First Responders Investigate Irritating Odor In Walnut Hill
August 27, 2013
First responders spent over two hours searching for the cause of an irritating odor Monday night in the Walnut Hill area.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office first responded to the area of Arthur Brown Road and Corley Road, at the railroad tracks, about 9:30 p.m.
Residents reported a smell similar to, but different from, leaking natural gas. Some said the strong odor was irritating to their nose and throat. Firefighters were able to smell the odor in several locations around Arthur Brown Road, Juniper Street, Cypress Street, Kansas Road and Smith Lane — but they were unable to pinpoint an exact source.
While the Genesis Rail Services Walnut Hill Station, a train-to-pipeline crude oil transfer station is located in the area, it was not believed to be associated with the smell. The wind was blowing toward the facility, not away from it, in the areas where residents reported the smell, firefighters said.
Pictured: The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS set up a staging area Monday night at Escambia Grain on Arthur Brown Road as they searched for the source of an irritating odor mostly west of the location. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sheriff, Molino Residents Praise Neighborhood Watch Effectiveness
August 27, 2013
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan praised the effectiveness of neighborhood watch groups Monday night during a meeting of the Molino Mid-County Neighborhood Watch,.
“We can’t be everywhere all the time; you are our eyes and ears,” Morgan told the group. “Especially in the rural areas…everybody knows their neighbors.”
Sarah Jenness, president of the two-year old Molino neighborhood watch group agreed. “It’s very effective and it works,” she said.
The number of neighborhood watch groups in Escambia County is up to 114.
For more information on a joining or starting a neighborhood watch in your community, call David Craig at (850) 436-9620. The Molino Mid-County Neighborhood Watch group meets on the fourth Monday night of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Molino Community Complex.
Pictured top: Molino Mid-County Neighborhood Watch President Sarah Jenness (background) listens to Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan speak Monday night in Molino. Pictured below: Molino Mid-County Neighborhood Watch members. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Scott Opens Education Summit
August 27, 2013
Educators, business leaders and advocates gathered Monday in Clearwater for a three-day education summit called by Gov. Rick Scott — but the first day in some ways served to highlight differences between those involved in public schools as the system enters a critical period.
In an early example of the disagreements that could affect the meeting, Joanne McCall, vice president of the Florida Education Association, highlighted teacher concerns with the state’s accountability system, now under siege from several sources.
“I’ve been all over this state as school begins … and they’re frustrated,” she said. “They don’t feel the system has value, and they don’t trust the system.”
But Keith Calloway, with the Professional Educators Network of Florida, said teachers were not uniformly opposed to the state’s system of assessing teachers.
“There are many of us teachers out there right now that like the evaluations,” he said.
The summit comes as Florida faces several ongoing controversies in its accountability system. The State Board of Education recently approved a one-year extension of a policy that prevented each school from dropping more than a letter grade on its state report card after superintendents complained of a likely implosion in scores.
Despite the move, 107 elementary schools, or slightly more than 4 percent, received “F” grades on the report card. In 2012, 40 schools got F grades, amounting to just more than 1.5 percent.
That marked the highest number of schools to get an F at least since the program started including learning gains as part of the report card in 2002.
Meanwhile, legislative leaders have pushed the Department of Education to abandon its plan to use an exam developed by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, a consortium aimed at coming up with tests that will measure students’ achievements under common core. Common core, in turn, is a set of standards agreed to by the overwhelming majority of states.
And the Florida Education Association has filed a lawsuit against a state law tying teacher pay more closely to student performance, arguing that all teachers were not treated fairly by the law.
Meanwhile, the resignation of former Education Commissioner Tony Bennett, after questions about his involvement in school grading policies in Indiana, left Florida looking for its third new education commissioner since Scott took office.
Even efforts to come up with a set of “guiding principles” for the summit caused waves when one of the principles said PARCC “will require an excessive amount of testing time, will be too expensive, and has been marked by overreaches from the federal government into education policy.”
The principle was changed after a lengthy debate when several members objected that it seemed like the decision on the test had already been made.
“I think it’s premature on the first afternoon to have a full discussion of PARCC and other things as one of our guiding principles,” said Wayne Blanton, executive director of the Florida School Boards Association.
Participants at the summit are set to discuss the state’s education standards and tests on Tuesday, followed by conversations about school grades and teacher evaluations on Wednesday.
by The News Service of Florida
Northview Lady Chiefs Get District Volleyball Win
August 27, 2013
The Northview Lady Chiefs picked up a district win Monday as their regular season opened against Holmes County.
Northview beat Holmes County 25-12, 25-15, 25-5. Kyndall Hall had seven aces, four kills and three assists for the Chiefs, while Lily Townson had four aces, one kill and 16 assists. Lana Clayton added two aces, four kills and one block.
The Lady Chiefs will host Catholic on Tuesday, with the JV playing at 5:00 and the varsity following at 6:00.
Wahoos Beat Barons 6-2
August 27, 2013
Josh Smith shut down a potent Birmingham attack with seven two-hit innings while the offense battered 10 hits in a 6-2 win over the Barons on Monday night in front of the 30th sellout crowd of the year at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. Pensacola’s victory combined with a Jacksonville triumph pushed the Blue Wahoos to just three games out of first place with six games remaining.
Smith (W 10-9) battled his command throughout his outing, walking five, but he countered that with five strikeouts to increase his Southern League leading total to 135 on the year. The lone run he gave up came on a Dan Black solo homer leading off the second. With the victory, Smith became the first Blue Wahoos pitcher to record 10 wins in a single season.
Pensacola’s offense quickly responded in support of Smith with a pair of runs in three separate frames. Travis Mattair tied the game at one in the second on an RBI double and came around to score on an RBI groundout from Brandon Short. In the fifth inning, the Wahoos strung together three two-out hits, culminating in a two-run double from Yorman Rodriguez to make it 4-1. Rodriguez had a huge night at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double, run scored and two RBI.
In the seventh inning, Mike Costanzo gave Pensacola some extra breathing room with a two-run, two-out homer off Dan Remenowsky to push the Wahoos in front 6-1. Costanzo was 2-for-4 with his fourth homer of the year, two runs scored and two RBI. Devin Lohman scored on the round tripper and posted a solid line as well, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Spencer Arroyo (L 8-7) got the start for the Barons and allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk in five innings.
Having already assured a series victory, the Wahoos will look to make it nine wins in their last 11 times out in the 2013 home finale on Tuesday night. Reds top pitching prospect Robert Stephenson (0-1, 1.64) will go for Pensacola opposite Birmingham’s Chris Bassitt (4-2, 2.11). First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
NWE Eagles Soar In Preseason Action
August 27, 2013
The Northwest Escambia Eagles had a mostly winning day Saturday in preseason youth football jamborees at W.S. Neal in East Brewton.
The NWE Freshmen (ages 4-6) lost 13-7 to Poarch and Beat Baker 27-0. Kaden Dove, Zyonne Wesley, Liam Hatcher and Jackson Simmons all scored. The team had about 170 yards rushing against Baker, and Wesley contributed a 35-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown.
The NWE Sophomores (ages 7-8) beat host W.S. Neal 16-0. Kaden Odom scores two touchdowns and Nolin Godwin scored a couple of two-point conversions. In their second scrimmage of the day, the NWE’s 7-8 year olds beaet Baker 6-0. Kaden Odom scored the only touchdown for NWE, and the two-point conversion was stopped short.
The Northwest Escambia Juniors (ages 9-10) beat Poarch 16-0. The Eagles defense held Poarch to negative yardage, with NWE touchdowns fromJayden Jackson and Jaheem Durant. Jackson and Durant each scored a two point conversion. The Juniors also beat Baker 16-0. Jackson stripped the ball from Baker and returned it for an Eagles touchdown. Jaheem Durant and Jaden Cunningham also added a TD. Jaden Cunningham completed a pass to Dariontae Richardson for a two-point conversion and Michael Merchant added a two-point conversion on a quarterback sneak.
The Eagles Seniors (ages 11-12) lost to W.S. Neal 6-0. Trent Kite had a touchdown called back against Neal. And the NWE Seniors beat Baker 22-0 with one touchdown from Kite and two TD’s from Seth Killam. Killam was 2-3 on extra point kicks.
During the preseason events at W.S. Neal, each team played two 20 minutes games with running clocks.
NWE will travel to Baker High Saturday, with the Freshmen getting the action started at 2 p.m., followed by the Sophomores at 3:30, Juniors and 5:00 and the Seniors at 7:00.
Pictured top: Michael Merchant (#15) scores for the Juniors. Pictured below: Kaden Dove adds a touchdown for the NWE Freshmen. Pictured inset: The NWE Seniors celebrate their victory over Baker. Pictured bottom: The NWE Sophomore cheerleaders. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Woman Injured In Morning Crash With Tree
August 26, 2013
A Cantonment woman received minor injuries in a single vehicle crash this morning.
About 6 a.m., 33-year old Rebecca Reeves was southbound on Highway 95A near El Camino Drive when she left the roadway and struck a sign and then a tree, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Her 2005 Dodge Dakota came to rest against a tree.
Reeves was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries. She was cited by the FHP with careless driving.
Motorcylist Injured In Roberts Road Crash
August 26, 2013
A motorcyclist was seriously injured when the driver of a car turned in front of him Monday morning in Cantonment.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 73-year old William L. Rosich of Smyrna, GA, turned his 2006 Ford Taurus into the path of a motorcycle about 10:38 a.m. on West Roberts Road near Tate Road. The motorcyclist, 74-year old William A. Jennings, Jr. of Pensacola, struck the side of the Taurus with his 2004 Yamaha motorcycle.
Jennings was transported Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition; Rosich was not injured.
Rosich was cited for turning left in front of approaching traffic by the FHP.
105 Cases Cleared Through Burglary Investigation
August 26, 2013
Escambia investigators say they have busted a burglary ring responsible for over 100 burglaries in Escambia and Santa Rosa County involving stolen goods valued at $120,000.
Timothy Godwin, Henry Birchmore and Jason Godwin, broke into homes since April 2013 that were vacant, for sale, for rent, in renovation or in foreclosure, stealing major appliances including stoves, refrigerators and air conditioning units, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation included a total of 88 reported burglaries or thefts in Escambia County. Warrants were prepared or arrests were made in 66 of those cases. Santa Rosa County had 18 additional cases in which they obtained seven warrants. In addition to the burglary and theft cases, officers worked 10 additional spin-off cases for other crimes.
Officers have recovered several of the major appliances and air conditioners and are still trying to identify and locate more of the property.
On July 14, Timothy Godwin was arrested on an outstanding warrant from one of the initial cases related to this investigation, and Birchmore was arrested on outstanding warrants unrelated to the case and narcotics violations. Both have been incarcerated since that time. Birchmore and Timothy Godwin have already been charged in eight cases.
Jason Godwin, Timothy’s brother, has outstanding warrants on six cases.
On August 23, 128 warrants were sent to the court for judicial review. A total of 105 cases have been cleared through this investigation according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Pit Bill Attack Victim Returns Home
August 26, 2013
The Nokomis woman who was viciously attacked and mauled by two pit bulls at her home July 18 is now back at home.
Sandra Lambert, 63, was transferred earlier this month from the USA Medical Center in Mobile to the West Florida Rehabilitation Institute in Pensacola, where she worked to learn to live without her dominant right arm. Her arm was amputated at the shoulder following the dog attack. She has now been released from the rehab center and is now staying at a relative’s home.
The two pit bulls that attacked Lambert at her home were euthanized at the Escambia County Animal Shelter. Animal Control’s investigation determined that Lambert’s family had been taking care of the two animals for at least 10 months, making the family the legal owners of the dogs, according to Escambia County officials. Family members signed custody of the dogs over to animal control with the understanding that the animals would be put down.
Lambert had taken both pit bulls out for a walk behind her home on in the 8000 block of Jakes Road. Molly, the female dog, was on a leash and lunged at some chickens in the yard. Lambert yelled “No, Molly” to the dog and pulled on her leash. The dog quickly turned on her and attacked, with the male dog, Rosco, joining in.
She was airlifted to the USA Medical Center in Mobile where she underwent several surgeries.
An account to help Lambert with medical expenses has been established. Donations can be made to the “Benefit Account for Sandra Lambert” at any branch of United Bank. Donations can be mailed to United Bank, P.O. Box 8, Atmore, AL 36504.
A benefit car wash for Lambert will be held on Saturday, September 14 at O’Reilly Auto Parts on South Main Street in Atmore from 9 a.m. until.
Pictured top: An Escambia County Animal Control officer removed a tranquilized pit bull from an enclosed porch at the home of Sandra Lambert. Pictured below: Molly, one of the dogs involved in the July 18 attack, after being tranquilized. Pictured bottom: The attack happened at a mobile home in Nokomis, FL. Lambert was airlifted to the USA Medical Center in Mobile. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
