Ribbon Cutting Set For $316 Million ECUA Wastewater Plant
November 24, 2010
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s new Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment has been in operation since late August, and now a grand opening is planned for the largest public works project in the history of Escambia County.
On December 2, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority will hold a community celebration to mark the completion of the new, $316-million CWRF. The public is invited to join ECUA board members and staff, as well as federal, state and local officials, as the state-of-the-art facility officially begins operations.
The December 2 dedication ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. with an overview of the plant and recognition of the people and organizations responsible for completing the project on time and under budget. It will conclude at 3 p.m. with a ceremonial turning of the “valve” to officially launch the operations. The ceremony will be followed by a public reception in the on-site administration/operations building.
The new plant sits on 2,000 acres on land adjacent to Ascend Performance Materials (formerly Solutia) on Old Chemstrand Road near Cantonment. A full 15 miles north of the existing Main Street Treatment Plant, the facility is well above the flood plain and is built to resist hurricane-force winds. Redundant power and storage systems help to ensure that the facility can remain operational during conditions that crippled the Main Street plant during Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
With the CWRF complete, ECUA plans to demolish the aging Main Street facility, which many believe will help encourage economic development in the area. Another benefit is that reclaimed water from that facility will no longer be discharged into Pensacola Bay. Thanks to innovative partnerships with Gulf Power Company and International Paper, reclaimed water from the CWRF will be reused by those two companies.
The CWRF was funded in large part through grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal sources, the State of Florida, Escambia County and the City of Pensacola. Several local firms, employing hundreds of Northwest Florida employees, participated in the design and construction of the facility and its 25 miles of pipeline.
Photos: Camp Fire Kids Celebrate With Thanksgiving Feast
November 24, 2010
Camp Fire USA Century held a Thanksgiving feast Tuesday for children and their parents. The daycare’s children, many dressed as Pilgrims or Native Americans, enjoyed a full Thanksgiving meal and learned about the Pilgrims and their trip to the New World.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured: Children enjoy a Thanksgiving feast Tuesday at Camp Fire USA in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photos: Chili And Cornbread For Century Employees
November 24, 2010
Town of Century employees were treated to a pre-Thanksgiving lunch Tuesday, enjoying chili, cornbread, homemade desserts and more. Employees donated the items for the lunch; it was not taxpayer funded. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Honors Volleyball Players
November 24, 2010
Several members of the Northview Lady Chiefs volleyball team were honored during the team’s annual banquet this week.
Receiving awards were:
Best Offensive Award
- JV – Lana Clayton
- JV – Paeton Hadley
- Varsity – Ashley Digmon
Best Defensive Award
JV – Danielle Steadham
Most Improved
- JV – Danielle Steadham
- Varsity – Morgan Payne
Coaches Award
- Varsity -Ashley Digmon
Best Attitude Award
- JV – Ali Martin
- JV – Danielle Steadham
- Varsity – Sarah Killam
- Varisty – Katie Wieborg
Effort Award
- JV – Paeton Hadley
- Varsity – Raylin Spence
Special Thanks!
- A special award was given to Kara Hardin for her continuous hard work for the volleyball team.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
East Defeats West In Senior Volleyball All-Star Game
November 24, 2010
The East beat the West in four straight games tonight in the Pensacola Sports Association High School All-Star Volleyball Game at the University of West Florida Field House.
The East team included senior all-stars from Santa Rosa and Okaloosa County, while the West team was comprised of players from Escambia County.
Players for the West team were:
- Ashley Digmon — Northview
- Shawna Montgomery — Northview
- Antoinette Odom — Tate
- Brianna Biggs — Escambia
- Kayla Bowen — Pensacola Christian
- Brooke Brauneis — Pensacola Christian
- Kim Bronkhorst — Escambia
- Anne Marie Coutu — Catholic
- Emma Floyd — Catholic
- Rachel Hanasan — Pine Forest
- Samantha Hazen — Pine Forest
- Taylor Larkin — Escambia
- Kaitlyn Roberts — West Florida
- Jennifer Stephenson — Catholic
- Nikki Thompson — Catholic
- Nyia Underwood — Pine Forest
- Katie White — West Florida
Players for the East team were:
- Danielle Skaggs — Jay
- Lauren Alverson — Gulf Breeze
- Ashton Baker — Milton
- Jane Bartley — Niceville
- Cheyenne Chapman — Gulf Breeze
- Jasmine Crowell — Gulf Breeze
- Kiersten Denny — Choctaw
- Megan Denny — Ft. Walton Beach
- Alicia Dukes — Crestview
- Jennifer Ellis — Baker
- Paige Forrester — Pace
- Sarah Guidry — Niceville
- Carissa Hagberg — Niceville
- Janey Haun — Navarre
- Haley Hyler — Milton
- Kristin Koch — Niceville
- Sallie Papajohn — Gulf Breeze
- Eboni Payton — Ft. Walton Beach
- Alyssa Valdez — Pace
- Danielle Willoughby — Navarre
Increased FHP Enforcement For Thanksgiving Travel Period
November 24, 2010
The Florida Highway Patrol has stepped up enforcement efforts for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The Thanksgiving holiday is a peak travel period for families nationwide. Florida is no exception, with its inviting climate and numerous vacation options. Because Thanksgiving typically produces a high volume of motor vehicle traffic, the Florida Highway Patrol will increase its presence on Nov. 24 – 28. All sworn FHP personnel, including those typically assigned to administrative duties, will patrol Florida’s high volume roadways during the five-day period. Auxiliary and Reserve troopers will volunteer to augment the Patrol.
Troopers will direct their enforcement efforts toward impaired driving, speeding, following too closely and other aggressive driving behavior. In addition, troopers will strictly enforce safety belt and child restraint laws.
“The Florida Highway Patrol is committed to making Florida’s highways safe, and we plan to do that by bolstering our forces to reduce the number and severity of crashes,” said FHP Director, Colonel John Czernis. “During this hectic time, it is easy to lose your temper while driving as evidenced by recent incidents of road rage. Our troopers are prepared to take immediate action to stop others from placing innocent lives at risk, whether the weapon is a gun or a vehicle.”
The Florida Highway Patrol offers safety tips to help you and your family arrive at your destination safely:
- Get plenty of rest before setting out on a long trip
- Observe and obey all speed limits
- Allow plenty of time to reach your destinations
- Drive sober, and only sober
- Buckle up!
- Eliminate distractions: Texting, talking on the phone, eating, adjusting the stereo – these are all examples of things that can take your eyes off the road, which is exactly what you want to avoid.
- Prepare your vehicle: Check fluids for proper levels, i.e. oil, gas and windshield wipers, and ensure your tires have adequate pressure and are in good condition.
The Florida Highway Patrol is also reminding motorists of Florida’s Move Over Law. The law requires drivers who approach an emergency vehicle or tow truck stopped roadside with flashing lights to change lanes away from the emergency vehicles if able to do so safely and if not, slow down to 20 mph below the speed limit.
Holiday Closures For Thanksgiving
November 24, 2010
The following will be closed in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
- Escambia County Schools (Wed-Fri)
- Santa Rosa County School (Wed-Fri)
- Escambia and Santa Rosa county offices (Thur-Fri)
- Century, Jay, Milton, Pensacola, Atmore, Flomaton city offices (Thur-Fri)
- U.S. Post Office — retail windows closed, no mail delivery or collection (Thur)
- Florida state offices (Thur-Fri)
- Federal offices (Thur-Fri)
- No bus service from ECAT on Thursday
- West Florida Public Libraries, including Century Branch (Thur-Fri)
- Santa Rosa libraries (5 p.m. Wed-Sun)
- Pensacola State College (4pm Wed-Sun)
- University of West Florida
ECUA Garbage:
ECUA’s Thursday routes will be collected Friday, and Friday’s routes will be collected on Saturday.
Turkey Time: Cooking Safety
November 24, 2010
It’s Thanksgiving, time for family and friends to gather and give thanks. And time for cooks to ponder the correct way to prepare their turkey.
Today, we are taking a look at the proper way to cook your turkey with tips from Dorthy Lee, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent for the Escambia County Extension Office.
Clean
Begin every meal preparation with clean hands, and wash hands frequently to prevent any cross contamination. As a rule, hands that have come in contact with raw meat or poultry should be washed for twenty seconds in hot, soapy water.
Separate
Raw meat and poultry products may contain harmful bacteria, so make certain that the juices from those products do not come in contact with food that will be eaten without cooking, like the salad. Also, never place cooked food on an unwashed plate that previously held raw meat or poultry.
Cook
Use of food thermometer should be a standard operating procedure in your kitchen and, when used correctly, will ensure that your turkey is cooked to perfection. To be safe, the
temperature of a whole turkey should reach 180°F between the breast and the innermost part of the thigh.
If you stuff your turkey, the center of the stuffing must reach 165°F. If the stuffing has not reached 165°F, then continue cooking the turkey until it does. Let the turkey stand twenty minutes after removal from the oven before carving.
Chill
This is another important step because food-borne bacteria can grow while food sits unrefrigerated. Refrigerate or freeze perishable leftovers within two hours of cooking. To prepare your leftovers, remove any remaining stuffing from the cavity and cut turkey into small pieces. Slice the breast meat. Wings and legs may be left whole. Refrigerate stuffing and turkey separately in shallow containers.
Use or freeze leftover turkey and stuffing within three to four days, gravy within one to two days. Reheat thoroughly to a temperature of 165°F, or until hot and steaming.
For more information, call the Escambia County Extension office, (850) 475-5230.
Dense Fog Advisory, Rain In Forecast
November 23, 2010
A dense fog advisory has been issued from 8:00 tonight until 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight…Mostly cloudy. Areas of dense fog late in the night. Lows 56 to 61. South winds around 5 mph.
- Wednesday…Mostly cloudy in the morning becoming mostly sunny. Areas of dense fog in the morning. Highs in the upper 70s. South winds 5 to 10 mph becoming 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.
- Wednesday Night…Partly cloudy in the evening becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the upper 50s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
- Thanksgiving Day…Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of rain showers in the morning…then chance of rain showers in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of showers 40 percent.
- Thursday Night…Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers through the night. Slight chance of thunderstorms after midnight. Near steady temperature in the upper 60s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
- Friday…Cooler. Mostly cloudy. Rain showers likely and slight chance of thunderstorms in the morning…then chance of rain showers in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 60s. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.
- Friday Night…Much colder. Mostly cloudy in the evening becoming partly cloudy. Slight chance of rain showers in the evening. Lows in the upper 30s. Chance of showers 20 percent.
- Saturday…Sunny. Highs in the mid 60s.
- Saturday Night…Mostly clear. Lows 35 to 40.
- Sunday…Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 60s.
- Sunday Night…Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of rain showers. Lows 47 to 52. Chance of showers 20 percent.
- Monday…Mostly cloudy in the morning becoming mostly sunny. Slight chance of rain showers. Highs in the mid 70s. Chance of showers 20 percent.
- Monday Night…Partly cloudy. Slight chance of rain showers and isolated thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
- Tuesday…Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of rain showers and isolated thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 60s. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
Man Officially Named Murder Suspect
November 23, 2010
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has named Aaron Cornelius Mitchell, 20, as a suspect in a Friday night homicide of Prentiss Mitchell. A warrant charging Mitchell with felony murder has been issued, according to Deputy Chris Welborn, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office.
Mitchell is wanted in connection with the shooting death of Prentiss Mitchell, 20, about 9:20 Friday night at The Moorings apartments in the 8000 block of Old Spanish Trail Road, near East Olive Road and Scenic Highway. The two men are not related.
Prentiss Mitchell was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot of the apartment complex when deputies arrived at the apartment complex.
A 1998 Honda registered to Aaron Mitchell was found at an address near West Brainerd street and North S Street about 4 p.m. Monday. Investigators said the exterior of the car appeared to have bullet holes, but they did not release any further information.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Aaron Mitchell is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured: Aaron Cornelius Mitchell.