Urban Gardening Project For Children Flourishing
June 20, 2013
Ever’man Natural Foods and the Pathways For Change children’s program, “Pathways For Success” have spent the last six months working on an urban gardening program for children in Pensacola.
Despite the humble beginnings of the partnership, the project is now flourishing and the staff and volunteers are looking to further enhance and expand this educational opportunity for the children.
The Pathways For Success afterschool and summer care program is offered four days per week for children ranging in grades 1-5. After connecting with Ever’man Natural Foods at the end of last year, the two organizations transformed an asphalt area behind the afterschool and summer program center into a lush series of container gardens.
The project works to educate children on healthy food and gardening while empowering the kids to take responsibility for the garden by encouraging input and effort, such as choosing which plants to cultivate and watering the garden regularly.
Throughout the summer months, gardening will continue while staff members look toward the fall, pursing new grants to cover the modest cost need for each season’s transition.
“When a little boy took my hand and drew me to his garden, I knew this project was special. When he said, ‘Look Ms. Connie, this is broccoli, I thought it only came in a box!’ I knew we were changing a future,” said Connie Bookman, the executive director of Pathways for Change.
Pictured: An urban garden behind Pathways for Change in Pensacola. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Guards Attacked At Holman Prison, Facility Placed On Lockdown
June 20, 2013
Two guards were attacked by prisoners at Holman Prison in Atmore Tuesday night, the Alabama Department of Corrections said Wednesday.
The first attack occurred during a routine shower call, with an inmate and officer involved in an altercation. As more officers responded, a second altercation occurred between a different prisoner and guard. Both altercations were brought under control quickly, and the facility was placed under lockdown.
Both guards and one prisoner were transported to an area hospital for treatment.
Further details, including the names of those involved and their conditions, have not been released pending a continuing investigation.
New Districts Proposed For High School Baseball, Softball
June 20, 2013
New baseball and softball districts proposed last week by the Florida High School Athletic Association will mean some changes for several local schools.
The Tate Aggies and Navarre will move up to a new District 1-7A, along with Niceville, Crestview and Fort Walton Beach.
District 1-6A will drop to six teams without Tate and Navarre — Pine ForestEscambia, Milton, Pace, PHS and Washington.
The West Florida Jaguars and Catholic will be in District 1-4A along with Walton and Marianna.
The Northview Chiefs and Jay Royals will move into District 1-3A in Region 2 along with Baker, Chipley, Freeport and Holmes County.
Schools can appeal the new district alignments with the FHSAA until June 25.
Teen Cited By FHP Following Bratt Wreck
June 20, 2013
A Century teen was injured in a single vehicle accident Wednesday morning in Bratt.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 16-year old Autumn Ates of Century was traveling northbound on Pine Barren Road just south of Bratt Road at a high rate of speed. She failed to negotiate a curve in the road and traveled onto the shoulder of the roadway. Her 1997 Lincoln Town Car then began to slide sideways on the shoulder and the left side struck a culvert.
The Town Car began to overturn and came to rest on its left side of the shoulder of Pine Barren Road. Ates was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Ates was transported by Atmore Ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where she was treated and released.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Ates was cited for driving too fast for conditions. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the call.
Pictured: A Century teen is recovering after this single vehicle wreck Wednesday morning on Pine Barren Road in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Open Second Half With Second Half Win 4-2 In Montgomery
June 20, 2013
Tim Crabbe dominated Montgomery Biscuits hitters over six innings helping the Blue Wahoos earn a 4-2 win to open the second half of the 2013 season Wednesday night from Riverwalk Stadium. Yorman Rodriguez, fresh up from Advanced-A Bakersfield, sparked the offense finishing a home run shy of the cycle with his 3-for-4 game in his Double-A debut.
After getting the leadoff man on for the third straight inning, Pensacola finally capitalized in the third. Luis Durango opened the inning with his second straight leadoff single. A batter later, Rodriguez tripled him home giving Pensacola an early 1-0 lead. Travis Mattair would plate Rodriguez from third later in the inning with an RBI groundout.
The Biscuits countered with a run in the bottom of the third, but it was the only run they would score off Crabbe. Pensacola opened up a three-run advantage with another pair of runs in the fifth. Again it was the top of the order getting it done for Wahoos. With one out, Durango drew a walk which started the rally. He scored when a throw from right field hit him in the back while he was sliding into third on a Rodriguez single. The ball got away allowing the speedy outfielder to scramble to his feet and head home. Marquez Smith then doubled into the left-center field alley plating Rodriguez from second making it a 4-1 Blue Wahoos lead.
The Biscuits would get their final run in seventh off Blue Wahoos reliever Drew Hayes. Riccio Torrez singled home Kyeong Kang from second, but Torrez was thrown out by Durango trying to stretch the one-out hit into a double. Hayes went on to retire the next four batters he faced to close out his two innings of work. Loek Van Mil (S, 6) shut down the Biscuits in the ninth, retiring them 1-2-3 for his sixth save of the season.
Rodriguez nearly launched his first home run as a Wahoo in the seventh. Initially ruled a solo homer, it was later changed to a ground-rule double when the umpires gathered and ruled the ball was wedged between a railing on top of the wall and pads.
Crabbe (W, 3-6) earned his first win for Pensacola since 5/5, also against Montgomery in Pensacola. He matched his season-high with seven strikeouts over six innings. He walked just two and allowed just two hits. Pensacola scored all four of their runs against Biscuits starter Jake Thompson (L, 6-7), though only three were earned. He took the loss after striking out seven over seven innings.
Pensacola looks to build on its win to open the second half on Thursday night. LHP Ryan Dennick (3-7, 3.13) is slated to start for the Wahoos against Biscuits RHP Michael Colla (1-0, 5.56). First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
story by Kevin Burke
Tangled Trash Truck Pulls Power Lines Down
June 20, 2013
About two dozen Gulf Power company customers lost power early this morning after a garbage truck became tangled in power lines.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 64-year old Kenneth Sunday of Pensacola was backing the garbage truck out of a driveway in the 1700 block of Johnson Avenue about 2:35 a.m. when the top of the truck caught a low hanging power line. The line became tangled up on the truck, pulling a utility pole out of the ground and snapping it in half as the truck continued to move.
Sunday was not injured, and he was not charged by the FHP.
Reader-submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO Employee Placed On Leave; Controlled Substances Missing
June 19, 2013
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has placed an employee on leave after discovering errors in the handling of evidence and missing controlled substances.
“The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has discovered some irregularities in the processing of evidence by an employee assigned to its evidence facility,” the ECSO said in a prepared statement Wednesday morning. “(An) investigation has revealed that the employee mislabeled evidence and made clerical errors processing evidence. In one specific case, an item containing controlled substances processed by this employee cannot be located.”
The State Attorney’s Office has identified the employee as Ramon Simoneaux, and they say 280 oxycodone pills disappeared while he was he was on duty.
He has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The State Attorney’s Office has been notified of the issue and is reviewing the case. The ECSO is in the process of reviewing all evidence procedures and is auditing cases involving Simoneaux.
Further details have not been released as the Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation.
Man Dies Two Days After Accident
June 19, 2013
An Escambia County man has died from injuries received early Monday morning when he drove through a cemetery, two fences and into a building.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 28-year old Carlos Romero was westbound on Lillian Highway in a 2011 Honda Civic when he ran off the roadway onto the westbound shoulder about 3:31 a.m. He over-corrected, crossed both lanes of Lillian Highway, hit a chain link fence at the Myrtle Grove Cemetery, traveled through the cemetery, across both lanes of 58th Avenue, through a parking lot, through another fence and into the front of George Kitcher Paint and Body Shop.
Romero was pronounced deceased Wednesday at Baptist Hospital, according to the FHP.
Train Derailment Blocks Cantonment Crossing
June 19, 2013
A low speed train derailment blocked a Cantonment crossing Wednesday morning.
The Louis Street crossing, just off Muscogee Road, was blocked by the derailment for a couple of hours. An unknown number of rail cars ran off the tracks; none of the cars overturned. None of the of the rail cars were carrying any sort of hazardous cargo.
Pictured top: A low speed train derailment Wednesday morning at Louis Street in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Free Blood Pressure Screening In Molino
June 19, 2013
Free blood pressure screenings are offered each Tuesday at the Molino Community Center from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., sponsored by the Molino Mid-County Historical Society.
Organizers said the free blood pressure checks have been a great service to the community, with one individual discovering a dangerously high blood pressure, and another realizing that they needed to resume their blood pressure medication.
The Molino Community Center is located at 6450 Highway 95A.