National Junior Honor Society At Ernest Ward Middle Inducts New Members
February 8, 2012
About two dozen students were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society Tuesday night at Ernest Ward Middle School.
The NJHS is the nation’s premier organization established to recognize outstanding middle school students. More than just an honor roll, NJHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship and character.
Students must have and maintain a 3.5 GPA for honor society membership.
For a photo gallery from the induction ceremony, click here.
New seventh grade National Junior Honor Society members at Ernest Ward are: Dustin Bethea, Alyssa Borelli, Amy Branch, Dillon Clary, Hunter Cofield, Peighton Dortch, Denise Floyd, Kristen Johnson, Adrian King, Kayleigh Linam, Quentin Sampson, Ian Schneider, Mitchell Singleton, Brianna Smith, Cody Smith, Jessica Stacey, Jada Tucker, Chelsea Waters, Alston Wiggins, Hadley Woodfin, Elizabeth Wright.
New eighth grade members inducted Tuesday night were: Leah Fischer and Joshua Thomas.
Other eight grade members of the National Junior Honor Society Members at Ernest Ward are: Kaitlyn Abbott, Jadlyn Agerton, Tristan Barrett, Katelyn Born, Haley Brown, Chris Brown, Hunter Connell, Jacob Dunsford, Amber Freeman, Nathan Galvan, Hanna Ging, Gavin Grant, Dariane Guy, Jordan Helmken, Abbie Johnson, Kendral Langford, Trevor Levins, Thomas Moore, Brianna Parker, Liberty Peebles, Ben Preston, Bethany Reynolds, Savanna Roux, Jordan Taylor, David Thorpe, Harmoni Till, Bradley Van Pelt, Brittney Ward, Haylee Weaver, Madison Weber, and Courtney Weekley.
NJHS officers are: Savanna Roux, president; Trevor Levins, vice president; Bradley Van Pelt, secretary; Ben Preston, treasurer; Bethany Reynolds, reporter; Hunter Connell, parliamentarian; and Thomas Moore, historian.
Pictured: About two dozen students were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society Thursday night at Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
10 Mile Road Closed At Highway 29
February 8, 2012
Roadwork has closed 10 Mile Road at Highway 29 through next week.
10 Mile Road west of Highway 29 is closed to Cove Avenue while crews from Roads, Inc. of Cantonment work on a railroad crossing. Work is expected to be complete by February 17.
A detour is in place via 9½ Mile Road and Cove Avenue.
Pictured: 10 Mile Road is closed at Highway 29 until the end of next week. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Program Allows Jailed Moms To Read To Their Kids
February 8, 2012
Women who volunteer to participate in the WRAP Program (Women’s Reentry Assistance Program) at the Escambia County Jail can now read books to their children during their jail visits.
The Women’s Reentry Assistance Program (WRAP) was developed and implemented in the Escambia County Central Booking and Detention Facility in January 2011. The program is eight weeks in duration and targets those women who are serving county jail sentences. The program offers counseling and case management to participants prior to release.
The idea of reading books came about when one young mother asked what she could do during the hour-long visits she had with her 2 year old son. Children are able to see their parents through a glass window, but cannot touch or play with their children during visits. She said that he would get impatient and attempt to run around the visitation area, which is not permitted. This question was brought up in the parenting class offered by Community Drug and Alcohol Council, which is one of the many classes offered in WRAP.
Books used in the lending library were generously donated by The Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County. Parents are required to complete a “book report” after each visit recording which books they borrowed and what the experience was like both for them and their child.
One mom is now reading books on every visit and said, “My child loves for me to read her books at home, so she was really excited for me to be able to do it from in here. It made me feel better as a mother to still be able to do something she enjoyed during this time.”
The benefits of reading to children are great, increasing the parent-child bond as well as increasing reading-readiness skills. If parents can make a positive connection with their child while in jail, then that will hopefully help them continue that relationship when they are released and are back with their families, according to organizers.
Florida And Alabama Troopers Remind Drivers To ‘Move Over’
February 8, 2012
Troopers in Alabama and Florida are teaming up to raise public awareness of the “Move Over” laws in both states.
During the month-long enforcement operation, law enforcement officers will work together along busy highways and interstates to catch Move Over Law violators and others breaking traffic laws. Law enforcement officers will be out in force, issuing citations for violations.
The “Move Over” laws require motorists, when they see an emergency vehicle or a wrecker parked roadside with flashing emergency lights, to move over one lane away from the emergency vehicle or wrecker when driving on multi-lane highway. If a driver can’t move over, or if it’s a two-lane road, drivers must slow down 20 mph under the posted speed limit.
More than 170 law enforcement officers in the United States have died after being struck by motor vehicles since 1999, while thousands have been injured, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
“All too often, a law enforcement officer, paramedic or wrecker operator is seriously injured or killed while they are doing their job because a vehicle drove too close,” said Director of the Florida Highway Patrol, Col. David Brierton. “That is why our law includes protection for all first responders, emergency personnel and wrecker operators. Each of them deserves protection under the law.”
Florida Master Naturalist Program In Escambia County
February 8, 2012
A Florida Master Naturalist Program is now being offered in Escambia County.
The program is designed as an environmental education extension program to inform and prepare individuals to share information about Florida’s natural world and environmental history. Anyone who has an enthusiastic interest in learning more about Florida’s environment is encouraged to participate. Classes are appropriate for both novice and highly skilled environmental professionals.
The program is being offered by Escambia County Extension, the University of Florida-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS) and participating organizations throughout the state.
The coastal system program module includes classroom instruction, field trips and practical interpretive experience related to the general ecology, habitats, vegetation types, wildlife and conservation issues of coastal systems in Florida. Field trips will include the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station, Pensacola Beach, Shoreline Park South, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies.
Classroom sessions will be held at the Gulf Breeze Recreation Center on Shoreline Drive in Gulf Breeze and the J. Earle Bowden Building in Historic Pensacola Village on most Wednesdays, February 29, through April 25.
Cost of the program is $225, which includes 40 contact hours of instruction, a comprehensive student reference workbook and upon completion, registration in the UF FMNP database as a Coastal Systems Naturalist. A UF-IFAS certificate of achievement, embroidered FMNP patch, and FMNP Coastal lapel pin also will be provided at completion of the course.
To register visit www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu and click on current course offerings. Registration will close on Thursday, February 23.
Florida Seniors Could Get Additional Tax Breaks
February 8, 2012
The House Finance and Tax Committee on Tuesday approved a plan that could lead to additional homestead exemptions for low- and moderate-income seniors who have owned their homes for at least 25 years.
The plan would depend on voters approving a constitutional amendment in November. Also, cities and counties would have the option to grant the additional exemptions, which would equal the assessed value of property.
The proposal is aimed at people who are 65 years or older, have incomes up to about $27,000 and live in homes valued at $250,000 or less.
The Finance and Tax Committee unanimously approved the measures, sponsored by Rep. Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes.
Extension Cord Sparked Fire That Killed Sisters
February 7, 2012
An extension cord caused the early Monday morning fire that claimed the lives of two young sisters in Escambia County.
The fire, according to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, was accidental.
The fire started in the bedroom where 8-year old Te’Laysia Jackson and 10-year old Te’Sjohnna Sanford died. Investigators said the extension cord was around the edge of the girls’ room, with clothes, boxes and other items on top of it. It overheated and sparked the blaze that consumed the wood frame home in the 2000 block of West Gregory Street about 1:30 a.m. Monday.
The home did not have working smoke detectors, but they are not required by law in a home build prior to 1989, according to officials.
The girls’ mother and stepfather were also at home at the time of the fire. The stepfather tried to rescue the girls, but the heat from the bedroom fire was too intense. The girls also have a brother, but he was not at home at the time of the blaze.
Pictured: Two young girls died in this house fire early Monday morning in Escambia County. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Charged After Alleged Drunken Dispute With Estranged Wife
February 7, 2012
An alleged drunken dispute with his estranged wife over the weekend landed a Cantonment man behind bars.
John James Orcutt, age 28 of Schifko Road, was charged with disorderly intoxication, burglary of an unoccupied vehicle, petit theft and resisting an officer without violence.
Saturday afternoon, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to disturbance call on Mills Avenue off Gulf Beach Highway where they found Orcutt and his estranged wife arguing in the middle of the street. The responding deputy said Ocrutt yelled an expletive at him multiple times before he was taken into custody.
The victim told deputies that she and Orcutt had been separated for several weeks and that he had broken into her mother’s 1999 pickup truck, taking personal belongings and throwing them to the ground, taking $300 which he later returned and taking her driver’s license.
Deputies found the pickup with its tailgate down and several items, including a hubcap, clothing and a driver’s license removed from the vehicle and tossed about.
While Orcutt was being transported to the Escambia County Jail, he told the deputy that he had been drinking a lot and had taken three Xanax bars before breaking into the vehicle because he was mad, according to the arrest report.
Orcutt was released from the Escambia County Jail Monday on a $4,000 bond.
Culp Named Tate High Teacher Of The Year
February 7, 2012
Alan Culp has been named the Tate High School Teacher of the Year.
Culp is the chair of the science department at Tate, and he teachers AP and honors biology. He hold a BA in Education Biology and has been a teacher for 10 years, eight of those years at Tate.
Teachers of the year are chosen by the faculty and staff at each school in the county. The Escambia County Teacher of the Year will be announced at the annual Golden Apple Awards Dinner later this month.
Ransom Middle FFA Places 6th In State In Horse Judging
February 7, 2012
The Ransom Middle School FFA recently placed sixth in the state in the Middle School Horse Judging Career Development Event (CDE) in Marianna.
The purpose of the horse evaluation CDE is to stimulate the study of, and interest in, equine science selection while providing recognition for those who have demonstrated skill and competency in this area.
Twenty teams from across the State gathered to compete for the top spot. Ransom Middle School’s FFA placed sixth overall. Team members included:
- Alex Mason
- Jacob Crump
- Owen Carter
- Rachel Grammer
Rachel Grammer was the 4th highest scoring individual, and Alex Mason was the 10th highest scoring individual in the state.