ECUA Recycling Hits Record Level
July 30, 2009
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority hit a record earlier this month, collecting 130 tons of recyclable materials in Escambia County during the week of July 13 through July 17.
There are 32,000 residential customers using the recycling program, according to ECUA spokesperson Jim Roberts. That is up from 18,227 at the end of January, the program’s first month. ECUA collected just 36.71 tons of recyclables during the first week of the program.
ECUA customers in Escambia County can request a gray recycling container at no additional charge as part of their regular service.
The collection service includes weekly garbage pickup, weekly pickup of recyclables, and weekly yard waste pickup. All services are provided on the same day of the week. In addition, bulky waste pickup service is available once each calendar month at no additional charge.
For information on what items can be recycled in the ECUA program, click here.
There are three ways to request ECUA service or add recyclables service to your current ECUA pickup:
- email support@ecua.org with your name, address and daytime phone number, along with the desired recycling container size — 40, 64 or 90 gallon.
- visit ecua.org and download a form located on the “Sanitation Services” page. That form can be faxed or mailed to the ECUA.
- call ECUA customer service at 476-0480
Deputies Uncover $300,000 In Stolen Goods From North Escambia, Surrounding Areas
July 29, 2009
Escambia County (Ala.) authorities believe they have uncovered a multi-state theft ring that targeted homes and businesses in North Escambia, Santa Rosa County and south Alabama.
Authorities are looking for Mark Anthony Harrison, 38, in connection with the theft of items like all-terrain vehicles, trailers, motorcycles and motor homes. Harrison is believed to have stolen the items and then sold them to friends and acquaintances at very low prices.
Property discovered on Upper Creek Road in Flomaton included a four wheeler that was reported stolen from Century Marine in December of last year. Two additional stolen four wheeler and two motorcycles were also recovered from the property.
When officers executed search warrants at home in Riverview and Brewton, they located a stash of additional stolen property, including a Fleetwood motor home. In all the stolen goods are worth an estimated $300,000 from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida, and Escambia and Baldwin counties in Alabama. Once Harrison is located, he is expected to face theft charges in all four counties.
Anyone with information on Harrison’s whereabouts, or anyone that may have purchased property from him is asked to call the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department at (251) 867-0304.
No Sales Holiday In Florida, But Some Tax Free Shopping In Alabama
July 29, 2009
There is no sales tax holiday in Florida this year for back-to-school shopping. There is a sales tax holiday coming up in Alabama, but if you want to avoid sales tax, you will need to drive past Escambia County, Alabama.
This year is only the third year since 1998 without a back-to-school sales tax holiday in Florida. It is up to the Florida Legislature to approve the back-to-school tax breaks each year. A bill was introduced this year, but it failed to pass amid concerns over the state’s budget woes.
There is a sales tax holiday in Alabama beginning Friday, August 7, but Atmore, Flomaton and Escambia County, Ala., are not participating — they will be collecting county and sales tax as usual.
In Monroe County, including Monroeville, and Baldwin County, including Bay Minette and outlet shopping favorite Foley, there will be no school shopping sales taxes. Brewton will exempt shoppers from city sales tax, but county tax will still apply.
The Alabama sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, August 7 and ends at midnight on August 9. Most clothing items, computers less than $750 and most school supplies will be completely exempt from sales tax in Alabama counties and cities that approved the tax exemption.
Click here for a complete list of Alabama’s sales tax holiday items.
New Chemstrand Road Closes Today For Four Months
July 29, 2009
New Chemstrand Road north of Kingsfield Road is scheduled to be closed for up to four months beginning today.
As part of the 25 miles of transmission main being installed to redirect wastewater flow from the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant to the new Central Water Reclamation Facility (CWRF), one of ECUA’s contractors , Morgan Contracting, Inc., will begin pipeline construction on New Chemstrand Road Wednesday.
The area affected will be New Chemstrand Road, from Kingsfield Road north to Old Chemstrand Road, in front of Ascend Products (Solutia). During this time, the immediate section of the road where construction is occurring will be closed to through traffic. The current construction schedule is estimated to last approximately four months, but weather or unforeseen construction conflicts could cause project delays, according to ECUA.
“ECUA recognizes the inconvenience this may cause to some residents and businesses in the immediate area. It will make every effort to minimize the impact to those who travel Chemstrand Road and appreciates the public’s understanding during this phase of construction on a project so vitally import to our area,” ECUA said in a press release.
Another Chicken Tests Positive For West Nile Virus
July 29, 2009
A chicken from the Pollard area in Escambia County (Ala.) has tested positive for West Nile Virus. Pollard is east of Flomaton, about three miles from North Escambia.
The Escambia County (Ala.) Health Department announced Tuesday that the sentinel chicken from the Pollard area tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). Previously the virus was detected in the Riverview area near Brewton. Ongoing public health surveillance has detected no mosquito-borne virus activity in humans in Escambia County this year.
“With summer in full swing and many people enjoying outdoor activities, it is important that residents make efforts to reduce their exposure to mosquitoes,” said Escambia County (Ala.) Health Department Environmentalist Josh Coleman. “Keep your mosquito repellent with you at all times when you are working or recreating outdoors.”
West Nile virus, EEE and other mosquito-borne viruses are transmitted from bird to mosquito to bird. Occasionally, the same mosquitoes will take blood from mammals, including humans and horses. Humans and horses can sometimes become ill from the infection. The likelihood of transmission to humans and horses can be decreased by personal mosquito avoidance and the use of WNV and EEE vaccine in horses. There is no vaccine available for humans, health officials said.
The Escambia County (Ala.) Health Department established a mosquito control program in 2008 that includes surveillance activities such as mosquito trapping and sentinel chicken surveillance. These activities are conducted to monitor for mosquito-borne diseases and track mosquito populations. Serum samples are taken each week from the six sentinel chicken flocks and tested for the presence of WNV, EEE and St. Louis Encephalitis virus.
Escambia Gets $3.3 Million Fed Money For 20 New Deputies; Other Departments Denied Funding
July 29, 2009
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department was awarded a $3.3 million, three-year grant Tuesday for 20 new deputies under a federal economic stimulus program.
But other agencies that applied — the Flomaton Police Department, Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department, Poarch Creek Tribal Police Department and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Department – received nothing. The Atmore Police Department did not apply for funds under the program.
Vice President Joe Biden announced $1 billion in grants to create or maintain 4,699 sworn officers nationwide under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced $1 billion in funding across the nation including $3,344,620 for the ECSO for 20 deputies. Under the COPS Hiring Recovery Program, the ESCO will be required to maintain the positions in their own budget for an additional 12 months.
Only four agencies in Florida — the Miami PD, Jacksonville PD, Polk County SO and Pasco County SO — received funding for more officers than Escambia County.
Four Injured In I-65 Wreck Tuesday Morning Near Atmore
July 28, 2009
Four people were injured when a Jeep collided with an ALDOT vehicle on I-65 near Atmore this morning.
The accident happened just before 9 a.m. on I-65 just north of the Highway 21 exit in Atmore when the driver of a Jeep Liberty rear-ended a utility trailer attached to an Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) vehicle used for litter removal.
Two workers in or near the trailer at the time of the crash were transported to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola by LifeFlight. Markus Prim, 19, of Bay Minette and Sherman McMillan, 17, of Loxley were treated and were released Tuesday afternoon.
The driver of the Jeep, Mirla Sease, and her passenger, Norma Alvarado, were transported by Atmore Ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Both are from of Victoria, Texas.
Further information was not immediately available. The accident is still under investigation by Alabama State Troopers.
Billings Murder Suspect Donnie Stallworth Now In Escambia, Florida Jail
July 28, 2009
Donnie Stallworth, on of the seven people charged with the murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings, was extradited Tuesday morning to Escambia County, Florida.
His first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley signed the extradition order to send Donnie Stallworth back to Florida to face two open counts of murder.
Stallworth, 28, turned himself into Alabama authorities at the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton the night of July 13. He had remained in the Brewton jail without bond until his transfer to FloridaTuesday morning.
Stallworth, 28, appeared before Escambia County (Ala.) Circuit Court Judge Bert Rice July 20 in a probable cause hearing. Rice ruled that there was probable cause to continue to hold Stallworth without bond at that time. Stallworth was in the Brewton courtroom, but he did not speak on his behalf. About two dozen supporters, including his mother, were alsoin the courtroom.
Terry Hardy, an Escambia County (Fla.) investigator, was in court on July 20, testifying that suspect Thomas Wayne Coldiron had identified Stallworth as one of the five inside the Billings home on July 9 when the couple was murdered. Coldiron told investigators that Stallworth did have a weapon. Investigators said that Stallworth is the man that carried safe out of the Billings home.
Escambia (Fla.) officials were required to prepare the extradition warrant to send to Alabama Gov. Bob Riley to have Stallworth sent back to Florida. Florida officials were given up to 24 days to finish their paperwork.
At the time of the murders, Stallworth was assigned to the 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Hurlburt Field. The 1999 T.R. Miller High School graduate is a Brewton native. His family still resides in the Brewton area.
Pictured: Donnie Wayne Stallworth’s booking photo taken Tuesday at the Escambia County Jail in Pensacola. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Today: Murder Suspect Gonzalez Jr Has IRS Problem
July 28, 2009
Billings murder suspect Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr has a problem with the IRS over unpaid self employment taxes from 2006.
The Internal Revenue Service file a federal tax lien Monday in Santa Rosa County Court against Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr and his wife Tabatha C. Gonzalez. The total amount of the lien is $7,736.98.
The lien for the 2006 tax period was filed by the small business and self employed area of the IRS. The address listed on the lien is a post office box in Gulf Breeze that Gonzalez Jr used for his business UDT Institute. UDT stood for Ultimate Defensive Tactics Institute, a business that Gonzalez said under oath was to provide criminal countermeasures training for wealthy persons.
Click image to enlarge (pdf).
Health Department Services At Molino Clinic To Remain Cut
July 28, 2009
The availability of some medical services at the Molino location of the Escambia County Health Department will remain at one day per week, a cut from the weekly services that were offered until May of this year.
“We will continue with one full clinic day per month on the first Thursday of the month into the foreseeable future,” said Molly Payne-Hardin, spokesperson for the Escambia County Health Department.
The decreased services started in May due to the early and unexpected retirement of a health department doctor, according to Payne-Hardin.
The nurse practitioner who did see patients weekly in Molino was moved to the main Fairfield Drive location of the health department due the doctor’s retirement, she said. Additionally, Payne-Hardin said the department must wait to see what happens to their budget before replacing the retired doctor.
The Molino location is the only health department location offering full clinic services in North Escambia. The Century location only offers The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.
“It’s too soon to say when we will be able to find another doctor,” she said. “We may have to fill the need with a nurse practitioner.” In May, Payne-Hardin said the health department hoped to return to a weekly full clinic in Molino, but at this point she said that does not look likely.
The impacted services include family planning, sexually transmitted disease services and physical exams that require the services of a doctor or nurse practitioner. WIC, immunization and dental services offered at the Molino Clinic have not changed, Payne-Hardin said.
“We hope this is a temporary change until the state budget is finalized and we know our funding for the coming year,” Health Department Director Dr. John Lanza said in May. “Again, this only affects clinic services such as family planning and school physicals –- our dental, immunization and WIC services remain the same.”
The medical services at the Molino Clinic will be available on the first Thursday of each month; the next available day will be August 6. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 595-6500.
Free immunization services are also available in Molino on Wednesday. Call 595-6554 for more information and an appointment.