Escambia District High School, Middle School Report Cards On The Way
June 21, 2016
Escambia County School District high school and middle school report cards will be on the way later this week, nearly a month after the last day of school.
Grades were delayed while the school district awaited the arrival of end of course exam scores from the state. Those were received last Friday and have been verified by the schools.
According to Superintendent Malcolm Thomas, the grades have been entered and final reports cards are available for download now in the “Focus Parent Portal” (click here). Report cards will be mailed on Thursday.
Photos: The Strawberry Moon
June 21, 2016
The summer solstice coincided with a full moon Monday night — a rare event that last happened in 1967 and won’t happen again until 2062.
The strawberry moon is the nickname for June’s full moon and does not refer to the perceived color of the moon. The strawberry moon got its name from the Algonquin tribes, which interpreted it as a signal to gather ripening strawberries, according to the Old Farmers Almanac.
Pictured top: The strawberry moon shot from Walnut Hill. Pictured below: The strawberry moon rises over a field in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Arrested On Animal Cruelty Charges
June 20, 2016
An Escambia County man has been arrested on animal cruelty charges, one year after Escambia County animal control seized 16 animals from a property near Cantonment after it was discovered they were being kept without adequate food or water.
Paul Allen Craft, 49, was charged with four counts of unlawful confinement and abandonment of animals. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $2,000 bond.
Three pot-bellied pigs, four goats, two cows, five horses, one donkey and one mule were seized from Ridgecrest Lane off Stout Road in June 2015. Three of the horses were taken to Panhandle Equine Rescue in Cantonment, while the other animals were taken by Escambia County.
The charges, according to court documents, related to the lack of food and water for two confined horses, a foal and pigs.
Three horses were described as malnourished at the time of their seizure by Panhandle Equine President Diane Lowery.
“We appreciate the help of Escambia County Animal Control, the Sheriffs Office and the State Attorneys Office for following through by filing charges,” Lowery said Sunday.
The only horse rescue in Escambia County, Panhandle Equine Rescue was founded by a small group of concerned citizens with a mission to rescue, rehabilitate and provide adoption services for abused, neglected and abandoned equines. PER is authorized by the court system to investigate equine cruelty in Escambia County.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
County Waives Noise Ordinance For Event At Molino Bar
June 20, 2016
The Escambia County Commission has voted to approve a limited waiver of the county’s noise ordinances for an outdoor event at a Molino bar.
Th event honoring returning veterans and the July 4 Independence Holiday is planned for 10 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, July 2 at Louie’s Tavern in the 200 block of Molino Road. The all-day event will include live music in the evening.
The Building Inspections Division will issue a Special Event permit for the exemption. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will be notified that the waiver was issued.
Driver Flips Pickup Truck Off Bridge
June 20, 2016
One person was injured when he flipped his truck off the Eleven Mile Creek Bridge on East Kingsfield Road late Sunday morning. After being extricated by firefighters, the driver was transported by ambulance to a Pensacola area hospital. The driver’s name and condition have not been released. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County FFA Students Receive State FFA Degrees
June 20, 2016
A dozen Escambia County FFA members received their coveted State FFA Degrees last Friday during the 88th Florida FFA Convention in Orlando. The State FFA Degree is highest honor bestowed upon any regular member of the Florida FFA Assocation.
2016 State FFA Degree recipients from Escambia County Schools were:
Northview High School: Kaitlyn Nicole Kleinatland, Bethany Cheyenne Reynolds, Haylee Alease Weaver, Courtney Bryce Weekly.
Tate High School: Owen Phillip Carter, Rachel Joy Grammer, Heath Haydon Herndon, Bricen Trace Iannone, Victoria Lynnne Kent, Patra Nicole Miller, Michael Austin Rising
West Florida High School: Miranda Marie Vidak
Pictured above and below are FFA members from Escambia County at the 88th Florida FFA Convention in Orlando last week, including those from Northview, Tate and West Florida high schools and Ernest Ward Middle School. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century $400K Grant Recognized In Brownsfields Redevelopment Forum
June 20, 2016
Nearly 70 representatives from local government and engineering and environmental consulting firms joined state and federal experts to learn more about the economic and environmental benefits of Florida’s Brownfields Redevelopment Program.
During the forum, the town of Century was recognized for its recent selection by EPA to receive $400,000 in brownfields assessment grants. These funds will be used to conduct environmental site assessments within the town of Century and the neighboring town of Flomaton, Ala. After the assessment phase, grant funds will also be used to prioritize the sites, develop cleanup plans and conduct community outreach activities. This will pave the way for the former hazardous waste and petroleum sites to become safe and environmentally sound locations for redevelopment, providing economic benefits for these communities.
“The Brownfields Redevelopment Program provides incentives to help revitalize communities and foster economic development,” said Joe Ullo, director of DEP’s Division of Waste Management. “It is an honor to not only recognize the town of Century for their success on obtaining the brownfields assessment grants from EPA, but also to be a part of educating our communities about these programs that empower communities, local governments and other stakeholders to work together to assess, clean up and reuse properties previously impacted by pollutants.”
Through economic and regulatory incentives, the Brownfields Redevelopment Program encourages the restoration and redevelopment of contaminated sites, which helps create new jobs and boost the local economy. For the program’s incentives to be available to a community, a local government must designate a brownfields area by resolution.
“It is a priority for DEP to focus taxpayer resources on projects that provide a direct benefit to the environment and local communities, and the Brownfields Redevelopment Program is designed to do just that,” said Shawn Hamilton, director of DEP’s Northwest District. “Utilizing these incentives, our local communities can redevelop unused properties to meet local needs. We have seen many successful brownfields redevelopment projects in Northwest Florida and this annual forum encourages continued success.”
As of 2015, statewide, there have been 404 Brownfield Area Designations, 258 Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreements and 88 Site Rehabilitation Completion Orders issued since the program’s inception in 1997. More than $155 million has been invested in Florida’s communities through this program.
One Injured In Cantonment Wreck
June 20, 2016
The driver of a Toyota Tacoma was injured when he lost control and ran off the roadway on Annie Bell Driver near Jacks Branch Road in Cantonment. He was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries. There were no other occupants in the truck. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Vehicle Fire Extinguished Before Home Is Damaged
June 20, 2016
Firefighters were able to extinguish a vehicle fire early this morning before it spread to a nearby home. The Beulah Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the blaze in the 5900 block of West Nine Mile Road in the the Crystal Lake Mobile Home Park. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gun Sales Soar After Orlando Shooting
June 20, 2016
Gun sales have dramatically increased in Florida in the wake of Sunday’s mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub that left 49 people dead and dozens wounded.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement ran 9,854 background checks Sunday, Monday and Tuesday on people hoping to buy firearms, more than double the 4,468 during the same time frame in 2015. Another 3,956 background checks were conducted Wednesday, according to state numbers. Also, gun ranges and businesses offering concealed-weapons classes said they are seeing a spike in business.
“Anytime there is a tragedy around the United States, where people perceive that had they been armed they could have made a difference, it increases our feeling of vulnerability,” said Charlie Strickland, co-owner of the Talon Training Group gun range in Tallahassee. “In our country, you’ll see a corresponding increase in the purchase of firearms and an increase in training.”
Last year, more than 885,000 background checks were conducted for gun purchases in Florida, a record number. The state is on track to break that record in 2016, as month-to-month background check comparisons show an increase for every month when compared to the same time in 2015.