LIVE VIDEO: BP Removes Cap From Gushing Oil Well In The Gulf
July 11, 2010
The containment cap was removed from the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico Saturday afternoon as BP works to stop the flow.
As a result, the oil well will freely gush millions more gallons of oil in the Gulf for at least two days. BP’s plans are to have a new, tighter cap in place by Monday. A permanent fix is planned by the middle of August.
NorthEscambia.com is bringing you live video from the BP oil spill in the Gulf Of Mexico.
This is a live feed from about mile below the surface in the Gulf of Mexico. The live video stream may freeze at times, or be completely unavailable from time to time. If you see a broken image with a red “X” in Internet Explorer, you will need to click the “Allow Active X” near the top of your screen. Also, be aware that the video may not appear if your employer, school or home firewall blocks videos.
NorthEscambia.com Live Oil Spill Video From BP
Shelly Womack Named Escambia County Junior Miss
July 11, 2010
Shelly Womack was named Escambia County (Ala.) Junior Miss Saturday night at Jefferson Davis Community College in Brewton. Womack, the daughter of David and Janet Womack, is a student at Excel High School.
First alternate was Cierra White of Flomaton. She is the daughter of Earnie White of Flomaton and the late Angie White. She is a student at the Alabama School of Math and Science.
Walton Nichols of Atmore was named second alternate. She is the daughter of Randy and Melissa Nichols of Atmore.
Six young ladies took part in the program Saturday night. They were: Megan Andrews, Dallas Brown, Walton Nichols, Kelsey Templeton, Cierra White and Shelly Womack.
Pictured: Shelly Womack (center) was named Escambia County Junior Miss Saturday. Cierra White (left) was named first alternate, and Walton Nichols (right) was named first alternate. NorthEscambia.com graphic, click to enlarge.
Man Accused Of Indecent Exposure In North Escambia, Atmore
July 10, 2010
A Flomaton man is facing indecent exposure charges after allegedly exposing himself on two different occasions in the parking lot of a North Escambia business. And, authorities believe he committed a similar crime in Atmore.
Desjhaun Demetris Walker, 24, of 311 Dixon Road, Flomaton, was charged with two counts of indecent exposure. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail late Thursday night and released Friday on a $2,000 bond.
His arrest stemmed from two incidents reported in the parking lot of the CVS Pharmacy in Century on June 2 and June 4 in which he allegedly exposed his genitals and performed a sexual act in front of adult female victims.
In the June 4 incident, an adult female victim told Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies that she saw a black male in the CVS parking lot about noon, sitting in a light blue Oldsmobile with no tag. She said he had his windows rolled up and the engine was not running. When she approached her vehicle which was parked next to the suspect’s, he allegedly exited his vehicle with his shirt pulled, his pants pulled down, and he proceeded to commit an illegal act.
The victim jumped into her car, locked the doors and called 911 for help. When the suspect saw the victim on the phone, he reportedly fled northbound on North Century Boulevard. Responding deputies were unable to locate the vehicle.
A similar incident was reported by another adult female in the same parking lot two days prior, on June 2.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the Atmore Police Department that a similar incident had occurred in the parking lot of a business in that city on June 2. The victim and the suspect information matched, according to the Sheriff’s Office report.
When questions by deputies, Walker admitted that he was the person that committed the illegal acts in front of two different victims at the CVS in Century on
June 2 and June 4, according to his arrest report.
Judge: State Attorney Can Prosecute Commissioner Valentino
July 10, 2010
State Attorney Bill Eddins will be able to prosecute Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino, according to a ruling issued Friday by Okaloosa County Judge Mike Ward.
Valentino had petitioned the judge to remove Eddins and his office from the case, with his attorney, Barry Beroset, arguing that since the State Attorney’s office used Valentino to make secret audio recordings in 2007, it would be a conflict of interest. Valentino assisted the State Attorney’s office in an investigation of former county administrator George Touart.
A criminal case against Valentino involving campaign related charges was moved in May to Okaloosa County by Escambia Chief Judge Terry Terrell. Valentino has entered a not guilty plea on charges of the solicitation of a political contribution in a building owned by a governmental agency. The charge is a first degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in the county jail and a $1,000 fine.
Valentino is accused of accepting a campaign donation at his county office from Pensacola developer Dan Gilmore on November 5, 2009.
Pictured: Commissioner Gene Valentino’s Escambia County Jail booking photo, click to enlarge.
July Lawn And Garden Tips
July 10, 2010
Timing is the key to success in your lawn and garden. And in this weekly feature, Teresa Friday, the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County, offers an assortment of July lawn and garden tips.
Flowers
- Plant heat-tolerant annuals such as: celosia, coleus, crossandra, impatiens, kalanchoe, nicotiana, ornamental pepper, portulaca, salvia, and vinca.
- Lightly re-fertilize to enhance color and vigor.
- Deadhead, or pinch off, spent flowers to stimulate more flowering.
- Pinch back leggy growth.
- Check roses for black spot fungus and apply a fungicide if necessary.
- Mulch beds to 3-inches deep to help control weeds.
- Monitor weekly for insect or disease problems.
- Increase air circulation between plants. This helps prevent formation of fungal diseases such as leaf and stem blights.
Trees and Shrubs
- Crape myrtles are blooming, so it’s an excellent time to select them for your landscape. Choose cultivars with the appropriate mature size for your site.
- Deadhead crape myrtles to extend bloom time.
- Check azaleas for the large, black azalea defoliator caterpillars. Control by hand picking or use an approved insecticide.
- Watch for spider mites on shrubs and flowers; lacebugs on azaleas and pyracantha; flower thrips on roses, gardenias and other blooming plants; and oleander caterpillars on oleanders.
- Prune hydrangeas and gardenias when flowering stops.
- Do not heavily prune any of the spring flowering shrubs such as azaleas, camellias or spiraea.
- Give trees a pre-hurricane check. Look for limbs that might snap and trunks that could split. Prune immediately.
- Psocids (tree cattle) create the white webbing covering the branches and trunks of some trees. They feed on surface debris and do not injury the trees.
Fruits and Nuts
- Prune blueberry bushes after harvest is completed.
Vegetable Garden
- Plant eggplant, lima beans, okra, southern peas, peppers and watermelon.
- Remove spring-planted tomato plants from the garden once harvesting is complete.
- Burn or remove diseased plants from your property. Don’t place them in the compost pile.
- Set out new tomato plants by late July. Try the “hot set” varieties.
- Control tomato hornworm and fruitworms.
- Establish a compost pile; high temperatures and frequent showers speed the breakdown process.
- Solarize the soil to reduce nematode population in the vegetable garden. Remove old plant debris, till the area thoroughly, moisten well and cover with clear plastic film. Seal the edges with soil. Leave the cover on for 6 weeks.
Lawns
- Monitor for sod webworms, spittlebugs, chinch bugs, caterpillars and mole crickets.
- Use a soap drench to irritate insect pests into moving, making them easier to see. Mix 1 ½ oz of liquid dishwashing soap and 2 gal of water in a sprinkling can, then equally distribute the solution in over a 2 X 2 foot area.
- To reduce stress on the lawn: mow before it is too high, keep mower blades sharp and raise the mowing height by ½ inch when the weather is hot.
Contact your local Extension Office for detailed instructions on these recommendations.
Four Injured In Muscogee Road Crash
July 10, 2010
At least four people were injured in a two vehicle accident Friday afternoon near Cantonment, and, as emergency personnel were working, a third vehicle became involved.
The accident was reported about 5 p.m. at the intersection of Beulah Road and Muscogee Road near the Alabama state line. As emergency workers were loading patients from the first collision, one of the wrecked pickup trucks was struck by a utility trailer being towed by a passing pickup truck. There were no injuries in the second accident.
The accidents are under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Beulah and Cantonment stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded.
For more photos from the scene, click here.
Pictured top: Four people were injured in this two vehicle collision Friday afternoon near Cantonment. Pictured below: A third vehicle pulling a utility trailer became involved in the crash as emergency workers were on scene. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Driver, 16, Facing Charges After Early Morning Alcohol Related Crash
July 9, 2010
Three teens were involved in a single vehicle alcohol related accident early Friday morning at Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino, and the driver is facing multiple charges.
Ashton Vincent, 16, of Cantonment, was charged with having an unlawful breath-alcohol level for a minor (greater than .02), traveling too fast for conditions, reckless driving and violation of curfew restrictions after the 2:23 a.m. crash.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Vincent was traveling east on Crabtree Church Road approaching Highway 97 at an apparent high rate of speed in a 2010 Dodge Challenger. She lost control, traveled through the parking lot of the Tom Thumb, hit large concrete sign, and overturned several times across two ditches and into the intersection of Highway 97 and Highway 29. The vehicle landed upright in the intersection.
Vincent suffered minor injuries, as did her two passengers — Nicole Galletti, 16, of Pensacola, and Morgan White, 16, of Pensacola. All three were wearing their seat belts, according to the FHP.
Highway 97 and a portion of southbound Highway 29 were closed over an hour by the crash.
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the early morning crash.
Three teens were injured in this single vehicle alcohol related crash about 2:20 a.m. Friday at Highway 97 and Highway 29 in Molino. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Teen Severely Burned In Lawn Mower Fire
July 9, 2010
A Flomaton teen was severely burned in a lawn mower fire Thursday.
The 15-year old was transported by ambulance to D.W. McMillan Hospital in Brewton after the noon accident. He was later transferred to the University of South Alabama Regional Burn Center.
Further details were not available.
The Flomaton Fire Department, Engine 519 from the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Flomaton Police Department responded to the call.
Submitted photo by Christine Stanton for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Officials Worried About Local Financial Implications Of Oil Spill
July 9, 2010
State and local officials are worried about the local financial implications of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and they are talking drilling bans, income tax cuts and property tax problems.
Gov. Charlie Crist called Thursday for a special session aimed at a constitutional ban on offshore drilling, while Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Alex Sink urged the federal government to leave lost income payments alone when tax times rolls around.
Meanwhile, local government and business groups met with state officials to map out strategies for tracking the mounting costs of the BP Deepwater Horizon spill that continues to spew oil in the gulf and may alter the economics of the region for years to come.
Local governments, which have so far spent millions on protective measures and clean-up efforts, face plunging property values that, in turn, may further reduce the cash flow needed to pay for the schools, roads and other local responsibilities funded with property taxes. Somehow, they want to be repaid.
“This is a nightmare in slow motion,” said Greg Brown, Santa Rosa County property appraiser. “This is going to be with us for a long time.”
Leading off a flurry of oil-related activity, Crist called on lawmakers to return July 20 to craft a proposed constitutional amendment to ban oil and gas exploration in state waters. That’s likely to set up a standoff with reluctant Republican lawmakers, who have balked at the idea and led opponents of the no-party governor to call it a politically-motivated grandstand.
“Politics has nothing to do with this,” Crist said. “This has everything to do with what is right for a place that I love.”
Speaking to reporters, the governor said he’s no longer going to wait for consensus before calling lawmakers back into session, saying that time is running out for voters to address the issue during the Nov. 4 general election. Sixty percent of voters would have to agree to pass the proposal.
“They ought to have an opportunity, the people, to put it into their constitution so if a Legislature comes along and forgets what’s happening out there this year, that that doesn’t happen again,” Crist said.
Earlier Thursday, business and local government representatives underscored the difficulty in tracking just how much the BP oil spill has cost public and private entities and how long those adverse impacts will linger.
Among the immediate questions posed to the Oil Spill Economic Recovery Task Force working group were how the spill will affect property values when they are assessed again in January and what property owners will do when they get their tax notices in August. The working group is formulating a slate of recommendations for the full task force.
Property tax levels are based on the January 2010 assessed values, which may have fallen since the spill began April 20. Property owners who think the values are inaccurate have the right to address their local adjustment board, which may see a significant uptick in appeals this fall.
“I think you’re going to see a lot of people challenging their assessments,” Brown said.
While local governments look for a way to boost tax revenue, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, the leading Democratic candidate for governor, sent a letter to members of Florida’s Congressional Delegation asking them to support legislation that would waive the federal income tax on the lost income payments Floridians have received from BP. Those payments, which have so far totaled more than $25 million in Florida, should be considered tax exempt as residents struggle to get back on their feet, she said.
“Every dollar counts right now as many Floridians struggle to get by because of the oil disaster, and this common-sense measure just makes sense for our citizens and businesses,” said Sink. “BP should pay for this income tax loss, instead of taking much needed resources from our small business owners and other Floridians.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo of oil on Pensacola Beach by Regina Hare, click to enlarge.
BP Pays Up: Escambia Gets $1.86 Million Reimbursement
July 9, 2010
BP made a $1.86 million wire transfer to Escambia County on Thursday to reimburse the county for estimated expenditures incurred during the month of June for oil cleanup.
According to Sonya Daniel, Escambia County public information manager, payment was made as follows:
- Water Sampling $362,162
- Air Reconnaissance $36,000
- Beach Monitoring $400,000
- Marine Observation $396,000
- Boom Monitoring and Maintenance $175,000
- Operating Costs $6,123
- Equipment $15,400
- Professional Services $470,000
The boom payment, according to Daniel, was not for boom leasing fees. Those contracts are still be worked through the State of Florida and the Unified Command, she said.