Chelsea Sims Crowned Miss Northview High School
January 20, 2008
Miss Chelsea Sims, a junior, was crowned Miss Northview High School Saturday night. First Runner Up was junior Amber Holland, and Second Runner Up was junior Summer Sanders. Other members of the top five were freshman Katie Mann and junior Shakeria White.
This year’s Miss Congeniality award went to Ashley Snow. Miss Hospitality was awarded to Tiffany Barrows. Amber Holland was named Miss Physical Fitness an, Ashely McGhee was named Miss Poise and Appearance.
To view a complete photo gallery with over 100 photos from Saturday night’s pageant, click here.
NorthEscambia.com followed the contestants in the Miss NHS pageant beginning back in December for a five part series “the road to the crown”. You can view that series by clicking here. Click play below for an exclusive NorthEscambia.com video from the pageant.
Chelsea is the seventeen year old daughter of Darryl and Ellen Sims. She has been an Atmore Rotary Club Academic All-Star for two years and a member of the Beta Club for one year. As a freshman and sophomore, she was a majorette for the Tribal Beat Marching band, and served as captain her sophomore year. Chelsea is currently on the Varsity Cheerleading team and was the recipient of the prestigious 2007-2008 Spirit Award. She was elected as treasurer of the Junior Class and was also selected by her classmates as the Homecoming Maid both her freshman and sophomore years.Chelsea has been a member of the Student Government Association for one year and currently serves as the Secretary. In the 2007 Miss NHS pageant, Chelsea was chosen by the other contestants as Miss Congeniality. She was also selected by the judges as one of the Top Ten Contestants. She has been a member of Heather Leonard’s Dance-works for 15 years. In that time, Chelsea transitioned from dancing to teaching, and has been an assistant dance teacher there for four years. She is also a member of Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church. Her Hobbies include dancing, cheering, playing the piano, twirling, and waterskiing. Her future plans are to attend a four year University and become a Pharmacist.Amber is the sixteen year old daughter of David Holland and Marcie Andrews. As a freshman, Amber was a Junior Varsity cheerleader and on the Junior Varsity Softball team. She also received an academic award in her reading class. She has been a Varsity cheerleader for two years and currently serves as the Co-Captain of the squad. She was also the recipient of the 2007-2008 Best All-Around Cheerleader Award.Amber has been a member of the Interact club for one year, the Future Business Leaders of America for one year, and a member of the Student Government Association for one year, where she serves as the Parliamentarian. She was also chosen as one of the top ten contestants in Miss NHS 2007. She has done volunteer work for Hospice, some of which included making cards for the patients. She has volunteered to help with Relay for Life and walked six miles for the cause. Her hobbies include dancing; especially hip hop, cheering, singing, and spending time with loved ones. Her future plans are to attend the University of Alabama, where she will obtain her degree and then go on to pursue a career in the medical field.Summer is the sixteen year old daughter of Johnny and Stephanie Victor. She has been a member of the Student Government Association for one year and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for one year, where she currently serves as the drama leader. She was also elected Vice-President of the sophomore class. As a freshman, Summer was a Junior Varsity cheerleader. She has been a Varsity cheerleader for two years and is the Co-Captain of the squad this year.
Summer was a member of the track team for two years and has been a member of the weight-lifting and cross country team for one year. Summer is also a graduate of the Barbizon Modeling Agency. She is an active member at the McCullough Christian Center and participates on the drama team and the dance team. Her hobbies include sign language, running, cheering, dancing, and spending time with family and friends. Her future plans are to attend Jefferson Davis Community College, where she will obtain her degree and pursue a career as a Registered Nurse.
The Miss Northview High School Pageant was sponsored by the Northview Cheerleaders under the direction of Anna Barry.
Carver Century Holds Vocabulary Word Parade
January 19, 2008
The students at Carver Century Elementary School paraded as some of their favorite vocabulary words Friday, all in continued preparation for the FCAT and school improvement.
The Pre-K to grade 8 school was a Florida grade “F” school last year, but the teachers and staff have set out under the leadership of Principal Jeff Garthwaite to change that this year.
Part of their plan is to make learning fun, and that’s exactly what they did Friday with their vocabulary word parade. Children and teachers alike dressed as, or otherwise represented some of their top vocabulary words.
“A pig is an animal that says ‘oink, oink’,” said one Pre-K student. “Corn is a vegetable that grows on a farm,” said another. “A rooster is a chicken that says ‘cock-a-doodle-dooooo’,” another said.
The vocabulary words continued with Mr. Reeves dressed as a “zookeeper, that takes care of wild and tame animals”. There were special appearances by “purple”, “yellow” and “red”.
One little fellow named William had the word money. “My name is William, give me the money!” he said to the delight of the other students.
Compound words were popular. Birthday, basketball, dragonfly, popcorn, cupcake, football, handbag, hairbrush, grasshopper and ladybug were among the favorite compound words.
One person, perhaps a teacher or staff member, was “incognito” and remained unidentified (pictured above).
Principal Garthwaite’s word? “Motivate”…the entire reason for Friday’s vocabulary parade at Carver Century.
School Board Quiet On Paul’s DUI
January 19, 2008
The Escambia County School Board was quiet about Superintendent Jim Paul’s DUI arrest at workshop meeting Friday. It was the board’s first meeting since the arrest just over a week ago in Pinellas County, Florida.
The board conducted regular business…discussing holding a workshop for public input into the new school calendar for 2008-2009, and discussing a new location rather than the expensive Pensacola Civic Center for high school graduations.
You can read complete details of Paul’s arrest, including his comments in an exclusive NorthEscambia.com interview, by clicking here.
Century Prison Visitations Returned This Weekend
January 18, 2008
Visitations were once again allowed this weekend at the Century Correctional Institution. Visitations were canceled last weekend due to case of chicken pox within the facility.
A spokesman said one person had a confirmed case of the chicken pox and there were other possible cases, prompting the cancellation last weekend as a precaution.
“We have identified several cases of chicken pox at this institution, and as a precautionary measure, visitation has been canceled for this weekend,” according to statement on the Florida Department of Corrections website last week that was attributed to Director of Health Services Patrick H. Brown, M.D.
“We do this to ensure that you and your loved ones are not exposed to any potential cases.” the statement continued. “Thank you for your understanding.”
According to the Department of Corrections website, there are 1,361 inmates currently at Century Correctional Institute. That most recent staff count was 410. It was established in 1991.
County Wants To Kill Current Volunteer Fire Departments, Create New Unified Fire Dept
January 18, 2008
Independent volunteer fire departments will be a thing of the past by October 1 if the Escambia County Commission gets its way.
“As far as I am concerned on October 1, we’ve got a whole new fire department in Escambia County,” said Commissioner Mike Whitehead.
“There will be so many stations, but they won’t be independent districts anymore. It will be an Escambia County fire system,” said Commissioner Gene Valentino. “We will still very much value and absolutely need the support of the volunteers, but it will be one system that will be a unified Escambia County fire system.”
Commissioners began their fire department discussion centered around stipend overpayments and a recent audit. That audit found volunteer firefighters were overpaid $39,500 during the six months from October 2006 to February 2007, with one third of that money going to firefighters in North Escambia. An audit conducted by the volunteer fire departments found $24,575 in overpayments county-wide.
Assistant County Administrator Willie Taylor told commissioners they basically had three choices: first, waive repayment; second, accept a lump sum repayment; or third, negotiate a repayment plan.
Regi Burkett, vice president of the Escambia County Volunteer Firefighters Association, told the commission that the $24,575 was the amount that the volunteers had agreed upon. Burkett is also chief of the Century Volunteer Fire Department.
“We stand on the twenty four five,” Burkett said. “Whatever you decide on the repayment, that’s what we’ll do, if it will end this thing here and today.”
Valentino said he believed the volunteer overpayments were neither deceitful or intentional and “pinching a department or two of 24 grand is not on my agenda today”.
“God knows we need to support them as much as we can,” Valentino said. “I’m more concerned about unified fire service. I’m more concerned about an organization chart where one guy is at the top, and if he’s not doing his job, then he’s fired. ” The organization chart should end with everyone reporting ultimately to the assistant county administrator, he said.
“An orderly response for life safety issues means more to me than the $24,000. I would be very much in favor of just waiving this issue altogether but tie it to a very important request,” he continued, asking the volunteer and paid firefighters to work “in a unified manner to help work with staff with consolidating the fire system.”
“We would very much appreciate you waiving it,” Burkett responded to the commission. “But we stand ready to make it a unified sytem either way it goes. We want to do that, but we want our concerns heard and acted on in the process.”
“We are the ones in the community out there that have been supplying this so many years, and we want to see it continue at a pace where the residents and taxpayers are going to benefit for it and not suffer from it,” Burkett also said.
Burkett told the commission that the volunteers were willing to work with the commission on unifying the fire system, but he did not see why the stipend overpayment repayment and the unified system needed to be handled together.
County Attorney Janet Lander told the commission that the county’s agreement with the volunteer fire departments in the county ends on September 30.
“I’m not going to vote to renew a contract,” Whitehead said. “We’ve talked about it for two years. It’s time to move; it’s time to make it happen.
The commission then voted 5-0 in favor of waiving the volunteer overpayments and working toward a unified county fire department as of October 1 of this year. The vote is not binding; a similar resolution must pass at a regular commission meeting.
The commission also tackled the issue of volunteer certification. In order to become a certified “Firefighter I”, a volunteer must complete 160 hours of training and take a state certification test within one year. Provisions exist to allow exemption letters for firefighters that had an equivalent amount of experience prior to the end of 2005, without requiring those firefighters to take a state test.
“There will be no new letters,” Burkett said. “Attrition will take care of the ones that are in existence.” No new firefighters are allowed under state law to obtain an exemption letter.
The Firefighter I certification is required for a volunteer to enter an “exclusion zone”. In essence, a firefighter without proper certification is not allowed to enter a burning building, the area immediately around a burning building, or certain other scenes like the danger area around a chemical spill.
The commission voted 5-0 to grandfather volunteer firefighters with an exemption letter to be paid at the Firefighter I stipend rate until September 30. Beginning October 1, firefighters with an exemption letter will be dropped to the stipend level of a “Firefighter Trainee”.
Lander said that if the resolution passes, as of October 1, “Escambia County shall not issue a stipend to any volunteer who has not at least met the state certification requirements of Firefighter I, regardless of whether the volunteer has an exemption letter.”
The volunteer firefighter training motion passed at Thursday’s Escambia County Committee of the Whole is not binding until approved a regular commission meeting. The commission has a joint meeting scheduled for Tuesday with the Pensacola City Council and a regular meeting scheduled for next Thursday at 5:30. The firefighters issues are expected to be discussed at the Thursday meeting; they do not appear on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.
Mardi Gras Parade At Century Library
January 18, 2008
It was party time Thursday afternoon at the Century Branch Library as area youngsters participated in a Mardi Gras parade around the library and the Century City Hall.
The children wore “floats” made from boxes and filled with candy. They paraded around the parking lot, tossing candy, beads and moon pies to excited onlookers while New Orleans style jazz music played.
For a complete photo gallery from the Century Library Mardi Gras parade, click here.
Northview Boys Lose In Final Four Seconds, Girls Win Against Jay Royals
January 17, 2008
Jay High School squeaked past the Northview Chief varsity boy’s team 57-56 Thursday night in Bratt. Jay’s Greg Nelson sank a running shot with just four seconds on the clock for the Royal’s win. Nelson had 25 on the board for the night.
Farrin Jackson had 21 points for the Chiefs. Nakitta Miles tossed in 16 for Northview. Other points came from: Tarus Thomas 11, James Lewis 5, Cordaryl Lowery 2.
The Northview High School girls downed the Royals 49-44 in another one that came down to almost the buzzer. The game was tied at 19 seconds until Timeka Marshall put the Chiefs out on top.
Number 20 Gabe Wesley was on fire for Northview, adding 31 to the big board during the night. Other points came from: Timeka Marshall 7, Melissa Garrett, 7, Angela Rodriquez 2 and Brittney Thompson 2.
State Suspends Allstate From Writing New Vehicle Policies
January 17, 2008
Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty has issued an Immediate Final Order suspending the Allstate Companies from writing new insurance business in Florida until the companies fully comply with the subpoenas served Oct. 16 by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. The Order applies to all new business.
The decision by the commissioner follows Tuesday’s action when he abruptly halted the scheduled two-day hearing into the Allstate Companies’ reinsurance program, their relationships with risk modeling companies, insurance rating organizations and insurance trade associations.
“In view of Allstate’s ongoing, blatant disregard of our subpoenas, I have little choice but to take an action that will send a clear message about how seriously I am taking this issue,” said Commissioner McCarty. “Suspending their certificate of authority to write new business in our state should make my point.
If Allstate is willing to pay $25,000 per day in fines to a Missouri court for its ongoing failure to provide similar documents, it’s obvious to me that it will take more than a monetary sanction to get them to comply with our subpoenas.”
Allstate was to have provided all appropriate company documents related to the above topics at or before Tuesday’s hearing, but failed to do so. Instead, the Office received 51 pages of objections to the subpoenas.
The suspension applies to all Allstate companies and it only suspends the companies from writing new business in Florida. Renewals are not affected.
Allstate must continue to service them and the companies must make all required statutory filings including, but not limited to, audited annual financial statements, quarterly financial statements and rate filings.
“The duration of the suspension is up to them,” added McCarty. “It will be lifted when I am satisfied that we have received each and every document we need to properly investigate the important issues before us.
“It continues to trouble me that Allstate has not complied with our subpoenas and is not willing to explain to us their relationships with rating agencies, modeling companies and trade groups and how these relationships might have influenced the huge rate increases they have requested. This clearly cannot be in the best interests of Florida consumers.”
This is the first time the Office has suspended a company for failure to “freely” provide documents as required by Florida law.
A copy of the subpoena is available to review.
Allstate Floridian Indemnity and Allstate Floridian Insurance Company have requested rate increases of 28.3 percent and 41.9 percent respectively. Encompass Floridian Indemnity requested a 38.4 percent increase, and Encompass Floridian Insurance Company requested a 39.7 percent increase.
Walnut Hill Water Works Fails To Meet Monitoring Requirements
January 17, 2008
The Walnut Hill Water Works failed to meet monitoring requirements for total coliform bacteria in November, according to a posted public notice.
But that does mean the water is unsafe to drink. The water company properly tested the water in December, and it was found safe to drink.
“Due to an operator oversight, the proper number of samples was not collected (in November),” the public notice says.” The proper sampling procedures have been reviewed in order to avoid monitoring and reporting violations in the future. The required samples for the next compliance period have already been collected and were absent of total coliform bacteria.”
“Total coliform bacteria are generally not harmful themselves. Coliforms are bacteria that are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially harmful, bacteria, may be present,” according to the notice.
For more information, call (850) 675-4521.
The Walnut Hill Water Works is operated by the Escambia River Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Atmore City Councilman Passes Away
January 16, 2008
Atmore City Councilman John Watkins passed away Monday evening. “Come on, Lord,” were his last words, according to a story on atmorenews.com.
Funeral services for Watkins were held at 6:00 Wednesday night at Gaines Chapel AME church in Atmore. Burial was Thursday afternoon at 1:00 at Fairview Cemetery.
Watkins, 79, had served on the Atmore City Council for 16 years.