New Graphic Arts Academy Planned For Northview High
November 9, 2010
A new graphics art career academy is planned for Northview High School.
The Escambia County School Board is expected to approve the Northview High School Graphic Arts Career Academy at their November 16 meeting. The academy will open next fall for the 2010-2011 school year.
The academy will focus on a digital art and design curriculum that can lead students to industry certifications and internships related to graphic design.
Students will learn through a hands-on approach, according to the school district, using the Adobe Creative Suite and the Microsoft Office Suite, under the leadership of instructor Donna Smith.
“Mrs. Donna Smith is a great business teacher, and she has worked diligently over the years to not only stay abreast of the fast-changing technology software programs, but she has also used her time to become industry certified. Through her efforts, Northview has been declared a Certiport Testing Site,” said Northview Principal Gayle Weaver. “With her industry certification, not only is Mrs. Smith able to test Northview students and give them the opportunity to become certified applicants in the job field, but she has also single-handedly increased the points toward our school grade, through the addition of students who pass the industry certification test.”
This year, there are 33 students enrolled in the Digital Design Program at Northview . These students will be given an opportunity to enroll in the new career academy. Other students in the country will be able to apply for NHS Graphic Arts Academy.
Northview is currently home to a Building Trades and Construction Design Academy.
The School District of Escambia County’s career academies are small learning communities within a school that focus on a career pathway for a two to four year period span. Students enter through a voluntary application process and take a mixture of career and academic classes each year.
Classes meet entrance requirements for four-year universities. Students develop knowledge in a given industry, and usually have opportunities to earn industry certification relevant to the career academy. Students’ senior year may include work experience in the community.
No Injuries In Monday Night Highway 97 Crash
November 9, 2010
There were no injuries in a single vehicle accident Monday night on Highway 97 south of Walnut Hill.
The driver apparently lost control while northbound on Highway 97 just north of Tungoil Road about 10:45 p.m.. Her vehicle left the roadway, struck a culvert and came to rest in a ditch. The driver, who walked to a nearby home for help, was not injured.
The accident was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Atmore Ambulance also responded to the call.
Pictured: There were no injuries in this single vehicle accident on Highway 97 near Tungoil Road Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Gulf Oil Spill Task Force Begins Meetings In Pensacola
November 9, 2010
EPA Secretary Lisa Jackson on Monday in Pensacola pushed a federal task force to go beyond its immediate charge to look into ecosystem damage caused by the Gulf oil spill and explore ecological problems in the system that pre-dated the disaster.
Jackson, speaking to members of the Gulf Ecosystem Restoration Task Force at its first meeting, called on the 12-member task force to seek remedies to decades of environmental degradation and population pressures that have occurred on what once was one of the most productive ecosystems in the country.
“We’re taking one step back and saying what does the Gulf region need to be resilient,” Jackson told a group of more than 250 stakeholders who attended the panel’s first hearing. “It’s not just oil. It’s hypoxia and nutrients in our system that are creating dead zones. It’s just the fact that we have so many people who want to live on the Gulf of Mexico.”
Monday’s kick-off of the federal task force’s work in Pensacola was overshadowed by related events unfolding in Washington, where the White House’s oil spill commission found no evidence that the offshore spill following the April 20 explosion of BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig happened because BP and its partners cut corners to save money.
The panel agreed with nearly all of the findings of BP’s internal investigation of the accident released this summer. BP’s report assigned much of the blame for the accident to its drilling partners including Halliburton, which provided the cement used to secure the wellhead and blowout protectors, which also malfunctioned.
Critics have accused BP and other companies involved in drilling the well of sacrificing safety for monetary savings in the run up to rig explosion that killed 11 workers and unleashed millions of barrels of oil into Gulf over the summer
Florida participants in the ecosystem task force include state Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mimi Drew, a task force member who said the state’s reliance on the Gulf region makes its participation in regional efforts critical.
“The tourism and seafood industries are really the backbone of our economy,” Drew said. “Our goal is to restore consumer confidence in our beaches and our seafood.”
Linda Young, director of the Clean Water Network of Florida, was hopeful yet skeptical that the panel made up of the same agencies that have let the Gulf slip are the ones trying to fix it up.
“I think you have to be optimistic at this point of the game,” Young said. “But let’s just say I remain concerned.”
In addition to Jackson’s call for a broader look at environmental dangers to the Gulf system, officials also said the economic impacts of the spill and other threats also should be part of the task force’s work.
“While not overlooking the environment, I hope this task force will also look at the economic effects of the oil spill,” said David Stewart, chief of staff for Alabama Governor Bob Riley. “There are businesses today that are on the precipice of extinction.”
Southeastern officials also need buy-in from a wider audience, said the executive director of the task force, John Hankinson.
“We need to articulate to the nation why this is the nation’s Gulf,” said Hankinson.
The task force must return a set of recommendations by October, 2011. Until then the panel will hold a series of meetings throughout the region to compile an overall strategy to address the differing needs of all Gulf States.
By Michael Peltier
Jay Cross Country Takes 3rd In District, Headed To Regionals
November 9, 2010
The Lady Royals of Jay High School placed third at the District 1-1A Championships held recently in Tallahassee.
Four of the Royals placed in the top 15 runners. Robin Blackman led the Royals with a time of 21:29, placing seventh overall.
Other Royals in the top 15 were Leely Trevino (12th), Jessica Thornton (13th), and Allison Blair (15th). Jenna Thornton who ran fifth for the Royals set a personal record with a time of 23:19. Of the 12 teams from District 1 the top six teams automatically advanced to the region competition. The overall top fifteen individuals also advance individually. The Royals will run at the regional competition in Gainesville on Friday, November 12.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Pharmacy Robbery Suspect Wanted Again
November 8, 2010
The Molino man charged in connection with the September armed robbery of a Molino Pharmacy is once again wanted by police.
According to Escambia County Circuit Court records, Judge Ronald Swanson revoked bond for Joseph Daniel Flowers, 56, and issued a failure to appear warrant for his arrest. He was originally charged with robbery with a firearm, grand theft, possession of a firearm in pharmacy, aggravated battery and wearing a mask while committing a felony.
The grand theft and wearing a mask while committing a felony charges were dropped, while multiple drug possession charges were filed against Flowers.
Flowers was charged with robbing Scott’s Pharmacy on September 20 while wearing a bathrobe, slippers, yellow kitchen gloves and underwear on his head.
Flowers is also facing charges for the alleged battery of his accomplice — Krystal Lynn Collins — with a two liter bottle of Coke. Collins, 24, was also charged in connection with the robbery; deputies believe she was the getaway car driver.
For more about the robbery and Flowers’ arrest, click here. For more about Collins’ arrest for allegedly driving the getaway car, click here. And for more about the battery arrest, click here.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Flowers should call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Class Size Issues Persist For Lawmakers
November 8, 2010
When Florida voters defeated a ballot measure that would have tweaked the state’s class size law, they defeated lawmakers’ best hope for fixing the Legislature’s persistent problem in funding a constitutional requirement for schools to cap individual classrooms at a certain size.
With the defeat of the amendment, lawmakers are trying to figure out their next move.
“That’s a question I don’t have an answer to yet,” said Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, who is slated to become Florida House Speaker in 2012 and who sponsored the proposed amendment in the House.
In 2002, voters approved a constitutional amendment that capped classroom sizes at 18 students in a classroom in lower grades, 22 in the middle grades and more than the current cap of 25 students in a high school classroom. Educators noted substantial educational gains as the class size caps were phased in, but lawmakers were faced with the growing problem of how to pay for it, particularly as the economy collapsed and state coffers grew thin.
Educators, in need of more funds to hire enough teachers to carry out the class size caps, were faced with a quandary. If their classrooms were at maximum capacity and a new student moved into the district, where would that student go?
The solution lawmakers came up with was a ballot measure – Amendment 8 – that would have allowed schools to continue to calculate class size caps at a school-wide average, rather than on a per-classroom basis, giving principals more flexibility to add students to their classes without violating the constitution.
On Election Night, 55 percent of voters voted in favor of the measure, 5 percent short of the required 60 percent threshold for proposed constitutional amendments.
The state teachers’ union has staunchly defended the original class size provision, arguing that the softening of the law is merely the Legislature backing out of a promise to fund the schools to a point where they can meet the hard caps. The problem of an extra student moving into a district could be fixed statutorily, they argued, but the Legislature has largely rejected that plan.
“I don’t know how they’re going to respond to the class size, whether they’ll try to wiggle out of it again,” said Florida Education Association spokesman Mark Pudlow.
Classroom caps have been phased in since the 2002 passage of the constitutional amendment, but this fall, the hard caps were put into full effect. Schools that are not in compliance with the law could face fines for the violation.
Administrators across the state largely supported the amendment, despite the FEA”s opposition to the proposal. Florida Association of District School Superintendents executive director Bill Montford, who was also elected to the state Senate on Tuesday, said the failure of the amendment means superintendents will have to make a lot of “tough decisions” and that he doesn’t really know whether lawmakers will try to address it or just leave it be.
“It has been the opinion each year, each session, that there is not a statutory fix,” Montford said. “At least that has been the opinion of the Legislature. However, with the defeat of Amendment 8, I’m certain that issue will come up within the legislative session. What do we do now? Do we try to craft a statutory fix and see if it will stand up?”
Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, who sponsored the Senate version of the amendment, said he thinks it would be difficult for the lawmakers to legally make a statutory change “to try to dilute the voters’ decision” and that he, at least, would not be sponsoring another ballot measure on class size.
“I believe that the issue is now settled and the losers will be parents and teachers and taxpayers, but that’s the constitution,” he said.
Weatherford said it was likely that lawmakers would discuss a variety of options on how to address class size obstacles when the Legislature returns to Tallahassee this spring for its regular session. The legislative body could pass a statutory measure, he said, but that doesn’t mean its constitutional.
“At the end of the day, the court will probably decide what these caps really mean,” he said.
By Kathleen Haughney
The News Service Florida
Results And Photos: District Cross Country Meets
November 8, 2010
The Northview and Tate cross country teams both placed in district meets this past weekend. The Northview boys finished 12th, while the Northview girls finished eighth in District 1-2A. The Tate boys and girls both placed 16th i n District 1-3A.
Here are results from the District 1-2A cross country meet held this weekend at Marianna and the District 1-3A meet held in Pace.
Boys District 1-2A
- West Florida High
- Catholic
- Panama City Arnold
- Tallahassee-Florida High
- Marianna
- Wakulla
- South Walton
- Tallahassee Godby
- Panama City Bay
- Panama City Rutherford
- Walton
- Northview
- East Gadsden
Northview Boys Results
- Josh Scott 19:34
- Dustin Lewis 20:38
- AJ Lambert 20:45
- Dillian Crutchfield 21:57
- Aaron Rausch 24:34
- Justin King 28:04
Girls District 1-2A
- West Florida High
- Wakulla High
- Tallahassee- Florida High
- South Walton
- Catholic
- Panama City Arnold
- Suwannee
- Northview
- Marianna
- Panama City Bay
- Panama City Rutherford
Northview Girls Results
- Georgia Goetter -21:55
- Sarah Killiam -24:41
- Julia Thorpe 28:00
- Jazzlyn Franklin 28:13
- Misty Doran 28:29
- Madalyn Coon 30:00.09
- Kelsey Taylor 30:00.65
Boys District 1-3A
- Washington
- Tallahassee Leon
- Niceville
- Tallahassee Lincoln
- Fort Walton Beach
- Tallahassee Chiles
- Navarre
- Choctawhatchee
- Pace
- Mosley (Lynn Haven)
- Pine Forest
- Gulf Breeze
- Crestview
- Milton
- Escambia High
- Tate
- Pensacola High
Girls District 1-3A
- Chiles (Tallahassee)
- Fort Walton Beach
- Niceville
- Choctawhatchee
- Pine Forest
- Tallahassee Leon
- Gulf Breeze
- Pace
- Navarre
- Washington
- Milton
- Tallahassee Lincoln
- Panama Mosley
- Pensacola High
- Escambia
- Tate
Submitted photos by Cathy Scott and Natalie Nall for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward FFA Names Officers
November 8, 2010
Officers were recently selected for the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA chapter. Officers are (back, L-R) Allison Woodfin, teasurer; Aden Davis, chaplain; Tiffani Cruce, president; Madison McGhee, photographer; (middle, L-R) Jaylen Parker, vice president; Haylee Weaver, reporter; Addy Lee, parliamentarian; Haley Brown, secretary; Bethany Reynolds, sentinel; and Miranda Vidak, historian. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
United Way Reports Pledges Toward $2.37 Million Goal
November 8, 2010
Fifty-nine area workplaces have submitted final or estimated fundraising results for the 2010-11 United Way of Escambia County Campaign. The cumulative amount pledged is an estimated $865,000, which represents 36.5% of the $2.37 million goal.
Comparing results from 56 of the workplaces that participated last year and again this year, giving is up 4.2%. Three workplaces are participating for the first time this year. These workplaces contributed an estimated $65,000 of the total amount pledged to date to date.
Nearly 250 workplaces are still conducting fundraising activities. Most are expect to report results by Dec. 9.
Jean Norman, president/CEO of United Way of Escambia County, said she is appreciative of the many volunteers who have worked tirelessly to raise funds for United Way this year.
“The enthusiasm and creativity shown by the Campaign volunteers is impressive,” Norman said. “Hundreds of volunteers are engaged in this year’s fundraising effort, and 10,000 are expected to make a pledge. These early figures point to a very strong, successful finish.”
The United Way of Escambia County Campaign launched Sept. 13. A final, projected total will be announced Dec. 9, 11:30 a.m. at Sanders Beach Community Center.
Four Families Homeless After Apartment Building Destroyed By Fire
November 8, 2010
Four families were left homeless after a Sunday afternoon apartment fire in Atmore.
The fire was reported just after 2 p.m. at the apartment complex on Everette Street, near Swift Lumber Company. The multi-family building was destroyed by the fast moving blaze.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The Atmore and Poarch fire departments extinguished the blaze. There were no serious injuries reported.
Pictured above and below: Fire destroyed an apartment building in Atmore Sunday afternoon. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
