Feds Suing BP Over Oil Spill
December 16, 2010
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and other federal officials announced Wednesday that the government is suing BP and eight other defendants, seeking to recover damages from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill earlier this year.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Orleans, alleges that BP and contractors failed to take precautions to prevent the April 20 rig explosion that caused the largest oil spill in U.S. history, failed to monitor the well’s conditions and to use proper equipment and materials.
“We intend to prove that these violations caused or contributed to this massive oil spill, and that the defendants are therefore responsible – under the Oil Pollution Act – for government removal costs, economic losses, and environmental damages,” Holder said in a news conference in Washington.
“As our investigations move forward, Justice Department attorneys will continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local partners to get to the bottom of what caused this disaster and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable – and brought to justice,” Holder said. “The American people – and especially the people of the Gulf Coast – deserve nothing less.”
The company, in a statement provided to the News Service, said the suit was expected.
“The filing is solely a statement of the government’s allegations and does not in any manner constitute any finding of liability or any judicial finding that the allegations have merit,” BP spokesman Daren Beaudo said in the statement. “BP will answer the government’s allegations in a timely manner and will continue to cooperate with all government investigations and inquiries.
Beaudo said that BP is the only party involved in the spill that has “stepped up to pay” for spill-related cleanup. The company has set aside $20 billion to pay “all legitimate claims.”
“We took these steps before any legal determination of responsibility and will continue to fulfill our commitments in the Gulf as the legal process unfold,” Beaudo said.
While the government didn’t name an amount it is seeking, its suit said it is seeking “civil penalties for each barrel of oil that the defendants discharged into the Gulf of Mexico.”
In addition to pursuing damages under the oil pollution act, the government is also seeking civil penalties under the Clean Water Act, which prohibits unauthorized discharges of oil.
“We allege that the defendants named in this lawsuit were in violation of the (Clean Water) Act throughout the months that oil was gushing into the Gulf of Mexico,” Holder said. “And we intend to hold them fully accountable for their violations of the law.”
BP recently announced third quarter net income of $1.8 billion – returning it to profitability – after a record second quarter loss.
The federal lawsuit follows the announcement earlier this week that Florida retailers are asking the oil company spend $25 million to pay the state back for a series of sales tax holidays early next year to try to pump some money into the Panhandle economy. Economists have said the region lost nearly a half billion dollars in revenue when tourism was stunted because of the spill. The Florida Retail Federation said this week that it is negotiating with BP to reimburse the state for three-day sales tax holidays starting in February to try to lure people to the area.
Also on Wednesday, Florida CFO Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum renewed a call for federal Claims Administrator Kenneth Feinberg to improve the claims process for Floridians impacted by spill. Sink and McCollum said that of over 150,000 claims filed by Florida residents, only about 40 percent have been paid.
By David Royse
The News Service Florida
IBM Grant Funds Computer Ed At Camp Fire Century
December 16, 2010
The Camp Fire USA Century Youth Leaning Center received a new computer and a “cool” kid’s computer desk thanks to a grant from IBM.
The Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County received the 2010 IBM KidSmart Early Learning Program Grant and distributed five new computers and Little Tikes furniture to early learning sites that serve low-income children.
The computers have educational software to help children learn math, language and science.
The recipients were Campfire USA Century Youth Learning Center, Alice Williams Day Care, Faith Christian Academy, Englewood Baptist Church Preschool and Family Ties Child Development.
Pictured: Students at the Camp Fire USA Century Youth Leaning Center received a new IBM computer, Little Tikes computer desk and educational software thanks to the Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County and a grant from IBM. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Suspect Back Behind Bars In Incident With Shot Fired At Deputy Near Northview
December 16, 2010
The man facing domestic violence charges after incident near Northview High School where a shot was allegedly fired at a deputy is back behind bars.
Marvin Anthony Haynie was booked into the Escambia County Jail Wednesday after being arrested on an outstanding warrant issued when his bond was revoked by a county judge for allegedly violating the terms of his pretrial release.
Haynie, 46, was arrested in October on the Poarch Creek Indian Reservation by Poarch Creek Tribal Police and extradited back to Florida to face a domestic violence battery charge. He was not charged in connection with the alleged shot fired at an Escambia County Sheriff’s Deputy during a manhunt near Northview High School.
Deputies had established a perimeter around York Road as they searched for a domestic violence suspect they identified as Haynie. At least one shot was reportedly fired from a wooded area toward a deputy’s cruiser, with the round striking the dirt road directly in front of the car. The deputy was not injured and did not return fire.
After searching for Haynie for a couple of hours after the shot was fired, the manhunt was called off.
The incident began when the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic violence complaint in the 3000 block of York Road about 7:30 p.m. on October 26. Haynie’s wife told deputies that he was outside in their vehicle drinking a beer and playing the radio loudly. When she asked him to turn down the radio, she stated that he threw CD’s at her. After exiting the vehicle, he then threw an empty beer can at his wife, striking her in the upper arm, according to the ECSO report. She was not seriously injured.
When deputies arrived, the wife told them that Haynie had gone to a neighbor’s house; the neighbors told deputies that Haynie had fled into a nearby wooded area. Deputies searched the area and at least two homes for Haynie, but were unable to locate him.
At about 11 p.m., the female victim again called the Sheriff’s Office, reporting that Haynie was back at the residence, wet and covered in scratches from running through the woods. The wife alleged that Haynie took beer, Lortab and other medication, and departed in an unknown direction.
Deputies set up a perimeter and called for the assistance of an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit about 11:40 p.m.
About 12:05 a.m. Wednesday, the shot was reportedly fired at the deputy. Deputies maintained their perimeter and continued their search with the K-9.
By 1:45 a.m., deputies returned to the mobile home where the victim reportedly lived and escorted her out of the area to spend the rest of the night elsewhere. By 2 a.m., the manhunt was called off.
York Road is a short, dead-end dirt road east off Pine Barren Road directly opposite Northview High School.
Pictured top: Escambia County Deputy Bobby Cook helps maintain a perimeter in the search for a suspect on York Road about 1:30 a.m. on October 27. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Pace’s Smith To Lead Jay Royal Football; Youngblood Athletic Director
December 16, 2010
Kent Smith was named the Royal’s new head coach Thursday, and Lance Youngblood will be the school’s new athletic director while remaining boys basketball coach.
Smith has 23 years of coaching experience, including the 22 years at Pace High School where most recently he was defensive coordinator and linebacker coach. The Pace Patriots finished this season at 7-3, just short of a playoff appearance.
The Royals finished their last season under Head Coach Elijah Bell at 0-10. Bell led the Royals for 21 years, with a 108-95 record. Jay made the state playoff series seven times under Bell’s leadership, most recently the quarterfinals in 2007.
Bell was a major player in the formation of a new rural school classification for small schools like Jay in an effort to make the chances at a state playoff more equitable for smaller schools like Jay. He advocated such a plan since about 1990.
Next season, under Smith’s leadership, the Jay Royals will join Baker, Freeport and Northview in the first year of District 1 of the new Rural Division.
Smith holds a B.S. in business administration from Auburn University.
State Delays Chocolate Milk Ban At Public Schools
December 16, 2010
The State Board of Education has decided to delay any decision on whether to ban chocolate milk and other sugary drinks from Florida public schools after it received a letter from Agriculture Commissioner-elect Adam Putnam requesting the delay.
“They’re not going to take it up because they thought it was a reasonable request,” said state Department of Education spokeswoman Cheryl Etters. Putnam, in his letter to the board, wrote that part of his campaign platform was to move school food programs into the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, “with a goal of improved nutrition and the development of better lifelong eating habits.”
Putnam said he would like to take a comprehensive look at food service offerings, rather than just focusing on drinks.
Baseball, Softball Clinics This Weekend
December 16, 2010
A 2010 Winter Baseball Clinic will be held Tuesday and a 2010 Winter Softball Clinic will be held Wednesday at the Poarch (Ala.) Sports Complex.
The baseball clinic, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, will include instructors Steve Peterson- Middle Tennessee State University Head Coach; Ricky Patterson- Former Minor League Manager; Larry Thomas- Former MLB Player; Lance Johnson- Former MLB Player; Kyle Davis- Former College Player; Nate Espy- Washington High School Head Coach; Barry Dean- Executive Director of Alabama Baseball Association; and Ron Litier- Former USA Player and Coach.
The softball clinic, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, will include the staff from the University of South Alabama and former Troy University player Cassie Lassiter.
Registration fee is $25 for either clinic with lunch provided. Both clinics are for students ages 8 to 18.
For baseball registration information, click here.
For softball registration information, click here.
Firefighters Battle 100 Acre Grass Fire
December 15, 2010
Firefighters from several departments battled a 100 acre grass fire north of Flomaton Wednesday night.
The fire was reported just after 5 p.m. off Wolf Log Road. Reports indicated that a controlled burn got out of hand.
There were no reports of any structures being threatened by the fire.
Firefighters from several Alabama departments, including Flomaton, Friendship, Lambeth, Pineview and Barnett Crossroads responded to the blaze, along with the Century and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Alabama Division of Forestry.
Firefighters Battle Large Brush Fire Near Century
December 15, 2010
At least seven fire departments from across the battled a large brush fire near Century Wednesday afternoon.
The fire at Highway 4A and Backwoods Road was reported to be about 25 acres in size and was burning a combination of grass, brush and wooded area, according to Escambia Fire Rescue. Flames were reported to be up to 50 feet in the air in a wooded area as firefighters arrived on scene shortly after noon. The fire was reported to be out at 2:30 p.m.
The fire was contained to a mostly wooded area. Firefighters worked to keep the fire away from several structures, including houses on Chavers Lane. There is no word on what caused the blaze.
Fire units from Century, Flomaton, McDavid, Atmore, Walnut Hill, Molino and Friendship worked to contain the fire. The Florida Division of Forestry used two bulldozers to plow a containment line around the fire.
Picture above and inset: Firefighters work to put out a hot spot in a brush fire on Backwoods Road Wednesday afternoon. Pictures below: Firefighters work to refill the water supply on two brush trucks before returning to the wooded area to fight the blaze. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Woman Busted By U.S. Marshals On Charges From Nebraska
December 15, 2010
A Century woman was arrested by U.S. Marshals Tuesday on outstanding warrants from Nebraska.
The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force in Pensacola and Escambia Warrant Squad Investigators arrested Rena Marie Camerlinck, 40, of 3200 Highway 4A without incident at her place of employment, the Motel 6 on Pensacola Boulevard. Earlier Tuesday morning, U.S. Marshals and deputies attempted unsuccessfully to locate her at her residence on Highway 4A.
Camerlinck was wanted on outstanding forgery warrants from Cass County, just outside Omaha, Nebraska. According to investigators with the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, Camerlinck is facing multiple charges of second degree forgery from 2004. She was named one of the most wanted fugitives from Cass County.
Details about what led to the charges were not immediately available Tuesday afternoon.
Camerlinck is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond pending extradition to Nebraska.
Suspect Named In Escambia’s Latest Murder
December 15, 2010
A suspect has been named in Escambia County’s most recent homicide.
An arrest warrant for Cameron Tyler Cherry (pictured), 18, of Pensacola, has been issued in connection with the death of Robert Witherspoon, 24, of Pensacola.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a shots fired call at the intersection of Mary Lane and Paula Avenue around 4:42 pm Wednesday, after area residents called 911 and reported hearing gunfire. When deputies arrived they found Witherspoon, who had suffered a gunshot wound, sitting in a 2005 Chevrolet Aveo. Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene.
“Investigators were able name Cherry a suspect after speaking with very cooperative witnesses. In past cases it has been difficult to obtain such cooperation. This is what it’s going to take, the community and the Sheriff’s Office working together, to rid our streets of this unnecessary violence,” said Deputy Chris Welborn, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office.
Although investigators have a warrant for Cherry, the investigation into Witherspoon’s death is ongoing, Welborn said. The Sheriff’s Office is not releasing any other information concerning the case.