Two Injured In Pine Forest Road Head-on Collision
September 29, 2021
Two people were reportedly injured in a crash Tuesday afternoon on Pine Forest Road.
The head-on collision happened on Pine Forest Road near Graham Road, just north of the Pine Forest Assembly of God Church, just before 5 p.m.
Both drivers were transported to the hospital by Escambia County EMS with injuries that were not considered life threatening.
The roadway was closed about an hour by the crash.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The Ensley Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Public Schools Foundation Awards $158,566 in Grants to Local Schools
September 29, 2021
The Escambia County Public Schools Foundation has awarded Grants for Excellence totaling $158,566 to 20 local school projects.
The grants are intended to support innovation in the classroom and enhance the quality of education for students.
Jim Allen Elementary School’s Amanda Hall, Rene Johnson, Chip Coleman, Anne Fillingim and Rachel Cooley (pictured above, L-R) hope to score big with a grant-funded project they are calling “NBA ‘22″.
“NBA ‘22 is a catalyst for change in attendance and tardiness rates. An environment of encouragement and accountability will create change for our students and coaches will mentor their teams to victory,” Hall said.
Here is the complete list of Grants for Excellence recipients for the 2021-2022 school year:
Jim Allen Elementary School, Amanda Hall, Chip Coleman, Rene Johnson, Anne, Fillingim, Rachel Cooley
NBA ‘22
Bailey Middle School, Dr. Roberta Wetzel, Rachel Bryans, Mona Rust Michelle Schick, Madison Fowler, Amanda Breaux, Galen Ringo, Grace Bonsall, Sara Ratliff
Brighten Up Your Reading and Writing with Watt Key: An Author’s Visit
Ensley Elementary School, Regina Smolensky
Surf’s Up for Learning
Escambia High School, Kourtney Hayhurst
DNA Gel Electrophoresis
Ferry Pass Elementary School, Cathy Melton, Ginger Maggiore, Paula McAndrews, James Benny, Dorie Nickerson, Jessica Bryan, Bill Waters
Drummers with Dignity
Fine and Performing Arts, Angela Barberi, Tanya Broom, Sarah Kelly, Elerene Walters, Sarah Ingram, Catherine Roberts, Sarah Stubbs, Brandi Zanthos, Jennifer Rodriquez, Lauralee Best, Andrea Cain, Alicia Gifford, Rachel Pongetti
STEM Art Collaborative: The Future is Ours to Make
Gifted Program (3 sites), Cassie Mense
Eat, Sleep, Code: Programming a Passion for Coding
Holm Elementary School, Sabra Kuhlman
Walking through Walls of Learning
Holm Elementary School, Patricia Swanz-Reiners, Linda Sweeting, Taryne Smith, Michelle Ingram, Jojeana Jernigan, Michelle Davison
Mission: Possible with LEGO
Roy Hyatt Environmental Center, Mary O’Connor, Adam Bretschneider
Growing STEM in a Greenhouse
Kingsfield Elementary School, Erica Minchew
Learning with All of Our senses
Media Services, Michelle White
Creating an Oasis of E-Books in Book Deserts
Navy Point Elementary School, Stephanie Gaffney, Jana Arnettt, Ryan Suero, Tanya DeGrucchio, Elizabeth Kennedy, Brittany Turner
Stories in Action
Pensacola High School, Karen Bruening
What Goes Up Must Come Down
Pine Meadow Elementary School, Michelle Williams, Cassi McGee, Patricia Stroud, Kelly Harris, Melissa Broadwater, Courtney Merson
Taking Our Learning to the ExSTREAM
Pine Meadow Elementary School, Vanessa Taylor, Karen Potter, Julie Kendall, Casey Harrison, Amber McCraney, Maxine Mathis
Making Math Count
Booker T. Washington High School, Nancy Barger
How to Care for Your Patients
West Florida High School, Matthew MacGregor
Fish Tank “Pour” No More
West Florida High School, Sarah Ingram
Small Parts Making a Big Difference
West Florida High School, John Dittmar
Teaching the Future “UAVs & CTE”
Grants for Excellence are funded by the Escambia County Public School Foundation and matching grant funds from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations through their School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program. Grants were available for teachers of students in grades K-12. Grants for 2021-2022 were awarded in the priority areas of career/technical education, increasing graduation rates, literacy, low-performing students, STEM education, or teaching quality.
Pictured: (L-R) Jim Allen Elementary School’s Amanda Hall, Rene Johnson, Chip Coleman, Anne Fillingim and Rachel Cooley will use their grant for a project they are calling “NBA ‘22″. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Free-standing ER Opens On Nine Mile Road
September 29, 2021
Tuesday, West Florida Hospital opened its new freestanding emergency care center on Nine Mile Road.
Known as Pine Forest Emergency, it is open 24 hours a day.
Rep. Michelle Salzman and District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry were among those that took part in the ribbon cutting.
The full service facility is located at 3194 West Nine Mile Road, near I-10.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Man Killed In Alabama Wreck
September 28, 2021
An Alabama crash Sunday afternoon claimed the life of a beloved employee of the Ensley Lowe’s store on Nine Mile Road.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Tuesday that 32-year old Ronald Eduardo Rodriguez, Jr. of Pensacola was driving a 2016 Jeep Renegade when it crossed the center line and collided head-on with a 2011 Nissan Sentra driven by 23-year old Alex Christopher Toddof Pace. The crash happened about 6:30 p.m. Sunday on Highway 90 near Elsanor.
Alabama troopers said Rodriquez was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation is continuing.
File photo.
Cantonment Man Charged With Possession of Child Pornography
September 28, 2021
A Cantonment man is facing multiple child pornography counts.
Steven Martin Spurlock, 63, was charged with 10 felony counts of possession of child pornography.
According to an arrest report, the lewd images depicted female children under the age of five.
Two children told a family member that Spurlock frequently showed them child pornography images and videos on his tablet, according to an arrest report, in addition to adults in sexual situations.
Spurlock provided an investigator access to his tablet but said he was uncomfortable with a forensic analyst attempting to recover deleted items, if any. The tablet was seized until a search warrant was obtained. At least 10 thumbnails depicting child pornography were later recovered from the tablet, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Spurlock remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday morning with bond set at $250,000.
ECSO Seeks Man For Stealing Tools From Work Truck
September 28, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a man they say burglarized a company work vehicle in the 8900 block of Pensacola Boulevard, stealing miscellaneous tools.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the ECSO at (850) 436-9620.
Lil Aggie Cheerleaders To Cheer At Friday Night’s Game
September 28, 2021
The annual Lil Aggies Fall Cheer Clinic was held Saturday. The Lil Aggies cheerleaders will cheer during the first quarter of Friday night’s game against Pace.. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Football Team Members Recreate ‘Varsity Blues’ Photo For Homecoming Week
September 28, 2021
In Bratt, Florida, football reigns supreme. Much like the fictional town of West Canaan, Texas, in the 1999 movie Varsity Blues.
And for Northview High School’s homecoming week movie character day, five members of the Chiefs football team recreated an iconic photo from the movie.
Pictured are: (L-R) John Michael Ward, Wyatt Scruggs, Kaden Odom, Luke Bridges and Jamarkus Jefferson.
Northview’s homecoming parade will travel from Bratt Elementary School to Northview beginning at 1 p.m. Friday. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. against the Jay Royals.
Top photo courtesy Varsity Blues/Paramount. Bottom photo courtesy Mandy Griffis for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wendt Family Named The 2021 Santa Rosa Farm Family Of The Year
September 28, 2021
The 2021 Santa Rosa County Farm Family of the Year was awarded to Wendt Family Farm and Nursery, which has three generations of hard workers and over three decades of experience.
The 2021 Farm Family includes Earl and Janet Wendt, parents to William Wendt and Vickie Shiver. William Wendt is married to Joy and they have five children and four grandchildren. The Wendt’s are joined with other family members who also work on their farm, Wayland Nowling and Angela Nowling. The family enjoys participating in the Farm to City program that provides produce for families at Thanksgiving.
Wendt Farm and Nursery, a Santa Rosa County landmark, has been growing wholesome and delicious vegetables for 35 years. It was once located on Chumuckla Highway before urban sprawl encroached upon the farm caused the family to move it 15 miles north into rural Santa Rosa County On the farm, three generations of the Wendt family work side-by-side to produce some of the best locally grown sweet corn, peas, butterbeans, tomatoes, cantaloupe and watermelon, and other fresh produce to area customers both wholesale and retail.
The Wendt’s commitment to provide the best locally products coupled with the desire to better serve their customers resulted in building and opening a seasonal market located on the original farm site, 5191 Chumuckla Highway in Pace.
Growing 50 acres of vegetables in the Florida panhandle is not for the faint of heart, and the Wendt Family has demonstrated their commitment to providing nutritious vegetables regardless of what weather conditions are thrown at them.
Beyond the vegetables grown on the farm, the Wendt Family also operates a two-acre greenhouse nursery where they have provided seasonal color for over three decades to the area. Wendt Farm and Nursery is known for growing Christmas poinsettias, Easter lilies, fall garden mums, and spring flowering plants, but few likely know that they also grow wholesale commercial vegetable transplants that are shipped to commercial vegetable farms all over the region.
The latest endeavor at the nursery is hydroponic lettuce production where they produce the freshest leafy greens available at local retail produce markets.
Blue Wahoos Ink New Lease For Another 10 Years In Pensacola
September 28, 2021
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos plan to stick around and call Pensacola home for the next decade.
The Wahoos have renewed their lease with the City of Pensacola for two five year terms for the Community Maritime Park.
“The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are such an integral part of Community Maritime Park and downtown Pensacola, and I’m thrilled that they have decided to stay in Pensacola for another 10 years,” Mayor Grover Robinson said. “We are so fortunate to have Minor League Baseball here in the City of Pensacola, offering opportunities for residents and visitors of all ages to enjoy a beloved American pastime while experiencing Pensacola’s beautiful waterfront views. I look forward to enjoying many more Wahoos games over the next decade.”
“We are very appreciative to the fans that are so supportive of Blue Wahoos Stadium and our team,” team co-owner Quint Studer said. “What was uninhabitable land not too long ago is now a cornerstone in the revitalization of Pensacola. We’re grateful for the opportunity to continue to provide affordable family-friendly fun in downtown Pensacola for the next decade.”
Entering its 10th season, Blue Wahoos Stadium is widely considered one of the premier facilities in Minor League Baseball. A two-time recipient of Ballpark Digest’s Best Double-A ballpark and four-time winner of the Southern League Ballpark of the Year, Blue Wahoos Stadium has welcomed over 2,500,000 fans through its first nine baseball seasons.