Boil Water Notice Canceled For Cottage Hill Water Works
September 18, 2012
A boil water notice for a portion of the the Cottage Hill Water Works system is no longer in effect.
The boil water notice had been issued on September 13 following a water main break.
The original notice included:
- McKenize Rd
- Parker Rd
- Chavers Rd
- Smyers Rd
- Elna Rd Williams Ditch Road 1501-1744
- Hwy 95A North from1756-1999
- Cottage Park Rd.
- Grenelefe Dr. Handy Rd
- Eastman Ln
- Buckhead Trace
- Heathrow Dr
- Hollow Point
- Nosler Ct
- Ballistic Tip
- Soft Point Dr
For more information, contact the Cottage Hill Water Works office at (850) 968-5485.
Body Found In Baldwin County Was That Of Missing Escambia Man
September 18, 2012
Investigators in Baldwin County, Ala., have identified a missing Escambia County man as the person whose body was found September 6 near Seminole.
Foul play is not suspected in the death of 57-year old Garry McArthur, according the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office. He was reported missing September 2 to the Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office.
McArthur’s body was found in a creek less than a half mile from the Florida state line. His vehicle was parked nearby on a dirt road.
Two Arrested, One Hospitalized After Shooting In Pensacola
September 18, 2012
Two men were arrested and another hospitalized after a late night shooting Monday that occurred in the area of Tarragona and Hernandez streets in Pensacola
Ulysses Samuel Jr. (pictured), 34, of the 700 block of Fowler Avenue, and Aquarius Devaughn, 17, of the 2500 block of North Seventh Avenue, were both charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Meanwhile, a 20-year-old male is hospitalized in stable condition. The man was sitting in a car in the 2000 block of North Tarragona Street when he was shot, said Pensacola Police Detective James Reese.
Officer Patrick Burns was on patrol when he heard several shots fired in the area of North Hayne and Jordan streets. As he continued patrolling the area, he saw a truck leaving the area at a high rate of speed.
Burns followed the truck throughout the area until it came to a stop at Tarragona and Lakeview streets where the driver got out, ran and threw down a gun. Another passenger also fled from the truck.
Samuel and Devaughn were taken into custody by Burns and Officer Jeffry Cain where the truck stopped. Officers recovered three guns while searching the area of the shooting and the victim’s car.
Reese said the investigation is continuing; a motive is not yet known.
The Gun Crime Response Team was activated.
Anyone having information on this incident is asked to contact the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1900.
Fire Destroys Cantonment Home (With Photo Gallery)
September 18, 2012
Fire completely destroyed a vacant home in Cantonment early Tuesday morning.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The fire broke out about 2:30 a.m. on Booker Street. The fire firefighters on scene reported that the house was fully involved when they arrive. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.
There were no injuries reported.
The Cantonment, Molino, Ensley, Beulah and Bellview stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the blaze, along with Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Pictured: This house on Booker Street in Cantonment was fully involved when the first firefighters arrived on scene early Tuesday morning on Booker Street. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Escambia Cuts Plan For Utility Bill Increase
September 18, 2012
The Escambia County Commission has backed away from a proposal that would have meant an increase in electric and natural gas bills for residents of the unincorporated areas of the county.
The hikes failed on a 3-2 Monday, even after Commissioner Grover Robinson amended the proposal to only raise franchise fees by half the amount previously proposed. Robinson and Commissioner Gene Valentino were in favor of the bill increases, while Commissioners Kevin White, Wilson Robertson and Marie Young were against.
The original plan would have added extra $2.5 million to $3 million per year to the county’s budget that would be used for economic development efforts.
In the 1990’s, Escambia County granted power franchises to Gulf Power and Escambia River Electric Cooperative, and a natural gas franchise to the City of Pensacola. As part of the franchise agreements, the companies are required to collect and pay the county five percent of gross revenue collected on the sale of electricity and natural gas up to a maximum amount for each category. The county’s first proposal would have increase those caps by 50 percent, while a plan presented Monday by Robinson would have cut that increase to 25 percent.
An increase under the original proposal would have meant a maximum franchise fee hike from $10 to $15 per month for residential customers and small office and up $1,500 each for power and gas for large industrial users.
Great Weather Forecast
September 18, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 56. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56.
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
- Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
ICE Arrests 36 Fugitive, Criminal Aliens In Area Operation
September 18, 2012
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) arrested 36 convicted criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and immigration violators during a five-day operation in the Escambia County area.
The operation concluded Sunday and was conducted by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Fugitive Operations Teams.
Of the 36 arrested, 19 had previous convictions for crimes such as: aggravated assault, burglary, battery on a law enforcement officer, identity theft, possessing cocaine, battery, forgery, fraud, driving under the influence and domestic violence, according to ICE.
Five of the 36 were immigration fugitives that failed to leave the county when ordered, and six had previously been deported before illegally entering the U.S. again.
Thirteen of the arrests were in Escambia County, while other arrests were made in Santa Rosa, Mobile, Fort Walton, Navarre and Defuniak Springs. Most of those arrest, 23 total, were from Mexico. Others were from Honduras, Guatemala, Vietnam, Thailand, Czech Republic, Iran and Cuba.
“These arrests of convicted criminals and repeat immigration violators demonstrate ICE’s ongoing commitment to public safety,” said Scott Sutterfield, acting field office director of ERO New Orleans. “When ICE prioritizes these individuals for arrest, our officers and agents work tirelessly to pursue the leads.”
Among the convicted criminal aliens arrested were:
- A 32-year-old Mexican national who was previously convicted of felony battery and giving false information to law enforcement. He was arrested Wednesday in Pensacola and remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
- A 41-year-old Vietnamese national who was previously convicted of aggravated assault with great bodily harm and felony battery with a weapon. He was arrested Wednesday in Pensacola and remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
- A 32-year-old Honduran national who was previously deported from the United States and illegally re-entered. He was previously convicted of burglary, robbery, theft and has a domestic violence case pending. He was arrested Thursday in Ft. Walton Beach and remains in ICE custody pending removal to Honduras.
“We continuously focus on improving the safety of all of our communities by conducting these targeted enforcement actions,” said Michael Meade, acting field office director of ERO Miami.
The names of those arrested were not immediately released by ICE.
Pictured top: An alleged illegal alien be taken to an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) facility in Pensacola for processing. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia, Santa Rosa Receive $110K In Grants
September 18, 2012
Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will share in $850,000 in defense reinvestment grants announced Monday. In all, 11 Florida communities with military installations will receive the grants to support diversification of the area economies for helping keep military facilities open.
“Florida continues to be the best place in the nation for military service members and their families to live and work,” Scott said. “The Defense Reinvestment Grant helps maintain vital missions at Florida’s military installations while fostering a cooperative relationship between the military and the community.”
Each of the grants will be used to fulfill the needs of a military installation or help defense-dependent communities develop strategies for expanding their non-defense economic base. Activities can include studies, presentations, analyses, plans, marketing, modeling, and reasonable travel costs.
The Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce will receive $70,000 for Escambia County, and Santa Rosa County will receive $40,000. The largest grant, $125,000, will go to Okaloosa County, home to Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field.
Gas Prices At Near Record High For The Month Of September
September 18, 2012
Gas prices continue their upward spiral at near-record highs for the month of September. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in Escambia County was $3.70 Monday, compared to $3.53 one year ago.
“The national average continues to hover near its highest ever September level,” said GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan. “As we push deeper into September, the more optimistic I am that these high prices will begin to come down slightly, but … I’m a bit concerned that prices won’t moderate as much as previously expected as the dollar weakens, leading me to believe 2012 will have featured the highest yearly average ever.”
Pictured: In Century, gallon of regular unleaded was $3.75 Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Century Moves Forward With $650,000 Housing Rehab Grant Application
September 18, 2012
The Town of Century voted Monday night to move forward with the application process for $650,000 in housing improvement grants.
If awarded, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) will be used to rehabilitate or replace homes that are currently occupied by persons of low or moderate income. New guidelines recently approved by the town council will allow grant money to be used to replace mobile homes with conventional site built homes.
The town’s official application for the grant money will be submitted October 1. Town consultant Robin Phillips said the town hopes to know if their application is approved by November and December, with the first applications for assistance to be taken from the public in December.
The town has already been awarded $155,000 in grant money to harden homes against hurricanes. The Florida Division of Emergency Management awarded Century $105,000 in Residential Construction Mitigation Program Funds. The Community Action Program Committee will provide an addition $50,000 in grant money, bringing the total dollars for hurricane retrofits to $155,000.
Work was recently completed on a previously awarded $650,000 CDBG grant and a $100,000 hurricane retrofit grant that was awarded last year. About a dozen private homes were rehabilitated under the program. [Read more...]
Pictured: One of about a dozen homes rehabilitated in Century last year using grant funds. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.