Northview Football Names Players Of The Week
September 22, 2016
The Northview Chiefs have named Players of the Week from their game last Friday night against Chipley.
They are:
OFFENSE
Luke Ward – Passing: 11-25, 219 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; Rushing: 11 att., 258 yards, 3 TD
DEFENSE
Neikel Robinson – 1 tackle, 53 yard interception return for TD
Ohijie Elliott – 10 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks
SPECIAL TEAMS
Seth Killam — 3-4 PAT, Onside kick recovered by Northview
DOMINATOR
Luke Ward — Hit on #4 on Chipley sideline
Hunter Cofield — Hit on #4 middle of field AND block on #53
Pictured top: An onside kick from Seth Killam. Pictured inset: An interception from Northview’s Neikel Robinson. Pictured below: Ohijie Elliot with a tackle. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Man Passes Away From Wreck Injuries
September 21, 2016
A Molino man has died from injuries he received in a single vehicle crash near Molino early Saturday morning.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 26-year old Raymond O. Mastrangelo lost control of his 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier, left the roadway and slammed into a utility pole about 1:10 a.m. Saturday on Highway 95A near Chipper Road. Mastrangelo was transported by ambulance as a “trauma alert” to Sacred Heart Hospital where he later passed away.
Mastrangelo was wearing his seat belt, and the crash was not alcohol related, according to the FHP.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Escambia Approves $434 Million Budget, Fire Tax Increase
September 21, 2016
The Escambia County Commission voted Tuesday night to approve a $434 million budget, while holding out part of an economic development group’s funding and raising the county tax.
The budget is $22 million higher than last year and up $78 million over 2013.
About one-fourth of the budget will go toward crime — $55.5 million to the Sheriff’s Office and $46.5 million to the county’s corrections department. Public Safety will receive $43 million, $26 million to public works, $25.4 million to human resources, $19.5 million to the landfill and solid waste, $19 million to Neighborhood and Human Services, and $12.7 million to ECAT.
Escambia County’s property tax, or millage rate, is unchanged 6.6165 The county fire tax increases from $100 to $125 to staff additional fire stations south of Nine Mile Road with paid personnel.
The commission voted to hold back 75 percent of their $550,000 allocation to the economic development group FloridaWest. Commissioner Doug Underhill has expressed concerns about how the group spends public money and the number of jobs that it has created.
FDLE Seeks Statewide Anti-Terrorism Squads
September 21, 2016
Intent on preventing another mass nightclub shooting or a repeat of incidents this past weekend in New York and New Jersey, Florida’s top cop wants to bulk up the state’s anti-terrorism efforts.
As state lawmakers face the prospect of a lean budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Tuesday rolled out a proposed 7 percent increase in spending, a $20 million hike, along with a desire to extend federal terrorism statutes to state law enforcement.
FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen told Gov. Rick Scott and Cabinet members that legislative proposals from the agency include a measure to criminalize “certain terrorism-related activities” at the state level.
After the meeting, Swearingen said additional details about changes to state laws would be available as the legislation is drafted and advanced. The annual legislative session starts in March, with the fiscal 2017-2018 budget taking effect July 1.
“These laws will give the state the same authority that currently only federal agencies can pursue,” he said.
About $6 million of the requested funding hike would cover the cost of seven anti-terrorism squads, including an agent-in-charge, 37 specialists and eight analysts.
One of the squads would be assigned to work with federal agencies in Miami, Swearingen said after the presentation.
“I attended funerals with the governor,” Swearingen said in recalling the aftermath of the June mass murder inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. “I went to the morgue. We can never let that happen again here in Florida. … I think these positions will help us to do that.”
The proposal was welcomed by Scott and Cabinet members.
“I am pleased to see you taking elements of anti-terrorism legislation that has historically been left to federal statute and rolling it into state (law),” Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said. “I’m a little surprised it hadn’t already been done.”
Scott, who abstained from a vote to accept the agency’s budget proposal, will use the input to help craft his own budget proposal for lawmakers to consider in the 2017 session. FDLE’s budget this year totals $293 million.
After the meeting, Scott said the state needs to be ready to spend more to combat terrorism.
“We know what happened in Pulse, where 49 individuals lost their lives and then we had all those people injured,” Scott said. “So we all have to understand that we live in a time where people want to do harm to our country.”
In addition to the funding request, of which about $9.5 million would come from trust funds rather than the general revenue, Swearingen said the agency is reinvigorating the “See something, say something” program. He pointed to this weekend’s bomb-related incidents in New York and New Jersey.
“The incidents in New York and New Jersey, had it not been for someone calling in a suspicious item, those bombs would have gone off during the race, which would have been similar to the Boston Marathon,” Swearingen said. “The same when he (the suspect) was captured. Someone called it in.”
A single suspect has reportedly been arrested in the New Jersey and New York incidents. One of the pipe bombs tied to the suspect went off without causing injuries before runners were to participate in a charity 5K race in Seaside Park, N.J.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Cross Country Meet Goes Gold For Childhood Cancer
September 21, 2016
The Northview Chiefs hosted a three-school cross country meet on Thursday with a focus on not only beating best finish times, but also on beating childhood cancer.
Members of the Northview and Ernest Ward cross country teams wore gold bandanas during the meet in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
For a photo gallery, click here.
(Results are below photo, scroll down)
Meet results were as follows:
Fastest Girl- Kristin Coleman from Flomaton 27:09
Fastest boy- Brandon Korinchak from Northview 19:09
Girls
- Northview
- Flomaton
- Ernest Ward
Boys
- Northview
- Flomaton
- Ernest Ward
Top 5 Runners for each School
Northview
- Marissa Rothrock 29:00
- Jasmine Elliott 29:11
- Lexxi Baggett 32:02
- Rebekah Amerson 32:12
- Hannah McGahan 32:14
- Brandon Korinchak 19:09
- Tanner Levins 21:39
- Oscar Rodriguez 22:07
- Adrian King 25:04
- Josiah Stilwell 25:05
Ernest Ward
- Leah Anderson 34:06
- Autumn Williams 36:56
- Shelby Godwin 37:30
- Emily Levins 37:52
- Kacy Knable 39:37
- Dakota Bryan 30:04.o5
- Levi Kirkpatrick 30:04.66
- Kole Stewart 30:05.0
- Braedan McGhee 30.05.25
- Eric Amerson 35:08
Flomaton
- Kristin Coleman 27:09
- Charley Boutwell 31:39
- Patricia Rogers 34:32
- Cheris Rogers 34:56
- Makenzie Morrison 35:10
- Dwayne Hamby 19:37
- Dustin Reaves 21:37
- Dylan Patterson 22:02
- Will Rolin 27:06
- Dustin Martin 31:44
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Charged With Setting His Girlfriend On Fire
September 21, 2016
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man that they say threw gasoline on his girlfriend and then lit her on fire.
The incident happened early Tuesday morning in the 1600 block of Blackwell Lane. Deputies said 39-year old Tavares Antwan Lewis got into an argument before he set her on fire. She was transported to a local hospital; her condition has not been released.
Lewis has been charged with aggravated battery and is being held in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $250,000.
Flomaton Police Seek Armed Robbery Suspects
September 21, 2016
The Flomaton Police Department is searching for two people involved in the armed robbery a local convenience store.
About 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, two unknown subjects entered the Texaco at the intersection of Sidney Manning Boulevard and Highway 31 in Flomaton. The two armed suspects demanded cash before fleeing the store with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Police Chief Bryan Davis said both suspects were fully disguised. Tracking dogs from the Alabama Department of Corrections were unsuccessful in locating the suspects.
There were no injuries reported during the armed robbery. The investigation is continuing.
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call the Flomaton Police Department at (251) 296-5811.
Jay High School Announces Homecoming Court Members
September 21, 2016
Jay High School has elected their 2016 Homecoming Court. Members are (L-R) Raven Fretwell, sophomore; Taylor Scott, senior; Mattie Holt, senior; Meghan Mayo, senior; Courtney Walther, senior; Morgan Floyd, junior; and Hayden Burkett, freshman. Pictured below are senior court members Taylor Scott, Mattie Holt, Meghan Mayo, and Courtney Walther. The homecoming queen will be elected during homecoming week. Courtesy photos by Junia Fischer for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Plan Would Extend Bright Futures Scholarships Into Summer
September 21, 2016
The state university system’s Board of Governors this week will debate expanding the Bright Futures scholarship program to cover summer classes.
The proposal, which could cost up to $46.7 million, is a top priority for Gov. Rick Scott, who sees broader use of the merit scholarship program as a way to help students graduate in four years from state universities.
“I am also once again proposing to expand the Bright Futures scholarship to cover summer classes, and I am challenging every university and college president to urge the Legislature to pass this during the next legislative session,” Scott said during a higher-education summit in May.
Scott has been pushing the proposal since 2015 but has not won support in the Legislature.
The Board of Governors, which is meeting this week at New College of Florida in Sarasota, will review a report that says allowing students to use Bright Futures scholarships in the summer will provide them “with an opportunity to decrease their time-to-degree and enter into the state’s workforce more rapidly.”
The report also says a broader use of the scholarships will help reduce student debt and allow “more efficient classroom utilization” across the 12 state universities.
Data through 2015 from the Board of Governors shows only 44 percent of students graduated in four years at 11 state universities, ranging from a high of 67.3 percent at the University of Florida to a low of 13.4 percent at Florida A&M University. The survey did not include the newly created Florida Polytechnic University.
Florida universities had a 66 percent six-year graduation rate, another metric used to measure performance. The Board of Governors has set a goal of raising the system-wide four-year rate to 50 percent by 2025 and the six-year rate to 70 percent.
The idea behind expanding Bright Futures is that it will provide a financial incentive for more students to attend summer classes, increasing the chances they can graduate more quickly.
Currently, many Bright Futures students shun the summer classes since their scholarships don’t cover the costs.
In 2015, a little more than half of the Bright Futures students enrolled in the spring semester also enrolled in the summer, dropping from 90,518 students to 46,033, the report showed.
Expanding the scholarships could nearly double the number of summer Bright Futures students to 85,587, assuming each student averaged 6.3 credit hours in the summer, based on the highest estimate by analysts for the Board of Governors. That expansion cost was estimated at $46.7 million.
The lowest estimate was $25.9 million, assuming roughly the same number of Bright Futures students, 48,000, would attend summer classes but would be reimbursed under the proposal.
Funding for the summer expansion would have to compete against other proposals during the 2017 legislative session, including incoming Senate President Joe Negron’s plan to have Bright Futures cover the entire tuition cost for top scholarship students, known as “academic scholars.” That proposal would more than double the current $106 million cost for those 41,000 students.
And the plans to expand Bright Futures come against overall financial projections showing a meager $7.5 million surplus is anticipated for next budget year, which begins July 1
.
But part of the argument that could bolster the moves to expand Bright Futures is that the scholarship program, which is funded by the Florida Lottery, has dramatically dropped in cost and scope over the years.
The $212 million scholarship program, which covers some 102,000 students, is down from its $429 million peak in 2008-09 and down from its 179,000-student peak in 2010-11. The drop-off was caused, in part, by an increase in eligibility requirements, including higher test scores, and a cap on the scholarships themselves.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida
Boil Water Notice Issued For East Nine Mile Road, Holsberry Road Area
September 21, 2016
THIS NOTICE HAS BEEN LIFTED. CLICK HERE FOR INFO.
Effective immediately, a Precautionary Boil Water Notice -PBWN- has been issued by the ECUA to customers located in the following repairs to a broken water main.
- E. Nine Mile Road, from Palafox St. to Chemstrand Road
- Holsberry Road
- Nims Ln.,
- Holsberry Ln.,
- Tulsa Dr.,
- Sprague Dr.,
- Craft St.,
- Saleta St.,
- Strandview Dr.
- Holsberry Pl.
- Edith Ln.
- Allison Ln.
Precautionary Boil Water Notices are issued as a part of the standard protocol following any loss of water pressure, whether as a result of planned maintenance activities or unscheduled repairs.
Residents located in the specified PBWN area are advised to boil water for one minute at a rolling boil or to use 8 drops of regular unscented household bleach per gallon of water, for water to be used for drinking or cooking purposes. Two independent bacteriological samples have been initiated and the advisory will be lifted as soon as possible. This process routinely takes 48 hours.
ECUA crews have repaired the main and have flushed out the lines. Residents are advised that there is a possibility of discolored water as a result of the utility work, and to flush their home’s plumbing by running their taps for a few minutes. If problems persist, customers are asked to contact ECUA Customer Service at 850-476-0480 for assistance. Precautionary boil water notice guidelines are available on the ECUA website at www.ecua.fl.gov/water-quality/boil-water-notices-and-why-we-issue-them