Vehicle Goes Over Cliff
October 21, 2012
A man is hospitalized in critical condition after the vehicle he was driving left the roadway and went over a cliff Saturday in Pensacola.
The incident occurred just after 4 p.m. off Scenic Highway just south of Hyde Park Road. Pensacola Police officer Danny Lawrence said the Lincoln Town Car was north bound on Scenic Highway when the driver lost control and went sideways off the cliff. The vehicle traveled approximately 75 to 100 feet down the cliff, and flipped at least one time before stopping near railroad tracks below.
It is not known if the man was wearing a seat belt. He has name has not yet being released pending family notification.
Robotics Competition Teaches Students Teamwork
October 21, 2012
Robots raced against time as students from Northwest Florida competed Saturday at the sixth annual Emerald Coast BEST Robotics competition at the University of West Florida Field House.
Middle and high school students competed at the competition sponsored by Gulf Power Company. The event pits teams from area Northwest Florida schools in a head-to-head competition to teach teamwork, problem solving, project management and pride in task completion.
BEST Robotics Inc. is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization whose mission is to inspire students to pursue careers in engineering, science, and technology through participation in a sports-like, science and engineering-based robotics competition.
“Gulf Power believes the competition teaches students practical engineering, science and math skills, which are critical for their future,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesperson. “But the event also teaches the students to work together as a team, to organize projects, to market their work and to creatively solve problems.”
It takes several volunteers to organize the event. Jennifer Grove, Workforce Development coordinator for Gulf Power, has served on the steering committee since the program started in 2006.
“Competitions like this are critical to engage students in project-based learning that will excite them about and inspire them to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering and math,” said Grove. “Students have so much fun designing, building and troubleshooting the robot that they often aren’t aware of the critical STEM skills they’re practicing through this program.”
Each student team has six weeks to design and build a remote-controlled robot to solve a problem or perform a specific function. This year’s theme, WARP XX, was based on the goal of building robots capable of transporting cargo and equipment onto a Space Elevator tower during three-minute matches.
“The competition is exciting and it makes school fun,” said Nathan Sams from Newpoint High School.
Each team was judged on its robot performance, marketing presentation, team exhibit, technical notebook and spirit and sportsmanship. The 22 schools from across Northwest Florida participated in the University of West Florida Emerald Coast BEST hub and the top schools will advance to the regional competition Dec. 1 and 2 at Auburn University.
Area schools have been competing in BEST since 2004, when Gulf Power sponsored eight local teams to compete in the BEST hub in Mobile, Ala. The funding of hub operations depends entirely on corporate and individual sponsorships. Materials kits to build the robots are provided to the teams by the hub. No fees are paid by students or schools participating in BEST robotics.
2012 Winners
Robotics Award: Awarded to the teams whose machines finish first, second, and third in the tournament bracket.
- Seaside Neighborhood Middle School
- Woodham Middle School
- Pensacola High School
Best Robotics Finalist: Awarded to the team whose machine finished 4th.
- Newpoint Pensacola High School
Founders Award for Creative Design: Newpoint Pensacola High School
Most Robust Machine: Pensacola High School
Most Photogenic Machine: Woodlawn Beach Middle School
Gulf Power Blood, Sweat and Duct Tape Award: Baker School
Best Tee-shirt Design
- Sims Middle School
- Woodlawn Beach Middle School
- Newpoint Pensacola High School
Best Spirit and Sportsmanship:
- Seaside Neighborhood Middle School
- Woodlawn Beach Middle School
- Woodham Middle School
Best Team Exhibit and Interview:
- Seaside Neighborhood School
- Woodlawn Beach Middle School
- Woodham Middle School
Best Project Notebook:
- Seaside Neighborhood Middle School
- Newpoint Pensacola High School
- Bethlehem K-12
Best Marketing Presentation
- Seaside Neighborhood School
- Woodham Middle School
- Bruner Middle School
Web Page Design Award: Newpoint Pensacola High School
BEST Award: The BEST Award is presented to the team that best embodies the attributes associated with “Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology” in its development which include teamwork, diversity of participation, sportsmanship, creativity, ethics, positive attitude/enthusiasm, school/community involvement and exposure to and use of the engineering process:
- Seaside Neighborhood Middle School
- Woodham Middle School
- Newpoint Pensacola High School
2012 Teams:
- Arnold High School
- Avalon Middle School
- Bailey Middle School
- Baker School K-12
- Bethlehem
- Bruner Middle School
- Deane Bozeman K-12
- Everitt Middle School
- Freeport High School
- Milton High School
- Newport Pensacola High School
- Pace High School
- Pensacola High School
- Pine Forest High School
- Ransom Middle School
- Seaside Neighborhood
- Sims Middle School
- Tate High School
- West Florida High School
- Woodham Middle School
- Woodlawn Beach Middle School
- Workman Middle School
Pictured top: Students race to lift cargo up to the Space Elevator with the robots at the 2012 BEST Robotics competition. Pictured inset: Seaside Neighborhood Middle School won the BEST award and will advance to the regional competition at Auburn University in December. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
BP: Gulf Oil Sheen Not From Well
October 21, 2012
A newly reported sheen of oil on the Gulf of Mexico is likely coming from a piece of equipment that was used to contain the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill, and is definitely not from the Macondo well, BP said in a statement.
The company said Thursday that it has confirmed the integrity of the Macondo well and its associated relief wells following an underseat survey to try to identify potential sources of the new surface sheen.
“The latest survey marks the third time since the Macondo well was permanently sealed in September 2010 that it has been visually inspected at the sea floor and confirmed not to be leaking,” the company said in a release. “The nearly three-day-long inspection was also successful in identifying the cofferdam, a piece of containment equipment used during the Deepwater Horizon response, as the probable source of the surface sheen.”
The cofferdam is an 86-ton steel container that was lowered over the leading drill pipe during the 2010 disaster. The Coast Guard says the sheen doesn’t pose a risk to Gulf shorelines, and isn’t feasible to remove.
Latest Jobs Numbers Show Fewer Unemployed Locally
October 20, 2012
The latest job numbers released Friday showed Escambia County’s unemployment rate holding steady, while the jobless rate in Santa Rosa County and Escambia County, Ala., showed improvement.
Escambia County’s unemployment rate held steady at 8.6 percent from August to September . There were 30 more people reported unemployed during the period, for a total Escambia County unemployment of 12,101 people. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 10.3 percent.
Santa Rosa County unemployment dropped from 8.0 percent in August to 7.5 percent in September. Santa Rosa County had a total of 5,476 persons reported to be still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 9.0 percent.
In Escambia County, Alabama, unemployment dropped from 10.4 percent in August to 9.5 percent in September. That represented 1,410 people unemployed in the county during the month. The year-ago rate was 10.6 percent.
The jobless numbers released by Florida and Alabama do not include persons that have given up on finding a job and are no longer reported as unemployed.
Florida’s jobless rate in September dipped slightly to 8.7 percent, a drop that lagged behind a national downtick in the number of people out of work, according to state figures released Friday. Florida’s jobless rate fell 0.1 percentage points from August but was 1.7 points lower than September 2011. In human terms, the September figure represented 808,000 Floridians out of work and actively seeking jobs, 11,000 fewer than August.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 8.3 percent in September, was down from August’s rate of 8.5 percent and was below the year-ago rate of 8.8 percent.
Nationally, the unemployment rate fell more, dropping 0.3 points in September to 7.8 percent. That’s 1.2 percentage points lower than September 2011.
CANstructions, Including One From Tate High, Benefit Manna Food Pantries
October 20, 2012
Digital Now hosted a Student Art Gallery Friday night during Gallery Night in downtown Pensacola, including a CANstruction exhibit from the Tate High School Art Club. Numerous CANstructions — creations made from non-perishable food cans — were on display throughout downtown during the event. All of the food was donated to Manna Food Pantries.
Pictured top: Tate High School’s Canstruction exhibit Friday night during Gallery Night in downtown Pensacola. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Nine Mile Road Armed Robbery Under Investigation
October 20, 2012
A Friday night armed robbery at a Nine Mile Road convenience store is under investigation.
The Bindu Food Mart Texaco Station at the corner of West Nine Mile Road and Bridlewood Road in Beulah was held up about 10:50 p.m. Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies surrounded the area and a manhunt involving a K-9 unit followed.
There was no word of any arrests Friday night from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Further details have not been released.
There were no injuries reported.
Presidential Disaster Area Declared For Escambia, Santa Rosa
October 20, 2012
President Obama has declared a federal disaster area for Escambia, Santa Rosa and nine other Florida counties for damage sustained during Hurricane Isaac.
Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Isaac in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okalossa, Bay, Collier, Franklin, Gulf, Martin, Monroe, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency had previously denied an application for disaster assistance, but that decision was appealed by Gov. Rick Scott.
Scott said in his appeal letter that the total statewide damage figure for all of the counties was $36.7 million.
“We are pleased that FEMA recognized the legitimacy of our request and granted assistance for Florida’s communities impacted by Hurricane Isaac,” said Scott. “I saw firsthand the impacts Isaac had to our state. This assistance will allow Florida’s communities to successfully recover from those impacts, and keep Florida the best state in the nation to work, live and play.”
Northview Takes Command Of District With Win Over Freeport
October 20, 2012
The Northview Chiefs beat the Freeport Bulldogs Friday night, 42-0, to take command of District 1-1A.
“We did real well on both sides of the football,” Northview Head Coach Sid Wheatley said. “Overall, it was a good game for us.”
Penn State recruit Neiko Robinson had three touchdown receptions for the Chiefs, while his younger brother Neino Robinson had one. Quarterback Kevin Vaughan and sophomore LaDarius Thomas both had rushing TD’s for Northview.
Senior LaMikal Kyles had ovr 100 yards rushing for the Chiefs.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The win put the Chiefs (5-2, 2-0) on top of the hunt for the District 1-1A championship and a third consecutive trip to the state playoffs.
Northview was coming off of an open week before Friday night’s road trip to Freeport (3-4, 1-1). That extra week meant extra prep time for the Chiefs. “We had a good two weeks to work,and I saw us get a little better each day,” Wheatley said.
Next Friday night, the Chiefs will be at home in Bratt against Vernon for homecoming. “We will continue to work to get better,” Wheatley said. “We will go back to work and get ready for Vernon.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Northview’s Neino Robinson pulls away from Freeport’s defenders Friday night in Freeport. Pictured inset: Northview’s Roderick Woods. Pictured blow: The Northview Tribal Beat Band performs in Freeport. Photos by Chris Edwads for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fourth Case Of Fungal Meningitis Linked To Escambia County Pain Clinic
October 20, 2012
A fourth case of fungal meningitis associated with contaminated steroid injections from Pain Consultants of West Florida in Escambia County was confirmed Wednesday by the Florida Department of Health.
The most recent case is a 53-year old female. Three other patients of the Davis Highway Clinic — men ages 47 and 78 and a 28-year old woman — were previously diagnosed with fungal meningitis.
As of Friday, 596 people have been identified as having been exposed to the contaminated medication as a result of undergoing a procedure at Pain Consultants of West Florida. All but two have been successfully contacted and notified of their risk. The remaining two person are Alabama residents and the Alabama Department of Public Health is continuing it efforts to notify them.
U.S. Marshals Nab Two Escambia County Fugitives
October 20, 2012
The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested two wanted men in Escambia County; one hiding under bed sheets and the other trying to hide drugs.
Friday, the Marshals Task Force captured Mario Deoandre Copeland on Action Street in Ensley. The Marshals Task Force determined that Copeland was in a home and Task Force Officers from Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office knocked on the front door and called to Copeland to come out. Officers had to breach the door of the home after knocking several more times and saw someone inside who would not open the door. Officer found him hiding under bed sheets.
The Escambia County TAC Unit, K-9 and Air Unit also assisted in Copeland’s arrest. Copeland is wanted in Escambia County for being a felon in possession of a weapon, fleeing/eluding and a probation violation for possession of cocaine.
Copeland is one of several suspects who allegedly ran from law enforcement after a felony car stop back in late August. A.45 Caliber handgun was recovered on the front seat of the car, and a 100 round magazine for an AK-47 assault rifle was also left behind in a nearby wooded area. Marshals said Copeland allegedly made statements that he was going to shoot an officer.
Thursday, the Task Force apprehended 29 year old Robert Rufus Ball, Jr. who was wanted for failure to register as a convicted sex offender at a home on Belair Road. Officers found him inside the home trying to hide a plastic bag of marijuana in the toilet tank and swallow crack cocaine — resulting in additional charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana more than 20 grams and resisting arrest without violence.
Authorities seized about 63 grams of marijuana and 9.3 grams of crack cocaine.
Both men were booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond.