Escambia County Students Of The Month Named
March 24, 2013
Students of the month for February have been named in Escambia County. The awards are presented monthly to a limited number of students from participating schools.
North Escambia area students of the month for February were:
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Bratt Elementary — Sara Amerson, first; Sheyenne Dillon, fifth;
Jim Allen Elementary — Eluah Bianchi, kindergarten; Kayla Jarman, kindergarten;
Lipscomb Elementary — Seth Bestgen, fourth; Amaya Bullock, fifth;
McArthur Elementary — Bryson Gier, kindergarten; Heidi Lynn, kindergarten;
Molino Park Elementary — Addison Pawless, first; Evin Pedicord, first.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Ernest Ward Middle – Helen Kemp, sixth; Jacob White, seventh; Savanna Calhoun, eighth;
Ransom Middle — Jacob Kmetz, eighth; Kayla Johnson, eighth.
HIGH SCHOOLS
Northview High — Jessica Baldwin, 12th; Tristan Brown, 10th;
Tate High — Emily Lee, 12th; William Newman, 12th;
West Florida — Kelly Wyland, 11th; Samuel McKenzie, 12th.
Recipe: Magic Crust Custard Pie
March 24, 2013
Sometimes basics are best… and this tasty little custard number from home cook Robyn Witte has all the right ingredients to become a new favorite.
First, its classic vanilla custard flavor and gooey texture just can’t be beat. What’s more, this tasty confection comes together in a snap.
To prepare, simply combine all the ingredients in a blender then pour into a pie pan. The crust forms “magically” as the flour settles to the bottom of the pan during baking. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
Magic Crust Custard Pie
What You Need
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 c white sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups 2% milk,
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
Directions
- Put all ingredients into a blender.
- Blend for 30 seconds. Pour into buttered 9-inch pie pan.
- Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. The flour will settle to make its own crust.
Birth: Jaxon Noah Wilson
March 24, 2013
Jaxon Noah Wilson born on March 4, 2013, weighing 7-pounds, 5-ounces and 20 inches long. He was welcomed by parents Jeremiah and Lindsey Wilson. Grandparents are Teresa and Lloyd Jordan, and Rose and Willie Wilson of Century.
One Injured In Bratt Crash
March 23, 2013
An Atmore woman received minor injuries in a single vehicle wreck before daybreak Saturday in Bratt.
The woman lost control about 5:30 a.m. on North Highway 99 near the Alabama state line, left the roadway, and struck some large brush. The 27-year old driver was transported by Atmore Ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash; the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded.
Pictured: One person was injured in this single vehicle accident in Bratt early Saturday morning. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Scott Presents $751K To Schools; $295K In District 5
March 23, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott presented a total of $751,000 to 14 Escambia County Schools on Friday — including District 5 schools Byrneville, Pine Meadow and Lipscomb elementary schools and West Florida High.
Florida’s School Recognition Program acknowledges the quality of public schools by giving financial rewards based on sustained or significantly improved student achievement in reading, mathematics, science, and writing. Schools eligible for recognition awards include those receiving an ’A’ school grade, improving at least one letter grade from the previous year, or improving more than one letter grade and sustaining the improvement the following school year.
The school staff and school advisory council at each recognized school jointly decide how to use the financial award.
In District 5, schools receiving award money were:
- Byrneville Elementary – $14,656
- Pine Meadow Elementary School – $79,917
- Lipscomb Elementary School – $84,242
- West Florida High – $116,571
As a lifelong educator, I understand the passion and commitment our teachers bring to the classroom each and every day so that our students are reaching higher levels of achievement, said Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. “The School Recognition Program is a great incentive to reward Escambia’s high-performing teachers. I applaud Governor Rick Scott’s proposal to increase funding for this important program in his Florida’s Families First Budget.”
As part of his Florida Families First Budget, Governor Scott requested an increase in School Recognition Program funding to $125 per student, up from $93 this year. State funding for K-12 education in the Florida Families First Budget totals $10.7 billion – the highest state funding level in history.
“We are grateful that Governor Rick Scott made a special visit to Escambia County to congratulate our teachers and staff for a job well done,” said Escambia County School Board Chairman Jeff Bergosh. “The $751,488 in School Recognition Program funds will go a long way in rewarding our best and brightest here in Escambia County.”
During the recognition event Friday afternoon at Brown Barge Middle School, Scott also pushed for teacher pay raises.
“Florida students and teachers were ranked 6th for educational quality, our fourth-grade students scored among the best in the world in an international reading survey, and we recently learned Florida students are number one for percentage of students taking an AP exam. Our teachers have done a great job and that is why I have proposed to provide all fulltime classroom teachers a $2,500 pay raise,” the governor said.
Equestrian Center Renamed For James C. Robinson
March 23, 2013
Friday, Escambia County officially renamed and dedicated the Escambia County Equestrian Center as the “James C. Robinson Escambia County Equestrian Center”.
James C. (Jim) Robinson’s involvement with horses began with his daughter, Lisa, showing them as a child. He and his wife, Betty, were charter members of the Pensacola Hunter Jumper Association (PHJA), which formed in 1973. He served as show manager for the PHJA shows for more than 20 years, even after his daughter stopped showing.
When soccer became more prevalent at Brosnaham Field, he took it upon himself to open discussions with the County about the possibility of a new facility and was instrumental in the development of the current Equestrian Center. He worked with county staff to further develop the idea and was instrumental in procuring the property where the current facility is located.
He also actively promoted the Equestrian Center and was responsible for bringing the facility to the attention of what is now the facility’s largest revenue generator, the Gulf Coast Classic Company. He remained active in PHJA and maintained an interest in the Equestrian Center until the time of his passing.
Robinson, a resident of Cantonment, passed away December 12, 2012.
Pictured: The Escambia County Equestrian Center was dedicated as the “James C. Robinson Escambia County Equestrian Center” Friday morning. Photos courtesy Tammra Parker for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lady Aggies Strike Out Cancer While Striking Out Pace 14-4
March 23, 2013
The Tate Lady Aggies held on to their district lead Friday night in their annual Strike Out Cancer game in front of a mostly pink crowd.
The Lady Aggies entered Friday night’s game in first place in District 1-6A. They easily beat second place Pace, 14-4. Hitters for Tate included Kaylan Rowell with a two run triple and two run double from Heather Thomason. Casey McCracken had a two-run homer on a line drive to center. Rachel Dunsford was 4-for-4 with three runs, and Lauren Brennan was 1-1 with one RBI.
The Lady Aggies are now 16-3 overall and still hold a perfect 12-0 record in the district.
The Strike Out Cancer game raised about $6,000 for cancer awareness.
Pictured: The varsity Tate Aggies (above) and the JV Tate Lady Aggies (below), who also beat Pace, sport their “Hope for Halee” bracelets prior to their annual “Strike Out Cancer” game Friday. Halee Boyd, a Tate senior, is continuing to battle a rare form of cancer. Pictured top are: (front, L-R) Rachel Wright, Casey McCraken, Bailey Burk, Amy Waters, Brooke Howell, Bridget Dall, Rachel Dunsford, (back) Jordan Barnett, Lauren Brennan, Kaylen Rowell, Tori Pekins, Heather Thomason and Brooke White. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Gets 15 Years On Meth Charges
March 23, 2013
An Escambia County man is headed to prison after pleading guilty to drug charges.
Jacob Andrew Thurber entered a plea of guilty as charged for trafficking in methamphetamine over 200 grams, two counts of unlawful possession of listed chemicals and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Following Thurber’s plea, Circuit Judge J. Scott Duncan sentenced him to 15 years state prison and a $250,000 fine. Under Florida law, Thurber must serve the 15 year sentence day for day in state prison.
In July 2012, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at Thurber’s home that revealed numerous items which were consistent with a methamphetamine lab and containers containing over 200 grams of methamphetamine.
House Passes Florida Pension Changes, But Challenges Remain
March 23, 2013
A controversial plan to close off the Florida Retirement System’s traditional pension plan to future public employees passed the House on a nearly party-line vote Friday, setting up a battle with the Senate over the retirement system.
The measure (HB 7011) passed 74-42, but Rep. Richard Stark of Weston, the only Democrat to vote for the bill, later said he meant to vote against it. The proposal is a top priority for House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.
House Republicans say the measure will keep the FRS from consuming an ever-larger share of the state budget, crowding out education and other priorities. They also said it would create stability and keep the state from having to take more drastic steps in the future.
“We will know exactly what our obligations are rather than a constant sense of uncertainty,” said Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne.
But Democrats hammered the transition from a “defined benefit” plan, like a traditional pension, to a 401(k)-style “defined contribution” plan. They said workers might not get the same return on their own investments, and would lose the security that comes from a defined benefit plan- often cited as a key recruitment tool for getting people to take otherwise low paying government jobs.
“Rewarding our state employees should not be a game of chance,” said Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach. “It should be a sure bet.”
Labor groups also blasted the House for making the changes.
“They’ve addressed an imaginary crisis of their own making with a radical change that disrespects school employees, first responders, and other public workers who enhance the quality of life in Florida,” said Alan Stonecipher, director of the Florida Retirement Security Coalition, a group tied to unions.
The measure faces an uphill climb in the Senate, where lawmakers are backing a more limited change to the retirement system. The upper chamber’s bill (SB 1392) would encourage employees to enter the defined contribution plan by making that the default plan for workers — unless they opt in to the traditional plan — and giving workers a discount on their contributions if they choose the investment option.
House leaders say they would rather the Senate accept their measure.
“I’d like to see the Senate take up the bill as it is, because I don’t think anything in there should give them heartburn,” said Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, the House sponsor.
But Weatherford also wouldn’t rule out compromising on the measure, or even accepting the bill from Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby.
“If we weren’t eliminating defined benefit for new employees going forward, I would say his bill is better than nothing,” Weatherford said. “It’s certainly better than the status quo. But our question would be, why would we go halfway when we can go all the way?”
By The News Service of Florida
Northview Beats Chipley Times Two
March 23, 2013
Northview’s varsity baseball and softball teams beat visiting Chipley on Friday.
For the Lady Chiefs, it was another one in the win column of their perfect 10-0 season. The Lady Chiefs will return to action after spring break on Monday, April 1 as they travel to Flomaton.
In baseball action, Northview beat Chipley 10-6.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.