Manhunt Turns Up Empty After Attempted Robbery In Atmore
January 22, 2010
A manhunt for two attempted robbery suspects turned up empty Thursday night in Atmore
Two black males reportedly attempted to rob the Rapid Return Tax Services office on North Main Street a little before 7:00 Thursday night. One was described as wearing a dark color hoodie jacket and white shoes. The men fled the store on foot.
Atmore Police set up a perimeter and called for tracking dogs from the Fountain Correctional Facility. The suspects’ trail was tracked north of the robbery location, but no arrests were immediately reported.
High School Basketball: Northview, Jay, Flomaton
January 22, 2010
Here’s a look at Northview, Jay and Flomaton basketball action from Tuesday afternoon.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Pensacola Christian 48 Northview 45
The Northview Chiefs fell to Pensacola Christian Academy 48-45 in Bratt Thursday afternoon. Lance Bushaw had 9 for the Chiefs, and Stanely Chestnut added 7. NHS will be at home against Freeport on Friday.
Northview–Lance Bushaw 9, Stanley Chestnut 7, Aaron Bellamy 6, LaDarion White 6, Colton Sims 3, Roderick Woods 2, Jake Clayton 2.
Northview 8 3 9 15-35 PCA 13 11 12 12-48
Jay 55 Flomaton 49 OT
The Flomaton Hurricanes lost to the Jay Royals Thursday in overtime. The Canes were led by Robinson and Dixon with 13 each, and the Royals were paced by Hunter Boutwell with 17.
Jay — Dakota Walker 8, Luke Rowell 9, Hunter Boutwell 17, Bugg Fischer 4, Connor Weeks 7, Steven Brabham 3, Tyler Prescott 4, Todd Laney 3
Flomaton — Alex Bradley 1, Neino Robinson 13, Phillip Lloyd 3, Austin Patterson 3, Ryheem Dixon 13, Ta-ta Ellis 6, Dalvin Craft 5.
Flomaton 10 10 10 12 7-49 Jay 7 10 9 16 13-55
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Northview 46 Pensacola Christian 27
The Northview Lady Chiefs beat Pensacola Christian Thursday afternoon 46-27. Shaniqua Jones and Angela Rodriguez had 13 each for the Chiefs. Northview jumped out to an early lead 14-7 by the end of the first quarter. PCA rallied to closed Northview’s lead to 22-19 at the half, but it was all Chiefs in the last two quarters. Northview outscored PCA 14-2 and 10-6 in the last two periods.
Northview — Sarah Killam 4, Laneicia Gomez 8, Shaniqua Jones 13, Amber McMillan 4, Angela Rodriguez 13, Miranda Burkett, Megan Ryan 3.
Northview 14 8 14 10-46 PCA 7 12 2 6-27
Flomaton 43 Jay 32
Paige Harwell led Flomaton with 24 points Thursday as the Lady Canes beat Jay 43-32.
Flomaton — Paige Harwell 24, Hoomes 1, Brittany Mallot 2, Steele 4, Williams 4, Tara Gafford 8
Jay — Ginger Jennings 5, Courtney Hammac 7, Tessa Hendricks 6, Candice Mulford 3, Danielle Skaggs 2, Amber Steadham 5, Becca Calloway 4.
F
Here’s Your Chance To Help Haiti Earthquake Victims Today
January 22, 2010
Two Pensacola radio stations and a television station are teaming up to help the Haiti earthquake relief effort.
CatCountry 98.7, NewsRadio1620 and WEAR Channel 3 are teaming up for the special broadcast “Gulf Coast Help for Haiti” live from Cordova Mall from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. The public is invited to stop by the mall’s outside entrance by the Best Buy wing and contribute to the Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund.
Credit card donations can also be made through a “Gulf Coast Healp for Haiti” phone bank at (850) 262-6100 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m Friday only.
Pictured: CatCountry 98.7’s Brent Lane and WEAR Channel 3’s Sue Straughan record a promotional ad for “Gulf Coast Help for Haiti”. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Some Escambia Roads Closed Due To Flooding
January 21, 2010
Flooding has forced the closure of several North Escambia area roads.According to Sonya Daniel, Escambia County public information manager, the following roads are closed:
- Pineville Road – between Highway 97-A and Ryals Lane
- Occie Phillips Road – between end of pavement off Hwy 97-A and Pineville Road
- Lambert Bridge Road – from the bridge to Velor Road
- Carnley Road – dirt portion from Fannie Road to the Alabama stateline. Road washed out
- Rocky Branch Road – starting ¼ mile North of Quintette Road to end, road under 2 feet of water for approx 100 yards
- Cotton Lake Road – from last house on road going east to the river, road under water
- Hwy 196 (Barrineau Park Road) – from the Railroad Track to the Perdido River Bridge, road under water
The following roads have reopened:
- Rigby Road – between Still Road and Highway 4
- Pin Oak Lane – Highway 29 to east end
- Wingfoot Way – between Rolling Hills Road & Diamond Dairy Road
Pictured above: Rigby Road in Bratt Thursday morning. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Deputies Release Sketch Of Suspect In Weekend Home Depot Robbery
January 21, 2010
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has released a composite sketch of the suspect in the weekend armed robbery of the Home Depot on Nine Mile Road.
At about 6:40 Sunday night, about 20 minutes before the store would normally close, a store employee said a masked man with a gun forced him into the manager’s office and ordered him to open the store’s vault. The employee was unable to open the vault.
When a manager entered the office, the gunman forced him to open the vault. The robber fled the store with an undisclosed amount of money. The store manager and the employee were left behind in the manager’s office, their hands bound with zip ties.
The gunman was described as being about 6 feet tall, about 160 pounds and in his early 40’s. He was wearing a dark gray jacket, gray Dickies band pants, black gloves with “mechanic” written on them, and gray shoes with blue stripes. He had a thin mustache.
Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Need Help With Your Gulf Power Bill?
January 21, 2010
After record cold in January, many North Escambia Residents are facing higher electric bills, and for many household that may cause difficulties. Gulf Power participates in several program to help customers save money on their energy bills, make their homes more energy efficient or help them get direct assistance.
Some of those programs include:
- Gulf Power participates with the Salvation Army in Project Share, a program that provides emergency assistance to those who need help with energy bills. Project Share and other non-profit programs assist the elderly, the disabled, the sick, and others experiencing financial hardship. Eligible customers can apply for Project SHARE assistance at The Salvation Army office in their county. Eligibility requirements for Project SHARE recipients are set by The Salvation Army. Gulf Power customers can donate to the program by indicating so on their power bill.
- Gulf Power offers a bill payment option called Budget Billing. Budget Billing can “levelize” monthly payments so customers can know approximately how much their bill will be each month and avoid high cost fluctuations caused by increased energy purchases during very cold or hot periods. To find out more about payment assistance, call our Customer Care Center at 1-800-225-5797 anytime, day or night.
- Gulf Power also has many programs to help customers save money by making their homes and businesses more energy efficient.
- The WAP (Weatherization Assistance Program) and LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) are federal, statewide programs that help pay energy bills for low-income households. To find out more about qualifications, contact your county’s local WAP and/or LIHEAP agency, which can be found on the Department of Community Affairs Web site at http://www.floridacommunitydevelopment.org/liheap/index.cfm or by calling the state’s information line at 2-1-1.
Gulf Power offers the following cold weather energy tips to save money on future bills:
Temperature settings
Heating a house makes up about half of your electricity bill so set your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower in the winter. Did you know that you can decrease the amount of energy you buy for heating by three percent or more for every degree below 68 degrees you set your thermostat?
Programmable thermostats are a good investment, or you can take advantage of Gulf Power’s Energy Select. It’s a program that allows customers to pay different rates for electricity during the day according to a set schedule. For only $4.95 per month you can save energy 87 percent of the time with Energy Select. The program comes with a free programmable thermostat so the homeowner controls the heating and cooling system, water heating and even pool pump to take advantage of the low price periods. It also comes with free surge protection and a system called outage alert. Outage alert will automatically notify Gulf Power of a power outage at the home.
Heating and cooling equipment
The home’s heating system is extremely important. If it’s an older, less efficient unit, upgrading to a geothermal heating and cooling system or a high efficiency air-source heat pump may be a wise choice. Contact Gulf Power at 1-877-655-4001 for a free Energy Check-Up. Let the Energy Experts show you how to save money today.
Routine maintenance
A well-maintained heating system runs more efficiently. A complete tune-up of the home heating system can cost anywhere from $50 to $100 and more, but this is a very worthwhile investment and can reduce your heating bill from 3 to 10 percent. Some companies offer regular service contracts, which are a convenience if you tend to forget system maintenance. Remember to replace the filter every month.
Ductwork
Duct leakage can account for 20 percent of the heating and cooling cost. Getting ducts sealed up should be at the top of the list for making your home energy efficient.
Insulation
Adding insulation to your attic is one of the most cost-effective energy saving measures. Different types of insulation material have different R-values. The recommended level is R-38 in the attic.
Weather-stripping and caulking
Weather-strip door jambs and caulk any cracks around windows to prevent cool air from entering your home.
Window units
If you have a window air conditioning unit, remove it for the winter months to prevent heat from escaping through and around the unit. If it can’t be moved, put a cover over it to prevent drafts.
Humidifier
Use a humidifier to keep your home more comfortable. Adding moisture allows you to reduce the thermostat setting without feeling colder.
Other tips are available on the Energy Tips section at www.gulfpower.com, along with an extensive set of Frequently Asked Questions on energy use in the home.
Customers can get a free Energy Check-Up online or at your home with an appointment. Gulf Power energy experts will analyze your house and electricity use, and look for ways to make the house more energy efficient. Just go to www.gulfpower.com or call 1-877-655-4001.
Northview Students Plant 50 Cypress Trees For Arbor Day
January 21, 2010
Wednesday, agriscience students at Northview High School planted 50 bald cypress trees along the edge of the school’s retention pond. The trees were provided by, and planted under the supervision of, the Florida Division of Forestry in observance of Arbor Day.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Rates Go Up, Alabama Power Down
January 21, 2010
Those post-freezing weather power bills are starting to arrive in mailboxes, and the bottom line may not be pretty for some.
In addition to higher bills caused by heating during 12 consecutive nights of freezing weather, January Gulf Power bills also include a rate increase. The news is a little better for Alabama Power customers, because those bills will actually reflect a rate decrease.
For ways to get assistance with your Gulf Power bill, click here.
Gulf Power
Gulf power customers will see a 1.5 percent increase on their electric bill as compared to January 2009.
“At the beginning of 2009, the average home using 1,000 kilowatt hours would have cost $124.10,” said Sandy Sims, Gulf Power public affairs manager, “and at the beginning of 2010 the same amount of electricity will cost $126.17. We realize that’s not insignificant in these economic times, but these environmental upgrades are necessary to continue to meet and exceed the state’s stringent environmental laws.”
About two years ago, that same 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity was $70.29. A series of rate increases over the past two years were approved by the PSC due to rising fuel costs.
The most recent 1.5 percent increase, offset by lower fuel and purchased power costs during the year, is due primarily to a new $500 million scrubber system at the Crist Plant in Pensacola that is designed to reduce emissions upwards of 90 percent.
Beginning in 2010, the new scrubber system — Gulf Power’s most significant environmental project ever — will be operational at Plant Crist. This project also allows the company to use all of the treated wastewater from the new ECUA plant, creating a zero discharge wastewater treatment facility and helping to improve the area waterways.
The costs associated with the environmental controls were offset by a reduction of approximately 6.5 percent in the cost of fuel and purchased power costs during the year and the removal of a $2.57 storm surcharge.
Alabama Power
Alabama Power customers will see a decrease in their electric rates beginning this month.
The Alabama Public Service Commission voted Tuesday for a 4 percent rate decrease for Alabama Power’s residential customers. The average bill for a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatts of electricity per month will drop from $125.34 to $120.77 per month.
The PSC approved the rate decrease due to declining prices for coal and natural gas used by Alabama Power to generate electricity.
Flash Flood Warning, Tornado Watch
January 21, 2010
A flash flood warning is in effect for North Escambia, north Santa Rosa and Escambia County in Alabama.
A tornado watch is also in effect for the entire area.
Additional rainfall amounts of three inches are possible in locally in the warning area, according to the National Weather Service.
Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small creeks and streams, highways and underpasses. Additionally, country roads and farmlands along the banks of creeks, streams and other low lying areas are subject to flooding.
Century Seeks Quarter Million To Go Green
January 21, 2010
The Town of Century is hoping to go green with the help of some federal greenbacks.
The town is applying for a $250,000 energy efficiency grant funded by federal stimulus money. If approved, the dollars would be used to upgrade the lighting at the town hall, the Century Ag Building community center and at the former Helicopter Technology building in the town’s industrial park. The industrial park building was purchased back by the town last year at a foreclosure auction.
The grant dollars would also be used to upgrade the heating and cooling units at the town hall and the community center. Weatherization, such as re-caulking and weather stripping, would also be performed.
The grant application is not without a cost — two consultants to complete the necessary surveys and paperwork will cost Century about $3,000.