Gulf Power, ECUA Water Reuse Project Wins National Award
October 1, 2012
Gulf Power Company has won a national award for its water reuse project with Emerald Coast Utility Authority, after reusing nearly five billion gallons of treated wastewater at its Plant Crist rather than water from the Escambia River.
The WateReuse Association named Gulf Power the Water Reuse Customer of the Year. In 2010, ECUA began piping water from its new water treatment plant in Cantonment to Gulf Power, which uses the water in its steam generating process.
Gulf Power has reclaimed more than 4.8 billion gallons of reclaimed water — the equivalent of 7,318 Olympic-size swimming pools.
The award recognizes customers who have advanced the acceptance of water reuse through innovative marketing and/or unique applications of reclaimed water.
“With our scrubber system we are providing cleaner electricity for Northwest Florida, but this partnership with ECUA also helps preserve and conserve a valuable natural resource,” said Jeff Rogers, Corporate Communications Manager. “It shows that through partnerships, we can provide solutions for sustainable resources and responsible growth. This partnership benefits Northwest Florida with cleaner air and cleaner water.”
At Plant Crist, Gulf Power has significantly reduced the amount of water it draws from Escambia River. The reclaimed water, which is highly treated, is used by Plant Crist to cool air going into the scrubber system and for equipment-cooling operations. Up to 80 percent of the water is evaporated.
The scrubber system, which cost $645 million and started operating in December 2009, reduces regulated air emissions from Plant Crist by more than 95 percent.
Pictured top: Gulf Power’s Plant Crist with a scrubber system in operation (right tower). Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Holland Named ‘Ag Innovator’
October 1, 2012
Bruce Holland of Allentown has been named the the Santa Rosa County Agriculture Innovator of the Year.
Holland, who operates Holland Farms, received the award from the Santa Rosa County Extension Service. Holland Farms is a diversified business that produces fresh produce, green peanuts, and is involved in agro-tourism with their pumpkin patch and other fall events.
The farm is a family affair with all the members of the family involved in different activities. BJ Holland, Bruce’s son and the farms manager, is responsible for starting the hay ride and the haunted hay ride last year.
Bruce’s daughter Julie, a high school business teacher, helps out with the farm’s bookkeeping and maintains their website and Facebook page. Bruce’s brothers Charles and Melvin also assist in the daily operation of the farm.
Whether it be in producing, marketing, adding value to existing crops, developing agro-tourism venues, or promoting agriculture they have led the way. Bruce says the key to their success is simply
“We like people, I like visiting with folks. When they come to our farm we go out of our way to make sure they feel welcomed and have a good time. It’s a long way out here to the farm and we want to make it worthwhile to the people who come,” Holland said.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Margaret Louise Campbell Gandy
October 1, 2012
Ms. Margaret Louise Campbell Gandy 73 of Molino, passed away Sunday, September 30, 2012.
Ms. Gandy was born January 8, 1939, to Rufus and Katie Campbell in Century and had resided in Molino for 10 years coming from Century.
She was the owner of Gandy’s Ambulance Service and then went to work for Escambia County Emergency Medical Services as a supervisor and coordinator. After retiring from Escambia County, she started Gandy’s Nursery and Landscaping.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Rufus and Katie Campbell; brothers, Dennis and Cornelius Campbell; her children, Troy Gandy and Dianne Salter.
She is survived by her daughter, Katie (Roger) Burkett of Century; son, Robert (Yvette) Gandy of Berrydale; brothers, Billy (Faye) Campbell of Pensacola, James (Velda) Campbell of Century; sister, Dorthy Johnson of Century; 10 grandchildren, Patrick (Cara) Salter of Milton, Maunica (Will) Williams of Century, Mickey (Robbie Lynn) Burkett of Flomaton, Carlyn (Wesley) Salter of Jay, Jeremy (Monica) Grimes of Century, Javis Grimes of Century, Megan (Anthony) Golden of Berrydale, Jared Gandy of Berrydale, Joy (Justin) White of Jay, Philip Gandy of Berrydale and Kennedy Salter of Jay. She was the proud great-grandmother of 11 beautiful great-grandchildren, Emily, Rebecca, Trinity, Joshua, Ava, Jacklynn and Weston Salter, Madalyn and Kendall Grimes, Landon Golden and Amber Burkett; many nieces, nephews and loved ones.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 2, 2012, at Berrydale Baptist Church in Berrydale from 6 until 8 p.m.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 3, 2012, at 2 p.m. at Berrydale Baptist Church.
Interment will follow in McCurdy Cemetery in Century.
Pallbearers will be Patrick Salter, Jeremy Grimes, Javis Grimes, Jarred Gandy, Philip Gandy, Will Williams, and Justin White.
Dig Pink Volleyball Matches To Benefit Breast Cancer Awareness
October 1, 2012
The Northview Lady Chiefs and the Flomaton Hurricanes will take part in a Dig Pink volleyball match this week to raise breast cancer awareness.
Dig Pink is an organization raising awareness for cancer through volleyball. A hospitality room will be available for survivors and cancer survivors will receive free admission to the games.
The Dig Pink event will take place Thursday, October 4 with the junior varsity playing at 4:30 and the varsity playing at 6:00 at Northview High School in Bratt.
Donations are being accepted now on the Northview Dig Pink website (click here.)
Pictured: Action from last year’s Dig Pink matchup between Northview and Flomaton. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Helen Louise Jackson
October 1, 2012
Mrs. Helen Louise Jackson, age 79 of Century, passed away Sunday, September 30, 2012, at Jay Hospital.
Mrs. Jackson was born in Century and spent her lifetime there. She was a homemaker and a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church.
She is survived by her husband of 62 years, J.B. Jackson of Century; daughters, Terri (Mark) Fremin of Century, Julia (Stacey) Long of Dahlonega, GA and Debrah Jackson of Century; brother, Bob Carnley of Brownsville, TX; sister, Carrie Jackson of DeQuincy, LA; eleven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, October 2, 2012, at 11 a.m. at Tabernacle Baptist Church with Rev. Billy Cloud and Rev. Steve Hart officiating.
Interment will be in McCurdy Cemetery in Century.
Pallbearers will be Shawn Long, Brandon Long, Matthew Thomas, Jay Croley, Adam Johnson, Josh Butts, and Cody Fowler.
Addie Belle Copeland
October 1, 2012
Addie Belle Copeland, 89 of Atmore, passed away Sunday, September 30, 2012. She taught school for 38 years. The last 25 years of those were at Davis Elementary School. She retired in 1980, was an active member of First Baptist Church of Atmore and worked tirelessly for many years teaching Sunday school, training union, vacation Bible school and initiated the Bible drill program.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Eddie Carl Copeland.
Survivors include her daughter, Sheila Copeland of Montgomery; her son and daughter-in-law, Darrell and Anita Copeland of Cary, NC; two grandchildren, Jared (Ali) Copeland of Austin, TX, and Laura Copeland (Terry) Pollard of Tulsa, OK; three great-grandchildren, Jack and Chuck Copeland, and Mya Pollard.
Services will be Tuesday, October 2, 2012, at 10 a.m. from the First Baptist Church of Atmore with Rev. Arnold Hendrix officiating.
Interment and graveside services will follow at 3 p.m. in Longino Baptist Church Cemetery in Philadelphia, MS.
Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Dr. John Smith’s Sunday school class.
Family will receive friends Tuesday October 2, 2012, at the First Baptist Church of Atmore from 9 a.m. until service time.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
FDLE Joins Probe Into Suspicious Voter Registration Forms
September 30, 2012
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating potential voter registration fraud after reports of false forms were reported in several Florida counties including Escambia and Santa Rosa.
State election officials have called in the FDLE to investigate allegations that a Virginia-based voter registration gathering firm hired by the Republican Party of Florida may have faked or destroyed voter registration applications.
Chris Cate, spokesman for the Florida Department of State, said the agency has turned over a complaint filed by the RPOF against Strategic Allied Consultants, which had been gathering applications from would-be voters under a $1.3 million contract.
The suspicious voter registration forms were first reported in Palm Beach County. Late last week, Escambia County officials reported irregularities with a “significant” number of suspicious voter registration forms.
“There was enough suspicion about several of these to warrant us looking into them further and ultimately asking the State Attorney’s Office to get involved,”said Escambia Supervisor of Elections David Stafford.
About 100 of the irregular forms were also reported in Santa Rosa County.
State Attorney Bill Eddins says they suspect a large number of the applications were turned in by Strategic Allied Consultants.
The state party cut ties to the company earlier this week when the allegations were exposed, according to RPOF’s Executive Director Mark Grissom. On Thursday, the Republican National Committee followed suit, cancelling contracts with the company that was doing work for the RNC in at least four more states.
The complaint has not been released, and an agency spokesman said it was being reviewed to determine what portions could be released to comply with Florida public records law.
“Some documents regarding this matter are exempt from public records disclosure at this time,” Cate said. “The department will review any responsive records within its possession and provide any non-exempt documents.”
Mike Huckabee Campaigns For Romney In Pensacola (With Photo Gallery)
September 30, 2012
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee brought the Republican message to Escambia County Saturday afternoon, campaigning for presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Huckabee spoke to several hundred energized Romney-Ryan supporters.
“One of the things we are trying with the Romney campaign is to make sure that voters understand there is a real difference between Mitt Romney and Barrack Obama as it relates to people of faith,” Huckabee said at the “Victory Meet and Greet” event at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church.
Pictured: Former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee appeared at a Romney-Ryan campaign event in Pensacola Saturday afternoon. Photos by Cheryl Casey for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tornado Watch Tonight
September 30, 2012
A tornado watch is in effect for the North Escambia area until 2 a.m. Monday. Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Some storms could be severe, with gusty winds. Cloudy, with a low around 72. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Monday: A chance of showers before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southwest wind around 10 mph.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Southwest wind around 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 83. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Calm wind.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the morning.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 86.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62.
- Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 83.
- Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 58.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.
Man Becomes Trapped Between A Tractor And A Tree
September 30, 2012
A man is recovering today after his foot was partially crushed by a tractor Saturday near McDavid.
The man was working on a food plot off Roach Road when his small farm tractor slid into a tree, trapping the man’s foot between the running board of the tractor and the tree. First responders used a winch to pull the tractor away from the tree and off the man’s foot.
He was transported to an area hospital in good condition.