Swing Dancing Coming To North Escambia Friday Night
August 23, 2012
Swing dancing is coming to North Escambia Friday night.
“Swing Molino Swing”, a family oriented event, will be held at the Barrineau Park Community Center on Barrienau Park School Road.
“This is an event for all ages and you can dress up or dress down as much as you want,” said Meridith Caum, one of the event organizers. She said spike heels are not allowed, and females that plan to wear a dress and practice the dip moves will need a pair of shorts underneath.
Lessons begin at 6:30 with the dance from 7-11 p.m. There will be a $5 charge to cover costs, and there will be a $5 meal available with a hot dog, chips, dessert and drink.
There will be no alcohol and no smoking allowed in the Barrineau Park Community Center, and there will be a deputy on site for security and peace of mind.
Pictured top: Marshall Caum and Haylee Weaver in a swing dancing dip. Pictured inset: (top to bottom, L-R) Marshall Caum, Meridith Caum, Lydia Weaver, Justin Purvis and Haylee Weaver. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Deputies: Woman Tries To Attack Daughter With Bat Over Swimsuit
August 23, 2012
A Century woman was jailed after allegedly trying to attack her daughter with a baseball bat after a fight over a swimsuit.
Kimberly Renee Harwell, 38, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery. She remained in the Escambia County Jail early Thursday with bond set at $25,000.
Harwell allegedly become involved in a physical confrontation with her daughter over a bathing suit. The fight escalated until Harwell was allegedly outside a window with her daughter inside, at which time she struck the window with a bat and shattered it.
The daughter locked the mom outside, but she managed to make access. Once inside the home, Harwell allegedly tried to hit the daughter with the wooden bat.
The daughter suffered minor cuts in the incidents and refused medical treatment.
Bratt Renter Charged With Grand Theft For Moving Out With Appliances
August 23, 2012
A North Escambia man is charged with a felony for allegedly moving out of a rental property in Bratt with the owner’s appliances.
The owner of the property in the 5300 block of North Highway 99 told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that Israel Dewayne Wiggins, 36, moved out after about a year and took a stove, refrigerator and a freezer. He then allegedly sold the appliances, valued at $1,870, to another man for $60.
Wiggins was charged with felony grand theft and released from the Escambia County Jail on a $2,500 bond. The appliances were recovered and returned to the property owner.
Judge Rejects Florida Teacher Evaluation Rule
August 23, 2012
Siding with two teachers and a union, a state judge found Wednesday that Florida education officials did not properly carry out part of a 2011 law that has fueled a long-running controversy about linking teacher performance and pay.
Administrative Law Judge John Van Laningham, in a 57-page order, rejected a state-approved rule that would spell out how school districts should evaluate teachers, declaring it “wholly invalid” because of flaws in the way it was pieced together.
“Material procedural flaws, such as those described in this final order, taint the resulting rule in its entirety and cannot be cured without starting over and redoing the process,” Van Laningham wrote.
The order deals with the somewhat-arcane process of state agencies, such as the Department of Education, adopting rules to carry out the details of broader legislation. Van Laningham did not reject the underlying law, only the rule that included requirements for how school districts should measure teacher performance.
Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association teachers union, issued a statement after Van Laningham’s ruling, calling it a “huge victory in our battle for fair, reliable and valid evaluations.”
“It’s time for the state’s education bureaucracy to stop trying to impose its will on teachers and administrators and start having a meaningful dialogue with us to put together a fair evaluation system that is understandable, valid and accepted,” Ford said.
The FEA, Okaloosa County teacher Karen Peek and Indian River County teacher Beth Weatherstone filed the challenge March 30, after the state Board of Education signed off on the rule.
The challenge is part of a bigger fight about the Republican-controlled Legislature’s move last year to use student test scores and other criteria to evaluate teacher performance and link it to pay.
The law, dubbed the “Student Success Act,” gave the Department of Education the role of approving and monitoring evaluation systems that districts use. It also included criteria that will lead, in part, to teacher performance being tagged as highly effective; effective; “needs improvement;” or unsatisfactory.
Many teachers and the FEA unsuccessfully argued against passage of the law. The union also has helped spearhead a constitutional challenge to the law in Leon County Circuit Court. That lawsuit is pending.
Anthony Demma, an attorney for the teachers and union in the rule case, said school districts have already put in place teacher-evaluation processes as part of the federal Race to the Top program.
Demma said he thinks that with Van Laningham’s order, those teacher-evaluation standards will remain in place this school year. He said it likely would be difficult to revise the invalidated rule and move forward with new requirements during the course of the year.
Cheryl Etters, a spokeswoman for the Department of Education, said in an e-mail that the agency was reviewing the order.
Van Laningham focused heavily on how the department strung together the rule. State law requires proposed rules to be published. But Van Laningham found the department did not properly incorporate some key teacher-evaluation requirements in the published information about the rule, instead linking to material on the department’s website.
By The News Service of Florida
Hospitals Fight Workers Comp Changes
August 23, 2012
The Florida Hospital Association is legally challenging proposed changes in how much hospitals get paid to provide outpatient treatment to workers-compensation insurance patients.
The association last week filed the challenge in the state Division of Administrative Hearings, contending that the changes in a hospital-reimbursement rule are invalid.
The case was filed against the Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of Workers’ Compensation. The department last month published the proposed changes, which relate to a manual that spells out reimbursement rates.
In its challenge, the hospital association argues that the revised manual “contains radical changes in how hospitals would be paid for services and supplies rendered outpatients covered by workers’ compensation insurance.”
It also argues that the proposal could lead to a 10 percent drop in reimbursement for outpatient services.
By The News Service of Florida
Atmore Man Allegedly Caught With Drugs In His Underwear Inside Jail
August 23, 2012
An Atmore man was arrested on multiple drug charges after allegedly passing out with drugs in his hand and for smuggling drugs into the jail in his underwear.
Back in October 2011, deputies reported finding Bobby A. Hartley, 27, passed out at the Twin Oaks Apartment in Pensacola. In his hand, he reportedly had a bottle with numerous prescription pills that were later determined to be Oxycodone by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. A warrant was issued for his arrest.
When the warrant were served recently, Hartley was found to have a plastic bag in his underwear that contained cocaine, Xanax and other unidentified pills.
Hartley was charged with possession of a controlled substance for the incident on Twin Oaks Drive. For the incident at the jail, Hartley was charged with cocaine possession, two counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and smuggling contraband into a detention facility.
Hartley remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $20,000.
Biscuits Clinch Series With 9-8 Comeback Win Over The Wahoos
August 23, 2012
Biscuits second baseman Derek Dietrich and designated hitter Ryan Garko hit back-to-back homers in the ninth, while Pensacola third baseman David Vidal drove home four runs, three thanks to a homer, as Montgomery defeated the Blue Wahoos in a 9-8 comeback victory on Wednesday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The win clinches the series for the Biscuits and propels their second half record to 34-25, while the Fish fell to 29-30 since the season’s midpoint. Pensacola also dropped to five games behind Montgomery for first in the South Division.
The Blue Wahoos would start the scoring with a three-spot in the opening frame. Following base knocks from SS Miguel Rojas and RF Josh Fellhauer, CF Bryson Smith drove both home with a two-run triple down the right field line. Smith subsequently scored on Vidal’s sacrifice fly to center to cap the inning.
Montgomery narrowed the margin to 3-2 courtesy of single tallies in the third and fourth frames. CF Ty Morrison mashed a solo blast to right, his third of the season, while RF Mikie Mahtook took advantage of a pair of Blue Wahoos fielding miscues to cut the deficit to one.
Pensacola however, struck back with another three-run inning, this time in the fifth. Fellhauer and Smith both reached on base hits with one out, before Vidal launched his 11thh roundtripper of the year to left to take the team lead and put Pensacola ahead 6-2. LF Andrew Means in the next inning would bring home 2B P.J. Phillips with an RBI single to increase the Blue Wahoos’ advantage to 7-2.
A four-run seventh for the Biscuits would then make it a one-run game. Morrison and Dietrich recorded back-to-back runs-scoring singles to get the rally going, while Mahtook made it 7-6 with his two-run single to right.
Montgomery eventually entered the ninth trailing by a run, but took advantage of two longballs to grab their first and only lead of the game. Dietrich and Garko blasted their consecutive homers, the third of the season for Dietrich and eighth of Garko’s season. The Biscuits also added a key insurance run when 1B Michael Sheridan drove home Mahtook to go up 9-7.
The Blue Wahoos then mounted a comeback effort in the bottom of the ninth, putting the tying run on base. Pinch hitter Ryan LaMarre led off with a double and was brought home on an RBI single by Billy Hamilton. Hamilton then stole second to extend his own single-season stolen base record to 148 thefts this year, but was left stranded in scoring position.
Pensacola starting pitcher Mark Serrano (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO) did not factor in the decision despite allowing two runs, one of which was earned on four hits in his six innings, while RHP Justin Freeman (1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 SO) suffered the loss. Montgomery RHP C.J. Riefenhauser (1.0 IP) earned the win with a scoreless frame in relief, while LHP Chris Rearick (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 SO) notched his second save of the year.
The Blue Wahoos and Biscuits are slated to face off for the final time this year Thursday night at the bayfront stadium, with first pitch set for 7:00 p.m. Pensacola is scheduled to send RHP Daniel Corcino to the mound, while Montgomery is expected to counter with RHP Jacob Thompson.
By Andrew Green
Pensacola Police Officer Kills Shooting Suspect
August 22, 2012
A Pensacola Police Officer shot and killed a shooting suspect Tuesday night.
Officers responded to a shots fired disturbance around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at Attucks Court in the 1300 block of West Cervantes Street. Angela Brinson, 41, was shot during the disturbance and taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police were told that two suspects were spotted fleeing the scene.
Upon arrival at Attucks Court, Officer Coy McKenna spotted Terrance Lamar Abrams, 25, running westbound on DeSoto Street between I and J streets. McKenna approached Abrams and ordered him to get onto the ground. When he did, Abrams pulled out a handgun and shot at the officer.
During an exchange of gunfire with McKenna, Abrams was struck and taken to a local hospital where he died a short time later. Abrams’ handgun was recovered at the scene, police said.
McKenna, who was not injured, will be placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard operating procedure, said Pensacola Police Chief Chip W. Simmons.
Police said Brinson may not have been the intended target of the shooting. Detectives are trying to determine if Tuesday night’s incident was related to a homicide
that occurred December 17, 2011 in the 1200 block of West Moreno Street and a shooting that occurred August 7 on West Jackson Street.
“We need (the man) to come forward for questioning because we believe additional family members may be targets in this retaliatory situation,” said Capt. David Alexander.
The name of the man is not yet being released.
Brinson was standing on her porch when she was shot multiple times during an exchange of gunfire among two to three men Tuesday night near her apartment, Alexander said. Investigators are still piecing together what happened, and the Gun Crime Response Team also has been activated, Alexander said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is handling the officer involved shooting investigation, which also is standard operating procedure, Simmons said.
Anyone having information on the incident is asked to contact the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1900.
Arrest Made After Shots Fired At Molino Home With Young Children Inside
August 22, 2012
A Molino mom says she was terrified when someone opened fire at her Molino mobile home Tuesday night while her two young children were nearby.
Deputies responded to a call at 7:31 p.m. that a suspect had fired a gun from a vehicle towards a home in the 700 block of Ayers Street in Molino, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. There were no injuries and no property damage reported.
The victim, 21-year old Kristi Gulsby, told deputies she was arguing with 19-year old Sharrieff Amin Shabazz of Molino over $6 he had loaned her about three months ago for cigarettes. Gulsby said she had paid him back twice.
Gulsby told deputies that Shabazz began cussing her out and screaming that he wanted his money. She said he then reached into his pants pocket and pulled a gun. As he began walking toward the road, Shabazz opened fire on the mobile home with Gulsby and her two juvenile children, one and four years old, nearby, an arrest report states. Shabazz and another black male identified as “Buger” then ran toward Molino Road.
No one was struck by the gunfire. Gulsby was treated on the scene by Escambia County EMS for chest pains.
Crime scene technicians located three shell casings in a pattern leading away from the residence.
“My babies were right there,” Gulsby told NorthEscambia.com. “They found one right over there,” she said, motioning to where crime scene technicians located a shell casing. “It was so close.”
Shabazz was taken into custody a few hours after the shooting during a traffic stop at the intersection of Fairground Road and Jahaza Street in Molino. As the vehicle pulled over for Escambia County deputies, an ATF special agent working the case witnessed a silver handgun and two pill bottles being thrown out of the backseat, which was occupied by Shabazz. Deputies recovered a .380 caliber handgun outside the vehicle along with pill bottles containing 18 Lortab and cocaine. Inside the vehicle’s trunk, authorities reported finding marijuana in a Mason jar and plastic bags.
Shabazz was charged with three counts of aggravated assault, discharging a firearm in public, possession of cocaine, and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. He remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $41,000.
“I just want to move; I don’t want to live here anymore,” Gulsby said after the shooting, wiping tears from her eyes. “I just don’t understand.”
The Gun Response Team also assisted the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in the investigation.
Pictured above and below: Gunfire rang out at this mobile home on Ayers Street in Molino Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
New Sign Welcomes Fans To Northview’s Football Stadium, Just In Time For Meet The Chiefs
August 22, 2012
A new sign on the football stadium press box at Northview High School will greet fans this football season. The “Home of the Northview Chiefs” sign was purchased by the Northview Quarterback Club.
The Quarterback Club will sponsor the annual “Meet the Chiefs” at 7:00 Thursday night at the NHS stadium.
Planned festivities for the night include performances by the Northview Chiefs Tribal Beat Marching Band, the Northview High School cheerleaders, the Northview Dance Team, and the introduction of the 2012 Northview varsity and junior varsity Chiefs. Admission is free. Spirit items will be available.
The Chiefs will host a preseason classic against Bay High School Friday night at 7:00.
Pictured above: A new sign welcomes fans to the Northview High School football stadium. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.