Will The Well Run Dry? County Looks At North Escambia Water Systems
July 8, 2009
When you turn on the faucet, you expect the water to come out. But just how much water can your local water company provide before the tap runs dry?
That’s an important question in the planning for the future in Escambia County. That’s why the county commission is taking a look at the capacity of the water companies that serve the county, including the smaller franchises in the North Escambia area, as part of their Comprehensive Plan Annual Report. The report takes look at elements such road capacity, mass transit, sanitary sewer, sold waste, drainage, recreation areas and population estimates.
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority is the primary supplier of drinking water in southern Escambia County, including Pensacola Beach. The northern half of the county is served by eight smaller water companies.
Information that the commission will review on Thursday shows that the eight small water companies have plenty of capacity of meet North Escambia’s water demands. Each of the eight companies can currently provide at least one million gallons more per day than they currently deliver.
The smallest system, the Walnut Hill Water Works, has a design capacity of 1,116,000 gallons per day. Currently, the system is delivering an average of 171,426 gallons of water per day, giving the system a potential 944,574 gallons per day in reserve.
The largest system of the non-ECUA systems, the People’s Water Service, has the capacity to pump 4,860,000 gallons of drinking water per day, but is only delivering 2,747,000 gallons daily. That leaves 2,386,000 gallons of excess daily capacity.
ECUA has a design capacity to deliver 86,180,000 gallons of water per day. ECUA currently delivers 34,113,000 gallons of water daily, leaving an excess capacity of 52,067,000 gallons.
The water capacities for each of the eight water systems in North Escambia are listed below:
Pictured top: The moon sets behind one of the water towers in the Walnut Hill Water Works system. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Atmore Man Arrested On DUI Charges After He Fails To ‘Move Over’
July 8, 2009
An Atmore man was arrested on DUI charges early Sunday morning by Flomaton Police after he failed to “move over’ as he approached a traffic stop.
Flomaton Police Officer Daniel Thompson was conducting a routine traffic stop on Highway 31 in Flomaton at 1:18 a.m. Sunday. Thompson reported that a 1991 Lincoln Town Car driven by Almie Smith, 68, of Atmore, was approaching the traffic stop and driving in the outside lane close to the officer. According to Thompson the vehicle failed to move to the inside lane and a safe distance away from the officer. Thompson then stopped the vehicle for violating the move over law.
As the officer approached the vehicle he reported the odor of an alcoholic beverage which eventually led to Smith’s arrest on charges of driving under the influence, according to Flomaton Police Chief Tim R. Hardage.
Hardage said that an Alabama law called the “Move Over Law” requires drivers on four lane roadways to reduce speed and move over to the inside lane away from emergency vehicles and officers. Hardage said that the law, which went into effect in July 2006, is aimed at preventing injury to emergency workers.
“Sometimes cars are so close you can feel the wind off the vehicle up your pants leg,” Hardage said. “That’s too close.”
Pictured: Almie Smith, 68, of Atmore was arrested on DUI charges by Flomaton Police. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tri-County Loses Championship Softball Game
July 8, 2009
The Tri-County All-Stars fell short of a softball district championship with a loss Tuesday night to Niceville.
Niceville downed Tri-County 18-0 in the finals of the 9-10 Year Old Little League All-Stars District 1 tournament in Niceville.
The Tri-County All-Stars lost their tournament opener against Shalimar 19-9 last week, and they went on to defeat Destin 21-18. Monday night, Shalimar forfeited to Tri-County, advancing them to Tuesday night’s finals against host team Niceville.
One Injured In Collision With Deer
July 8, 2009
One person was injured when they hit a deer Tuesday night on Highway 4 just east of Northview High School.
The driver of a Nissan Altima hit the deer on Highway 4 near Vaughn Road about 9:45 Tuesday night. The male driver was transported by Atmore Ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with minor injuries. There were no passengers in the car.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Atmore Amblance and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the accident.
The deer was killed in the collision.
Pictured above: One person was injured on Highway 4 just east of Northview High School Tuesday night when they collided with a deer in this Nissan Altima. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Motorcyle Ride For Melinda McGhee Reward Fund
July 8, 2009
A motorcycle ride will be held Saturday in Atmore for the Melinda Wall McGhee Reward Fund. McGhee is the Atmore area woman that has been missing for six years.
Melinda Wall McGhee was reported missing from her residence on Kent Road on March 24, 2003. She was 31 at the time.
Friends and family members still have hope that they will learn what happened to McGhee. That’s why they are still raising money for a a reward fund. The motorcycle ride will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Wind Creek Casino, Highway 21 at I-65 Atmore. The cost $25 per bike, $10 for an extra rider. Lunch will be provided. For more info, call Rita at (850) 394-7784.
Sheriff’s Substation Back Open
July 8, 2009
For the first time since before it was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department substation in Walnut Hill was reopened Tuesday with regular office hours.
“It was a slow day,” said Danny Collins, a reserve deputy that manned the office on opening day. “I think it will begin to get a lot busier after it has been open for a little while.”
Collins said that just one person stopped by to file a complaint, and one other person called. That made for a long day for Collins, who retired from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department in 2003 after 31 years of service.
“But I don’t mind being here; I’m glad to see this office open again,” he said. Collins and one other reserve deputy, Jimmy Kirkland, will alternate the duty of the keeping the Walnut Hill substation open on Tuesdays.
The Walnut Hill “Precinct 7″ will be open on Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. under the supervision of Lt. Carl Jones from the Century Precinct.
Jones said the precinct will provide the Walnut Hill Community with easy access to the Sheriff’s Department. Residents will be able to file a report, or just stop by and express concerns about issues in their community, he said.
“It will really make it easier for people in this community to have access to the department,” Jones said. “A lot of times people want to talk about what is going on in their neighborhood.”
Sheriff David Morgan told NorthEscambia.com when he was elected last fall that reopening the precinct was one of his North Escambia priorities. He said the precinct would be open on a “test basis” to determine if there will be enough walk-in traffic to justify keeping it open.
The building that housed the Walnut Hill Precinct 7 was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan back in 2004. Since it was rebuilt, it has not been open to the public. Deputies occasionally use the office space or restrooms in the building, otherwise the Sheriff’s Department space in the building has sat unused.
The Walnut Hill Precinct is located at 7850 Highway 97 in front of the Walnut Hill Community Center. During the Tuesday office hours from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the office can be reached by phone at (850) 327-4974.
Picturd top: Escambia County Reserve Deputy Danny Collins mans the phone at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department Walnut Hill Substation Tuesday afternoon. Pictured inset: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department Walnut Hill substation will reopened Tuesday.. It had been closed since the building was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sheriff’s Department Releases ‘Dear John’ Prostitution Letter
July 7, 2009
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has released a copy of a letter that will be sent to the registered owners of the vehicles involved in arrests for violations of Florida prostitution laws. The letters will be sent to vehicle owners along with a copy of Florida Statute 796.07 which prohibits prostitution.
The letter notifies a vehicle owner that a vehicle registered in their name was involved in a prostitution arrest and will name the person arrested in the vehicle. It also notifies the vehicle owner that their vehicle could be seized when involved in some crimes.
It also advises of the risks associated with sexually transmitted diseases and advises testing for STDs if involved with the person arrested.
Download the letter here (pdf).
Educators Challenge ACLU School Religion Decree
July 7, 2009
A Christian educators group from Ohio is becoming involved in the Santa Rosa County ACLU lawsuit against prayer and religion in schools, seeking to have a consent decree issued declared unconstitutional.
Christian Educators Association International (CEAI) has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed earlier this year by the ACLU against the Santa Rosa County School District. Following that suit, a consent decree was issued that required teachers and other school staff members to stop leading prayer at school functions.
“We are David facing a Goliath. The ACLU is engaged in a well-financed, systematic campaign to intimidate Christian educators across the nation. We feel this case is so important that we must take a stand,” says Finn Laursen, executive director of CEAI.
The ACLU charged that some teachers and administrators in the Florida district were actively endorsing religion. The school district attempted to settle the suit by joining with the ACLU in a consent decree that essentially bans all employees from engaging in prayer or religious activities, whether before, during, or after school hours.
The ACLU’s Consent Order broadly defines prayer, school events, and school officials so that employees who bow their head or fold their hands, pray over meals during their lunch, or voice agreement with another’s religious discussion at any time on school property or at any school event can be found in contempt of court. When private third parties use school facilities for after-school religious events or church services, no district employee on his or her own private time may participate or communicate agreement in any prayer or religious discourse, even if he or she is attending the event voluntarily, outside of school hours.
“The consent decree is so broad that it unconstitutionally infringes on the rights of teachers, administrators, and students,” says Laursen. “Our particular interest is that it violates the free speech and free exercise rights of CEAI members, both in their capacities as employees of the school board and as private citizens. The order also forces CEAI members to infringe upon the rights of students and others. CEAI will support its members employed by the Santa Rosa County School Board who are opposed to the unconstitutional consent order.”
“As a professional association for Christian educators founded in 1953, we have historically encouraged our members by informing them that they do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse door. We have consistently clarified in print, through technology, and in workshops and seminars across the country what courts have always held, that schools are not religion free zones. We have corrected the misconception that prayer has been banned from public schools and that teachers are limited in their religious expression on their own time.”
“If we just sit by and allow constitutional religious freedoms to be bullied out of public schools, we will end up surrendering them all together. We are not willing to sit by and see this happen in Santa Rosa County.”
CEAI is represented in the case by Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit group litigation, education and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and the traditional family, according to the group’s web site.
“Neither students nor teachers shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate. Not only does the ACLU want to strip public school employees of their rights to free speech while working, the ACLU is now arguing that they lose their rights after work and off campus. Public school employees are not required to abandon their faith to feed their families,” according to Matthew D. Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and dean of the Liberty University School of Law.
The ACLU has requested documents related to prayer at Escambia County Schools. The Santa Rosa ACLU ruling also led to the end of school-sponsored Baccalaureate services in Escambia County, including Northview High School.
Pictured above: A prayer rally for area schools was held last March at Jay High School. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Century Approves Fees For Some Future Businesses
July 7, 2009
Opening a business along Highway 29 or East Highway 4 in Century could now cost more, especially for a larger, higher-traffic business. Businesses that choose to open along Highway 29 or State Road 4 in Century could be looking at an impact fee to build turn lanes and provide for other traffic control measures.
Under an ordinance the town approved Monday night, an ordinance that town consultant Debbie Nickles says is required by the state to upgrade roads, a study would be done to determine what level of vehicle traffic could be expected to be generated by the new business.
Nickles said the bottom line cost would be decided on a “case by case” basis using a formula determined by the State of Florida.
The council held the second reading of the ordinance and approved it 5-0 Monday night.
Tri-County 9-10 Girls Win; Boys Lose
July 7, 2009
In 9-10 year old ball action Monday night, Tri-County’s girls advanced to the finals of their tournament and the boys were eliminated.
Tri-County 6 Shalimar 0
The Tri-County 9-10 year old girls have advanced to the finals of the district softball tournament in Niceville.
Shalimar forfeited to Tri-County Monday night in the 9-10 Year Old Little League All-Stars District 1 tournament.
Tri-County will play host team Niceville Tuesday evening in the final round of tournament action.
The Tri-County girls lost their tournament opener against Shalimar 19-9, and they went on to defeat Destin 21-18.
Destin 12 Tri-County 0
The Tri-County boys lost to Destrin 12-0 Monday evening in Panama City.
That knocked Tri-County out of the 9-10 Year Old Little League All-Stars Tournament at RL Turner.
In their first tournament game, Tri-County beat host team RL Turner 12-2 on June 27. Two nights later, the Tri-County All-Stars beat Freeport 13-3. Thursday night, Tri-County suffered their first loss to undefeated Niceville-American, 7-4.