Child Involved In Tuesday 10 Mile Road Crash Passes Away
February 16, 2019
A 7-year old involved in a crash on 10 Mile Road Tuesday afternoon has passed away.
Saturday, the Florida Highway Patrol said Lillian Burdeaux succumbed to her injuries at Sacred Heart Hospital. Her mother, 38-year old Kelsey Burdeaux of Lillian, AL, and sister, 10-year old Elisabeth Burdeaux, were critically injured in the crash.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Kelsey Burdeaux of Lillian, AL, pulled her Toyota Camry from a stop sign on 10 Mile Road into the path of a box truck driven by 36-year old Fredrick Powell of Mobile that was traveling north of Stefani Road.
Powell did not have a stop sign in his direction of travel. He was not injured.
The crash remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. No charges have been filed as the investigation continues.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Charged With Choking His Wife
February 16, 2019
A Cantonment man is facing charges after allegedly attacking his wife.
Cedric Terell Gray, 22, was charged with battery and felony domestic battery by strangulation.
Gray became angry because his wife “was not doing what he told her to do,” according to an arrest report. He allegedly choked her before throwing her to the ground.
Gray told deputies that he was upset at his wife, but denied the accusation of violence. He was released from the Escambia County Jail Friday night.
Northview High Graduate Creamer Completes Basic Training
February 16, 2019
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Tristen Creamer graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Creamer is the son of Tonya Gevedon of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, grandson of Lois Creamer of Century and husband of MacKenzie Creamer of Murfreesboro.
The airman is a 2018 graduate of Northview High School.
Century Tree Giveaway, Tree Planting Mark Tornado Anniversary
February 16, 2019
An Arbor Day Celebration and Tornado Remembrance was held in Century on Friday.
Free live oak, dogwood and maple trees were available. A “Purple Magic” crape myrtle was planted to mark the day in front of the Century Ag Building on West Highway 4.
Friday marked three years since an EF-3 tornado struck Century.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Alabama Man Passes Away From Injuries Received In Motorcycle Crash
February 16, 2019
An Escambia County (AL) man has passed away from injuries he received earlier this month in a motorcycle crash.
Michael Lynn Kite, 52, was critically injured when the 2003 Honda VTX1800 he was riding left the roadway and struck an embankment at 4:08 p.m. on February 3. Kite was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where he died Friday from the injuries he sustained in the crash. The crash occurred on Alabama 41 at the 13.7 mile marker, about four miles north of Brewton.
Further information has not been released as Alabama State Troopers continue their investigation.
Tate Aggies Win District Championship
February 16, 2019
The Tate Aggies defeated Niceville 50-41 for the District District 1-8A championship Friday night in Niceville. It was the first district championship for the Aggies since 2010.
Tate advances to host Tallahassee Chiles in the Region 1-8A quarterfinals Thursday at 7 p.m.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
DeSantis Pursues New School Voucher Program
February 16, 2019
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday he wants to create a new “equal opportunity” voucher program to eliminate a waiting list of about 14,000 low-income students seeking to use state-backed scholarships to attend private schools.
The governor is asking lawmakers to create a “supplement” to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, the state’s largest voucher-type program, which serves nearly 100,000 students but has about 14,000 others stuck on a waiting list.
“Let’s build on the success … and bring this to another level,” DeSantis said at an appearance in Orlando as he outlined the proposed Equal Opportunity Scholarship program.
In control of the governor’s mansion and the Legislature for the past two decades, Republicans have consistently sought to expand taxpayer-funded school choice programs. Former Gov. Jeb Bush, who is a national school-choice leader, was quick Friday to praise DeSantis’ decision to “empower students.”
“I applaud the governor’s leadership and look forward to the future where every hard-working family has the ability to choose a school that works best for their children,” Bush said in a statement.
But critics of having another voucher program in Florida slammed the governor’s decision.
“Let us be clear. Vouchers do not create choice for parents, but rather choice for private schools — they can reject students based on economic status, academic achievement, disabilities, English proficiency, immigration status, sexual orientation or even gender,” said Fedrick C. Ingram, president of the Florida Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union.
Since being sworn into office last month, DeSantis has taken steps that have drawn praise from Democrats, such as proposing a boost in environmental spending and seeking to lift a ban on smoking medical marijuana.
The voucher program announcement means the “honeymoon is over,” said Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo.
“It’s clear that Ron DeSantis intends to govern just as the Republican Party of Florida has governed for decades, by selling out Florida families and children to corporate special interests,” Rizzo said in a statement.
DeSantis told reporters on Friday he was aware of voucher backlash, but he praised the educations provided to low-income and minority students through the programs.
“Some people think we should not have the program, but my thing is, look at the results,” DeSantis said. He pointed to statistics that 70 percent of the students served by the Tax Credit Scholarship Program are Hispanic or black.
DeSantis’ proposal will need approval from the Republican-dominated Legislature during the session that starts March 5.
“We’ll be able to wake up in May and say, ‘Wow, we’re taking big, bold action here in Florida on behalf of our school kids,’ ” he said.
The new program in its first year would make scholarships available to about 14,000 students — roughly the same number on the Tax Credit Scholarship waiting list — and then increase by 1 percent of statewide public-school enrollment each year after that, according to information from DeSantis’ office.
Money for the program would come out of the state’s main public-education funding program. That could spur a legal challenge, as a Bush-backed voucher program was struck down as unconstitutional in 2006 by the Florida Supreme Court.
The Tax Credit Scholarship Program is structured differently, with state tax dollars not going directly to the program. Instead, companies can receive tax credits for contributing money to non-profit organizations that, in turn, fund the scholarships.
DeSantis said he wants the new program to provide vouchers that would be similar in amount to the Tax Credit Scholarship Program.
“But it will provide more resources for families to pick the type of education that makes sense for their children,” he said.
In making the announcement at Calvary City Academy in Orlando, DeSantis was joined onstage by parents who support the scholarship programs.
Shereka Wright, a single mother of two boys, said her children were bullied and not doing well in school before going to a private school.
“I chose private school because Simon and Jayden were struggling so much in their public school last year. They were getting Ds and Fs,” Wright said.
Living paycheck to paycheck, Wright said she applied for a tax credit scholarship but was put on the waiting list. She is making tuition payments to have her kids attend a religious private school but said, “I don’t have the money to keep up with the tuition and the school’s patience can’t last forever.”
“There isn’t enough funding for all the families in Florida who need these scholarships,” Wright said.
by Ann Ceballos, The News Service of Florida
Ernest Ward Students Place In Regional Science Fair
February 16, 2019
Two Ernest Ward Middle School students placed in the 2019 West Panhandle Regional Science and Engineering Fair at the University of West Florida.
They were:
Kelsey Boykin- Chemistry
1st place Overall Junior Division
Dr. B.H. Daughdrill, Special Award ($50 cash and certificate)
Dr. John P. Riehm Memorial Special Award, ($50 cash and certificate)
Society for Science & the Public-Broadcom Foundation Special Award (Certificate, letter of invite to register for 2019 Broadcom Masters national competition, t-shirt)
State Fair Finalists – representing EWMS at Lakeland FL. , March 26-March 29
Boykin’s project “Rainbow of pHacts” compared the pH level of beverages such as cola, milk and apple jucice to determine which was the lowest (most acidic).
Judson Lee – Engineering and Material Sciences
3rd place overal, Junior Division
Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, Special Award ($25 gift card & Certificate)
REMG Aviation, Special Award, ($25 gift card & Certificate)
Lee’s project “Which Shape of Parachute is the Best?”. He hypothesized that a rectangular parachute would descend slower than other shapes. He discovered that a round parachute actually had the slowest descent velocity.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Search Underway For Missing Endangered Teen
February 15, 2019
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing endangered juvenile.
Destiny Nicole Meister, 16, was last seen February 12 at her home on the 1100 block of Conference Road off Old Chemstrand Road. She was last seen wearing a yellow shirt with the words “O-Bay”, black jeans, yellow Vans tennis shoes and carrying a black backpack.
Deputies believe she could now be in the area of Mary Ester.
If you have any information on her whereabouts, call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Cantonment Man Charged With Attack On Mother Of His Child
February 15, 2019
A Cantonment man was arrested after allegedly beating the mother of his child.
Austin James McCastler, 29, was charge with felony aggravated battery causing bodily harm and violation of probation. He remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
The victim told deputies that McCastler beat her with a closed fist, slapped her and knocked her to the ground, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report. The victim suffered a laceration to her nose, bruising and a busted lip. She refused medical treatment.
No children were present at the time of the incident.
The report indicated deputies were unable to get a statement from McCastler.