Perdido Site Off EPA Superfund List Over 50 Years After Train Wreck
January 15, 2018
The U.S. EPA has deleted the Perdido Groundwater Contamination site in Perdido, AL, from the Superfund National Priorities List.
The Perdido Ground Water Contamination Site is located in Perdido, Baldwin County, Alabama, and is the site of a train derailment, which occurred on May 17, 1965. The Site originated as a borrow area which provided sand and fill material to the County for local use. In 1965, a train derailment by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (a predecessor of CSX Transportation, Inc., CSXT) occurred approximately 200 yards east of the intersection of Highways 47 and 61. Chemicals from the derailed tank cars spilled into the drainage ditches along State Highway 61 and caught fire.
Later, as a result of the accident, an unknown quantity of benzene that had not been destroyed by the fire eventually penetrated the soil and entered the ground water aquifer. In 1982, benzene was identified in several residential domestic water supply wells within the community of Perdido.
An alternate supply of drinking water was provided by CSXT by constructing a waterline six miles from the nearby town of Atmore. Approximately 150 Perdido homes within a one-mile radius of the derailment were connected to the alternate water supply.
The train derailment site is less than two miles from North Escambia and the Florida state line.
Celebrating MLK Day
January 15, 2018
Parades and special events will honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. across the area on Monday.
CENTURY
Century’s MLK Day celebrations will include a program at the Century Community Center on West Highway 4 at about 10 a.m. with a special guest speaker music and food.
CANTONMENT
The Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in Cantonment starts at 4 p.m. at the corner of Washington and Carver off Muscogee Road behind the paper mill. Line up for participants is at 3:00 at 208 Webb Street.
ATMORE
The Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the Houston Avery Park on Martin Luther King Avenue. The parade will leave the park, turn left on MLK Avenue, right at the four-way stop on Carver Avenue, left on Ashley Street at the four-way stop, left on MLK Avenue, and then back to the park.
We will have coverage of several events coming up later on NorthEscambia.com.
Pictured: Last year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia BOCC Weekly Meeting Schedule
January 15, 2018
Here is a schedule of Escambia County public meetings for the week of January 15-19:
Monday, Jan. 15
County offices closed – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday, Jan. 16
MyGovernmentOnline.org Contractor/Citizen Builder Training – 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Environmental Enforcement Special Magistrate – 1:30 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place (Agenda)
Extension Council – 5:30 p.m., Escambia County Extension Office, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment (Agenda)
Wednesday, Jan. 17
Escambia Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors – 8 a.m., 151 Highway 97, Molino
Board of Adjustment – 8:30 a.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place (Agenda)
Development Review Committee – 1 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Escambia County Disability Awareness Committee – 3 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Thursday, Jan. 18
Community Redevelopment Agency – 9 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place (Agenda)
MyGovernmentOnline.org Contractor/Citizen Builder Training – 9 a.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Board of County Commissioners Agenda Review – 9:15 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place
Bayou Chico Annual BMAP Meeting – 1 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Board of County Commissioners Public Forum and Regular Meeting – 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place
Winter Weather Advisory Issued; Sleet And Snow Possible Tuesday Night
January 15, 2018
There is a Winter Weather Advisory and a Wind Chill Advisory in effect for Tuesday and Tuesday night.
Precipitation initially in the form of a wintry mix of light rain, sleet, and snow will gradually turn into light snow across the region late Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night. Snow accumulations are generally expected to be less than one half inch, though isolated totals over one inch cannot be ruled out. Elevated northerly winds will bring dangerous wind chills in the single digits late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. Calm wind.
Tuesday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 54. Light and variable wind becoming north 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: A chance of rain, snow, and sleet before 9pm, then a chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. Wind chill values between 10 and 15. North wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 37. Wind chill values between 10 and 20. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 17. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 48. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23. Calm wind.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 66.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69.
Sunday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.
Nightly Traffic Shifts And Road Closure Highway 29 At Broad Street
January 15, 2018
Drivers on Highway 29 in Ensley can expect nightly road closures and traffic shifts through January 17.
— Southbound U.S. 29 at Broad Street: Motorists will encounter traffic shifts from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 14 through Wednesday, Jan. 17 as a crew places pipe across southbound U.S. 29.
— Broad Street at U.S. 29: Broad Street will be closed nightly on the west side of the U.S. 29 intersection from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 14 through Wednesday, Jan. 17 to accommodate drainage work. Detroit Boulevard and Untreiner Avenue will serve as alternate routes for access to and from Broad Street. Detour signs and variable message boards are in place to alert drivers of the temporary road closure and detour routes.
Detour signs and variable message boards are in place to alert drivers of the temporary road closure and detour routes.
Construction activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution and watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Northview Weightlifting Girls Move On To Regionals
January 15, 2018
The Northview High School Girls Weightlifting team placed fourth overall at districts with 12 girl advancing to the regional meet.
The following Northview girls placed as listed in their weight class:
Lynnsey Holzapfel, sixth
Emily Stabler, third
Crystal Douglas, fifth
Destiny Braddock, fifth
Lexxi Broadhead, second
Lexxi Baggett, fourth
Hailie Harigel, fifth
Abigail Nelson, fourth
Aubree Love, fifth
Savannah Roley, sixth
Natasha Walker, second
Rayshawanna Davidson, sixth
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Large Shed Fire In Molino Under Investigation
January 14, 2018
The Florida State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed a large shed at a home in Molino Saturday night.
Neighbors reported hearing several small explosions, including one that rocked nearby houses just before 9 p.m. The approximately 20 by 30 foot shed burned to the ground on Highway 97 between Highway 29 and Highway 95A.
There were no injuries reported.
The Molino, McDavid, Cantonment and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the blaze.
Photos by Kristi Barbour and reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Fire Chief In Hawaii During Missile Message ‘Scare’
January 14, 2018
An Escambia County Fire Rescue chief in Hawaii says Saturday’s false warnings about an imminent ballistic missile attack could serve as a preparedness tool.
Battalion Chief Curt Isakson was at his hotel in Waikiki Beach when his cell phone went off with the missile warning, and alarms sounded in the hotel. He and his wife are in Hawaii for a conference unrelated to his county position.
Shortly after 8 a.m. local time Saturday in Hawaii, residents and visitors received the message, “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”
Isakson told NorthEscambia.com that the message could serve to better prepare Hawaiians in the event of an actual attack.
“When we had lunch the employees and our server totally admitted that they are not ready for this at all; nobody has a plan of action,” he said. “This in the end could’ve been a good thing to let people have a plan and get ready, like a hurricane.”
“It is definitely a heightened peoples awareness of where this place it’s in relation to North Korea and everything going on,” Isakson continued. “Yes it was an accident but in the end it was almost like a drill to let people know that the threat is real.”
Hawaii Governor David Ige said the false missile alert that panicked islanders on Saturday morning was “totally unacceptable” and said the warning was caused by human error.
Ige told reporters Saturday that he is “angry and disappointed” by the situation. “Today is a day that most of us will never forget — a day when many in our community thought that our worst nightmares might actually be happening,” he said.
The administrator of Hawaii’s Emergency Management Administration, Vern Miyagi, told reporters that the person responsible for the erroneous message “feels terrible” about it. Told by reporters that emergency sirens had actually gone off in some communities, Miyagi said he would have to look into the matter.
Hawaiians described panic when they got the emergency alert Saturday morning on television, radio, email and mobile devices.
The mistake was discovered within 20 minutes, but it took 38 minutes for state officials to issue a correction on mobile devices, which brought criticism from islanders, government officials and the media.
VOA News contributed to this report.
More Arctic Air
January 14, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 47. Wind chill values between 25 and 35 early. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 25. North wind around 5 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
M.L.King Day: Sunny, with a high near 57. Wind chill values between 20 and 30 early. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: A slight chance of rain before 10pm, then a slight chance of rain and snow between 10pm and 11pm, then a slight chance of snow after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 39. North wind 10 to 15 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 21. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 47. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
January 14, 2018
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- State Road (S.R.) 742 (Creighton Road) Construction Improvement Project from east of Davis Highway to Scenic Highway –Drivers traveling Creighton Road will encounter traffic pattern changes:
- Creighton Road (Davis Highway to Scenic Highway): Intermittent and alternating lane closures between Davis Highway and Scenic Highway from 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 14 through Saturday, Jan. 20 continue as crews perform milling, paving, sidewalk and curb replacement.
- 9th Avenue/Creighton Road intersection traffic shift: Drivers will experience intermittent and alternating lane closures on 9th Avenue from 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 14. Crews will restripe and shift the lanes westward in preparation for widening operations on the southeast side of the intersection.
- U.S. 29 Resurfacing between U.S. 90 and Muscogee Road – Alternating lane closures on U.S. 29 north and southbound, from Muscogee Road to West 9 ½ Mile Road, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 14 through Saturday, Jan. 27 as crews pave the roadway.
- Interstate 10 (I-10) / U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements Phase I – The following traffic impacts are planned on I-10 and U.S. 29 near the interchange (Exits 10A and 10B) from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16 through Thursday, Jan. 18:
- Alternating lane closures on I-10 east and westbound and U.S. 29 north and southbound.
- The U.S. 29 on-ramps to I-10 eastbound will be intermittently closed. Traffic will be detoured on U.S. 29 to access I-10 eastbound.
- The exit ramp from I-10 westbound to U.S. 29 south (Exit 10A) will be intermittently closed. Traffic will be detoured to U.S. 29 north (Exit 10B).
- Alternating lane closures on the I-10 westbound exit ramp to U.S. 29 north (Exit 10B).
- I-10 Widening from Davis Highway to the Escambia Bay Bridge – Intermittent alternating lane closures on I-10, between Davis Highway (Exit 13) and Scenic Highway (Exit 17), and on Scenic Highway, between Whisper Way and Northpointe Parkway, from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16 through Thursday, Jan. 18 as crews perform construction activities. The speed limit on I-10 will be reduced to 60 mph during nighttime lane closures.
- U.S. 29 Widening from I-10 to Nine Mile Road – Drivers traveling U.S. 29 and Nine Mile Road will encounter traffic pattern changes from 8 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14 through Saturday, Jan. 20 as follows:
- S.R. 4 at Escambia River Bridge- Intermittent lane restrictions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19 as crews remove drift from underneath the bridge.
Santa Rosa County:
- I-10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) – Alternating lane closures on I-10, from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard/Exit 22), from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16 through Friday, Jan. 19 as crews work to widen the roadway. In addition, alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard, near the I-10 interchange, as crews reconstruct the overpass.
- U.S. 90 Pavement Marking Operations between Shadow Oak Lane and Spears Street in Pace- The westbound outside, right lane of U.S. 90 between Shadow Oak Lane and Spears Street in Pace will be closed from 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16 to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17 as crews install pavement marking in a new right turn lane.
S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFB boundary to Hickory Hammock Road – Traffic between County Road 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) and the Eglin AFB boundary is restricted to loads less than 11-feet wide. The restriction will be in place until the project is complete.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.