ROGERS -- A man died Friday after he jumped off an Interstate 49 overpass and was hit by a vehicle according to a report from Arkansas State Police of Rogers leapt from the Bellview Road overpass Mitchell landed on a 2022 Ford Transit in the center lane of I-49 southbound He fell off the roof in front of a 2020 Chevy Equinox Mitchell's body was transported to the Benton County Coroner's Office This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing A new Chipotle Mexican Grill is coming to the Pensacola area in the near future Bellview's first Chipotle is coming to the northwest intersection of Denver Avenue and West Michigan Avenue after a project proposal was approved by Escambia County’s Development Review Committee (DRC) this week This restaurant will be Chipotle’s third location in Escambia County and it will open next to an existing Hungry Howie's The incoming restaurant will be a 2,350-square-foot building with a single drive-thru lane and 32 parking spots upon completion Developers filed their plans for this Chipotle with the county last March and submitted updated plans in late December they provided another set of updated plans which the DRC approved during its April 9 meeting New Foosackly's restaurant planned: Foosackly's plans to expand with third Pensacola location Motorists will be able to access this restaurant using one of two entrances Both Denver Avenue and West Michigan Avenue will have an access road into the Chipotle Chipotle has 264 locations across Florida currently Chipotle's existing restaurants within the county are located at Cordova Mall and 1674 E Escambia County has received three development proposals to build new Chipotle restaurants since the beginning of 2023 The West Michigan Avenue restaurant is the only one that’s received a development order from the DRC so far and it’s the newest proposal of the bunch One of the older Chipotle projects were proposed for Mobile Highway while the other was proposed for West Nine Mile Road franchisee of Beef 'O’ Brady's off Nine Mile Road as well as Goodson Consulting and Investments is the listed owner of both this project and the vacant parcel where the restaurant will be developed Goodson has owned that land for almost two decades; he bought the parcel for $515,000 in February 2007 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInTOPEKA (WIBW) - Authorities have released details of a suspicious death investigation involving gunshots reported Monday afternoon The Topeka Police Department went to the 2400 block of SE Bellview Ave for a shooting report where they found one person suffering from a gunshot wound TPD has revealed that the shooting victim was a 15-year-old male from Topeka TPD says no further information can be released at this time This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page A man died early Wednesday when a fire broke out in a four-unit apartment building in Boone County just outside southwest Columbia The fire was reported a little before 4 a.m Firefighters found a man in the living room of an apartment and removed him from the home but he did not survive said Boone County Fire Protection District spokesman Gale Blomenkamp The fire started on the stove and made its way into the kitchen cabinets in the upstairs unit before it was extinguished Blomenkamp said the man's cause of death has not been determined but smoke inhalation is suspected An autopsy will determine the cause of death The Columbia Fire Department sent eight companies with 21 firefighters to the scene as mutual aid It was those firefighters and MU Health Care paramedics who tried to resuscitate the man Paramedics pronounced him dead about 35 minutes after he was removed from the apartment building A downstairs neighbor reported the fire after hearing smoke alarms and smelling smoke Matthew Sanders is the digital content director at ABC 17 News ABC 17 News is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | KMIZ-TV FCC Public File | FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information Bellview could be the future home of a new sportsplex that includes indoor recreation and training for three different sports Developers hope to create the new sportsplex by building a pair of 15,000-square-foot metal buildings on a 2.4-acre parcel of undeveloped land off Mobile Highway and Pine Forest Road The proposed site of the project is 6570 Mobile Highway across from the Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds World Gym plans to add a new location: World Gym could bring its fitness, boxing lessons to a new location in Cantonment The project’s narrative form filed with Escambia County states they plan to center their operations on baseball One facility is planned to have open-area batting cages that will be designated for baseball and softball training while the other facility will have open-area courts for basketball The Agers want both buildings to have their own office space They also want to build a 40-space parking lot Escambia County’s Development Review Committee hasn’t discussed the project in their weekly meetings yet so it will be some time before their plans take shape The land is owned by Pensacola Roofing & Fencing Company’s owner Robert Guy ROGERS -- A rezoning request aimed at bringing retail shops to property on South Bellview Road failed to gain traction.. Gael Langdon earned her degree in journalism from Harding University She spent the early years after graduation working for a digital news startup and as a freelance writer and editor Gael enjoys investigative work and has passions for traveling learning and seeing the world through the eyes of others Another spot to enjoy homemade doughnuts could be coming to Pensacola soon Lickin Good Donuts, a family-owned chain of doughnut shops whose locations are mostly found across southwest Alabama is looking to expand their local business with a fourth store in the Pensacola area They filed a development proposal with Escambia County on Monday to build a new shop on the corner of Montgomery Avenue and West Michigan Avenue next to Dollar General they also plan to build a leasable space for a retail store Lickin Good Donuts branched out to our area three years ago under local owner Sothavuth Ing with their Pace location and now they have shops open in Bellview and Ensley as well They sell a variety of homemade doughnuts and pastries along with breakfast items and beverages Here’s what we know about their plans to expand in our area National coffee chain wants to move in: Two 7 Brew Coffee shops planned for Santa Rosa Plans for a new Lickin Good Donuts shopLickin Good Donuts is working to open its second doughnut shop in the Bellview area and third location in Escambia County overall Representatives of the local owner filed plans with the county on Monday to build a 3,000-square-foot building in the 3000 Block of Michigan Avenue Site plans for the proposal show that they intend to split the building in half and occupy one of the 1,500-square-foot spaces while the other space will be leased to a retail shop Potential occupants of that space are not available yet this Lickin Good Donuts location will feature a drive-thru lane as well Developers also plan to make two entry points for the shop − one on Montgomery Avenue and the other on West Michigan Avenue − along with 22 parking spaces A review date for the project by the county’s Development Review Committee has not been set yet Lickin Good Donuts has three locations open across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties Their first local shop opened in Pace almost three years ago while the following two locations are operating in Bellview and Ensley Here’s where you can find a Lickin Good Donuts in the Pensacola area ROGERS — A Northwest Arkansas soccer club plans to build its stadium at the intersection of West Perry and South Bellview roads After a one-day jury trial Wednesday, a jury acquitted a Pensacola man of murder for a 2024 shooting in Bellview. The jury found Alexander Deloach not guilty for the second-degree murder of Napoleon Powell on Feb Powell was shot and killed in the 7000 block of Moore Road when he left a home to warm up his car before leaving the witness told law enforcement "he heard three gunshots," and when he got to his front door "Powell was lying on the ground with blood coming out of his head." Deputies found surveillance of three men outside of the home showing them "group up near the corner of the residence." The witness told law enforcement he sold marijuana regularly which led investigators to believe the three men were there to rob the witness leading to positive identifications of Deloach and D'Angelo Cook-Humphrey Cook-Humphrey has not been charged with a crime associated with Powell's death Although Deloach was acquitted of his murder charge he remains in Escambia County jail on multiple unrelated charges Update at 1:15 p.m.: While air and ground resources have contained the estimated quarter-acre Corral Fire in Calaveras County crews have stopped the forward spread of the Lake Fire burning in Tuolumne County CAL Fire spokesperson Emily Kilgore tells Clarke Broadcasting that the forward progress has been stopped at an estimated quarter acre in size for the blaze burning along Phoenix Lake Road and Bellview Creek Road Ground crews will continue to work on full containment and then mop up which is what crews are currently doing at the scene of the Corral Fire that was burning near the Highway 49 and 26 intersection in Mokelumne Hill What ignited these blazes remains under investigation Update at 12:55 p.m.: Air and ground resources have contained the blaze in Calaveras County while crews continue to work on the Lake Fire in Tuolumne County it was burning near the Highway 49 and 26 intersection in Mokelumne Hill Spokesperson Emily Kilgore reports that it has been contained at an estimated quarter acre Crews remain on the scene of the Lake Fire burning along Phoenix Lake Road and Bellview Creek Road in Tuolumne County It is also an estimated quarter acre in size and burning at a slow rate of spread CA — Air and ground resources are battling two vegetation fires one in Tuolume and another in Calaveras County The first was called out just after noon along Phoenix Lake Road and Bellview Creek Road and has been dubbed the Lake Fire by CAL Fire The flames are moving at a slow rate of spread another blaze was ignited in Calaveras County near the Highway 49 and 26 intersection in Mokelumne Hill According to CAL Fire spokesperson Emily Kilgore both fires are an estimated quarter acre in size She did not have any information on whether any structures were threatened We’ll have an update as soon as new information comes into the newsroom Written by Tracey Petersen Sign up for our Breaking News Alerts and the myMotherLode.com Daily Newsletters by clicking here. Report breaking news, traffic or weather to our News Hotline (209) 532-6397. Send Mother Lode News Story photos to news@clarkebroadcasting.com. Measure 7A was leading 69 percent to 31 percent as of 10:45 p.m “Based on where the votes are at this moment, we think 7A is going to pass,” said Danny Katz, a spokesperson for the Keep Colorado Moving campaign that is supporting the measure RTD’s two separate budgets have been exempted from the Taxpayer Bill of Rights revenue and spending limits for decades But one of the exemptions was set to expire later this year.  Had it expired, RTD estimated it would’ve had to issue refunds of $2.4 million in 2027 and $3.7 million in 2029 much higher had the economy gone through a recession and recovery because of TABOR’s “ratchet-down effect.”  RTD’s billion-dollar-plus budget will have no checks on it beyond the ups and downs of the sales tax that provides most of its revenue “This goes to show that voters understand the importance of transit in our region from Nederland in the foothills to the edge of the Great Plains,” Katz said “RTD provides a really important service and it's important that we keep transit moving.” said he was “thrilled” by the results.  “RTD will be able to maintain its current operations and RTD’s Board and staff will remain firmly committed to being good stewards of taxpayers’ investment,” he wrote in an email You want to know what is really going on these days We can help you keep up.  The Lookout is a free daily email newsletter with news and happenings from all over Colorado Sign up here and we will see you in the morning Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. Listen now. © 2025 Colorado Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy An Escambia circuit judge ruled Thursday that the woman accused of kidnapping a 5-year-old in 2023 is now competent to proceed to a trial Miracle Armstrong faces a first-degree felony count of kidnapping and a third-degree felony count of grand theft auto after she allegedly kidnapped a 5-year-old in November 2023 During a competency hearing Thursday morning, Judge Robinson Coleman found Armstrong was now competent after receiving in-patient care at the Escambia County Jail. Armstrong's case has been placed back on the trial docket, with her next scheduled court appearance being March 18, 2025. She faces a maximum of life in prison for the kidnapping charge. What happened on Nov. 6, 2023?The Escambia County Sheriff's Office received a report of a stolen vehicle from the 4600 block of Oakland Drive on Nov. 6, 2023. The 5-year-old daughter of the Jeep's owner was in the vehicle. ECSO personnel, assisted by Pensacola Police Department personnel, scoured the area for over an hour trying to find the vehicle and the girl, immediately setting up a perimeter, collecting suspect and vehicle information, and broadcasting that information to local agencies. Shortly thereafter, the 5-year-old was located by a PPD officer safely and alone in the vehicle near Woodsies Bar on Mobile Highway. Roughly two months after her arrest, Armstrong found herself before Robinson as her attorney, Melissa Scarbrough, asked the judge to find her client incompetent following an evaluation by Dr. Stephen Zieman. "On or about Jan. 28, 2024, Dr. Stephen Zieman issued a report on competency to proceed, and ultimately determined that Defendant is incompetent to proceed and does not meet the criteria for involuntary commitment to Florida State Hospital," court records say. In April, Armstrong came back before Robinson for a competency review in which the judge continued to find her incompetent. Her competency was restored in the county jail since that hearing. 2024.Josh Howard of Denver calls riding RTD “highway robbery” because he never knows whether his bus or train will be on time – or whether it will arrive at all “And you still have to pay,” he said as he waited for a delayed E Line train at the I-25 and Broadway station on Tuesday afternoon Howard said he hasn’t yet cast his ballot. But if he can find the time before polls close Tuesday, he’ll vote against Measure 7A which would protect RTD’s budget from the state Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights part of RTD’s budget would be subject to TABOR’s revenue and spending limits That means RTD would have to issue taxpayer refunds if its revenues grew too fast.  RTD has predicted a relatively small impact over the next two years But a recession and recovery would activate TABOR’s “ratchet effect” that could have a much bigger effect – perhaps even significant cuts to bus and train service.  Priscilla Cross of Denver’s Corey-Merrill neighborhood was about to take her first light rail trip in months She said a TABOR refund would likely be minor and that RTD needs the collective support of the community because downtown really emptied out during the pandemic So RTD and mass transit is a good thing for a big city.” Nearly 70 percent of respondents to an RTD-commissioned poll said they would support Measure 7A. But that poll was taken back in April just before the light rail troubles started The agency’s financial future may hinge on whether its unreliable service has alienated enough voters to doom its attempt to free itself from TABOR forever Unexpected repair work forced trains to crawl at just 10 miles per hour. Though repairs are progressing delays have stretched on for months and it’s had a big impact on light rail ridership That’s especially apparent on the southeast corridor lines that primarily run along Interstate 25 from downtown Denver south to the Denver Tech Center H and now-defunct F lines used to be powerhouses that collectively carried more than 1 million passengers a month before the pandemic The E and H lines were recovering until maintenance work cut service starting in the summer of 2023 After RTD’s surprise track repair and replacements started in the summer of 2024 requiring the 10 mph “slow zones,” ridership has plummeted to levels not seen since the early days of the pandemic.  In August, light rail trains were on time just 60 percent of the time according to RTD documents were on time at least 95 percent of the time said he wants Measure 7A to fail so riders can hold RTD accountable.  “Because you have a lot of people that rely on you.” The slow zones and resulting delays initially took riders and even train operators by surprise. RTD General Manager and CEO Debra Johnson recently told CPR News that she’s learned the need to communicate better with the public about such disruptive projects in the future.  said she’s glad RTD is maintaining its infrastructure It’s unclear just how much an average taxpayer might receive from RTD if Measure 7A were to fail but Cross said it likely won’t be significant to her life “I'd much rather RTD keep it,” she said.  © 2025 Colorado Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. ROGERS -- The people bringing a professional soccer club to Northwest Arkansas aim to create a place for fans to do more than just watch games. Copyright © 2025, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. 2024.Regional Transportation District officials plan to boost bus and train service in 2025 For years, an operator shortage has hamstrung RTD’s ability to bring back bus and rail service that it slashed during the pandemic. Now, RTD officials say they’ve beefed up bus driver ranks enough that they are making plans to add a “noticeable” amount of service for the first time since 2021 but I would say that it's going to be noticeable,” Chris Deines RTD’s general superintendent of transportation RTD has added light rail staff as well, though not to the same extent as its bus ranks. Still, officials say, they are making progress on repairs that have made the light rail system slow and unreliable this summer They aim to restore more rail service in January “There's clearly light at the end of the tunnel,” said Dave Jensen RTD’s assistant general manager of rail operations RTD staff will soon present a service improvement plan to its board the expansion will go into effect in January CPR News obtained a recording of an internal meeting where the plan was briefly discussed and RTD made two of its executives available to answer questions about it Deines and Jensen say the agency will gradually restore the service; they say they don’t want to have to cut service just months after bringing it back if They plan to continue more expansion after making the January improvements too “We're going to be modest about it until we see that this hiring trend that we've seen in 2024 is sustainable,” he said Still, RTD’s long-term budget crunch means the agency is no longer trying to be what it was before the pandemic. Rather, RTD is gradually working to implement its “system optimization plan” that overhauls routes but aims to restore service to just 85 percent of 2019 service levels.  A looming ballot measure this fall to help fund RTD by exempting it from TABOR limits also could have a big impact on RTD’s long-term financial health Yet RTD officials say the plan for service improvements next year means the agency is turning a corner.  “I think there is hope for the future,” Jensen said.  RTD had just 750 bus operators on staff – well short of its budgeted headcount of 952 Deines said that gain was the result of adding more recruiters who speed up the hiring process Attracting new candidates at career fairs has been successful lately too The bus ranks are now more than 90 percent fully staffed though some of the new hires are still in training and won’t be ready to start fully driving their routes for a few more months One candidate for where new drivers will be deployed is the ever-popular AB bus line between Boulder and the Denver International Airport.  “I absolutely LOVE the AB bus route to the airport. Only problem is, everyone else does, too!” one passenger wrote to RTD in June Deines said officials are also hoping to restore lines cut completely during the pandemic and increase the frequency of service on lines that were pared back RTD is planning to commit 20 drivers to service expansion in January 2025 Others will be needed to keep buses rolling when existing drivers retire “Just because I have a hundred more than I had a year ago doesn't mean that that net number is going to be a hundred,” Deines said adding: “We want to be cautious that we don't overextend ourselves.” Denver’s train network was built for car commuters. With parking lots empty, RTD thinks housing could help save itLight rail isn’t seeing the same sharp growth in staff but it’s about to get better too.Staffing levels on rail service have improved in recent months also sitting at nearly 170 positions filled out of 202 total in May Light rail service has suffered in recent months not because of staffing shortages, Jensen said, but rather the combination of three very disruptive maintenance projects. One is about to wrap up for good: RTD will finish repairs by Labor Day on retaining wall caps on its lines that parallel Interstate 25.  “That’s huge for us,” Jensen said because that work required trains to use a single track on some stretches That exacerbated delays caused by other projects The downtown rail reconstruction project will pause temporarily this fall allowing trains to return to central downtown until the project restarts next summer.  but Jensen said any new restrictions “should be minimal.”  “My sense is we're probably 85 percent through the entire system,” Jensen said RTD disappointed riders and transit advocates when it pulled back a plan to restore the E and H line to 15-minute frequencies this fall; trains will run every 30 minutes instead But Jensen said his goal is to get the system’s infrastructure and staff to a place where 15-minute frequencies can return in January – and stay there.  ‘But that's our objective we're working toward right now.” Jensen said he appreciates how difficult it’s been for riders to deal with the cascading effects of all the maintenance projects and added that the system will be stronger and more resilient for it Maintenance workers and operators have been stretched thin too president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1001 It’s just a nightmare for them,” he said.  Jensen also said that RTD’s one in-house commuter rail line is mostly fully staffed and that the contractor that operates the A B and G commuter rail lines is “not having any problems” finding workers either Serving on the Regional Transportation District’s board of directors is not generally seen as a glamorous affair One political analyst called it the “very bottom of the political food chain” two years ago when only six candidates made the ballot across seven races More than twice as many candidates are vying for a spot to steer the state’s largest public transit authority and its $1 billion-plus annual budget this cycle as state legislators have embraced urbanist housing and transportation policies in recent years more would-be politicians are taking an interest in shaping how transit service is delivered.  The RTD board itself was in legislator’s crosshairs last session, but they failed to pass a bill that would’ve eliminated some of the board’s elected seats. Still, Gov. Jared Polis will take the unusual step of making endorsements in at least some of the eight races What district do you live in? Check this mapThe candidates include former bus drivers and a fiscally conservative political activist That means the 15-member board will see seven new faces next January when new members are sworn in They will inherit an agency that has stabilized itself financially in recent years but has struggled with its on-the-ground bus and rail services from light rail delays caused by maintenance projects to finishing its long-delayed train to Boulder and Longmont.  Chris Nicholson, Chris Gutschenritter, Matt Larsen, Bernard Celestin, Patrick O’Keefe, Karen Benker and Brett Paglieri co-published a “Commitment to Riders” this week that proposes ways to improve service quality “These are the things that are five-alarm fires,” said Nicholson a candidate in the crowded District A race in central Denver who coordinated the effort and also vocally opposed the RTD reform bill last session Suggestions in the shared document include increased fare enforcement upgraded facilities for riders with accessibility needs said the plan has “some positive aspects to it” but said he was not invited to co-sign it and called it “classic backroom politics.” Collaboration among candidates isn’t appropriate until they are elected a former bus driver for an RTD contractor.  “Had I been invited to join and discuss this pledge I would have enjoyed the dialogue and opportunity to collaborate and bring my experience in technology and transit to move forward a vision for RTD,” he wrote in an email to CPR News Nicholson said he offered to meet with both Brunner and Dinegar when they entered the race chair of the House Transportation Committee and co-author of the failed RTD reform bill sent CPR News an unsolicited statement on the candidates’ agenda that praised its “synergy here with what we all want — reliable transit that works for all.” But she criticized Nicholson’s methods in fighting her bill that she said had similar goals saying his “unnecessarily personal attacks and spurious open records requests represented the worst of politics.” RTD General Manager and CEO Debra Johnson’s contract expires late in 2025. Employees have said they are worried about her “likely departure” but Johnson has been cagey about her future.  which is tasked with hiring and reviewing the performance of the CEO should give her “the first chance” to demonstrate she can make the types of changes he and others are pushing “That's going to be a major conversation in the coming year,” he said a conservative community activist from Aurora who is running for District F winced at Johnson’s $400,000-plus annual salary.  “That is not a good use of the taxpayer’s money,” she said Dinegar would not say whether he supports keeping Johnson on as chief executive He credited her with “righting the ship” after she took the job during the pandemic in 2020 but said he’d like to see the balance of power “shift back” toward the board who lives in the far eastern reaches of the Denver metro and said she rarely uses RTD now opposes the ballot question and is skeptical of transit’s utility in the sprawling region “The role for RTD is to help those that are transit dependent and those that go to a specific area where there is a hub,” she said Chandler’s opponent, Bernard Celestin, a former RTD bus driver he later said that he supports the ballot question Karen Benker, a retired state budget official who also sat on the RTD board during its turbulent 1990s era said she will champion another prominent RTD issue: the completion of the Northwest Rail Line to Boulder and Longmont.  “We've been paying for the train for 20 years We have not forgotten,” said the District I candidate submitted his application to get on the District I ballot in June — complete with nearly 350 signatures and notarized affidavits stating the signatures were gathered properly.  So he was surprised when the Colorado Secretary of State’s office later informed him that he was disqualified from the ballot Parts of his application weren’t stapled together properly “It felt like I was being punked if I'm being entirely honest,” Rigler said State law requires that signed petitions be attached to affidavits.  "None of Mr Rigler's signature pages were attached to a circulator affidavit,” a Secretary of State spokesman wrote in an email So Rigler’s only recourse was to enter the race as a write-in candidate or file a lawsuit “I had some choice words at the time,” he said Check this map to see what district you live in Editor's note: This article was updated with information on the candidates running in each district they say they will uncouple the controversial topic of making changes to RTD’s elected board from other reforms they hope will help the agency that appears to be hemorrhaging riders as it tries to deal with maintenance issues staffing shortages and other disruptive problems accountability and how to solve the big problem of increasing ridership,” state Rep who sponsored the last doomed RTD reform bill the Transportation Legislation Review Committee heard hours of testimony about RTD from advocates safety regulators and a think-tank report author.  RTD executives were invited to attend but did not, citing scheduling conflicts in a letter to the committee They will attend another meeting in September RTD spokeswoman Tina Jaquez said the agency appreciates legislators’ ongoing efforts to explore issues and develop solutions as well as her staff remain committed to pursuing good policy in future sessions that will support sustainable transit funding and increase equitable access for all customers,” Jaquez wrote in an email “The agency is grateful to have so many voices and partners in the region helping to bolster its efforts One fact that caught legislator’s attention was an apparent sharp ridership drop in recent months at RTD even as its peers across the country have seen demand stay steady has seen ridership almost completely recover from the pandemic “They’ve done that because they’ve brought back service to near 2019 levels,” Matt Frommer an advocate with the sustainability nonprofit SWEEP Frommer saluted legislators for boosting state funding of local transit last session and argued more is needed to expand service and help address climate and poor air quality But maintenance issues, both planned and unplanned and an ongoing struggle to hire train operators and other frontline workers have forced RTD to cut light rail service and have made what remains particularly unreliable this summer Frommer cited weekly ridership estimates for RTD and peer agencies from the American Public Transportation Association and the Transit App RTD’s own detailed ridership data for recent months has not yet been published but it will almost certainly show significant drops on light rail It’s also not clear when the light rail system will fully recover RTD had hoped to restore 15-minute peak-period frequencies on its H and E light rail lines that are now running just once an hour But now, RTD is proposing just 30-minute frequencies on those lines saying that “efforts to address ongoing rail maintenance efforts with existing workforce availability are better served with a lower frequency of service.” with the advocacy group Greater Denver Transit told legislators such problems were responsible for the “destruction” of light rail ridership even as service appears to be remaining steady on RTD’s commuter trains and buses I can rely on the bus to show up on time,” she said “I can't rely on the light rail to always show up on time.” Advocates and legislators also keyed in on RTD’s strategic plan to not restore train and bus service to 2019 levels Before this summer’s light rail disruptions RTD was offering about 70 percent of its pre-pandemic service and has a long-term goal of 85 percent Transit agencies in some other U.S. cities, however, restored much more service years ago using federal pandemic relief dollars to pay for it. Some of those have also since faced a “fiscal cliff,” which has been partially solved in cities like Washington by local governments contributing more funding RTD, instead, stretched out its federal COVID grants and stockpiled hundreds of millions of dollars in cash saved from running fewer buses and trains. That helped it pay down some of its heavy debt load and stabilize its near- and medium-term finances.  The agency has also boosted its security presence on trains Advocates and legislators credited them for that but also said they want RTD to focus on service expansion and reliability "It's obvious that there are problems,” said outgoing state Sen who described himself as a long-time defender of RTD “When you're performing at the bottom of your peers in the Western United States that tells me that there are reforms that need to be looked at and changes that need to be made." said she wants to work with RTD through the summer and fall and hopes for a more “collaborative” approach after last session’s reform effort broke down.  Winter also wants lawmakers to address a recent report RTD commissioned that found its “organizational structure and leadership dynamics” were not supporting its own ability to function well and that employees are unclear about its future direction That report was grave enough that three prominent transit advocacy groups called it a “wake-up call for the agency” in an open letter to RTD leaders last week.  “I think part of what RTD needs is a North Star,” Winter said in an interview Winter cited growing ridership while also addressing tensions between transit-oriented cities like Denver with more sprawling suburbs where residents and local leaders may demand service but may not use it in great numbers Greater Denver Transit argued that legislators should not micromanage RTD but instead pass policy reforms that help it deliver safe and reliable transit service.  One specific idea, among many from the group is to shift light rail accident investigations out of RTD’s hands and into the Colorado Public Utilities Commission’s which are now confidential under state law RTD has cited that law when declining requests from news media and even a local police department for light rail crash reports legislators and the utility regulator appear to be interested in changing it “Could you envision a more robust and transparent conversation about these incidents between the PUC and RTD?” Froelich asked Rebecca White “That’s certainly something we’d be willing to talk about,” White replied Other ideas floated include a state tax exemption for frontline transit workers to help them afford to live closer to work and increased criminal penalties for transit worker assaults.  “We have many bad actors in our community that attack our drivers, attack our bus and train passengers and bring dangerous drugs like fentanyl on board,” said Jaime Lewis, transit advisor for the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition and a short-term RTD board member. Lewis also said the legislature should support RTD’s ballot measure this fall that will ask voters to let it permanently keep revenue it would otherwise have to refund to taxpayers under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.  it could cost RTD tens of millions of dollars a year and hurt its ability to restore service 2024.Regional Transportation District officials say they’re making progress fixing track problems that have slowed light rail trains on southern sections of the E All speed restrictions between the Orchard and Belleview stations have been lifted Officials added that they hope all trouble spots will be fixed by September if all goes well.  But that still leaves miles of track where trains are still traveling at just 10 mph. Between the pokey trains and another disruptive repair project commuters say using the E Line in particular — which runs just once an hour and is often late — is now nearly impossible Some of those frustrated passengers and transit advocates told RTD brass at its Tuesday board meeting they wanted immediate fixes like more bus alternatives and better communication about last-minute disruptions But many of the more than half-dozen riders who addressed the RTD board and executives also demanded accountability for deeper issues They told board members to pressure RTD management to shake up a “culture of secrecy” and push for more information on the root causes behind the slowdowns “One thing that is painfully clear to the public but does not appear to be clear to everyone in this room is the simple fact that RTD is failing in its responsibilities to provide workable service,” said James Flattum co-founder of the transit advocacy group Greater Denver Transit.  am sorry for the delays and disruptions,” board chair Erik Davidson said Davidson, like RTD officials, has for the last few weeks since the “rail burn” track issues first took operators and passengers by surprise in early June said the slow zones and track fixes are the result of stepped-up inspections and new more rigorous and proactive maintenance standards He also admitted that RTD should have been more proactive in communicating problems and a timeline for repairs RTD is now updating a webpage daily with the latest progress on the track repairs and is working to improve its rider alert and online trip-planning systems has worked for transit agencies in cities including Washington Riders in those cities are used to maintenance disruptions and riders in the Denver metro will have to get used to them “While I don't enjoy having service interruptions this is the nature of the beast,” she said adding: “What we're trying to do is establish a program whereby we can minimize those impacts.” RTD’s light rail system does have shortcomings that will likely make repairs more painful, too. A previous generation of RTD leaders cut corners to keep costs down so they could finish all the projects they’d promised voters.  One example Johnson mentioned: Some repairs require all train cars to be removed from the tracks so that overhead wires can be powered down But because RTD has just one yard where train cars can be stored it takes more than an hour to get them all there every night That limits how long crews have to do track work “There's a lot of things that we did — woulda shoulda,” Johnson said at a separate board meeting earlier this week RTD’s light rail safety regulator, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, recently criticized the transit agency for not catching maintenance issues before they disrupted service so much. Johnson pushed back on that criticism telling her board this week she was “taken aback” by it.  Board member Jaime Lewis, who slammed executives in recent weeks over the slow zones and lack of backup buses said communication has improved and that he’s impressed with RTD’s commitment to safety But he gave the ongoing impact to riders an ‘F’ grade “I just don't understand how we can leave the riders out there,” he told RTD executives at a Monday board meeting said she wants executives to prepare for the possibility that track inspections will turn up issues on other lines “I don't feel comfortable that we have a plan,” she said said passengers and board members need to be patient — both for answers and “It's a great opportunity to use 30 or 40 minutes to read through that book you've been meaning to get through or listen to that podcast that you want to get through,” he said The board of directors on Tuesday also gave its approval to a ballot question that will ask voters in November to allow it to indefinitely exempt its entire budget from revenue limits in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights The board also voted to advance negotiations with an affordable housing developer that wants to build 800-plus apartments units on part of RTD’s underused Central Park Park and Ride.  And a new RTD-commissioned organizational self-assessment report that sums up concerns from more than 300 employees shows executives have plenty of internal issues to work on from a lack of faith in the integrity of senior leaders to workers’ disappointment over RTD leaving its empire-building phase and moving firmly into maintenance phase.  Another big concern buried on page 41 of the report shows that workers have confidence in Johnson herself — and that they are worried about “rumors of her likely departure.”  “Am I actively seeking employment right now That answer would be no,” she told CPR News.  She also noted that most transit agency CEOs sign three- to five-year contracts. Johnson signed her five-year contract in late 2020.  A new retail development is planned for Blue Angel Parkway in the Bellview area Developers met with Escambia County’s Development Review Committee on May 15 to discuss creating a new retail store at 5223 N The name of the potential store is not available yet however its developer and site plans align with previous Dollar General projects in the region The new retail store and its parking lot are planned for an approximately 6.6-acre site of undeveloped land between Perkins Street and Scotland Road according to its project narrative form filed with Escambia County Pensacola's first Wawa coming soon: Pensacola's first Wawa broke ground. Here's what first-time visitors can expect The engineer for the project is a local company named Bell Engineering Services who submitted the project application on April 29 The Development Review Committee's past development orders show that Bell Engineering Services has developed each new Dollar General location in Escambia County since at least 2018 the project’s site plan show that the retail store is proposed to have a gross floor area of approximately 10,640 square feet a steel-building manufacturer who has created more than 1,000 Dollar General locations across the U.S. designs Dollar General locations to have either 7,500 A new Starbucks was proposed for the Bellview area near the site of this potential project as well A new Starbucks is planned for Mobile Highway and Saufley Field Road in the Bellview area This project proposes to build a new Starbucks with a patio on a 4.83-acre parcel at 6025 Mobile Hwy according to its project information Form filed with Escambia County The Bowman Consulting Group, based in Tampa, are the owners of the potential project and previously proposed to develop a Starbucks on North Davis Highway the new Starbucks will be built on an undeveloped piece of the parcel near the existing CVS McDonald's and Pizza Hut on the corner of Mobile Highway and Saufley Field Road The building is planned to be 2,500 square feet with a 650-square-foot patio Patrons will be able to enter off of Saufley Field Road or using CVS’ parking lot according to the project’s site plan filed with Escambia County The proposed Starbucks’ drive-thru will be able to fit about 17 cars There will be 30 parking spaces for patrons Developers plan to build the Starbucks in one phase of construction The documents for the project were filed with Escambia County on April 2 and it will be discussed during the Development Review Committee’s pre-application meetings on April 17 Construction on a new community of boutique apartments has begun off of Mobile Highway in Bellview that is expected to open next year to prospective residents The community will be made up of 86 apartment units and spans nearly 107,000 square feet, according to the project’s developers Each apartment has stainless steel appliances quartz countertops and tiled backsplashes and showers The project is being built at 6225 Mobile Highway near Bellview Middle School Two apartment buildings are being built in the project and will have units ranging from one to three beds The name of the community and rental prices for its units are not available yet The apartments are being built by the Capstone Building Corp pool and pool house available for residents according to a press release distributed by Capstone Building Corp Starbucks proposed for Bellview: New Starbucks planned for Bellview Capstone Building Corp. is currently working on another community in Pensacola with a different developer named the Elevate Apartments which are planned to have 108 apartment units and 210 townhome units total "This partnership is redefining the standard residential development by offering a boutique living experience,” said Josh Barnett vice president of project management at Capstone Building Corp in a press release “The apartment community will feature luxurious amenities comparable to those of large-scale complexes Escambia County’s Development Review Committee approved 10 residential projects during May which are laying the groundwork for more than 700 homes to be added to the county May’s approved projects will be developed in different areas around the county ranging from Southwest Pensacola to Cantonment Here are the residential development projects that were approved by Escambia County’s DRC during May: Third Wawa approved for Escambia County: Another Wawa store is coming to Escambia County. Here's where and what to expect. Bellview Pointe SubdivisionNorthwest Pensacola was approved for another residential project in late May The Bellview Pointe project was approved to turn a 16.12-acre site into a subdivision of 62 single-family townhome lots The project will also create two new roads Bellview Pointe Circle and Bellview Pointe Lane according to its approved final plat drawings Forest Pines Drive will be the only road that leads out of the new subdivision The Fallschase at Pathstone project is an ongoing residential development that’s had multiple phases approved over the past couple of years The DRC approved the project’s master plan in 2019 Phase four of the project was approved on May 8 to develop 47 single-family residential lots on a 16.29 acre site off of Fallschase Boulevard Two new roads will be developed as a part of this phase which will be named Bailey Court and Burch Court Both roads will connect to Fallschase Boulevard Developers applied to the DRC for approval of the project on Feb The Gavin’s Landing project was approved by the DRC to create 47 attached single-family residential lots off of Giese Lane using a 6.42-acre site One new road will be created as a part of the Gavin’s Landing project called Golden Eye Drive The project’s developers applied to the DRC for approval on Feb A project to develop a minor subdivision called Green Hollows was approved during May The Green Hollows project will create four lots out of a 115-acre site including wetlands off of Highway 99 while the final one is planned to be about 55 acres The project's developers applied for approval from the DRC on April 12 More than 100 acres of land off of Helms Road will be turned into hundreds of single-family lots following county approval of the Helms Ranch Subdivision project during May According to the project’s Development Order 385 lots and multiple new roads will be developed as a part of the project using 115 acres of undeveloped land in Beulah The new subdivision will also be connected to Helms Road as a part of the project The project’s developers filed for approval on Feb 2 Phase three of the Kaheeley Ridge subdivision project was approved by Escambia County’s DRC during May to turn a 2.95-acre site in Beulah into 11 single-family residential lots The subdivision will connect to Isaac’s Lane and the project was filed with Escambia County on Jan The Kingsfield Manor residential development project for the Cantonment area had its first phase approved during May The first phase will create 43 single-family lots using an 18.63-acre site off of West Kingsfield Road according to the project’s Development Order from Escambia County The project is being developed off of West Kingsfield Road and will include the creation of two new roads: Emerson Drive and Grayson Drive The project’s developers have been working to get approval from the DRC since last July A new subdivision called Mallard Landing was approved for development in southwest Pensacola during May The Mallard Landing project will develop 22 single-family residential lots using a 8.28-acre site off of Turnbuckle Trail according to its Development Order from Escambia County’s DRC One new road named Carlstrom Lane will also be developed during the project The project’s developers filed for its approval on Feb The first of two phases for the Sanctuary residential project were approved for development at the end of May The project will include the creation of 100 single-family lots in Cantonment using about 33 acres of land out of an approximately 75-acre parcel Sanctuary will be developed off of Coweta Road The project’s developers applied for approval on March 14 Sonnyboy Lane Homes minor subdivisionEscambia County’s DRC approved a development project to create five new homes on Sonnyboy Lane during May The project will split a 0.98-acre parcel into five lots The project’s developers initially applied for approval during last November The National Weather Service has confirmed tornadoes in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties during Wednesday's storms The National Weather Service office in Mobile conducted surveys Thursday in Bellview and Pace confirming an EF-1 tornado in each location Meanwhile, the preliminary rating for the Pace tornado is EF-1 with winds up to 105 mph. WEAR News also reported that several homes were damaged in this area. NWS says storm surveys are ongoing at other locations in Escambia County "A final assessment including results of the survey are expected to be completed and transmitted via a Public Information Statement once surveys are completed," NWS says Thursday ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. -- Family on Monday identified the man shot and killed in Saturday evening's incident at Bellview Ballpark in Escambia County. Family tells WEAR News that 22-year-old Kaderrick Teamer was the fatal victim in the double-shooting "Kaderrick had his faults but was a genuine pure-hearted person who would give you the shirt off his back," family said in a statement His son's 1st birthday is this weekend and he didn’t get to make it to see." Another man was shot and hospitalized as well Sheriff Chip Simmons said he is expected to survive Saturday after an altercation between 6-10 people Deputies say two masked men shot Teamer and the other man at the park as youth football games were being played Teamer was found deceased near the sideline of the football field Deputies continue to search for the suspects involved. Sheriff Simmons is calling on the public to share any pictures or videos from the field Saturday with the sheriff's office Sheriff Simmons said the shooting was not retaliation for the murder of standout student athlete Ladarius Clary in July 2021 "Some of the people involved in the Clardy investigation are also suspects or involved in this case as well." Clardy's father Ladaron told WEAR News on Monday that he coached Teamer for many years men had a "contract for murder" out for Teamer "My message is to put down the guns and find another way to solve your problem," Ladaron Clardy said The school was selected to take on the model in partnership with Children’s Home Society of Florida, Community Health Northwest Florida, Escambia County School District and the University of West Florida to provide families with support from their child’s kindergarten year all the way through high school graduation The model helps address issues such as hunger so that students and families can focus on education The program is a 25-year commitment intended to have generational impact The longer that the program is active in the school the more trust is developed within the community “It took a while for people to feel comfortable,” Lindsey Cannon, executive director of Children’s Home Society said of starting the initial partnership with C.A they didn’t know if we were going to stay.” they saw the tides turn as people felt comfortable enough to come forward with their needs The same happened when the program was brought to Pine Forest High School The clinic was filled with more need than there were hours in the day Not only were families at both schools getting their needs met, whether it be from mental healthcare, to safe areas for play or after school programs integrating the model into Bellview Middle School will help with closing the achievement gap for underserved children and help provide them with the resources they need for school Florida’s Community Partnership Schools model began in an Orlando High School in 2012 and has expanded to over 40 schools statewide Bellview Middle School marks three in Escambia County The model requires four community partners − a school district a nonprofit organization and a college or university − that all commit 25 years to serving the school and community The major goal of the program is to take away the barriers to student learning inadequate access to affordable healthcare behavioral health services and heightened rates of violence and crime with the Children’s Home Society of Florida receiving $80,000 to start There’s no one-size-fits all model for each school as the program is built around that school’s unique needs what the parents and students would like to see This starts with a community needs assessment parents’ said their top two needs were access to health care and a safe place for their children to play parents were able to have an important resource in their own neighborhood a playground and running track for the community to utilize and Cannon said she is eager to see what the Bellview Middle results will reveal “These are the kind of things we’ll look at at Bellview too we’ll ask the same kinds of questions,” Cannon said “What the parents really want to see is opportunities for their families and for their kids.” Bellview Middle School has a history of challenges aside from academics with 100% of students deemed economically disadvantaged by the state for the 2022-2023 school year The state also monitors the number of “experienced” teachers at Title 1 schools What they found is Bellview Middle has averaged about 11% fewer experienced teachers over a four-year period than the state’s typical Title 1 school Bellview has hovered at between 20%-40% below the state average in students who are at or above satisfactory test levels across four subject areas The Community Partnership Model hopes to address these differences over time to offer equitable opportunities for all students Although the model has only been in Escambia County for less than 10 years the Children’s Home Society has collected data on the improvements that have occurred once some of the barriers have been removed the percentage of students making learning gains in reading is 8% higher than the school district’s average and 7% higher in math Discipline referrals dropped over 90% between 2016-2020 and out of school suspensions have decreased by 94% since 2016 the students enrolled in the school’s positive behavior program went from 40 to over 600 since the model began District 1 Escambia County School Board Member Kevin Adams has been advocating to bring the model to ECPS for the past six years even bringing his ideas to former Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran who filled the position before Commissioner Manny Diaz He said the district is filled with “haves” and “have-nots,” with students who are living in poverty and high crime the model can provide equitable opportunities to fill the gaps “It’s the only program I see that works,” Adams said I wish we had the Community Partnership School for every low-performing school in Escambia County.” He said the program is considered effective because it is “bringing everything together” a child may need in order to see academic success Adams said he has not only monitored the progress in Escambia County since the model has been implemented but has seen its success mirrored across the state Cannon said that the matter of adding more schools is dependent on funding by the legislature and whether they are able to secure the allocation they need to bring the model to more schools Bellview Middle was prioritized over other schools in the state because it completed the feeder pattern It is also a laborious task implementing the model since the certification process alone requires three to five years and the model is committed to staying for 25 best thing I’ve worked on in my career,” Cannon said Interim ECPS Superintendent Keith Leonard said in a statement that the district is excited for the opportunity “The addition of Bellview Middle School to our Community Partnership schools will provide or students families and the entire community surrounding Bellview Middle with wrap-around services second to none,” Leonard wrote Your access to this service has been limited If you think you have been blocked in error contact the owner of this site for assistance If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send" You will then receive an email that helps you regain access Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 5 million WordPress sites The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence Click here to learn more: Documentation 6 May 2025 11:42:00 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); -- Firefighters responded to calls of a fire at a middle school in Escambia County Friday morning An Escambia County PIO says rescue crew members responded to Bellview Middle School located on Mobile Highway around 10:18 a.m Fire officials say the smoke was contained to one room and was caused by an electrical issue Power was shut off in that area during the incident there were no active flames and the incident was nothing major The Escambia County Sheriff's Office is investigating a homicide after finding a 25-year-old man fatally shot in his car Friday Morgan Lewis, the ECSO's spokesperson told the News Journal that deputies found the 25-year-old man sitting inside a white Toyota covered in bullet holes in the 5600 block of Graymont Lane in Bellview "The victim was pronounced deceased by EMS at the scene," Lewis said "At this time we don't have any identified suspects." Still up for parole: Pensacola murderer serving life for brutal killing of 15-year-old has chance at parole Appeal: Pensacola man convicted of raping 11-year-old appeals his 10 life sentences Lewis said the incident remains under investigation Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to call the ECSO at 850-436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at 850-433-STOP -- Bellview Middle School will become the third school in Escambia County to adopt the Community Partnership Schools model this year with partnerships among Children's Home Society of Florida Escambia County School District and the University of West Florida "The partnerships are announced as the next step in growing the successful model first implemented in Orlando at Evans High School in 2012 and expanded to more than 40 schools statewide transforming tens of thousands of lives," Escambia County Public Schools says in a release In the newly-released school grades for the 2022-23 school year Bellview Middle earned a "D" grade The effective Community Partnership Schools model requires at least four core partners – including the school district a nonprofit organization and a college or university – to agree to a 25-year commitment to the school and community Founded by the Children’s Home Society of Florida and the University of Central Florida the Community Partnership Schools model engages core partners they operate within schools to tackle crucial barriers to learning and heightened rates of violence and crime Children’s Home Society of Florida received $80,000 in state grant funds after being selected by UCF’s Center for Community Schools to launch a community partnership school at Bellview Middle in addition to local financial contributions to support this initiative "We are excited about our partnership with the Children’s Home Society of Florida," said Escambia County Public Schools Superintendent Keith Leonard "The addition of Bellview Middle School to our Community Partnership schools will provide our students families and the entire community surrounding Bellview Middle with wrap-around services second to none." "Expanding our reach to include Bellview Middle represents a direct impact on the lives of over 600 additional students and their families within Escambia County," said Lindsey Cannon Executive Director of Children’s Home Society of Florida "Through collaborative efforts with our core and community partners we've established a vital support network for students and families as they embark on their educational path at C.A and culminate their journey at Pine Forest High This continuum guarantees consistent support throughout their educational pursuits and we are thrilled to contribute to the collaborative efforts aimed at enriching our local community.” The first step toward implementation is the planning phase which includes a community needs assessment parents and community members identify their primary needs and challenges the results of which will determine the services and solutions that will be brought into the school Other critical components of this model include a focus on parental and family engagement as well as comprehensive health and wellness efforts we are driven not only to make healthcare accessible to all but to truly impact the heart of our community on multiple levels which will support the planning and implementation of an all- important Middle School component will link our existing community schools at Weis and Pine Forest This collaborative approach leverages schools as central hubs toward improving child well-being by addressing key barriers to learning through counseling Because they center on unique community needs each Community Partnership School is different but they all share a similar goal – to empower students to succeed in school and life Specific successes through the Community Partnership Schools model include increased graduation rates reduced disciplinary actions and increased parental involvement With the addition of Bellview Middle School Children’s Home Society of Florida has expanded the Community Partnership Schools model to three schools in Escambia County Weis Elementary -- Florida's first elementary school to adopt the innovative model -- and Pine Forest High This establishes a complete feeder pattern ensuring continuous support for students throughout their educational journey—from early kindergarten years through to high school graduation CHS received additional planning grants to implement the Community Partnership Schools model at Campbell Middle School Longbranch Elementary and Rutherford Middle & High School CHS is a core partner in 31 of 44 Community Partnership Schools in Florida -- more than any other entity in the state After one person was killed and another was injured in a shooting at a youth football game Saturday Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons expressed anger Monday that witnesses weren't coming forward with information on what happened "The only thing that is allowing (the suspects) to be free is because someone who has information is not calling us and letting us know," Simmons said at a press conference about the incident Monday Shame on our community for wanting to do something right and then for whatever reason not doing it the Escambia County Sheriff's Office is looking for four to six suspects in Saturday's Bellview ballpark shooting that left an unnamed 22-year-old man dead and a second individual Original report: One dead, one injured in Bellview ballpark double shooting while games in action In case you missed it: ECSO in-custody death investigation finds no criminal negligence for terminated deputy cause an altercation and obviously exchange gunfire with a couple people," Simmons said.  Simmons said the shooting occurred just before 6 p.m next to the football field while middle-school aged children from the Bellview Packers and Milton Panthers were playing their game According to Milton youth football's schedule the shooting occurred between the 12U and 14U football games The "12U" and "14U" designations indicate the ages of the players.  Simmons said two victims were involved in an altercation with as many as six other individuals at least two of those people left the ballpark to return but this time they were wearing masks."  When the masked men mareturned they exchanged gunfire with the victim who was found dead at the scene with a firearm Commissioners Jeff Bergosh and Lumon May gave statements on their intentions to help the students who witnessed the incident and to help keep the community safe.  "This is a horrible tragedy," Bergosh said but most importantly our hearts go out to the families and children who had to witness this." Bergosh also said that the county will hold grief counseling paid for by the county for any child present at the football game Counseling will be available at 6 p.m Wednesday at the Wedgewood Community Center May asked that the community and parents help the Sheriff's Office by proactively reporting and keeping an eye out for suspicious activity We cannot let the criminals win over our children," he said "So we petition our community to come out and help our sheriff's department." Shining STARS: ECSO Blazer Academy helps Pensacola girls develop confidence and character Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson responded to the shooting and said the violence at a youth sports event was unacceptable.  "We shouldn't be having that happen with our games or youth sports," Robinson said "We pride ourselves on what we do at the city of Pensacola with youth sports this gun violence has the potential to impact us."  Robinson said it's important to ensure a safe environment one of the largest youth sports events in the city "We will be sure to take all measures and precautions we need to do to make sure it's safe to go to those things and you can go and enjoy your children," Robinson said Nobody should have to worry about gun violence at an event like that."  Simmons asked the community and everyone who attended Saturday's football game to bring forward any information that could solve the case "I don't know if I can voice my anger enough but I can tell you this affects our children this affects our community and we collectively and individually are not going to tolerate it." Simmons said the only true way to make the ballparks safer is to hire more security and remove anyone causing a disturbance during the events "Now you're going to need officers to do that you're going to need people committed to do that," he said "What we'll really need at the ball park .. is for all of us to make the decision that you're not going to do this." Although the shooting occurred in the county Robinson said the city's Parks and Recreation Department and Pensacola Police Department are in discussions about increasing security at youth sporting events.  Robinson said the city is down eight polices officers who have been sent to Southwest Florida to aid in Hurricane Ian recovery but he told PPD Chief Eric Randall to do "whatever he needs to do" to ensure there are enough police officers at these events Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call the ECSO at 850-436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at 850-433-STOP News Journal reporter Jim Little contributed to this report Benjamin Johnson can be reached at bjohnson@pnj.com or 850-435-8578 A Bellview Middle School student has been arrested and charged after allegedly assaulting a bus driver Wednesday, according to Escambia County Sheriff’s Department PIO Morgan Lewis Lewis said the name of the student cannot be released Escambia County Public Schools PIO Cody Strother said a conflict ensued between the student and the driver during the bus ride over the student having a beverage without a lid “The student pushed the issue,” Strother said the school bus operator asked the student to stay back to talk about the dispute The student then physically assaulted the driver leading to a school Student Resource Officer stepping in and removing the student The student has seen been arrested by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office The bus operator received medical attention for unspecified injuries “The district is pursuing the harshest school-based penalty,” Strother said ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. -- WEAR News has learned new details on the assault of a bus driver at Bellview Middle Schoolin Escambia County WEAR News reported a student attacked a bus driver at the school ridiculous," Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said "Now I don't know the job description of a bus driver but I'd imagine punching bag is not in there at all." Sheriff Simmons talked about how Fox is charged with Battery on a school official -- a Third Degree Felony It happened last Wednesday morning when the Escambia County Sheriff's Office was called to investigate an assault at Bellview Middle School Fox was getting onto the bus with a beverage without a lid -- which isn't allowed "So the bus driver told them that they can't get on the bus but the 14-year-old student continued onto the bus and sat down," Simmons said The bus driver then called their supervisor who advised them to come to the school to meet with the dean "She instructs this particular 14-year-old student to hold on because the dean's gonna come there and as the 14-year-old student gets near her she just attacks her and is just wailing away at her face and head," Simmons said "It took some other school officials to come and pull her off the bus driver." The bus driver sustained minor injuries and told police they wanted to press charges a small disagreement or small incidences can escalate into violence," Simmons said "We see that quite a bit because we get called to all of them in Escambia County." The sheriff says preventing instances like this one starts at home You need to talk to your children and tell them what's acceptable and what's not acceptable," Simmons said "Just explain to them do not let things escalate because someone could get hurt Sheriff Simmons says there is video of the incident but the school district says it's not public record and will not be releasing the footage Escambia County Sheriff's deputies are searching for two men who may have information related to a fatal shooting Monday night The ECSO says two men who appear on surveillance footage are wanted for questioning only Deputies responded to a home on Moore Avenue for a reported shooting deputies found a male dead from a gunshot wound Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to call the ECSO at 850-436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at 850-433-STOP The Escambia County Sheriff's Office made an arrest early Friday morning in the February homicide on Moore Avenue in Bellview. Deputies arrested 28-year-old Alexander Deloach just before 1 a.m. for homicide according to a previous sheriff's office release D'Angelo Cook-Humphrey was also listed as wanted in the same homicide Previously: ECSO seeking 2 men for questioning about fatal Bellview shooting little information is available on the circumstances of the shooting A February Facebook by the ECSO said deputies responded to a home on Moore Avenue for a reported shooting they found a male dead from a gunshot wound -- A 13-year-old Bellview Middle School student has been charged for allegedly attacking a teacher His mother turned him in Wednesday afternoon after a warrant was issued for his arrest Channel 3 reported Wednesday morning that an alleged "Battery or Assault" incident at the school was under investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office This came after a mother called Channel 3 claiming her son had been slapped by a teacher 12 inside a Bellview Middle School classroom The sheriff's office revealed Wednesday afternoon that the 13-year-old allegedly attacked the teacher bypulling her hair and shoving her against a whiteboard Deputies say the unidentified teacher then struck the student in the face in self-defense The sheriffs office interviewed 17 witnesses who confirmed the teacher's story The 13-year-old is being charged with felony battery the student and his mother say the attack never happened The 13-year-old tells Channel 3 class was being dismissed by rows and he was told to sit back down he says the teacher grabbed him by the shirt and slapped him across the face The 13-year-old says he was suspended two days after the incident Both the teacher and the 13-year-old's mother filed separate incident reports tonight to hear from the 13-year-old and his mother Courtney Grubbs is getting outdoor signage placed on her new business Monday Even though the entire process took longer than expected Grubbs knows that having a sign prominently placed will help get the word out about Chop Bellview “We get a lot of people online and on Facebook that think we’re a steakhouse,” Grubbs said “I don’t know why people think we’re a steakhouse but that’s something they’ll ask and we’ll say we’re a barbershop and we do cuts for the whole family,’ and explain what all we can do.”  Sorry, we're closed: Opened in 1942, Pensacola staple Warrington Hardware & Marine to close after 80 years Another old school business: Pensacola's Surf & Sand Hotel, built in 1994, concludes 'vintage chic' makeover held a grand opening celebration on June 25.  “Each of the stores are independently owned and I have the Niceville location and the new Pensacola store,” Grubbs said I fell in love with the company when they reached out to me two years ago.”  Grubbs and her family were trying to decide where to plant roots and establish themselves “My mom actually retired down here on the Panhandle,” Grubbs said “My husband and I were going back and forth looking to see which side of the family we wanted to go to and the Panhandle just seemed to fit right and includes the classic barbershop experience — complete with the hot towel and shave on the back of the neck.  “Our look inside is old school and modern at the same time,” Grubbs said “We want you to be your best self and feel as comfortable as you can.”  ► Vacay Village of Pensacola can be your next staycay destination ► Tropic Falls indoor water park at OWA officially open for business ► Lil' Toot Boat Tours offers views of Pensacola Beach up close and personal this also speaks to the mottos that Chop embodies “We want to make sure that each of our employees and staff can feel like this is their own,” Grubbs said “Another motto we live by is ‘hair for humanity.’ Meaning It shouldn’t be reserved for the super wealthy so we try to stay within a good median price range.”  Grubbs also said that a business is only as successful as the team you build within it “I’m a very hands-on owner,” Grubbs said “I’ll actually cut on the floor too I don’t want them to feel like I’m not there to help them out or put in some elbow grease causes and local businesses to partner with as she deepens Chop Bellview’s footprint “I’m a firm believer in giving back,” Grubbs said “If you stay within your community — your neighbors and you help each other out — it’s better all around for everybody Chop Barbershop - Bellview is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/chopbellview or call 850-491-6236.  Kalyn Wolfe is a freelance columnist for the News Journal Send new business tips to pcolanewbiz@gmail.com.  -- Concerned parents and former employees of Bellview Elementary continue to reach out to WEAR News with concerns about their child's school Earlier this month WEAR News reported a petition was created disputing the superintendent's selection for the school's new principal. there is only one job available inside Bellview Elementary -- and that's for a food service assistant But multiple parents WEAR News spoke to say their children continue to witness vacancies in their classrooms amid outrage from parents and teachers over the hiring of a new principal at Bellview Elementary "The appropriate thing to happen here is closure because the decision's already been made," Superintendent Smith said in January But parents WEAR News spoke with say they've gotten no closure "They have not informed the parents that this new person is principal," Brianna Priddy "I don't know who to go to," another concerned parent said "I know there's supposed to be a new principal but she hasn't introduced herself to me She hasn't made any phone calls." WEAR News reached out to the school district They confirm while they have not directly contacted parents the decision was announced at a December school board meeting Priddy and another concerned parent wishing to remain anonymous both have children enrolled in kindergarten at the school They say their concerns rose long before the hiring of a new principal in December "This will be her fourth teacher this year in kindergarten," Priddy said "I volunteer at this school every Friday grading papers because that's how much they need help That's the things this new principal should be focusing on." "Right now his teacher is out and no one's told me anything he just has a sub," a concerned parent said who worked in IT for eight years in the district most recently at Bellview Elementary before resigning just last week "I actively chose to leave based on what they're doing inside the district," Elledge said Elledge says he understands why parents are upset the district is not doing well and they're trying to hide it," Elledge said "Why would you not keep a member of administration that actually had their hands on the wheel and were key in driving the grade up Why would you remove them and stonewall the teachers for asking questions?" What is the district's process for hiring We don't know," John Burson said John Burson has been an outspoken member of the community on the issue While Burson doesn't question the new hire his biggest concern is how the decision was made she just accepted a job and there's no crime in that," Burson said "But when people bring up issues about what was the process of hiring her and why would you go outside the district when we have qualified people in the district that know the families and the know the community." tell us the assistant principal that teachers rallied to be hired as principal was suspended shortly after the new hire was made We were told they're unable to discuss disciplinary investigations Middle schoolers sometimes get a bad rep for being too cool for Christmas spirit But Bellview Middle School students showed a bit of childlike joy again Tuesday afternoon as all students were called into the gymnasium to receive a new backpack that secretly contained a hand-wrapped Christmas gift pastor at Pensacola’s Apostolic Global Church began connecting with Bellview administrators to brainstorm ways to support students Need a last-minute local Christmas gift?Unique Pensacola gifts: Your guide to memorable Christmas shopping right here at home Drivable Christmas light displays Christmas lights in Pensacola, Milton and Pace: Here's over a dozen dazzling displays It began with items to start the school year on the right note the once sparkling-new backpacks were starting to wear and tear Harfouche began thinking of those same kids and what their Christmas mornings looked like Knowing that Bellview Middle is a Title I school or highly populated by children in poverty she wanted to once again to find a way to make students feel seen and cared for the students were able to pick out a new backpack of their liking to replace its beat-up predecessor but without any idea that a Christmas toy was wrapped inside On Principal Paul Lovely's count of three over the microphone wrapping paper flew everywhere as the kids raced to unwrap their surprise as Lovely arranged for a "mandatory meeting" earlier that morning that was really a scavenger hunt for hidden restaurant gift cards because to know that every child will have their academic needs met by having book bags to store their belongings 'Let's provide every child with toys.' I'm just speechless," Lovely said basketballs and miniature musical instruments the gift they were intended to receive above all else was hope and life tries to steal from you that hope for tomorrow … you have to have something to look forward to in life,” Harfouche said “My hope is that each of these kids takes home a fragment of even more hope to their families and that this is a season where miracles are possible and hope is available.” For students like 13-year-old Sebastian O’Gara the gift was “a little bit off my chest” knowing his parents would not have the pressure of purchase as many gifts for him for this year “It’s not normal (for me) to get that many presents But nobody ever gets everything they ask for,” O'Gara said O’Gara was in for a bit of a surprise to find the present waiting for him in his bag had a long-standing spot at the top of his wish list “I kept asking for one of these for Christmas,” O’Gara said of his soccer ball the feeling of being cared for was gift enough “I have never had a school buy me a Christmas present,” she said through teary eyes Lovely said community partnerships are integral to the success of a school in part by providing things that regular school funds are not able to support we're limited in our resources and what we can provide And we are aware that we have many needs that exceed sometimes what we can offer or provide in our budget,” Lovely said “To have community partners step in and intervene and assist — we're grateful for it I welcome more partners that can come and help address some of the needs that we have here in our school.” Lovely said the school is able to go farther in meeting the deep emotional needs of students And that someone out there has been kind and considerate and thoughtful enough to ensure that they have just a little joy going into the break," Lovely said "We know students come from variety of backgrounds Some may have the affordability to have gifts but some may not have it because of their circumstance despite the (parent's) willingness to provide for their child.” How to donate locally for ChristmasStill looking to help local families this Christmas? Here is how to get involved. Harfouche said the event went better than imagined due to the personal connection forged with the students that resembled a family gathered together on Christmas morning the gratitude of the children — that's not normal You don't usually see that kind of gratitude We're taught it's okay: what's inside the heart is different than what's on the face," she said just the love and the hope and the excitement — that’s what this season is about."