Shot Walnut Hill Burglary Suspect Facing More Charges In Alabama
May 29, 2013
A an alleged burglar shot by a Walnut Hill homeowner is now back behind bars in Brewton, charged with an unrelated burglary in Alabama.
Ricky Dewayne Taylor, age 33 of Front Street, Century, has been extradited to the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center in Brewton. He is being held on charges of burglary third and theft second.
According to Escambia County (Ala.) Chief Deputy Mike Lambert, Taylor was charged in connection with a burglary and theft on Canoe Road, between Atmore and Flomaton. He is accused of stealing items that included chainsaws and extension cords from a business. Taylor confessed to the crime, Lambert said.
Taylor was extradited from Escambia County (FL) Jail where he was held on charges of burglary, larceny, criminal mischief property damage and battery in connection with an alleged burglary gone bad on May 17 in Walnut Hill.
According to newly released information, the Rockaway Creek Road burglar victim said he received a call from Teresa Sunday who said Taylor, her cousin, wanted to play pool with the victim at a bar. As the victim drove to toward the bar at the appointed time, he changed his mind and returned home to find a strange car pulling around to the rear of his home. The victim entered his residence through a side door, heard someone else inside the home and retrieved his .38 caliber revolver.
In the living room, the victim was confronted by Taylor and Sunday, an arrest report states. The duo was allegedly removed a plastic jug containing $110 in pennies and carried it outside. The victim ordered the pair back inside the house and to cease their criminal activity. Taylor and Sunday sat on the couch, held at gunpoint. The victim was on the phone with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office when a fight broke out between him and Taylor. Taylor reportedly began grabbing for the gun.
The victim told deputies that he feared for his life and fired one round. The round struck Taylor in the left knee, exited and grazed Sunday on the cheek. Taylor ceased fighting and awaited the arrival of deputes, the report states.
Sunday told deputies “she messed up”, and she knew the burglary was wrong. She said Taylor picked her up, drove the victim’s residence and kicked in the back door before she and Taylor removed the jug of pennies from the residence.
Taylor told deputies that Sunday said the victim’s house was unoccupied and had valuables inside that he could steal. Taylor told deputies he kicked in the back door and removed the pennies with Sunday’s help before being caught in the act.
Taylor was airlifted by LifeFlight to to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. After his release, he fled to Alabama and was arrested the evening of May 21 in Escambia County, AL, was then extricated to Florida to face charges.
The female suspect, 35-year old Teresa Dianne Sunday, received a minor injury on her face from a ricochet; she was taken into custody at the scene and charged with burglary of a residence and grand theft. She remained in the Escambia County Jail early Wednesday morning with bond set at $12,500.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Snap Skid, Beat The Suns 2-0
May 29, 2013
Chad Rogers was again dominant and the Pensacola offense provided just enough support in a 2-0 shutout win over the Jacksonville Suns on Tuesday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. The win ended the Blue Wahoos’ losing streak at nine games and sent Jacksonville to its fifth straight setback.
Rogers (3-2) continued his strong 2013 season with another spectacular start. The righthander fired six shutout frames, yielding just two hits while striking out three and walking three. Rogers has not allowed an earned run 18.2 innings and lowered his ERA to 1.73, the second-best mark in the league.
The Wahoos jumped out on top in the second inning as Devin Lohman laced a two-out single up the middle to score Travis Mattair from second base. The RBI was Lohman’s team-leading 22nd of the season.
Jacksonville starter Jay Jackson then cruised through the next couple innings before running into trouble in the fifth. Pensacola loaded the bases with one out, but was only able to score one run on a bases-loaded walk to Travis Mattair.
That was enough though for Pensacola as Rogers, Lee Hyde, and Loek Van Mil combined on a three-hit shutout, Pensacola’s fourth blanking of an opponent this season.
The two teams now prepare for a doubleheader on Wednesday with game one starting at 5:30 p.m. Ryan Dennick (2-4, 2.82) gets the call for the Wahoos in game one against the Suns’ Sam Dyson (1-4, 3.07). In game two, Shaun Ellis (0-1, 5.56) will make a spot start for Pensacola while Rob Waite (0-0, 0.00) gets the call for Jacksonville.
One Critically Injured In Molino Highway 29 Crash
May 28, 2013
One person was critically injured in a two vehicle crash late Monday night on Highway 29 north of Morgan Cemetery Road in Molino.
The Florida Highway said 25-year old Clifford McFann and his passenger, 45-year old Charles Skanes, both of Molino, were on Highway 29 when they ran out of gas in their 1993 Ford Ranger while traveling up a hill. Both McFann and Skanes began to push the vehicle out of the roadway.
Emma Morrison, age 24 of Vinemont, AL, was unable to see the stalled Ranger in time and struck it with her 2007 Nissan Titan, forcing both vehicles into the median. The Ford Ranger struck McFann as he pushed the vehicle from the open driver’s door, causing his foot to become trapped in the door.
Morrison walked away uninjured, while McFann was critically injured and airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
The Molino and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the accident.
Pictured: The driver of the black Nissan Titan walked away uninjured following this crash with a Ford Ranger on Highway 29 near Molino late Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle Presents Academic Awards (With Photo Gallery)
May 28, 2013
Ernest Ward Middle School recently presented academic awards for grades 6-8.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Awards were presented as follows:
Highest Academic Average
- 6th Grade Science – Olivia Seals
- 6th Grade Advanced Science – Seth Killam
- 6th Grade Science – Taryn Janes
- 6th Grade Science – Nikoal Creamer
- 6th Grade Advanced World Civilizations– Seth Killam
- 6th World History – Helen Madison Kemp
- 6th Grade Reading – Alex McMinn
- 6th Grade Reading 1/Intensive – Aurora McCann
- 6th Grade Language Arts – Hayley Walker
- 6th Grade Math – Taryn Janes
- 6th Grade Advanced Math – Austin Smith
- 6th Grade Advanced Math – Dalton Brown
- 6th Grade Physical Education – Kaylin Glenn
- 6th Grade Language Arts – Kyrha Shisk
- 6th Grade Advanced Language Arts – Alex McMinn
- 6th Grade Advanced Language Arts – Austin Smith
- 6th Grade Beginning Band – Kyrha Shisk
- 6th Grade Exploratory Wheel – Meredith Morgan
- 6th Grade Exploratory Wheel – Seth Killam
- 6th Grade Business Leadership – Seth Killam
- 7th Grade Science – Fisher Spence
- 7th Grade Advanced Science – Triston Long
- 7th Grade Science – Alicia Salas
- 7th Grade Civics & Economics – Korbin Bryan
- 7th Grade Advanced Civics & Economics – Triston Long
- 7th Grade Math – Virginia Gentry
- 7th Grade Advance Math – Triston Long
- 7th Grade Math – Hunter Spence
- 7th Grade Language Arts – Victoria Thames
- 7th Grade Advanced Language Arts – Triston Long
- 7th Grade Language Arts – Lari McCann
- 7th Grade Reading – Fisher Spence
- 7th Grade Reading 2/Intensive – Jarrod Davidson
- 7th Grade Civics – Andrew Sharpless
- 7th Grade Physical Education – Elisabeth Amerson
- 7th Grade Graphic Arts – Tara Windham
- 7th Grade Advanced Band – Triston Long
- 7th Grade Materials Processing – Patience Newsome
- 7th Grade Personal Development – Breanna Deloach
- 8th Grade Science – Brianna Smith
- 8th Grade Science – Brittanie McLemore
- 8th Grade Advanced Science – Alyssa Borelli
- 8th Grade Advanced American History – Alyssa Borelli
- 8th Grade Math – Brittanie McLemore
- 8th Grade Algebra 1 – Alyssa Borelli
- 8th Grade Advanced Pre-Algebra – Victoria Amerson
- 8th Grade Pre-Algebra – Jasmine Elliott
- 8th Grade Physical Education – Adrian King
- 8th Grade Information Technology – Jada Tucker
- 8th Grade U.S. History – Jasmine Elliott
- 8th Grade Reading – Tylia White
- 8th Grade Reading 3/Intensive – Matthew Smith
- 8th Grade Language Arts – Jewel Garner
- 8th Grade Language Arts – Jasmine Elliott
- 8th Grade Advanced Language Arts – Alyssa Borelli
- 8th Grade Chorus – Jewel Garner
- 8th Grade Agricultural Science – Tabitha Chavers
- 8th Grade Electrical Academy – Ian Schneider
- 8th Grade Culinary Arts – Jada Tucker
Exemplary Student Award
- 6th Grade Science – Madelyn Plant
- 6th Grade Science – Aurora McCann
- 6th Grade Science – Shelby Bashore
- 6th Grade Advanced Science – Kyrha Shisk
- 6th Grade World Civilizations Advanced – Lydia Smith
- 6th Grade World History – Cameron Aiden Long
- 6th Grade Reading – Crystal Douglas
- 6th Grade Reading 1/Intensive – Deanna Gulsby
- 6th Grade Language Arts – Morgan Lathan
- 6th Grade Language Arts – Aurora McCann
- 6th Grade Math – Aurora McCann
- 6th Grade Physical Education – Seth Killam
- 6th Grade Business Leadership – Kyrha Shisk
- 6th Grade Beginning Band – Zachary Hilton
- 7th Grade Science – Hunter Spence
- 7th Grade Science – Trevor Singleton
- 7th Grade Advanced Science – Jacob White
- 7th Grade Civics & Economics – Ellie Amerson
- 7th Grade Advanced Civics & Economics – Kayla Galvan
- 7th Grade Advanced Math – Anna Belle Barberree
- 7th Grade Math – Shelby Comalander
- 7th Grade Math – Fisher Spence
- 7th Grade Language Arts – Kirsten White
- 7th Grade Civics – Tyanna Magee
- 7th Grade Physical Education – Chase Gifford
- 7th Grade Advanced Language Arts – Celeste North
- 7th Grade Language Arts – Fisher Spence
- 7th Grade Reading 2/Intensive – Hannah Godwin
- 7th Grade Graphic Arts – Elisabeth Amerson
- 7th Grade Materials Processing – Caitlyn Nelson
- 7th Grade Electrical Academy – Clint Gunter
- 8th Grade Science – Tylia White
- 8th Grade Science – Jasmine Elliott
- 8th Grade Advanced Science – Savanna Calhoun
- 8th Grade Advanced American History – Elizabeth Wright
- 8th Grade U.S. History – Brianna Smith
- 8th Grade Language Arts – Trenton Martin
- 8th Grade Advanced Language Arts – Jada Tucker
- 8th Grade Language Arts – Koriaun Lewis
- 8th Grade Math – Trenton Martin
- 8th Grade Algebra 1 – Ian Schneider
- 8th Grade Advanced Pre-Algebra – Morgan Pope
- 8th Grade Pre-Algebra – Desmone Knight
- 8th Grade Physical Education – Brianna Morgan
- 8th Grade Information Technology – Zachary Sheldon
- 8th Grade Personal Development – Logan Purvis
- 8th Grade Culinary Arts – Ian Schneider
- 8th Grade Agricultural Science – Mitchell Singleton
- 8th Grade Reading 3/Intensive – Amber Comalander
- 8th Grade Chorus – Jessica Stacey
- 8th Grade Advanced Band – Makenzie Colvin
Most Improved Reading Award
- 7th Grade Reading – Naeshawn Williams
- 8th Grade Reading – James Brooks
“A” Honor Roll 6th Grade
- Ashtyn Carnley
- Kaylin Glenn
- Madison Kemp
- Seth Killam
- Alexander McMinn
- Kyrha Shisk
- Austin Smith
- Meredith Morgan
“A “Honor Roll 7th Grade
- Ellie Amerson
- Kayla Galvan
- Triston Long
- Hannah Nelson
- Sarah Perritt
- Jake White
- Tara Windham
“A” Honor Roll 8th Grade
- Alyssa Borelli
- Ian Schneider
- Jada Tucker
“A-B” Honor Roll 6th Grade
- Austin Adams
- Lexxi Baggett
- Jacob Borelli
- Emily Brown
- Dalton Brown
- Skye Bullington
- Caren Cannon
- Logan Chavers
- Justin Cruce
- Rebecca Diamond
- Alabama Gilley
- Dalton Hamilton
- Savannah Hart
- Christopher Johnson
- Keegun Johnston
- Tanner Levins
- Aubree Love
- Jessie McCall
- Gabrielle Peebles
- Delaney Reynolds
- Samantha Roux
- Lydia Smith
- Cameron White
- Taryn Janes
- Aaliyah Tucker
- Hayley Walker
- Cailee Wilburn
“A-B” Honor Roll 7th Grade
- Anna Belle Barberree
- Alayna Brown
- Dawson Brown
- Korbin Bryan
- Jason Fischer
- Virginia Gentry
- Bailee Hinote
- Madalyn Lathan
- Robin Nahkala
- Celeste North
- Olivia Reber
- Sabra Stewart
- Destiny Watson
- Brandy Wooten
“A-B” Honor Roll 8th Grade
- Autumn Albritton
- Victoria Amerson
- Dustin Bethea
- Dillon Clary
- Austin Collier
- Jasmine Elliott
- Emily Heard
- Adrian King
- Kayleigh Linam
- Brittanie McLemore
- Zachary Sheldon
- Mitchell Singleton
- Jessica Stacey
- Elizabeth Wright
Highest Grade Point Average 6th Grade
- Seth Killam
Highest Grade Point Average 7th Grade
- Triston Long
Highest Grade Point Average 8th Grade
- Alyssa Borelli
Highest Academic Average Overall
- Seth Killam
Overall Most Improved 6th Grade
- Shelby Bashore
Overall Most Improved 7th Grade
- Mallory Lathan
Overall Most Improved 8th Grade
- Morgan Pope
Overall Most Outstanding 6th Grade
- Austin Smith
Overall Most Outstanding 7th Grade
- Tara Windham
Overall Most Outstanding 8th Grade
- Savanna Calhoun
Cox Inspirational Hero Award 8th Grade
- Daysha Kite
Take Stock in Children Award
- Sabra C. Stewart
- Jason R. Fischer
- Kayla N. Galvan
Duke University Talent Search
- Alayna Brown
- Robin Nahkala
- Sarah Perritt
- Miracle Deloach
- Triston Long
- Bailee Hinote
- Hannah Nelson
Student of the Month 6th Grade
- September – Zachary Hilton
- October – Aurora McCann
- November – Rebecca Diamond
- December – Crystal Douglas
- January – Lexxi Baggett
- February – Madison Kemp
- March – Sierra Slay
- April- Taryn Janes
- May – Austin Smith
Student of the Month 7th Grade
- September – Clayton Findley
- October – Celeste North
- November –Triston Long
- December – Tara Windham
- January – Cody Kite
- February – Jake White
- March – Hannah Godwin
- April – Fisher Spence
- May – Lari McCann
Student of the Month 8th Grade
- September – Trenton Martin
- October – Matthew Smith
- November – Greg Presley
- December – Jasmine Elliott
- January – Jessica Stacey
- February – Savanna Calhoun
- March – Desmone Knight
- April – Elizabeth Wright
- May – Kayleigh Linam
Presidents Education Award
- Alyssa Brianna Borelli
- Kristopher Ian Schneider
- Jada Mona Tucker
- Jessica Lauren Stacey
- Autumn Grace Albritton
- Mitchell James Singleton
- Kayleigh Grace Linam
- Zachary Chase Sheldon
- Makensie Ann Colvin
- Savanna Louise Calhoun
- Peighton Danielle Dortch
- Elizabeth Paige Wright
- Victoria Anne Amerson
- Jasmine Nicole Elliott
- Adrian Daniel King
- Jewel Regina Garner
- Luke Carlton Ward
- Emily Michelle Heard
- Amy Danielle Branch
- Ean Taylor Lundy
- Quentin Lee Sampson
- Dillon Scott Clary
- Austin Shane Collier
- Colby Winston Dees
- Morgan Alexis Myrick
- Hadley Marie Woodfin
- Logan Hunter Cofield
- April Gail Payne
Golden Eagle Top Gun Award 6th Grade
- Ashtyn Carnley
- Rebecca Diamond
- Kaylin Glenn
- Aubree Love
- Madison Kemp
- Seth Killam
- Delaney Reynolds
- Justin Cruce
- Alex McMinn
- Taryn Janes
- Meredith Morgan
- Hayley Walker
- Austin Smith
- Jessie McCall
- Dalton Brown
- Gabrielle Peebles
- Chris Johnson
- Aaliyah Tucker
- Jacob Borelli
- Rebekah Amerson
- Tanner Levins
- Logan Chavers
- Lydia Smith
- Katherine Buford
- Lexxi Baggett
- Kristopher Baxter
- Emma Fennell
- Savannah Fullerton
- Nikoal Creamer
- Hannah Ellis
- Samantha Roux
- Aurora McCann
- Kendall Enfinger
- Cameron Long
- Wyatt Oliver
- Shelby Bashore
- Madison Nassar
- Savannah Hart
- Madison Sherouse
- Morgan Lathan
- Madelyn Plant
- Ryan Sconiers
- Cailee Wilburn
Golden Eagle Top Gun Award 7th Grade
- Ellie Amerson
- Alayna Brown
- Dawson Brown
- Korbin Bryan
- Logan Calloway
- Jernie Crabtree
- Aaron Dees
- Breanna Deloach
- Logan Doremus
- Jason Fischer
- Kayla Galvan
- Austin Ging
- Abby Hammond
- Bailee Hinote
- Alia Janes
- Madelyn Lathan
- Mallory Lathan
- Triston Long
- Robin Nahkala
- Anna Nelson
- Hannah Nelson
- Angel Philyaw
- Olivia Reber
- Heath Sheldt
- Fisher Spence
- Hunter Spence
- Victoria Thames
- Jayda Warner
- Tara Windham
- James Davis
- Rhayeshawanna Davidson
- Celeste North
- Sara Perritt
- Andrew Sharpless
- Myisha Syria
- Trevor Singleton
Golden Eagle Top gun Award 8th Grade
- Kayleigh Linam
- Shyla Pope
- Mallory Gibson
- Kaylee Brown
- Rachael Irby
- Brianne Hicks
- Alyssa Borelli
- Ian Schneider
- Jada Tucker
- Autumn Albritton
- Mitchell Singleton
- Zachary Sheldon
- Savanna Calhoun
- Peighton Dortch
- Elizabeth Wright
- Victoria Amerson
- Jasmine Elliott
- Adrian King
- Jewel Garner
- Emily Heard
- Ean Lundy
- Dillon Clary
- Colby Dees
- Hadley Woodfin
- Brittanie McLemore
- Jacob Weaver
- Aubriene Odom
- Mary Catherine Jernigan
- Khari Codrington
- Tylia White
- Tabitha Chavers
- Cody Smith
- Dustin Crumbley
- Logan Purvis
- Amy Branch
- Christopher Boutwell
- Jessica Stacey
- Austin Collier
VFW Award 6th Grade
- Tanner Levins
- Meredith Morgan
- Lydia Smith
Ruritan Award 8th Grade
- Mitchell Singleton
Citizen of the Year Award 8th Grade
- Mitchell Singleton
Certificate of Appreciation
- Poarch Creek Indians
Principal’s Award 6th Grade
- Justin Cruce
Principal’s Award 7th Grade
- Jaylah Spears
Principal’s Award 8th Grade
- Daysha Kite
Photo Gallery: Atmore Area Memorial Day Service
May 28, 2013
About 200 people gathered in Atmore Monday morning for a Memorial Day service to recognize those that have served and paid the ultimate sacrifice from Atmore, Walnut Hill, Bratt and surrounding areas.
Members of American Legion Post 90 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7016 took part in a solemn ceremony, reading aloud the names of each deceased service member that appear on a spire-shaped monument. A bell was tolled in honor of those that served.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Among the latest names memorialized was LCpl Travis Nelson of Bratt, who was killed in a action in August 2011 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. It was just two weeks after his 19th birthday and only about a month after he arrived in Afghanistan.
Pictured: A Memorial Day service Monday morning in Atmore, honoring those that served from Atmore and North Escambia. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Football, Cheerleading Registrations Set For NWE, Jay, Cantonment, Flomaton
May 28, 2013
Youth football and cheerleading registrations are beginning for Northwest Escambia, Cantonment, Jay and Flomaton.
Northwest Escambia Football and Cheerleading
Registration for Northwest Escambia Football and Cheerleading will be held every Saturday until July 27 at Ernest Ward Middle School and at Nadine McCall Park in Century at the corner of Hecker Road and North Century Blvd.Registration is $75 for football, plus jersey and trophy. Cheerleading fee is $35, plus uniform cost. For more information, call Greg Gibson at (850) 449-3185 .
Cantonment Cowboys Football and Cheerleading
Registration for Cantonment Cowboys football and cheerleading will be held on Saturdays, June 1 – July 27 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Cantonment Football Field off Well Line Road. Cheerleaders should register by June 20th for certification purposes. Register online anytime at www.cantonmentcowboys.org/register/
Jay Junior League
The Jay Junior League will hold football and cheerleading signups every Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. through June 25, and every Saturday, June 1 – July 20 from 9 a.m. until noon at Bray-Hendricks City Park. Registration fee is $60. For more information, call (850) 529-7614 or (850) 529-9870.
Flomaton Youth Football and Cheerleading
Flomaton Youth Football and Cheerleading registration will be Saturdays, June 8-22 from 9-11 a.m. at Hurricane Park. The football fee is $50. One-half the cheerleading fee, $125, is due at signup for uniforms. Fund raisers will be held to help cover the remainder of the cheerleading fee. June 22 is absolutely the last day of signup for cheerleaders.
Photo Gallery: Pensacola Memorial Day Service
May 28, 2013
A Memorial Day service was held Monday morning at the Veteran’s Park in Pensacola.
The opening prayer was presented Clint Lott, former assistant principal at Tate High School. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Lee “T-Bone” Welch of McDavid, and his father Gary Welch, also of McDavid, was recognized for his military service.
Pictured: A Memorial Day service Monday morning at the Veteran’s Park in Pensacola. Pictured below: Lee “T-Bone” Welch of McDavid (seated) leads the Pledge of Allegiance during the ceremony. Submitted photos by Perry Byars for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Boy Scouts Hold Berrydale Memorial Service
May 28, 2013
A Memorial Day service was held by Boy Scout Troop 408 of Jay at the Berrydale Community Cemetery on Monday.
Troop 408 honored all veterans buried at the cemetery with by calling out the veteran’s name and rank. Troop 408 also cleaned the cemetery and placed flags at each veteran’s grave site. Ryan McKinley played Taps on the bugle during the ceremony.
Pictured: Boy Scout Troop 408 holds a Memorial Day service at the Berrydale Community Center. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wanted: Florida Foster Parents
May 28, 2013
With new legislation reforming Florida foster care, good foster parents will be more in demand than ever. And current foster parents say new ones will have a better experience than the old image of foster care might have led them to expect.
A so-called “normalcy” bill (SB 164) is already in law, giving foster parents more decision-making power when foster children want to take part in activities such as going to the prom or sleeping over at friends’ houses. Senate Bill 1036, which would give young adults the option of staying in foster care until age 21, passed the Legislature overwhelmingly but hasn’t gone to Gov. Rick Scott yet; he’s expected to sign it.
“Now we’re expecting to have teenagers stay in (foster care) longer, and possibly some teens that will re-enter,” said Lora Diaz, a foster and adoptive parent in Pasco County. “So we need more foster homes to be able to take care of this.”
Diaz is also a training coordinator with the Quality Parenting Initiative, which many credit with providing the push the bills needed by changing the perception of foster parents and how they’re treated by caseworkers and administrators.
“QPI has changed the culture of child welfare,” Diaz said.
The initiative is a joint project of the California-based Youth Law Center, the Florida Department of Children and Families, 15 of the state’s community-based care lead agencies and the Eckerd Family Foundation.
It sprang from a crisis in Florida in 2004, when foster homes were in such short supply that special-needs children were sleeping overnight in conference rooms at Big Bend Community Based Care, one of DCF’s lead agencies.
“It was children the shelter had rejected because they had such serious problems,” said Carole Schauffer of the Youth Law Center. “These were the highest-need kids who needed the most supervision.”
So Schauffer and Paolo Annino of the Florida State University College of Law sued DCF and Big Bend Community Based Care. By 2007, the case was settled and Bob Butterworth, who had dealt with the lawsuit while serving as attorney general, had become DCF secretary. He met with Schauffer and Jane Soltis of the Eckerd Family Foundation, agreeing that the need for more foster homes was statewide.
The Quality Parenting Initiative came out of that meeting, based on the idea that foster parenting was a brand with an image both negative and just plain wrong. And it was making it harder to recruit and retain good foster parents.
“People keep saying it’s that foster parents don’t get enough money,” Schauffer said. “But there are so many other things that people do that they don’t get enough money for, and they are lined up to do them.”
PARENT-CHILD BOND
The old normal was that foster children couldn’t go on family trips or sleep at a friend’s house without a security check. They couldn’t go to the beach or the prom. Such rules had their basis in liability law, but often damaged the foster child’s relations with the foster parents, especially for those children too young to understand why other kids had privileges they didn’t.
“They want to blame the parent because they don’t see the system,” said Thomas Fair, 23, a former foster youth who now works at Big Bend Community Based Care. “Sometimes they might take it out on that parent or on their group home or, you know, shut down. So that can really mess up that relationship.”
The child welfare authorities were prone to blame the parents, too, if the foster child made a typical mistake — falling out of a tree or wrecking the car.
“A child could be harmed at the beach, yes, and it has happened in the state,” agreed Mike Wakins, CEO of Big Bend Community Based Care. “But we also know those are the kinds of experiences that develop children and allow them to be part of a normal family.”
It cuts both ways. Schauffer said research shows the level of emotional attachment the foster parent feels for the foster child has direct consequences for the child’s ability to learn and succeed.
“If we put those kinds of limitations on, the foster parent is less likely to feel that emotional commitment,” Schauffer said. “And if they don’t feel that emotional commitment, it has a long-term impact on the kid.”
Soltis said brain-development research shows teenagers can still change their learning outcomes — with the right kind of parenting.
“Kids who age out (of foster care) at 18 generally have very poor outcomes,” Soltis said. “But if we listen to the research and provide age-appropriate learning experiences and opportunities for these kids, they can do better than we would have thought.”
John Fair, Thomas’s twin, offers himself as an example. He was troubled in foster care, he said.
“Especially coming from somewhere you can’t trust nobody, don’t have no one caring about you,” he said. “Seeing that difference in that exchange just opens a lot of doors for you as a person and opens yourself up to the world.”
John Fair will spend this summer in Washington, D.C., on a paid internship at the U.S. House of Representatives.
Schauffer praises the new legislation and says DCF and the community based care agencies have been responsive to Quality Parenting Initiative. But she warns the assumptions of the child welfare system are 100 years old, and — like racism — difficult to remove from institutional thinking.
“It’s hard to get people to think foster parents are full and respected partners on the team, not a baby-sitter,” she said
by The News Service of Florida
Blue Wahoos Lose Ninth Straight
May 28, 2013
The Chattanooga Lookouts scored in each of their first four at-bats en route to an 11-1 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos to finish off a five-game sweep on Monday evening at AT&T Field. Pensacola’s losing streak reached nine straight games.
The Lookouts pounded four home runs to blow out the Wahoos in the series finale. Yasiel Puig belted two homers, a three-run shot in the first and a two-run blast in the fourth to account for five RBI. Griff Erickson added a pair himself, a solo dinger in the second and a rout-capping, two-run moonshot in the seventh.
Tim Crabbe (2-4) was roughed up in three innings for Pensacola, yielding six runs (all earned) on five hits while walking four. After giving up homers in the first two innings, Crabbe walked three batters in the third, including two with the bags packed to force in two runs.
Pensacola’s lone run came in the top of the seventh when Theo Bowe smacked a two-out, pinch-hit double to score David Vidal from first. The two-bagger extended Bowe’s modest hitting streak to four games.
The Wahoos now return home to try and snap the extended losing skid with the first of a six-game series with the Jacksonville Suns. Chad Rogers (2-2, 1.93) gets the ball for Pensacola against Jacksonville’s Jay Jackson (2-1, 2.56). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
story by Kevin Burke
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.