Protect Your Pipes From Freezing Temperatures Tonight
January 22, 2022
There are steps that will protect household pipes from freezing temperatures External, exposed pipes are naturally the most likely to freeze. Here are tips from ECUA:
- 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 at most hardware stores or home improvement centers.
- Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses: Detach all hoses from faucets and allow them to drain. This prevents 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 a thin trickle 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 repairing broken pipes and the resulting water damage.
- Remember 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 at most hardware stores or home improvement centers. If the device and the water line 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.
Traffic Crash Ends With Somewhat Bizarre Raging Water Rescue Along Highway 29
January 21, 2022
What began as a rather ordinary traffic crash on Highway 29 Thursday night ended with a somewhat bizarre raging water rescue in what, moments before, had been a dry ditch.
Four vehicles — an older Ford Econoline conversion van, two pickups and a truck hauling propane cylinders — were involved in the crash on northbound Highway 29 just south of 9 1/2 Mile Road at Dave Howell Tires just before 6 p.m.
The van ran off the roadway and into a fairly shallow ditch. And there’s when the situation quickly changed
It appeared the van struck and sheared off a fire hydrant, causing the ditch to rapidly fill with water and become a raging river that washed away the shoulder of the roadway.
Escambia County Fire Rescue Special Operations was called to the scene to rescue the van occupant.
According to witness accounts, the firefighters appeared to almost be swept away as the ground collapsed and a good Samaritan rushed into help.
We know the occupant of the van was rescued and there were no injuries to firefighters. The Florida Highway Patrol has not released further details as they investigate the crash.
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority responded and shut down the water flow.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Trial Date Set For Mom In Tate High School Homecoming Queen Scandal
January 21, 2022
A trial date has been set for the former school official accused of accessing student information to help her daughter win the Tate High School homecoming queen crown.
Laura Carroll appeared in an Escambia County courtroom Thursday, with her request for continuance denied. Carroll’s attorney argued for the continuance because they have not seen Verizon records and information from Google accounts.
Prosecutors said Carroll was offered a plea deal that she rejected — plead guilty to one felony and received probation, while the other felony charges would be dropped.
Jury selection was set to begin on January 31. Carroll faces up to 16 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
Carroll, former assistant principal at Bellview Elementary School, and her daughter Emily Rose Grover were charged by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement with one count each of felony offenses against users of computers, computer systems, computer networks, and electronic devices; felony unlawful use of a two-way communications device, felony criminal use of personally identifiable information, and conspiracy to commit these offenses.
Grover is entering a pre-trial diversion program that, if successfully completed, will result in the charges against being dismissed.
Both were accused of illegally accessing the Escambia County School District FOCUS computer system and casting 246 votes for Tate homecoming queen in the fall of 2020. Grover won, but she was later expelled.
NorthEscambia.com photo (left) and Escambia County Jail photos, click to enlarge.
Poarch Creek Indians To Build Meat Processing Facility In Atmore
January 21, 2022
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians has announced plans to build a new meat processing facility in Atmore.
The state-of-the-art USDA inspected facility will have the capacity to process up to 125 cattle per week.
Since 1982, the tribe has owned and operated Perdido River Farms (PRF), one of the largest cattle farms in Alabama, and has plans to expand their production. The Poarch Creek Indians said they will be able to efficiently harvest and process cattle and hogs for both livestock-producing customers and a retail and wholesale business.
“I am excited about the opportunities this project creates for our region’s farmers and the agriculture industry. Like so many other local meat producers, we have had no other option other than to send the cattle we raised right here at Perdido River Farms out of state for processing. This new facility will provide us and other farmers the opportunity to process locally- raised beef and pork right here in Atmore,” said Poarch Band of Creek Indians Chairwoman and CEO Stephanie A. Bryan.
“Not only will that make bringing a wonderful product to market easier and more cost-effective, it will also give Alabama producers an opportunity to be part of the ‘farm to table’ movement that is so important to both consumers and local agriculture,” Bryan continued.
Plans call for the project to be completed by the end of 2023.
Photo: USDA.
Escambia County Sands Bridges, FDOT Prepped For Ice Potential
January 21, 2022
Escambia Public Works and the Florida Department of Transportation prepped Thursday for potential icy conditions on area roadways on Friday.
County crews sanded bridges across North Escambia Sand improves traction in the event of ice on a bridge.
The Florida Department of Transportation prepared under their winter weather plan.
FDOT vehicles were on state routes as maintenance and operations staff responded to winter weather conditions. FDOT crews were prepared to deploy various tankers, bridge deck sprayers and other equipment to apply anti-icing products on bridges and overpasses to prevent ice from bonding to the pavement surface. The anti-icing products allow any ice layer to melt more quickly and reduces the amount of time required to restore the roads to a clear, dry state.
Pictured: Escambia County work crews sand bridges. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County (FL) Offices Closed On Friday Due To Winter Weather Advisory, Including ECAT, Libraries
January 20, 2022
Escambia County (FL) offices will be closed Friday, due to a winter weather advisory. Essential employees such as first responders and those contacted by their supervisors will be expected to maintain county operations.
For a complete closure list, including schools, click here.
Closed county offices include:
Escambia County Board of County Commissioners – all departments
West Florida Public Libraries (all locations)
The Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare
Escambia County Property Appraiser
Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office
Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Supervisor of Elections Office
ECAT bus service, UWF Trolley and Pensacola Beach Trolley services will be suspended Friday. Escambia County Community Transportation (ECCT) will suspend regular service on Friday as well, except for dialysis and life-sustaining services. The Perdido Landfill will be open with regular hours.
City of Pensacola offices will also be closed.
Flomaton Man Killed; Adult And Kids Critically Injured In Crash
January 20, 2022
A Flomaton man was killed in a tragic traffic crash Wednesday that critically injured a man and three juveniles, according to Alabama State Troopers.
Calvin L. Johnson, 68, was fatally injured when the 2004 Honda SUV he was driving collided with a 2003 Toyota pickup driven by 46-year old Brian T. Grant of Atmore, according to troopers. Grant and the children were transported to two area hospitals in multiple medical helicopters.
The crash happened shortly after 5 p.m. on Highway 31 near Old Atmore Road in the Wawbeek community, about five miles west of Atmore.
Troopers are continuing their investigation.
The Flomaton, Atmore, Wawbeek, Friendship and Lambeth fire departments; the Century and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia (FL) Fire Rescue; MedStar EMS; McMillan EMS; Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office and other agencies responded.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FDLE Arrests Escambia Man For Soliciting A Minor, Dozens Of Child Porn Counts
January 20, 2022
An Escambia County man was arrested Wednesday on child sex crimes.
Scott Alexander Chappelear, 40, was charged with 30 counts possession of obscene material depicting child sexual abuse, use of a computer to solicit a minor, six counts of transmission of harmful material to a minor, and use of a two-way communication device to commit a felony.
FDLE began its investigation in August 2021. An undercover agent, posing as a 14-year old female, began communicating with Chappelear, who tried to coax the “child” into performing sexual acts and sent adult pornography, according to the agency.
“Chappelear indicated that he was 40-years old and was ok with the child persona’s age of 14,” an arrest report states.
FDLE said Chappelear also agreed to meet the person he thought was a 14-year old girl at Shoreline Park in Gulf Breeze.
A search warrant was served Wednesday at his home at 8126 Crystal Wells Place, off East Olive Road. Agents found dozens of child sexual abuse material photos with some children as young as one to three years of age on two of his cell phones, according to the report.
Chappelear was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Escambia and Okaloosa county sheriff’s offices assisted FDLE with the arrest.
Attorney Says Lawsuit Forthcoming After Cottage Hill Murder Suspect Hangs Self In County Jail
January 20, 2022
An attorney has put several agencies on notice that litigation may be forthcoming in the case of a murder suspect that died days after hanging himself in the Escambia County Jail.
Lukas MacKenzie Snelson, 24, was charged with second degree homicide, grand theft of a motor vehicle and resisting arrest for the death of his grandmother, 75-year old Fran Fournier.
On December 30, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the end of Candy Lane in Cantonment for a death investigation. Fournier was found deceased, seated in a recliner with two dog leashes wrapped around her neck, according to an arrest report. Snelson was arrested hours later.
Snelson was found hanging in his cell and later died at a local hospital.
Attorney Ryan M. Carodoso filed a notice to preserve evidence through certified mail Wednesday to the Escambia County Jail, Escambia County Corrections Administration, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the District 1 Medical Examiner’s Office.
In the notice, Cardoso states that all records may be used in “forthcoming litigation”.
The criminal case against Snelson was dismissed following his death.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Shouting Match: Century Council Members Spar Over Attendance, Call To Resign
January 20, 2022
A week after the Century Town Council was unable to do business without a proper quorum, the council voted this week to change their meeting schedule and elected leadership in a meeting that evolved into a shouting match.
The vote as 4-1, with Leonard White against, for Luis Gomez, Jr. as the council president. With a 5-0 vote, Dynette Lewis was named vice president.
With a unanimous vote, regular meetings were changed from Mondays to the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. The council moved the meetings, in part, because White has been unable to attend Monday meetings due to his job as a corrections officer.
“Tuesday would be best for me. Like I said, whatever works best for Mr. White,” James Smith (pictured above, left) added. “We don’t have the luxury of just sitting home and doing nothing, so we got to make sure that it works both best for us.”
White and Smith began to question why they learned from a NorthEscambia.com article that Gomez had called for them to step down if they cannot attend meetings. Due to his job, Smith often joins council meetings late on Zoom and arrives in-person late in a meeting after most business has been addressed. White has missed many, many meetings altogether over the last several months.
“Why do you want us to resign, when we got to take care of your families; this is where we live. This is where we from. This is our home” White (pictured above, right) said. “Ain’t nobody going to run me from my home….if Century want me to resign, then vote me off, but don’t put me in the newspaper saying that we need to resign because we do our job, and we do it right.”
White said he was addressing his comments at both Gomez and NorthEscambia.com Publisher William Reynolds as he expressed his displeasure about the news story.
In the January 12 article, Gomez was quoted as saying: “You should give that position your best. And if you do anything less than your best is not just for your benefit, it’s for the benefit of the people that elected you,…If you feel that your job is more important, maybe you should just do your job and be a good sport. Step down and allow someone who’s going to do the town the justice it deserves.” (Click here to download and hear Gomez’s comment in complete context.)
Tuesday night, Gomez (pictured left) again addressed the issue as the discussion evolved into a shouting match.
“I’m going to say this because I am saying it to your face,” Gomez said to White.
“You don’t don’t talk to my face now,” White replied.
The discussion continued for several more minutes, becoming more heated as council members started to shout.
“If y’all don’t like what I said, do something about it. Either show up or resign,” Gomez said Tuesday night.
“What, what, what, what place do you have to tell me to resign though?” Smith questioned. “If I’m going to resign, I’ll resign if I want to.”
“We have jobs, man. We have jobs” White said.
“Go do your job, and let somebody else do this,” Gomez responded. “Okay, let somebody do this, and you do your job.”
The council discussion moved into other unrelated discussions, before Smith returned in the “council comments” portion of the agenda.
“None of you are going to question my integrity if I’m passionate about the town of Century. And you, nor Will, will ever dictate if I’m going to resign,” Smith said, addressing his comments to Gomez and Reynolds.
“My job entails a lot, and I don’t have to indulge you (Gomez) or that idiot (Reynolds). So I’m not okay with how you choose to think because you’re a president or whatever you are, you can poke your chest out and determine what place I have here and the town,” Smith continued.
According to previous council statements, Gomez is retired. White is a corrections officer at the Century Correctional Institution, and Smith is employed by an area school. Council member Dynette Lewis is employed by a manufacturing company, and Sandra McMurray-Jackson owns a local service business.
Pictured top: Century council members James Smith (left) and Leonard White. Pictured inset: Council president Luis Gomez, Jr. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.