonment Three Vehicle Accident
June 21, 2018
There were no serious injures in a three vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon at Highway 297A and County Road 97 in Cantonment. Everyone involved refused transport to the hospital by Escambia County EMS following the 5:50 p.m. wreck. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
First Day Of Summer Will Be Hot And Humid
June 21, 2018
Here is your official first day of summer forecast for the North Escambia area:
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind 5 to 15 mph.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.