ECUA Board Member Rebukes ‘Worst Water’ Report
January 11, 2010
One member of the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority board has written his own personal response to a recent national report that says Pensacola has the nation’s worst water among 100 cities surveyed.
Larry Walker, the District 5 ECUA board member who represents North Escmabia, said the worst water report from the Environmental Working Group “uses poor evaluation methods, and it fails to adequately explain its data-analysis methods”.
In a nine-page response, Walker breaks down and rebukes the EWG report in great detail.
“It is my personal conclusion that the EWG report represents flawed data analysis that produced misleading conclusions,” Walker wrote. “I do not believe that ECUA produces the worst water of the 100 big suppliers compared in the EWG report. I do believe that ECUA is a responsible water supplier that produces safe, healthful water.”
To read Walker’s entire response, click here (pdf).
Escambia, Alabama GOP Elects Atmore Man As New Chairman
January 11, 2010
The Escambia County (Ala.) Republican Executive Committee has elected Jeff Peacock of Atmore as its chairman.
“I am honored and humbled to be elected to this position.” Peacock said. “I look forward to working with fellow Republicans across Escambia County to build a strong and active political organization over the coming year. The 2010 elections present a tremendous opportunity for the Republican Party at all levels of government and we intend to take full advantage of this opportunity.”
The 2010 election will have several Escambia County (Ala.) offices on the ballot:
- Sheriff, currently held by Grover Smith
- District 1 commissioner, currently David Stokes
- District 3 commissioner, currently Larry White
- District 5 commissioner, currently Wiley Tait
- School board district 4, currently Richard Hawthorne
- School board district 6, currently Cereal Daniel
- Circuit judge, currently Bradley Byrne
- District judge, currently David Jordan
- District attorney, currently Steve Billy
The new chairman said party building efforts would include extensive volunteer recruitment and fund raising. “Our committee has quadrupled in size in just the last nine months,” Peacock said. “I see this momentum growing as we enter the election season.” Peacock attributed the local party growth to what said was “a growing unease with the liberal agenda being pursued by the Democratic Party”.
The Escambia County GOP also elected Lloyd Albritton to the Alabama Republican State Executive Committee. Albritton joins Peacock and Republican Party Vice Chair Jackie Gay as Escambia County’s three members of the State Executive Committee.
Pictured above: (L-R) Escambia County (Ala.) Republican Executive Committee Chairman Jeff Peacock, Vice Chair Jackie Gay, and State Committee member Lloyd Albritton. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: Icy Wonderlands
January 11, 2010
NorthEscambia.com readers continue to send us photos of their ice creations, taking advantage of sprinklers and sub-freezing temperatures to have a little frigid Florida run. Pictured above Rachel, Zachary, Austin and Cody in front of an icy scene in Cantonment (submitted by Esta Silvia). Pictured left and below: Lon and Alice Malone created a winter wonderland in their yard on Highway 168 in Byrneville (submitted by Terry Emmons). Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
For more photos from the Malones in Byrneville, click here.
Do you have winter weather photos to share? Email them news@northescambia.com
Firefighters Extinguish Molino Brush Fire
January 10, 2010
Firefighters responded to a small brush fire in Molino just after noon Sunday.
A trash fire was reported to be out of control about 12:15 p.m. near Molino Road and Nicholson Drive. The fire, about one-half acre in size, was quickly extinguished.
A red flag warning was in effect at the time of the fire. A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are occurring. A combination of low relative humidity and dry fuel creates rapid fire growth potential.
Submitted photos by Kristi Smith for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fire Destroys 3-Story Beach Home; Firefighters As Far North As Molino On Standby
January 10, 2010
[Updated With Photo Gallery] Firefighters as far north as Molino were put on alert Sunday morning as about five dozen firefighters responded as a three-story house was destroyed on Pensacola Beach.
The fire at 23 Calle Hermosa on Pensacola Beach was reported at about 9:15 a.m. More than dozen fire trucks from Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, Gulf Breeze and Navarre responded to the blaze. The three-story was reported to be fully involved after the first firefighters arrived.
The homeowner was reported to be treated for minor injuries.
Several Escambia Fire Rescue stations inland were put on standby — where firefighters respond to the station and standby for any possible call — to provide coverage for areas where firefighters and equipment had responded to Pensacola Beach. Some Cantonment firefighters were on standby at Ensley’s fire station to cover that area, while some Cantonment firefighters responded to the beach. Molino firefighters were on standby at their station all morning.
Pictured above: Fire destroyed a three story home on Pensacola Beach Sunday morning. Pictured inset: Cantonment firefighters Richie Wiggins with Midway Fire Rescue on Ladder 49. Pictured below: Smoke filled the area. Pictured bottom: Firefighters prepare to battle the blaze. Submitted photos by Kristi Smith for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Some EREC Customers Left In The Cold Without Power
January 10, 2010
An unknown number of Escambia River Electric Cooperative customers lost power in the Oak Grove, Walnut Hill, Bay Springs and Enon areas Sunday morning for as long as two and a half hours.
[UPDATE] After power was restored for most customers, it failed again just before 11 a.m. and was restored again by about 11:20.
Our previous story is below.
EREC customers in the Oak Grove and Walnut Hill areas had their power restored by just after 10 a.m., while power remained off for customers served off a line along South Highway 99, including portions of Walnut Hill, Enon, Bay Springs, Crabtree Church Road and Barrineau Park.
Most customers, except for those in the Crabtree Church Road and Barrineau Park areas were restored by 10:45 a.m. Those EREC had their power restored by 10:55 a.m.
Hope For Olivia
January 10, 2010
This week brought good news for the Bush family and their simple Christmas wish — a cure for Olivia.
We first introduced you to Olivia back in early December. Olivia Bush, 6, is blind, able to see only a little light with her left eye. She has a shunt to drain fluid off of her brain, and has frequent seizures.
Just before Christmas, Olivia and her family traveled to Miami Children’s Hospital hoping to find a cure for her seizures. While in Miami, Olivia was monitored by a 35-lead EEG and a video camera with doctors hoping to capture data from a seizure. On the Tuesday night before Christmas, she had a seizure that was captured on the EEG and video, according to her father Tad Bush.
That information has allowed doctors to schedule surgery for Olivia in early February, news the Bush family learned just this week.
“I am so excited about this! I am so happy that if all goes well, Olivia could finally be seizure free! Maybe no more meds? Praise the Lord!” said Olivia’s mom Amber Bush.
A scan of Olivia’s brain is pictured, and Amber Bush offers this explanation:
“The black on the pic is dead, useless brain. It does nothing, has no electrical activity….nada…just there taking up space. So, basically, Olivia has half of a brain. How amazing is that! She is such a miracle. The docs told us that if an adults brain looked like that, they would be a vegetable! Wow, isn’t God good! Her brain has reassigned all of that dead part to other parts of her brain. That is why they aren’t for sure what the part of her brain where the seizures are coming from controls. The more I look at it the more I see God in Olivia!”
NorthEscambia.com will continue to follow Olivia’s hope for a miracle. We first introduced our readers to Olivia back in early December. That story is below.
Olivia Bush’s story started July 22, 2003, almost four months before there should have been a first chapter in her life. Born at just 22 weeks, she weighed only one pound six ounces. She stayed in the NICU three and half months, defying doctors and coming home two weeks before her due date. Olivia is the second youngest baby to ever survive at Sacred Heart Hospital.
The current-day chapter Olivia’s story is perhaps best told by her mother, Amber Bush:
“Olivia is now 6 years old. She is blind and can only see light with her left eye. She has a shunt to drain fluid off of her brain, and has frequent seizures.
“Our little miracle girl started first grade this year and loves to go to school. She is spoiled rotten by everyone she meets and has her daddy wrapped around her little finger. She loves to rock and spin and everything needs to be fast. Roller coasters, throw up rides, and bumps are her friends. Olivia doesn’t meet a stranger. She has the greatest smile and laugh and always brightens our day. She is such an inspiration to everyone she meets, and she has come such a long way. Her favorite song is the BIBLE and she tells everyone to sing it to her.
“After enduring the NICU, she came home on oxygen and a heart monitor, and doctor after doctor. Then started the therapy. She is still in physical, occupational, speech, vision, and mobility therapy.”
Now, Olivia is heading to Miami Children’s Hospital. She will see the same doctor that cured the seizures of her cousin, Northview High student Nathan Therrell. NorthEscambia.com introduced our readers to Nate in November of 2008 when he was on the sidelines as Northview’s waterboy. After undergoing surgery at Miami Children’s Hospital, Nathan played in Northview’s Garnet and Gold Game in May of 2009, void of seizures. (Read about Nathan here.)
Olivia will be in Miami Children’s Hospital December 14-16 for a battery of tests that her parents hope will end with a successful treatment plan. It’s their Christmas wish.
“Pray for guidance in this matter and that the seizures will subside,” mom Amber said. “Please pray for Olivia. She has come such a long way, and we are so thankful. God has truly blessed us with a living angel and we are very grateful.”
A successful benefit car wash for Olivia Bush was held in Century on Saturday, December 5.
Pictured top: Olivia Bush with a therapy dog at Miami Children’s Hospital. Pictured top insets: Olivia at the children’s hospital. Pictured top inset: Olivia was just one pound six ounces when she was born at 22 weeks. Pictured bottom inset: Olivia Bush at six-years old. Pictured below: Tad, Olivia, Simon and Amber Bush.Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Offers More Safety, Energy Saving Cold Weather Tips
January 10, 2010
Gulf Power Company says the utility is geared up as more bitter-cold temperatures are expected in Northwest Florida.
“We’re ready for this weather — just as we prepare for operations 24 hours a day,” said Sandy Sims, Gulf Power Public Affairs manager. “We make sure that all available power generation is online and ready for maximum output, and our lines and substations are prepared for the energy our customers need.”
Gulf Power has additional employees working through the weekend and more employees on 24-hour callout status if needed.
The company achieves its 99.9-percent reliability through planning and preparation, and coordination throughout the Southern Company system, Sim said. Before a cold surge, Gulf Power performs a system assessment and prepares crews on standby throughout the company’s eight county territory. Line crews activate capacitor banks, which allow the system run more efficiently and effectively as the demand increases with the cold weather.
In case of isolated outages, crews restore electricity systematically to ensure that the load stabilizes. Gulf Power recommends that customers follow these guidelines to speed restoration:
- If you lose power in your home, turn off the electric heating system. Heating systems in emergency heat mode can demand two to three times as much current as heat pumps in normal operation.
- Once power is restored, wait about 10 to 15 minutes before turning on your heating system, allowing the electricity load to stabilize.
- Do not connect portable generators to your household electrical wiring. This can cause serious injury to you and to Gulf Power employees who are restoring electricity. Instead, plug appliances into the generator. Never use a generator in enclosed or partially-enclosed spaces because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Ways customers can conserve energy during the winter:
- Set your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower to conserve energy.
- Reverse the direction of your ceiling fans so they rotate clockwise as you look up at them. This will force warm air down from the ceiling.
- During the middle of the day, open blinds and curtains on the sunny side of the house. Also, where possible, reduce the traffic in and out of the house.
- Check filters at least monthly and clean or change them as needed. Dirty filters increase operating costs and can damage equipment.
- Use caulk around windows to prevent drafts.
- Use exhaust fans sparingly in winter. Heat and moisture from bathing and cooking contribute heat to your home.
- Don’t use your oven to heat your home — it’s not efficient and most important, it’s not safe.
- Cover bare floors. Carpeting adds to comfort and heat retention, especially if there is little or no floor insulation.
- If possible, remove window air conditioning units in winter. Otherwise, install an inexpensive air conditioner cover to stop drafts coming through the vents.
- A fireplace is not always an efficient heat source. If not used properly it can actually make the rest of the house cooler because airflow up the chimney removes the heated air. When using the fireplace, close all doors and warm air ducts to the room where the fireplace is located. Glass doors on a fireplace will reduce the outflow of warm air. And a fireplace with a blower system is ever better because it actually blows the warm air around the firebox back into the room.
- An electric blanket is more economical than heating the entire house all night long.
- Use a portable electric heater to heat only a small area. Buy models that are thermostatically controlled. Keep it at least three feet from items that could catch fire like curtains or furniture. Make sure you have working smoke detectors on every floor and in every sleeping room of your house.
- Make sure vents and return air registers are not blocked by furniture, draperies, doors or other obstacles.
- Use “draft stoppers” or towels/blankets to block drafts at foot of door.
Byrneville Elementary Presents Delayed Christmas Program
January 10, 2010
Byrneville Elementary School third through fifth graders performed their “Santa’s Holiday Playlist” Christmas program Saturday night — a program that was delayed in mid-December due to flooding in the area.
Christmas spirit filled the air at Northview High School’s theater Saturday night as the children performed as snowflakes, reindeer, toy soldiers, elves, Mrs. Claus and Santa Claus under the direction of music teacher Elaine Holk. The program featured a variety of Christmas music, singing solos and all of the children playing their recorders.
For a photo gallery from the play and backstage preparations, click here.
Pictured above and below: Byrneville Elementary School’s 3rd-5th grade performed their Christmas play Saturday night at Northview High School. Photos by Angi Baker for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Article contributed by Angi Baker for NorthEscambia.com
Winter Weather Photos
January 10, 2010
Our super cold weather is continuing in North Escambia, providing some unique icy photograph opportunities. Deni Deron of Molino sent a photo of a sweetgum tree after a sprinkler was left on in the tree all night. And Deeann Lee in Cantonment emailed us photos of a frozen fountain.
For more photos, including a really cold bird feeder in a picture from Deni Deron, click here.
Do you have cold weather photos you would like to share? Email them to news@northescambia.com
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.