Evacuation Traffic Smooth North Of Our Area
September 1, 2008
Traffic on I-65 in Atmore was flowing smoothly Sunday afternoon as thousands of evacuees headed north from the the coasts of Alabama, Mississippi and Lousiana.
Motorists experienced few delays in the early afternoon, with near bumper to bumper traffic continuing to move near the speed limit.
Gas was still available at stations at the Atmore Exit 57 early Sunday afternoon, with no more than five or six vehicles waiting in line at any one time. The Atmore Police Department was on hand to ensure the safe flow of traffic in and out of the gas stations at the exit.
Pictured above: The wait was short for gas at a station at I-65 and Highway 21 in Atmore early Sunday afternoon. Pictured below: Near bumper to bumper traffic was moving at near the speed limit northbouth through Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photos.
Trash Pickup Schedule
September 1, 2008
There was no trash pickup Monday in North Escambia, including the town of Century.
It was not because of the hurricane, but because Monday was the Labor Day holiday. Monday pickups were moved to Tuesday, and Tuesday pickups will be on Wednesday. That schedule is in effect in all of North Escambia for Allied Waste customers, including those in Century.
Alabama Orders Evacuations; Prepared To Reverse I-65
September 1, 2008
Alabama Governor Bob Riley declared a state of emergency in advance of Hurricane Gustav.
“The tracking of Hurricane Gustav indicates that Alabama is at risk to sustain damage from high winds, heavy rains, and possible tornadoes,” said Governor Riley. “I am again urging everyone to take the necessary precautions to ensure your and your family’s safety. Because of the high possibilities of damage, it is extremely important to have a declaration in place.”
Governor Riley has already put 3,000 Alabama National Guardsmen on alert, and the Departments of Transportation and Public Safety prepared to reverse flow traffic on I-65, but that did not take place.. That plan would have made all four lanes northbound. Southbound traffic would be re-routed to Highway 31.
Mandatory evacuations in Mobile County south of I-10 and the coastal areas of Baldwin County have led to heavy traffic on I-65.
Pictured above: Alabama State Troopers and the Alabama Highway Department work at the Atmore exit on I-65 late Sunday morning to prepare for making all four lanes northbound. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Gulf Power, EREC Are Prepared For Gustav
September 1, 2008
Gulf Power Company and Escambia River Electric are prepared for whatever Gustav brings to North Escambia.
“We have a storm-tested restoration plan and we’re preparing for widespread power outages,” John Hutchinson, corporate services general manager said. “We’re prepared to activate our emergency operation center and each Gulf Power employee has a specific storm duty to ensure that power is restored quickly and safely.”
“We are watching Gustav closely and all emergency response personnel are ready to respond to whatever the storm may bring our way. Additional co-op crews are on stand-by status to speed the recovery process if needed,” said Clay Campbell, EREC CEO and general manager.
Gulf Power is also checking with neighboring utilities and contractors to put crews on standby in case outside workers are needed. After Hurricane Ivan in 2004, Gulf Power brought in more than 4,000 outside workers. The company is also checking its supplies of materials and reviewing storm assignments.
“We will work as fast and as safely as possible,” Hutchinson said. “We ask our customers to please be patient.”
Hutchinson said if the hurricane does effect us in Northwest Florida, Gulf Power crews would more than likely be sent to help neighboring states restore power, something the utility does almost anytime a hurricane strikes in the Southeast.
“We work a hurricane somewhere almost every year,” Hutchinson said. “The good part about that is that our crews are very well tested and have more experience in emergency restoration operations than other utilities across the country.”
EREC is also prepared to help electric cooperatives in neighboring states if there is little damage here.
“As a Touchstone Energy® cooperative, EREC is part of a vast network of member-owned electric co-ops committed to superior service. Assisting fellow cooperatives in times of need is an essential part of the Touchstone Energy® network,” Campbell said.
Gulf Power is able to detect most widespread outages during a storm and customers should wait a reasonable time before calling in an outage report. The number to call for reporting outages is 1-800-GU-POWER (487-6937).
EREC customers should call (8877) OUT-EREC (688-3732) to report a power outage.
Santa Rosa Jail Escapees Back Behind Bars After Tip
August 31, 2008
Two Santa Rosa County Jail escapees were captured this morning in Santa Rosa County.
Ricky Dale Spears, 43, and David Chapell Dixon, 20, were captured after a tip that the two were at a home in Berrydale.
When the SWAT team arrived, the two tried to escape into some nearby woods but were quickly taken into custody.
The were taken back to the Santa Rosa County Jail.
They escaped on July 26. Spears was in jail on charges that included kidnapping and aggravated battery. Dixon was in jail on charges that included armed robbery, aggravated battery and a escape.
Watch Live TV From New Orleans
August 31, 2008
NorthEscambia.com is providing a free video stream from WWL-TV in New Orleans for more Gustav coverage.
Click here for the stream in an new window.
A high speed (DSL, Cable, Satellite) connection is required.
Escambia To Hold Emergency Meeting Today About Gustav
August 31, 2008
The Escambia County Commission will hold a special emergency meeting this morning at 10:00 to determine whether or not a local state of emergency should be declared due to Hurricane Gustav.
A declaration of local state of emergency will allow the county to implement protective actions if needed. The meeting will be held at the Public Safety Building, 6575 North “W” Street.
A county press release says officials are monitoring Gustav. There are no evacuations or protective actions at this time. The public will be advised as soon as any decisions are made. We will have those updates here on NorthEscambia.com.
Wait And See For School Tuesday
August 31, 2008
The Escambia County School District is monitoring the progress of Gustav across the Gulf of Mexico.
School District spokesperson Ronnie Arnold said district personnel would be assigned to the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center, if it is activated, to monitor the hurricane.
Information about school on Tuesday will be relayed to school district employees by email and to the public via news organizations such as NorthEscambia.com
School is already out on Monday for the Labor Day holiday.
Molino, Byrneville Churches To Hold Singing Tonight
August 31, 2008
Churches in Byrneville and Molino will hold singings tonight.
The Beulah Chapel Assembly of God will have a signing beginning at 6:30 featuring the Harmonares. Everone is welcome. The church is located on Highway 4A in Byrneville.
Reconciled from Olive Baptist Church will be at a Fifth Sunday Night Singing this afternoon at 4:30 at Highland Baptist Church in Molino. The singing will be followed by covered dish supper at 5:30. The church is located on Highway 95A just south of Molino Road.
Molino VFD Responds To Fire
August 30, 2008
The Molino Volunteer Fire Department responded to an address in the 1100 block of Brickton Road Saturday night for a fire that was reportedly threatening a stucture.
The first fire units on the scene reported a large trash fire in the area. No structures were involved.
The fire was reported about 8:00.