Atmore’s Traffic Nightmare: Most Railroad Crossings Closed For Another Week
February 12, 2015
Traffic has been a nightmare in Atmore for the past several days, and the delays are set to continue as most of the city’s railroad crossings remain closed.
CSX is currently upgrading and repairing railroad crossings in Atmore, with six of eight crossings closed. According to the Atmore Police Department, railroad crossings are closed at Industrial Drive, Swift Street, Wilson Avenue, Trammell Street, Presley Street and Martin Luther King Drive.
The only crossings currently open are Main Street and Second Avenue, which are slated to close February 18 if all other crossing repairs are completed by that date.
Thursday morning about 8:00 a.m., a three block trip across the tracks at the Main Street intersection took our photographer about 25 minutes. And drivers — or even emergency vehicles — can’t even think about hopping across the tracks at one of the closed crossings because they are physically blocked by piles of asphalt.
NorthEscambia.com has contacted CSX for comment on this story, and we are awaiting a response.
Pictured top and inset: Approaching the Main Street crossing in Atmore Thursday morning, and even waiting on a slow moving train (top). Pictured below: Crossings, like this one at Industrial Drive, are closed and blocked by piles of asphalt. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge
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Lawsuit Filed Over Florida Dept. Of Corrections Gag Order
February 12, 2015
Six whistleblowers are suing the Florida Department of Corrections over a “gag order” issued by Secretary Julie Jones that they say violates state and federal law.
The legal challenge was filed Tuesday, one day before Jones told a Florida House panel the directive was necessary to shut down gossip and protect investigators.
Last week, Jones issued a staff “confidentiality agreement” barring inspectors from disclosing information about investigations to anyone except “those who have a need to know and only in connection with the official business of the Office of the Inspector General.” Violation of the policy could result in immediate firing.
The lawsuit was filed by six investigators who work for the agency’s inspector general, an official who answers to Gov. Rick Scott’s inspector general, Melinda Miguel. Miguel refused to grant four of the investigators whistleblower status last year, which prompted them to file a separate legal challenge claiming they were being retaliated against after exposing cover-ups involving the death of an inmate at a Panhandle prison.
On Wednesday, Jones defended her directive after being questioned about it during an appearance before the House Judiciary Committee.
Jones said she met with Department of Corrections Inspector General Jeffery Beasley in December prior to taking over her post and asked him if he had whistleblower complaints and if the whistleblowers claimed they were being retaliated against. His answer to both questions was yes, she said. She also said Beasley told her he did not have confidentiality agreements with the inspectors.
Jones, a veteran law-enforcement officer who previously headed the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and came out of retirement at Scott’s behest to take over the embattled corrections agency last month, said that such agreements are the norm in other agencies. The ban on disclosing information about investigations helps protect inspectors who may be pressured by more senior staff, she indicated.
“You have an inspector that has no specific rank is investigating presumed wrongdoing inside the institution. Someone of rank walks up and asks, ‘So what are you doing? What’s going on? Who are you investigating?’ And that individual needs to go look back and rely on a confidentiality agreement to say, ‘I can’t talk to you about that’ and feel real good about it,” she said. “Even in situations that are unfounded, you don’t want gossip. You don’t want water-cooler talk. You don’t want anyone talking, ‘I investigated so-and-so. Guess what they were accused of doing.’ It’s not professional … .”
But she conceded at least one misstep regarding the issuance of the directive, which came just two days after a Senate panel grilled Beasley.
“The timing was terrible. I just decided it’s just time to rip the Band-aid off and go forward. It was not intended as a gag order. It does not keep those investigators from collaborating on information,” Jones told the House panel on Wednesday, adding that the agreement also does not prohibit investigators from speaking to lawmakers. “So it was more or less, I think a good housekeeping piece toward how do you guarantee someone’s safety and their integrity when they come forward with concerns and keep that information confidential.”
In the lawsuit filed Tuesday, the inspectors’ lawyer, Steven Andrews, argued that Jones exceeded her authority by requiring the confidentiality agreement because Florida law requires that inspectors general offices be independent of agency oversight or control.
Andrews in the lawsuit also accused Jones of, among other things, misusing her position by trying to keep the inspectors from exposing wrongdoing at Florida prisons. One of the inspectors in the lawsuit described the directive as a “virtual gag order.”
“It is clear that the Staff Member Confidentiality Agreement was enacted to confer a special benefit or privilege on Inspector General’s such that they are prohibited from reporting misconduct outside of the agency including staffing of institutions below critical needs standards and ongoing prisoner abuse,” Andrews wrote.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Gulf Power Turning To Oklahoma Wind For Power
February 12, 2015
Gulf Power Company is turning to the Oklahoma wind as a power source for Northwest Florida.
Wednesday, Gulf Power filed a petition asking the Florida Public Service Commission to approve an agreement that would make the utility a leading purchaser of wind generation among Florida utilities. The agreement would be the first of its kind in the state.
The project, called Kingfisher Wind, would be sited in Piedmont, OK, where conditions are favorable for wind energy.
“Kingfisher Wind will help Gulf Power add renewable generation that makes environmental and economic sense,” said Jeff Rogers, Corporate Communications manager. “Smart renewables, like Kingfisher Wind, are cost-effective for customers.”
With FPSC approval, the projected commercial operation date of Kingfisher Wind would be by December 31. The project includes 89 wind turbines and could supply 180 megawatts — enough energy to power approximately 50,700 homes per year.
“Kingfisher Wind, if approved, would represent approximately 5 percent of our projected energy mix,” said Rogers. “Wind power helps diversify the power supply and Kingfisher Wind is projected to provide lower overall energy costs.”
This wind project would be Gulf Power’s fifth renewable energy project following the Perdido Landfill Gas-to-Energy Facility, which has produced more than 100 million kilowatt hours of electricity since 2010, and three solar energy projects that will begin construction in February 2016 if approved by the FPSC.
Gulf Power announced in January that the utility is partnering with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force to build solar energy farms at three different facilities across Northwest Florida.
If approved by the FPSC, the solar energy farms will be constructed at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach (30 megawatts), Holley Field in Navarre (40 megawatts) and Saufley Field in Pensacola (50 megawatts) and could be in service as early as December 2016.
“Adding alternative energy facilities to our energy portfolio mix takes a large amount of careful planning to ensure we provide our customers with what they want and need — renewable energy that diversifies our power supply while remaining cost-effective,” Rogers said.
Pictured: Turbines representative of the type that will be constructed for the Kingfisher Wind project if approved by the FPSC. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Critically Injured In Flomaton Bridge Crash
February 12, 2015
One person was critically injured in a three-vehicle crash on the Big Escambia Creek Bridge on Highway 31 in Flomaton just before 5:00 Wednesday afternoon.
A 40-year old woman was transported by ambulance as a “trauma alert” to the McDavid Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and then airlifted by LifeFlight to a Pensacola Hospital. Authorities said she was in the driver’s seat of a pickup that was either stopped or moving slowly with mechanical problems on the bridge. Two other vehicles were involved in the rear-end, chain reaction type crash. There were no other serious injuries reported.
Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fire Burns Across Several Yards, Threatens Structures
February 12, 2015
The cause of a fire that burned across several Cantonment backyards Wednesday afternoon is under investigation. The fire was reported in the 2200 block of Handy Road about 2:55 p.m. The fire reportedly reached at least four yards and posed a threat to several structures before being brought under control. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Controlled Burns Create Smoky Conditions
February 11, 2015
Controlled burns are created smoky conditions in some parts of the North Escambia area Wednesday afternoon.
There was a 15 acre burn just off Highway 97 on Pine Forest Road and a 65 acre burn off Highway 97A south of Occie Phillips Road. Smoke was also visible from several prescribed burns in Baldwin County and in Santa Rosa County. The largest fire planned in the area was about 1,000 acres near Garcon Point, south of I-10 near Milton.
Pictured: Smoke from a controlled burn off Highway 97 on Pine Forest Road late Wednesday morning as seen from Pine Forest Road (top) and Pelt Road (below). NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
No Injuries In Hwy 97 Crash
February 11, 2015
There were no injuries in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 97 in Davisville Wednesday morning about a mile south of West Highway 4. A southbound vehicle apparently rear-ended another vehicle that had stopped or slowed in the roadway to make a turn. All occupants of both vehicles refused medical treatment at the scene. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge
$1.5 Million In HVAC Upgrades Planned For Northview High
February 11, 2015
On any given day at Northview High School, students can often be found sweltering in one classroom while students are freezing just down the hall. Heating and cooling problems have plagued the school for years, and now the Escambia County School District is set to make repairs.
Bids have been received to replace air handling units and variable air volume boxes in two buildings. Low bidder was The Wright Company, Inc for $496,630 for the building containing the gym and theater, and $1.087 million for the main education building. The improvements will be funded by half cent sales tax monies.
The Escambia County School Board is set to consider the project at their February 17 meeting.
Northview High School opened 20 years ago.
Group Makes Plans To ‘Reimagine Century’ In May
February 11, 2015
An organizational meeting was held Tuesday night to make plans for the second Reimagine Century event on May 16.
Organizer Linda English said the group is on a mission to serve those less fortunate — both their physical and spiritual needs. “It is an outreach, but it’s also a chance for the body of Christ to come together and reach those in the community,” she said.
The event will include a wide variety of activities, including a 15,000 pound food giveaway, health screenings, AIDS testing, diabetes information, live music, fishing lessons from Mission Fishin’, free manicures, a laundry detergent giveaway, information from community agencies, a clothing giveaway, free lunch, free haircuts, youth and teen activities and sports, a diaper giveaway and more.
About two dozen people, representing a variety of churches, businesses and community groups, attended Tuesday night’s organizational meeting. Interested persons are invited to attend the group’s next meeting on Tuesday, March 10 at 7 p.m. at the Century Community Center on West Highway 4.
Pictured top: Volunteers discuss Reimagine Century Tuesday night. Pictured inset: Organizer Linda English. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two Escambia Men Sentenced To Federal Prison In Tax Fraud Scheme
February 11, 2015
Two Escambia County men were sentenced to federal prison Tuesday in a tax refund and identity theft scheme.
Andrey C. Cook, 34, and Richard J. Beverly II, 25, were sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge Lacey Collier on charges of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Cook, who worked in a group home for disabled patients, stole the personal identification information of the patients and gave it to Beverly in August 2013 for use in filing fraudulent tax returns. In exchange, Beverly agreed to give Cook a percentage of the refunds that were issued as a result of the fraudulent tax returns. Between 2012 and 2014, Beverly used the stolen identities of deceased persons, severely disabled people, and others, in an attempt to steal more than $265,000 from the United States Treasury, through the filing of at least 40 fraudulent tax returns.
Cook was sentenced to 12 months in prison and Beverly was sentenced to 102 months in prison. Beverly was also ordered to pay $87,783 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Cook was ordered to pay $10,682 in restitution.