Jay Coach Elijah Bell Stepping Down
October 27, 2010
Elijah Bell, athletic director and head football coach at Jay High School, will step down at the end of the year.
Bell has led the Royals’ football program for 21 years, with a 108-93 record. This year, Jay is without a win at 0-7. They have been outscored 262 to 47 points this season, including three shutouts.
The Royals have made the state playoff series seven times under Bell’s leadership, most recently the quarterfinals in 2007.
Bell was a major player in the formation of a new rural school classification for small schools like Jay in an effort to make the chances at a state playoffs more equitable for smaller schools like Jay. He advocated such a plan since about 1990.
“I’m very ecstatic,” Bell said after the new classification was approved this summer by the Florida High School Athletic Association. Bell served on the FHSAA Urban/Rural Committee that drafted the proposal. “We’ve been working on this a long time in the pursuit of equality for small, rural schools.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Early Voting Sets Records
October 27, 2010
An early voting record was set in Escambia County Tuesday, with more votes cast in advance of any election except for the 2008 presidential election.
There were 1,402 early voters on Tuesday, for a total of 9,641 ballots cast since November 18, according to Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford.
There are four early voting locations in Escambia County:.
- Supervisor of Elections Main Office, 213 Palafox Place 2nd Floor
- Supervisor of Elections Annex, 292 Muscogee Road, Cantonment
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
- West Florida Genealogy Library (former Tryon Branch Library), 5740 North 9th Avenue
Early voting will be offered through Saturday, October 30th from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Early voters will cast paper ballots through digital scanners, and may choose any one of the four sites.
See The Video: Century Relay Purple Glove Dance
October 27, 2010
The kickoff event for the Century Relay for Life was held Tuesday night, complete with the premiere of the “Century Relay Purple Glove Dance” video.
The Purple Glove Dance video (see below) features local residents — in purple gloves — to promote Century’s Relay for Life event. The video was produced by Century Relay Chair Jacke Johnston and edited by Elaine Holk.
For more information on Century’s Relay, or to sign up online, visit CenturyRelay.com.
(If you do not see the video below, it is because your home, work or school firewall is blocking external videos.)
Pictured top: The Century Town Council takes part in the “Purple Glove Dance” at a recent meeting. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Molino’s ‘Vampire Ladies’ Lead Northview Student To First Blood Donation
October 27, 2010
One Northview High School sophomore used his day of school on Monday to become a blood donor for the very first time — thanks, in part, to the “Vampire Ladies” of his childhood.
Zac Cole, 16, said had looked forward to the day since elementary school. While Cole was a student at Molino Elementary School, then-Principal Dale Cooey and group of parents known as the “Vampire Ladies” created a program to teach students the importance of giving blood.
After the September 11 tragedy, Molino Park held blood drives, encouraged students to recruit adult donors all while teaching the students about blood donations.
“These first students that were taught about blood donation are now old enough to donate themselves. They no longer have to be recruiters. They can now be someone else’s hero,” said Zac’s mom Peggy.
Zac, his mom and cousin Heath Cole visited Northwest Florida Blood Services in Pensacola Monday morning so Zac could make his first blood donation.
“That was easier than I thought it would be,” Zac said about giving blood on his day out of school.
Zac will be eligible to donate blood again on December 20; just in time to “give the gift of life” for Christmas, he said.
For more information on Northwest Florida Blood Services, click here. The Bloodmobile will be in North Escambia on Saturday, November 6 beginning at 11 a.m. for the annual Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department Catfish Fry.
Pictured top: Heath Cole (left) and Zac Cole pose with a new Kia Soul being given away by Northwest Florida Blood Services to one lucky donor. Pictured inset: Zac Cole makes his first blood donation.
Century To Begin $250K Drainage Project
October 26, 2010
Work is scheduled to begin next week on a Century drainage project funded with over a quarter million federal stimulus dollars.
The project includes drainage ditches and storm water pipe installations in the Dogwood area — south of the former Century High School including Mayo Street, Mayo Lane, Hecker Road, Archie Street, Dogwood Avenue and B Street.
Construction is scheduled to begin November 1 and continue through the end of February 2011.
The Town of Century awarded the $269,449 drainage improvement contract to Gulf Equipment Company. Gulf Equipment was one of six bidders on the project, with their bid over $30,000 less than the second place company, according to Dale Long of Fabre Engineering. Gulf Equipment’s bid was well below the $370,000 budgeted for the project.
“They do a good job and are a very reputable firm,” Long told the Century Town Council recently.
Man Busted After Drunken Night At Whataburger; Deputy Death Threat
October 26, 2010
A Century man was jailed for creating a drunken disturbance at a Century restaurant and threatening to kill a sheriff’s deputy.
John Clifton Brantley, 39, was charged with disorderly intoxication and threatening the life of a law enforcement officer. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on $5,500 bond.
While Escambia County Deputy Bobby Cook was eating an early morning meal at the Whataburger on North Century Boulevard, Brantley staggered into the fast food establishment where he was holding a profanity-laced cell phone conversation loud enough to be heard across the dining area.
Cook stated in his report that Brantley then used profanity in loudly complaining that deputies were not around when his motorcycle was vandalized. Cook escorted Brantley out of the restaurant, where Brantley began make racial remarks about “blacks” while a group of employees were standing nearby on a smoke break.
After more profane comments, Brantley was taken into custody.
At the jail, Brantley simulated a gun with his hand and fingers while looking at Deputy Cook and saying the word “pow”, according to the ECSO arrest report. He then make a slicing motion across his neck with his finger and mouthed the words “you’re dead”, leading to the charge of threatening a law enforcement officer. Brantley’s actions were recorded on video at the jail, according to the arrest report.
Guns Hidden In Secret Bathroom Compartment Land Walnut Hill Man In Jail
October 26, 2010
A Walnut Hill man is facing a felony weapons and child abuse charges after a domestic dispute and a traffic stop led deputies to discover guns hidden inside a secret compartment in his bathroom.
Floyd Scott Mooney, 39, was charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and child abuse without great harm following the traffic stop on Highway 99 near Bratt. Early Tuesday morning, he remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Late Sunday night, deputies responded to an address on North Pine Barren Road when Mooney’s wife claimed he had become angry and forcefully pulled their infant son from her arms. The wife told deputies that Mooney, a convicted felon, keeps an “arsenal of firearms” at their residence in the 3000 block of North Highway 99.
Another deputy conducted a traffic stop on Mooney’s vehicle in front of the North Highway 99 address. The wife arrived and took deputies into the couple’s bathroom. She pulled a piece of paneling out from the bathroom cabinets to reveal guns that she claimed belonged to Mooney.
Mooney told deputies that his wife’s claims were false.
The Department of Children and Families has been notified of the incident, according to the arrest report..
JV Football: Northview Beats Escambia County
October 26, 2010
The junior varsity Northview Chiefs defeated the Escambia County Blue Devils 14-8 Monday night in Atmore.
It was the second meeting of the Chiefs and Blue Devils this season; Northview beat ECHS earlier this season 24-20.
The JV Chiefs finished with a winning season record of 3-2. Northview’s losses were both to West Florida Tech — once 44-6 on September 6 and a much closer 20-16 on October 14.
Members of the Northview High School JV Chiefs are: Daulton Tullis, Justin Thompson, Brannon Freeman, Dalton Daniel, Tristan Montgomery, Kendrell Elliott, Nathan Shipps, Skyler Macks, Jody Bonner, Jeffery Taylor, Dillon Crutchfield, Phillip Myrick, Chris Madison, Danny Slay, Kevin Vaughan, Aaron Floyd, Kahlil Grice, Dy’shun White, Stetson Nash, Tristen Creamer,Dusty Spicer, Arkelle Elliott, Luke McDaniel, Tyler Gifford, Tyler Roley, Marvin Haynie, Layne Purvis, Chad Smith, Shane Bushaw and Jordan Bodiford.
Pictured below: Kevin Vaughan back to pass for the Chiefs against Escambia County (Atmore) NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Wednesday Last day To Request Mailed Absentee Ballot
October 26, 2010
Wednesday is the last day for voters to request a mailed absentee ballot, according to Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford.
The ballots must be requested by the close of business on Wednesday. Voters can make their request by contacting the Supervisor of Elections by mail, phone (850-595-3900), e-mail (absentee@escambiavotes.com), fax (850-595-3914), or by using the online form at EscambiaVotes.com. Requests must include the voter’s date of birth and the address where the ballot should be mailed. Absentee voters may follow the status of their ballot by clicking Track My Ballot at EscambiaVotes.com.
A voter will still have the ability after Wednesday to pick up an absentee ballot in person from the Elections Office. Voted absentee ballots must be received in the Elections Office (not at a polling location) no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day, November 2.
Voters can also chose to vote early at any of four locations in Escambia County:.
- Supervisor of Elections Main Office, 213 Palafox Place 2nd Floor
- Supervisor of Elections Annex, 292 Muscogee Road, Cantonment
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
- West Florida Genealogy Library (former Tryon Branch Library), 5740 North 9th Avenue
Early voting will be offered Monday, October 25th through Saturday, October 30th from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Early voters will cast paper ballots through digital scanners, and may choose any one of the four sites.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 2. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Northview, Tate, Jay Run EscaRosa Cross Country Event
October 26, 2010
Washington High School hosted the recent EscaRosa Cross Country Championships at Sims Middle School, with teams that included Northview, Tate and Jay.
For a gallery of submitted photos from the event, click here.
Here are complete results:
Boys
- Washington — 18
- West Florida — 79
- Catholic — 86
- Navarre — 90
- Pace — 180
- Pensacola Christian — 204
- Pine Forest — 224
- Gulf Breeze — 234
- Milton — 234
- Escambia — 248
- Tate — 308
- PHS — 372
- Northview — 390
- Jay — 402
- Central — 438
Girls
- West Floida Tech — 33
- Pine Forest — 101
- Pace — 121
- Jay — 130
- Washington — 134
- Navarre — 145
- Gulf Breeze — 148
- Pensacola Catholic — 177
- Milton — 222
- PCA — 233
- Pensacola High — 276
- Escambia — 298
- Northview — 410
Two Jay High School runners placed in the top 15 — Leely Trevino at 11th with a time of 20:52 and Robin Blackman at 14th with a time of 21:21. The other top five runners for Jay were Allison Blair (22:02), Jessica Thornton (22:27), and Jenna Thornton (23:54).
The Royals will host the JD Mac Invitational this Saturday at Jay City Park.
For a gallery of submitted photos from the event, click here.
Submitted photos by Cathy Scott for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.