Former Admin. George Touart Wants Legal Bills Paid Over Ethics Complaint Filed By Walnut Hill Man
February 4, 2009
The county attorney is recommending that the county deny a request by former Escambia County Administrator George Touart to pay legal bills related to ethics complaints filed against in part by a Walnut Hill man.
After Touart resigned in September 2007, an ethics complain was filed against him by Preston Solomon of Walnut Hill and Michael Coonan of Pensacola. The complaint was dismissed by the state’s ethics commission.
The ethics complained alleged that Touart was linked to company that was contracted to remove post-hurricane debris in the county. There were also allegations that Touart’s wife was improperly hired by the county.
County Attorney Allison Rogers will present a recommendation to the Escambia County Commission Thursday night that Touart’s request for $3,629.60 be denied.
“The defense of complaints filed by Preston Solomon and Michael Coonan with the State of Florida Commission on Ethics by former County Administrator George Touart does not meet either statutory or common law criteria for reimbursement of legal fees and costs by Mr. Touart,” Rogers says in a letter presented to commissioners.
Mike Patterson of the law firm Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon requested that the county pay $3,446 in legal fees and $183 in other costs for the firm’s representation of Touart in the ethics matter.
ECUA: Your Bill Is In The Mail
February 4, 2009
The bill is in the mail — that’s the word from the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority.
ECUA took over the former Allied Waste residential waste service in North Escambia back on January 1. But former Allied customers did not receive a bill during January.
That was because there was a delay in converting Allied’s billing database to the software used by ECUA, according to Nathalie Bowers, ECUA spokesperson.
The January ECUA bills for North Escambia residents were to be printed last Friday, stuffed in envelopes on Monday and put into Tuesday’s mail. Many customers reported receiving their ECUA bill on Wednesday.
While Allied billed quarterly, ECUA bills a monthly rate of $17.99, a reduction from $19.62 charged by Allied Waste. A small fuel charge of 45 cents is added to the base rate.
ECUA bills can be paid with a mailed check, automatic checking draft, at ECUA’s office in the Ellyson Industrial Park, at Wachovia Bank locations, online or on the phone. There is an additional $1.95 fee for using the pay-by-phone or online payment option.
For more information on ECUA billing, visit ECUA’s web site.
Jay’s Lady Royals Advance In Tournament Action
February 4, 2009
The Jay Royals girls basketball advanced in the District 1-2A Tournament Tuesday night.
The Lady Royals beat Vernon 49-11. Jay is now 14-8 on the season.
Tessa Hendricks scored 12 for the Lady Royals. Other scorers: Ginger Jennings 9, Joy Gandy 8, Danelle Skaggs 6, Amber Steadham 6, Leely Trevino 5, Haley Mulford 3.
Jay 17 15 12 5—49
Vernon 3 0 2 6—11
Town Looks Toward Cold Weather Shelter, Substandard Housing
February 3, 2009
As the temperature plummets into the 20’s the next three nights in North Escambia, it’s no secret that many people will be very cold. Many live in substandard housing with inadequate heat that just does not keep them warm on these cold winter nights.
The Century Town Council took action Monday toward two solutions — one short-term and one long-term — to provide a solution in their town to keep residents warm.
The council voted to work with the EscaRosa Coalition For the Homeless to develop an inclement weather shelter in the town as a short-term solution.
Brunie Emmanuel from the homeless coalition will work with the council to explore the possibility of using the old Carver School as a cold weather shelter. Under the plan, the American Red Cross would provide cots for the shelter, and area churches would provide volunteers and food.
The shelter would provide a refuge from the cold for not just the homeless, but also for those in substandard housing.
“You have folks that may be in a house but it’s not a safe shelter for them,” Emmanuel told the council.
Emmanuel told the council that in addition to the short-term shelter solution, he hopes to look at ways to improve the substandard housing that might drive people to use the shelter.
The council appointed council member Gary Riley to work with Emmanuel to explore options for the shelter and improving the housing situation.
The council also discussed investigating expanding the capabilities of the shelter into serving as a hurricane shelter for the town.
Century Develops $7 Million Wish List For Obama Stimulus Money
February 3, 2009
The Town of Century has developed a $7 million wish list for money they hope to receive from the state from President Obama’s economic stimulus plan.
High on the list are water system improvements and a drainage project to eliminate flooding along Highway 29.
The wish list include $1.4 million for a 300,000 gallon elevated storage tank, two gas operated back-up generators and six inch water mains to improve water system reliability. Mayor Freddie McCall wants to bump the dollar figure up to $1.7 million to increase the elevated tank capacity to 500,000 gallons and install water mains to provide adequate water pressure to underserved residents along Backwoods Road.
$1.9 million is also on the wish list for drainage improvements along North Century Boulevard. A portion of the highway flooded during Hurricane Georges. Plans call for the improvement of a ditch from Highway 29 across Jackson and Zion streets to an existing lake. The plan had been considered by the state nearly 10 years ago, and some preliminary engineering work was done. But the project was never completed.
McCall said the opening of the four-lane Highway 113 in Alabama as a hurricane evacuation route spawned a renewed interest in the project by the Florida Department of Transportation.
The Century Town Council voted Monday night to spend $5,000 to have Fabre Engineering update the town’s eight-year old Facilities Plan in order to be able to apply for funding for projects on the wish list.
“This is critical; we must do something,” McCall told the council when asking for the $5,000.
There was some discussion from the council about the funds because they were not budgeted.
“We already made the decision to not spend money we did not budget,” Council President Ann Brooks said.
“We need to find the money somewhere even if we have to amend the budget,” council member Gary Riley said. And that’s what the council did — voting 4-0 to amend the budget for the $5,000 payment to the engineering firm.
Other projects on Century’s economic stimulus wish list include:
- $40,000 to replace aging natural gas meters
- $75,000 to install a flow meter to ensure adequate billing to the Century Correctional Institute
- $500,000 to improve drainage in the Dogwood Lane area
- $100,000 to improve the water system along Fannie Road
- $1 million to clear and regrade existing clogged drainage ways to improve flow and reduce upstream flooding
- $1.5 million to relocate about 6,000 feet of exisiting 6-inch gas main from under Highway 29 to the right-of-way
- $360,000 miscellaneous improvements to the towns wastewater treatment plant.
Man Trapped For Three Hours Inside Grain Silo
February 3, 2009
(Updated 2:40 p.m.) A man trapped for nearly three hours inside a grain silo in Walnut Hill has been freed and is in good condition.
The victim, identified as Escambia Grain Manager Ed Nowlin, walked away under his own power from the silo where he was trapped Monday morning.
Nowlin became trapped waist-deep inside the 100-foot tall concrete silo at Escambia Grain Corporation about 9:45 this morning. Dozens of emergency workers spent three hours to rescue him. They worked slowly to avoid a further collapse of 10-foot high wall of soybeans over Nowlin.
Emergency workers cut plywood and other wood supports to prevent the grain from collapsing around Nowlin.
The Escambia County Fire-Rescue Special Operations team worked to free Nowlin by lowering a harness from the top of the grain silo and then pulling him upwards and free from the soybeans about 12:45. He refused to be transported to the hospital. He walked back to work from the silo to the Escambia Grain office.
Nowlin had crawled into the silo this morning to work. He entered through a ground-level access hole.
NorthEscambia.com was first on the scene, arriving before the first fire units. We have exclusive photos in our photo gallery. Click here to access a complete photo gallery covering the entire three hour rescue, including exclusive photos from inside the silo.
Dozens of emergency workers from the Walnut Hill, Molino, Century and Brent stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the call. The Escambia Fire Rescue Special Operations team, the Atmore Fire Department and Atmore Ambulance also responded.
Pictured top: Firefighters work outside the grain silo where a man was trapped for nearly three hours today in Walnut Hill. The firefighter kneeling to the right of the photograph is looking into the small hole that accesses the inside of the silo. Pictured middle top: A rescue worker reaches inside the access hole into the silo. Pictured middle bottom: Nowlin (center, no hat) walks out of the silo. Pictured below: An exclusive photo inside the silo showing the 10-foot tall wall of grain at the rear that threatened to collapse on the trapped man. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Party At North Escambia Bar Ends With Fatal Crash In Atmore
February 3, 2009
Authorities say a man killed a in a high-speed accident in an Atmore residential neighborhood had left a lounge in North Escambia a short time before the crash.
Rex Randall Helton, 22, was killed in the wreck at about 2:45 a.m. Saturday. Authorities say Helton was headed north on South Presley Street at an estimated 80 mph when when hit ran through a four-way stop and hit a concrete curb at Pine Street, sending his pickup truck into a utility pole. The truck flipped at least four times, across two yards and into a second utility pole — a distance of over 350 feet from where Helton hit the curb.
Helton and his passenger, Terrell Still, 20, were both ejected. Helton was pronounced dead at the scene; Still was seriously injured.
Helton and Still had left The Grey Goose lounge in Davisville a short time before the accident. The lounge is on Highway 97 a few yards south of Atmore and the Alabam-Florida state line.
The two men had reportedly been celebrating Helton’s birthday at The Grey Goose before heading north into Atmore.
Authorities have not officially determined that alcohol was a factor in the accident.
Molino Driver Hits Bicycle In Pensacola, Highway Patrol Seeking Identity Of Bicyclist
February 3, 2009
Authorities are searching for the identity of a bicyclist hit by a pickup truck driven by a Molino resident.
The accident happened at 7:24 Monday night on Highway 29 just north of Texar Drive in Pensacola. The Florida Highway Patrol says a 1995 Chevrolet pickup driven by Tiffany L. Chance, 18, of Molino stuck a Hispanic male on a bicycle.
The bicyclist was taken to Baptist Hospital in critical condition. The FHP was unable to determine his identity.
Troopers say Chance was northbound on Highway 29 when the bicyclist pulled into her path. The front of Chance’s pickup struck the side of the bicycle, according to the FHP report.
The FHP is asking that anyone that might know the identity of the bicyclist call Trooper R. Streeter at 484-5000 ext. 346. The bicyclist was described as a Hispanic male, about 25 to 40 years old. He was riding a blue and silver “Next” brand bicycle with a metal basket on the handle bars. Troopers say the bicyclist was under the influence of alcohol.
Blog: An Addiction, And How It Involves You
February 3, 2009
The first step is admitting an addiction. So here goes: I, like our new president, have a Blackberry addiction.
For those that don’t know, a Blackberry is a “smartphone” — a cellular phone that in may ways is like having a portable computer. From browsing the web, to reading email, to taking photos and videos, to the latest games — I mean productivity software — to watching movies and listening to music…there is very little that can’t be done on a Blackberry.
When I walk out of my office, I always have three things…pants, a camera and the Blackberry. I don’t leave home without it. I use it frequently to update NorthEscambia.com, approve the comments you see on the site and even post stories “live” from the scene of an event.
When a man became trapped inside a grain silo in Walnut Hill Monday, the Blackberry proved its usefulness. NorthEscambia.com was literally first on the scene, arriving before the first emergency vehicles. Minutes later, we were able to post the breaking news about the entrapment on NorthEscambia.com.
For three hours, we posted live updates from the scene using the Blackberry. Our story was continually updated every few minutes with the latest information as we stood inside the grain elevator, just feet from the rescuers working to free the man from the silo. For three hours, several thousand people were able to follow the rescue live on our site, all thanks to the technology offered by the smartphone.
In fact, looking at our fancy statistics program running behind the scenes on NorthEscambia.com, our story live from inside the grain silo was read nearly 50,000 times. People returned over and over during the three hours to read about the event as it unfolded.
We have used the Blackberry before to post brief “more information will be posted soon” stories from the scene of wrecks, fires and the like. Monday was the first time we had used the phone to post ongoing live updates on a story. We appreciate you turning to us for breaking news, and we appreciate you returning over and over for the latest live news.
If you check NorthEscambia.com only once per day, you might want to drop in a few more times per day. We are making more of an effort to post events as they happen during the day in North Escambia.
We are looking at more ways to improve our news coverage on NorthEscambia.com. We have a few more things in the works in the coming weeks that I believe our readers will enjoy.
But back to my addiction. Sometimes you just don’t realize how much you are addicted to something until it is gone. Saturday afternoon, I pulled on the Blackberry on the side on Highway 29 in Molino at an accident. The plan was to post a story on NorthEscambia.com to let you, our readers, know that Highway 29 was closed. The button was pushed for the Internet. Nothing happened. Button pushed again. And again. Still nothing.
The Blackberry date network on our cellular company was down in Florida, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas. No internet. No email. Nothing. I felt so disconnected, so lost.
You many have seen the coverage in the national news…President Obama fought the Secret Service to be able to keep his Blackberry. He was first told no, but eventually won the battle to stay connected.
I can understand and feel his pain. Being disconnected is very much like going into withdrawal. It’s just not for me.
I also understand why a Blackberry is sometimes called a “Crackberry”. It’s just that addicting.
I also understand the president when on one of the morning shows he said he also wanted his Blackberry to keep in touch with his children. Those emails and photos from the kids when you are out working somewhere are just priceless. When you are sitting in a meeting and you get a photo from the kids, or a “Hey daddy, I love you” it makes that hefty monthly cellular bill worthwhile.
It also makes the Blackberry part of the family. Perhaps it is not an addiction, but part of the family. Yeah, that’s it.
Lights, Cameras, Reading: Byrneville Elementary Students Are Real Stars
February 2, 2009
The students at Byrneville Elementary School received the star treatment Friday as they dressed up for glamour shot photo sessions in preparation for a big Hollywood event Tuesday night.
Hollywood will come to the school as the red carpet will be rolled out, a movie will hit the big screen and parents will learn about making their student a star.
It’s all about reading at Byrneville. At Tuesday’s opening night Hollywood event, the students will watch the movie will kindergarten to second grade parents will learn about a new reading series. Parents of third, fourth and fifth graders will learn more about how to help their child succeed on the upcoming FCAT.
During Friday’s photo shoot, the children dressed up in fancy dresses, coats and jackets, jewelry, sunglasses and more “glam” items. The children will write about their favorite book on a star. Their glamour photo will be added to the star, the stars will be hanging in the hallways (the “walk of fame”) when parents arrive Tuesday night.
All of the events are taking place in conjunction with the school’s book fair that is themed “Reading Makes You a Star”. During the day Tuesday, the students are encouraged to come dressed up like movie stars or in other glamorous fashion.
From 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Byrneville parents can visit the book fair with their child. At 6:00, the students will go to the cafeteria for a movie, and their parents will be split up for the their learning sessions.
You will find pictures of a couple of ducks in the photo gallery…those are Bob and Bess, Byrneville’s conversation ducks. Every morning, they have a new Post-it note on them outside the school office. The children read the sticky notes to learn the latest in the continuing drama of Bob and Bess. It is another tool Byrneville Elementary uses to encourage reading.
Pictured above: Byrneville student Chloe Smith gets treated like a star during a glamour shot photo session Friday morning. Pictured inset: Several young ladies pick out the perfect jewelry for their photo shoot. Pictured below: Jared Jeter poses for his photo shoot. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
