Alabama Gov. Riley Tours Atmore Sugarcane Field That Could One Day Produce Jet Fuel
October 22, 2008
A little bug could one day turn thousands of acres of sugarcane grown into jet fuel for the U.S. Air Force, bringing a production plant and jobs to the Atmore area.
Alabama Governor Bob Riley toured a sugarcane field in Atmore Tuesday that is part of a test project to determine if enough sugarcane can be grown in South Alabama and perhaps Northwest Florida to support a multi-million dollar biofuel plant.
The Amyris company says it has the microbial technology to turn the sugarcane into jet fuel for the U.S. Air Force, and that’s a prospect that excites Alabama Governor Bob Riley.
“They have developed a molecule, a bug, that basically can turn sugar cane into a jet fuel,” Riley said while standing in the field near Holman Prison in Atmore. “We are always looking for alternative ways to green.”
Under the pilot program, 100 acres of sugarcane has been planted in the field owned by the Alabama Department of Corrections and leased by Auburn University to determine if the crop will grow at a viable rate to support the Amyris biofuel plant.
“The is the first step in the process, a process that is going to take years,” the governor said. “When it comes to national security, we have to be energy independent. If you are going to produce it (biofuel for the Air Force), you might as well do it in Alabama.”
When the sugarcane, which was planted about a month ago, is harvested next fall, it will be the first step in determining three things about Alabama sugarcane as a jet fuel source — is it economical feasible, which variety grows best in Alabama’s soil and is it subtainable, Riley said.
“And it does all rest on the Air Force and their decision to use biofuel in their planes,” Riley told the economic and agricultural leaders in the field Tuesday. He said he anticipated that Amyris could produce about a third of the biofuel the Air Force is projected to require.
For a complete NorthEscamibia.com photo gallery from Alabama Governor Bob Riley’s Tuesday visit to Atmore and the sugarcane field, click here.
Pictured above: Atmore Mayor Howard Shell (left) and Alabama Governor Bob Riley talk sugarcane biofuel Tuesday morning. Pictured below: Alabama Congressman Joe Bonner (left) and Riley. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Fire’s Engine 519 Crews Creates New Web Site
October 22, 2008
The crew of Century’s Engine 519 have put together a new web site to inform area residents about the firefighters that staff the Century Fire Station each weekday.
The four members of Engine 519’s crew — Lt. Greg Sims and firefighters Greg Therrell, Donald Merritt and Kyle “Crash” Kraatz — staff Engine 519 daily from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The new web site introduces the four crew members, provides information on Engine 519’s services, fire safety and more.
The new Engine 519 web site is www.engine519.weebly.com
Good Lunch Plans For Friday; Help NHS Quarterback Club
October 22, 2008
Mark you calendar for lunch on Friday…The Northview High School Quarterback Club is selling sack lunches that include sandwich, chips and a dessert for $5.
Pickup day is Friday from 10 a.m. until noon at Northview. Whole Boston butts will also be available for $25.
If people, or local companies, would like to purchase these lunches or the Boston butts, they can contact Brian or Jackie Johnston at 256-4239 or Joy Walker at 256-5426.
NHS Volleyball Teams Drop Games To PCA
October 22, 2008
The Northview Lady Chiefs volleyball teams dropped both their varsity and junior varsity games to Pensacola Christian Academy Tuesday.
PCA took three of five from the Chiefs in varsity action in Bratt, 25-11, 22-25, 16-25, 25-17, 9-15.
The varsity Chiefs are now 12-10 overall, 3-3 in district play.
The JV Chiefs dropped two in a row to PCA, 15-25, 23-25.
Varsity stats:
Amber McMillan: Digs-18
Brittney Thompson: Kills-15, Aces-1. Digs-12, Blocks-12
Caitlin Hall: Assists-11, Digs-3, Aces-2
Shawna Montgomery: Kills – 4, Aces-13, Digs-18, Blocks-2
Junior Varsity Stats:
Miranda Burkett: Digs-5, Kills – 3, Aces-4
Christina Sepulveda: Kills-3, Digs-1
Holly Dickson: Digs-1, Aces-1, Assists-3, Kills-1
Tori Searcy: Assists-3, Digs-2
Obama Brings Message To Escambia County
October 22, 2008
America’s potential First Lady, Michelle Obama, brought her husband’s campaign message and a message about early voting to Escambia County Tuesday.
Obama, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, spoke about the importance of early voting in this year’s presidential election.
“I come here as a wife who has watched her husband grow and flourish in this role. Watching him, I know in my heart and soul that he will be an extraordinary president,” Obama said. “People in Washington have been working on the issues for a long time, we know that. But they haven’t made the kind of progress we’d like to see. We have to ask ourselves, isn’t it time for new solutions, because we know the old ways just won’t do? Isn’t it time for our politics to reflect our realities and our values?”
About 7,000 people attended Obama’s speech at the Pensacola Civic Center.
Pictured: Michelle Obama Tuesday in Escambia County. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Alabama Gov. Riley Tours Atmore Sugarcane Field That Could One Day Produce Jet Fuel
October 21, 2008
Sugarcane grown in this region could one day provide jet fuel for the U.S. Air Force. Alabama Governor Bob Riley toured a sugarcane field in Atmore Tuesday that is part of a test project to determine if enough sugarcane can be grown in South Alabama to support a multi-million dollar biofuel plant.
The Amyris company says it has the microbial technology to turn the sugarcane into jet fuel. The 100 acre Atmore field was planted as a test to determine if it would be feasible to produce enough sugarcane in South Alabama for the company to construct the jet fuel plant.
NorthEscambia.com will have the complete story Wednesday morning, and we’ll take a in-depth look at what the project could mean for not only the Atmore area, but also North Escambia.
Pictured top: Alabama Governor Bob Riley at a sugarcane field in Atmore Tuesday morning. Pictured left: Riley will the first official Alabama sugarcane sprout that could one day become jet fuel. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Arrest Made After Bratt Shooting; Victim Found In Car In Century
October 21, 2008
A suspect has been arrested in connection with the shooting of a a man found Monday night outside an ambulance substation in Century.
Jedd Jackson Grimes, 23, of Hall Creek Road Brewton was shot at a residence on Highway 168 near Bratt about 9:20 Monday night. According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Department report, Grimes was at a home at 3445 Highway 168, near Wiggins Road north of the Bratt community.
Scottie Ladon Smith, 38, of Walnut Hill was charged with aggravated battery against a person with a deadly weapon and firing a weapon into a vehicle, both second degree felonies. Smith’s mugshot is at left.
Deputies were called to the EMS substation in Century at 9:44 after the EMS crew found Grimes shot in a Mercury Sable outside the building. The sheriff’s department report says Grimes suffered a gunshot wound to his upper chest and left arm from a 12 gauge shotgun and some other type wound to his head.
Late Monday night, deputies responded to Smith’s residence on Highway 168 and placed him under arrest. The police report states that Smith said he was at his residence when Jedd Grimes came over to pick up his girlfriend from the residence. Smith said Grimes and his girlfriend began to argue and physically fight. Smith said he seperated the two. Smith told deputies that Grimes began to drink heavily and threaten several other people that were in the yard. Smith told deputies that Jedd Grimes began to drive erratically in the yard, then begain to beat on his own vehicle.
Deputies say Smith retrieved a shotgun and fire a shot at the rear of Grime’s Mercury Sable. Smtih told deputies that Grimes then made a circle in the yard and hit Smith’s Pontiac. Smith told deputies that Grimes then drove toward him, at which time he fired at the front of the vehicle.
Jedd Grimes was driven to the EMS substation by his uncle, Freddie Grimes. Deputies say Jedd Grimes drove to Freddie Grimes’ home and told him that he had been shot at Smith’s residence. Freddie Grimes told deputies that he tried to drive the victim to Jay Hospital, but was held up by a train and returned to the EMS substation on Industrial Boulevard in Century.
Jedd Grimes was transported by ambulance to the McDavid Fire Station and then transported by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
Smith was booked into the Escambia County Jail and released on a $40,000 bond.
Pictured above top: Deputies question Freddie Grimes who said he drove shooting victim Jedd Jackson Grimes to an ambulance substation in Century Monday night. Pictured above middle: Jedd Grimes is treated inside this ambulance in Century Monday night. Pictured below: A deputy looks inside the vehicle where shooting victim Jedd Grimes was discovered. Pictured bottom: A crime scene unit arrives at the scene. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
NorthEscambia.com Comments Prompt Response From ECUA Member About New Trash Program
October 21, 2008
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority is expected to approve an advisory council’s recommendation to take over Allied Waste service in North Escambia and add voluntary curbside recycling.
After a Monday story on NorthEscambia.com about the plan, several people posted comments on this site that were not in favor of the plan, or they felt like that North Escambia was being taken advantage of because the plan calls for trash service to be cut from two pickups per week to one. The plan will add a second 90 gallon container for recylables that will be picked up once a week to those that choose to participate in the voluntary recyling program.
“I agree the Northend is the red-headed stepchild,” one poster on NorthEscambia.com wrote. “Don’t they get 2 pickups in town?”, “Ha-ha folks wake up the county is going to do it to us”, ” If the garbage service is going to once a week, then the bill should be cut in half to match the 50% reduction in service.”, ” I agree that we are being cheated”. Those were just some of the comments posted to this article:
ECUA Taking Over Allied Waste Franchise; Curbside Recyling Coming In January
“I admit to surprise at the overwhelming negativism of the responses on NorthEscambia.com,” Larry Walker, ECUA District 5 member said. “Having dealt with complaints about Allied for four years, I thought that getting rid of Allied would be a major accomplishment and would be viewed as the central feature of the announced plan.”
“First, the proposed ECUA service is identical, both north and south. The ECUA has no intention to provide a lower level of service in the North End than in the southern area,” Walker continued.
The proposal will be considered by the entire ECUA board, all of which sits on the advisory council that is making the recommendation, Thursday afternoon at 3:00.
Walker submitted a multi-point list of his thoughts to NorthEscambia.com:
1. Yes, the agreement is that ECUA will take over Allied’s residential franchise area, effective January 1, fourteen months before the current end of Allied’s franchise. I am greatly pleased by this. It is nice to win this one.2. The franchise takeover is just one piece of a multi-faceted agreement. One other facet that affects a few NorthEscambians is that, in return, ECUA is turning its commercial-sanitation business over to Allied. This will displease some commercial customers (users of dumpsters), but it is an essential part of the overall deal. Those commercial customers who don’t want to deal with Allied will have three other commercial collectors to choose from at the expiration of their current ECUA contracts (which are transferred to Allied). I objected to this feature of the deal but was convinced that it is necessary in order to achieve the overall deal. In short, Allied would not have agreed to the deal if we refused to give them the commercial side.3. Billing will be monthly rather than quarterly.4. The monthly charge–which was due to go up to $19.62 plus fuel recovery fee–will be reduced a bit, to $17.97 plus fuel recovery fee.5. For this charge, the customer will receive once-a-week pickup of garbage (90 cubic gallon can).6. At no additional cost, the customer may elect to receive once-a-week pickup of recyclable materials. A second 90-gal. container will be provided.7. The customer who must have more weekly pickup of regular garbage than one pickup of a 90-gal. container will have to pay $5 for a second garbage can, and both will be picked up on the same day. I don’t like this feature, but it is another facet that I am accepting because of the good features in return. I hope that most people who think, initially, that they will need two regular garbage cans will find that, by recycling, they can reduce their need for regular garbage pickup to one can a week.8. When the changeover occurs, the Allied cans will be left in place, for use by ECUA. Since many Allied cans are defective–no lid, broken lid, etc.–this is not the ideal arrangement, but without it ECUA would not be able to take over the service area on such short notice.9. As of today, I am still submitting “lid lists” to Allied, i.e., requests for repair or replacement of defective Allied cans. To date, Allied has repaired or replaced 250 cans at my request, and I am submitting a list of 27 more addresses tomorrow. Allied may be unwilling to respond to such requests, now that its departure is imminent. Customers may rest assured, however, that ECUA will move methodically to repair or replace all defective cans after January 1.
“Rest assured that I am following the comments posted on NE.com, but I also invite direct messaging to me of one’s opinions. My email is larry@larrywalker.com. I need to hear from District 5 residents about this matter, and I will appreciate hearing from you. Please let me know what you think of the proposed program. If you have any questions, ask them, and I will try to answer,” Walker said.
“The ECUA board will consider approving the new program at its monthly meeting, at 3:00 p.m. on October 23 in the ECUA board room on Hamman Street in Ellyson Industrial Park. Ellyson Park is located at the east end of Copter Road, which runs east from E. Nine Mile Road and crosses N. Davis Highway, just south of where N. Davis Hwy merges with E. Nine Mile Rd. Once in Ellyson Park, take the second left,” Walker wrote.
Fire Units Dispatched To Fran’s Country Grill In Molino
October 21, 2008
Fire stations from Ferry Pass to Century were dispatched to a reported commercial structure fire at Fran’s Country Grill in Molino this morning, but the call turned out to be a trash fire.
The Molino Station of Escambia County Fire-Rescue was first dispatched to a vehicle fire at the popular Molino restaurant just before 6:00. Based upon information from the caller about flames over or near the building, the call was upgraded to a commercial structure fire. That prompted dispatchers to send fire units from stations in Ferry Pass, Ensley, Cantonment, McDavid and Century.
An further investigation by a caller and a call from the restaurant indicated that the fire was actually boxes burning behind the building. All fire stations were then canceled except for Molino. The first Molino unit on the scene reported that the restaurant was burning boxes in a barrel behind the building on Highway 29,
All fire units were completed by about 6:05.
Shooting Victim Found In Car With Bullet Holes Monday Night In Century
October 21, 2008
A person was found shot outside an ambulance substation in Century Monday night.
It was not immediately known where the shooting occurred. The victim, identified as a young adult male, was found at 9:40 Monday night in a car with bullet holes at the Escambia County Emergency Services building in the 6000 block of Industrial Boulevard in Century, just a short distance from West Highway 4.
A man on the scene, who did not provide his name but said he was the victim’s uncle, told NorthEscambia.com that he had driven the victim to the EMS building for an ambulance. He did not indicate where the shooting had occurred. The man’s story was not confirmed by Escambia County Sheriff’s Department deputies on the scene of the shooting.
The older model Mercury Sable occupied by the victim had about a half dozen bullet holes, according to reports from the scene.
The victim was taken by ambulance from the EMS building to the McDavid Fire Station where he was transferred to LifeFlight and flown to a Pensacola hospital. The name of the victim and his condition were not available from authorities while they conducted their investigation.
Pending the outcome of their investigation, deputies would not say if they knew where the shooting occurred.
Further details will be posted when they become available.
Pictured above top: Deputies question an unidentified man who claimed he drove an shooting victim to an ambulance substation in Century Monday night. Pictured above middle: A shooting victim is treated inside this ambulance in Century Monday night. Pictured below: A deputy looks inside the vehicle where a shooting victim was discovered. Pictured bottom: A crime scene unit arrives at the scene. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
