‘Golden Cow Dung Award’ Presented To Ernest Ward Principal
February 28, 2009
Ernest Ward Middle School Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry received what was, without a doubt, the most unique award of her entire educational career Friday afternoon.
She was presented with the “Golden Cow Dung Award” by members of the Ernest Ward FFA. The award featured a large piece of cow dung, painted a golden color.
(Cow dung, in case you did not know, is what you are probably thinking it is. It’s that natural byproduct that cows drop in the field.)
Perry received the award from the school’s FFA members as a “thank you” for supporting FFA.
Friday wrapped up National FFA Week at Ernest Ward. “Step Up, Stand Out” was the theme of National FFA Week this year as more than half a million members around the nation participated in National FFA Week activities at the local and state levels.
EWMS FFA sponsor Cynthia Wilson said the group wanted to thank Perry for her continued support of the organization. She also said she wanted to thank the area farmers and other member of the agricultural community that support the FFA.
Pictured top are(L-R) Clarissa Ross, Shelby Lewis, Codie Calloway, Dustin Parker, Devin Bell, Nancy Gindl-Perry, Cynthia Wilson, Lauryn Walker, Sandy Rainwater and Harley Caraway. All were dressed for “Farm Day” at EWMS. Pictured left: Ernest Ward Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry and her Golden Cow Dung Award. Pictured below: The Golden Cow Dung Award. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photo Album: Flomaton Beats Escambia County High
February 28, 2009
The Flomaton Hurricanes pickup up another win in the Escambia County Tournament Friday afternoon beating Escambia County High School.
It took 10 innings, but the ‘Canes beat the Blue Devils. Tyler Coleman and Keegan Lambeth each had a home run for Flomaton.
In Thursday night action, the Hurricanes beat the T.R. Miller Tigers 9-7.
Click here for more photos from Mike Newton Photography.
Pictured above: Action as Flomaton beat Atmore Friday afternoon. Submitted photo by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ruritan Farm Equipment Auction Saturday
February 28, 2009
The Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Farm Equipment Auction will be held Saturday, and auction items are being accepted today.
The auction will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
The auction includes not only farm equipment, but household items, household items like tools and small equipment, lawn and garden items and more. Sellers can register their items on Thursday or Friday, or prior to the start of the sale on on Saturday morning. Buyers can register prior to 9:30 on Saturday morning.
Concession will be available all day from the Ruritan Club.
Last year, over 200 buyers registered for the annual sale.
For more information, call 327-4479 or 327-4318.
The sale will be located at the Walnut Hill Community Center on Highway 97.
Highway 97 Accident Injures Two
February 28, 2009
Two people were injured in a two vehicle accident in front of the Piggly Wiggly on Highway 97 Friday night.
One southbound pickup rear ended a pickup stopped in the southbound lane to turn into the Davisville shopping center. The pickup that was stopped was spun around in Highway 97.
The other pickup ended up in a buggy corral in the shopping center parking lot. It was not clear at the scene if the driver of the truck drove or just rolled across the parking lot before hitting the buggy corral.
Two people, one from each vehicle, were transported by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries.
The accident happened just before 6:30.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire-Rescue responded to the call, along with Atmore Ambulance, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the call.
The accident is still under investigation by the FHP.
Pictured top and inset: The driver of this pickup continued into the Piggly Wiggly parking lot in Davisville after rear-ending another pickup on Highway 97 Friday night. Pictured below: The pickup that rear-ended sits along Highway 97. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Track Loader Goes Up In Flames
February 28, 2009
Fire destroyed a piece of heavy equipment near Greenland Road in Davisville Friday morning.
The compact track loader was a total loss.
The fire was reported about 10:30 Friday morning. The track loader was located in a wooded area off Greenland Road, just east of Highway 97. There were no injuries.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire-Rescue responded to the call.
Pictured above: Fire destroyed a compact track loader in Davisville Friday morning. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photo, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Man Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Dog Fighting
February 28, 2009
A Flomaton man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of dog fighting and one count of cruelty to a dog.
Dale Lynn Carnley of Flomaton received the sentence Thursday.
Carnley’s probation from a previous charge of attempting to possess a controlled substance was also revoked, resulting in the return to prison to serve the remaining 14 years of that 15 year sentence.
On March 18, 2008, Carnley admitted to fighting his dog, Batman, against another dog in Santa Rosa County on March 17th and then placing the dog, severely wounded and bleeding, in a dogbox and returning to Flomaton where he left the dog in the box overnight with no medical treatment.
Carnley then attempted to sell Batman by showing his wounds and relating the details of the fight to undercover police officers. A total of six dogs were seized from the property along with various dog fighting paraphernalia.
Elizabeth Carnley, Dale Carnley’s wife, has also been indicted under charges of dog fighting and cruelty to a dog. She is awaiting trial.
“We will not tolerate the torture and death of innocent animals. The prosecution of these types of crimes against animals is both difficult and costly, nevertheless, we are committed, with the constant and unwavering support of our local law enforcement here in Escambia County, Alabama, to doing all that we can to catch and punish dog fighters.” said Renee Jones, Director of the Humane Society of Escambia County, Ala.
Five people were arrested for dog fighting in Escambia County, Ala., in 2008 with three arrests in Santa Rosa County and four arrests in Autagua County, Ala. as a result of investigations that begain in Escambia County, Ala. Those investigations are continuing.
Pictured top: “Batman”, the dog involved in a dogfight that led to a Flomaton man receiving 15 years in prison. Pictured inset: Dale Lynn Carnley was sentenced to prison Thursday. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Canes Beat Miller In County Tourney
February 27, 2009
The Flomaton Hurricane beat T.R. Miller in the County Tournament last night in Flomaton.
The ‘Canes beat the Tigers 9-7.
The games resume at 1:00 today with Flomaton playing Escambia County High School. The tournament was scheduled to end Saturday, but it was moved up to Friday due to the chance of rain on Saturday.
Click here for more photos from Mike Newton Photography.
Pictured above: Action as Flomaton beat T.R. Miller Thursday night. Submitted photo by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Won’t Get Electric Car Plan Or 1,100 Jobs; County Leaders Not Happy
February 27, 2009
Plans for the LHS EV electric vehicle manufacturing plant to be located in Century appear to be dead, and some county leaders are not happy.
The State of Florida has rejected a $2.5 million grant application from their Renewable Energy and Energy-Efficiency Technologies program. As a result, LHS EV no longer has plans to locate the plant in Century.
“Once again Northwest Florida gets slammed when it came to state grant money,” Larry Newsom, who filed the grant application on behalf of the county, said. “All of the projects we submit are viable, but they are not looked at fair and equitable. Tallahassee does not look west.”
Nash Patel, one of the co-owners of LHS EV says without the state grant, Century and Escambia County are no longer in the company’s future.
“There are no other plans to locate in this area,” Patel said. “The project is still viable, and we will look at other areas that have expressed an interest in Florida and Alabama.”
“This will probably hurt Century worse than anybody right now, especially in these economic times,” Kevin White, District 5 Escambia County commissioner, said. “It’s sad that once again an opportunity for jobs has vanished again in Escambia County.”
LHS EV had promised about 200 jobs would have come with the plant to Century, and they said total employment could reach as high as 1,100.
“We will continue with this project and those jobs,” Patel said. “But it will not be in Escambia County.”
Escambia County helped LHS EV apply for the $2.5 million grant, and the county passed a resolution offering $39,000 in tax incentives to the company.
“We are going to continue to look at other options,” Newsom said. “But I can’t speak for what the Patels will do.”
Escambia County has requested $20 million in federal stimulus money for a green infrastructure project. If awarded, the grant might could help the Patels, Newsom said, or it could go toward other renewable energy program or a project like making buildings more energy efficient. The grant is not tied to LHS.
Patel said that LHS EV needed the $2.5 million to get $34 million in financing for Project Green Leaf. Nash and his brother Jay Patel said they had the $34 million secured in a line of credit, but they refused many media requests to name the bank that would provide the financing.
“The Patels’ concern was how money they would have to put up on the front end,” Newsom said. “The $2.5 million would have got the plant built, put people to work and got the ball rolling. They would have generated revenue before they had to put up their own money. I thought it was a very smart strategy; they would have been looking at only about a year to get a return on their investment.”
After the grant application, NorthEscambia.com reported that the Patel’s motel companies owed thousands of dollars in state taxes, as well as Escambia County touristdevelopment taxes. Liens were also filed against their companies for unpaid ECUA utility bills.
Newsom said he did not believe the tax liens had any impact on the state’s decision.
“If they took it into consideration, I don’t know anything about. There was nothing on the application that would have implied anything about it,” he said.
Century Mayor and Chamber of Commerce Director Freddie McCall was not available for comment Thursday afternoon. He was out of the office for medical reasons.
Amazing Photo Catches Northview Softball Player’s Leg Being Broken
February 27, 2009
An amazing photograph shows the moment Northview softball player Amber McMillan’s leg was broken in tournament game against Enterprise High School in Dothan, Alabama.
“She loved it,” mom Donna McMillan said of Amber’s reaction to the photo. “She’s got the ball, signed by all of the players, the pants that had to be cut off of her and the photo that she plans to frame and put in her room.”
Amber, 16, is improving, Donna said. She’s not in a cast…she has a metal rod in her leg, and she’s on crutches. She’s expected to be healed in about six to eight weeks.
Amber will visit the Andrew’s Institute in Gulf Breeze Monday afternoon to find out more about her treatment and when she will be able to head back to school.
“She plans to play in the district tournament,” Donna said. But Amber’s mom and her dad Mac don’t agree with that optimistic outlook.
Amber has always been active in sports, playing softball since she was four-years old. She’s participated in softball, volleyball, cheerleading, track, basketball and golf. And the broken leg was her first ever injury.
After the accident, no one was sure exactly how Amber’s leg was broken — until they saw the photo.
As for the play itself…the photo shows Amber catching the ball as her leg was broken. She held on to the ball and got the out.
Pictured above: Northview softball player Amber McMillan’s left leg is broken in tournament game in Dothan. Submitted photo by Scott Harris, www.scottharrisphotos.com for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Mailing Letter To Parents
February 27, 2009
Ernest Ward Middle School is mailing a letter to every parent or guardian with a few tips to help students do their best of the FCAT.
The school placed Connect-Ed call to parents Thursday night letting them know that the letter is on the way. The letters will be mailed on Friday and should arrive in mailboxes Saturday or Monday.
The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test will be take place March 10 and 11.
To read a copy of the letter than parents will receive in the mail, click here (pdf).