Wahoos Drop Second Game To Mississippi Braves
August 25, 2015
In its first playoff race in franchise history, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos have turned over sole possession of first place to the Mississippi Braves by dropping its first two games to the visiting club.
The Braves jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first and 7-0 after three innings and cruised to a 9-4 victory in front of 3,555 fans Monday at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Highlights for the Blue Wahoos tonight included first baseman Marquez Smith’s driving a double into the right center alley in the third inning that scored two runs, pulling Pensacola within, 7-2.
In addition, Pensacola catcher Kyle Skipworth also hit homer No. 11 of the year in the eighth inning — his first since Aug. 6 — as the Blue Wahoos trailed, 9-4.
Mississippi, which took back first place in the Southern League South Division Sunday, is now 32-24. Meanwhile, Pensacola dropped to 1.5 games behind Mississippi, falling to 31-26. The Mobile BayBears also fell back 1.5 games to the Braves at 30-25, after losing in 11 innings at MGM Park.
Pensacola has 12 games left this season and play both Mississippi and the Mobile BayBears at home.
Blue Wahoos Manager Pat Kelly said that Mississippi has been hard for Pensacola to defend this season. They knocked 14 hits Monday.
“We could have 18 guys on the field and couldn’t catch the balls that they hit,” Kelly said. “It was one of those nights where they shot the ball in the hole between first and second or blooped it into right field.”
Mississippi jumped in front, 3-0, in the first inning off of Pensacola starter Sal Romano. Leadoff batter shortstop Emerson Landoni doubled to the right field corner and center fielder Mycal Jones followed with a double to the right center field gap to score him for a 1-0 lead.
Braves third baseman Rio Ruiz then clobbered a ball deep to center field that Pensacola center fielder Phillip Ervin ran back on but the ball bounced off his glove. Ruiz reached third, driving in Jones and right fielder KD Kang, who had walked to put the Braves ahead, 3-0.
Landoni led the Braves by going 3-5 with a double and two RBIs and lifting his season average to .295.
Reds top prospect Jesse Winker now has a hit in 15 of his 20 games this month. Winker is hitting .347 (25-72) in August with six homers and 12 RBIs
He raised his average in the second half to .302 (55-182) with 10 home runs and 31 RBIs. Winker’s two walks Monday also raised his on-base percentage to .403 (85-211) in the second half.
Kelly said Winker has really come on down the stretch.
“He has been our most consistent hitter the last three months of the year,” he said.
Pensacola center fielder Phillip Ervin, the Reds No. 9 prospect, also played well Monday, going 2-3 with a double and RBI and walking twice. In five games with the Blue Wahoos, he is 6-15 or batting .400, with two doubles, two homers and four RBIs.
Two New Atmore Officers Graduate From Police Academy
August 25, 2015
Two Atmore Police officers have graduated from the Alabama Police Academy. Officers
Officers Daniel Harris and Jesse Traweek were part of the 153rd class at the Alabama Police Academy and received their certification as full-time police officers during a graduation ceremony held at the Alabama Police Academy
in Selma.
While at the academy, Harris and Traweek received 520 hours of classroom and intensive hands on training in numerous aspects of police work. Both officers will be assigned to the Patrol Division of the Atmore Police Department.
Pictured top: Atmore Police Department Officer Daniel Harris, Chief Chuck Brooks and Officer Jesse Traweek. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fire Damages Cantonment Home
August 24, 2015
Fire damaged a home in Cantonment on Bur Oak Drive, just north of West Kingsfield Road near Ransom Middle School, this morning. There was no immediate word of any injuries, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Reader submitted photos by Brandy Lombardino for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County, Community Group Team Up For Cantonment Computer Lab
August 24, 2015
Old computers no longer used by Escambia County are being put to good use in Cantonment.
Residents can now take advantage of a new computer lab at the Carver Park Resource Center, thanks to the cooperative work of several Escambia County departments and the Cantonment Improvement Committee.
“We are very appreciative of the computers,” said Josh Womack, Cantonment Improvement Committee chairman. “We are just getting started with all the ways we can put the computers to good use.”
Escambia County’s Information Technology (IT), Neighborhood and Human Services and Facilities departments worked to convert a building at the request of District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry’s office. The lab consists of 10 computers refurbished from the 911 dispatch center that were donated by the county’s Public Safety Department.
“One of the ways we hope to use the computers, maybes with help from Careersource EscaRosa, is for people in the community to look for jobs,” Womack said. “And we hope to one day offer GED classes.”
Earlier this summer, IT and Facilities teamed up to make sure the electrical system was adequate for the setup that was needed. Facilities worked with a local electrical contractor to get the proper electrical and data lines put in place along with an alarm system. Once the electrical and data lines were in place, the IT department went to work tidying up the data lines and installing computers.
At the end of the project, the Center has 10 computers with internet connection to provide online learning, training and research for members of the community who do not have the same resources at home.
Carver Park is a two-acre neighborhood park at 208 Webb Street with a covered pavilion, playground, basketball courts, security lights, benches and picnic area. The park also has a small community building and some of the most historic oak trees in Escambia County.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Needs Appointees For Committees
August 24, 2015
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is seeking Escambia County residents interested in volunteering for appointments to the Escambia County Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) and the Human Services Appropriations Committee (HSAC).
Merit System Protection Board
The MSPB was created to provide a fair and equitable mechanism for the expeditious review of appeals and grievances of the classified employees of the County before a non-partisan deliberative body. County Ordinance 2005-38 provides the means for a classified, permanent employee under the jurisdiction of the MSPB to appeal disciplinary actions, and provides that these employees may file an appeal or grievance for perceived violations of the Ordinance or the Rules. Presently, the classified employees under the jurisdiction of the Board of County Commissioners, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Supervisor of Elections are covered under the MSPB. The term of office is three years.
Qualifications of Board Members
No person shall be appointed to the Merit System Protection Board as a member who:
- Has not been a resident of Escambia County for two or more years preceding appointment to the MSPB.
- Is holding an elective or appointive office in federal, state, county or municipal government provided that prior appointment as a member of the MSPB shall not disqualify a person from being reappointed.
- Held political office in, or was a salaried or hourly employee of Escambia County during the 12 months preceding appointment to the MSPB.
- Is a member of the immediate family of a current employee or elected official of Escambia County.
- Is a current officer of any union representing employees of Escambia County.
- Is working for any vendor who has a current contractual agreement with any participating appointing authority.
- Has been convicted of, or has had adjudication withheld of, a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude.
Qualifications must be maintained throughout the members’ tenure or the member must resign his position on the MSPB.
Attendance
Any member of the MSPB shall be removed and replaced after being absent from more than three consecutive meetings during any calendar year. The MSPB shall determine whether any member’s absence is unexcused.
Compensation of Board Members
The MSPB members shall serve on a voluntary basis and not be financially compensated for their service.
Meeting Schedule
MPSB meetings are held once per month on the second Tuesday; the meeting is generally less than one hour. Hours will vary depending on whether an appeal is being heard from an employee. If hearings are scheduled, they would be held immediately after the meeting. There has been less than one appeal/hearing in the past years.
Human Services Appropriations Committee
The HSAC shall concurrently review agency funding requests to Escambia County and the City of Pensacola, making funding recommendations individually to both bodies in accordance with policy and procedure agreements with each. No members of the Committee shall be a member or employee of, or serve on any board of, any of the requesting agencies reviewed by the Committee. The term of office is three years.
HSAC Process*
The coordination of applications, site visits and oral presentations by United Way of Escambia County takes place from January-May. The partner agencies applying for funding from the Human Services Appropriations Committee are required to submit an application that has the designated HSAC-related application questions, as well as a program budget. Additionally, applying programs are required to host a site visit and provide an oral presentation on their proposal to the HSAC. The funding schedule for the HSAC was changed three years ago to run parallel with the United Way’s Funds Distribution Process. This change was able to create efficiencies in United Way’s staff and volunteer efforts to facilitate this process.
Time Committment
The following is a breakdown approximation of hours served on this Committee:
- Planning meeting and training for upcoming grant review process: November (2 hours)
- Grant Application Review and submission of questions to applicants: March (1 hour per application- number of applications vary from year to year)
- Site Visits/Oral Presentations: April (1.5 hours per applicant plus 15-20 minutes travel time between visits)
- Scoring of applications and/or site visits: March-Late April (10-15 minutes per application)
- Final Deliberations/Funding Recommendations meeting: May (2 +/-hours)
*Prepared by: Marlena Davis, Partnership Manager- United Way
Escambia County residents interested in serving on the Merit System Protection Board or the Human Services Appropriations Committee are asked to submit a resume and letter indicating their desire to serve on the applicable Board/Committee by the close of business on Monday, August 31, 2015. Resumes should be submitted to Judy Witterstaeter, Program Coordinator, Board of County Commissioners, P.O. Box 1591, Pensacola Florida 32502.
Repairs Begin On Chestnut Road Bridge In Molino
August 24, 2015
The Chestnut Road bridge at Dry Creek, located in Molino, is undergoing repairs and maintenance.
The bridge on Chestnut Road is one-eighth of a mile north of Molino Road.
Project duration for repairs and maintenance is estimated to last 30 days, weather permitting. During construction, there will be single-lane closures with flagman present. The current posted load for this bridge is five tons.
NJROTC Cadets Attend Leadership Training Camps
August 24, 2015
Navy Junior ROTC Cadets from seven Escambia and Santa Rosa county schools attended two camps before school started at Naval Air Station Pensacola — a Leadership Academy and a Basic Leadership Training camp.
The NJROTC cadets and instructors from Northview, Escambia, Pine Forest, Washington, Navarre, Milton and Pace high schools took part in the camps with their days staring at 5 a.m. and continuing until 9:30 p.m. The cadets also had to stand barracks watches throughout the night.
Each camp included academics, orienteering and first aid, drills, a physical fitness test and daily fitness training, personnel inspections, daily room and locker inspections and tours of the various active duty training facilities.
The 53 cadets attending the Leadership Academy also had the opportunity to participate in a Leadership Reaction Course and a Marine Corps obstacle course. The 50 cadets in the Basic Leadership Training camp were able to observe demonstrations of aviation fire fighting training, rescue swimmer training, and participate in the USMC circuit course.
Both camps competed in a Jeopardy style academic brain brawl that covered topics covered in the NJROTC curriculum.
Cadets graduating from the camps received a certificate of completion and ribbon, while those completing the Leadership Academy also earned a silver cord that is worn with their uniform.
Northview cadets that successfully completed Leadership Academy were (with awarded medals listed):
- Moriah McGahan — Distinguished Cadet (Top Cadet for the camp, 2nd Sit-ups, 3rd Push-ups, 1st Mile run, 3rd Room Inspection, 1st Overall Physical Fitness Test)
- Katie Cmehil — 1st in Sit-ups
- Sara McCreary — 1st in Knockout competition
- Ureil Codrington
- James White — 4th Overall in the Male Physical Fitness test
Northview cadets that successfully completed Basic Leadership Training Camp were:
- Wyatt Morris — 3rd in Sit-ups
- Oreblis Rodriguez — 2nd in Push-ups
- Hunter Witt
- Zachary Sheldon
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
U.S. Attorney Resigning
August 24, 2015
The top federal prosecutor in much of North Florida announced Thursday she is resigning after five years in the job. U.S. Attorney Pamela Marsh, who oversees cases in 23 counties stretching from Escambia to Alachua, will leave the post effective September 4, according to a news release from her office. The news release did not detail Marsh’s reasons for the resignation or what she plans to do next.
An appointee of President Barack Obama, Marsh was the first woman to hold the top prosecutor’s job in the Northern District of Florida. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher P. Canova will serve as acting U.S. attorney after Marsh leaves.
Pensacola Falls To Mississippi
August 24, 2015
It was Princess Night at the ballpark and all the Pensacola Blue Wahoos wished for was its first dance at the ball – the playoffs that is.
In its first game in franchise history with post season implications, Pensacola didn’t get its fairytale ending Monday.
Despite Phillip Ervin slugging his second home run in two games, the Mississippi Braves held on in the opener of the five-game series for a 3-1 win in front of 4,357 fans, including several little “Frozen” princesses, at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Mississippi took back first place in the South Division over Pensacola by a half game in the second half of the Southern League season. The Braves, who have recorded a better second-half record than first-half record the past seven seasons, are now 31-24 and Pensacola is 31-25.
Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly said with 14 games left this season and Pensacola playing both Mississippi and the Mobile BayBears at home, he knows the Blue Wahoos can qualify for the playoffs.
“We just have to win every series,” he said. “It’s a pretty simple formula.”
Mississippi starter Lucas Sims was coming off a 1-0 victory in which he threw 5.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball against the Birmingham Barons.
Throwing a steady stream of 90-plus mph fastballs against Pensacola, Sims allowed just three hits and recorded a season-high 10 strike outs against the Blue Wahoos. His only run was on Ervin’s solo blast.
The Braves’ Sims improved to 3-2 this season with a 4.19 ERA and now has allowed just two runs in his last 17.1 innings for a 1.06 earned-run average.
“Sims pitched a helluva game,” Kelly said. “He had really good stuff.”
Meanwhile, Pensacola starter Daniel Wright also gave the Blue Wahoos a strong outing, throwing seven innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits, while striking out seven Braves batters. The right-hander retired the first seven Mississippi batters he faced, striking out four, all on off-speed pitches.
“He pitched seven innings for us and allowed us to rest our bullpen a bit,” Kelly said. “That was good. He did a great job, he just had that little hiccup there in the fourth inning.”
Mississippi scored first getting three in the fourth. Braves second baseman Levi Hyams scored on a ground out and third baseman Rio Ruiz hit a two-out, two-run line drive over the left field wall to put Mississippi ahead, 3-0.
Ervin, the Cincinnati Reds No. 9 prospect according to MLB, hit two of Pensacola’s three hits off Sims. He went 2-3 with a double and solo blast to left field in the fourth inning Sunday that pulled Pensacola within, 3-1, of Mississippi.
He had four hits in a row between his third and fourth games in Double-A – two of them home runs. Ervin has 14 home runs and 66 RBIs this season counting his numbers for the High-A Daytona Tortugas.
Ervin said he’s relaxing more at the plate after going 0-5 in his first two games and 4-7 with a double, two homers and three RBIs in the last two.
“I like it right now,” Ervin said, chuckling, about Double-A pitching. “I was putting pressure on myself to get that first hit. Once I got it, I’ve been able to relax and have a little more fun.”
Area Unemployment Rates Steady Or Slightly Increasing
August 23, 2015
The latest job numbers released Friday show the unemployment level holding steady to slightly increasing in the three county North Escambia area.
Escambia County’s unemployment rate was steady from June to July at 5.7 percent. There were 7,984 people reported unemployed during the period. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 6.8 percent.
Santa Rosa County unemployment increased, from 4.9 to 5.0 percent from June to July. Santa Rosa County had a total of 3,7530 persons still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 6 percent.
In Escambia County, Alabama, unemployment increased from 8.0 percent in June to 8.1 percent in July. That represente 1,182 people unemployed in the county during the month. One year ago, the unemployment rate in Escambia County, Alabama, was 8.9 percent.
Florida’s unemployment rate for July stood at 5.4 percent, down 0.2 percentage points from revised June numbers. The latest monthly unemployment mark represents 517,000 jobless Floridians from a workforce of 9.5 million, according to the state Department of Economic Opportunity. In June, there were an estimated 532,000 Floridians out of work with the workforce standing at 9.55 million.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 6.2 percent in July, was up from June’s rate of 6.1 percent and was below the year-ago rate of 6.6 percent.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.