Softball: Double Dingers For Northview; Tate Nips Niceville
April 14, 2018
Northview 12, W.S. Neal 2
The Northview Chiefs run-ruled W.S. Neal Friday in Bratt, 12-2. Tori Herrington and Aubree Love homered for the Chiefs, the first two-home run for the Chiefs in Bratt in recent memory.
Herrington pitched a complete game for the Chiefs in their final home appearance of the season.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The Northiew Chiefs (16-3, 6,-1) will travel to T.R. Miller Tuesday to end their reason season. The district tournament begins April 23 in Chipley.
Tate 3, Niceville 2
The Tate Lady Aggies beat Niceville Friday night 3-2.
Hanna Brown delivered the win on the mound for Tate, tossing a complete game, allowing two runs, four hits and striking out four.
For Tate: Deazia Nickerson 1-4, R; Madisen Nelson 1-2, RBI; Kayliegh Cawthon R; Ryleigh Cawby R.
Tate 4, Niceville 3 (JV)
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Moves To Top District Spot, Northview Loses To Freeport
April 14, 2018
Tate 3, Pace 2
The Tate Aggies moved to the top of District 1-7A Friday night with a 3-2 win over Pace.
Raymond Lafleur earned the victory for the Aggies in six innings, giving up two runs, three hits and striking out 12. Gabe Castro thew one inning in relief, recording the last three outs for the save.
For Tate: Blake Anderson RBI; Reid Halfacre R; Mason Land 1-3, RBI; Hunter McLean RBI.
Freeport 5, Northview 4
Freeport topped the Northview Chiefs 5-4 Friday night.
Tanner Levis pitched 6.1 innings, allowing seven hits, three runs and striking out five. Jackson Moore provided relief allowing one hit and one run.
For Northview: Trevor Singleton R; Moore 2-3, R; Adam Aliff RBI; Seth Kilam 2-3, R; Billy Rolin 1-3; RBI; John Chivington 1-3, R.
The Northview Chiefs will host Pensacola High School Tuesday in Bratt.
Wahoos Fall Short
April 14, 2018
A late rally fell short as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos lost 3-2 Friday night.
After a promising start to the game, the Blue Wahoos offense never quite found its rhythm. The Wahoos collected three hits in the first inning but didn’t get another hit until the sixth.
Randy LeBlanc took the mound for the Lookouts and struggled the find the strike zone right out of the gates. With two outs in the first, Gavin LaValley doubled to right before Gabby Guerrero and Josh VanMeter both drew walks. Aristides Aquino then ripped a single into to left to bring home LaValley, but the Wahoos tried to sneak another run home, but Chris Paul fired a strong throw home to the plate to throw out Guerrero.
Pensacola left the inning feeling cheated they only scored once.
For the Blue Wahoos, Vladimir Gutierrez made his first home start for the Wahoos and once again showed moments of brilliance despite pocketing the loss. A week after allowing a career high in walks, the 23-year old Cuban issued no free passes to the Lookouts over his six innings. Instead, Gutierrez was nicked for three runs after scattering nine hits and striking out four.
Chattanooga broke through in the third inning when Nick Gordon muscled a triple through the teeth of the wind and then scored on Zander Wiel’s RBI single. In the fourth, the Lookouts added two more when they strung together a three-hit rally that included a hit batsman.
With two on, Ryan Walker singled home Brent Rooker before Gordon added the second of his two-hit night to score catcher Brian Navaretto and make it a 3-1 Chattanooga lead.
After the first inning, the Blue Wahoos wouldn’t record another hit until the sixth inning when LaValley singled to right to lead off the inning. A rally never came to be because the next two hitters flew out and grounded into a double-play, respectively.
Pensacola tried to conjure up some late magic in the eighth inning when Shed Long led off the inning with a single. Alfredo Rodriguez then hit into what appeared to be a fielder’s choice, but no Lookouts infielders were covering the bag at second allowing everyone to be safe. LaValley added his third hit of the night to load the bases, setting the stage for Guerrero. Although the Wahoos center fielder didn’t disappoint, the fish were snake bitten again by Lookouts defense again.
Guerrero singled to center scoring Long, but Rodriguez was thrown out by LaMonte Wade at the plate to keep the score line at 3-2. With the tying run still at second, VanMeter struck out to end the threat.
Chattanooga called on Williams Ramirez to finish off the Wahoos, and despite allowing a leadoff single to Aquino, he retired the next three batters in order to give the Lookouts their first win of the season.
Woman Kidnapped During Home Invasion Robbery, Three Charged
April 13, 2018
Three people were arrested in connection with an early Friday morning home invasion an kidnapping off Nine Mile Road.
At 1:33 a.m., the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the 4000 block of Ashland Avenue. The victim told deputies that three white males came into his home, held him at gunpoint, stole his money, kidnapped his girlfriend and fled in a silver Ford Edge.
During the investigation it was determined that his girlfriend’s ex-husband, 40-year old Justin Allen Cook, along with two accomplices, Jonathan Drew Coffey, age 22 of Cantonment, and Joshua Miskimens, age 24 of Cantonment, took the girlfriend to Seminole, AL, where they hid the money and guns on property that belonged one of Coffey’s family members. Cook then drove back to Florida and was spotted by ECSO Deputy Hand in the parking lot of the Circle K at 2205 West Nine Mile Road, according to Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The girlfriend was not injured.
Cook was arrested and charged with robbery home invasion with a firearm, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, grand theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Coffey and Miskimens were also arrested and charged with robbery home invasion with a firearm, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, and grand theft.
Three Apply For Century Town Clerk Position
April 13, 2018
There were three applicants for the position of Century town clerk.
The Century Town Council is expected to discuss the position at their next meeting Monday night.
“The town clerk is the official custodian of all official town records; responsible for the retention and overall management of records in accordance with Florida law. the town clerk records the minutes and actions of the town council and manages all aspects of town elections. work is performed in coordination with the mayor and town council,” according to the job description.
The applicants, in alphabetical order, are:
Kimberly Godwin, Century
- Previous employment experience – Interim town clerk/gas superintendent, Town of Century; gas superintendent, Town of Century; deputy clerk of utilities and communication, Town of Century; secretary specialist for the colonel; Century Correctional Institution; senior citizens services specialist, Town of Century.
- Education – Ernest Ward High School, Walnut Hill.
- Professional, civic, trade, business, etc. affiliations — Active member of International Institute of Municipal Clerks; seeking official certification of Municipal Clerk; member Florida Gas Utilities Board of Directors; former secretary Century Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; former Twin Cities Volunteers (previously Rotary Club) Board of Directors.
Tracie Watson, Brewton
- Previous employment experience — Academic coordinator, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee; administrative assistant, Leon County Schools, Tallahassee; principal, Global Trace Enterprises, Pensacola; human resources coordinator, Toler Concrete, Pensacola; human resources technician, Escambia Board of Commissioners.
- Education – University of West Florida, masters of education in college student personnel/affairs administration.
- Professional, civic, trade, business, etc. affiliations — None listed.
Khortense Dortch-Wesley, Century
- Previous employment experience — Mortgage closer, Navy Federal Credit Union, Pensacola; mortgage closer, Aerotek (contractor for Navy Federal), Pensacola; mortgage support assistant, Aerotek; Sr. sponsership/events coordinator, PCI Gaming, Atmore; promotions/events coordinator, PCI Gaming, Atmore; player services lead representative/ambassador, PCI Gaming;
- Education — Certificate supervisor essentials, Wind Creek Hospitality; Certification certificate, criminal justice/legal research, Northwest Florida State College (in progress, 56 of 64 required credits).
- Professional, civic, trade, business, etc. affiliations — Salvation Army Toys for Tots; Pensacola Habitat for Humanity Women Build; member First Mt. Zion Baptist Church; American Cancer Society Go Red for Women
Information source: Resumes submitted to the town by each applicant.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Results: District 1-1A Track Meet; Top Athletes Headed To Regionals
April 13, 2018
The Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A District 1 meet will held this week at Jay High School.
The top four athletes in each event advance to the regional meet April 24-26 in Tallahassee.
For complete results from all schools, including times and other details, click here (pdf).
Those qualifying for regionals from Northview and Jay high schools are listed below (as provided by each school):
Northview High School
- Boy’s 100m-Brandon Spencer, Quay Thomas
- Boy’s 200m-Brandon Spencer, Daniel Merit, Joseph Wright
- Boy’s 400m-Daniel Merit
- Boy’s 1600m-Oscar Rodiguez
- Boy’s 110 Hurdles-Jarius Moorer
- Boy’s 4×100m-Brandon Spencer, Joseph Wright, Tim Bush, Jarius Moorer
- Boy’s 4×400m-Jarius Moorer, Tim Bush, Daniel Merit, Joseph Wright
- Boy’s 4×800m-Oscar Rodriguez, Keaton Brown, David Lamb, Joseph Johnson
- Boy’s High Jump-Tim Bush
- Boy’s Long and Triple Jump-Ray Bush
- Girl’s 100m-Crystal Douglas, NeNe Findley
- Girl’s 200m-Crystal Douglas, NeNe Findley, Lexi Broadhead
- Girl’s 4×100m-Crystal Douglas, NeNe Findley, Celeste North, Myisha Syria
- Girl’s 4×400m-Crystal Douglas, NeNe Findley, Celeste North, Myisha Syria
- Girl’s Discus-Shelby Baeshore.
Jay High School
- Connor Roberts:110 and 300 hurdles
- Joseph Cook:100 meter dash and 4×1 relay
- Eric Godfrey: 4×1 relay
- Tyler Murphy: 4×1 relay
- Stone Brown: 4×1 relay
- Jimmie Ates: 300 hurdles
- Austin Ashworth: pole vault
- Tyler Pierce: high jump
- Randall Kennington: 4×1 relay alternate
- Jillian Thornton: 800m run and high jump
- Hannah Whitlock: 1600m run
- Landry Cato: pole vault
- Autumn Ates: shot put
Mira Awards Honor Escambia’s Most Creative High School Seniors
April 13, 2018
Escambia County’s most creative high school seniors were honored Thursday night during the 2018 Mira Creative Arts Awards Banquet.
Mira Creative Arts Awards recipients were nominated for the award by their high school teachers and received commemorative engraved medallions.
Recipients of the 2018 Mira Creative Arts Award are listed below a photograph from each school:
Northview High School
Anna Belle Barberree – Technology
Camilla Windham – Music/Theater
Clayton Findley – Band
Hannah Mascaro – Art
Sara Perritt – Writing
Tara Windham – Art
Cody Alan Kite – Manufacturing
Tristen David Segers – Welding
For individual Northview photos, click here.
Tate High School
Caroline Bruns – Orchestra
Dylan Charles Brown – Debate – Mock Trial
Elise Felt – Journalism/Yearbook
Hayden W. Griffith – Choral Music/Drama
Jessica Lewis – Studio Art- 2D
Michael Lett – Band
Milana Grace Dodson – Studio Art- 3D
Rebecca Ann McLeod – Choral Music/Drama
Trey Chever – Orchestra
For individual Tate photos, click here.
West Florida High School
Amaya Sword – Art
Brion Bivins – Video Editing
Chelbi Rich – Band
Davyd Ian Izonritei – Orchestra
Jessica Butler – Video Editing
Kinley Murcko – Photography
Lawrence Meuse – Video Editing
Niko DeMarco – Graphic Design
Preston Marvel – Journalistic/Non-Fiction Writing
Tiffany Alexis Eady – Orchestra
Pine Forest High School
Aaegiean Brown Jr. – Visual Arts
Caleb White – Culinary
Cortasia Weaver – Design Services
Darion Newman – Carpentry
Kaitlyn Lockard – Band
Nacole Clemmons – Yearbook and Journalism
Ramona Riley – Culinary
Samantha Garcia – Yearbook and Journalism
Escambia High School
Andrew Gregg – Music Composition
Bailey Coker – Theater/Drama
Brandon Torino – Theater/Drama
Cayla Caldwell – Choir
Clara Bonnlander – Art
Greta Beretta – Dance
Hanna Hammac – Theater/Drama
Sadiq Muhammad – Jazz
Skyler McLeod – Band
Terelan Kimberly Le – Orchestra
Pensacola High School
Ana Boesel – Drama
Dawson Adams – Fine Arts
Devin Burris – Visual Art
Jada Harper – Chorus
Leo Zhang – Instrumental Music
Louise Harris – Drama
Savannah Hammer – Instrumental Music
Stephanie Gutierrez-Diaz – Drama
Washington High School
Amaiya Whipple – Chorus
Chase Rogers – Band/Fine Arts
Elise Paul – Chorus
Elizabeth Teets – Visual Arts
Grace Sill – Orchestra
Holden Touzet – Visual Arts
Katherine Owens – Theatre
Laura Connally – Theatre
Tahlia Linder – Band/Fine Arts
Gabrielle Reboulet – Orchestra
In 1987, a group of teachers at J. M. Tate High School created the Mira Awards to recognize talented and creative students in the arts and sciences. The following year, the committee approached the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation to bring the awards under its umbrella and to initiate county-wide student participation each year in the areas of writing, performing and visual arts, and other creative disciplines. The term “Mira” is Latin for the name of the brightest star in the constellation Cetus.
Photos courtesy Kim Stefansson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Blank Lookouts
April 13, 2018
Keury Mella made his first start at Blue Wahoos Stadium on April 8, 2017. Despite making 13 additional starts, Mella would have to wait 369 days before finally recording his first ever win at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Mella was terrific Thursday, baffling Lookouts hitters for the majority of the night as three Blue Wahoos pitchers combined for the team’s first shutout win of the season.
On a windy night in Pensacola, Mella made sure to pound the strike zone early and often against the Lookouts. While he only recorded three strikeouts on the night, Mella never allowed a walk and only yielded five hits. For most of the evening he was generating weak groundouts and soft fly outs, and never seemed under duress.
Despite struggling at times with his command, Chattanooga starter Stephen Gonsalves held up his end of the pitchers’ duel. The number four prospect in the Twins organization held the Wahoos scoreless through four innings.
Lookouts managers Tommy Watkins went to the bullpen and brought in another southpaw in Sam Clay who fired a one-two-three inning in the fifth. When he returned in the sixth, the Wahoos rallied for the first two runs of the game.
With one out in the inning, Gabby Guerrero singled before Josh VanMeter hit a two-strike double into the left-center gap to bring home Guerrero for a 1-0 lead. Aristides Aquino immediately followed that up with a double of his own to score VanMeter and double up the advantage. In the seventh, the Wahoos added one more insurance run when Aquino legged out an infield single to allow Guerrero to score from third to make it 3-0.
Alex Power and Ariel Hernandez got the bullpen back on track with three combined scoreless innings to secure the shutout.
FDOT Begins Work At Beulah Road, Mobile Highway
April 13, 2018
The Florida Department of Transportation is set to begin work to improve Mobile Highway at Beulah Road in Escambia County.
Plans include widening Mobile Highway east and westbound right turn lanes, drainage improvements, widening Beulah Road to accommodate north and southbound left-turn lanes, and installing a traffic signal.Much of the work will take place behind a low profile concrete barrier wall to minimize traffic impacts. No lane closures will be allowed from Monday-Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. or from 1 to 3 p.m. In additio, no lane closures will be scheduled during special school events.
The project will cost about $1.5 million.
Cities, Counties Take Aim At Florida Gun Law
April 13, 2018
Less than two months after a 19-year-old gunman shot dead 14 students and three faculty members at a Broward County high school, city and county officials in parts of Florida are pushing back against a state firearm law they say has created a chilling effect on their ability to respond to constituents’ demands.
Challenges to the 2011 “preemption” law, which bans local governments from imposing gun restrictions tougher than those in state laws, are just one of the ways local officials are fighting for stricter regulations in the wake of the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
And Second Amendment proponents are firing back.
Leon County commissioners on Tuesday approved an ordinance, aimed at closing what is known as the gun-show “loophole,” that imposes a three-day waiting period and background checks for the private sales of weapons.
While the 2011 law bans local gun ordinances that go beyond state statutes, a 1998 constitutional amendment allows counties — but not cities — to impose up to five-day waiting periods and background checks on gun sales.
Seven counties — Broward, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Sarasota and Volusia — already have ordinances requiring background checks and waiting periods for private gun sales. But the Second Amendment group Florida Carry has pledged to sue Leon County for including provisions that it says go beyond what the Constitution allows.
Meanwhile, three cities and a number of elected officials in Broward County this week filed a lawsuit challenging the 2011 law, arguing it hamstrings politicians in communities surrounding Parkland from being able to pass bans on detachable high-capacity magazines.
Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Coconut Creek and two officials from the cities allege in the lawsuit that provisions in the 2011 law violate the federal and state constitutions.
The plaintiffs believe a local ban on large-capacity magazines, used in a number of mass shootings across the country, would not violate the preemption law because the detachable devices are “optional firearm accessories.”
Lawyers for the cities argued the gun restrictions “will make their local communities safer — and might prevent or mitigate a future school shooting — without infringing on the right to keep and bear arms or violating the Firearms Preemption Law.”
But the local officials are worried that enacting such a prohibition could make them vulnerable to hefty penalties under the preemption law. Cities face the risk of lawsuits and potential damages of up to $100,000 and unlimited attorneys’ fees in each lawsuit. Public officials face removal from office and $5,000 fines.
The cities are asking a judge to declare the provisions “unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid” and are seeking an injunction preventing enforcement of the penalties.
“By threatening to punish local officials and their cities for quintessentially legislative acts like voting in favor of an ordinance, the state of Florida has improperly interfered with local democracy, establishing a system in which local officials’ legislative decisions are necessarily restrained by concerns about individual and municipal legal and financial liability instead of the safety and well-being of their constituents and communities,” lawyers for the plaintiffs argued in the 31-page complaint filed in Broward County circuit court.
Coral Springs Commissioner Dan Daley, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High alum who wants to ban large-capacity magazines in his city and is a plaintiff in the lawsuit, called the “heavy handed” 2011 law one of “the most egregious” in the country.
“The current law has had a chilling effect on local leaders across this state who, because of the penalties, are hard-pressed to recommend even the most reasonable of gun reform measures in their own communities. The city of Coral Springs, and municipalities across this great state, have had enough and are standing up against this draconian law,” Daley said in a statement.
The lawsuit mirrors a broader challenge to the statute filed by 10 cities earlier this month in Leon County circuit court. Two cities, including Tallahassee, have since joined the suit, and Leon County also is considering joining the case.
The lawsuit contends the 2011 law, in part, violates constitutional limits on gubernatorial authority with respect to municipal officers, conflicts with the right of elected officials to legislative immunity and is “overbroad, in violation of local officials’ free speech rights.”
The legal challenges, and Leon County’s ordinance, are part of a nationwide response to the horrific Valentine’s Day shooting, which spawned demands for stricter gun measures, such as a ban on assault-style weapons.
“We expect cities and local officials in Florida and other states will continue to push back against limits on their ability to pass common-sense gun safety laws and protect their communities,” Eric Tirschwell, director of litigation at Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, told The News Service of Florida. Tirschwell is one of the lawyers representing the plaintiffs in the Broward County lawsuit.
But gun-rights groups maintain that the preemption law keeps Florida from having a patchwork of regulations that could put gun owners at risk as they travel in the state.
Marion Hammer, the National Rifle Association’s Florida lobbyist and a former president of the national organization, pointed the finger at a series of missteps by government officials who repeatedly ignored warning signs that 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz posed a threat to the community before Cruz used a semi-automatic rifle to shoot the students and faculty members in Parkland.
“Parkland had nothing to do with preemption. Parkland had to do with government officials failing to do their job, failing to deal effectively with a person with serious mental illness who clearly was a danger to himself or others,” she said in a recent telephone interview. “Allowing local governments to willy-nilly adopt gun control to pretend they’re doing something to cover their own deficiencies is ludicrous.”
The NRA, meanwhile, is challenging a new school-safety law passed last month in response to the Parkland massacre. The law, among other things, raised the minimum age from 18 to 21 and imposed a three-day waiting period for the sale of rifles and other long guns, such as the weapon Cruz legally purchased and used at his former school.
The age and waiting-period requirements already apply to buying handguns, but the NRA contends that raising the age to 21 for purchasing long guns is unconstitutional.
Sen. Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican who was instrumental in crafting the new law and who is slated to take over as Senate president after the November elections, told the News Service he doesn’t anticipate any changes to the 2011 preemption law coming from the Legislature.
“I have no indication that we’re going to go back and revisit simply because the lawsuits have been filed,” Galvano, a lawyer, said.
Florida’s Constitution “is more specific regarding the ability to regulate or curtail the Second Amendment rights that flow from the federal Constitution,” he said.
When asked what he would say to local officials who complain that the preemption law prohibits them from doing what their constituents want, Galvano pointed to the state law passed in March.
“That’s why we responded in such a comprehensive manner. Great time and diligence was taken in determining where we can make reasonable changes to gun-safety regulation without opening us up for a lawsuit,” he said. “It’s a balance, too. You still have the NRA suing on the other side.”
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida