No Injuries In Early Morning Crash Near Walnut Hill
December 15, 2012
There were no injuries in a single vehicle crash near Walnut Hill early Saturday morning.
The driver of a car was eastbound on Highway 99A about 2:30 a.m. when he failed to stop at a stop sign, crossed over North Highway 99, went airborne into a ditch a struck a power pole. The driver and his passenger refused medical treatment at the scene.
The accident was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol. Atmore Ambulance, the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the wreck.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
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Our Worst Nightmare: Escambia Schools Have Shooting, Lockdown Plans In Place
December 15, 2012
“Our worst nightmare” — that’s how Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas described the elementary school shooting Friday in Connecticut that took the lives of 20 children, a school principal and five other adults.
“To think that some deranged person can take aware the future, the lives of elementary school students just rips your heart out,” he said Friday afternoon. “It’s a very sad day for all of us.”
All Escambia County schools have lockdown and emergency plans in place to deal swiftly with any security threat. During lockdowns, the schools are physically locked and isolated from the outside world — no one goes in, no one goes out except for law enforcement. That includes parents, Thomas said, “because perhaps the person you let in is the very threat you are trying to keep out”.
“You do everything reasonable to protect the schools and the children,” he said. The scenario in Connecticut has some aspects that are pretty frightening to me, despite all of the plans, all the of the technology in place to protect the children.”
“He (the Connecticut gunman) had probably gone to that school before since his mother taught there. The people at the school likely knew him, so they may not have viewed him as a threat. They might have let him in because they knew him, like happens many times a day in schools everywhere with parents, volunteers and others known to the school staff. That is frightening.”
For obvious reasons, Thomas declined to discuss the specifics of security plans in Escambia County schools. But he did mention technology plays a role, such as new security doors installed before this school year at Bratt Elementary. Before an individual can enter the school, they must be “buzzed” through the locked doors. Similar security doors are also in place at most schools in the county.
Each school practices lockdown and evacuation procedures with students and staff, and sometimes they get experience with real lockdowns.
Following the November shooting death of a store clerk during the robbery of the State Line O’Yes Lotto in Davisville, Ernest Ward Middle, Bratt Elementary and Northview High schools were placed on lockdown within minutes as a precaution as law enforcement searched the for armed suspects.
On-duty, armed Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies are on the campuses of Escambia County’s middle and high schools.
Pictured: Extra deputies remained the Ernest Ward Middle School campus after a lockdown ended following the murder of a store clerk in November. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
West Beats East In All-Star Game; Northview’s Woods Named MVP
December 15, 2012
The West defeated the East 15-6 in the 9th Annual Subway High School All-Star football game on a defense powered by a Northview Chief.
The West took the lead near the half on a 96-yard touchdown run from Escambia’s T.J. Myers, 7-0 West. The East scored in the fourth, cutting the West lead to 7-6. The West scored again with under a minute to go with a 30-yard TD run from Tate’s Lorenzo Long. Pensacola High’s Blake Norwood found fellow PHS Tiger Jonathon Bennett with the two pointer to seal the 15-6 West win.
Northview’s Roderick Woods was named the West defensive MVP with a game leading 13 tackles, and Trebian Suggs of Pine Forest was named West offensive MVP.
It was a bit of sweet redemption for Woods, who was forced to sit out the last three regular season games and entire Chiefs run to a state title due to reaching the FHSAA age limit.
Pictured: Northview’s Roderick Woods in Orlando with the Class 1A state championship trophy. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Photos, Videos: Northview Christmas Variety Show
December 15, 2012
The Northview High School concert band, color guard, majorettes, dance team, guitar ensemble. theatre groups and glee club presented the NHS Christmas Variety Show Friday night at the school.
The program included Christmas performances from each group.
For a photo gallery, click here.
For a video of the performance of “Little Drummer Boy”, click here.
For a video of the dance team performance, click here.
Pictured the NHS Christmas Variety Show held Friday night at the school. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Person Of Interest In Pen Air Robbery Behind Bars
December 15, 2012
A person of interest in the November robbery of the Pen Air Federal Credit Union in Century is behind bars.
Faron Ray Wilson, Jr., of Century, was taken into custody Friday in Santa Rosa County. He was arrested on an outstanding violation of probation warrant, two counts of resisting an officer and drug possession. He remains in the Santa Rosa County Jail without bond.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has named Wilson, 21, as a person of interest wanted for questioning in connection with the robbery of the North Century Boulevard credit union. As of Friday night, no charges had been filed against Wilson for the Pen Air robbery.
A man claiming to have a gun robbed the Pen Air Federal Credit Union in Century on November 29. Surveillance video shows one person dressed in blue jeans and a jacket with a hood entering the credit union. He then walks to a teller window where he demanded all of the money, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The man fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money.
For an earlier story, including photos from surveillance video inside the credit union, click here.
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Neino Robinson Scores 58 Points; Northview Over Freeport, Jay Beats Baker
December 15, 2012
Here’s a look at high school basketball action from Friday:
Northview 91 Freeport 68
Northview’s Neino Robinson added an outstanding 58 points Friday night as the Chiefs demolished Freeport 91-68 in Freeport. Cameron Newsome added 11 for the Chiefs. Devon Cottrell contributed 5, Kevin Barrow, Jeffery Taylor and Travell McWilliams had two each. Trent Howard scored eight for the Chiefs. The Chiefs will be at Jay on Monday as the Jay Christmas Tournament gets underway.
Jay 41 Baker 39
The Jay Royals defeated the Baker Gators Friday 41-39. Taylor Kelley had 13, Evric Trevino added 10 and Marshall Thomas scored eight to lead the Royals. Jay will host Northview, Pensacola Christian and Central in a Christmas tournament beginning Monday.
Northview 57 Freeport 43 (Girls)
In girls action Friday in Freeport, the Northview Lady Chiefs beat the Laday Gators of Freeport 57-43.
Photos: Byrneville Elementary Holds Annual Christmas Carnival
December 15, 2012
Byrneville Elementary School held its Christmas Carnival Friday night at the school.
The annual event included a host of games, including a ring toss, cake walk, football toss and more. The evening’s festivities ended with a gift basket auction, with proceeds going to benefit the school.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Chiefs Week: Northview Cheerleaders
December 15, 2012
The Northview High School cheerleaders were there in the Citrus Bowl last weekend, cheering on the Northview Chiefs as they won the Class 1A state championship.
For a photo gallery, click here.
It’s Chief’s Week on NorthEscambia.com — we will continue our look back at Northview’s Class 1A state championship win through the weekend. Coming up tomorrow, more of our hundreds of photos from the Citrus Bowl.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pictured: The Northview High School cheerleaders in Orlando’s Citrus Bowl. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Misses Obamacare Health Care Exchange Deadline
December 15, 2012
With a Friday deadline for states to notify the federal government if they plan to run health-insurance exchanges, Florida officials said they do not have enough information to move forward with an exchange.
The stance, which echoes positions taken earlier by Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leaders, means it is virtually certain the federal government will run an exchange for Florida when the key part of the Affordable Care Act takes effect in January 2014.
Jackie Schutz, a spokeswoman for Scott, said in a prepared statement that the governor’s office is working to schedule a meeting with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
“At this time we do not have sufficient information on the cost of implementing a state health care exchange to Florida taxpayers, Florida businesses or Florida health insurance purchasers,” Schutz said. “We are looking forward to getting more information from HHS and the president.”
States were supposed to submit letters Friday if they intend to run exchanges in 2014.
Katie Betta, a spokeswoman for Senate President Don Gaetz, said in an email that Florida did not submit such a letter. If states do not run exchanges, the federal government will do it for them. States can request later to run exchanges, which will be online marketplaces where people can shop for health coverage.
Millions of Americans will receive subsidies to help buy insurance through the exchanges.
Lawmakers are expected to consider the exchange issue when they meet in spring 2013. Florida Republican leaders took few steps to carry out the Affordable Care Act after President Obama and congressional Democrats passed it in 2010. But after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld most of the law in June and Obama was re-elected in November, legislative leaders began grappling with issues such as the exchange and a potential Medicaid expansion.
By The News Service of Florida
26 Dead In Connecticut Elementary School Massacre
December 15, 2012
As many as 26 people — most of them young children — were killed Friday in a mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.
Connecticut State Police lieutenant J. Paul Vance told reporters the fatalities included students and staff, and that the gunman involved also was dead. The officer did not give a complete report on casualties, saying the priority for authorities at the scene was to notify the children’s parents and other relatives.
An official from the governor’s office says Governor Dan Malloy was “horrified” by the tragedy and rushed to meet with the children’s family members.
President Barack Obama called authorities in Connecticut to express his sadness, and pledged to help with federal resources.
The shooting took place Friday morning at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
Photos and video images from the scene showed children being rushed out of the school, but it took several hours before the full scope of the tragedy to become known.
The White House said President Obama spoke with the FBI director about the case, and was receiving frequent briefings.
A tearful President Barack Obama expressed “overwhelming grief” for the victims of the shooting rampage and called on Americans to set aside politics and “take meaningful action” to prevent more tragedies of this kind.
“Our hearts are broken today,” Obama said, his voice breaking at times during a nationally televised appearance in the White House briefing room.
[VOA] Photos courtesy Melanie Stengel/New Haven Register.