Elective Surgeries Reopen Monday. Local Hospitals And DeSantis Reassure Residents It Is Safe.
May 4, 2020
As elective surgeries resume Monday in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis and hospital officials are reassuring Floridians that it really is safe to go to the hospital.
““One of the biggest problems we’ve had in the last six weeks is people that have heart problems or stroke symptoms deciding they don’t want to go to the hospital. And sometimes that is because they are worried about being exposed to COVID,” DeSantis said Sunday at a Daytona Beach hospital. “If you do have those, the hospital is safe place to be, and taking care of yourself is really, really important.”
“It’s important we take careful and measured steps to ensure a safe return to providing full access to healthcare services while also continuing to serve and support individuals and communities impacted by COVID-19,” said Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Huson Gilberstadt. “As these events unfold, patients can expect expanded access to healthcare services with enhanced safeguards to ensure our sites of care continue to serve as healing environments – where quality care is delivered with the highest levels of safety and compassion.”
Ascension Sacred Heart operates hospitals in Pensacola, Miramar Beach, Panama City and Port St. Joe. Those facilities will maintain temporary visitor restrictions and screening protocols for individuals entering hospitals, including temperature checks for 99.5 degrees or higher. The health system will also require every patient scheduled for an elective or non-emergency surgery to undergo appropriate screening and testing for COVID-19 prior to their planned surgery date. Following their screening and testing, patients will be asked to self-quarantine until their surgery.
“Although COVID-19 is still present, we understand that individuals in our local communities have healthcare needs outside of COVID-19,” said Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast President and CEO Tom VanOsdol. “Our ‘return to surgery’ approach is in full compliance with Governor DeSantis’ recent direction and led by our clinicians, who are working with our providers on a strategic process to keep our patients, associates and physicians safe and informed throughout this time of transition.”
With the reintroduction of elective procedures, hospital staff will begin the process of contacting patients to reschedule procedures that were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, using clinical judgment to prioritize scheduling for patients with the most immediate needs. Services will also be available for patients to take a proactive role in their health and schedule appointments and regular doctors’ visits online or over the phone.
Baptist Hospital also resumes elective surgeries on Monday.
“Baptist will continue to implement social distancing, universal masking and screening of all patients and visitors,” according to a statement. Baptist physician offices are reaching out directly to patients whose procedures were postponed due to the order to suspend services that was issued in March. Patients visiting a Baptist facility are encouraged to bring and wear masks.
“Our teams look forward to welcoming back patients into our care and will take every precaution to ensure safety,” Baptist said.
Monday Was Reopening Day For Part Of Florida’s Economy. Here’s What Opens And What Is Still Closed
May 4, 2020
Here’s what may be open, and what will still be closed as Phase 1 of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan goes into effect:
- Retail can operate at 25% of indoor capacity
- Restaurants may offer outdoor seating with six foot spacing between tables, and indoor seating at 25% capacity
- Elective surgeries can resume
- No change for bars, gyms, movie theaters and personal services such as hairdressers (all remain closed)
- Schools continue with distance learning
- Visits to senior living facilities are prohibited
- Vulnerable individuals should avoid close contact with people outside their home.
- All individuals should maximize physical distance from others in public
- Avoid socializing in groups of more than 10 people in circumstances that do not readily allow for physical distancing.
- Face masks are recommended for in close interactions without social distancing.
- Vacation rentals must remained closed.
Another Positive COVID-19 Patient Confirmed In Escambia County, Alabama
May 4, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. CLICK HERE FOR AN UPDATE.
Another positive COVID-19 patient was reported Sunday in Escambia County, Alabama.
There are now 31 positive cases with two deaths in the county. There have been 593 tests administered in the county, according to the Alabama Department of Health.
The Alabama Department of Health reported 7,888 total positive cases in the state out of 91,933 tests. There have been 290 deaths and 1,043 hospitalizations reported statewide.
Warm And Sunny Start To The Week
May 4, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Monday Night: Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 61. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light after midnight.
Tuesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 81.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
$5.45 Million Grant Awarded To Support Amtrak’s Return To The Gulf Coast. But Not To Pensacola Or Atmore.
May 4, 2020
The return of passenger rail service along part of the Gulf Coast has received millions in funding, but not for service to Atmore, Pensacola and the rest of Florida.
A $5.45 million grant has been awarded from Restoration and Enhancement Grants Program for service from New Orleans to Mobile, The award will fund operating expenses for the first and second years of service along the restored rail line and also leverages commitments from the states of Louisiana and Mississippi and the City of Mobile. Florida is not a member of the Southern Rail Commission.
“I would like express my gratitude for continued support at the federal, state, and local levels as we work to bring passenger rail back to the Gulf Coast. This award brings us one step closer to realizing the many benefits that restored passenger service will have for our communities in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana,” SRC Chairman Wiley Blackenship said.
So far there’s no word of any funding continue service past Mobile to Atmore which is home to Alabama’s office rail welcome station or on into Florida. Existing railroad track heads from Atmore to Flomaton and south through Century to Pensacola then eastward to Jacksonville. Passenger rail service from Pensacola to Jacksonville ended after Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
The announcement follows other recent federal awards to the Southern Rail Commission (SRC) for Gulf Coast passenger service restoration, including $33 million through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program to complete major infrastructure and capital improvements necessary for service restoration.
The Commission was also awarded a R&E grant of $4.36 million in 2019 to support operating expenses for a portion of the first year of service along the new rail line. These investments confirm the regional and national support for rail restoration along the Gulf Coast and show confidence in the anticipated benefits of the returned service.
Pictured: An Amtrak inspection train rolls in Atmore (top and bottom) and Pensacola (inset) in February 2016. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Drivers Return To The Road As Florida Reopens. That Likely Means Gas Prices Are Nearing Their Cheapest.
May 4, 2020
Florida gas prices may be nearing their low point as most of Florida begins the first reopening phase on Monday. The lifting of stay-at-home restrictions has boosted optimism within the fuel market that gasoline demand will begin to rise.
“The phased reopening of businesses and restaurants will signal a return to the road for many Florida drivers,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Gas prices have plummeted 65 cents in the past 10 weeks. While the increased demand may not cause a pump price surge, it may signal the eventual end of the plunge at the pump.”
The average price per gallon Sunday night in Escambia County was $1.63, down three cents over the last week. Two Cantonment stations were considerably lower at $1.41 Sunday night
Florida gas prices statewide are now averaging $1.77 per gallon – the lowest in four years. The state average is two cents less than a week ago, 15 cents less than a month ago, and $1.02 per gallon less than this time last year.
Need A Haircut? Not Yet In A Florida Salon Or Barbershop. But DeSantis Is Talking Reopening Strategies
May 3, 2020
As many types of businesses across Florida reopen Monday with restrictions, barber shops, hair salons and other personal care services will remain closed.
“Throughout this whole time, I’ve said I’d rather get it right than get it fast,” Gov. Ron DeSantis told a group of hair stylists and barbers this weekend at the Ohsooojazzy Hair Salon in Orlando. “It doesn’t mean we’re going to sit on our hands. But we just want to be very thorough about how we’re doing it.”
They assured DeSantis they are ready with the extra steps to keep their clients safe.
“Our biggest thing is we don’t want to just keep ourselves safe,” Nadine Armstrong-Tarpley, an owner of Ohsooojazzy, told DeSantis. “We love our clients … so we want to keep them safe.”
They said they can limit the number of clients in their shops and schedule times to see their clients most at risk from COVID-19 like older adults and those with pre-existing medical conditions, all while upgrading already stringent sanitation requirements.
“We have hand sanitizer by the dozens in here. We have a manufacturer here in Orlando that supplies it to us, so it’s always readily available,” Armstrong-Tarpley said. “We’ve even gone a step further to order disposable capes so it’s never touching again. We have masks in the front, just in case someone doesn’t bring one in. We’ve supplied masks to all of our stylists.”
The governor said he’ll take the measures back to the the state barber and cosmetology licensing boards.
“If it vets and it’s safe, then I think we have a responsibility to get the ‘yes’ on this stuff,” said DeSantis, who joked that he has not had a haircut since February.
Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis meets with hair stylists and barbers at an Orlando salon this weekend. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Adds 55 COVID-19 Cases On Sunday
May 3, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. CLICK HERE FOR AN UPDATE.
An additional 55 COVID-19 cases were confirmed Sunday in Escambia County, according to the latest report from the Florida Department of Health.
Escambia County cases were up to 593 with 13 total deaths, nine of which where in long-term care facilities. Santa Rosa county’s count remained the same from Saturday to Sunday at 157. There have been eight deaths in Santa Rosa County.
A majority of the new cases in Escambia County are likely from long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 36,078 cases including 35,158 Florida residents. There have been 6,035 hospitalizations and 1,379 deaths.
- Total cases — 593 (+55 since Saturday)
- Pensacola — 455
- Cantonment — 41
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 1
- Molino – 4
- Century — 2
- Hospitalizations: 46*
- Deaths — 13
- Male — 219
- Female — 294
- Youngest — 0
- Oldest — 105
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 157 (+0 since Saturday)
- Milton — 83
- Navarre — 32
- Gulf Breeze — 24
- Pace — 15
- Jay — 2
- Residents: 129
- Nonresidents — 1
- Hospitalizations — 22*
- Deaths — 8
- Male — 105
- Female — 51
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 94
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 36,078
- Florida residents — 35,158
- Deaths — 1.379
- Hospitalizations — 6,035*
*“Hospitalizations” is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. These people may no longer be hospitalized. This number does not represent the number of COVID-19 positive persons currently hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized.
Convicted Cantonment Sex Offender Charged With Additional Child Molestation Crimes
May 3, 2020
A convicted sex offender from Cantonment that was out on probation has been arrested on additional child sexual molestation charges.
Michael Davis Edgar, 47, was charged with two counts of lewd or lascivious battery, two counts of providing obscene material to a minor and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for encounters that occurred between 2016 and 2018.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was called when a juvenile male told his father that he had sexual encounters with Edgar over 20 times from the time he was 12 years old until October 2018. He told his father than Edgar would get him drunk and provide him with alcohol and marijuana whenever they were together.
Another underage male victim told investigators that over the course of three years Edgar had performed sexual acts with him over 20 times while he was drunk or high. The victim said the encounters happened at Edgar’s house, but later Edgar would offer to take him out “on repo runs” from his Genesis Recovery repossession office. The victim said he would get drunk or high and they would have sexual encounters at the repo office.
Edgar was convicted on May 2019 of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and lewd or lascivious exhibition of a person less than 16. He was placed on probation and forced to register as a sex offender.
Edgar remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond Sunday.
Good Eats In Beulah: Food Trucks At The Equestrian Center This Week (With Daily Schedule)
May 3, 2020
Food trucks will continue to serve up at the Escambia Count Equestrian Center this week. Here is the tentative schedule through next Satuday:
Monday, May 4
- 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. — Facto’s Snack Shack
- 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. — Sneaky Tiki Shaved Ice
- 4-7 p.m. — Chic-Fil-A
- 4-7 p.m. — Beach Bums
- 4-7 p.m. — City Bowls
Tuesday, May 5
- 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. — Facto’s Snack Shack
- 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. — Dr Sno Shaved Ice
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. — 3-D Eats
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. — Joe’s Caribbean
- 4-7 p.m. — Lone Star Tex Mex
- 4-7 p.m. — Arlene Williams BBQ & Grill
Wednesday, May 6
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. — Joe’s Caribbean
Thursday, May 7
- 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. — Sneaky Tiki Shaved Ice
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. — Joe’s Caribbean
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. 3-D — Eats
- 4-7 p.m. — Chic-fil-A
Friday, May 8
- 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. — Dr Sno Shaved Ice
- 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. — The Po Boy Shack
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. – 3-D Eats
Saturday, May 9
- 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. — Dr Sno Shaved Ice
- 4-7 p.m. — Lone Star Tex Mex
- 4-7 p.m. – Chic-fil-A
- 4-7 p.m. — Arlene Williams BBQ & Grill
Trucks are spaced out in the lot and patrons are asked to stay six feet apart and limit gathering to groups smaller than 10. To participate as a food truck vendor, call (850) 941-6042 for a vendor application. All Equestrian Center vendor fees will be waived.
Pictured: Food trucks at the Escambia County Equestrian Center last week. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
