New App Has Grades, Escambia School District Information
August 12, 2017
The Escambia County School District unveiled a new app on Friday, giving students’ families to new way access information from a smartphone.
The primary purpose for the ECSD Families App is to make the Focus Parent Portal information system easily available and portable, as well as put district news and announcements into the hands of parents. The secondary goal is to make ECSD news more easily available to everyone interested in ECSD information, such as the calendar of events and sports.
“The new ECSD Families App will allow parents to access information about their student’s attendance, assignments and news about assignments by opening the new app and then logging into their Parent Portal account from a mobile device,” said Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. “Parents will also be able to switch between multiple students attached to their account.”
Any parent, or guardian, who hasn’t already established a Focus Parent Portal account will find instructions on the opening tab of the App. Everyone will be able to use the settings in the App to pick which ECSD news-feeds they want to see on their phone.
“The App will also be great for our local public to download, so they can access our news-feeds on their mobile device,” added Thomas. “The third tab on the app will include icons to quickly open some of our more frequently visited pages on the District’s web site.”
Available in the Apple App Store or on the Google Play Store for Android phones, the ECSD Families App is free.
“When we have important announcements, they will still be available on the ECSD homepage and district Facebook page, but having it on your phone means those news items will be available to you anytime, even if you are away from a computer,” Thomas added. “We are excited to enter the app arena and hope this will be a way for us to communicate quickly with families during an emergency or to share our good news.”
Superintendent Thomas and the ECSD IT department hope to see most families download the ECSD Families App and explore what it has to offer. The district plans to add optional news-feeds and adjust the links as they see which types of information seem to be considered most useful.
Latvala Launches Republican Bid For Governor
August 12, 2017
Sen. Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, joined the 2018 race for governor on Friday, filing papers to make his campaign official.
“My papers were filed by 5-year-old Rays fan Cooper Bishop!” Latvala tweeted shortly after noon, including a picture of the smiling boy in a Tampa Bay Rays uniform holding the candidate’s paperwork.
Latvala, 65, chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, is a veteran lawmaker, serving 15 years during two stints in the Senate. He was first elected in 1994 and returned in 2010.
Friday’s announcement was not a surprise. He will formally kick off his campaign on Wednesday, with stops in Hialeah, Clearwater and Panama City.
Since the 2017 session ended, Latvala has been crisscrossing the state, with a meeting this week in Palm Beach County to talk about the opioid crisis and an appearance in Blountstown last week to talk about the need for more economic development in rural regions.
On Friday, Latvala was in Steinhatchee, where he has a home, for another economic roundtable. On Sunday, he will be on a political talk show hosted by an Orlando television station.
“As a small business owner and public servant, I have a track record of getting things done and solving problems,” Latvala said in a statement announcing his Wednesday itinerary. “One thing you can always expect from me too is when I give you my word, I will keep it.”
Latvala’s entry into the governor’s race is likely to complicate the looming 2018 legislative session, which begins in January, as House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, is another potential gubernatorial contender.
Last week in Blountstown, Latvala sharply criticized Corcoran, saying the House’s efforts to overhaul Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing agency, were “all about making political points, all about trying to make headlines, trying to raise your name identification, whatever.”
Corcoran defended the legislation as an effort to bring “more transparency and accountability” to the marketing program.
Although Latvala is well known in the populous Tampa Bay region, he has never run in a statewide race and will have to raise his profile across Florida.
An early test will be his ability to raise money. A Latvala-affiliated political committee, known as the “Florida Leadership Committee,” raised $362,154 last month and the committee had about $3.84 million available as of the end of July
But that compares to the more than $12.3 million that Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, the leading candidate in the GOP gubernatorial primary, had on hand through the end of last month.
The Republican field seeking to follow Gov. Rick Scott, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits, is likely to grow more crowded. In addition to Corcoran, U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., has said he is interested in the race. A political committee that supports DeSantis had raised nearly $1.3 million through the end of July.
by The News Service of Florida
Milton Day Care Owner Gets Life For Murder Of Toddler
August 12, 2017
A Santa Rosa County daycare owner will spend the rest of her life in prison after being convicted of the first-degree murder of a toddler
In October 2014, 58-year old Thelma Lowery called 911 from her home daycare, Lowery’s Little Angels, in Milton to report that 15-month old Brodie Kent had been put down for a nap and then went into a seizure. She told authorities that he had been hit in the head by wooden block by another child earlier in the day.
Brodie died five days later.
Multiple doctors testified at Lowery’s trial that the injuries were no accident.
Lowery was immediately sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Wahoos Lose To Mobile
August 12, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos started the ninth inning ahead, 1-0, and finished it Friday behind the Mobile BayBears, 3-1.
The Blue Wahoos have now lost three straight games and seven of their last eight and plummeted from first place in the Southern League South Division to fourth, four games behind rival Mobile.
Blue Wahoos big righty Deck McGuire treated the 4,416 filling Blue Wahoos Stadium to seven scoreless innings in this third attempt to earn 10 wins for the first time in his seven-year minor league career.
Mobile leads the Southern Division with a 25-22 record in the second half, while Pensacola, which won the first half, dropped to 21-26.
Blue Wahoos right fielder Aristides Aquino has the top batting average among the four players batting sixth through ninth at .207. As a team, Pensacola is last in the Southern League with a .228 batting average this season.
Kelly said his team is shorthanded with just 11 position players on the roster. Second baseman Shed Long, infielder Angelo Gumbs, first baseman Nick Longhi are all currently on the disabled list. Long is expected back within two weeks.
“(Our players) know we’re shorthanded,” Kelly said. “First, we got to get healthy. We got to get Shed Long back.”
Mobile improved to 2-0 in the five-game series against rival Pensacola and 9-8 this season.
The BayBears scored three runs in the top of the ninth on four straight hits — two singles and two doubles — on Pensacola closer Zack Weiss, who is now 7-10 in save opportunities.
The California Angels No. 3 prospect, first baseman Matt Thaiss, doubled to right field to drive in Mobile shortstop Alberto Triunfel with the tying run, 1-1. Mobile catcher Taylor Ward then doubled on a fly ball over Aquino’s head in right field score both center fielder Brennan Lund and Thaiss to overcome Pensacola, 3-1.
It spoiled McGuire’s stellar outing. He allowed three hits — all singles — and retired 13 batters in a row between the second and seventh inning and 15 of the last 16 batters he faced. This season, he has held the opponent scoreless in seven of his outings and opponents are batting just .207 against McGuire, who has a hard-to-hit slider and curveball combination.
His seven strikeouts gave him 143 this season, which is second in the Southern League.
“He’s been fantastic all year,” Kelly said. “He has a good feel for all his pitches.”
Pensacola’s only run came in the third inning on a missed hit-and-run play. Blue Wahoos center fielder Gabriel Guerrero took off for second but third baseman Nick Senzel struck out.
The throw from BayBears Ward, the catcher, bounced off the glove of BayBears second baseman Jose Rojas and rolled into the outfield, which allowed Pensacola left fielder Brian O’Grady to score for a 1-0 Pensacola lead.
Seat Belt Credited With Saving Life In Highway 97 Crash
August 11, 2017
First responders credited the use of a seat belt and the air bag for likely saving a woman’s life in a crash Friday morning on Highway 97.
The female driver lost control of her Lexus, ran off Highway 97 and struck two large pine trees just north of Tungoil Road near Walnut Hill. She hit the first tree with such force that part of the wheel was embedded in the tree (see photo below).
The woman was able to walk away from the wreckage with just minor injuries, mostly from the seat belt and air bag. She was transported non-emergency to Atmore Community Hospital by Atmore Ambulance.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
BOCC Picks Design For New Escambia County Jail
August 11, 2017
The Escambia County Commission has picked a design for the new 720-bed Escambia County Jail and narrowed down the price tag.
Commissioners unanimously selected the bid submitted by Whitesell-Green and Caddell for $128.6 million, plus $5.8 million for upgrades. A second bid was submitted by W.G. Yates and Sons Construction $129.7 million for the basic design, plus $7.9 million for optional upgrades.
The board also voted to authorize staff and the selected design-build entity to utilize Owner Direct Purchases. This is a method whereby the county acts as the pass-through agency for a contractor on subcontracts or other agreements to purchase material. This will allow the county to purchase items associated with this project tax free at an estimated $2 million to $3 million savings.
With additional prep work, the total cost for the facility is expected to be about $114.8 million to replace the county’s detention center that exploded in 2014. There were two people killed and nearly 200 were injured.
The selection was made at a Committee of the Whole meeting Thursday, so the commission will be required to vote officially at the next regular commission meeting.
The Whitesell-Green/Caddell Joint Venture is a partnership of Whitesell-Green of Pensacola and Caddell Construction of Montgomery, AL. Company officials told the commission that they place to use as many local subcontractors as possible.
The new jail will be constructed at the site of the McDonald Shopping Center on the southeast corner of Fairfield Drive and Pace Boulevard, adjacent to the current 1980’s jail. The two facilities will be connected.
Construction could begin as early as January with completion in late 2019.
Escambia Firefighters, EMS Crews Help Keep School Zones Safe
August 11, 2017
Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS units are standing by in school zones across the county with lights flashing to remind drivers to slow down during the first week of school. Pictured: A crew from the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue Thursday morning in the Jim Elementary School zone. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Students Head Back To Class (With Photo Gallery)
August 11, 2017
Thursday was the first day of school…so that means it’s time for our annual Back to School Photo Gallery.
We asked NorthEscambia.com readers to submit their back to school photos.
For a photo gallery, click here.
We apologize, but due to a tremendous response, we were unable to publish all the photos we received, and we are unable to add additional photos to the gallery.
Pictured top: Pre-K student Jase and fifth grader Aubree from Molino Park Elementary. Pictured below: Addyson, kindergarten at Jim Allen Elementary, and Brianna, seventh grade at Ernest Ward Middle. Picture bottom: Justin, Crista and Derek Kinley, fifth grade at Bratt Elementary. Pictured above inset: Laura Kinley, senior at Northview High. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Prisons Offer $1,000 New Hire Bonus, But Not At Century Or Santa Rosa
August 11, 2017
The Florida Department of Correction is now offering a $1,000 signing bonus for new hires at several correctional facilities across the state, but not locally at Century Correctional Institution or Santa Rosa Correctional Institution. The bonuses are paid upon completion of the correctional officer certification through either FDC or certain state colleges.
The hiring bonus is part of a three-tiered approach targeting staff recruitment and retention to ensure continued safety in Florida’s correctional institutions and communities. The recruitment and retention plan was recommended by Governor Rick Scott and approved by the legislature during the past legislative session. The plan also provides an increase in the base pay for correctional officers and a ten percent increase in pay for officers who work in the Department’s inpatient mental housing units.
Certified new hires are eligible to receive bonuses at the following institutions:
- Apalachee Correctional Institution
- Franklin Correctional Institution
- Gulf Correctional Institution
- Northwest Florida Reception Center
- Baker Correctional Institution
- Columbia Correctional Institution
- Hamilton Correctional Institution
- Mayo Correctional Institution
- New River Correctional Institution
- Reception and Medical Center
- Suwannee Correctional Institution
- Taylor Correctional Institution
- Union Correctional Institution
- Desoto Correctional Institution
- Hardee Correctional Institution
- Dade Correctional Institution
- Okeechobee Correctional Institution
Wreck Cuts Power To Cantonment Neighborhood
August 11, 2017
A single vehicle crash just after 9:00 Thursday night cut power to a Cantonment neighborhood. Gulf Power says about 140 customers on West Kingsfield Road near Highway 97 lost power a result of the accident. The power wasreported to be out until after 2 a.m. Friday. The driver of the truck refused medical treatment at the scene. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEcambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.