Ransom Middle Students Celebrate Literacy With Space Station Astronauts, Chat With Future Astronaut
February 1, 2022
Ransom Middle School celebrated Literacy Week in an out of this world fashion last week.
The Escambia County School District’s theme was ” Launch into Literacy: Blast Off into New Worlds”, and Ransom students did just that.
Seventh grade students listened to astronauts on the International Space Station read their favorite stories all week. This included Florida middle school teacher turned Astronaut Joseph Acaba who read the book “Notable Notebooks” to them.
To bring Literacy Week in for a landing, Ransom students met and interviewed potential future Mars astronaut Alyssa Carson via online chat. They posed questions to the 20-year old Florida Tech University astrobiology student about her training at NASA and plans for colonizing the red planet.
“How would you like to see Mars colonized, and what things would you definitely want included in your Martian community?” is the question student Noah Jacobs asked.
The current unit in the students’ seventh grade language arts textbook centers around the question, “Should humanity’s future lie among the stars?” which made Carson the perfect candidate to offer an expert opinion on the subject of future space missions and exploration.
“We learned about Alyssa’s impressive resume this week as we planned our questions for our meeting with her,” seventh grader Kennedi Carter said. “She turned out to be the perfect person to ask. It was amazing to meet someone who has accomplished so much and who is not that much older than us.”
“Before meeting Alyssa Carson today, I never pictured myself going into space at such a young age,” said Addison Fowler who shares Carson’s dream of becoming an astronaut. “But Alyssa explained that we might be the perfect age to be the ones they will need for future colonies in space.”
In describing the exciting day, Landon Miller explained, “Today was one small step for students, and one giant leap for Ransom Middle School.”
After they signed off with Carson, the students posed for pictures with her image on a large screen, signed a card thanking her for such an exciting educational experience, and received “We Are the Mars Generation” bracelets she had mailed to them for the day’s big event.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
EREC Warns Members Of Telephone Scam
February 1, 2022
Escambia River Electric Cooperative is warning members of a telephone scam.
The utility said some some customers are receiving calls warning that they must a make a credit card payment over the phone to avoid a power interruption.
EREC said they never ask for credit card information over the phone. Customers can verify their account information online or by calling (850) 675-4521 or (800) 235-3848.
Florida Power & Light (the former Gulf Power) has warned customers of similar scams in the past.
Man Walking On Highway 29 In McDavid Killed In Hit And Run Early Monday Morning
January 31, 2022
A pedestrian walking on Highway 29 was struck and killed in a hit and run crash early Monday morning.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a 42-year-old Pensacola man was killed about 2:45 a.m. on Highway 29 about one mile north of Champion Drive and the West Fraser Sawmill. For an unknown reason, the man was walking southbound in the inside lane when he was hit by an unknown southbound vehicle that fled the scene.
“At this time, FHP has no known witnesses to the crash or suspect information. The vehicle is believed to be a large pickup truck or semi truck and may have front end damage,” troopers said.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call *FHP.
The identity of the victim has not been released.
The McDavid Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
State Approves Ascend Air Operating Permits With No Increase In Emissions
January 31, 2022
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has issued, or is in the process of considering new and renewed air operation permits for the Ascend Pensacola Plant.
This facility is renewing its existing operating permit to account for new reporting requirements and rule changes and also working on a concurrent construction permit for maintenance and equipment upgrades. There are no increases in emissions in two of the permits, according to FDEP.
“These permit applications are standard five-year renewals of our existing air operating permits. No changes to air emissions are noted or requested,” an Ascend spokesperson said.
If an application is approved, another permit could result in insignificant dimethyl ester emissions, FDEP said.
The application “would authorize Ascend to upgrade and modernize the Dimethyl Ester (DME) production unit through various instrumentation changes and replacement of outdated equipment. It will also authorize Ascend to implement upgrades to the Hexamethylene Diamine (HMD) production unit and the Low-Pressure Diamine (LPD) unit to improve the effectiveness of these processes. The project is expected to result in an increase in DME production and facility-wide emissions could increase; however, the project will not result in a significant increase in emissions of any Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) pollutant. There will be an opportunity to provide public comment on this project when the department takes action on it,” FDEP told NorthEscambia.com in an email.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Railroad Crossing Closures Set To Begin In North Escambia, Including Quintette Road
January 31, 2022
There will be temporary closures of several CSX railroad crossings beginning today in the North Escambia area.
The temporary closures will be at the railroad crossings as follows:
- Quintette Road (detoured to Highway 90)
- Barth Road
- Brickyard Road
- Cottage Hill
- Fairground Road
- Daffin Road
“The roads above will be temporarily closed at different times throughout the closure period depending on maintenance schedule,” according to a news release from Escambia County. Specific dates and times have not been provided.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Tate High Girls Weightlifting Team Competes In Districts, Regionals
January 31, 2022
The Tate High School Girls weightlifting team recently attended the FHSAA Class 3A District 1 Championships at Niceville High School and the Class 3A Region 1 Championships at Flagler Palm Coast High School in Saint Augustine.
The following athletes qualified for regionals in snatch:
Ashley Beddell
Addyson Chinchar
Lanie Brown
Sidney Forst
Finley Sheffield
The following athletes qualified for regionals in bench with clean and jerk:
Ashley Beddell
Natiya Williams
Emily Mills
Sydney Eaton
Advancement to the state championships will be announced later this week. The Tate High School Girls weightlifting team is coached by Brittany Dunson.
Pictured top: Tate’s competitors at Flagler Palm Coast High School for Class 3A Region 1 championships (L-R) Emily Mills, Sydney Eaton, Finley Sheffield, Lanie Brown and Ashley Beddell. PIctured below: District competitors at Niceville High School with Coach Brittany Dunson. Pictured bottom: Tate High School Girls weightlifting team. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Man Facing Drug Charges After ECSO Executes Search Warrant
January 31, 2022
A Molino man is facing two felony drug charges after the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant.
Samuel Cooler, Jr., 30, was charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to sell, manufacture or deliver, and possession of marijuana with the intent to sell, manufacture or deliver.
Cooler was in an apartment on East Johnson Road where the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant, according to an arrest report.
According to the ECSO, 12.9 grams of powder cocaine, 8.2 grams of crack cocaine and 634.6 gram of marijuana were found inside the apartment, and an additional 21.1 grams of marijuana was located inside Cooler’s sweatshirt pocket.
Cooler was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
Florida Gas Prices Surge 12 Cents Over Last Week
January 31, 2022
Gas prices surged last week, rising an average of 12 cents per gallon in Florida.
Drivers are now paying an average price of $3.35 across the state, which is just a penny less than last year’s high. The 2021 high of $3.36 per gallon was the most expensive daily price since September 2014.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $3.34.
Sunday night, a low of $3.24 could be found at one station on Highway 29 in Cantonment, while prices were as low as $2.99 in Pensacola.
“The effects of rising oil prices are now beginning to be felt at the pump,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Crude oil prices have risen early and often in 2022. The price of crude has already surpassed last year’s highs, driven by ongoing concerns that global oil supplies will struggle to keep up with soaring demand in 2022. Unfortunately for drivers, it doesn’t seem that oil prices will see any significant relief anytime soon. Gas prices may only get more expensive as fuel demand increases because of spring break and summer road trips.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
No Injuries When Driver Hits ECSO Deputy’s Vehicle On Highway 29
January 31, 2022
There were no injuries in a minor wreck involving an Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy Monday morning.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 30-year old deputy was traveling southbound on North Century Boulevard (Highway 29) in the inside lane. The 19-year old driver of a Nissan Altima was traveling southbound in the outside lane when he attempted to change lanes.
The Altima traveled directly into the path of the ECSO patrol vehicle, FHP said.
Troopers said there were no injuries and minimal damage to both vehicles.
Sen. Doug Broxson Receives God In Government Award
January 30, 2022
Leaders from across the area gathered Saturday morning at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola for the 45th Annual Governmental Prayer Breakfast.
Sen. Doug Broxson was named the 2022 recipient of the God in Government Award.
The purpose of prayer breakfast, which transcends denominational and political affiliation, is to encourage moral and spiritual values in government. The breakfast was started by a group of ministers from the Greater Cantonment-Ensley Ministerial Alliance and is today led by a diverse committee that believes in preserving the original mission of encouraging moral and spiritual values in government.