Gulf Power Warns Customers About Telephone Scams
January 11, 2014
Gulf Power Company is warning customers to continue to be aware of scam artists who are calling residents and businesses in Northwest Florida and impersonating utility company employees.
The company has received an increasing number of calls from customers reporting fraudulent calls in December and early in January. Customers are being told their electric bill is past due and that their electricity will be cut off if the customer does not provide a credit card payment or other forms of immediate payment.
Gulf Power is warning customers that:
- Gulf Power employees will never call a customer at home seeking any personal information, including credit card numbers.
- Gulf Power representatives will never ask a customer for money when they visit a residence.
- All Gulf Power representatives carry badges with picture identification that includes the employee’s name and the company’s name and logo.
Customers should call Gulf Power at (800) 225-5797 if they have any questions about the identity of anyone representing Gulf Power.
Gulf Power is working with local law enforcement agencies to identify the perpetrators. If anyone has been victimized by one of these schemes, or has any information about suspects, they are asked to call local law enforcement and to contact Gulf Power at (800) 225-5797.
Northview Boys Beat Jay
January 11, 2014
The Northview Chiefs beat Jay Friday night 71-40 in Bratt. The Northview varsity boys will be in action again Monday on the road at Escambia Charter before returning to Bratt Thursday at 5:30 to host Holmes County in a district game. The Jay Royals will travel to Bonifay on Tuesday.
For a photo gallery from boys and girls Northview versus Jay games, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Jay Downs Northview’s Girls
January 11, 2014
The Jay Royals downed the Northview Chiefs 38-17 in girls basketball Friday night in Bratt. The Northview Chief girls will be in action next at 4:00 next Thursday as they host Holmes County. The Jay Royals will travel to Bonifay on Tuesday.
For a photo gallery from boys and girls Northview versus Jay games, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
USDA Extends Conservation Stewardship Application Deadline to February 7
January 11, 2014
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has extended the deadline for new enrollments in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) to February 7 for fiscal year 2014.
Through this program, NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to conserve and enhance soil, water, air and related natural resources on their land. Producers earn higher payments for higher performance. CSP is available on Tribal and private agricultural lands and non-industrial private forest land.
Some popular enhancements include:
- Using new nozzles that reduce the drift of pesticides, lowering input costs and making sure pesticides are used where they are most needed;
- Modifying water facilities to prevent bats and bird species from being trapped;
- Burning patches of land, mimicking prairie fires to enhance wildlife habitat; and
- Rotating feeding areas and monitoring key grazing areas to improve grazing management.
While local NRCS offices accept CSP applications year round, NRCS evaluates applications during announced ranking periods. To be eligible for this year’s enrollment, producers must have their applications submitted to NRCS by the closing date.
Learn more about CSP by visiting the NRCS website or any local USDA service center.
Teen Indicted For First Degree Murder Of His Mother
January 10, 2014
A Santa Rosa County Grand Jury has indicted William Brandon Aydelott for first degree premeditated murder with a weapon in connection with the death of his mother, Sharon Lynn Aydelott.
Aydelott beat and stabbed his mother to death in her Gulf Breeze home on Christmas Eve, according to prosecutors. He is scheduled to be arraigned on January 23. Investigators said William Aydelott had been arguing with his mother for some period of time before stabbing her several times with kitchen knives and striking her with a baseball bat.
William Aydelott fled the scene and was located by deputies about three hours later at a nearby residence. Deputies surrounded the home, and he surrendered without incident.
Copper HVAC Tubing Stolen From Underneath Molino Community Complex
January 10, 2014
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft of all of the heating and cooling related copper tubing from underneath one side of the Molino Community Complex.
The theft was discovered by maintenance personnel Thursday. About $500-600 worth of HVAC copper tubing was cut out from under an entire wing of the building, according to Bill Pearson, Escambia County spokesman. He said it will cost up to an estimated $4,000 to make repairs.
About two-thirds of the building — the community center and library — were not impacted by the theft, while the yet to be opened museum area was left without heating or cooling by the theft.
When the old Molino school was remodeled into the community center, every precaution was taken to prevent HVAC thefts — or so the county thought. Outdoor HVAC units are surrounded by metal frames that are bolted down, and all of the units are fenced-in. But the county never anticipated that someone would attempt to remove copper from underneath the building’s crawlspace.
“It’s kind of ironic,” Pearson said. “We thought every precaution was taken to protect it.”
It appeared that the culprit or culprits entered the building’s crawlspace through very small ventilation openings in brickwork on the front of the building. Surveillance video is being reviewed for more suspect information, Pearson said.
Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
The Molino Community Complex opened in October 2012.
Pictured top: Thieves apparently accessed the crawlspace under the Molino Community Complex using small ventilation openings on the front (pictured left) and back (right) of the building. Pictured inset: A sign on an HVAC unit warns of an alarm system. Pictured below: The HVAC units at the county owned building were also protected by fencing and cages around each unit. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Atmore Man Dies In Single Vehicle Crash
January 10, 2014
Alabama State Troopers are continuing their investigation into a Wednesday afternoon wreck that claimed the life of an Atmore man.
According to troopers, 67-year old Billy Ray Willis ran off Escambia County Highway 10 about 3:47 p.m. Willis, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from his 1994 Dodge Caravan.
He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which was located on Highway 10 between Highway 21 and Butler Street.
Oil Spill Into Escambia River Near Century; Cleanup Underway
January 10, 2014
Over 100 gallons of crude oil was spilled into a creek that flows into the Escambia River Thursday morning from Quantum Resource Management’s processing facility near Jay.
According to the Florida Department of Environmental Management, up to 126 gallons of crude oil overflowed from a holding pit at the facility. The oil drained into a nearby creek that flows into the Escambia River near Century. The incident was reported to Santa Rosa County 911 just after 5:00 a.m. and reported to the DEP a short time later.
About 1:30 this afternoon, a NorthEscambia.com staff member reported the area around Fischer Landing in Century had a strong smell similar to diesel fuel and large “mats” of what appeared to be oil were floating downriver near the bank, away from the strong current in the middle of the river. Some of the mats were reported to be 10 by 20 feet in size or greater.
A cleanup crew, identifying themselves as being from SWS Environmental Services, was on the river with absorbent boom and other materials in their boats. Another pile of the absorbent boom was stockpiled onshore at the landing. None of the boom was deployed during a 20 minute period the NorthEscambia.com staffer was on scene.
A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County said the oil spill posed no public health danger and there was no danger from fish caught in the river.
Josh Wannarka, director of investor relations for Quantum, released the following statement Thursday afternoon:
“At Quantum, protection of the environment is important to us. The recent unprecedented cold snap damaged some of our equipment at the Jay Plant, which led to a release of approximately 3 barrels of oil. The release was discovered around 3:30 this morning. Immediately upon discovery of this situation, we activated our response plan and responded with all available means to contain and recover this oil. The source of the release is now under control. Recovery efforts continue at this time in coordination with local and state agencies. We do not believe this situation presents a threat to the public or the environment.”
Several state and local agencies were still accessing the situation Thursday afternoon with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection overseeing the response.
““The company reported to state regulators that 126 gallons of oil was spilled, some of which has made its way into the Escambia River. Quantum has brought in several companies to remove the material from the waterway. Since the Escambia River’s waters impact Escambia County, we are keeping a close eye on the situation,” Escambia County Emergency Management Director John Dosh said. “Escambia County will continue to monitor the cleanup effort and coordinate with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in case the situation requires more action from Escambia County.”
More details will be posted as they become available.
Editor’s note: Three barrels of oil equals 126 gallons.
Pictured: A cleanup crew at Fischer Landing at Century Thursday afternoon as large areas of what appeared to be oil could be see floating down the river. NorthEscambia photos, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Meets Record Demand Due Cold Snap
January 10, 2014
As arctic air gripped Northwest Florida for three days, Gulf Power employees bundled up and powered up to help keep customers warm despite unprecedented electricity demand.
With the completion of several transmission system improvements as part of the largest grid construction program in the company’s history, Gulf Power was able to reach a record-setting energy demand of 2,694 megawatts of power early Tuesday. That means that Gulf Power provided more electricity to serve its customers’ needs than ever before. This surpassed the company’s all-time peak demand of 2,634 megawatts set in August 2007.
“The investments we have made in our system are paying off and will help even more to serve our customers and embrace growth in the future,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power manager of Corporate Communications. “Our goal is to maintain our reliability even during these periods of high demand, and our employees worked as safely and quickly as possible through the weather to serve our customers, who are at the center of everything we do.”
System improvements — from Smart Grid technology to new transmission lines and rebuilt substations — helped ensure the grid remained stable to support the increased demand for electric service. Demand on a typical winter’s day for Gulf Power customers would be about 1,800 MW. One megawatt equals one million watts — about as much electricity needed to power a Super Walmart.
As cold weather was forecast Gulf Power worked with its sister utilities in the Southern Company system to prepare for the increased need for electricity. Gulf Power employees pitched in extra hours to bolster equipment at the power plants. Line crews worked through the nights to restore power as the cold weather pushed equipment on the smaller lines to their limits under unprecedented electrical loads.
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Sheriff’s Office Plans ‘Clean Sweep’ In Cottage Hill
January 10, 2014
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has planned their first Clean Sweep of the year for next Thursday, January 16 in the Cottage Hill area.
The Clean Sweep will begin at the Cottage Hill Baptist Church at 230 Williams Ditch Road and concentrate on the area east of Highway 95A between McKenzie Road and Becks Lake Road.
The focus of “Operation Clean Sweep” is to work with Neighborhood Watch groups, residents, churches and business owners to control and prevent the damaging effects of criminal activity, according to the Sheriff’s Office.