Town Of Century Issues Proclamation Honoring Northview Chiefs Football
January 18, 2023
The Town of Century issued a proclamation Tuesday night honoring the Northview Chiefs football team and their season that ended in the FHSAA 1-Rural state title game.
“Thank you all for representing, not only the town, but our local communities as well,” Mayor Ben Boutwell said.
Northview finished an astounding 2022 season, the best in school history, at 13-1. In the state championship game December 10 in Tallahassee, the Chiefs fell to Hawthorne.
Pictured: Century Mayor Ben Boutwell presents a proclamation Tuesday night recognizing the Northview Chiefs to head coach Wes Summerford and assistant coach Jace Gandy. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Crash Claims One Life Of Motorcyclist On Highway 95A In Molino
January 17, 2023
The Florida Highway Patrol said a 60-year old Nallen, West Virginia motorcyclist died the the crash.
Troopers said he was southbound on Highway 95A approaching Cedartown Road behind a car driven by a 73-year old Molino woman. She began to slow to turn onto Cedartown Road, and the motorcyclist attempted to pass her. The front of the motorcycle struck the left rear of the car, causing the motorcycle to overturn into the northbound lane. The motorcycle and its rider were then hit by a pickup truck driven by a 56-year old Cantonment man.
The motorcyclist was pronounced deceased at the scene. The other two drivers received minor injuries.
No names were released.
Escambia County EMS, the Cantonment and Molino stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Woman Charged With $19K In Public Assistance Fraud
January 17, 2023
A Cantonment woman is facing felony charges for alleged public assistance fraud.
Jessica Lee Showalter, 35, was charged with two counts of welfare fraud.
Between August 21, 2017, and March 31, 2022, Showalter falsely represented permanent household members, wrongly collecting $14,592 worth of food stamps and $4,427.62 in Medicaid benefits, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
She was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
Funeral Services Set For Local Pearl Harbor Survivor Frank Emond, 104
January 17, 2023
Funeral services have been set for local Pearl Harbor survivor Frank Emond who passed away January 10 at age 104.
A visitation and reception will be held Friday, January 20 from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at Oak Lawn Funeral Home on New Warrington Road, followed by a funeral service from 1:30 p.m. until 2:45 p.m. A graveside service will follow at 3 p.m. at Barrancas National Cemetery.
Originally from Rhode Island, Emond enlisted in the Navy in 1938 as a musician. He played the French horn for the ship’s band and even got to perform at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York before he was assigned to the USS Emond, CWO4 USN (RET.), spent his naval career as a musician and band director. He was on the stern of the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) getting ready to play morning “Colors” on his French horn when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Emond then walked to the conductor’s stand, picked up the baton and proceeded to direct the band in “Stars and Stripes”.
After seven years of playing horn, he became a Navy bandleader, retiring in 1968.
He remained a music man; sometimes leading the music at Gonzalez Methodist and performing with the Pensacola Civic Band.
Last May, Emond broke his own world record when he led the Pensacola Civic Band in the seventh annual Pensacola Memorial Day Concert at the Community Maritime Park amphitheater.
He held the Guinness World Record as “World’s Oldest Conductor” for leading the U.S. Air Force Band’s Airmen of Note in Glenn Miller’s iconic “In the Mood” at the American Veteran Center’s “America Valor: A Salute to our Heroes”. He set the previous record at age 103 last November in Washington, D.C.
Donna McMillan Named Northview High School Teacher Of The Year
January 17, 2023
Donna McMillan was named the Northview High School Teacher of the Year.
McMillan has taught for eight years, including four years as a reading teacher at Northview. She also coached basketball for three years.
NorthEscambia.com spotlighting Teachers of the Year from the North Escambia area. The county’s overall teacher of the year will be named in late January.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Gas Price Averages $3.08 Per Gallon
January 17, 2023
Florida gas prices declined 6 cents per gallon, during the past week. On Monday, the state average was $3.26 per gallon.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $3.08. A North Escambia low of $3.04 was available Monday night on Muscogee Road in Cantonment, while Pensacola prices bottomed out a $2.87 at a Nine Mile Rod station.
Fuel prices have ping ponged in the first two weeks of 2023. The year began at $3.24 per gallon, which is currently this year’s low. The state average then jumped to $3.31 on the 5th, before eventually setting back to $3.26/g during the weekend.
Northview’s Olivia Doyle Selected For Florida All State Honors Band
January 17, 2023
Olivia Doyle, a freshman member of the Northview High School Tribal Beat Band, was selected to perform with the Florida All State Honors Band at the Florida Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference in Tampa this past weekend.
RELATED: Tate Showband’s Olivia Morehouse Performing With Florida All State Honors Band
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Graduation Rate Falls While State Increases
January 16, 2023
Graduation rates in Escambia County have fallen, while rising across the state, according to newly released data from the Florida Department of Education.
Late Friday afternoon, DOE announced that Florida’s 2021-22 high school graduation rate was 87.3%, an increase of 0.4 percentage points over the 2018-19 pre-pandemic school year.
Escambia County’s 2021-22 high school graduation rate was 78.4%, a decrease of 6.4% points compared to the 2018-19 pre-pandemic school year, and down from 87% from 2020-21.
‘”Comparing 2018-2019 to 2021-2022 represents a true ‘apples to apples’ comparison, as the 2018-19 school year was the last year prior to 2021-22 that Florida’s statewide, standardized assessment requirements for graduation were in place without exemption waivers,” DOE noted.
In Escambia County, West Florida High had the highest graduation rate for 2021-22 at 98%, followed by Northview High at 86% and Tate High at 85.9%.
Here are the 2021-22 for high schools in Escambia County:
- West Florida High — 98 %
- Northview High — 86 %
- Tate High — 85.9 %
- Escambia Westgate — 85.7 %
- Washington High — 80.3 %
- Pensacola High — 79.2 %
- Pine Forest High — 76.6 %
- Escambia High — 72.8 %
- Success Academy — 61.5 %
Pictured: Northview High School Class of 2022 Valedictorian Hunter Borelli addresses his fellow graduates. Northview had the second highest graduation rate in Escambia County at 86% in 2022. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Lipscomb Elementary’s Teacher Of The Year Is Holly Griffin
January 16, 2023
Holly Griffin is the Lipscomb Elementary School Teacher of the Year. She is a fifth grade teacher.
NorthEscambia.com spotlighting Teachers of the Year from the North Escambia area. The county’s overall teacher of the year will be named in late January.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Woman Dies After Medical Episode, Crashing Into Tree, FHP Says
January 16, 2023
A 65-year old Escambia County woman is dead after crashing into a pole Sunday, and troopers say she may have experienced a medical problem prior to the crash.
It happened about 10:30 a.m. at the Admiral Mobile Home Park on Lillian Highway.
“It is believed the 65-year-old female driver of a Kia Forte, from Pensacola, suffered a medical episode prior to crashing her vehicle into a pole, resulting in minor damage,” the Florida Highway Patrol said. “The driver was transported to an area hospital where she was pronounced deceased.”
The investigation is continuing.