Band Camp Tradition: Tate High Showband Preps For The Upcoming Season (With Gallery)
August 3, 2024
The Tate High School Showband of the South wrapped up two weeks of band camp, and annual tradition, this week.
The last week was four grueling 12-hour days, with nearly 200 band members working on this year’s new show — “Working 9 to 5″.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Band camp is where members learn community and teamwork, start with the basics before sharpening their skills, and get ready for the upcoming season. They practice the halftime show and the pep music that will set the tone for those upcoming Friday night lights.
NorthEscambia.com joined the band for the last hour or so of Thursday’s final band camp day, outside on the hot asphalt.
It was all about timing, precision, music, memorization, marching coordinates, and just coming together as a team. And water breaks. Frequent water breaks due to the Florida heat. With a long legacy and 50 years of straight superior ratings, band camp is a tradition for the Showband.
Tate High School was founded in 1878, and the band was formed in the early 1940 and suspended in 1944 due to World War II. The band was back by 1947. The long history of the Tate band includes performances in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York (twice), the Orange Bowl Parade in Miami, the Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, Fiesta Bowl Parade in Arizona, Tournament of Roses Parade and special performances at Pearl Harbor and in Ireland, along with many others.
Each day of band camp included a mix of indoor rehearsals with sections and practices with the entire band, and time on the hot asphalt just outside Pete Gindl Stadium. And did we mention the July summer heat and water breaks?
Director of Bands Ronald Gray, in his first year at Tate, said the heat has been one of the Showband’s biggest battles this year. Otherwise, he said the band was ready for the upcoming football and marching season. They will kick things off with full band rehearsals next week and a showcase for parents Thursday evening, August 8.
“They are ready,” Gray said. “We are going have great season.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: The Tate High School Showband of the South rehearses on the last day of band camp 2021 on August 1, 2024. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Dance Classes To Be Offered This Fall At Ashton Brosnaham; Registration Is Tuesday
August 3, 2024
Registration will be held Tuesday for dance classes that will be offered at Ashton Brosnaham Park off 10 Mile Road beginning August 12.
Heather Leonard’s Danceworks, which has offered classes in the Century and Byrneville areas since 1994, will hold the classes in the multipurpose building at the park.
The classes will include ballet, tap and jazz for ages two and up.
A 13-week session will be held from September 3 through December 17.
Registration will be held at Ashton Brosnaham from 3-6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6
For more information, click or tap here (pdf).
Intent Movement Worship Event Is Sunday With Sidewalk Prophets, Guest Speakers
August 3, 2024
The Intent Movement is coming to Atmore Sunday night with an event that includes a concert by Christian music’s Sidewalk Prophets, which has had four major studio albums, five No. 1 hits and eight top 5 songs.
General admission is just $5 or a VIP package for $25 with preferred floor seating. Cash, Venmo and Cash App will be accepted at the gate. The event will take place at the Poarch Cultural Arena at 6477 Jack Springs Road. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the event starts at 7 p.m.
Worship leaders will be the Chapels and guest speakers will be Josh Davis and Courtney McBride.
The Intent Movement started about six or seven months ago in the minds of Davis, who is the youth and children’s pastor at Atmore First Assembly, and McBride, who is the principal at Flomaton Elementary School.
“We kind of came together and we had the same vision,” Davis said. Davis had been in El Salvador on a missing tip, and his 13-year-old suffered a brain injury back home. He’s 14 now and fully recovered.
“I had to trust God because his brain was swelling, and we were getting really close to having a craniotomy. God healed him; three months later, I returned to El Salvador and had my son with me.”
“But since that time, I decided that I’m no longer going to allow the enemy just to throw all the licks while I’m going to be on the defense. I’m going to be on the offense too.”
The event was planned as students, teachers and families prepare for going back to school.
“It’s a chance to renew, refresh that strength that comes from the Lord,” Morgan Hiebert, event organizer, said. “A chance to trust the Lord and know that He has given is something incredible.”
“I think people right now; I think they’re hurting; they’re hurting and oh there’s people that that have a lot of things that they keep with inside,” Davis said. “They keep it inside of them, and I want to expose the enemy. And I want them to, to leave here feeling refreshed and not leave here feeling condemned. But feeling that there is a God that sent his son Jesus to die for them, and He loves them. And He’s not upset with them, and nothing, nothing can separate them from God’s love. All He asks is that we live for Him and do our best.”
“I feel like this event is going to be significant,” Davis added.
Coming up Sunday on NorthEscambia.com, we will have a one-on-one interview with singer and songwriter David Frey, frontman of the Sidewalk Prophets.
Fire Destroys Vehicle Early Saturday Morning Near Barrineau Park
August 3, 2024
Fire destroyed a vehicle near Barrineau Park early Saturday morning.
The Cantonment Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to the area of Jacks Branch Road and St. Elizabeth Street about 12:20 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find the vehicle fully involved on the side of the road.
Witness said that someone appeared by be abandoning the vehicle just before the fire, but exactly what happened was not immediately clear. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was working to locate the vehicle’s owner.
There were no injuries reported.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Going Shopping? Here Are The 2024 Escambia County School Supply Lists
August 3, 2024
The Escambia County Public School on Friday released this year’s school supply list for elementary schools in the county.
Middle and high school students are typically informed of needed supplies during the first week of school or at orientations. However, we have middle school lists for Ernest Ward and Ransom below.
A master supply list for all Escambia County Public School elementary schools is below. Also below, there is separate list for Byrneville Elementary School, which is a charter school and has different items listed.
For any specific questions about your school’s supply lists, contact the school. It’s also a good idea to check the school’s website and/or their social media pages for any deviations from the master list.
- For printable supply list pdf for Escambia County Elementary Schools, click here.
- For a printable supply list pdf for Byrneville Elementary School, click here.
- For a printable supply list pdf for Ernest Ward Middle School, click here.
- For a printable supply list pdf for Ransom Middle School, click here.
Blue Wahoos, Lookouts Suspended By Rain In Chattanooga
August 3, 2024
Friday’s game between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Chattanooga Lookouts was suspended due to rain in the top of the fifth inning, with the Lookouts leading 4-2 and the Blue Wahoos at the plate.
In a battle of two young arms, Pensacola righty Jacob Miller was greeted rudely in the first inning of his Double-A debut with a two-run homer from Southern League home run leader Nick Northcut.
The Blue Wahoos answered back in the second against Chattanooga’s Chase Petty, stringing together four hits and tying the game 2-2 on an RBI single from Nathan Martorella followed by an RBI double from Cody Morissette.
The Lookouts reclaimed a 4-2 lead in the third with RBI singles from Ruben Ibarra and Austin Callahan. Pensacola began to threaten in the top of the fifth, putting two runners aboard with one out for Joe Mack, before rain arrived just shy of the game becoming official.
The game will be completed on Saturday, August 3 at 5:15 p.m. ET/4:15 p.m. CT, with the regularly scheduled game to follow no earlier than 7:15 p.m. ET/6:15 p.m. CT.
McDavid Woman Charged With Stealing From Relative In Rehab
August 3, 2024
A McDavid woman has been charged with the alleged fraudulent use of her uncle’s debit card while was was away at rehab.
Lindsey Dawn Kelley, 41, was charged with petit theft, grand theft, fraudulent use of a credit card over $300, and fraudulent use of a credit card two or more times to obtain goods over $100.
The victim told deputies that between July 15 and July 21, 2024, he was enrolled in a rehab program and was not at his residence. The total charges made on his card were $811 in Florida and $1,011.90 in Alabama, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, there was video evidence of the alleged withdrawals.
The victim told deputies that Kelley did not have permission to use his debit card or obtain money from his accounts.
Kelley said she had only used the debit card in the past with permission when the victim was with her, an arrest report states, before saying she definitely did not use it while he was away in rehab. The report states she changed her statement when confronted with the existence of video evidence.
Kelley may also face additional charges from the Flomaton Police Department, according to the report. She was released from the Escambia County (FL) Jail on a $17,000 bond.
NHC Issuing Advisories On Storm
August 2, 2024
The National Hurricane Center is now issuing advisories for Potential Tropical Cyclone Four as it heads toward the Gulf of Mexico.
Confidence has slowly increased on most impacts staying well east of our area; however, be sure to continue to monitor the forecast into the weekend.
PTC 4 is expected to become Tropical Storm Debby by Saturday night.
A tropical storm warning is now in effect for the southwest coast of the Florida peninsula from East Cape Sable to Bonita Beach. A tropical storm watch is now in effect for the Florida Keys south of the Card Sound Bridge including the Dry Tortugas, the southern coast of the Florida peninsula east of East Cape Sable to the Card Sound bridge, and for the west coast of the Florida peninsula north of Bonita Beach to Aripeka.
The latest details are in the graphic aboce.
Breakfast And Lunch Are Free For Every Student At 44 Escambia Schools; Others Must Apply
August 2, 2024
Breakfast and lunch are free for all students, regardless of income, during the upcoming school year at 44 schools and centers in Escambia County. Applications must be submitted for free or reduced price lunches at all other schools.
The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program means that parents of the students at these schools are not required to submit an application for the Free and Reduced Meal program at that school. However, siblings attending schools not on the CEP list will need to apply for eligibility.
The free meal schools are selected based upon income levels.
Meal applications, or payment, will be required at: Beulah Elementary, Blue Angels Elementary, Cook Elementary, Cordova Park Elementary, Hellen Caro Elementary, Kingsfield Elementary, Suter Elementary, Brown Barge Middle, Ransom Middle, Tate High, and West Florida High.
Parents at these schools should plan on providing their child with money for their meals until eligibility is established to avoid creating a deficit in their account. Funds can be added to student accounts online at myschoolapps.com.
This program has been in place since 2015 in Escambia County and was not related to the pandemic.
Free meal schools are:
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
- Bellview Elementary
- Bratt Elementary
- Brentwood Elementary
- Byrneville Elementary
- C.A. Weis Elementary
- Ensley Elementary
- Ferry Pass Elementary
- Global Learning Academy
- Holm Elementary
- Jim Allen Elementary
- Lincoln Park Elementary
- Lipscomb Elementary
- Longleaf Elementary
- McArthur Elementary
- Molino Park Elementary
- Montclair Elementary
- Myrtle Grove Elementary
- Navy Point Elementary
- Oakcrest Elementary
- Pine Meadow Elementary
- Pleasant Grove Elementary
- Scenic Heights Elementary
- O.J. Semmes Elementary
- Sherwood Elementary
- Warrington Elementary
- West Pensacola Elementary
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
- Bailey Middle
- Bellview Middle
- Beulah Middle
- Ernest Ward Middle
- Ferry Pass Middle
- Workman Middle
HIGH SCHOOLS
- Escambia High
- Northview High
- Pensacola High
- Pine Forest High
- Washington High
OTHER SCHOOLS AND CENTERS
- Acceleration Academy
- Achieve Academy
- Capstone
- Escambia Westgate Center
- Hope Horizon
- Jacqueline Harris Preparatory Academy
- Success Academy
Free/reduced meal applications are available here.
Pictured: An Escambia County School lunch. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Pays $3.5 Million To Settle Federal Medicare Fraud Lawsuit
August 2, 2024
Escambia County has paid $3.5 million to resolve federal allegations that the county violated the False Claims Act by falsely billing government healthcare programs for emergency medical services and transportation.
The settlement resolves claims against Escambia County arising from ambulance and emergency medical technicians lacking the requisite certifications who then provided healthcare services via emergency medical services and transportation with Escambia County EMS during the period of January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2020.
“This settlement with Escambia County demonstrates our commitment to protect federal health care funds and to hold providers accountable for fraudulent billing especially when it impacts the safety and well-being of our citizens,” said Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Our office will continue to uphold the integrity of taxpayer-funded programs and vigorously pursue health care providers that defraud the government.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Dr. Rayme Edler. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery.
This civil settlement agreement is not an admission of any liability by Escambia County, nor a concession by the United States that its claims were not well-founded.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Ann Couch and Marie Moyle represented the United States in this matte
NorthEscambia.com file photo.