ECUA Offers Helpful Hints To Prevent Frozen Pipes
January 8, 2010
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority is offering helpful tips to prevent the expense of frozen pipes — especially external, exposed pipes that are naturally the most vulnerable to freezing.
The Backflow Preventer: Residents and business owners who have backflow preventers on their properties for water lines, fire lines, irrigation systems, and swimming pools need to protect their backflow preventers from freeze as well. Extended freezes can burst the body of the backflow assembly, rendering it useless. Wrap these pipes with insulation materials, made especially for this purpose. These materials can be found in most hardware stores or home improvement centers. If the device and the water lines are not in use at this time (i.e., irrigation system or swimming pool lines), shut off the water supply line and drain the backflow device.
Insulate Pipes or Faucets in Unheated Areas: Pipes located in unheated areas of your house, such as a garage or crawl space under the house or in the attic, are subject to freezing. If you have time to do this before freezing temperatures arrive, wrap these pipes with insulation materials made especially for this purpose. These materials can be found in most hardware stores or home improvement centers.
Disconnect And Drain Outdoor Hoses: Detach all hoses from faucets and allow them to drain. This will prevent the water in the hose or pipe from freezing and bursting the faucet or pipe to which it is connected.
Run a Trickle of Water: When forecasts call for sustained and / or severe freezing temperatures, run thin trickles of water from the faucet furthest from the water line coming to your house. Usually this is in a room at the back of the house or outside, in the yard. Allowing the water to circulate through your home’s plumbing helps to keep it from freezing. Some consider this a waste of water, but the cost of the water used is extremely slight compared to that of repairing broken pipes and the resulting water damage.
For more information visit the ECUA web site @ www.ecua.org, or call Customer Service at (850) 476-0480.
Government Consolidation Plan Hits Roadblock: Escambia Withdraws Support For 2010 Vote
January 8, 2010
On a split vote, the Escambia County Commission has pulled support for a 2010 vote on a government consolidation plan, delaying any possible consolidation referendum until 2012 at the earliest. Escambia became the second of three entities to withdraw support; Century pulled their support in January of last year.
A motion by Commissioner Wilson Robertson to ask the Escambia County legislative delegation to delay any consolidation vote until no earlier than November 2012 passed 3-2. Commissioners Robertson, Kevin White and Gene Valentino voted for the delay, while Commissioners Marie Young and Grover Robinson voted against.
The Escambia County Consolidation Study Commission’s proposal to unify the three governments is due by January 15, but it is still not complete. The group has three meetings remaining, including one on January 14, in which it planned to hammer out a final proposal.
That schedule, Robertson said, was simply not acceptable to allow for full review of the plan.
“There is no rush, and there is plenty of time to do this,” Attorney Kenneth Bell told the commision. Bell, who chairs the consolidation committee, said that the actual bill in legislature does not have to be filed until February 15. “I was given my task under the bill agreed to by this commission, the City of Pensacola, the Town of Century and other folks…And the deadline we were given was January 15, and we are on task to reach that deadline.”
Bell said he was disappointed that there “would be an attempt to the pull the rug out of this process”.
“Many things that Mr. Robertson has put in his letter are simply not true,” he said. He encourage the commission to wait until the final consolidation commission meeting on January 14, or “at the latest” January 21 for final proposal that he said the commission had worked thousands of hours to draft. “I think it is incredibly disrespectful.”
“I didn’t think you could make it,” Robertson said. “I was very concerned about seeing this document so we could decide if we wanted to continue to support it.”
“I don’t want to have a document that has been approved by the delegation,” he said, “that all I am going to be able to debate for the next 10 months before it goes to election is whether I am for it or against it. I want a document that has been worked out, that has been hammered out, refined, that’s went out to the community, that’s been discussed.”
“I am not trying to kills this. Get it on the 2012 ballot. Why does it have to be 2010?” Robertson said.
“I do support some form of consolidation. I’ve referred to it as ice cream that comes in 20 flavors — which one are you talking about?” Commissioner Gene Valentino said. “There is no judgement being passed here — directly or indirectly — on consolidation.”
The Town of Century also pulled their support for the plan altogether. In December 2008, the Century Town Council voted to support a consolidation study, but a few weeks later, Century withdrew their support with council members saying they were misled by the group Escambia All For One.
If the 25-member Escambia County Consolidation Study Commission finishes their proposal by January 15, it will still go to the Northwest Florida Legislative Delegation. The delegation will usually not send an item to the full legislature if it does to have the full support of the local governments involved.
Pictured top inset: Commissioner Wilson Robertson at Thursday night’s BOCC meeting. Pictured bottom inset: Kenneth Bell.
Molino Man Seeks County’s Help To Put Mobile Home On His Land
January 8, 2010
A Molino man is seeking the Escambia Commission’s help to place a mobile home for his son on property he says has been owned by his family for 60 years.
Bennie Hassebrock told commissioners that he has tried for four years to get approval for a mobile home on property, located on Highway 97 just south of Highway 29. The property’s zoning does not allow a mobile home.
“Everywhere I go, they tell me I can’t do this,” Hassebrock said Thursday night. “I’m against trailers myself, but I’m trying to live within our means, and our means can’t build him a house right now.”
“He got caught up when the zoning map was thrown down,” District 5 Commissioner Kevin White said. “It’s one of those where you’ve got a trailer across the street and its OK, but his zone does not allow it.” White said the county’s rezoning fees would be hardship for Hassebrock.
At White’s request, Lloyd Kerr, directory of planning and zoning, will return to the commission on February 4 with a recommendation to rezone the property and waive the rezoning fees based upon hardship.
Pictured: Bennie Hassebrock addresses the Escambia County Commission Thursday night.
Alabama Football Wins National Championship, Beating Texas, 37-21
January 8, 2010
The No. 1 ranked Alabama football team beat No. 2 Texas in the BCS National Championship game, played in the Rose Bowl Thursday, 37-21, winning the 13th national title in school history and first since 1992. With the win, head coach Nick Saban becomes the fifth coach to bring a national championship to the Capstone.
“Our message to the team at halftime was that it’s a 60-minute game,” Saban said. “I’m proud of the way we hung in there and bounced back at the end of the game.”
The Crimson Tide defense ended any hopes of a Longhorns comeback when Eryk Anders forced a fumble out of the hands of Texas quarterback Garret Gilbert with 3:08 remaining in the game.
Alabama would force two more turnovers and score two touchdowns to seal the 2009 national championship.
After Texas jumped out to a 6-0 lead on a pair of field goals in the first quarter, the Crimson Tide took the lead when sophomore Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram scored on a two-yard rush, putting Alabama up 7-6 with 14:18 remaining in the second quarter.
Freshman Trent Richardson (pictured), a graduate of Escambia High School in Pensacola, joined in on the ground attack when he busted a 49-yard touchdown run at the 7:59 mark in the second quarter. The long touchdown run stretched Alabama’s lead to 14-7.
Senior Leigh Tiffin would extend the Tide’s lead further connecting on a 26-yard attempt. Two plays later Marcell Dareus intercepted Gilbert’s shovel pass and returned it 28 yards for an Alabama touchdown. The 10-point swing gave the Crimson Tide a 24-6 lead heading into the half.
With Texas’ offense scoring 11 unanswered points in the second half and pulling within 24-21, Anders swung into action, forcing a fumble at the three-yard line with Courntey Upshaw recovering for the Tide.
Ingram (pictured) capitlized on the turnover, scoring on a one-yard touchdown run three plays later, putting Alabama up 31-21.
Senior Javier Arenas came up with his second interception of the night with 1:55 remaining in the game. Richardson turned the turnover into points once again, scoring a touchdown on a two-yard run. Tiffin missed the extra point attempt, making the score 37-21.
With the win Alabama head coach Nick Saban becomes the first head coach in major college football history to win a national championship at two different schools, also winning the BCS national championship in 2003 at LSU.
Saban also becomes the second head coach to win two BCS national championships, joining Urban Meyer of Florida.
The victory in Pasadena comes 84 years after Alabama won its first national championship in the 1926 Rose Bowl game and makes this the fifth Alabama team to end their national championship campaign at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Alabama officials are tentatively planning a national championship celebration for Saturday, Jan. 16. More details will be available on RollTide.com in the coming days.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Man Jailed For Probation Violations
January 8, 2010
A Molino man was jailed Thursday morning on multiple outstanding violation of probation warrants.
Eric Rontell Jackson, 22, of Allen Circle, Molino, faces several violation of program counts. According to Escambia County Circuit Court records, Jackson his violated probation on 2006 charges of principal to burglary of an unoccupied structure, grand theft auto, marijuana possession less than 20 grams, grand theft, two counts of burglary of an unoccupied structure and dealing in stolen property.
Jackson remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Jay Girls Beat Baker
January 8, 2010
In girls basketball action Thursday, the Jay Royals beat the Baker Gators. The Lady Royals are now 7-5 on the season, 4-2 in the district.
Jay 44 Baker 41
Jay — Jennings 9, Hendricks 8, Mulford 7, Steadham 10, Calloway 10.
Jay 11 11 8 14-44 Baker 10 8 4 19-41
WEAR, Mediacom Reach Agreement
January 8, 2010
Sinclair Broadcasting, the parent company of WEAR 3, and Mediacom have reached a one year agreement that will keep WEAR on Mediacom cable for another year.
Mediacom “has finalized a 12-month agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. covering retransmission consent rights for 22 television stations carried in Mediacom cable systems,” Tom Larsen, senior vice president for legal and public affairs for Medicacom, said in a written statement. “Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.”
““We are very happy with the outcome of the negotiations which includes an acceptable economic arrangement. We are pleased that our viewers and Mediacom’s customers will continue to receive the important and popular programming carried on our stations such as the local news, sports, and network shows as CSI, American Idol and 24,” said David Smith, president and CEO of Sinclair, in a written statement.
WEAR was set to be pulled at midnight Friday from Mediacom, which serves about 100,000 customers on the Gulf Coast including Atmore. Sinclair’s programming was scheduled to be removed from Mediacom’s cable systems on December 31, but the two companies reached an eight day agreement so viewers could watch college bowl games.
The dispute centered around the amount of money Medicacom pays Sinclair for the right to retransmit the programming of WEAR and 21 other stations in 15 markets. A similar dispute in 2007, did not end before deadlines passed. WEAR was off Mediacom for about month.
Eddie Cooper Honored For 25 Years With County NRCS
January 8, 2010
Eddie Cooper of Molino was honored Thursday night for 25 years of dedicated service to Escambia County.
Cooper currently serves as the division manager of the National Resource Conservation Division, Neighborhoods and Community Services Bureau. The Escambia County Natural Resources Conservation Division (NRCS) was formerly known as the Soil and Water Division.
The NRCS office administers federal funds that are headed to farmers, ranchers and landowners participating in a variety of federal programs. In the just the past 10 years, the NRCS has administered over $27 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture dollars made available to Escambia County and agriculture producers. Agriculture is a $32 million a year industry in Escambia County, according to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture survey.
Keith Wilkins, deputy bureau chief of Neighborhoods and Community Services, said Cooper has always been one of the department’s most ethical, sincere and diligent employees.
“I just want to thank Escambia County for giving me the privilege to serve,” Cooper said, adding that he is looking forward to several more years with Escambia County before his retirement.
Pictured above: County Administrator Bob McLaughlin (left) presents a framed proclamation to Eddie Cooper at Thursday night’s Escambia County Commission meeting.
McLaughlin Officially Out; County Names Interim Administrator
January 8, 2010
The Escambia County Commission has named Larry Newsom as the county’s interim county administrator.
Newson currently serves as Escambia County’s manager of traffic engineering. He will begin his new duties on February 7, the day after the non-renewed contract of current Administrator Bob McLaughlin. Thursday night, the commission voted 4-1, with Marie Young voting against, to officially not renew McLaughlin’s contract.
Also Thursday night, commissioners voted unanimously to name Joy Blackmon as an interim assistant administrator.
A national search for a permanent administrator will begin in Monday with the goal of hiring the a permanent administrator by April.
Newsom and Blackmon will return to to their respective jobs once a permanent administrator is hired.
Lady Cougars Make State Top Ten
January 8, 2010
The Escambia Academy Lady Cougars are now ranked as one of the top ten Alabama Independent School Association basketball teams.
The Cougars are number nine in the latest poll from the Alabama Sports Writers Association.
“I am extremely proud of the girls’ hard work, dedication and committment to the team,” said Lady Cougars Head Coach Heath Gibson. “ Of course, our goal is to stay focused and to keep climbing in the polls.”
Team members include: Kristen Matthews, Lacie Flowers, KayLeigh Miller, Taylor Helton, Amber Huskey, Sydney McGhee, Rachel Fuller, Samantha Lee, Grayson Emmons, Allie Brooks, Paige Allen, Page Lancaster, Jordan Jaye, Carlie Broughton.