Northview Honors Winning Football Team, Cheerleaders, Dance Team
March 6, 2013
The state champion Northview Chiefs honored their football players, cheerleaders and dance team members during their annual banquet.
“Collectively, you are the best group of football players that has come through Northview High School,” Principal Gayle Weaver told the team, the first ever to earn a state championship for the Chiefs.
To watch the 2012 Northview Chiefs Banquet Video and Season Highlights, click here.
“This is a great time to be a Northview Chief,” Head Coach Sid Wheatley said, adding that community support is growing stronger and stronger with each passing year.
“To see 2,000 plus fans from the community in the stands at the Citrus Bowl was an awesome thing and means a lot to the kids,” he said. “It’s great to see parents the community support the kids like they do.”
This year’s graduating Northview Chiefs football players are the first to have spent four years under Wheatley as head coach.
“Over the last four years I have watched these guys turn into great football players who are disciplined, have a tremendous work ethic and great character. Northview is blessed with good athletes,” he said.
For a photo gallery from the banquet, click here.
In addition to honoring senior, the following football, cheerleading and dance teams were presented:
FOOTBALL
- Outstanding Offensive Back – LaMikal Kyles
- Outstanding Offensive Lineman - Blake McCall, LaDerious Franklin
- Outstanding Receiver – Brannon Freeman
- Outstanding Defensive Back – Neiko Robinson
- Outstanding Defensive Lineman – Stetson Nash
- Outstanding Linebacker - Corry Baggett, Roderick Woods
- Team Leader Award – Chad Smith
- Iron Man Award - Logan Weber, Tyler Roley
- Game Changer Award – Neino Robinson
- Academic Award – Justin Halteman
- Most Improved – Jeffrey Taylor, Cameron Newsome
- Outstanding Passer – Kevin Vaughan
- Defensive Anchor Award – LaQuan Thomas
- Chief Award – Trey Johnson
- Mr. Tenacity Award – Dalton Daniel
- Mr. Versatile Award – Jaran Myles, Arkelle Elliott
- Newcomer Award - LaDarious Thomas
- Coaches Award – Skyler Macks
- Spirit Award – Kahlil Grice, Austin Dorriety
- Team Player Award – LaMikeal Banks
DANCE TEAM
- Most Improved – Clarrisa Ross
- Best Rhythm – Jessica Lowery
- Best Stage Presence – Lily Townson
- Best Chaine Turns – Chloe Leonard
- Best Pirouette Turns – Morgan Digmon
- Highest Leaps – Anna Fischer
JV CHEERLEADERS
- Most Improved – Katie Born
- Spirit Award – Danielle Robinson
VARSITY CHEERLEADERS
- Spirit Award - Jessica McCullough
- Squad Strength - Madison Arrington
- Best All-Around – Ashley Mooney
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Robinson’s Volunteer Service Honored
March 6, 2013
The Town of Century has issued a proclamation honoring local resident Marilyn Robinson.
She was recognized for her work with the Carver Community Center, the annual Martin Luther King Day celebration, the Century/Flomaton Improvement Association and the local Community Action Program.
During the council’s meeting Monday night, Robinson was presented The President’s Volunteer Service Award. Established in 2003, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation encourages citizens to volunteer in their communities. Robinson joins about 2.55 million other Americans that have received the service award.
Pictured above. Century Mayor Freddie McCall presents a proclamation to Marilyn Robinson. Pictured below: The full text of the proclamation. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
IRS Now Accepting All 2012 Returns
March 6, 2013
The Internal Revenue Service announced Tuesday that it has finished updating its tax-processing systems allowing all remaining individual and business taxpayers to file their 2012 federal income tax returns.
Over the weekend, the IRS completed reprogramming and testing of its systems for tax-year 2012 including all remaining updates required by the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) enacted by Congress in January. This final step clears the way for those claiming residential energy credits on Form 5695 and various business tax credits and deductions to file their returns.
The IRS began accepting 2012 returns in phases as it worked quickly to update various forms and instructions and made critical adjustments to its processing systems to reflect the current law. As a result, the agency began accepting most returns filed by individual taxpayers on Jan. 30. Additional returns could be accepted in February. All remaining returns, affecting in relative terms the smallest group of taxpayers, can now be filed.
Firefighters Quickly Extinguish Two Cantonment Structure Fires
March 6, 2013
Firefighters made quick work of putting out back to back structure fires in the Cantonment area Tuesday afternoon.
The first blaze was a kitchen fire in a mobile home in the 400 block of Well Line Road about 4:40 p.m.
The second fire was reported about 5:30 p.m. in the 400 block of East Kingsfield Road. Firefighters found a storage building on fire. Firefighters could only gain access to the building by foot. They were forced to use a “deck gun” from a truck to reach the fire and the surrounding woods.
The Cantonment, Molino, Ensley and Beulah stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were involved in fighting the fires.
Pictured top: Firefighters were able to quickly contain a kitchen fire in this mobile home on Well Line Road Tuesday afternoon. Pictured inset: Firefighter turned to a “deck gun” to fight a fire in a storage building (below) in a wooded area on East Kingsfield Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Area Softball, Baseball Results: Northview, Tate, West Florida, Pine Forest
March 6, 2013
Here’s a look at baseball and softball action from around the area Tuesday:
SOFTBALL
The Northview Lady Chiefs continued their perfect season Tuesday with a 5-1 varsity win over the Flomaton Hurricanes. Northview’s Misty Doran pitched her second no hitter of the season while striking out 17. The JV Chiefs also beat Flomaton 16-1 on a game that ended in the fourth due to the 10-run mercy rule.
- Northview 5, Flomaton 1
- Northview 16, Flomaton 1 (JV)
The Tate Lady Aggies swept Pine Forrest Lady Eagles with a 14-4 win (run rule) at Pine Forrest. The Lady Aggies are still perfect in District 6A. Tate will travel to Tallahassee this weekend to play in the Chiles High School Tournament. They will return to district play next week against Navarre, Escambia and Pensacola High.
- Tate 14, Pine Forest 4
- Jay 6, Holmes County 5
- West Florida 8, Gulf Breeze 1
BASEBALL
The West Florida High School Jaguars improved to 7-0 on the season with a 2-0 win over the Gulf Breeze Dolphins Tuesday.
- West Florida 2, Gulf Breeze 0
- West Florida 15, Gulf Breeze 2 (JV)
- Escambia Academy 5, Northview 4
- Pine Forest 3, Washington 2
- Pace 10, Escambia 2
- Tate 5, Milton 0
Scott’s State Of The State: It’s Working
March 6, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott used his third State of the State address Tuesday to issue a spirited defense of his first two years in office, even as the speech capped off a midterm pivot aimed at buoying his popularity ahead of the 2014 elections.
Underscoring an increase in jobs, a drop in state debt and other encouraging economic news, Scott portrayed a rebounding Florida and implicitly criticized his predecessor, and possible rival, former Gov. Charlie Crist.
“This is now the third time I have had the opportunity to address you to report on the state of the Great State of Florida,” Scott said. “And after two years of hard work, this update can be summed up in two words: It’s working.”
Scott returned to the “It’s Working” refrain several times in the speech, and staffers manning the governor’s Twitter account created a hashtag with the phrase, leaving little doubt about the theme of the address — also entitled “It’s Working.”
Scott didn’t use the address to unveil any new initiatives, though he did tout his proposed $2,500 across-the-board raise for teachers and a proposal to do away with the sales tax on manufacturing equipment.
In addition to laying out a case that included a three-point drop in the unemployment rate and a drop of $2 billion in debt, Scott pointed to the economy he “inherited” from Crist as the Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat considers mounting a run for his old job in 2014.
“Two years ago, Florida was losing jobs and many Florida families were losing their dreams. … The shorts-sighted policies of borrowing on our future had led to disaster,” Scott said.
An awkward moment, though, came when Scott defended his decision to support an expansion of Medicaid, part of the federal health-care bill reviled by Republicans, for at least three years. His remarks came one day after the House GOP confirmed its opposition to the move.
“I concluded that for the three years the federal government is committed to paying 100 percent of the cost of new people in Medicaid, I cannot, in good conscience, deny the uninsured access to care,” Scott said.
Legislative Democrats erupted in applause and cheers as Scott made his case, while Republicans largely sat stone-faced, one of the few times that the GOP did not lead an ovation for the governor.
After the speech, House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Plantation, seized on Scott’s remarks to try to press Republicans to approve expansion.
“I think that he issued a challenge to the Legislature, whether it be the Senate or the House, that we certainly need to expand Medicaid,” Thurston said.
The party itself was less forgiving. Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant accused Scott of “desperately trying to reverse course on his toxic Tea Party agenda.
“The truth is, Scott has the wrong priorities for Florida and is hurting middle class families,” she said in a statement issued by the party.
By The News Service of Florida
Santa Rosa Wooden Bridge Replaced
March 6, 2013
Wagner Bridge, located on Springhill Road over East Coldwater Creek, is now open near Allentown in Santa Rosa County.
The bridge, located approximately one-half mile east of Lewis Road, was closed on Monday, January 7 in order to demolish the old wooden bridge and to build a new bridge in the same footprint. The new bridge was constructed with a steel substructure and concrete deck in order to be low maintenance and provide many years of service.
Construction was completed by the Santa Rosa County Road & Bridge Department.
Pictured: The old and new bridges over East Coldwater Creek near Allentown. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Charged In Stefani Circle Homicide
March 5, 2013
A Cantonment man was arrested last night in connection with a deadly drug-related home invasion late last year in Cantonment.
Robert Dale Purifoy aka Robert Miles, 32, was charged with the November 6, 2012, murder of Amber Tricona Johnson. Johnson, 22, who was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire during a home invasion on Stefani Circle. Johnson was found dead inside the home from an apparent gunshot wound.
An undisclosed amount of money and a “significant” quantity of marijuana was found at the scene, leading investigators to believe that robbery was a motive, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday.
Purifoy is being held without bond in the Escambia County Jail.
Natural Gas Still Leaking Somewhere Under Hwy 29; Repairs Coming Soon
March 5, 2013
Over a year after the problem was first publicly revealed as a potential “major public safety issue”, natural gas continues to leak under Highway 29 in Century.
The leak has not gotten any worse, according to the town’s engineer, Dale Long. Routine checks are performed to ensure the problem does not worsen.
About 6,515 feet of 4-inch steel natural gas line was buried beneath the southbound lanes of Highway 29 when the road was widened to four lanes. Now, over 45 years since the almost 1.25 mile long pipe was put into the ground, the town believes the steel is corroding and leaking somewhere between West Highway 4 and McCurdy Street.
In April 2012, Century signed off on a $1.4 million USDA Rural Development loan to cover the cost of replacing the pipe. But, according to town officials, the town received the wrong form from the USDA, and as a result advertised the meetings incorrectly.
That meant heading back to the drawing board and starting the loan process again.
Monday night, the Century Town Council gave preliminary approval to a bond issue for just over $1.4 million. Once it is approved by the state, it will be sent back to the council for final approval. The total time until work might begin on the project should be about three months, Long said.
A new 4-inch pipe will be placed on the west side of Highway 29, while a new 2-inch pipe will be installed on the east side of the highway, eliminating the need to install pipes under the road to service natural gas customers.
The pipe will be installed where existing easements exist or can be obtained at no cost, otherwise, it will be installed under existing sidewalks.
Pictured above and below: Natural gas is leaking under Highway 29 in Century. Pictured inset: Century Mayor Freddie McCall signs documents in April for a $1.401 million USDA Rural Development loan to repair the leaky gas lines. The loan was later invalidated by the USDA due to an incorrect form. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ransom Middle Krafty Krew Art Club Silent Auction, Craft Show Planned
March 5, 2013
The Ransom Middle School Krafty Krew Art Club will host their seventh Annual Silent Art Auction and Craft Show from 6- 7:30 p.m. Friday in the school cafeteria.
Students will be auctioning their pottery alongside art donated by local artists. Local crafters have also been invited to sell their wares.
All proceeds from the auction will go to the American Cancer Society through Relay for Life. The Tate and Ransom Orchestras will be playing throughout the event and refreshments will be provided to attendees. A table will be available at no charge for fine art donations and crafters.
For more information, contact Emily Jefferis, Krafty Krew sponsor, (850) 937-2220, ext. 262 or by email at ejefferis@escambia.k12.fl.us.