“B” Grade Might Not Save Carver/Century; Paul Still To Recommend Closure
July 15, 2008
Improving from an “F” school to a “B” school is not likely to save Carver/Century K-8 School.
Escambia School Superintendent Jim Paul is still expected to recommend the closure of the school for the 2009-2010 school year, but that recommendation is now expected to come at the school board’s August 19 meeting rather than today’s meeting.
“His tentative plan is to bring the recommendation to the August 19 board meeting,” Associate Superintendent Ronnie Arnold told NorthEscambia.com.
“He was very happy for the Carver/Century community for the ‘B’ the school received,” Arnold said of Carver/Century’s school grade announced this week by the Florida Department of Education. “The grade itself does not have a bearing on any potential closure recommendation.”
Arnold pointed out that Paul recommended the closure of Pensacola Beach Elementary School in 2001 despite of the school’s grade. In the 1999-2000 school year, Pensacola Beach Elementary was ranked as an “A” school with 100 percent of students scoring at grade level or above on both the reading and math FCAT. In Pensacola Beach Elementary’s last year, 2000-2001, the school had slipped from an “A” to a “B” rating.
“He recommended the closure of Pensacola Beach Elementary in 2001 for many of the same reasons he would recommend the closure of Carver,” Arnold said of Paul’s recommendation. “Simply stated, the cost-per-student to operate schools of such small population.”
Numbers NorthEscambia.com obtained in May from the Escambia County School District indicate that of the 314 elementary age children in the Carver/Century attendance zone, only 126 actually attended the school. Almost 40 percent of them, 121 in all, attended Byrneville Elementary School, a public charter school.
Another 48 attended Bratt Elementary School, and 11 attended Molino Park. There were three at Jim Allen Elementary School, three at Ensley Elementary School, one at N.B. Cook Elementary and one at Warrington Elementary School.
On the middle school side of Carver/Century, about 56 percent of the students that live in the Carver/Century district attended the school last year. The school district reports that of the 159 middle school students in the zone, 89 did attend Carver/Century. Another 68 went to Ernest Ward Middle School and two attended Ransom Middle School.
These numbers do not account for students that may live in theCarver/Century school zone that were home schooled, attended a private or church school, may have attended school across the state line in Alabama, or that may have attended school in Santa Rosa County.
Trial Delayed For Molino Man Accused In Young Daughter’s Death
July 15, 2008
Trial has been postponed for a Molino man accused of killing his infant daughter.
Christopher Paterson, 28, was scheduled to stand trial Monday for the death of his one year old daughter Ali Jean Paterson.
But Assistant Public Defender Fred Carmody requested that the trial be postponed so an expert witness could prepare for the trial. The continuance request was granted by Circuit Judge Michael Allen.
The trial is now set to begin with jury selection on July 28 according to court officials. The trial had previously been set to begin on May 12, but was postponed after the defense announced a new witness in the case.
The girl died on November 26, 2006, from burns she received two weeks earlier when she was left unattended in a hot bath, according to authorities. Paterson told deputies he placed the child in shower that just felt warm and went to another room to get a towel. He said that when he returned, Ali was screaming, and there was steam rising from the shower. He then called 911 after noticing red sores on the child.
Ali survived at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham for two weeks before she died.
This was not Paterson’s first involvement with authorities over Ali. The Department of Children and Families investigated a broken leg she suffered in May 2006. Paterson and Brittany Knapp, Ali’s mother, took Ali to the hospital with a broken leg. They said her leg was broken when it became trapped in a slot in her crib. DCF did not find that the incident was abuse at that time.
Paterson was indicted by a grand jury on second degree manslaughter charges in February of 2007. He was arrested on May 1, 2007, near Gainesville. He has remained in jail since his arrest.
A Bumper Crop Of Figs
July 15, 2008
Many area backyard fig growers are reporting a bumper crop this year across North Escambia.
In the Walnut Hill fig tree pictured above, there was an extra surprise…a bird’s nest about five feet off the ground with three blue speckled eggs inside.
The National Fig Council says:
“Figs, a recognized powerhouse of nutrition, have provided sustenance for as long as there has been dietary history. As early as 2900 BC, in early Sumerian times, the medicinal use of figs was stressed. Known for their fiber content, figs also contain more calcium, more potassium, and more iron than other common fruits. Fresh figs also contain important antioxidants.
“Fresh figs have long been the darling among discerning chefs, who have used the elegant specialty in a broad spectrum of culinary treasures including appetizers, sauces, salads, entrees and dessert.”
But around North Escambia, perhaps nothing beats a hot buttered biscuit with fresh fig preserves.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Drew’s Field Comes Closer To Becoming A Reality
July 14, 2008
The dream of Drew’s Field is moving toward becoming reality. And that could not make Cyndi Marlow happier.
Two year old Drew Marlow and his dad Danny Marlow died January 28 in an accident on Highway 97. A short time later, the Northwest Escambia Little League voted to name a new t-ball field at the back of Bradberry Park “Drew’s Field” in honor of Drew’s dream to play ball.
Cyndi told NorthEscambia.com that funding for the park remains an issue, but she got some good news last week. A Cantonment contractor has agreed to take over the entire construction process — from pulling permits to erosion control studies to the actual hands-on labor to build in the park — for free.
That contractor is also talking to a major area corporation about funding for items still needed for the park like a fence and sod.
In the meantime, Cyndi has picked out the monument that will stand at Drew’s Field. It’s a little over five feet tall. The top reads “Welcome to Drew’s Field” and the bottom features a quote from Danny. “Always let your Light shine,” it says. That’s what Danny would always tell players after ballgames that he coached.
The middle of the monument features a little boy and man walking hand in hand toward the sunset with baseball caps and a bat. The back of the boy’s jersey says “Drew” and has the number “3″ and the man’s jersey says “Drew’s Dad” and has the number “3″ too.
Drew and Danny spent hours playing with a blue and orange Florida Gators bat. Dreaming of that big t-ball opening day they both just knew would come when that little boy with a big number “3” on his jersey stepped to the plate.
Danny had it all planned out, down to the jersey number. Drew was Cyndi and Danny’s “miracle baby”…he was their third attempt at in vitro conception.
“We were just so excited. But then we went to the doctor. They rate the chances of the embryo surviving on a scale of one to five. A four or below has a small chance of surviving.”
“The doctor rated the embryo as a three that was Drew. A three out of five. We knew it was all in God’s hands.”
And God blessed the Marlows with a healthy sandy blonde baby boy they named Drew.
“That’s where the jersey number ‘3’ came from. Danny always said ‘could you imagine if he was a five’,” Cyndi said. “He always wanted Drew to wear ‘3’ in his first t-ball game.”
“We were going to go play t-ball,” Cyndi said. “That’s all Drew talked about. “
Drew will never get to play on his field at Bradberry Park. But Cyndi hopes that it will be ready to dedicate on next year’s opening day. “And we are hoping to have a team in the league called ‘Drew’s Dream Team’,” she said.
Additional funding is still needed to make Drew’s Field a reality. If you would like to help build Drew’s Field, donations can be made at any Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties in Florida or at the Atmore, Alabama, branch to the “Drew’s Field” account.
To read our story from April about Drew’s Field, click here.
Pictured top: Drew Marlow’s Florida Gator bat on first base at what will become Drew’s Field. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge. Pictured middle: An artist’s drawing of the memorial to be placed at Drew’s Field. Pictured bottom: Drew Marlow, submitted photo.
Nominations Sought For Florida Agricultural Hall Of Fame
July 14, 2008
Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson has announced that nominations are now being accepted for candidates to the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2009. The deadline for submitting nominations is September 1 of this year.
“The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame was created to honor Florida’s agricultural pioneers and leaders,” Bronson said. “I hope everyone will take a moment to consider who should be nominated this year for the highest honor bestowed by the agricultural community.”
Previous inductees have come from all walks of life: agricultural teachers, researchers, farmers, ranchers and government leaders. Their lives and achievements are commemorated in a display on permanent exhibit in the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation building at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. A total of 124 people have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since 1980.
Anyone can submit a nomination on behalf of a candidate for the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame. However, all nomination forms must be completed as specified in the instructions.
The nominees, chosen by an independent panel of judges, will be announced later this year. The induction ceremony will take place February 9, 2009, during the 31st annual Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame banquet and awards ceremony at the Florida State Fair.
Nomination forms may be requested by calling (813) 628-4551, or by writing: Chairman, Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation, 4508 Oak Fair Boulevard, Suite 290, Tampa, Florida 33610. The fax number for nomination forms is (813) 620-4008. Nomination forms are also available on the web at www.flaghalloffame.com.
Last Chance To Take Our Survey
July 14, 2008
Time is almost up for you to let your thoughts be known about NorthEscambia.com and the services we offer to you. If you have not yet taken our online survey, we ask that you do so today.
We ask that you take about two minutes and take our online survey. We will ask a few questions about what you like and don’t like about NorthEscambia.com, and we will ask for your help in choosing new features we might at to the site.
If you have already taken the survey, we thank you. If not, please take a moment to let your voice be heard.
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Gulf Power Wants 11 Percent Rate Increase
July 13, 2008
If you are a Gulf Power customer, your bill could be on the way up very soon.
Citing double-digit increases in the price of natural gas and coal, Gulf Power Company is asking the Florida Public Service Commission to approve an increase in electricity prices to cover a $76 million shortfall in 2008 revenues.
Gulf Power is the electric utility in the area of North Escambia from Century south through Molino and continuing south into Pensacola. Areas such as Bratt, Oak Grove, Walnut Hill and Davisville west to Alabama area served by Escambia River Electric Cooperative.
If the request is approved, residential customers will see an increase of 11.3 percent, raising the cost of 1,000 kilowatt hours from $102.22 to $113.76.
Gulf Power makes no profit on the cost of fuel. Customers are billed only what Gulf Power pays for the fuels used to make electricity.
To lessen the impact on customers, Gulf Power is asking the FPSC to spread the increase out until the end of 2009, rather than collecting all of the shortfall in 2008 – the normal annual recovery period. If approved by the FPSC the increase would go into effect September 1.
“The increase in the cost of fuel that we are experiencing is unprecedented,” said Gulf Power’s General Manager of Public Affairs John Hutchinson. “We don’t like increasing our prices especially at this difficult time. But just like the rising cost of gasoline, the cost of the fuels we use continues to climb. By spreading the shortfall out over a longer period of time we hope to lessen the impact as much as possible.”
The average price of coal, which fuels more than 80 percent of Gulf Power’s electricity generation, has risen 30 percent in the last year while average natural gas prices have jumped 47 percent since 2007.
Gulf Power is the third major utility in Florida seeking a mid-year fuel adjustment, with Florida Power and Light and Progress Energy seeking increases earlier this month. Normally, the FPSC adjusts electricity prices each January for fuel price fluctuations. But coal and natural gas prices have risen so rapidly in 2008, utilities are being forced to ask for mid-year adjustments.
If the FPSC approves all the requests, Gulf Power will continue to have the lowest rates among all the major utilities in the state.
Electric utility customers pay only the actual fuel costs that the company incurs. When fuel prices go up, the additional costs are passed through to customers. And when fuel prices go down, the savings are passed through to customers. Fuel costs have a major impact on electricity bills, accounting for almost 50 percent of the total bill.
To help customers, Gulf Power offers free energy checkups to identify energy efficiency measures to save homeowners and businesses money on their electricity bills. The company also offers rebates on Geothermal heating and cooling systems which save up to 40 percent on heating and cooling costs, as well as innovative rates and residential energy management systems to help customers lower their bills. And, the company offers a number of payment options and programs to help customers smooth out payments during high-bill months. Plan details and energy-saving tips are available at www.gulfpower.com.
Hacker Hits Escambia Tax Collector Site
July 13, 2008
The Escambia tax collector’s web site was defaced by a hacker on Saturday, and now the site is down.
The text on the site and all of the links were replaced by the text “hacked by mOsted (Turkish) No War”. The statement appeared repeatedly on the site.
By late Saturday afternoon, the tax collector’s office had taken the site offline, making local tax information unavailable to the public.
According to an internet seach, such hacks are typically random in nature where the hacker used an automated process to look for vunerabilities with the code that makes up a web site.
The tax collector’s web site is hosted by Escambia County on the same group of servers that serve other county web sites.
Computer hacking can be a felony under Florida law, but most hacks such as this one originate in a foreign country.
Video: The Century Drug Raids
July 12, 2008
Ten people were arrested in early Friday morning drug raids at four locations across Century.
Century Mayor Freddie McCall and Escambia Sheriff Ron McNesby held a joint news conference Friday morning. The video below includes portions of that press conference and video from the actual pre-dawn raids.
Click the video to play.
Major Drug Sweep Conducted Early Friday In Century; ECSO Releases Names, Details
July 11, 2008
A major drug sweep took place early Friday morning in the Century area as officers fanned out across the city conducting raids and searches.
Ten people were arrested in the sting, according to Escambia County Sheriff Ron McNesby, with five or six more arrests expected to result from the month long investigation. Most of the arrests involved hydrocodone, also known by the brand name Lortab.
Those arrested and their charges were:
- Billy G. Griffis, 51, McCall Road. Charged with selling hydrocodone, selling hydrocodone with 1,000 feet of a place of worship, possession of hydrocodone with 1,000 feet of a place of worship with an intent to distribute, trafficking in hydrocodone over four grams. His bond was set at $70,000.
- Jeffery L. Sanders, 24, West Highway 4. He was charged with selling cocaine. His bond was set at $10,000.
- Brain K. Sanders, 21, Highway 31, Flomaton. He was charged with selling cocaine and possession of cocaine. His bond was set at $20,000.
- Anna M. Elliot, 26, Ramar Street. She was charged with selling cocaine, cocaine possession with the intent to distribute, possession of marijuana under 20 grams. Bond was set at $26,000.
- Willie C. Banks, 25, Old Flomaton Road. He was charged with selling cocaine, cocaine possession with the intent to sell, selling of hydrocodone, possession of hydrocodone with intent to sell. Bond was set at $35,000.
- Terrance M Malone, 21, Jefferson Avenue. Selling of cocaine, sell of MDMA (“Ecstasy”), selling of marijuana, possession of MDMA with intent to distribute, selling of MDMA. Bond was set at $45,000.
- Dewayne Carter, 35, Lake Street. Selling of cocaine, possession of cocaine. Bond was set at $5,000.
- Helen M. Isabel, 18, Hudson Hill Road. Selling of hydrocodone. Bond set at $5,000.
- Gregory Williams, 32, Old Flomaton Road. Possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond set at $500.
- Rebecca Warrick, 23 of Old Flomaton Road. Possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond set at $500.
For photographs of each suspect, click here.
The sheriff said he expects five or six more arrests as a result of the month long investigation.
Search warrants were executed at 153 East Pond Street; 120 East Pond Street; 9451 Old Flomaton Road, Lot 3; and 101 McCall Road.
NorthEscambia.com was at the raid on McCall Street. At least seven people sat outside in handcuffs as officers searched a travel trailer and mobile home during the early morning hours. Two of those being held outside during the searches, a male and a female, were taken into custody and transported to the Escambia County Jail.
“I didn’t do nothing,” the woman told deputies. “What y’all got me here for? You think I sold crack or something? Marijuana? I didn’t do no nothing.”
“You have a warrant for your arrest, ma’am,” an officer told her. “You sold drugs to an undercover officer.”
“I ain’t sold no drugs to nobody,” she replied.
The arrests and searches, which began after midnight, were mostly over by about 4:00 Friday morning.
Click here for more photos from the drug raids early this morning.
Click here for mug shots of each suspect.
Pictured above: Billy G. Griffis, 51, is taken into custody before being transported to the Escambia County Jail about 3:30 Frudat morning on McCall Road. Pictured below: One of the raids was conducted at this mobile home and travel trailer on McCall Road near the intersection of Hudson Hill Road. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
