Photos: Dancing At The Movies
May 26, 2013
Dozens of performers delighted hundreds of people Saturday night during the 18th annual Heather Leonard Danceworks recital at Northview High School.
“Dancing at the Movies” featured dance performances with favorite movie songs, like the “Beauty and the Beast” theme song, “Woody’s Roundup” from Toy Story, the Footloose theme song, “Glory Days” from The Incredibles, “Touch the Sky” from Brave and “Footloose”.
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NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Injured In Highway 4 Bratt Crash
May 26, 2013
One person received minor injuries in a single vehicle wreck Saturday morning in Bratt.
The accident happened on West Highway 4 just east of North Highway 99 about 11 a.m. The elderly female driver of an eastbound Geo Prizm apparently lost control, ran off the roadway and struck a couple of culverts before sliding across the roadway.
The driver was transported by private vehicle to an area hospital. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details, including the woman’s name and condition, have not been released.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wildfire Prompts Road Closures, Evacuations
May 26, 2013
The second major wildire in as many days shut down a portion of southwestern Escambia County Saturday, forcing the temporary evacuation of several homes.
The brush fire consumed about 80 acres in all in the area of Blue Angel Parkway and Highway 98. Homes along Aleron Avenue, Rudder Lane, Foster Mills Lane and Rustic Road were evacuated for several hours. Residents were able to return to their homes by nightfall.
An emergency shelter was set up at the Perdido Bay United Methodist Church, but no one needing shelter showed.
There was no structure damage from the fire reported.
Pictured top: A Florida Forest Service helicopter dropped 300 gallons of water at a time on a wildfire in southwestern Escambia County Saturday afternoon. Pictured below: The fire consumed about 80 acres and forced evacuations of several homes. Reader photos by Kim Spring for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Is Your Church Having VBS?
May 26, 2013
Now is the time to submit your Vacation Bible School announcements to NorthEscambia.com so that we can include them on our events page and let everyone know.
Email your VBS event details to: news@northescambia.com
Please try to submit your information as far in advance as possible.
Featured Recipe: Bold Burger Stars During Grilling Season
May 26, 2013
Today’s featured recipe from food writer Janet Tharpe is a bold burger with kicked up toppings.
Wahoos Come Up Short Again, Fall To Lookouts 3-1
May 26, 2013
Once again, the Blue Wahoos could not find the offense to support another strong starting performance, this time by Daniel Renken. The Chattanooga Lookouts scored a pair of runs late to down the Wahoos 3-1 at AT&T Field in Chattanooga on Saturday night.
Renken allowed just one run over six strong innings, surrendered only three hits and struck out five, but did not record a decision. The lone run came in the bottom of the sixth when Yasiel Puig drove home the tying run from third with a shallow sacrifice fly to centerfield. Renken walked the leadoff man in the inning, and he eventually came around to score to even the game at 1-1.
In the top of the sixth, Pensacola broke a scoreless tie when Theo Bowe belted a solo home run over the right-field wall for his first homer of the season. That was one of only four hits the Blue Wahoos would get on the night.
Chattanooga broke through with the winning runs in the eighth. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases after a leadoff double, setting the stage for Puig. Brian Pearl was summoned from the bullpen, inheriting the bases loaded mess, and Puig delivered a single up the middle to score two runs which proved to be the difference in the game. Both runs were charged to Wilkin De La Rosa (L, 1-2), who was saddled with the loss. Pensacola was retied quietly in the bottom of the ninth by Jose Dominguez who earned his second consecutive save.
Scott Elbert (W, 1-0) picked up the win for the Lookouts out of their bullpen. He worked a scoreless inning before the Lookouts did the damage in the eighth. Andres Santiago started for the Lookouts and allowed just the one run over 5.2 innings. He fanned a season-high seven batters.
The series continues from AT&T Field in Chattanooga on Sunday. The Blue Wahoos will start RHP Josh Smith (3-4, 3.66) against Lookouts RHP Steve Smith who will make his AA debut. He had pitched his first 11 games of the year with AAA Albuquerque. First pitch is set for 5:15 p.m. CT.
Charity Cabaret Benefits Tate Senior Fighting Cancer
May 26, 2013
A packed house at the Pensacola Little Theatre enjoyed some great entertainment Saturday night, all while helping Halee Boyd — a Tate High School senior who is fighting a rare form of cancer.
The “Hope 4 Halee Charity Cabaret” was hosted by Tori Patton, a junior in the International Baccalaureate program at Pensacola High School as her community service project. Patton and Boyd have been friends for years, both members of the Pensacola Children’s Chorus at one time.
Performances included several talented students and a set from the Broadening Education Thru Arts program.
Pictured top: A performance during the Hope 4 Halee Charity Cabaret Saturday night at the Pensacola Little Theatre. Pictured: Halee Boyd and her mom Mardi at the benefit event. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FCAT Writing, 3rd Grade Reading, Math Results Released
May 25, 2013
Friday, the Florida Department of Education released FCAT 2.0 writing results, along with third grade reading and math scores.
Escambia County overall results, along with results from individual schools in District 5, were as follows:
THIRD GRADE READING
In Escambia County, 55% of third grade students were proficient in reading, scoring a 3.5 or greater. In District 5:
Jim Allen Elementary, 52%
Bratt Elementary, 48%
Byrneville Elementary, 90%
Lipscomb Elementary, 66%
McArthur Elementary, 62%
Molino Park Elementary, 74%
Pine Meadow Elementary, 57%
Byrneville Elementary, with 90% proficient in third grade reading, was at second in the district to only Pensacola Beach Elementary.
THIRD GRADE MATH
In Escambia County, 52% of third grade students were proficient in math, scoring a 3.5 or greater. In District 5:
Jim Allen Elementary, 44%
Bratt Elementary, 63%
Byrneville Elementary, 95%
Lipscomb Elementary, 57%
McArthur Elementary, 50%
Molino Park Elementary, 76%
Pine Meadow Elementary, 54%
Byrneville Elementary, with 90% proficient in third grade math, was at second in the district to only Pensacola Beach Elementary.
FOURTH GRADE WRITING
In Escambia County, 47% of fourth grade students were proficient in writing, scoring a 3.5 or greater. In District 5:
Jim Allen Elementary, 78%
Bratt Elementary, 85%
Byrneville Elementary, 80%
Lipscomb Elementary, 77%
McArthur Elementary, 55%
Molino Park Elementary, 66%
Pine Meadow Elementary, 91%
EIGHTH GRADE WRITING
In Escambia County, 41% of eighth grade students were proficient in writing, scoring a 3.5 or greater. In District 5:
Ernest Ward Middle, 81%
Ransom Middle, 80%
Both Ernest Ward and Ransom were among the top scoring middle schools in the county.
TENTH GRADE WRITING
In Escambia County, 54% of tenth grade students were proficient in writing, scoring a 3.5 or greater. In District 5:
Northview High, 88%
Tate High, 83%
Northview High was second best, and Tate was third, in the county behind West Florida High at 94% in tenth grade writing.
FDLE: Accused Murderer May Be In Escambia Area
May 25, 2013
Law enforcement believes an accused murderer may be in the Escambia County area.
Ernest Larry Grandison, 43, is wanted by the Lake City Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on charges of felony homicide. Grandison is a habitual violent offender and citizens should not approach this individual, according to FDLE.
On Friday, April 27, 2012, the A&M Discount Beverage in Lake City, Florida, was robbed and the owner, Rajnikant Kantilal Pate was shot and killed during the robbery. Arrest warrants were obtained for James Leonard Johnson, Jr., and Ernest Larry Grandison. Johnson was arrested; however, Grandison still remains at large.
He is a black male, about 5-foot 11-inches tall, 240 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. He may be driving a 2005 white, four-door Toyota with Florida tag D911NV, or a 2009 black Nissan Versa.
Burglar Shot By Homeowner Now In Escambia Jail
May 25, 2013
A week after being shot by a Walnut Hill homeowner, a Century man is now jailed in Escambia County.
Ricky Dewayne Taylor, age 33 of Front Street, was booked into the Escambia County Jail Friday afternoon on charges of burglary, larceny, criminal mischief property damage and battery. He was being held without bond as an out of state fugitive due to an outstanding warrant with another agency.
On May 17, a resident of the 3900 block of Rockaway Creek Road reported a burglary in progress at his home. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said he arrived home to find two intruders inside of the residence.
The homeowner held the suspects at gunpoint while he called the Sheriff’s Office. As the victim was speaking with dispatcher Taylor lunged toward him. The homeowner fired a .38 caliber revolver, striking Taylor in the leg. Taylor was alert and conscious when he was transferred to LifeFlight to be airlifted to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola.
After Taylor was released from the hospital, he was arrested the evening of May 21 in Escambia County, Ala., and then extradited to Florida to face outstanding warrants.
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 Saturday morning with bond set at $12,500.
Pictured top: Burglary suspect Ricky Taylor, shot in the leg, is loaded into an ambulance on Rockaway Creek Road Friday afternoon. Pictured inset and bottom: Taylor is transferred to LifeFlight. Pictured below: The scene of an alleged burglary that ended with the suspect being shot Friday afternoon in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com exclusive file photos, click to enlarge.












