Democrats Push To Dump FCAT; Republicans Want More Exams
December 20, 2010
Florida Democrats are continuing this week to propose dumping the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test as their Republican counterparts continue to put more emphasis on standardized exams.
Rep. Daphne Campbell, D-Miami, has filed HB 71, which would discontinue the FCAT and at the high school level, replace it with the High School Competency Test, which would require passage to graduate from high school.
Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, is proposing terminating the FCAT for students in grades 9 through 12, but requiring that students in 10th grade take the Pre-SAT or the ACT’s Explore and Plan exam. Bullard’s mother, Sen. Larcenia Bullard, D-Miami, has filed senate companion legislation to her son’s proposal.
Escambia Offers Recycling Camp For Kids This Week
December 20, 2010
Escambia County Recycling Operations will host a Recycling Camp this week to give children a learning experience in recycling.
The camp will be offered Tuesday, December 21st, through Thursday, December 23rd, from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
The camp will be held at the Perdido Landfill, 13009 Beulah Road in Cantonment. The cost of the camp is a donation of one pair of new or gently used shoes to be given to Soles4Soles.
Activities at the camp will include tours of the Perdido Landfill and Recycling Center, arts and crafts with recycled materials, and games that focus on recycling and reuse. Campers should wear clothes that are appropriate for outside play. They also need to bring a lunch, snack, and drinks. Please try to pack a zero waste lunch, which means reusable containers.
The event is sponsored by the Division of Solid Waste, Recycling Operations. For more information or to preregister, call 937-2160.
Molino’s Kart King Finishes Season With 3 State Titles
December 19, 2010
Molino’s kart racing king Jarrett Parker recently finished his season with three state titles, 16 wins, 12 pole positions and 43 top five finishes out of 55 starts.
At the recent O’Reilly’s Indoor Kart Nationals, Parker had four top 10 finishes — third in FH Heavy, fifth in Jr. Lite, ninth in Junior Animal Heavy and tenth in Junior Pro.
He was involved in one of the many wrecks that occurred during the two-day event. Parker had no where to go and hit the kart of Nich Thrash, flipping Thrash completely over. Thrash walked away with just a minor knee injury. Parker’s teammate, Dee Paschal of Georgia, was involved in a serious wreck in his last race and was hospitalized.
“Thankfully our prayers have been answered and Dee was released from the hospital and is supposed to be resting back at home in Georgia.” Parker said. “The races were with out a doubt some of the roughest driving I have seen.”
Parker offered thanks to several people as he wrapped up the 2010 season.
“A big thank you to my dad. Many thanks to Dustin Dowdy of Dowdy Motorsports who helped wrench on my kart all weekend long. And to David Lynn, thank you for your help in our pits Saturday. I have to thank Mrs. Stacie Campbell for everything she does for our group at this event, Southern Speed. Thank you especially to Dee Paschal and Mark Bowers for all of your support throughout the year. I am very thankful,” he said.
Parker drives a Tod Miller powered 2010 Phantom Seraph and pits with MB Motorsports. Jarrett Parker, a sophomore at Northview High School, is the son of Scott and Tammy Parker of Molino.
Pictured top: Molino’s Jarrett Parker (second from right) in the Winner’s Circle at the O’Reilly’s Indoor Kart Nationals. Pictured inset: Parker (right) in action. Pictured below: Jarrett Parker. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Another Escambia Fire Means 12th Red Bulb In Safety Campaign
December 19, 2010
There are now 12 bulbs representing residential fires in Escambia County in the “Keep the Wreath Green’ fire safety campaign.
On Saturday at 4:36 a.m., a fire was reported in the 1000 block of Pennsylvania Avenue. Firefighters arrived at 4:42 a.m. and found heavy fire coming from two windows of the home. The cause of the fire was determined to be from an electrical problem in a bedroom outlet. The fire caused damage to the apartment of origin and the neighboring one. Firefighters from Osceola, Myrtle Grove, West Pensacola and Bellview responded to the fire.
Escambia County Fire-Rescue and the City of Pensacola Fire Department will continue the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign throughout the holiday season. This year, the seventh year of the campaign, five-foot wreaths will be on display at 30 different locations throughout the holiday season. These sites are the Old Escambia County Courthouse on Palafox Place, the Public Safety Building on W Street, the Central Office Complex on West Park Place, all 18 primary county fire stations, seven stations within the City of Pensacola, Cordova Mall and one mobile display. Every time firefighters respond to a residential fire a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by holiday decorations.
To help citizens stay safe and “keep the wreath green”; Escambia County Fire-Rescue and the City of Pensacola Fire Department have daily holiday safety tips. The tips for December 19 and 20 are:
- Dec. 19 – Children should be taught that matches and lighters are tools for adults. These items should be kept out of sight and away from the reach of children. Children should tell an adult if they find them lying around. Curious children cause numerous fires using these items every year.
- Dec. 20 — Teach every member of the family what to do in case their clothes catch on fire. Remember to: STOP, don’t run; DROP to the floor; cover your face with your hands and ROLL till the fire goes out. Finally cool burns with cool water and call 911 for help.
Century First Baptist Church Youth Spread Christmas Cheer
December 19, 2010
The Youth Department of Century First Baptist Church spent a recent Sunday afternoon spreading good cheer. Six teens stayed after the morning worship service and wrapped 34 gifts to be given to the children in Century’s Head Start Program.
“I was surprised at their organizational skills,” said Youth Leader Leslie Gonzalez. “Without any direction, each one of them took a job and this overwhelming task was completed in record time.”
For months the Century First Baptist Youth have collected empty toilet paper rolls and sugar free candy for a service project to benefit the Century Care Center. They stuffed the cardboard rolls with candy and wrapped them to look like giant pieces of candy. Afterward they walked the halls of Century Care Center and handed these out to residents, nurses and even a few visitors.
The Youth offered their thanks to chaperones Rene’ Bunch, Carrie Bryan and Cesar Gonzalez for their help and encouragement, and Kelly Gunter for her collection efforts for the Century Care Center candy project, and the entire congregation for their contributions toward the gifts and candy.
Have news from your church? Email your information to news@northescambia.com
Pictured: (Bottom, L-R) Emily Taylor, Kristen Gunter, (second row) Beverly Blackmon, Megan Bryan, Sara Grace Gunter and (top) Tristan Williams. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Featured Recipe: Best Ever Carrot Cake
December 19, 2010
This weekend’s featured recipe from Janet Tharpe is a “Best Ever Carrot Cake”, a 60 year old recipe with just the right amount of everything.
To print today’s “Just a Pinch” recipe column, you can click the image below to load a printable pdf with a recipe card.
Do you have a great Christmas recipe to share? Email it to news@northescambia.com
Area Meals On Wheels Wins Subaru Grant, Needs Facebook Likes
December 19, 2010
The Huxford SAIL Center in Escambia County, Ala., recently won $500 from the Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA)/Subaru Share the Love grant program.
The winning essay describes how the members of the congregate meal site have helped others and are now entering the next phase of the holiday competition – which relies on getting the most Facebook users to “Like” their story. Winning that portion of the contest could earn this Meals On Wheels program up to an additional $500.
The money comes at a critical time for the Huxford Meals On Wheels program and the more than 140 other grant winners nationwide. The country’s economic downturn has made it more difficult to raise money to continue feeding or assist them in the purchase of a new van for meal delivery and recreational purposes.
“These Meals On Wheels programs share love every day by bringing food and companionship to America’s hungry seniors,” said MOWAA president and CEO Enid Borden. “For the third year in a row Subaru has generously included Meals On Wheels in its Share the Love Event. We want the world to read these stories and find out more about what these amazing Meals On Wheels programs do every day to ‘Share the Love’ in their communities.”
According to Huxford SAIL Center manager Bernice Ashcraft (pictured), the center can certainly use the grant.
“The van that we are presently using is a 1995 model, in poor running condition with very high mileage,” she said. “Huxford SAIL Center is in dire need of transportation.”
To read the Huxford SAIL center essay and “Like” it on Facebook, click here.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Santa Trades Sleigh For Fire Trucks In McDavid, Century
December 19, 2010
Santa traded in his sleigh Saturday for a big red fire truck as he visited many boys and girls in neighborhoods across North Escambia. Both the Century and McDavid volunteer fire departments gave the Jolly Old Elf a ride as he visited with dozens of children, listening carefully to those last minute wish lists.
Pictured: Santa travels through the McDavid area Saturday morning visiting with children. The McDavid Volunteer Fire Department has provided the Santa escorts for about 20 years. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Next Door Neighbor Charged With Bratt Business Burglary
December 18, 2010
Less than 12 hours after a Bratt convenience store was burglarized, a man that lives directly behind the store was behind bars for the crime.
The Bratt Crossroads Mini Mart (the former Cooper’s Grocery) was burglarized sometime between Thursday night and early Friday morning. Store owners found the front door of the business busted-in and several items including cigarettes and medications missing when they arrived to open the store Friday morning.
Within a couple of hours, deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office had developed a possible suspect — and they did not have to go very far to find him.
A man who lives in the house behind the store, Eric Eugene Newell, 22, of 4821 West Highway 4 in Bratt, is charged with the burglary of the store and a nearby vehicle. He was questioned by deputies Friday morning, but they were unable to locate the items taken from the store.
Tips led the deputies to Atmore by midday Friday, where the Atmore Police Department assisted the Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office in searching a vehicle in the parking lot of a business in the town’s industrial park. Inside the vehicle, which belongs to a relative of Newell, deputies found most of the items reported missing from the Bratt store. The items were allegedly hidden in the vehicle by Newell without the relative’s knowledge. The relative was not charged and not was considered a suspect in the crime.
Newell was picked up mid-afternoon at his West Highway 4 home, behind the store, and transported to the Sheriff’s Office precinct in Century where he confessed to deputies that he had committed the crime.
Newell was charged with two felony counts of burglary, on felony count of larceny, one misdemeanor count of larceny and misdemeanor criminal mischief. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail Friday night where he was being held with bond set at $8,500.
Pictured top: Deputies investigate an overnight burglary at a Bratt business. Pictured inset: The front door frame was busted during the burglary. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Nearly 2,000 Lose Their Jobs In Escambia, Santa Rosa
December 18, 2010
The latest job numbers released Friday show nearly 2,000 people lost their jobs in one month in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as the unemployment rate jumped about one percent in both counties.
Escambia County’s unemployment dropped a full percentage point— up from 10.5 percent in October to 11.5 percent in November. That represented 1,422 people losing their jobs, for a total Escambia County unemployment of 16,213 people. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 10.9 percent.
Santa Rosa County also recorded a jump in unemployment— from 9.4 percent in October to 10.2 percent in November. Santa Rosa County lost 571 jobs during the period, with a total of 7,301 persons still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 9.8 percent.
The unemployment rate in Escambia County, Ala., held held steady at 10.6 percent from October to November, representing 1,521 unemployed. Last year’s unemployment rate for the same period in Escambia County was 12.5 percent.
Florida’s unemployment rate inched up in November to 12 percent, despite seasonal jumps in tourism, healthcare and retail hiring, as the state continues to be otherwise mired by slow construction and lackluster real estate markets. The rate, up from 11.9 percent in October and 0.4 points higher than a revised November 2009 figure, comes as business groups prepare to pay higher unemployment compensation taxes beginning next year and weather other expenses that may be hindering their desire to fill positions.
The 12 percent rate puts Florida back where it began the year. The jobless rate hit 12.3 percent in March, before edging back down.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 9.0 percent in November, inched up from October’s rate of 8.9 percent but was below the year-ago rate of 10.9 percent.