Broxson, FWC To Hold Black Bear Workshop After Jump In Sightings
July 28, 2013
Due a recent rise in bear encounters, especially in Santa Rosa County, Rep. Doug Broxson and the Wildlife Conservation Commission are hosting a public workshop for area residents to learn how to protect their home and property from bear intrusion.
After dwindling to as few as 300 bears in the 1970s, the Florida black bear population has rebounded to more than 3,000 bears today. The FWC has reported a dramatic increase in bear reports from Santa Rosa County. In 2002, there were 10 bear reports, and in 2012 that number jumped to 386 calls.
“As Santa Rosa County’s population has increased over the last decade, so has the bear population. As a result, the presence of bears in residential areas is higher than ever. We must address the property damage and safety concerns of residents,” Broxson said.
Officials from the FWC will answer questions and discuss preventative measures homeowners can take to reduce the likelihood of a bear encounter.
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 31 at 6 p.m. at the Pensacola State College – South Santa Rosa Center at 5075 Gulf Breeze Parkway in Gulf Breeze.
Camp Quarternote Presents ‘Sermon on the Mound’
July 28, 2013
Dozens of local kids spent the past week learning an entire play during Highland Baptist Church’s Camp Quarternote. They performed the “Sermon on the Mound” musical Sunday night at the church.
Pictured: Highland Baptist Church’s Camp Quarternote musical “Sermon on the Mound”. Submitted photos for Northescambia.com, click to enlarge.
Dorian No Longer A Tropical Storm
July 28, 2013
Tropical Storm Dorian has degenerated into a remnant tropical wave. The last advisory is in the graphic above.
Shooting Involving Two Deputies Injures One Suspect
July 28, 2013
A shooting involving two Escambia County deputies left one person injured early this morning.
At 2:42 a.m., deputies responded to an address in the 200 block of Shadow Lawn Lane of West Navy Boulevard in reference to a possible vehicle burglary.
Neighbors said deputies had followed the man home perhaps thinking the car was stolen, but the car belonged to the victim’s mother and he had permission to drive it. The man was reportedly bent over into the car in his own driveway looking for a cigarette when deputies arrived and approached.
During the incident two deputies discharged their handguns striking the subject, who was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office are investigating. The two deputies will be placed on paid administrative leave while the incident is under investigation, which is standard procedure.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, in a written statement, said no further information will be released this weekend.
Pensacola Wahoos Drop Series Finale 4-2 To Mississippi Braves
July 28, 2013
Christian Bethancourt slapped a single through the right side in the last of the seventh inning, scoring the eventual game-winning run for the Mississippi Braves in a 4-2 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Saturday night at Trustmark Park. Mississippi took the series in the process, handing Pensacola its first loss in a rubber game this season.
The contest was scoreless headed to the fifth inning before Pensacola pushed a run across against Braves starter Ian Thomas. Travis Mattair led off the inning with a single before Ryan LaMarre reached on a sacrifice bunt as the catcher Bethancourt threw the ball into the stands. Ray Chang would then drive home Mattair with a groundout to make it 1-0.
Mississippi responded in the last of the sixth with a pair of runs against Pensacola starter Carlos Contreras. The first three Braves reached on two singles and a walk before Robby Hefflinger and Edward Salcedo lifted sacrifice flies to push Mississippi in front 2-1.
Pensacola came right back in the top of the seventh to tie the game in the seventh against Thomas on a pinch-hit sacrifice fly from Donald Lutz, scoring Ryan LaMarre, who had singled earlier in the inning. Thomas picked up his fifth win of the year with seven strong innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) on six hits with eight strikeouts.
Thomas was given the win thanks to the Braves rallying for a run in the last of the seventh. Facing Loek Van Mil, the Braves put runners on the corners with one out for Mycal Jones who grounded into a fielder’s choice with Christian Marrero being thrown out at the plate. Bethancourt picked up the tab, though, with a single to right to make it 3-2.
The Braves added an insurance tally in the eighth inning against Van Mil. Hefflinger doubled to right with one out and scored on a Jaime Pedroza single with two outs to give Mississippi a two-run advantage.
Van Mil took the loss, falling to 0-7. The right-hander allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with a strikeout and two walks in two frames. Contreras was dealt a no-decision in his second start at Double-A, yielding two runs on five hits in 5.2 innings.
The Wahoos got the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth inning, but Andrew Russell was able to retire the side to pick up his second save of the year.
Pensacola now returns home to resume the Bay-to-Bay series with a five-game series against the Mobile BayBears. Shaun Ellis (3-2, 4.02) will get the ball for the Wahoos against the BayBears’ Andrew Chafin (7-5, 2.81). First pitch from Pensacola Bayfront Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m.
story by Kevin Burke
Birth: Kendal Ruth Harrison
July 28, 2013
Maternal grandparents are Travis and Patsy Berry of Walnut Hill. Paternal grandparents are Wayne and Barbara Harrison of Atmore.
Numbers Of ‘F’ Schools Climbs As Grades Plummet
July 27, 2013
The highest number of Florida elementary and middle schools in at least a decade received “F” grades in the first draft of state report cards issued Friday, despite efforts by state officials to restrict how far grades could fall.
For a look at Escambia County school grades, click here.
In all, 107 elementary and middle schools — slightly more than 4 percent — received failing grades on the preliminary report cards. (The numbers also include “combination schools” and high schools that don’t have graduating classes.) In 2012, 40 schools got F grades, amounting to just more than 1.5 percent. The department graded 21 more schools this year.
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. And it came despite the State Board of Education agreeing to extend by a year a rule preventing schools from dropping more than one letter grade on the report cards.
But without the changes, officials said, 261 schools would have received failing grades.
The Board of Education changes were made after local superintendents warned of a looming collapse in school grades and said there were so many changes to the accountability system that it made it impossible to figure out what might be causing the upheaval.
The state has continued to ratchet up its expectations as it moves toward the nationwide “common core” standards, set to be completely implemented by the 2014-15 school year, and Education Commissioner Tony Bennett said he expected the “volatility” in grades to continue over the next three to five years.
“This is exactly why I made the recommendations I made to the board,” he said.
In addition to the increase in schools with failing grades, the number of “A” schools dramatically declined, from 1,242 schools in 2012 to 760 in 2013. That marked a drop of 19 percentage points in the share of schools that received the highest mark.
The Florida Education Association, the main state teachers union, responded to the report cards by blasting the grading system Friday.
“The constantly changing measures the Florida DOE uses in grading schools renders them meaningless as a comparison of school progress,” FEA President Andy Ford said. ” … This system is flawed and does not reflect rising student achievement and the dedicated and caring efforts by our public school teachers and other school employees to provide our children with a high quality education.”
Patricia Levesque, executive director of former Gov. Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Florida’s Future, said the drop in grades was not surprising given the increase in standards.
“The progress we have made, moving from near the bottom to above the national average in rankings, will not continue if we don’t ensure children are moving forward each and every year,” she said. “These grades are a wakeup call that we have to do much better for our students.”
High school grades, which are released later, will probably be issued in the winter, Bennett said.
For a look at Escambia County school grades, click here.
by The News Service of Florida
Shoplifting Case Ends With Active Meth Lab Discovery
July 27, 2013
What started as a shoplifting incident ended with an Atmore native and another suspect behind bars on multiple charges after an active meth lab was found in the back of their truck.
Thomas Lord, 48, and Shanna Johnson, 32, were each charged with one count trafficking in methamphetamine, three counts possession of a listed chemical, and one count each of manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of drug equipment, and shoplifting. Both are from Biloxi, MS, according to Pensacola Police. Lord, according to an arrest report, is an Atmore native and he provided a current address on Oak Street in Atmore when he was booked into the Escambia County Jail.
Sgt. Marvin Miller, who supervises the Pensacola Police Department’s Vice & Narcotics Unit, said the trafficking in methamphetamine charge carries a minimum mandatory prison sentence of 25 years plus a $500,000 fine.
The incident occurred around 11:55 a.m. at Wal-Mart at 2650 Creighton Road. Lt. Chuck Mallett was finishing an extra-duty job at the store and was following the suspects by vehicle after they took some spark plugs and a drill from the store without paying for them. Officer Patrick Burns responded to the area and the suspects’ truck was stopped north of Creighton Road.
While searching the truck for the stolen drill and spark plugs, the ingredients and equipment for making methamphetamine were discovered in the truck bed. Approximately 13 ounces of a liquid containing methamphetamine were found in the truck, Miller said.
In addition to the ingredients and equipment, methamphetamine was actively reacting in the truck in two bottles, which had the potential to have exploded if left unattended because of
the pressure build-up inside the bottles, Miller said.
School Grades: Most Escambia Schools Drop
July 27, 2013
Most Escambia County Schools dropped one letter in school grades released Friday morning by the Florida Department of Education.
Among North Escambia area schools, Jim Allen held steady with a B, Bratt and Molino Park fell from B to C, and Byrneville Elementary feel from A to B. Ernest Ward and Ransom dropped from a B to C.
Escambia County had eight A schools: N.B. Cook, Cordova Park Elementary, Pleasant Grove Elementary, Brown Barge Middle, Longleaf Elementary, Blue Angels Elementary, Pensacola Beach Charter and Newpoint Academy.
There were also five F schools this year: Bellview Middle, Warrington Middle, West Pensacola Elementary, Lincoln Park and A.A. Dixon.
For answers to common questions about school grades, click here.
Protections were enacted this year by the DOE to prevent school grades from dropping more than one letter. School superintendents said they were concerned that grades could plummet this year for many schools. Superintendents pointed, at least in part, to repeated changes in the state’s school-accountability system — 13 this year alone — which they say have made it harder to meet standards and have created uncertainty.
Schools that benefited from the one letter grade drop protection in Escambia County were: Montclair, Navy Point, O. J. Semmes, Ernest Ward, C.A. Weis and McArthur.
High school grades won’t be calculated until later this year.
Escambia County 2013 School Grades
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Controversies For Scott, DCF, DOE
July 27, 2013
As the Trayvon Martin-inspired siege of the state Capitol closed out its second week, testing Gov. Rick Scott (and the patience of some Capitol denizens), there were plenty of other discussions about tragic fatalities, treatment of young people and tests.
State agencies were defending Florida’s record of caring for children on at least two fronts, with the U.S. Department of Justice suing over the placement of children with disabilities in nursing homes and critics continuing to raise questions about whether the Department of Children and Families did enough to prevent the deaths of children.
Meanwhile, the state Department of Education released the current report cards for elementary and middle schools just a week after legislative leaders had pushed for the agency to chuck its plans for joining a group of other states in using a new test in the near future.
And when it was all over the Dream Defenders-led protesters remained camped outside Scott’s office, demanding the governor call a special session to address the state’s self-defense laws and other policies.
DAYLIGHT COME AND (DON’T) WANNA GO HOME
As the second week of the sit-in dragged on, there was no sign that the protesters were giving up. On Thursday night, the evening before musical artist and political activist Harry Belafonte visited to show his support for the group, 86 people spent the night outside Scott’s office as FDLE officers rang up overtime hours standing watch.
Early in the week, Scott had drawn a hard line against giving into the protestors’ main demand: a special session to repeal the “stand your ground” law, which became a subject of national debate during the Martin shooting case that ended in George Zimmerman’s acquittal.
Zimmerman was accused of second-degree murder after he fatally shot the 17-year-old Martin last year. Though Zimmerman claimed self-defense, his attorneys didn’t use “stand your ground” as a defense in the trial.
“They’ve asked for something that you know I’m not going to do, I’m not going to call a special session,” Scott said early Monday after meeting with Juvenile Justice Secretary Wansley Walters.
In addition to their opposition to the “stand your ground” law, the students have tried to leverage the state and national attention to discuss juvenile justice laws, such as a zero-tolerance policy in schools and issuing civil citations to juveniles with clean records who are accused of misdemeanors.
Scott, who steered clear of the Capitol building all week, dispatched Walters to try to calm the activists. It didn’t seem to work.
“Many of the concerns that you brought to (Scott) are concerns that he feels very strongly about, that he shares,” Walters told the protesters. “We have been working very hard to reform the juvenile justice system.”
But Dream Defenders spokeswoman Ciara Taylor noted that the group had pushed legislation including their ideas during the 2013 session.
“And you were silent the entire legislative session on those bills,” Taylor told Walters. “So what exactly are you pushing that you feel is going to make a positive change?”
‘ANYBODY BUT DCF’
Also showing little sign of slowing down was the fallout from the resignation of DCF Secretary David Wilkins, who abruptly stepped down July 18 after the deaths of four children who had at least drawn the attention of child-welfare officials. A fifth died in the days after Wilkins’ resignation.
On Friday, interim DCF Secretary Esther Jacobo directed Assistant Secretary Pete Digre to head up an investigation into the deaths.
“This analysis is the department’s Number One Priority and I want you to deploy whatever resources are necessary to accomplish this as expeditiously as possible,” Jacobo wrote.
The latest child to die, 2-year-old Jayden Villegas-Morales, was taken off life support Sunday. His father, Angel Luis Villegas, is accused of shaking him in frustration over the boy’s repeated vomiting, according to The Miami Herald.
At least one judge said, in so many words, enough was enough.
“They need to get out of the child-protection investigation business,” Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman said of the department. Whether law-enforcement agencies or local community-based care organizations conduct the investigations doesn’t matter, Lederman said. “Anybody but DCF.”
Meanwhile, the federal government filed suit against the state over Florida children with disabilities who are placed in nursing homes. In a 23-page complaint filed Monday, the Department of Justice argued that Florida should have taken greater steps to provide services to children in their family homes and communities, rather than in nursing facilities.
“The state discriminates against children and young adults with disabilities by administering and funding its programs and services for these individuals in a manner that has resulted in their prolonged and unnecessary institutionalization in nursing facilities or placed them at risk of such institutionalization in violation” of the Americans with Disabilities Act, said the lawsuit, filed in federal court in South Florida.
The state has pushed back. Liz Dudek, secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, said the state has taken steps this year that, in part, led to 31 children being discharged from nursing facilities and others being diverted.
“Florida has made many improvements in its already strong program of caring for medically complex children and helping their families cope with their everyday challenges,” Dudek said in a prepared statement Monday. “Today’s Obama Administration action shows that Washington is not interested in helping families improve but instead is determined to file disruptive lawsuits with the goal of taking over control and operation of Florida’s Medicaid and disability programs.”
Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee Chairwoman Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, said she planned to hold a hearing on the issue.
“It’s probably a funding issue,” Sobel said. “We’ll hear both sides, and the senators will decide what we should do. …We’re moving ahead with every aspect so these kids in vulnerable situations have every chance to have a life.”
CAN COMMON CORE PASS THE TEST?
By the time the state released its annual report card on elementary and middle schools Friday, it felt a bit like the state’s education establishment had been cramming for an examination of its own. Controversy continued to swirl around whether the state should continue it’s involvement with the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC.
The partnership is a consortium aimed at coming up with tests that will measure students’ achievements under common core — a nationwide set of standards developed by states that some conservatives consider the precursor to a curriculum backed by the federal government.
After House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, and Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, sent a letter the previous week asking for the state to pull out of PARCC, supporters and opponents of common core itself clashed.
Five former chairmen of the Republican Party of Florida wrote a letter calling for the state to stand behind the common-core program, which is also supported by former Gov. Jeb Bush, still an influential voice on education policy.
“Unfortunately, there has been a tremendous amount of misinformation about the movement to raise academic standards, especially among our fellow conservatives,” they wrote. ” … We implore our fellow Republicans to judge the Common Core State Standards by what they are: academic standards, not curriculum and not a national mandate.”
Those signing the letter were state Sen. John Thrasher, Carole Jean Jordan, Al Cardenas, Tom Slade and Van Poole. It also chided those who might attack the other side of the debate.
But Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, seen as a potential presidential contender in 2016, knocked the idea in an interview with The Shark Tank, a conservative blog.
“And I am very concerned, and quite frankly opposed to any effort to try to create some sort of national curriculum standard and then try to leverage the power of the federal government’s funding to force states to adopt a certain curriculum standard,” Rubio said, according to the site. “State and local levels are the best places to come up with curriculum reform, and it’s something the federal government shouldn’t be deeply involved in.”
As for the grades under the current system, they showed a decline that educators say is due to a series of changes the state has made as it tries to ratchet up standards — in part with common core in mind.
In all, 107 elementary and middle schools — slightly more than 4 percent — received failing grades on the preliminary report cards. (The numbers also include “combination schools” and high schools that don’t have graduating classes.) In 2012, 40 schools got F grades, amounting to just more than 1.5 percent. The department graded 21 more schools this year.
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. And it came despite the State Board of Education agreeing to extend by a year a rule preventing schools from dropping more than one letter grade on the report cards.
But without the changes, officials said, 261 schools would have received failing grades.
Still, the state’s main teachers union ripped into the new results and the system that produced them.
“The constantly changing measures the Florida DOE uses in grading schools renders them meaningless as a comparison of school progress,” Florida Education Association President Andy Ford said. ” … This system is flawed and does not reflect rising student achievement and the dedicated and caring efforts by our public school teachers and other school employees to provide our children with a high quality education.”
STORY OF THE WEEK: Protesters continued their sit-in at the Capitol in an effort to pressure lawmakers to deal with what activists call problems in the state’s self-defense laws and policies for disciplining students and juveniles.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Well I’ll tell you, it’s hard to sleep when you’re fighting for District 8.”–Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, talking to WCTV in Tallahassee about his residency. The station reported that Williams owns a homesteaded property outside his district and is partial owner of a property within the district.
by The News Service of Florida