Joseph E. Stier
December 13, 2009
Joseph E. Stier, 69, of Cantonment, passed away Thursday, December 10, 2009.
Joe was born in Rockford, Illinois and raised in Glidden, Wisconsin. He had been a resident of Escambia County since leaving the U. S. Navy in 1963. He retired from Edward M. Chadbourne Construction Company in 2001. He had been a devoted member of Pinehaven Baptist Church. He was a beloved husband and father.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Carol Stier; sons, Neil Stier and wife, Pamela, Jon Stier and wife, Lynda, and Jeff; four grandchildren, Angelica, Jonathon, Jeremy and Isabella, all of Cantonment. The family is grateful for the time they have shared on earth with him and know he will wait for his family in heaven when they are called upon to join him.
A visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at Pensacola Me morial Gardens Funeral Home until services begin at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Pensacola Memorial Gardens.
Study Finds Pensacola Has The Nation’s Worst Water
December 13, 2009
Pensacola has the worst drinking water of any American city, according to the results of a national survey released Saturday.
In the study, there were 21 chemicals found in Pensacola’s water that exceeded health guidelines, including radium, lead, bezene and carbon tetracholride.
In an unprecedented analysis of 20 million tap water quality tests performed by water utilities between 2004 and 2009, Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that water suppliers detected a total of 316 contaminants in water delivered to the public. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set enforceable standards for only 114 of these pollutants.
Another 202 chemicals with no mandatory safety standards were found in water supplied to approximately 132 million people in 9,454 communities across the country. These “unregulated” chemicals include the toxic rocket fuel component perchlorate, the industrial solvent acetone, the weed killer metolachlor, the refrigerant Freon and radon, a highly radioactive gas.
Pensacola’s worst water ranking was among 100 of the nation’s largest water systems in cities over 250,000 in population. In North Escambia, water systems are operated by small independent water companies such as Walnut Hill Water Works, Molino Utilities, Central Water Works, Bratt-Davisville Water System and the Town of Century. These smaller water systems were not part of the worst water results. Only the water provided by the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) in the Pensacola metro area was part of the water study. The smaller North Escambia water systems were not included in the study by EWG.
“The nation’s tap water has been compromised by weak federal safeguards and pitiful protection of drinking water supplies,” said Jane Houlihan, Senior Vice President for Research at EWG.
“Utilities do the best job that they can treating a big problem with limited resources,” said Houlihan, “but we must do better. It is not uncommon for people to drink tap water laced with 20 or 30 chemical contaminants. This water may be legal, but it raises serious health concerns. People expect better water than that, and they deserve it.”
Federal law does not require tap water to be safe for long-term consumption; the long-term risks of cancer and other health threats are balanced against the cost and feasibility of purification. As a result, health officials acknowledge that legally binding contamination limits typically allow exposure to levels of pollutants that present real health risks. For hundreds of other contaminants there are no legal limits at all — any amount is legal.
Some communities have made the commitment to deliver safer water, with dramatic results. Boston had a serious contamination problem that peaked in 2004-2005. After installing a new filtration system and changing treatment techniques, the regional water system now delivers some of the highest-rated big city water in the country. It has also committed to a well-protected reservoir system, a key to preserving the long-term effectiveness of the new techniques.
Tap water contaminants come from a wide variety of sources. EWG’s analysis revealed 97 agricultural pollutants, including pesticides and chemicals from fertilizer- and manure-laden runoff; 205 industrial chemicals linked to factory discharges and consumer products; 86 contaminants that originate in polluted runoff and wastewater treatment plants; and 42 byproducts of water treatment processes or pollutants that leach from pipes and storage tanks.
“In most U.S. households, pouring a glass of tap water means exposing families to hundreds of distinct chemicals and pollutants, many of them completely unregulated,” said Houlihan.
Chemicals detected in Pensacola’s water supply from 2004 to 2008 were: Barium (total), Chromium (total), Cyanide, Mercury (total inorganic), Nitrate, Nitrite, Selenium (total), Trichlorofluoromethane, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, 2,2-Dichloropropane, Monochloroacetic acid, Dibromoacetic acid, Chloroform, Xylenes (total), p-Dichlorobenzene, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, Monochlorobenzene (Chlorobenzene), Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Alpha particle activity (incl. radon & uranium), Combined Uranium (pCi/L), Cadmium (total), Lead (total), Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Heptachlor epoxide, MTBE, Total haloacetic acids (HAAs), 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), Bromoform, Bromodichloromethane, Dibromochloromethane, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), 1,2-Dichloroethane, Carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-Dichloropropane, Trichloroethylene, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, Tetrachloroethylene, Benzene, Alpha particle activity (excl radon and uranium), Radium-226, Radium-228.
Pictured: The nation’s best and worst water systems in cities over 250,000 population, according to a study released Saturday by the Environmental Working Group.
Grease Fire Causes Minor Damage
December 13, 2009
A kitchen fire caused minor damage in a Nokomis home Sunday morning.
The grease fire was reported about 11 a.m. Sunday in a brick home on Nokomis Road near Rockaway Creek Road. The resident extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived. There were no injuries reported.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the call. The Molino and McDavid stations and the Atmore Fire Department were also dispatched to the call.
Pictured above: A grease fire in this Nokomis home was out before firefighters arrived Sunday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
(Updated) Rain Chances Continue, River Flood Warnings; Dense Fog Advisory
December 13, 2009
There is a slight change of a shower this afternoon, and it will be foggy overnight.
A dense fog advisory has been from 6:00 tonight until 10 a.m. Monday.
A flood warning has also been issued for the the Escambia River near Century and the Perdido River near Barrineau Park. Details are at the bottom of this article.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 58. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
- Monday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Monday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a high near 70. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Tuesday Night: Scattered showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. North wind between 10 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 60. North wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 60. Northeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. East wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 61.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.
- Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 60.
- Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 56.
A flood warning has also been issued for the the Escambia River near Century from Monday evening until further notice.
At 8 a.m. Sundayday, the river stage was 14.8 feet. Minor flooding is forecast. Flood stage is 17 feet, and the river is forecast to rise above flood stage by Monday before midnight and continue to rise to near 19.6 feet by Tuesday evening. At 17.5 feet, some flooding of lowlands in the area will continue until the river level drops below 13 feet.
A flood warning has been issued for the Perdido River at Barrineau Park.
At 7 a.m. Sunday, the stage was 7.6 feet. Minor flooding is forecast. Flood stage is 13 feet. The river is forecast to rise above flood stage by midnight Sunday and continue to rise to near 13.3 feet by Monday morning. The river will fall below flood stage by Monday afternoon. At 13 feet, the Perdido River begins to leave its banks at the parking lot of Advertures Unlimited and threatens some permanently parked travel trailers.
Driver Trapped For An Hour After Highway 97 Crash
December 13, 2009
A man was trapped in his pickup truck for an hour early Sunday morning in a single vehicle accident on Highway 97 in Davisville.
The accident happened about 2:15 a.m. between Meadows Road and Nokomis Road, near Mike’s Ag Air. The driver of a southbound pickup truck lost control and left the roadway. The truck then partially wrapped around a tree, trapping the driver inside.
Firefighters from the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Atmore Fire Department used the Jaws of Life and other tools to extricate the male driver. Emergency workers were forced to cut the roof off the truck and push the dash of the truck and its steering wheel away from the driver to complete the extrication. He was trapped in the vehicle until about 3:15 a.m., one hour after the original 911 call about the accident.
The driver was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Click here for more photos of the entire extrication process.
Pictured top: Firefighters work at 2:45 a.m. to remove the roof of a truck involved in a Highway 97 accident. Pictured below: The driver was trapped after the truck wrapped around a tree. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
About 200 Receive H1N1, Season Flu Vaccines At Century Clinic
December 13, 2009
Almost 200 people received an H1N1 or seasonal flu vaccination Saturday at a clinic in Century.
The vaccinations were given at a portable clinic set up in the gym of the old Century High. With “stations” for paperwork, triage and the actual vaccinations, members of the public were quickly directed through organized areas of orange traffic cones with military precision. Escambia County Health Department employees, the Escambia County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Medical Reserve Corp (MRC), the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Reserves all participated in Saturday’s clinic.
“This is a lot like we would set it up for a mass emergency response,” Eric Gilmore, Escambia County’s director of public health preparedness, said. Such a setup, he said, could accommodate thousands of people in just a few hours. In the event of a public health emergency, the Escambia County Health Department, Gilmore said, could handle the entire population of the county in about a day with such clinic setups.
“This was a good exercise for us today,” he said.
“It was a very efficient setup; we were in and out in less than 10 minutes,” said Jan LeCocq of Century.
Health officials were prepared for a large turnout in Century — the only H1N1 clinic planned for the general public in North Escambia. There were 1,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine available Saturday, according to Molly Payne-Hardin, spokesperson for the Escambia County Health Department.
Just before the end of the six hour clinic, Hardin said the clinic had administered 160 H1N1 vaccinations and 22 for the seasonal flu. All of the vaccines were given at no charge.
“It didn’t hurt a bit,” Ramond Kimmons of Walnut Hill said after receiving his H1N1 vaccination.
Anyone over six months old in Escambia County can receive the HN1 vaccine by:
- calling their local retail pharmacy or physician’s office.
- visiting the Escambia County Health Department’s Flu Fast Track Clinic, Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. or Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1295 W. Fairfield Drive, Pensacola. Walk-ins only.
“The clinic rarely has a wait, with the longest wait being documented at 10 minutes,” Hardin said.
”The best gift you can give this holiday season is the gift of good health,” said Escambia County Health Department Director Dr. John Lanza. “I encourage everyone to get their flu shot. It’s your best protection and helps ensure that you won’t pass the flu on to a high-risk individual. The vaccines are safe and simple to receive.”
Pictured above: Ramond Kimmons of Walnut Hill received the H1N1 vaccine Saturday morning at an Escambia County Health Department Clinic in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
North Escambia Residents Graduate From UWF
December 13, 2009
The following North Escambia area students graduated from the University of West Florida Saturday:
Fall 2009
Cantonment
- Associate of Arts Degrees: Jonathan Harrod
- Bachelor’s Degrees: Joseph Bane, Crystal Boyd, Britney Caine, Dorothy Carr, Robert Cox, Brandi Crosby, Kevin Dickens, Nicholas Fox, Kristen Gaddis, Katelyn Geri, Stephanie Godfrey, Alexsonda Hale, Matt Hawkins, Kevin Jones, James Long, Brian Lyle, Daniel Martin, James McAllister, Michael Misky, Blane Padilla, Danielle Petroski, Melbourne Pierce, Loren Powell, William Reak, Jason Robbins, Brooke Rowell, Timothy Sanders, Michael Simmons, Cherith Welter, Heather Wiscombe
- Master’s Degrees: Brian Ball, Charles Cather, William Klorig, Lisa Lavoie, Anthony Pinto, Paula Smith
Century
- Bachelor’s Degree: Nicole Cook
Molino
- Associate of Arts Degree: John Whitfield
- Bachelor’s Degrees: Keith Barry, James Falkenstein, Robert Myrick
Jay
- Associate of Arts Degree: Tiffany Odom
- Bachelor’s Degrees: Alana Morrison, Justin Nelson
- Master’s Degree: Beth Marky
Summer 2009
Cantonment
- Associate of Arts Degrees: Byong-Jo Kang, Gabrielle Taite
- Bachelor’s Degrees: William Andrews, Stacey Barnes, Sherry Bell, Crystle Ellis, Arthur Fletcher, John Fortuna, Melissa Holley, Ashley King, Derek King, Natalie Ollinger, Lee Poppe, Brianne Reid, Danyel Smith, Shella Tubbs
- Master’s Degree: Candice Knowles
Century
- Bachelor’s Degree: Robinson Hallford
Molino
- Bachelor’s Degree: Nicholette Floyd, John Henley
Jay
- Bachelor’s Degree: Jessica Ivey, Carrie Penton
Editor’s note: UWF did not provide a graduates list to us from Escambia County, Ala., so that we could include Atmore and Flomaton area graduates on our list.
Redneck Christmas Parade Today
December 13, 2009
The Chumuckla Redneck Christmas Festival will take place this afternoon.
The Redneck Christmas Parade will be held this afternoon at 2:00 at the Chumuckla Crossroads. Redneck Games that were scheduled for Saturday were delayed by rain until this afternoon following the parade at the Chumuckla Ballpark.
The Redneck parade is a project of the Chumuckla Athletic Association to help needy families with Christmas. Last year, the association sponsored nearly 50 children and families. This year, people are asked to bring a new unwrapped toy to put on the Caring and Christmas float in the parade. All donations help local children. For more information, click here.
Musical Drama Features Live Manger Scene
December 13, 2009
“A Savior is Born”, a musical drama, will be presented Monday and Tuesday 6:30 p.m. in the First Assembly of God Prayer Path and Park located at 1120 South Main Street in Atmore. The production is a presentation of the story of the birth of Christ from Gabriel to the Inn. The grand finale will be an interactive manger scene as well as the actors presenting in song.Pictured: Sheila Harrison as Mary; Rick Hetrick as Joseph; and Kelvin Diller, Roy Corley and Frankie Baggett as shepherds in the First Assembly of God production “A Savior Is Born”. The presentation will be held at 6:30 Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights at 1120 South Main Street in Atmore. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FHP Warns Of Pothole Problem
December 12, 2009
The Florida Highway Patrol is reporting a large pothole creating problems in the southbound lanes of North Century Boulevard near Cottage Street in Century.
The pothole, according to the FHP, is in the southbound lanes on the west side of Century Boulevard. They are advising motorist to exercise caution in the area.