Latest news with #Apalachee
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
UWF archaeology uncover secrets of Molino and Luna settlement site
They dug Luna. Now, University of West Florida archaeology students are digging, very carefully, and investigating the nearly 300-year-old remnants of San Joseph de Escambe, a mission constructed in 1741 in present-day Molino near the Escambia River. The mission was built by the members of the Apalachee − indigenous people who inhabited parts of Northwest Florida and the Southeast. Ten years after its construction, Spanish cavalry soldiers and infantry, along with Spanish friars, joined the Apalachee at the mission and remained until spring1761 when it was burned during a raid by Creek Indians. UWF archaeology students, both undergraduate and graduate students, have spent nearly three-weeks excavating the heavily wooded site located on private land − UWF has the landowner's permission − not far from the Escambia River. The excavations and research are part of the UWF Archaeology summer field school, where students first spent three weeks excavating the De Luna settlement discovered in and around present-day East Pensacola Heights, just off shore of the two Emmanuel Point shipwrecks discovered in 1992 and 2006 that are linked to the settlement − the first European settlement in North America, predating both the Spanish settlement of St. Augustine and the European settlement at Jamestown. Pensacola's storied history, much longer than that of most North American cities, makes it a great location for archaeology and archaeology students, and is why UWF's archaeology programs, both maritime and terrestrial, have received numerous awards and distinctions through the years. "Pensacola is uniquely endowed with not just a rich record of prehistoric Native American occupation sites that tell us a lot about their lifestyles and how they changed over time and how they utilized the bay and the estuary, but also because we have some of the earliest European settlements,'' said John Worth, a UWF anthropology professor specializing in archaeology and ethnohistory. "We had this competition between the Spanish, French and the British and we have presidio sites and ports and so on, and they were interacting with Native Americans. It's one of the richest areas for archaeology in the whole southeast. It's an amazing area." Amazing, but not without its challenges. You've seen the Indiana Jones movies. There are always challenges. Even danger sometimes. Or at least a little pain. Worth was watching over as students delicately scraped thin slices of dirt and sand from a site in Molino where he and others thought a post or two might be located. (Thin slices for sure. Think of a cook removing an omelet from the skillet.) Suddenly, UWF archaeology student John Merts, one of the students with shovels, gasped and did a little dance step with the shovel as he shimmied in pain. A horsefly the size (and width) of a thumb had bitten through his tie-dye shirt into his skin. "That's a big horsefly,'' Worth said. There are other critters too. Students had made two fire pits to shoo the many mosquitoes away from the site of the mission, which is located in a field of sweet gum and water oak trees. He said the Apalachee probably did the same. "We've found these smudge pits where they would dig a hole in the ground, and they are stuffed with corn cobs,'' he said. "It was just the cobs, and they would let them smolder. Part of that was probably for mosquito control, but another reason is that they were buying deer skins, or you know, trading deer skins with the Creeks and they would dress them and tanning them would involve smoking them." Throughout the site, about a hectare, Worth said − that's 100 by 100 meters − students have dug up post sites, and small pits of pottery. Students with wheelbarrows would take the excavated dirt and sand to a water screen station near the dirt road that leads the mission, which Worth said at its height probably had about 30 occupants. While looking over one wheelbarrow's remains as it went through water, UWF student Jack Jacobson spotted something interesting. A little speck of a piece of, well, something. "I think it might be a piece of pottery,'' Jacobson said to Worth. "I think you're right,'' Worth said. The fragment was bagged, tagged and will make its way back to UWF's archaeology laboratory. "It's exciting to see something and you think you know what it might be and find out you are right,'' Jacobson said, before going back to search for more pieces. UWF instructors and students have been excavating and researching at the San Joseph de Escambe mission since 2009. Students and UWF archaeologists have also been working at the de Luna settlement near downtown Pensacola during the summers since its discovery in 2015. On the recent three-week research stint at the Pensacola site, students found a few interesting pieces. But what they didn't find was interesting as well, Worth said. "We found a few bits of Spanish material, but most of what we found was native pottery,'' he said. "But we were digging close to the bluff so it could be from the Luna period because the Spaniards brought back materials from food gathering expeditions, because the Native Americans also camped right in the same area just along the bluff. We found a piece of brigandine armor, a small blue glass bead and a couple of pieces of Spanish table wear. But we did not find a single Spanish nail, and they are usually all over, so they probably weren't building anything that close to the bluff." Student Max Stevens took a break from slicing thin layers of soil away from an excavation site and said "he has always been interested in history and I've always wanted to learn more about it." That's what prompted the Panama City native from entering UWF's archaeology program. "I wanted to see it with my own eyes,'' he said. "Not just read about it." For more information on UWF anthropology and archaeology, go to For more information on the research at both the Molino and Pensacola research sites, go to the Pensacola Colonial Frontiers Facebook page This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: UWF archaeology uncover secrets of Molino and Luna settlement site
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Apalachee families weigh trial possibilities after accused shooter's latest court hearing
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Apalachee families weigh trial possibilities after accused shooter's latest court hearing The accused Apalachee High School shooter may never face a jury, and families are responding to the idea. 'I definitely think that it's difficult to decipher what we, as a community, would want,' said Layla Renee Contreras. Contreras' mother and sister were inside the school in September 2024 when gunfire erupted, killing two students and two teachers. Nine people were hospitalized. At a hearing Tuesday, attorneys discussed the idea of a non-negotiated plea deal. In that case, Colt Gray would plead guilty, and a judge would determine his sentence. 'I understand people do want to hear the trial. Also, it has been a lot,' said Contreras. She said a trial would mean reliving the trauma. Tuesday afternoon, the family of one of the Math teachers killed, Coach Ricky Aspinwall, pointed that out after the hearing. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'If he wants to plead guilty, it would just be a better route for everybody, get it behind us,' said Kevin Zinke. 'Whatever they feel is what I support,' said Contreras. Contreras has been at every school board meeting since the shooting. She's leading the push for faster security upgrades. She spoke in January when deputies said a student got a gun on campus. In February, she spoke after a student trespassing incident. This week, she signed up to speak about communication connected to fake threats that led to the lockdown last Friday. 'Friday, that event did bring up a lot of panic, more distrust in the system, as well,' said Contreras. RELATED STORIES: The Board of Education did not allow her to speak, citing a regulation that allows them to deny public participation when someone plans to speak on the same topic. They ended the meeting without discussing the latest lockdown. 'I wouldn't want to speak about it if there were improvements,' said Contreras. Before the meeting, board members said they would not make themselves available for comment. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Apalachee High School names new head football coach
Apalachee High School has named its new head football coach. The school will welcome Kevin Saunders starting with the 2025-2026 school year. The Board of Education approved the hire during their March 25 work session. Saunders has a proven history of helping foster football programs with an overall head coach record of 191-113-2. He won a 2011 State Championship, has made multiple State Playoff appearances, and has been recognized as Coach of the Year several times. As head coach of Gilmer High School, Saunders turned their 0-31 record into a 4-6 record during his first year. 'This position means so much to me. I am so proud to be the coach at Apalachee. People tell me this is a tough job, but I believe this is a great opportunity to succeed. Excellence is a practice not a prize,' Saunders said. 'What drew me to Apalachee is the community, the school's commitment to student-athletes, and the opportunity to work with a talented group of young players. I'm looking forward to getting to know the players and their families, and to helping the team reach its full potential. Together, we will work to create a football program that everyone can be proud of.' Saunders takes over for Coach Mike Hancock, who resigned to focus on his mental health and wellbeing seven months after his defense coordinator, Ricky Aspinwall, was one of four victims killed during the September shooting rampage at the school. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] RELATED STORIES: Apalachee High School to play first home football game since school shooting Hundreds gather to mourn Apalachee High School teacher and football coach 'Good luck and good healing:' The Rock sends support to Apalachee students on first day back [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Apalachee High student, families go to GA Capitol demanding tougher school safety, gun storage laws
At the Georgia State Capitol, a student from Apalachee High School and members of the Apalachee family came together with lawmakers to demand action on school safety, and tougher laws for guns and safe storage. While the community members gathered at the capitol, students at Apalachee High School staged a walkout to push for more safety regulations. Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach was at the capitol, where those gathered said they want to be more proactive so no young person can get their hands on a gun in the first place, like what happened in September. 'The shooting started, the minutes that followed would feel like an eternity,' Isabel Trejo, an Apalachee High School senior, said. 'In that moment, I felt responsible. I still do. Many of us do. I sat there frozen, terrified, unable to move, unable to help. If I had moved, have tried, I might have been next.' The current Apalachee senior joined with others from her community, including the brother of 14-year-old Christian Angulo, another victim of the shooting carried out by Colt Gray. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] RELATED STORIES: Apalachee High School students call for change with walkout Georgia House Speaker introduces new bill aimed at school safety Apalachee school shooting: Colt Gray snuck gun into school in his backpack, sheriff says Apalachee school shooting: Colt Gray's grandfather said his 'environment' drove him to shooting 'I'm sorry:' Mother of alleged Apalachee school shooter received cryptic texts from son that day Student honors teacher killed in Apalachee High School Layla Renee Contreras, an Apalachee alum with a sister still in school there, organized 'Change for Chee' to push for reforms in the wake of the Apalachee shooting. 'We cannot only be reactive, we must be proactive. And that brings me to what is still missing from this plan,' Contreras said about a Republican comprehensive school safety bill introduced by House Speaker Jon Burns on Monday. 'We cannot talk about school safety without talking about how firearms are stored.' Democratic Rep. Michelle Au invited the group to the capitol to discuss their safety priorities. She praised the Republican-led bill but said it doesn't do enough. 'How could a 14-year-old get access, unsupervised, to a gun?' Au asked at the event. For Trejo, the response to the shooting needs to have more than just changes at schools. 'We must also have safe storage bills in place to prevent further tragedies,' Trejo said. 'This tragedy could have been prevented if safe storage laws had been in place.' Au said the Pediatric Safe Storage Act, or House Bill 1, has bipartisan support and was co-sponsored by a Republican. She hopes to get it passed during the 2025 legislative session. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
