Braun Wins 2nd In State FBLA Business Communications Competition
May 12, 2013
Northview High School junior Kasie Braun took second place in the Business Communication competition at the Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference recently in Orlando.
Braun, a member of the school’s Graphic Arts Academy, is now qualified to attend the FBLA National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, CA, this June.
She also won first place in 2011 and in 2012 in the Introduction to Business Communication competition which was only for ninth and tenth graders.
Braun is Northview’s FBLA vice president and also the district vice president for the last two years. During the current school year, she has achieved industry certifications in Photoshop, Flash, and Microsoft Office.
Two Injured In Molino Crash
May 11, 2013
Two people were injured in a two vehicle crash this morning in Molino.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 66-year old Billy E. Allen of Pensacola stopped his Toyota facing southbound in the southbound left turn lane of Highway 29 to Highway 95A. He then turned into the path of a 2014 Kia Sorrento driven by 55-year old Terry M. Anderson of Cantonment, hitting the side of the Kia.
The Kia rotated while continuing east on the grassy shoulder of Highway 29 and began to overturn. The Kia traveled about 267 feet from the point of impact, coming to rest on the shoulder. The Toyota came to rest on Highway 95A.
Anderson and his passenger, 56-year old Cathy T. Anderson of Cantonment, were transported by ambulance to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola with minor injuries. Allen and his passenger, 40-year old Brian M. Tucker of Molino, were not injured.
Allen was cited for turning left in front of approaching traffic, according to FHP.
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the crash.
Pictured above and below: Two people were injured in this crash Saturday morning at Highway 29 and Highway 95A in Molino. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sea Of Purple: Pensacola Relays For Cancer
May 11, 2013
The annual Relay for Life got underway Friday evening at Washington High School — the largest such event in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Teams were scheduled to walk all night and into Saturday morning to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
The final total is not yet in, but the goal for the Relay event was $195,000.
The Relay started with the McGuire’s Bagpipe Band, the Washington High School NJROTC and a first lap honoring cancer suvivors — a literal sea of purple around the track. At about 9 p.m., a solemn Luminaria Ceremony was held to honor cancer survivors and remember those lost to the disease.
The event was preceded by a survivor’s reception.
Pictured: The Relay for Life of Pensacola Friday night at Washington High School. Photos by Keith Garrison for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Holmes County Ends Northview’s Playoff Run
May 11, 2013
Holmes County won the Regional 1A title Friday night in Bonifay, defeating the Northview Chiefs 3-0.
Holmes County took a 2-0 lead after the first inning, expanding their lead to 3-0 with single from Corey Wilson in the second inning. The Blue Devils advance to the state semifinals next week in Fort Myers.
Kevin Vaughn pitched three for the Chiefs, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 0 K.
Chason Freeman was 1-3 for Northview, while Chad Smith was 0-1.
The Blue Devils were the district champs, having beat Northview on April 25. During the regular season, it was an even split. The Chiefs end their first season under first-year head coach Marty Lister at 10-9. Northview has never made the baseball final four in school history.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs take on Holmes County Friday in Bonifay for the Regional 1A title. NorthEscambia.com photos by Ramona Preston, click to enlarge.
Shots Fired Near Repo Man
May 11, 2013
Shots were fired near an area repossession and recovery company’s driver Friday night, but both parties agreed Saturday it might have been a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
US Towing and Recovery of Jay was working to repossess a vehicle on Still Farm Road, just off Jack Springs Road north of Poarch, Ala. As the repossession was underway, the repossession man said a female fired a shot from a nearby home.
The resident said she was on edge after someone had “beat at” her door on Wednesday night. On Friday night, she said she was feeding her chickens when someone was walking down a tree line on her property. She sent her dog after the possible prowler while she ran inside her home and called the police before firing her pistol in the air.
She said she did not fire at the repo man, but rather at an unknown prowler.
“We’ve had a lot problems with things being stolen and stuff on our road since Spring Break,” the woman said Saturday morning. She said the person she saw was wearing a white or light colored shirt, while the repossession company said their employees were all wearing dark clothing. “It might not have been them I saw,” she said. “But there was a man on my property.”
There were no injuries and nothing hit by the gunfire. The Poarch Creek Police Department and the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident. No charges were filed.
The US Towing and Recovery driver was able to successfully complete the repossession.
Pictured: Shots were fired Friday night the driver of this repo truck on Still Farm Road north of Poarch, Ala. Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Traffic: Construction Begins On Pensacola Beach Roadway, Toll Booth Improvements
May 11, 2013
Escambia County’s Public Works Department has started construction on more than $430,000 in roadway improvements designed to enhance traffic flow and address safety concerns for pedestrians headed to Pensacola Beach:
The improvements include:
- Extending the fourth lane approaching the toll plaza so vehicles can access that lane at the foot of bridge instead of a few yards away.
- Extending the fourth lane exiting the toll plaza to give vehicles more time to merge with traffic on Pensacola Beach Boulevard.
- Lengthening the eastern transponder beach pass lane from the foot of the bridge.
- Extending the turning lane into The Grand Marlin restaurant and bridge fishing pier on the south side of the toll plaza to provide more room for vehicles to stack up.
- Enlarging the right turn lane on the northbound side of Pensacola Beach Boulevard to improve access to the bridge fishing pier and The Grand Marlin.
- Installing a pedestrian crosswalk with pavement embedded flashing lights on Pensacola Beach Boulevard at the Quietwater Beach pavilion area to the east and Pensacola Beach Marina and the Elk’s Lodge on the west side of the street.
- Upgrading the toll plaza’s transponder readers and hardware to make them operate more efficiently.
This fall, toll plaza software and hardware improvements will eliminate toll gate arms, which slow traffic. Upgrades will include the installation of the state’s prepaid toll program, SunPass, or a similar system. This will significantly improve traffic flow through the toll booth, more than doubling the number of cars able to pass through the plaza during peak times to 2,350 cars per hour.
A photo enforcement system will be installed at the three manned booths where toll takers will continue to take cash. This will allow the lane arms to be removed, and violators who pass through the toll plaza without paying will receive a bill for the $1 toll, plus additional surcharges. Nonpayment of the toll and surcharges could result in a $100 fine plus additional surcharges per a state law governing toll plazas.
Work is currently underway and the major portion of the roadwork is expected within the next few weeks. Other work such as relocating utilities will continue for a few months.
In order to minimize disruptions to beach traffic, Escambia County has instructed its contractor – Panhandle Paving and Grading – to limit work hours from work a 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays only. Additionally, there may be instances when lanes will be shut down during evening hours to complete necessary work.
Jax Beats Pcola 1-0
May 11, 2013
Audy Ciriaco delivered the game-winning single on a looping line drive over second baseman Brodie Greene in the bottom of the ninth to score Ryan Fisher from third to give Jacksonville a 1-0 win on Friday night at Bragan Field in Jacksonville. The loss is the third straight for Pensacola.
Blue Wahoos starter Josh Smith pitched brilliantly over six shutout innings. He surrendered just three hits while fanning a season-high nine batters, including a span of six consecutive batters from the second inning to the fourth. Loek Van Mil pitched well out of the bullpen for the Blue Wahoos with two scoreless innings. Josh Ravin had two strikes on Ciriaco before he delivered the game winning hit with two outs in the ninth. Ravin (L, 0-2) was handed his second loss of the season. Collin Carill (W, 1-1) earned the win for Jacksonville after pitching the final two innings for the Suns.
Offensively the Wahoos had only three hits. Third baseman David Vidal had two of them as part of a 2-for-4 game to extend his hit-streak to four games. The Blue Wahoos only threat came in the top of the ninth when they had runners at second and third with two outs. It was the only time the Blue Wahoos had a runner at third base in the game.
Pensacola will try to salvage the final game of the five-game series on Saturday night. RHP Tim Crabbe (2-1, 2.60) will start for the Blue Wahoos against Suns LHP Adam Conley (1-1, 5.88). First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. CT from Bragan Field at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
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Judge: T-Ball Coach Poses Danger, Must Stay In Jail On Weapons Charges
May 10, 2013
A Century man arrested on federal weapons charges while coaching t-ball will be held without bond until his trial.
In her decision this week, U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Timothy ordered Joshua Duane Griffis, age 26 of North Century Boulevard, held held because “no release condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of any other person and the community”. Griffis is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and disposing of a firearm knowing that it was stolen.
Griffis was taken into custody without incident at a t-ball game in Century, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
ATF Special Agent George Bruno testified a detention hearing this week that in September 2012 Griffis went to the home of a person known to him on Green Village Road near Walnut Hill and advised the resident that he needed to retrieve a cell phone charger from a bedroom. The resident complied.
Later that evening, the resident discovered his .22 caliber revolver was missing. The victim’s wife confronted Griffis. According to an arrest report, and he said that he had let a friend working offshore borrow the gun but it would be returned soon.
Agent Bruno testified that Griffis pawned the firearm at State Line Pawn in Atmore on September 27, 2012.
Court documents show Griffis has prior adult felony convictions for grand theft, fraudulent use of credit cards, two counts of burglary of a dwelling, two counts of concealing information to obtain a prescription and receiving stolen property. His record also includes 13 misdemeanor convictions for worthless checks, two counts of petit theft, two counts of driving while license suspended and domestic violence third degree assault.
Just eight days before the firearm was pawned, Griffis was sentenced to two years probation and a suspended year in jail for receiving stolen property and domestic violence offenses. Court documents also reflect that Griffis has substance abuse issues.
The court found Griffis should remain in jail for numerous reasons, including “the nature and seriousness of the danger posed by Defendant’s release, which is obvious in this case in light of Defendant’s drug addiction, prior record, and (based on the evidence presented) apparent stealing, possessing, and pawning a firearm”.
Griffis has been set for trial at the Federal Courthouse in Pensacola in July.
Molino Woman, Two Children Airlifted After Quintette Road Wreck
May 10, 2013
A Molino woman and her children were injured in a head-on collision in Santa Rosa County Thursday afternoon.
According to the Florida Highway patrol, 31-year old Bridget M. Allen was traveling east on Quintette Road about 1:37 p.m. when she crossed the center line near Destinee Lane. Her 1994 Lincoln Town Car struck a 2003 Toyota Corolla driven by 25-year old Danielle T. Williams of Pace.
Allen and her two children were airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital. Bridget Allen was listed in critical condition, while 5-year old Bailey Allen was in serious condition, and 1-year old Brooklynn Allen was in minor condition.
Williams was transported by Lifeguard Ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in critical condition.
The accident closed Quintette Road for about two hours. Charges in the crash are pending, according to the FHP.
Everyone in the accident was wearing a seat belt or was properly restrained in a car seat or carrier, according to troopers.
Rotary Academic All-Stars Named From Four Area Schools
May 10, 2013
The Atmore Rotary Club recognized an outstanding group of area high school students as Academic All-Stars Thursday night
The Academic All-Star program is open to students who attend Northview High School, Atmore Christian School, Escambia County High School or Escambia Academy. To be named an Academic All-Star, a student must have maintained at least a B average in every subject for each grading period of the school year, with at least one A for each grading period.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Those who have maintained this status from the 9th through the 12th grades, were honored as Four-Year Academic All-Stars (pictured top). Each senior received a $500 scholarship, while Four-Year Academic All-Stars received a $750 scholarship.
The Randolph B. Luttrell, Sr.Scholarship, valued at $2,000, was presented to La’Derious Ty’Shon Franklin (pictured left), who has a 4.1 GPA at Northview High School. The Mary Joyner Grissett Memorial Scholarship, also for $2,000, was presented to Jazmine McGinnis of Escambia County High School.
The following students were recognized Thursday night as Atmore Rotary Academic All-Stars:
(Four-Year Academic All-Stars are denoted with an asterisk)
ATMORE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Ninth Grade
Madelyn Boatwright, Christopher Gehman, Ethan Heller, Nathan Jurjevich.
Tenth Grade
Caleb Hochstetler, Wesley Hostetler, Darren Landis.
Eleventh Grade
Durrell Martin, Travis Smith.
Twelfth Grade
Aimee Jurjevich, Jacinda Stahly*, Narisa Wiggins*, Hannah Ziglar*.
ESCAMBIA ACADEMY
Ninth Grade
Noah Blue, Jay Cieutat, Saige Garrett, Madalynn Grimsley, Todd Lamb, Kajel Patel, Mikayla Spruill.
Tenth Grade
Claire Dawe, Jessica Glick, Baylie Godwin, Garrett Kirk, Auden Lassiter, Erin Rider, Anna Catherine Sasser, Nate Smith, Lindsey Weatherford.
Eleventh Grade
Abigail Akins, Grayson Emmons, Sarah Weatherford.
Twelfth Grade
Caitlyn Bruley*, Brandy Helton, Page Lancaster*
ESCAMBIA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Ninth Grade
Kindric Albert, Jakius Brown, Sky Buitron, Xavier Leslie, Ryan Mancinone, Gerald Norris, Rhykker Powell, Darris Rufus, Daniel Weaver.
Tenth Grade
Rodrick Felder, O’Shea Fountain, Robert Henderson, Lyricia Johnson, Ashleigh Simpkins.
Eleventh Grade
Tristen Boothe, Chantelle Bowens, Y’Netta Craft, Malik Deese, Shafoya Gulley, Chelsea Lawson, Dy’qwan Lee, Dy’ametue Leslie, Alexis Moorer, Annah Nichols, Ashley Prime, Larry Pugh, Matthew Quimby, Alexandria Stallworth, Aisha Stots, Davontae Walker.
Twelfth Grade
Scarlet Martin*, Violet Miller, Markee Segura, Heather Taylor, Bria Willis*.
NORTHVIEW HIGH SCHOOL
Ninth Grade
Kaitlyn Noelle Abbott, Jessica Kathryn Amerson, Christopher Noah Coker, Lawrence CW Douglas, Jacob Dunsford, Abbie Elizabeth Johnson, Trevor Dale Levins, Moriah Renee’ McGahan, Jason Andrew Perritt, Bethany Cheyenne Reynolds, Danielle Chanel Robinson, Savanna Brianne Roux, Jordan Caroline Taylor, David Franklin Thorpe, Harmoni Faith Till, Jensyn Lillian Warner, Haylee Alease Weaver, Madison Page Weber.
Tenth Grade
E’Layzha Rikiah Bates, Annie Lorene Bobo, Joshua Joseph Borelli, Kamryn Denise Brock, Tristan Taylor Brown, Megan Paige Bryan, Kristen Renae Byrd, Kendal Brooke Cobb, Austin Blake Cunningham, Hannah Elizabeth Gibson, Kyndall Lauren Hall, Julie Beth Hester, Adriann Dawn Lee, Jessica Leigh McCullough, Aaron Thomas McDonald, Tristan Hunter Portwood, Mallory Mason Ryan, Samantha Elizabeth Sharpless.
Eleventh Grade
Kasie Lee Braun, Audrey Leigh Byrd, Anna Elizabeth Donald, Anna Elizabeth Fischer, Tamara Maria Green, Courtney Lynn Jones, Courtney Yvonne Solari, Jeremy Logan Stacey, Courtney Alexandra Weaver, Victoria Anne Wright.
Twelfth Grade
Jessica Marie Baldwin, Alison Danielle Bardin, Hannah Elizabeth Fiellin, Jazzlyn Shanece Franklin*, La’Derious Ty’Shon Franklin, Ashton Brooke Gibbs, Justin Lance Halteman, Marcus Trey Johnson, Zachary Sean Johnson*, Ashley Nicole Mooney, Dustin Todd Parker, Winston Riley, Tyler Dewayne Roley, Julia R. Thorpe.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.