Tate Cheerleaders To Host Lil Aggies Winter Cheer Clinic
January 3, 2019
The Tate High School Cheerleaders will host the first ever Lil Aggies Winter Cheer Clinic on Friday, January 11 at 4:30 p.m. in the school gym for grades K-8. Immediately following the clinic, the Lil Aggies will join theTate Varsity Cheerleaders as they cheer on the varsity boys basketball team at 7:30 pm.
The Lil Aggies will cheer the first half of the game, and there will be a special performance at halftime.
Each Lil Aggie cheerleader will receive a face tattoo, pizza before the game, and free entry into the basketball game. The cost of this event is $30. Registration forms and payment are due by Tuesday, January 8. Paperwork and payment can be dropped off at Tate High School or given to any Tate varsity cheerleader.
To RSVP and receive an electronic registration form, click here.
December Ends With Seven Residential Fires In Escambia County
January 3, 2019
December ended with seven residential structure fires in Escambia County, including one that resulted in a fatality.
The first fire of the month destroyed a mobile home December 8 on Ivey Street in Century [more...]. The occupant was able to escape without injury.
Ronnie Owens passed away a few days after Christmas night fire n Rentz Avenue in Warrington.
The 2018 “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign ended with seven red bulbs representing each fire, fewer than the past three years. County officials said the decrease was likely due to a combination of a mild December and residents being diligent about practicing fire safety. The 2017 campaign ended with 10 red bulbs, the 2016 campaign ended with 12 red bulbs and the 2015 campaign ended with nine red bulbs.
The “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign is an Escambia County collaborative initiative with the city of Pensacola to promote fire safety during the month of December. Large red wreaths are on display at 23 fire stations and other public locations.
Each time firefighters respond to a residential fire with damage, a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by fires in residential home.
Escambia County Fire Rescue reminds residents to stay safe all year long by following these tips:
- Have a working smoke detector in every room of your home. If your home doesn’t have a working smoke detector, please call Escambia County Fire Rescue at 850-595-HERO (4376) or 850-436-5200 for city of Pensacola residents.
- Close your bedroom door at night when you sleep. In case of fire, a closed door can isolate the fire’s flow, reduce room temperature and keep carbon monoxide levels down.
- Have an escape plan and know two ways out of every room in your home.
- Never leave cooking food unattended. If you must leave the room, turn the stove off first.
- Don’t overload extension cords or wall outlets. Check your electrical cords. If they are cracked or damaged, replace them. Don’t try to repair them.
Pictured: A mobile home fire December 8 was the first Escambia County residential structure fire of December. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Jay Receives $600K Grant For Water Line Replacement
January 3, 2019
The Town of Jay has been awarded a $600,000 grant to replace water lines for 223 residents.
The Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant will replace water lines along McCutchin Drive, Hendricks Circle, Blackmon Drive, a portion of Florida Avenue, Calfee Street, McCurdy Avenue, Clanton Street, Williams Avenue, Robin Street, Mildred Street, a portion of Spring Street, North State Street and Highway 4.
The grant program, administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), help communities fund economic activities, infrastructure improvements and housing rehabilitation.
Cissy Proctor, executive director of DEO, said, “Supporting the economic development of Florida’s small and rural communities is vital to the continued growth of our diverse economy. I am proud of the work we are doing to make these important economic investments that are paving the way for a bright future for many Florida families.”
Report Points To ‘Failures’ In Parkland School Massacre (With Full Report)
January 3, 2019
“Personal and system failures” culminated in the mass shooting that left 14 students and three faculty members dead and 17 people wounded at a Broward County high school, according to a report by a state panel that spent months investigating the Valentine’s Day massacre.
The report, unanimously approved Wednesday by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, blamed the Broward County school system and sheriff’s office for being unprepared and for delays in responding to the volley of bullets from the AR-15 rifle used by confessed killer Nikolas Cruz.
According to the 446-page report, sheriff’s deputies spent several minutes donning bullet-proof vests, while others hid behind cars, as Cruz methodically went from room to room gunning down teachers and teenagers at his former school.
Cruz, who has pleaded not guilty to 17 counts of murder, had a lengthy history of mental-health problems and run-ins with authority figures, including law enforcement and school officials, leading up to the Feb. 14 assault on the Parkland school in an affluent neighborhood in western Broward County.
While “personal and system failures” resulted in the horrific school shooting, “it is important to be mindful that the one true ‘cause’ that resulted in 34 people being shot and/or killed, is Nikolas Cruz,” the preface to the report said.
State lawmakers responded to the mass shooting, which occurred during the 2018 legislative session, by quickly passing a sweeping law that raised from 18 to 21 the age to buy long guns, such as the rifle Cruz legally purchased; banned so-called “bump stocks;” and imposed school-safety requirements and mental-health screenings for students.
The new law also required all schools to have at least one school safety officer and allowed districts to hire armed “guardians” — school personnel whose primary job duties are outside the classroom — to supplement the officers, who are usually deputies.
In its report Wednesday, the state panel recommended that classroom teachers also be allowed to act as armed “guardians,” even though that controversial idea created an impasse before the school-safety measure passed last year.
Allowing specially trained teachers with concealed-weapons licenses to bring guns to classrooms was among the many recommendations offered by the commission, which was created as part of the law. The only commission member to vote against the armed-teacher proposal was Max Schachter, whose 14-year-old son Alex was among the slain students.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, chairman of the commission, defended the proposal.
“This isn’t about ideology. This is about reality, and this is about making sure that we can save kids’ lives,” Gualtieri said.
Cruz reloaded five times during the minutes-long assault at the high school, Gualtieri said.
“Anybody who thinks we’re going to get rid of guns is crazy. We’ve got to do something,” said the sheriff, who at one time opposed allowing teachers to carry weapons but has since reversed his stance.
Teachers should undergo “an absolutely rigorous selection process” and training prior to getting permission to bring guns to schools, Gualtieri said, adding that Floridians “have to be realistic” about the threats schools are facing.
The “best possibility” to reduce the harm to students and faculty is to have someone trained with a gun on campus, he said.
“And that’s school staff,” he said.
The report also encouraged schools and law enforcement agencies to implement “effective response systems and policies, including active assailant training.”
The commission reviewed hours of video and audio from the school and emergency responses to the shooting and heard tearful testimony from parents, students and others during its months-long probe.
“Safety and security accountability is lacking in schools,” the preface to the report said. “There must be a sense of urgency — and there is not, across the board — in enhancing school safety.”
The report found that “school safety in Florida needs to be improved,” a position Gualtieri elaborated on during Wednesday’s news conference.
“The reality of this is that it is going to happen again. The question is where. The question is when,” the sheriff said, urging leaders to consider “what changes have we made to mitigate the harm as quickly as possible.”
The recommendations ranged from broad-based advice about issues such as “harm mitigation” to specific suggestions about items such as locked classroom doors and bulletproof windows.
The report also urged school officials and others to identify potentially dangerous students as young as possible, indicating that early intervention could have prevented the Parkland tragedy. The panel also advised officials to ensure that “mental and behavioral issues are properly addressed.”
“At its core, basic, effective school safety begins with prevention. Prevention strategies not only focus on target hardening, but include early intervention when youth demonstrate indicators that should be immediately and appropriately assessed and addressed,” the report read.
Mother And Her Adult Daughter Shot In Molino; Suspect Arrested
January 2, 2019
A mother and her adult daughter were shot in Molino Tuesday night, and a suspect out on bond for a previous assault was arrested for attempted murder in under two hours.
Deputies arrested 21-year old Justin Demarte Young shortly after the 7:50 p.m. incident in the 1200 block of Barth Road, just east of Highway 29. That’s where they found Aretha Vaughn and her daughter Mea Vaughn suffering from gunshot wounds.
Mea Vaughn was shot on the left side of her face, and Aretha Vaughn was shot in the back and abdomen. The victims were transported to area hospitals by Escambia County EMS.
For a photo gallery from the shooting scene, click here.
Young fled the scene and was taken into custody about 25 miles away in the 7700 block of Kipling Street off East Olive Road. He was charged with two counts of attempted first degree premeditated murder. His bond was set at a quarter of a million dollars. While being transported to the Escambia County Jail, Young denied being at location of the shooting on Tuesday.
Young had been temporarily staying with the Vaughns, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The women told deputies that he just walked in the door and started shooting at them without saying anything.
Another man that lives in the same residence told deputies that he was not at home at the time of the incident, but a day before the shooting Aretha Vaughn had argued with Young over loud rap music with vulgarities he was playing in the presence of underage children.
Young had allegedly moved in with the women after being kicked out of his residence after allegedly pulling a gun. According to an arrest report from that September 20 incident, he allegedly threatened to shoot woman, claiming she was the reason he lost his job. Her child younger son was reportedly in the room at the time.
Young was arrested October 23 and was out of jail on a $10,000 bond awaiting trial on two counts of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence related. He was set to enter a plea in the case on January 2.
For a photo gallery from the shooting scene, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
NextEra Completes Deal To Purchase Gulf Power
January 2, 2019
Gulf Power started 2019 with a new owner.
NextEra Energy Inc., the parent company of Florida Power & Light, announced early Tuesday that it has finished an earlier-announced deal to purchase Gulf Power from the Atlanta-based Southern Company. The deal expands NextEra’s already-large footprint in Florida and is a major change in the Panhandle, where Gulf serves about 450,000 customers in eight counties.
In a statement Tuesday announcing the completion of the sale, NextEra Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Robo praised Gulf Power’s work to restore electricity after Hurricane Michael caused massive damage in October in Northwest Florida.
“The last few months have been among the most challenging periods in Gulf Power’s rich history as the team worked tirelessly to restore power to those impacted by Hurricane Michael,” Robo said. “We couldn’t be more pleased by Gulf Power’s performance and commitment to getting the lights back on during what were extremely dangerous and difficult conditions. As we turn to the future, we look forward to extending to Gulf Power’s customers our best-in-class value proposition of low bills, clean energy, high reliability and outstanding customer service.”
NextEra and Southern Company in May announced a $6.475 billion deal that included NextEra purchasing Gulf Power, the Florida City Gas natural-gas company and ownership interests in two power plants. The parts of the deal involving Florida City Gas and the power plants had already been completed.
In a statement Tuesday, Thomas A. Fanning, chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company, said the deal would bolster his company.
“These sales deliver substantial value to Southern Company and our stockholders,” he said. “By strengthening our financial position and allowing us to fund our business without raising significant additional capital, the value proposition of this deal is clear.”
In the initial May announcement of the deal, NextEra said the $6.475 billion purchase price included assuming about $1.4 billion of Gulf Power debt. It also said the Gulf Power purchase was expected to close during the first half of 2019 — but NextEra and Southern Company issued news releases on New Year’s Day announcing the completion.
Gulf Power is the fourth-largest private electric utility in the state, behind Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric Co. Gulf serves customers in Bay, Escambia, Holmes, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties.
Florida Power & Light, by comparison, has about 5 million customers, with its territory including much of the state’s East Coast, heavily populated South Florida and much of Southwest Florida.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Here Are This Week’s Road Construction Traffic Delays
January 2, 2019
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads and project areas in Escambia County as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
- Crary Road Bridge Replacement - Crary Road will be temporarily closed between Tedder Road and Byrneville Road as crews construct a bridge culvert. Motorists will be detoured via County Road (C.R.) 4 and Byrneville Road.
- Bratt Road Bridge Replacement over Canoe Creek - Bratt Road will continue to be closed near Canoe Creek during construction. Drivers on Bratt Road, west of the bridge, will be detoured to Pine Barren Road and C.R. 4. Drivers east of the bridge will be detoured east on Bratt Road.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to U.S. 90 (Nine Mile Road) – The following traffic impacts will occur Wednesday, Jan. 2 through Saturday, Jan.5. Work requiring lane restrictions will take place from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass: Alternating traffic shifts will direct all traffic onto the westbound or eastbound lanes as crews continue construction of the new northbound bridge deck. Nine Mile Road lane restrictions are Wednesday through Friday.
- U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road: Drainage and paving operations continue. Drivers can expect alternating lane closures Wednesday through Saturday.
- Detroit Boulevard will be closed on the east side of the U.S. 29 intersection from 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4 to 6 a.m. Monday, Jan. 7 as workers widen the intersection. Motorists may use Pittman Avenue and Broad Street as an alternate route. Detour signs and Variable Message Boards are in place to alert drivers about the upcoming work and detour.
- I-10 from Exit 5 to Exit 17- Drivers traveling I-10 from Exit 5 (U.S. 90 alternate exit) to Exit 17 (U.S. 90 Scenic Highway) will encounter alternating and intermittent, east and westbound lane restrictions of the inside and outside lanes from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 6 through Thursday, Jan. 10 as crews perform lighting repairs.
- I-110 (S.R. 8A) from Exit 1A to Exit 6- Motorists will encounter north and southbound, alternating and intermittent lane restriction on I-110 from Exit 1A (Gregory Street) to Exit 6 (I-10 to Davis Highway) from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 6 through Thursday, Jan. 10 as crews perform lighting repairs.
- State Road (S.R.) 752 (East Texar drive) at I-110 (S.R. 8A)- Motorists will encounter east and westbound, outside lane restrictions on S.R. 752 at I-110 from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8 as crews perform lighting repairs.
- S.R. 295 (West Fairfield Drive) at I-110 (S.R. 8A)- Motorists will encounter alternating and intermittent, east and westbound lane restrictions on S.R. 295 at I-110 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Monday, Jan. 7 as crews perform lighting repairs.
- S.R. 296 (Brent Lane) at I-110 (S.R. 8A)- Motorists will encounter alternating and intermittent, east and westbound lane restrictions on S.R. 296 at I-110 from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 7 as crews perform lighting repairs.
- S.R. 750 (Airport Boulevard) at I-110 (S.R. 8A)- Motorists will encounter alternating and intermittent, east and westbound, outside lane restrictions on S.R. 750 at I-110 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 6 as crews perform lighting repairs.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Cantonment Man Charged With Hitting, Biting Pregnant Girlfriend
January 2, 2019
A Cantonment man is facing felony charges after allegedly hitting and biting his pregnant girlfriend.
Shawn Joseph Levy, 38, was charged with aggravated battery on a pregnant victim and kidnapping.
The victim told Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies that she told Levy she wanted to go home to Louisiana to visit her children, but that angered him. He told her to get out, snatched her off a bed, carried her outside, placed her in his vehicle and drove away, according to an arrest report.
While driving, Levy continued to hit his girlfriend, before stopping the vehicle and telling her to get out. He stopped the vehicle, walked to the passenger side and forcibly threw her out of the vehicle, the report states. She said he bit her arm during the altercation.
The victim suffered injuries consistent with her claims, according to deputies.
Levy was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $20,000 bond.
New Year Brings New Laws, Worker’s Comp Changes
January 2, 2019
In addition to a higher minimum wage, a few new laws went into effect in Florida on January 1.
Minimum-wage workers will start earning $8.46 an hour Tuesday, up from $8.25 an hour in 2018 — and more than a dollar above the $7.25 federal minimum wage.
Florida’s minimum wage ticks up each year because of a 2004 constitutional amendment that ties the rate to inflation.
Also, businesses across the state will begin to see lower workers’ compensation insurance rates. Regulators have approved an overall 13.8 percent decrease in workers’ compensation rates for 2019.
The decrease follows a 9.5 average rate reduction in 2018.
The National Council on Compensation Insurance, which files rate proposals for the industry each year, said in an August filing that the decrease is in line with trends in other states.
“Consistent improvement in loss experience is the primary driver underlying the filing. More specifically, the long-term decline in claim frequency has continued to more than offset moderate increases in claim severity,” an overview by the organization known as NCCI said. “This has resulted in continued downward pressure on the overall average rate level need and is consistent with trends across most NCCI states.”
Most laws passed during the 2018 legislative session took effect July 1, October 1 or upon Gov. Rick Scott’s signature. In all, lawmakers sent 195 bills to Scott from the session that ended in March. The governor vetoed two, while signing the rest.
A handful take effect Tuesday, including a measure (HB 1011) that requires homeowners’ insurance policies to make clear that they do not cover flood damage.
“I’ve met many constituents who had no idea that their hurricane coverage did not include protections when their homes flooded,” Sen. Annette Taddeo, D-Miami, said late last year when she introduced the Senate version of the bill. “This is especially problematic in South Florida as we face sea level rise and stronger storm surges from climate change.”
Also this week, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission will hold a conference call to vote on a report that includes findings and recommendations stemming from the Feb. 14 shooting in Broward County that killed 17 people. The commission was created as part of broad legislation approved during the 2018 session after the shooting at the Parkland high school.
The commission will finalize the report Wednesday. It is expected to deal with numerous issues, including the possibility of arming teachers and ways to bolster the security of school buildings.
With the start of the new year, however, much of the attention in state government will focus on next week’s inauguration of Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis. A transition team has been gradually filling out the administration of DeSantis, who will be sworn in January 8.
by The News Service of Florida
School Report Cards: Most Escambia County (AL) Schools Are ‘C’ Rated
January 2, 2019
The Alabama Department of Education has released their annual school report cards, with the statewide grade coming in at a “B”.
Escambia County (AL) received an overall grade of “C”. Every school in Escambia County was ranked at a “C”, except Flomaton Elementary, Flomaton High and Huxford Elementary all receiving a “B”.
- Escambia County overall – 79 C
- Escambia County High School – 70 C
- Escambia County Middle School – 73 C
- Flomaton Elementary School – 87 B
- Flomaton High School – 87 B
- Huxford Elementary School – 82 B
- Pollard-McCall Junior High School – 79 C
- Rachel Patterson Elementary School – 72 C
- W.S. Neal Elementary School – 73 C
- W.S. Neal Middle School – 77 C
- W.S. Neal High School – 77 C
“The 2018 State Accountability report tells us something valuable about a school or school system, but it does not tell us everything about that school or system,” Alabama Superintendent Eric Mackey stated in a prepared release after the release of the grades for the schools and districts. “Based primarily on a particular assessment, it is a snapshot in time. When stacked together year after year, similar to snapshots of your family, these pictures of school academic performance can certainly can be used to monitor academic progress and growth. But when we describe our children, we use more than snapshots; we talk about their personalities, struggles, challenges, aspirations, successes.”
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.