Northview Chiefs To Play Two Spring Games Saturday (With Practice Photo Gallery)
May 15, 2013
The Florida 1A state champion Northview Chiefs will take on a couple of Alabama teams in spring football games this Saturday in East Brewton.
The Chiefs will take on Andalusia High School at 1:oo before playing Hillcrest-Evergreen at 2:40. Both games will be played at W.S. Neal High School.
For photos from the Northview Chiefs Tuesday afternoon practice, click here.
The complete schedule for the five-team jamboree is as follows:
· 1:00 Northview vs. Andalusia
· 1:50 W.S. Neal vs Andalusia
· 2:40 Northview vs. Hillcrest
· 3:30 p.m. Linden vs. W.S. Neal
· 4:20 p.m Hillcrest vs. Linden
Admission is $5. W.S. Neal is located at 801 Andrew Jackson Street [map].
Pictured top: Northview Head Coach Sid Wheatley goes over the playbook with his Chiefs during a Tuesday afternoon practice. Pictured inset: Wheatley watches a play. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Appeals Judges Look At Prison Health Privatization
May 15, 2013
A three-judge panel questioned Tuesday why it should wade into a battle over the possible privatization of prison health-care services, with the budget at issue in the change set to expire in several weeks.
The 1st District Court of Appeal judges listened to arguments on a ruling in December that prevented the Department of Corrections from contracting out the health services in all but the bottom third of the state. The contract for that part of the state was included in the fine print of the budget for the spending year that ends June 30.
But privatizing medical care for inmates in the other three regions of the state was not specifically included, so Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper said the agency couldn’t go forward with contracts in those areas.
The appeals-court judges gave few indications in their questions about which way the decision might go. With the budget set to run out in about a month and a half, though, some of the judges questioned whether the issue was moot.
Timothy Osterhaus, who represented the state during the arguments, said the state still had time to move forward if the judges act quickly.
“If we can get an opinion from this court in the next week or so, I think we’ll be off and running,” Osterhaus said.
“But if it takes three weeks?” responded Chief Judge Robert Benton.
Osterhaus said the state hoped that the court would be able to decide the case more quickly than that. He also said the court shouldn’t consider the case to be moot because future lawsuits against privatization actions by agencies could bring up the same issues.
Along those lines, Judge Scott Makar pressed an attorney for the unions suing to overturn the contracts about whether the court should decide the case, which also involves how far the Legislative Budget Commission can go in amending budgets. The attorney, Thomas Brooks, was arguing that the case was moot.
“Point is, I might agree with you on that,” Makar said. “But my question is, why shouldn’t we nonetheless resolve an issue so as to provide guidance” to lawmakers, other state officials and companies.
The Legislative Budget Commission is a body of lawmakers that can revise the budget when lawmakers aren’t in session to account for unexpected events or agency requests to move money around. Cooper’s decision was seen as something of a precedent-setter in how far that panel can go.
But Brooks said the appeals court would not follow the principle of judicial restraint if it ruled on the question when there was not a need. Besides, he said, the main question is whether Cooper was right when he said the Legislature should have spelled out the privatization in all four regions if that’s what lawmakers wanted to do.
“This case, in my view, depends upon whether the judge was right or wrong on the legislative intent,” Brooks said. “If he was right on the intent, then the LBC doesn’t have any power to vary from what that intent is.”
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Mike Hill Easily Wins Republican Primary In House District 2
May 15, 2013
After billing himself as a “genuine conservative,” Pensacola insurance agent Mike Hill won a Republican primary Tuesday in the campaign to replace state Rep. Clay Ford, who died in March.
With all precincts counted in House District 2, Hill had 3,476 votes, or 42.1 percent of the total, according to the state Division of Elections website. His only close competitor was former Gulf Breeze Mayor Ed Gray, who captured 2,766 votes, or 33.5 percent. None of the other four Republicans in the race topped 10 percent.
Turnout was low in the race at 17 percent, with 8,250 votes cast.
Hill, who founded the Northwest Florida Tea Party, will face Pensacola Democrat Jeremy Lau, an aircraft mechanic, in the June 11 special general election. Ford, a Gulf Breeze Republican, died after a battle with cancer. House District 2 includes parts of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, and registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by about 10,000 voters.
DCA Hears Dispute Over County Juvenile Detention Costs
May 15, 2013
An appeals court Tuesday heard arguments in a long-running dispute over how the state and counties should divide juvenile detention costs.
The case concerns a 2004 law that requires counties to help pick up the tab for detaining underage offenders. Under the law, counties are supposed to pay for “pre-dispositional” detention – that is, costs associated with juveniles waiting for their cases to be resolved in court and those charged with probation violations.
But just what “predisposition” means as been in dispute, with counties challenging the law in 2010, arguing they’re footing too much of the bill. Tuesday’s arguments before the 1st District Court of Appeal revolved around the complicated formula by which the cost of a juvenile’s case is determined to be the responsibility of DJJ or the county in which the offense took place.
Appellate Judge Nikki Ann Clark, a former juvenile division judge, queried DJJ attorney John Milla on the meaning of the term “final disposition” as it applies to the cost-sharing formula, asking whether a final court order disposing of the case was what was meant by “final disposition.”
Milla said it was not that simple.
“For purposes of the statute, the disposition of probation is not a final court disposition,” said Milla. “If that’s the final court disposition, for purposes of determining fiscal responsibility for a detention stay, then this is off by millions – by tens of millions of dollars. As the department has interpreted it…there would be a discrepancy between the days and the money of, basically, couch change.”
The counties argue they currently pick up 75 percent of the costs, but should be paying less. DJJ has said in court filings that the Legislature actually intended for the counties to cover more – 89 percent of the costs.
“It is true that the department’s interpretation makes the counties responsible for the large majority of detention stays,” said a document filed in the case in January by department Secretary Wansley Walters. “But there can be no doubt that this is precisely what the Legislature had in mind, and the proof is found in the funding. The Legislature initially funded detention cost sharing so that the counties would be responsible for 89 percent of detention costs and the state would be responsible for 11 percent.”
Attorney Gregory Stewart, representing the counties, argued that they “are in fact subsidizing the state’s share…Days (of a juvenile’s detention) that were the responsibility of the state have now been shifted to the counties.”
Stewart said under DJJ’s new rule, if a juvenile is found not guilty but must remain in detention until picked up by a parent or guardian, those days are charged to the county.
As to the interpretation of “final disposition” as it applies to a juvenile’s case, Stewart argued “the entire history of the statute interpreted that provision as common sense tells you it should be interpreted.”
The counties’ position is that anything after a disposition hearing – similar to a sentencing hearing – is DJJ’s responsibility. At that point, either the juvenile is committed to a DJJ facility or a DCF-licensed facility and sent home pending placement, detained pending placement, or the juvenile is committed to probation.
DJJ spokeswoman Meghan Speakes Collins said the state “doesn’t become responsible for detention stays until a youth is committed to the custody of the Department, and the detention is only necessary because the Department does not yet have an available residential bed for the youth. Youth who are served in their local communities – who are not committed – remain the responsibility of the Counties for any other detention stays.”
Some counties have looked for other solutions to paying their juvenile detention costs. After the passing of a 2011 law, a county that opts to provide juvenile detention services is exempt from statutory requirements to contribute funding to the state for the operation of DJJ detention centers. Currently, Marion, Polk and Seminole Counties are operating their own detention centers.
By Margie Menzel, The News Service of Florida
Wahoos Walk Off 10-9 In 13
May 15, 2013
Newcomer Luis Durango scampered home on a wild pitch with two outs in the 13th inning and the Pensacola Blue Wahoos walked off winners for the first time this season, 10-9, over the Chattanooga Lookouts on Tuesday night in front of 3,981 fans at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The 13th inning was set up by the speed of Durango who coaxed a two-out walk and went first-to-third on a single from Bryson Smith. Danny Vicioso was then called on to pinch hit as the last Wahoos position player left on the bench. Two pitches into the at-bat, Luis Vasquez (1-2) uncorked a wild pitch to the backstop and Durango sped home to score the winning tally.
The final inning capped a wild night that saw Pensacola jump out to a 6-0 lead after three innings. In the first inning, Ryan LaMarre started the scoring with an RBI groundout to score Durango. After a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases, Devin Lohman unloaded them with the team’s first grand slam of the season. For Lohman, it was his fourth homer of the year and it gave the Wahoos a 5-0 lead after one.
In the third inning, it was again Lohman providing the RBI, this time on a double to score Travis Mattair. Lohman tied a team record with the five runs driven in and blasted Pensacola’s first grand slam since Mike Costanzo connected for one on April 9, 2012.
The tide turned in the fourth, though, as the Lookouts chipped away with the long ball. After Yasiel Puig walked and scored on an RBI single from Blake Smith, C.J. Retherford launched a no-doubt, two-run shot to left field, cutting the Wahoos lead to 6-3. An inning later, pinch-hitter J.T. Wise blasted a two-run homer to make it a one-run contest.
Things fell apart for the Wahoos in the sixth inning. Entering the frame up by two thanks to a sac fly from David Vidal, Pensacola gave up three runs and the lead. Puig led off the inning with a solo shot that barely cleared the wall in left. That forced starter Daniel Renken from the game in favor of Kyle Lotzkar who created his own jam by loading the bases with two walks and a single. Lotzkar then forced in the tying run with a bases loaded walk to Chris Jacobs and two batters later, plunked pinch-hitter Brian Cavazos-Galvez to give Chattanooga its first lead of the night at 8-7. Chris Manno came in and averted further damage by inducing a double play.
Chattanooga added an insurance run in the eighth inning as Miguel Rojas reached on an error that scored Griff Erickson.
That proved to be a rather large insurance run as Pensacola came to bat in the last of the ninth trailing by two. With one out, Ryan LaMarre and Travis Mattair homered on back-to-back pitches to knot the game at nine and send it in to extras.
Both pitching staffs traded zeros before Vasquez lost his control in the 13th. Brian Pearl (1-0) earned the win for Pensacola by retiring all six batters he faced in the 12th and 13th innings.
Renken received a no-decision but was hit hard for six runs on seven hits in five-plus innings while striking out six. Manno, Josh Ravin, Lee Hyde, Shaun Ellis, Loek Van Mil, and Pearl combined to fire 7.2 innings of relief without allowing an earned run.
The Wahoos will now have a chance to win the series on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. Josh Smith (3-3, 4.28) will get the start for the Wahoos against the Lookouts’ Rob Rasmussen (2-2, 3.13).
story by Kevin Burke, photos by Gary McCracken
Poarch Creeks Address Indian Education Before U.S. Dept. Of Education
May 15, 2013
The U.S. Department of Education held a Tribal Consultation and Listening Session this week leading up to the United South and Eastern Tribes semi-annual meeting in Niagara Falls, NY.
Support for native language, cultural activities, and tribal history were the opening themes for educators who are taking the opportunity to speak during the consultation.
“In our schools we allow Spanish and other foreign languages to be taught and count as credit for foreign languages. But we need to show more effort to support the language that is spoken by our tribes,”said Poarch Band of Creek Indians Vice-Chair Stephanie Bryan. “Statistics show that when we have cultural activities, teach the language, and our history the dropout rate declines. Speaking of bricks and mortar, new buildings are nice things to have. But, it’s not what the building looks like; it’s what’s in the building.”
“The concept here is that our tribes need help with teaching the Native languages and cultural activity. It is shown that students show great signs of improvement when they learn about their culture, history, and know their language and improve their self esteem,” said Seneca Nation of Indians Director of Education for the Allegany Territory Chanda Grey.
Poarch Band of Creek Indian’s Megan Young said, “States don’t realize that American Indians make up only one percent of the United States population. In that perspective we are national treasure. States don’t see any value in bolstering our values and our educational systems. I want to propose an initiative to educate our state and state educators. We have to educate those who are educating our Indian students.”
Office of Indian Education Director Joyce Silverthorne said the Indian Education budget would not suffer from the federal sequestration for the current year (2013). However, if there are no changes to the current legislation regarding federal sequestration, Silverthorne says there will be a five percent reduction to the Indian Education 2014 budget.
Escambia Set To Slap $264K Lien On Cove Landfill For January Fire
May 14, 2013
Escambia County is set to slap a quarter million dollar plus lien on the companies responsible for the Cove Landfill in Ensley where a fire burned for a week back in January.
On January 22, Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to the Cover Landfill for an unknown-type fire. The fire department, Department of Public Safety, Solid Waste Management and Public Works Department coordinated efforts to extinguish the fire because it was an imminent hazard to the health, safety and welfare of the general public. The county worked from January 22 to January 28 to bring the landfill fire under control and return control to the owners.
Escambia County previously notified the land fill operator, Industrial Fencing, Inc., through certified mail of the costs associated with fighting the fire. More than 30 days has elapsed with no payment, prompting the liens as set forth in county ordinances.
The Escambia County Commission is set to place a lien against RMC Rapid Management Company and NIT Management, Inc. to recover fire suppression costs in the sum of $267,477.86, with accrued interest.
If approved by the commission, the county attorney will seek to execute the liens in Escambia County Circuit Court.
The Cove Landfill fire prompted several health warnings and kept students indoors at nearby Pine Meadow Elementary School.
Pictured: A January file the Cove Landfill in Ensley. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Manna Nets 73,665 Pounds Of Food From Letter Carrier Drive
May 14, 2013
Saturday’s Stamp Out Hunger food drive in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties collected 73,665 pounds of food for Manna Food Pantries. Manna said they can will feed 4,604 needy people with the donations. Pictured: Food donations from the Stamp Out Hunger food drive are unloaded at the Manna Food Pantries in Pensacola. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Mutual Aid Agreements Mean Lower Insurance Rates, Better Protection
May 14, 2013
New cooperation between fire departments in Escambia County and neighboring departments will mean increased protection and lower insurance rates.
Escambia County Fire Rescue has recently entered into automatic aid agreements with the Nokomis (AL) Volunteer Fire Department and the Pace Fire Rescue District. The aid agreements spell out the terms and conditions under which the departments will cooperate jointly to provide automatic aid during emergencies in Escambia County and Nokomis or Pace.
The agreement between Escambia County and Nokomis calls for the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department to automatically be dispatched to certain emergencies in a portion of the Walnut Hill fire district, and for Walnut Hill to be automatically dispatched to certain types of calls, such as structure fires, in Nokomis, Ala.
The end result, according to Walnut Hill District Chief Chris Brown, will be improved public safety and decreased insurance rates. Residents in a portion of the Walnut Hill fire district, primarily west of Highway 97 and north of Nokomis Road, may immediately see their ISO fire rating drop from a 9 to 5, resulting in monetary savings. Brown said residents in the area can contact their insurance agent for more information.
Monday night, the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue hosted volunteers from the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department in a training session. Firefighters from the two departments were able to meet each other and become familiar with each department’s equipment, including Nokomis’ (Tele) Squirt 24.
For more photos from Monday night’s joint Walnut Hill and Nokomis training, click here.
“Squirt 24″ — was formerly “Truck 5″ in Century. After the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue received a refurbished 75-foot ladder truck that was formerly assigned to Ensley last year, “Truck 5″ was put up for auction and purchased by the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department for $5,000.
A similar automatic mutual aid agreement was also recently approved between the Pace Fire Rescue District and Escambia County, allowing the departments to mutually respond to certain emergencies such as structure fires.
Pictured: Operating under new mutual aid agreement, the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Nokomis (AL) Volunteer Fire Department held a combined training exercise Monday night in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
NHS Tribal Beat Band Holds Annual Banquet
May 14, 2013
The Northview High School Tribal Beat Band held their annual banquet Monday night at the school.
Seniors were presented a trophy, while the other members of the band, color guard, majorettes and dance team were presented with a certificate and a medallion commemorating a state championship.
Senior band members recognized Monday night were:
- Alison Bardin
- Autumn Bobo
- Ashley Cunningham
- Misty Doran
- Ashton Gibbs
- Cheyenne Godwin
- Melanie Heard
- Kristin Knight
- Courtney Lambert
- Shelby Lewis
- Leigha Maher
- Sandy Rainwater
- Stephanie Roach
- Clarissa Ross
Pictured top: Senor band members Stephanie Roach, Misty Doran, Ashley Cunningham, Leigha Maher, Kristin Knight and Shelby Lewis. Pictured below: Senor band members Stephanie Roach, Alison Barden, Melanie Heard, Ashton Gibbs, Courtney Lambert and Sandy Rainwater. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
