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Ernest Ward Middle School Names Students Of The Month

Ernest Ward Middle School named their Students of the Month for November. Pictured are: Lane Lisenby, sixth grade; Jordan Everett, eighth grade; Jadon Long, seventh grade; and Principal Tyvanna Boulanger.

Photo for NorthEscambambia.com, click to enlarge.

Escambia Interim Superintendent Leonard Rated As ‘Highly Effective’ In First Board Review

The Escambia County School Board has rated interim Superintendent Keith Leonard as “highly effective” ahead of a Tuesday night discussion that could see Leonard appointed as a permanent superintendent.

In October, the board expressed a general consensus to make Leonard the permanent boss by extending his contract. Each board member individually completed a mid-year evaluation of Leonard’s performance to date, and those were compiled by the board attorney.

Overall, Leonard scored 74.8 out of 88 for a ““highly effective” rating when the scores from the five members were combined.

Individual board members evaluated Leonard as follows:

• District 1, Kevin Adams: 88/88, highly effective
• District 2, Paul Fetsko: 80/88, highly effective
• District 3, David Williams: 75/88, highly effective
• District 4, Patty Hightower: 45/68, effective (Hightower left several sections of the review blank. That resulted in possible maximum score of 68)
• District 5, Bill Slayton: 73/88, highly effective

Leonard was evaluated on student learning, instructional plan implementation, faculty development, decision making, leadership development, communication skills, professional and ethical behaviors.

Leonard’s current contract as interim is otherwise set to expire June 30, 2024.

The board will avoid an expensive nationwide search.  Leonard was one of four finalists in their last search which ultimately led to the hiring of Dr. Tim Smith who was later terminated.

Freezing Weather — Protecting Pets, Plants, Pipes And Other Tips

With freezing weather, it is time to take necessary precautions to protect pipes, pets and plants, and check on elderly friends and neighbors.

Here are ways to stay safe during cold temperatures, courtesy of the American Red Cross:

• Wear layers of lightweight clothing to stay warm. Gloves and a hat will help prevent losing body heat.
• Know the signs of hypothermia — confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and severe shivering. If someone has these symptoms, they should get immediate medical attention.
• Watch for symptoms of frostbite including numbness, flushed gray, white, blue or yellow skin discoloration, numbness or waxy feeling skin.
• Bring the pets indoors. If that’s not possible, make sure they have enough shelter to keep them warm and that they can get to unfrozen water.
• Avoid frozen pipes — run water, even at a trickle, to help prevent them from freezing. Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night to help avoid freezing pipes.
• Do not use a stove or oven to heat the home.
• Space heaters should sit on a level, hard surface and anything flammable should be kept at least three feet away.
• If using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.
• Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.

And here are a few extra details and tips from ECUA on protecting pipes against the freeze:

• Insulate pipes or faucets in unheated areas: Pipes located in unheated areas of your house, such as a garage or crawl space under the house or in the attic, are subject to freezing. If you have time to do this before freezing temperatures arrive, wrap these pipes with insulation materials made especially for this purpose. These materials can be found in most hardware stores or home improvement centers.
• Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses: Detach all hoses from faucets and allow them to drain. This action guards against the water in the hose or pipe from freezing and bursting the faucet or pipe to which it is connected.
• Run a trickle of water: When forecasts call for sustained and / or severe freezing temperatures, run a thin trickle of water from the faucet furthest from the water line coming to your house. Usually this is in a room at the back of the house or outside, in the yard. Allowing the water to circulate through your home’s plumbing helps to keep it from freezing. Some consider this a waste of water but the cost of the water used is extremely slight compared to repairing broken pipes and the resulting water damage.
• Remember the backflow preventer: Residents and business owners who have backflow preventers on their properties for water lines, fire lines, irrigation systems, and swimming pools need to protect their backflow preventers from freeze as well. Extended freezes can burst the body of the backflow assembly, rendering it useless. Wrap these pipes with insulation materials, made especially for this purpose. These materials can be found in most hardware stores or home improvement centers. If the device and the water line are not in use at this time (i.e., irrigation system or swimming pool lines), shut off the water supply line and drain the backflow device.

Today’s Fashion: Dressing For Cold Weather

With our cold weather this week, it’s important to dress in layers, cover skin and limit time outside, according to the National Weather Service office in Mobile.

Here’s how to dress for cold weather:

Florida Gas Prices Down 8 Cents From A Week Ago

Florida gas prices moved lower last week. Sunday’s state average was $3.08 per gallon. That’s 8 cents less than a week ago, and the lowest daily average since December 30.

“Florida gas prices continue bouncing above and below $3 a gallon,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “This week, prices are below $3 in various cities throughout the state. Only time will tell if that trend continues.”

At $2.85, the Pensacola metro had the cheapest average in the state. A North Escambia low of $2.77 could be found at stations on Highway 29 in Cantonment. Pensacola prices were as low as $2.67 on East Nine Mile Road.

NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.

Freezing Rain Forecast For Extreme North Escambia; Wind Chill Advisory; Freeze Warning

Freezing rain is forecast for extreme northern Escambia County in Florida Monday night into Tuesday morning, especially in areas like Century, Bratt, Walnut Hill, McDavid and Davisville. Little or no ice accumulation expected.

There is a Winter Weather Advisory in effect for Escambia County in Alabama.  Freezing rain is likely late Monday into early Tuesday morning in Escambia, Alabama.. Minor ice accumulation is possible, generally for locations along and to the northwest of the I-65 corridor, with ice accumulation of a few hundredths of an inch likely (localized accumulation up to 0.10 inches possible). Slick and hazardous spots on sidewalks and roads, especially on bridges and overpasses. Only travel if necessary, keep your devices charged, check on neighbors, and bring pets indoors.

There is a Wind Chill Advisory withcold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 10 above zero.

There is a Hard Freeze Warning with sub-freezing temperatures as low as 16 expected. Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.

Here is your official forecast from NorthEscambia.com:

Tuesday: A chance of freezing rain before 9am. Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 36. Wind chill values between 15 and 25. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 15. Wind chill values between 5 and 10. North wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. Wind chill values between 5 and 15 early. North wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 26. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph after midnight.

Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 56. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest after midnight.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 22. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 43.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 49.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

With Children’s Trust Funding Cut, UDC YouthFirst Program Misses Repayment Of $41K Unsecured Loan To Town Of Century

After the Escambia County Children’s Trust on denied to renew funding for the Urban Development Center’s (UDC) YouthFirst Century program, the UDC missed their final loan payment now says it needs more time to repay a $41,925 loan to  the Town of Century .

Last year, Escambia Children’s Trust (ECT) awarded a contract to the Pensacola non-profit Urban Development Center (UDC) for “YouthFirst Century” to serve 750 youth ages 11-18 over a three-year period at a total cost of $1.2 million. In reality, they only reached 30 children in their targeted ages of 11-18.  They requested to lower their target age group to just 5-years old, but that was also denied by ECT.

UDC has requested a $189,256.70 reimbursement for their first year of operation, despite reaching just 56 children, with less than 30 of those in the target age range. That equals $6,308 per targeted child in the 11-18 age group.

The Town of Century fronted an unsecured $61,925 loan  to UDC to purchase items like computers and workbooks. The 500 workbooks at $52.75 per workbook were to be purchased from UDC for $26,375. UDC said they would reimburse the town after they received the ECT funding, but no specific deadline was established. At least $20,000 was recently repaid to the town, according to audio from a council meeting. However, a public records request to the town provided no concrete evidence of the payment.

The town loaned the money without any repayment schedue, but UDC CEO Jessica Griffen later proposed that the remaining $41,295 be repaid by December 31, 2023.

“The UDC was unable to meet its proposed repayment date and we are formally requesting an extension for repayment to, on or before March 31, 2004,” Griffen said in a January 10 letter to Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr., as she cited “the slow nature of our financial receivables”.

UDC’s reimbursement request from ECT included about $60,000 for personnel, $6,212 in travel, $2,692 for advertising, $37,000 for program supplies, $1,201 for field trips, $59,000 in “sub-grants to partners”, and $21,000 for professional services for 56 children, 29 of which are not in the program’s target group.

Pictured top and inset: Dr. Jessica A. Griffen, CEO of The Urban Development Center, addresses the Century Town Council and then-Mayor Ben Boutwell  in early 2023. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Notes on the UDC budget above, per the application: JetFuel is a Century based technology entrepreneurial business operated by Calvin Cottrell. Tutor4You is a tutoring service with “Mr. Sanders”. Reality Check Counseling is Susan Dawson, a licensed mental health counselor. Favored Hearts is owned by Cordella Allen, a clinical nurse, that will provide CPR certifications.

Grass Fire Spreads To Consume Vacant Cantonment Mobile Home

A grass fire spread  and consumed an abandoned mobile home in Cantonment Sunday afternoon.

The fire was reported about 2:20 p.m. off the 1700 block of Arena Road, west of South County Road 97.

There was no immediate word on what sparked the grass fire.

The Cantonment and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were among those responding to the fire.

Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

These Are This Week’s Road Construction Trouble Spots

Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.

Escambia County:

• U.S. 29 (North Century Boulevard) Resurfacing between Henry Street and Cottage Street in Century – Northbound and southbound traffic on U.S. 29 (North Century Boulevard) is shifted to one outside travel lane in each direction between Rudolph Street and Green Street. The shift will be in place through Spring of 2024 as crews perform drainage improvements. Signage will be in place to safely direct drivers through the work zone.
• Lillian Highway (State Road (S.R.) 298) Resurfacing from north of U.S. 98 to east of Fairfield Drive (S.R. 727) and Lillian Highway at Blue Angel Parkway (S.R. 173) – Drivers will encounter daytime lane closures and intermittent nighttime lane closures between U.S. 98 and Blue Angel Parkway, Monday, Jan. 15 through Friday, Jan. 19 as crews perform concrete and striping work.
• County Road (C.R.) 4 over Canoe Creek Bridge – C.R. 4, between Byrneville and Bratt, will be closed until fall 2024 as crews replace the Canoe Creek bridge. Traffic is directed through a 5.6-mile detour using Bratt Road to Pine Barren Road, then back to C.R. 4.
• Scenic Highway (U.S. 90) Resurfacing from north of Interstate 10 (I-10) to Davis Highway- Drivers on Scenic Highway will encounter intermittent nighttime lane closures from I-10 to Davis Highway on Sunday, Jan.14, through Thursday, Jan.18, from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. as crews mill and pave the roadway.

Santa Rosa County:

• S.R. 87 City of Milton Martin Luther King Parade – Motorist will encounter a road closure on S.R. 87 from Elva Street and Raymond Hobbs Street from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for the City of Milton Martin Luther King parade.
• U.S. 90 Bridge Replacement over Simpson River - The outside (right) lane of U.S. 90 eastbound on the Simpson River Bridge will be closed Tuesday, Jan. 16 through Thursday, Jan. 18 from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. as crews perform construction activities for the new bridge. Drivers are reminded that the speed limit is 35 mph throughout the work zone.
• U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Motorists will encounter the following traffic impacts:
  • Median and turn-lane closures from Bayshore Road to Tiger Lake Drive.
  • Intermittent lane closures and additional median closures between Bayshore Road and Tiger Lake Drive Sunday, Jan. 14, through Friday, Jan. 19, from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for stormwater drainage improvements and paving operations.
• S.R. 87 Resurfacing from Hickory Hammock Road (C.R. 184) to Technology Avenue – Drivers may experience intermittent S.R. 87 single-lane closures, between Hickory Hammock Road and Technology Avenue, Monday, Jan. 15 through Friday, Jan. 19 from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. for turn lane construction and paving operations.
• Interstate 10 (I-10) westbound at Blackwater River Resurfacing – Drivers will encounter intermittent single-lane closures on I-10 westbound, from the Ward Basin Road on-ramp (exit 28) to the Black Water River Bridge eastern approach, Tuesday, Jan. 16 through Thursday, Jan. 18 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for construction activities.

NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Wiener Dog Race Night: Ice Flyers With Big Win To End Losing Streak

by Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers Correspondent

Fueled by another record-setting crowd Saturday night, the vibe was evident before the game-opening faceoff.

And the Ice Flyers matched it with a special performance.

For more photos, click here.

Just as another attendance mark was shattered, so was a seven-game losing streak in a big way as the Ice Flyers rolled past the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs in a 6-2 victory, as a crowd of 7,243 at the Pensacola Bay Center celebrated the team’s first win since before Christmas.

“We’ve been talking a lot, the last two or three weeks, but it was more actions tonight,” said team captain Garrett Milan, who assisted on a go-ahead goal in the first period that became vital. “I think we were all kind of embarrassed personally and that’s what I said to the group.

“As much as we’re not playing very well, as much as we’re getting bashed, which is as it should be, when it’s getting personal now,” he said, detailing his address to teammates. “And I think everyone took that personally going into this game and played their hearts out and it showed on the ice.”

Before much of the crowd – a 15-year franchise record for a non-discounted night that became the second 7,000-plus this season – had even settled into seats, the Ice Flyers scored the first goal.

Houston Wilson, who had a goal in Friday night’s 5-2 loss to Roanoke, rifled a wrist shot into the top corner of the net just 43 seconds into the game.

Just over a minute later, Roanoke tied the game and groans ensued throughout the arena.

Four minutes later, however, Milan and Joseph Widmar, set up Wilson with his second goal and from that point the Ice Flyers kept that same high-level play.

“Even when they tied it up pretty quickly, it was that response,” said Ice Flyers coach Gary Graham. “How are we going to respond to a little bit of adversity? And we went right back down there and started doing some good things.

‘I thought (Ice Flyers forwards) hunted down their D (defense) all night long. When we are playing good hockey, it’s about getting the puck in the offensive zone and going to work. The guys really bought in and it was total, complete effort.

“I thought how we were just making simple plays made the game look a lot of easier for us. It had a nice fluidity out there. When you play that way and everybody is all on the same page, it makes the game a lot easier.”
The Ice Flyers took a 3-1 lead later in the first period when Mitch Atkins scored his 10th goal this season.

Five minutes into the second period, the Ice Flyers appeared to go up 4-1, but the goal was disallowed, because the referee momentarily lost sight of the puck in a scramble in the crease area and blew his whistle. Because the whistle blew before the goal, a replay couldn’t be used.

No matter. The Ice Flyers then strung together two goals in just over 60 seconds apart when newcomers Adam Keyes scored his third goal of the season and Reggie Millette celebrated his first goal since joining the Ice Flyers.
And then just 13 seconds into the third period, Widmar finished the Ice Flyers scoring and the game was put away.

Ice Flyers goaltender Stephen Mundinger delivered a series of terrific saves throughout the game, but most notably in the first period when Roanoke had several odd man rushes and some good look chances.

“Just believing,” said Ice Flyers winger Malik Johnson, who got the crowd going early in the game with a late first-period fight that set a tone on how physical the Ice Flyers were in this game. “You’re on a seven-game losing streak… probably the biggest one I’ve had in my career. I told the boys we are playing for us and let’s just have fun.”

They did. And what’s more, a record crowd watched it.

“We have the best fans in the league,” Johnson said. “We were on seven-game losing streak and to have fans like that come out and watch us, we wanted to get the job done especially for them.”

“The crowd was spectacular,” Graham said. “It was loud, and I think the boys fed off of that.”

The Ice Flyers will now remain at home this week before hosting Huntsville and Macon in back-to-back games next weekend.

“I just want them to go out be safe and have fun (Saturday) as a team,” Graham said. “I want them to enjoy this. It has been very tense around here. I have been on them hard. They earned that the old fashion way.”

WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Huntsville Havoc vs. Ice Flyers
WHEN: Friday (Jan. 19), 7:05 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center

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