No More Admin: Demolition Continues On Former Ernest Ward Middle
March 20, 2015
Demolition is continuing on the old Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill.
By the end of the day Thursday, the entire former middle school administration building — the high school’s former science building — was gone. Demolition on the remainder of the facility, including the main portion of school constructed in 1945, will be completed by the end of next week if the contractor receives the necessary permits as expected. Once the old school is demolished, the area will become mostly parking.
Students moved into their new $20 million state of the art Ernest Ward Middle School, located behind the old school, the first week of February.
Pictured. The administration building at the former Ernest Ward Middle School facility is now gone. The remainder of the old school is also set for demolition. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Senate Bill Looks At Testing Fallout
March 20, 2015
A Senate panel approved a revamped version of testing legislation Thursday, potentially paving the way for an audit of the botched rollout of the state’s new standardized tests and making clear that school districts would be repaid if the state recovers damages from the contractor running the exams.
The new version of the legislation (SB 616) also moves closer to a similar proposal from the House (HB 7069), lawmakers said, and provides additional flexibility for school districts when it comes to evaluating teachers.
The Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee voted 7-1 to approve the measure.
State officials still have not decided whether to pursue sanctions against American Institutes for Research, a non-profit group that signed a six-year, $220 million deal with the state to develop and administer the new Florida Standards Assessments. The first round of testing earlier this month was plagued by slow logins, other technology issues and, ultimately, a suspected cyber-attack.
But an amendment to the Senate bill by Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, would require that money be returned to school districts if the state does recover any.
“In summary, we are requesting that the DOE go after any liquidated damages that the state may be entitled to as a result of this rollout, and then that we would reimburse and funnel those moneys back to the districts to help them offset some of the costs that could have or may occur as a result of administrating any assessments,” Legg said.
Another amendment, offered by Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate, calls for an audit if the testing administration “does not comply with the minimum assessment protocols and requirements established by the department.”
AIR has shouldered most of the blame for the troubled introduction of the tests, which came as lawmakers were already looking at legislation to pare back assessments amid parental complaints of over-testing.
Changes to the Senate bill would also give school districts more flexibility on some assessments and in setting standards for different levels of achievement on teachers’ evaluations. The House bill has been received more favorably by education advocates, in part because it gives districts more leeway.
Most of the original provisions of the Senate bill remain. The proposal would cap at 5 percent the share of students’ time that can be spent on testing and scrap a law requiring school districts to come up with end-of-course tests in classes where the state doesn’t administer such exams.
It would also allow schools and school districts to seek waivers from being assigned letter grades due to implementation issues with the state’s new test — if they give up school recognition funding — and would reduce from 50 percent to a third the portion of a teacher’s evaluation tied to student performance.
“It’s fewer, better, flexible, more transparent and more-timely tests, and I think that’s something that we need to move towards for our students,” Legg said.
But it still falls short of what some members of the public and lawmakers want. Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, called for additional changes, including allowing parents in some cases to request their students be given a paper and pencil version of computerized tests. All of Bullard’s amendments were defeated.
Bullard, who was the only member of the committee to vote against the bill Thursday, said it was improving.
“Unfortunately, I still think we have about a Grand Canyon’s-wide chasm between where we need to be and where we are,” he said.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Second Baptist Of Texas Takes Top Spot In Aggies Classic
March 20, 2015
The Second Baptist Eagles from Texas won the 22nd Annual Aggie Classic Thursday night as they topped No. 1 seed Tate High School. The 6-5 loss was the first of the season for the Aggies (13-1)
FINAL SCORES:
At Tate High School
- Christ Presbyterian 12, Edmond North 3
- Second Baptist 6, Tate 5
At West Florida High
- West Florida 3, Shawnee 0
At Escambia
- Pryor 9, Escambia 3
At Gulf Breeze
- Milton 8, Union 2
- Gulf Breeze 8, Davidson 5
At Washington
- Washington (OK) 6, Knoxville Cath. 5
- Goodpasture 4, Washington 3
Scott Signs Off On Later Presidential Primary Date
March 20, 2015
Florida’s 2016 presidential primary elections will be March 15.
Gov.Rick Scott wasted no time Thursday signing into law a bill (HB 7035) that sets presidential primaries on the third Tuesday in March, according to a release from his office. Under the previous law, next year’s primaries would have been March 1. Scott said he would sign the bill after the Senate unanimously approved the measure Wednesday.
According to national GOP rules, the later date would allow the Republican Party of Florida to make its primary winner-take-all, instead of awarding delegates proportionally. Democratic Party delegates are awarded proportionally regardless of when a state’s primary is held. The House passed the bill last week.
Delaying the primary date is a different strategy from past efforts by Florida to move up earlier in the presidential primary season. Those efforts led the national parties, which have sought to protect early contests in states such as Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, to take away some of Florida’s delegates.
Wins For Northview Softball, Junior Varsity Baseball
March 20, 2015
Northview 10, W.S. Neal 2
Northview 5, W.S. Neal 2
Northview High School’s junior varsity beat W.S. Neal in a baseball double header Thursday night in Bratt. Northview topped Neal 10-2 in the first game and 5-2 in the second. The Chiefs travel to Chipley Friday, with the JV plaing at 4:00 and the varsity in a district matchup at 6:30.
Northview 6, Flomaton 5
The Northview Lady Chiefs beat Flomaton Thursday night 6-5. The Lady Chiefs will be on the road Friday night at Baker. The junior varsity plays at 4:00, the varsity at 6:00
Pictured: Northview’s JV swept a double header against W.S. Neal. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: USMC Battle Color Detachment, Silent Drill Team
March 20, 2015
The United States Marine Corps Battle Color Detachment performed Thursday at Naval Air Station Pensacola. The detachment The USMC BCD is comprised of the official Color Guard of the Marine Corps, the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps (“The Commandant’s Own”) and the Silent Drill Platoon.
Photos courtesy NAS Pensacola Public Affairs for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Supreme Court Decision Reopens Juvenile Sentences
March 20, 2015
Florida inmates serving life sentences for crimes they committed as juveniles should be resentenced under guidelines that went into effect last year, the Florida Supreme Court unanimously ruled Thursday.
In four separate cases, the justices ordered lower courts to apply the 2014 law to inmates who, as juveniles, were sentenced in the past either to life in prison or to terms that would have effectively kept them behind bars until they die. Two of the inmates were convicted of murder.
The highly anticipated rulings settle the question of whether two seminal U.S. Supreme Court decisions that found life sentences for juveniles violate Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment should apply retroactively. Lower courts were divided on the retroactivity issue.
In a 2010 case, known as Graham v. Florida, the U.S. Supreme Court banned life sentences without a “meaningful opportunity” for release for juveniles convicted of non-homicide crimes. And in a 2012 ruling known as Miller v. Alabama, the high court barred mandatory life sentences for juveniles convicted of murder. Juveniles can still face life sentences in such cases, but judges must weigh criteria such as the offenders’ maturity and the nature of the crimes before imposing that sentence.
Under the Florida law passed last year, a juvenile convicted of a murder classified as a capital felony could be sentenced to life in prison after a hearing to determine whether such a sentence is appropriate. If a judge finds that a life sentence is not appropriate, the juvenile would be sentenced to at least 35 years. Also, juveniles convicted in such cases would be entitled to reviews after 25 years.
In Thursday’s ruling, the Florida justices concluded that the Miller and Graham rulings constitute “a development of fundamental significance,” the standard for retroactivity.
“The patent unfairness of depriving indistinguishable juvenile offenders of their liberty for the rest of their lives, based solely on when their cases were decided, weighs heavily in favor of applying the (U.S.) Supreme Court’s decision in Miller retroactively,” Justice Barbara Pariente wrote in an opinion ordering a lower court to consider a new sentence for Rebecca Lee Falcon.
Falcon is serving a life sentence for a 1997 murder committed during a botched robbery in Bay County, when she was 15.
Anthony Duwayne Horsley, who was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2006 shooting death of a convenience-store owner in Brevard County when Horsley was 17, was also granted another review.
“It’s definitely a victory for child advocates who’ve been asking to get the Graham decision implemented in a widespread fashion,” 2nd Judicial Circuit Public Defender Nancy Daniels said.
The justices also ordered a resentencing for Leighdon Henry, who was tried as an adult for multiple non-homicide offenses, including sexual battery, committed when he was 17, and was sentenced to life in prison plus 60 additional years. After the Graham decision, Henry’s sentence was reduced to 90 years.
But even the reduced sentence would not give Henry the opportunity for reform, Justice James E.C. Perry noted in a 12-page opinion.
“We conclude that Graham prohibits the state trial courts from sentencing juvenile non-homicide offenders to prison terms that ensure these offenders will be imprisoned without obtaining a meaningful opportunity to obtain future early release during their natural lives based on their demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation,” Perry wrote.
State Sen. Rob Bradley, a former prosecutor who was instrumental in crafting and passing the juvenile sentencing law last year, said legislators intentionally left the issue of retroactivity to the courts to decide.
“We did our job. The court did their job today. The system moves forward. Clearly, by adjudicating these cases, that then becomes precedent and other courts will take the precedent set and apply it to other cases throughout the state,” Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said.
Thursday’s rulings should not have any impact on the 2014 law, Bradley said.
But the retroactivity could present an onerous task for judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers, said 8th Judicial Circuit State Attorney William Cervone.
According to a staff analysis of last year’s bill, Thursday’s court action means that at least 300 inmates could have their sentences revisited and possibly reduced. The Falcon decision gave inmates who were sentenced to life as juveniles two years to ask the courts for a new sentence.
“We’ll have to contact victims, reanalyze what the sentencing options in light of Graham and Miller are as to each applicable case,” Cervone said. “It’s a big deal individually and it’s a big deal collectively. But by their nature, they are complicated, bad cases. So each case individually is going to be, I assume, a very contested, intense kind of hearing. It’s going to be very work-intensive for everybody.”
But Daniels, the public defender, embraced the opportunity to revisit the sentences.
“It’s a welcome burden,” she said.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
No Injuries In Minor School Bus Wreck
March 19, 2015
There were no injuries reported in a rear-end collision involving a school bus with 21 passengers Wednesday in Cantonment.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 64-year old James William Tipton of Cantonment was behind a school bus driven by Teresa Louise Flynn of Cantonment on Highway 297A. When the bus slowed at a bus stop, Tipton’s 1993 Ford F-250 collided with the back of the bus. There were no injuries.
Tipton was cited with careless driving by the FHP.
Man Found Dead After Olive Road Kitchen Fire
March 19, 2015
One person was pronounced deceased following a reported kitchen fire in Escambia County Wednesday.
About 2:30 p.m., firefighters responded to the 300 block of Esast Olive Road. Firefighters did not find any flames when they arrived on scene, but they did find a pot of food on the stove with heavy smoke.
As they searched the residence, a male patient was found face down and unresponsive. Rescue crews performed CPR and the man was taken to West Florida Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to a county spokesperson.
According to the battalion chief, the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office are investigating.
No Smoking: Century Considering Tobacco Free Policy
March 19, 2015
The Town of Century is looking at the possibility of a tobacco-free policy for employees in their hiring process.
Mayor Freddie McCall said, that besides the obvious health benefits, a tobacco free town could lead to savings on the town’s employee health insurance rates.
Escambia County adopted a tobacco free policy in 2008, and the Escambia County School Board implemented such a policy in 2010. The school district policy defines tobacco as any product that includes tobacco intended or expected for human use or consumption, including lighted or unlighted cigarettes, cigars, pipes or any other smoking product, chewing tobacco or snuff. The policy applies to tobacco in any form, including lozenges, strips and pouches.
If a tobacco free policy is implemented in Century, McCall said an effort will be made to provide smoking cessation products to town employees through a non-profit program.