Century Water System Improvements Pass Health Tests
June 21, 2010
Results from the second round of testing on the newest portion of Century’s water system were clean, possibly meaning an end to years of water problems for some residents as early as this week.
The $1.58 million project’s first round of water quality tests failed, delaying the $1.58 million project to improve the Town of Century’s water system in the Backwoods Road, State Line Road, Highway 4A area, putting customer use on hold.
Dale Long, Century’s engineer, said the system passed the second round of health tests last week. Once the water quality tests are approved by the state, perhaps this week, the contractor will be able to start hookups.
Hiking Spain: Zero Day, Trip To The ER
June 21, 2010
We are continuing to follow the journals of Century resident Terri Sanders as she hikes 500 miles across Spain this summer.
As Terri hikes from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, she will file dispatches from her journal and send pictures when possible for NorthEscambia.com as she hikes the Camino de Santiago — the Way of St. James — to the Atlantic Ocean.
Today, read about “Zero Day” and a trip to the emergency room.
June 7 and 8, 2010
Start; Narvarrete
Zero day
Everything was okay when I went to bed last night. It was around 8 and when I woke up again the lights were all out so I knew it was after 10:00 since the hostel closes at 10:00. I had the most awful case of indigestion and I took the Tums that I had stuck under my pillow before I went to bed. I usually do that so if I wake up with heartburn, I don’t have to rattle around in my pack for the bottle with the Tums in it. I went ahead and got up and went to the bathroom then came and got back up in my bunk.
After about thirty minutes I was hurting so bad in my stomach I got up again and went in the bathroom. I stayed in there on the floor hung over the toilet for the next 5 hours at least. I would throw up, try to lie down on the cool tile floor but no matter what I did I could not get rid of the excruciating pain in my stomach. It was close to daylight when I finally crawled back into my bunk.
I waited until hikers started stirring around and I saw Lou sit up. I whispered to him “Lou, I need to go to the hospital.”
He shot up the rest of the way out of bed and headed off to the bathroom. He said later that I scared the mess out of him. A real good laxative effect first thing in the morning, better than a cup of coffee and quicker too!
I explained to him what was going on and he went in search of the hostel manager. They loaded me up in his car and within minutes I was at the emergency room. It was exactly where I needed to be except that they spoke no English and I hurt so bad I couldn’t have spoken Spanish if I had of known any to speak. We slowly went through all the usual questions which took forever with the age barrier.
Given my age I guess they wanted to make sure I was not having a heart attack because rather quickly I had an EKG hooked up to me. No I didn’t have gall bladder problems, no I was not pregnant, no, I didn’t snort cocaine. I gave them a list of the medications I was on. The whole time they are talking to Lou like I wasn’t even in the room. They would ask him a question; he would turn to me and ask me the question. I would answer him, and he would relate the answer to them.
I got a shot for pain, two prescriptions, an EKG and blood work, with a final diagnosis of I had a mild case of food poisoning. All this set me back 174 Euros.
I was worried they were going to take my appendix or my gall bladder or give me a hysterectomy before I got out of there. The thing is, is that I would have probably gone along with it because I was in so much pain even though I have already had a hysterectomy!
I have a pretty high pain tolerance anyway, but nothing, not even natural delivery childbirth hurt like this. I have had food poisoning twice and it didn’t hurt anything like this. The shot began to numb the pain and they decided to let me go without doing any incisions on me.
Everyone had already packed up and left by the time I got back. I laid down on a bunk, Lou covered me up and the next thing I knew several hours had pasted and he was waking me up. We were moving into a more private room so I could rest and not be disturbed. I vaguely remember the doctor saying something about lots of rest and having no energy for a few days.
They tucked me back into bed with Lou assuring me he had gotten all of my laundry I had down last night and hung outside. I woke up 6 hours later and ate some scrambled eggs Lou fixed, then went back to sleep. By evening I was more awake but felt like a truck had hit me. I managed to stay awake and finish the book I was carrying. I didn’t have any kind of an appetite but managed to eat a tangerine. We had to make plans to try and catch up the missed days so if all goes okay and I am up to a bus ride we will jump ahead tomorrow.
Of course I feel horrible about this setting us back but Lou says quit worrying. It very well could have been him.
Mile 0.0
Hudson Announces Candidacy For Jay Mayor
June 21, 2010
Jay resident Ben J. Hudson recently announced his candidacy for Jay mayor.
Hudson said his chief priority will be attracting new businesses, retaining those already established and creating local jobs.
“We are in competition with the rest of the county and we have seen businesses and jobs come and go,” Hudson said. “I will be creative, I will be proactive and I will be diligent.”
Hudson is a father of three, a grandfather and great grandfather. He is also a long-time local business owner and lifelong native of the Jay community.
Farm Service Agency Accepting County Committee Nominations
June 21, 2010
Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers may begin nominating eligible candidates to serve on local Farm Service Agency county committees, announced Suzette D. Cooper, County Executive Director, of the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).
“County committees play a vital role in the administration of federal farm programs and the positive effect they have on rural communities,” said Cooper.
FSA county committees make decisions on commodity price support loans, conservation programs, disaster programs, employing county executive directors and other significant agricultural issues.
To hold office as a county committee member, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate.
Individuals may nominate themselves or others as candidates. Additionally, organizations representing minorities and women may nominate candidates.
All nominees must sign nomination form FSA-669A, which includes a statement that the nominee agrees to serve if elected. Form FSA-669A is available at USDA Service Centers and online at: www.fsa.gov. All nomination forms for the 2010 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 2, 2010.
The county committee nomination period begins June 15. Voting takes place in the fall.
Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters by November 5. The final day to return voted ballots to the local USDA Service Center is December 6.
Newly elected county committee members take office January 1, 2011.
Escambia Health Department Offers Hot Weather Advice
June 21, 2010
The Escambia County Health Department reminds residents that it is important to know the signs of heat exhaustion as residents and visitors begin spending more time outside in the summer heat.
Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, people with high blood pressure and people working or exercising in a hot environment.
Warning signs of heat exhaustion vary but may include the following:
- Heavy sweating
- Paleness
- Muscle cramps
- Tiredness
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fainting
- Skin: may be cool and moist
- Pulse rate: fast and weak
- Breathing: fast and shallow
If heat exhaustion is untreated, it may progress to heat stroke. Seek medical attention immediately if symptoms are severe or if the victim has heart problems or high blood pressure. Otherwise, help the victim to cool off and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than one hour.
If you suspect heat exhaustion, cooling methods that may be effective include the following:
- Drink cool, nonalcoholic beverages, as directed by your physician
- Rest in an air-conditioned environment
- Take a cool shower, bath or sponge bath
- Wear lightweight clothing
- Prevent sun burn by wearing a sunscreen of 30 SPF. Sun burn damages the skin’s ability to dissipate heat.
Hot First Day Of Summer (With Cool Bee Photos)
June 21, 2010
Pictured: Bees enjoying our NorthEscambia.com crepe myrtles. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
A Father’s Day Miracle: Family Speaks About 3-Year Old’s Near Drowning
June 20, 2010
In the heart of every little girl, her daddy is her hero. For a 3-year old Walnut Hill girl found floating lifeless face down in a pool, her daddy truly is her hero.
“I can swim,” Maggie Scott, 3, proclaimed Saturday morning, as she showed off her new kittens Max and Ruby.
Like most adventurous children, Maggie thought she could swim, and she decided, when no one was looking, to try. It was a mistake that would alter the lives of her family in a major way.
The afternoon of May 27 was to be a family time. They were headed to a local creek to enjoy the water, but decided to stop at a someone’s home in the Bay Springs community to use the pool instead. Maggie had played in the pool with the rest of her family, wearing arm-floats.
When Maggie and her sisters — McKenzie, 13; Madison, 9; and Mary Paige, 7; were done in the pool, it was time for skateboards and Ripstiks. The girls hit the boards, while the adults sat around talking.
Life would change in the blink of an eye.
“Maggie’s dead!”
Those were the heart-stopping words that older sister McKenzie screamed when she saw Maggie, floating face down in the pool. Mom and dad, Blair and Chad Scott, raced for the pool. Blair dove in and pulled Maggie out. No one knew how long the little girl had been in the pool.
Chad started CPR.
“My mind went where it didn’t need to go while I watched him do CPR,’ Blair said, “knowing what could be happening.”
With every thrust on his daughter’s chest, Chad said he just prayed.
“I keep telling her to come back to us; I kept telling her she was fine,” Blair said. “I wanted the nightmare to end; I wanted God to bring my little girl back to me.”
Chad continued CPR. One. Two. Three..
“Then I realized I had three little girls standing there, not knowing what was going on. Hit your knees. And pray,” she told them. “They cried, they screamed, they prayed.”
Chad continued the CPR. Breathe. Chest compressions. One. Two. Three…
Then, there was a cough.
Volunteers from the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue arrived. Atmore Ambulance sped down the long driveway. LifeFlight landed. Maggie was quickly scooped up by a LifeFlight nurse who ran to the helicopter. Within minutes, she was at Sacred Heart. Blair and Scott were left behind in Bay Springs, not knowing what was happening with their little girl. A family friend drove them to the hospital, where Maggie was still in the emergency room. She was transferred to an intensive care room.
It was a serious situation. A ventilator breathed for Maggie for 28 hours, doctors and nurses standing nearby at the ready. It was a lot for a mom and dad to deal with.
Blair and Chad both knew at the time that Maggie could have permanent disabilities caused by the lack of oxygen to her brain.
“We just gave it to God,” Blair said. Their family, their church family…they all prayed. They were joined by perhaps thousands of people they will never know that prayed after reading Maggie’s story.
Miracles don’t just happen, Chad said. “God works miracles.”
There’s no doubt in Blair and Chad’s minds that there lives were changed in a big way by the whole ordeal. For Chad, it meant being saved and accepting his Savior all over again.
“I thought I got saved before, but I realized,” he said, “and I made a promise to do what He needs me to do.”
A few weeks after the accident, Maggie is a vibrant little girl, with no obvious lasting impact from her ordeal.
“We have blueberries,” she said Saturday morning as she walked through the family’s backyard in search of a cool, shady place for the photos on this page. “They are purple,” she observed. “They are not blue.”
She smiles and grabs a dandelion, blowing it into the wind toward Chad, very much to her delight. It was a prelude to her big Father’s Day plans.
“Guess what I am going to do to you for Father’s Day?” she asked Chad. Her grin grew bigger as she put her hands behind her back and twirled around. “I’m going to throw a flower at you!”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
The family specifically asked us to offer their thanks to: the Walnut Hill Fire Department (Chris Brown, Kevin Mininger, Dennis Rigby, Gerry Steege, Tab Jernigan, Bill Eubanks, Brian Rolin, Chad Rigby, Johnathon Koehn, Diann Stewart); Atmore Ambulance (Dianna Chavers, Tom Benner); and the LifeFlight Crew (Tom Bruner, Angie Finkel, Norman Lacsamana).
Better Unemployment News
June 20, 2010
For the second month in a row, the jobless rate in the North Escambia area and the entire state was down.
Escambia County saw a slight in unemployment — down from 11.7 percent in April to 10.3 percent in May. That represented 604 unemployed people headed back to work in a month.
Santa Rosa County also recorded a slight drop in unemployment — falling from 9.4 percent in April to 9.2 in May. Santa Rosa County gained 308 jobs during the period.
The unemployment rate in Escambia County, Ala., dropped a full percentage point from 12.3 percent to 11.3 percent — a gain of 154 jobs.
Florida’s May unemployment rate dipped to 11.7 percent, only the second time state jobless levels have dropped in more than four years and a sign some say shows the economy is turning around.
The May rate was 0.3 percentage points lower than a revised 12.0 percent figure for April, but still remained higher than the 9.4 percent revised figure for May 2009. The state figure remains above the national average, which fell 0.2 percentage point in May from the previous month to 9.7 percent.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 10.8 percent in May,declined from April’s rate of 11 percent but was above the year-ago rate of 10 percent.
At least one economist says the monthly unemployment drop may not mark signs of a real economic rebound. More sustained improvement will be needed to gauge whether the easing unemployment will continue or if it’s the result of a short-term surge fueled by Census hiring.
“Those Census jobs are going to go away in a few months, and it’s ultimately going to be up to the private sector to drive job creation,” said Sean Snaith, director of the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Economic Competitiveness. “So far, we’re not seeing any indication that private growth has gotten underway.”
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink says the ongoing pressure put on by the BP oil spill may further slow economic recovery. The disaster is costing jobs in Gulf coast fishing communities, along with hotels and restaurants that are a critical part of the state’s $60 billion a year tourist industry.
“Today we learned Florida’s unemployment rate fell for the second consecutive month — and while this is encouraging, there are still unfortunately over one million Floridians who are unable to find work,” Sink said in a statement. “The disastrous BP oil spill threatens our economy even further at a time when many are already struggling, seemingly with no end in sight.”
Northview Grad Timothy Gardner Graduates From Basic Training
June 20, 2010
Air Force Airman Timothy J. Gardner graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
He is the grandson of Micheal and Carolyn Cook of Corley Road in McDavid.
Gardner is a 2008 graduate of Northview High School.
Music Major Kate Sherrill Honored At Faulkner State
June 20, 2010
Kate Elizabeth Sherrill was named sophomore music major of the year at Faulkner State Community College’s annual award banquet held at the Bienville Club in Mobile. Kate was also awarded the Faulkner Singer’s award. Sherrill recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Faulkner State. She will be continuing her studies in vocal music at Berry College in Rome, GA. Kate is the daughter of Kent and Anne Sherrill of Walnut Hill, FL and the grandaughter of Sam and Dean Graham and the late Hunk and Senie Sherrill all of Atmore.