7A: Niceville Tops Tate
November 22, 2014
The Tate High School’s playoff run came to an end Friday night as the Aggies lost to Niceville 35-0 in the Region 1-7A semifinal. The Aggies finished the year at 9-3.
Niceville will be Oakleaf next Friday night in the regional finals.
Photos by Jennifer Repine for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
-
Florida State ‘Coming Back Together’ After Library Shooting
November 22, 2014
The trustees of Florida State University on Friday stood to applaud the campus police chief and prayed for two victims — one critically injured — as the school tries to recover from a shooting incident early Thursday that left three people wounded and the gunman dead.
FSU President John Thrasher told the university’s board of trustees that students were back in class and that Strozier Library, where the tragedy occurred, had re-opened Friday morning.
“The campus in my opinion is coming back together,” said Thrasher, who has been in his job less than two weeks. “We all hurt for the folks that are in the hospital, and we are trying to be diligent in our efforts to help them and support them, without being intrusive into the privacy that they expect.”
The board led a standing ovation for university Police Chief David Perry, whose officers arrived on the scene of the shooting in less than five minutes. Officers exchanged more than 30 rounds with the gunman, FSU graduate Myron May, who died outside the library after failing to penetrate its security.
“I tell thousands of parents and students at orientation that we are the ones that run toward the danger when everyone else is running the opposite direction,” said Perry, who hadn’t slept in 52 hours. “So when I got that first call, I was just as emotional as everyone else, but I knew that we had a job to do, and I knew that we were going to rely on our training to get the job done.”
University and Tallahassee police officers rushed to the library after May, a 31-year-old attorney, showed up with a semi-automatic handgun. He shot one student in the lobby and then went outside, where he shot a university employee and another student.
Tallahassee police late Friday afternoon released the names of the three victims. Police said one of the victims, Farhan Ahmed, 21, was being treated at a local hospital and that his family had asked for privacy. University employee Nathan Scott, 30, was shot in the leg and was being treated at a hospital. The third victim, Elijah Velez, 18, suffered what police called a “grazing” wound and was treated and released.
The trustees saw a video of a Thursday night vigil on Landis Green, where students lifted candles and sang “Amazing Grace.” During the trustees meeting, Chairman Allan Bense also led a silent prayer for the victims and their families, with whom he’d been spending time.
Thrasher, whose selection as president had drawn protests from some students and faculty members, said the university had come together.
“Normalcy is a funny word, and I don’t know that we’ll get back to it or ever forget,” he said. “But at least I think from a standpoint of some of the things that went on yesterday, I think our campus is alive and well and working toward the goals of being a great university.”
On Friday morning, Thrasher and FSU Provost Garnett Stokes — along with law enforcement — welcomed students at the library doors. With them was Dean of University Libraries Julia Zimmerman, whose security measures kept May from getting past the lobby of Strozier, where 450 students were studying at the time.
“We’re ready to get back to work,” Zimmerman said. “This is a busy time for the library, as exams are coming up. Our building is going to be packed to the gills for the next two to three weeks with students, and we are ready to work with them.”
About 100 students lined up at the library doors, saying they, too, were ready to pick up where they’d left off — more or less.
“It shocked a lot of people and it rocked a lot of people, but we’ll get back to normal pretty soon,” said Joe Pelt, a freshman biology major from Tallahassee. “It’s going to be in the back of our minds going in and out of Strozier and being around campus for a while, but we’ll bounce back. It’s what we do.”
Also Friday, the FBI intercepted a package May had sent to a friend in Texas. Other packages to other friends are expected. On Thursday, Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo described May as having been “in crisis,” and the investigation into his actions is continuing.
by Margie Menzel, The News Service of Florida
Basketball: Tate Beats Pace In OT
November 22, 2014
The Tate High School Aggiest beat Pace in overtime Friday night 74-72.
With the win Friday night and a season-opening win last Tuesday over Milton, the Aggies are now 2-0.
The Aggies will host Gulf Breeze Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Grand Send-Off For Escambia Academy Cougars
November 21, 2014
The Escambia Academy Cougars won the AISA Class AAA state championship tonight in Troy, AL, being Bessemer Academy 35-28.
Earlier Story:
A grand send-off was held Friday afternoon for the Escambia Academy Cougar football team as they left Canoe, AL, and headed through Atmore on their way to the AISA Class AAA state championship game tonight in Troy, AL.
Fans lined the highways to wave and wish good luck to the Cougars. Escambia Academy will play Bessemer Academy at 7 p.m. at Troy’s Veterans Memorial Stadium, home of the Troy State Trojans.
Pictured: A celebratory send-off for the Escambia Academy Cougars Friday afternoon in Canoe, AL, as they head to the AISA state championship game in Troy, AL. NorthEscambia.com photos by Ditto Gorme, click to enlarge.
Deputies: Beulah Shooting Was Domestic Violence
November 21, 2014
A shooting death Friday afternoon in Beulah was an act of domestic violence, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to the 7500 block of Mobile Highway, near Beulah Elementary School, to find one person deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. A “person of interest” was taken into custody at the scene.
Authorities have not released any names in the incident, and they have not revealed the relationship between the victim and the person of interest.
Beulah Elementary School was under a brief lockdown for a short time period, and Mobile Highway was closed temporarily as a result of the shooting.
Pictured: A fatal shooting occurred on Mobile Highway Friday afternoon. Photo courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Kidnapping, Armed Robbery, Battery Of Woman
November 21, 2014
An Escambia County man who kidnapped and sexually battered a woman Thursday has been arrested. Kyheem Scott, 26, was charged with kidnapping, sexual battery and armed robbery.
The incident occurred between 3 and 4 a.m. in a vacant lot on North C Street. The 44-year-old woman told Detective Shannan Briarton she was walking home from her mother’s house when the suspect approached her and offered to walk with her.
The woman declined, but as she walked away, the suspect followed. In an attempt to avoid him, the woman walked onto several streets but Scott ran toward her and told her he had a gun, which she believed he placed on her neck. She then was forced into the vacant lot where he ordered her to remove items from her pockets and to perform oral sex on him.
The man then fled the area and the woman called police. Scott was identified during the investigation, and had the victim’s cell phone in his possession when arrested Thursday afternoon.
Molino Park Receives $25,000 Tech Grant; Students Reach For The Stars (With Gallery)
November 21, 2014
Molino Park Elementary School celebrated the receipt of a $25,000 technology grant Thursday night that is allowing students to reach for the stars.
The grant from the Monsanto Fund’s America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program was used to purchase iPads to advance technology in implementing core standards in reading, science and math for third and fourth grade students.
Earlier this year, Molino Park turned to NorthEscambia.com to encourage local farmers to nominate and support the school’s efforts to win the grant.
“I appreciate the farmers showing their support in taking their time to nominate us as this solidifies the community spirit at Molino Park that continuously carries us,” said Principal Alice Woodward. “Farmers are the heartbeat off our community, and their actions have allowed us to continue to flourish in our endeavor to educate students.”
Molino Park also held a stargazing event Thursday night, with students creating space related crafts indoors, and heading outdoors for hands-on activities. They were able to use an iPad app to see a virtual sky map as they panned from horizon to horizon, and telescopes were set up behind the school for a closer looks at stars and planets.
Pictured top: Molino Park Elementary School was presented a symbolic $25,000 check Thursday night from the Monsanto Fund to purchase iPads. Pictured inset: The actual funds were previously received from the grant, and the iPads are already in use. Pictured below: A time lapse photo showing a group in near total darkness star gazing behind Molino Park Elementary Thursday night. Pictured below: A student uses an iPad with a star mapping application to map the night sky. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
ECUA Sells Main Street Property For $5.2 Million, Elects Officers
November 21, 2014
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority approved the sale of the former Main Street sewage treatment plant property at their Thursday yearly organizational meeting. The 19-acre site is being purchased by Quint and Rishy Studer for $5.2 million.
The property has been vacant since 2011 when the sewer plant — known as “Old Stinky” — was demolished in 2011 after it was replaced by the Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment. The plant was first constructed in 1937 and underwent several expansions.
Studer’s offer was less ECUA’s asking price for the property at $8.9 million, and about $2 million less than was offered to a Texas-based developer in a deal that went nowhere in 2013. Studer will reportedly work to add athletic fields, concession areas, restrooms and parking to the property.
Also at Thurday’s meeting, the ECUA board elected officers and made appointments for the upcoming year.
District 2 representative Lois Benson was elected as chairman and District 5 member Larry Walker was elected vice-chair. Elvin McCorvey of District 3 was elected chairman of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee, and Vicki Campbell of District 1 was elected vice-chairman. Deborah Benn, Charles Green, Chuck Kimball, Hurey Smith, Tim Common, Kelley Thompson, and Louise Ritz were unanimously re-appointed to serve as members of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee.
Trial Postponed For Molino Murder Suspect
November 21, 2014
Trial has been delayed for on Molino murder suspect, while another suspect awaits sentencing next month.
Zachary Greer, 24, was due in court this week, but his next court appearance was continued at the prosecution’s request to late December. He is charged with first degree murder in the 2013 death of Harvey Ray Smith.
His co-defendant, 24-year old Debra Burge, has pleaded no contest in September to a lesser charge of second degree murder charge in the death of Harvey Ray Smith. She will be sentenced in December.
The body of Smith, age 43 of Pace, was found stuffed into a trunk behind a Motel 6 on Davis Highway on the morning of May4, 2013. Smith had been reported missing in Santa Rosa County. Family members located his vehicle at the motel and then discovered the body.
Reports state Burge and Greer conspired to rob Smith. Burge allegedly lured Smith, her acquaintance, to her home in the 3900 block of Highway 97 in Molino. She told deputies she went inside while Smith and Greer remained outside. When she later exited the home, she found Smith on the ground of the Molino home bleeding. She told Sheriff’s investigators that Greer told her he stabbed Smith and put his body in the trunk of the car that was later driven to the Motel 6 on Davis Highway in Pensacola.
Escambia Man Indicted For Insurance Fraud Scheme
November 21, 2014
An Escambia County man has been indicted on federal charges for an insurance fraud scheme. Kevin D. Webster, 44, was indicted for 11 felony counts of wire fraud.
The indictment alleges that Webster, an insurance agent licensed in Florida and other states, defrauded high profile clients and their financial advisors by falsely representing to them via
email that he had secured umbrella insurance policies for them when, in fact, he had not. According to the indictment, between 2008 and 2011, Webster accepted approximately $140,000 meant for umbrella insurance policy premiums for policies that Webster never secured or even attempted to secure.
Webster pled not guilty, and his trial is scheduled for Monday, January 12, 2015, before Senior United States District Judge Roger Vinson. The charges result from an investigation by the Florida Department of Financial Services and the FBI.