Coast Guard Continues Search For Helicopter Crewmember
March 5, 2012
The Coast Guard is continuing recovery operations for the missing crewmember of the MH-65C helicopter that crashed in Mobile Bay.
The activities are being hampered by high winds and heavy seas. Air operations and shoreline patrols will continue to be conducted Saturday, and the Coast Guard Cutter Stingray remains onscene to enforce the safety zone. Divers and boat crews equipped with side-scanning sonar were to resume operations Sunday.
“Our priority is to find the missing crewmember and the debris associated with the aircraft,” said Capt. Donald J. Rose, commander of Coast Guard Sector Mobile. “But we must ensure the safety of our crews who are engaged in these operations.”
The bodies of Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, of Snow Hill, N.C., and Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, of Portland, Ore., were recovered by response personnel, Thursday. Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge was recovered Tuesday night after communications with the helicopter was lost during a training flight. Missing is Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight of Thomasville, Ala.
A Mishap Analysis Board has been convened by the commandant of the Coast Guard. The team will conduct a safety analysis of all aspects of the accident to determine causal factors and make recommendations to prevent the recurrence of similar mishaps in the future. The members of the board have experience in a variety of specialties including flight operations, engineering, medical, aviation support systems and accident analysis.
Century To Dedicate Roadside Park As ‘Nadine McCaw Park’
March 4, 2012
Century will rename the “Roadside Park” for the late town council member Nadine McCaw. The park will be officially dedicated Friday.
McCaw, a lifelong resident of Century, was elected to the town council in 2007, taking office in 2008. She passed away July 7, 2011.
“Her memory and legacy will continue to live on,” council member Sandra McMurray Jackson said recently. McCaw was known for going above and beyond for Century, often working behind the scenes and using her own money to benefit the town and its citizens, according to council member Gary Riley.
“She spent most of her paycheck every month on Century,” Mayor Freddie McCall said.
The public is invited and encouraged to attend the short ceremony at the park, located on North Century Boulevard at Hecker Road, at 10 a.m. Friday.
Pictured top: The soon-to-be Nadine McCaw Park on North Century Boulevard in Century. Pictured inset: Nadine McCaw at her first Century Town Council meeting in January 2008. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Zumba: 800 Calorie Workout For Two Bucks A Class
March 4, 2012
Get ready to Zumba — it’s a chance to get fit, have fun and burn up to 800 calories per hour — all for two bucks a class.
Zumba is “an exciting and effective fitness class that burns up to 800 calories per hour,” according to Shannon Erdwins, financial analyst by day, Zumba teacher by night. “Ditch the workout, join the party.”
Zumba combines Latin and international music with dance steps for an upbeat, high-energy workout.
The Escambia County Community School Zumba class is offered Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m,. at Ransom Middle School at 1000 Kingsfield Road.
Classes are just $2 each. For more information, call (850) 449-1949.
Correction: Byrneville Community Center
March 4, 2012
A few hours after we published photos of a misspelled sign on the Byrneville Community Center, the sign was repainted last Thursday. The misspelled sign can be seen in the photo to the left; the corrected sign is pictured above and below. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
BP Settles Up For $7.8 Billion Over Oil Spill
March 4, 2012
BP says it has reached a $7.8 billion settlement with plaintiffs, both businesses and individuals, that had sued over the 2010 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion and oil spill.
BP said in a company release that the settlement will be paid out of the $20 billion victim compensation trust fund that it had set up. A trial had been scheduled to start Monday in New Orleans on liability for the explosion. With the settlement, the trial now won’t go forward, though the court must approve the settlement terms.
BP has said it has spent more than $20 billion in the aftermath of the April 2010 explosion that ended up causing the largest oil spill in U.S. history. The majority of that was money spent responding, but that also includes more than $8 billion paid out to business owners who lost money because of the spill’s effect on beaches, and repaid to local governments for their response and cleanup costs.
The company still faces claims by the federal government for violations of the Clean Water Act and other damages. The company may also continue to face other litigation, such as claims filed by shareholders.
Santa Rosa Wreck Claims One Life
March 4, 2012
A 22-year old Pace man died in a single vehicle crash Saturday afternoon in Santa Rosa County.
William Fredrick Beasley was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on Highway 87 south of Old Choctaw Road. He was a passenger in a 2003 Dodge driven by Tahir Horatio Wallen, 18, of Milton. Wallen lost control of the vehicle, ran off the road and hit several trees, ejecting Beasley, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Wallen was transported to the Santa Rosa Medical Center with minor injuries. Charges against him are pending, according to the FHP.
Schoolyard Fight: What Can Parents Do About Failing Schools?
March 4, 2012
Legislation that would give parents more ability to determine how to make over a failing school was rammed through a Senate committee on Saturday, a likely preview of a contentious floor fight over charter schools, unions and parental support.
By a 13-7 vote, the Senate Budget Committee on Saturday approved SB 1718, the so called “parent trigger” bill. The most controversial element would allow parents of a failing school to dictate recovery strategies, including the use of for-profit charters, if a majority of them sign petitions to do so.
Backers say the measure is a response to a recalcitrant school system that is slow to change and deaf to the needs of communities. The bill is being championed by former Gov. Jeb Bush and Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island.
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What is to be afraid of having parents involved in their children’s education?,” asked Senate sponsor Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers. “Why? Why do we fight so hard against parents standing up to say I would like you to consider this?”
Critics say the measure represents yet another nail driven at public education and the teacher unions by backers of for-profit charter school companies that lack the same accountability standards of traditional public schools.
“I have four children who graduated from public schools. They all have master’s degrees,” said Sen. Gwen Margolis, D-Miami. “…I don’t know what problem you have.”
The proposal ramps up accountability standards on a number of fronts, but the most controversial measure, by far, deals with failing schools.
The provision says once a school earns an “F,” if improvement doesn’t happen within a year, parents could dictate what will happen, if 51 percent of them agree.
They still would be limited to certain options laid out in federal law, and the plan would be subject to Department of Education approval.
Among their options, parents could force the school district to transfer students to other schools; close the school and re-open it as a charter school with a new governing board running it; or contract with an outside management group to run it – essentially privatize it.
Evident Saturday was that the measure is a top priority of Haridopolos and other Senate leaders. Not normally a member of the committee, Senate Majority Leader and incoming Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, took a high profile role Saturday, as did prospective future presidents Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine.
Forced to vote on the bill before the meeting adjourned at 10 a.m., some committee members said the haste by which such a controversial measure was being considered was inappropriate and unnecessary.
“We are playing around with the lives of children in our schools,” said Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach. “And it’s time to stop.”
The idea for the parent trigger comes from California, where two years ago that state’s legislature passed a similar bill giving parents in failing schools a majority vote on whether to turn it into a charter school.
“When you have parents involved in their child’s education, it inures to the success of the child,” said Mike Trujillo, a representative of Parent Revolution, which spearheaded California efforts. “What this is, is a vehicle by which parents can be involved in their local school community.”
Union representatives say it’s too early to tell if the California effort has made any long-term gain. What is apparent is that it has been controversial and litigious, pitting families against each other.
“There has been so much animosity that it does more damage in the long run than the improvement they thought they were trying to create,” said Jeff Wright, public advocacy director for the Florida Education Association.
Improvement in a failing school requires the cooperation of parents, the local business community and local government to put forth a matrix of surrounding services from after-school programs to nutritional support and mentoring. Wright said. The bill, as it stands, does none of that.
“This simply allows a private management company to own your school for a time period,” Wright said. “Once they get whatever they get out of it , like profits maybe, then they leave and the public school is held accountable.”
But Budget Committee chairman JD Alexander, R-Lake Wales, said the underlying impetus behind the charter school movement has been the perception by parents that school officials have not addressed their needs.
In his area, Alexander said charters schools have thrived while the traditional public school has plenty of empty space.
“I’ve been involved in charter conversion efforts and seen firsthand how districts really don’t listen to parents,” Alexander said. “In many districts, they do a very miserable job of reforming schools.”
The bill now travels to the Senate floor. The House bill, HB 1191, passed that chamber earlier this week on an 80-34 vote.
By The News Service of Florida
Man Dies In Highway 113 Crash
March 4, 2012
A 25-year old Alabama man died in single vehicle wreck north of Flomaton Friday night.
Authorities said Steven McLaurin Hagen lost control of his 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada about 8:30 p.m. on Highway 113 near Hall Creek Road, about seven miles north of Flomaton. The vehicle rolled over, ejecting the Hagen. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Escambia County EMS. There were no other occupants in the vehicle.
The accident remains under investigation by Alabama State Troopers. The Flomaton, Pineview, Barnett Crossroads and Friendship volunteer fire departments, and Escambia County (Fla.) EMS also responded to the crash.
Pictured: One person was killed in this single vehicle wreck north of Flomaton Friday night. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two Injured In Byrneville Wreck
March 3, 2012
Two people were injured in a single vehicle rollover accident midday Saturday on Byrneville Road.
The accident happened about noon. in the 900 block of Byrneville Road, near Central Water Works. The 19-year old driver of a Chevrolet Blazer appeared to have lost control, ran off the road, over-corrected, returned to the roadway and overturned. The driver and a 10-year old passenger were transported by Escambia County EMS to Jay Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the call.
Picture above and below: Two people were injured in this crash Saturday afternoon in Byrneville. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
School Nurses Being Cut
March 3, 2012
Over five dozen school nurses and health support technicians are being cut out of Escambia County Schools next year, but officials say there will still be someone available to treat children’s illnesses and injuries.
An estimated budget deficit of $3.18 million is leading to the cuts by the Escambia County Health Department totaling about $1.8 million in the school nursing program. Across the county, there will be 42 nurses, 24 health support technicians and one senior administrative clerk cut from the payroll.
Currently there is at least a two-person health care team in each county public school comprised of a full time school nurse and a health technician. Beginning next year, there will only be 15 school nurses, seven of which will serve a regional cluster of schools. There will be 54 health support technicians remaining, with one in every school.
Next year’s reduced staffing will be similar to 1996, the year the school health nurse program was expanded to each county school.
Cutting nurses will also mean and end to health education classes and Body Mass Index (BMI) screenings.
“In addition, at most schools, a nurse will not be on campus to respond to emergencies, oversee medication administration and health procedures, and manage student illnesses,” Said Dr. John Lanza, Escambia County Health Department director. “In addition, the loss will hamper the ECHD’s ability to respond to disasters in our community.”
Pictured : Northview High School School Nurse Michelle Hinote treats a student’s minor arm injury Friday morning at the school. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.