Escambia Commission Delays Hiring Company For EMS Staff Training
June 21, 2019
Escambia County will delay a decision on new EMS training until after the new county administrator is in place.
Last month, Escambia County Medical Director Dr. Rayme Edler asked the Escambia County Commission for an expedited purchase of training services for EMS hands-on training.
After advertising for training services, the county only receive two bids.
One proposal was from The Rescue Company 1, LLC, in the amount of $144,696.91, and the other from Emergency Educational Training Institute, Inc., in the amount of $243,250. Rescue 1 is not on the Florida Department of Health list of continuing education providers, but Emergency Educational Training Institute is an approved continuing education provider.
Citing that reason and other concerns, Commissioner Jeff Bergosh made a motion Thursday to hire Emergency Educational Training Institute, but that motion failed due to a lack of a second from another commissioner.
Commissioner Steven Barry said he would support the training if it’s supported by new County Administrator Janice Gilley after she starts work for the county on July 1.
“If Janice comes back and she brings it forward, I am going to support this. I want to be on the record saying I am going to support it. I just don’t think it is a rush procurement right now,” Commissioner Lumon May said.
The Florida Department of Health is currently investigating allegations involving the possible falsification of training certificates by Escambia EMS and Public Safety. The county commission has hired attorney Ann Bittinger of Jacksonville, who specializes in health care law, to represent five county employees in the Florida DOH investigation.
“….We’re going to spend a ton of money defending employees internally,” Commissioner Lumon May said Thursday. “Inside an organization, where else in America would you have a supervisor reprimanding their employees, and you’ve got to go to Jacksonville and hire outside counsel? I mean there’s something wrong. Fundamentally, the training is not going to fix that. You keep piling turds on top of turds, you’re going to continue to get turds. You’ve got to at some point straighten it all out.”
He said he would not be bullied into hiring a company to conduct EMS training and EMS will continue to operate.
“We’re not going to shut down. It was too me, it was the most horrific thing and propaganda to give to the citizens of Escambia County that our people are not qualified. They are well qualified,” May said. “They are saving lives every single day without this training.”
“I’m going to put you on the spot. Do we need this? Is this a must have?” Bergosh asked interim Public Safety Director John Dosh.
“Based upon the information I’ve been provided by the medical director, she would like to see this enhanced training,” Dosh said. “I’m not a doctor, so I can’t answer that question for you.”
Photos: Magical Moogician In Molino, And Next Week’s Summer Reading Program Schedule
June 21, 2019
During the Summer Reading Program this week at the Century and Molino branch libraries, kids saw The Moogician, whos does every dairy with magic and songs.
The Summer Reading Program continues next week with Maks Annaev with juggling, magic, plate spinning, cirque style performance and physical comedy.
- Tuesday, June 25, 11 a.m. – Southwest Branch (held at Big Lagoon State Park)
- Tuesday, June 25, 3 p.m. Tryon Branch Library
- Wednesday, June 26, 11 a.m. – Century Branch Library
- Wednesday, June 26, 3 p.m. – Pensacola Library
- Thursday, June 27, 11 a.m. – Molino Branch Library
- Friday, June 28, 11 a.m. – Tryon Branch Library
The Summer Reading Program will then take a break the week of the Fourth of July and return the following week with Animal Tales.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Face 30 Years For DUI Manslaughter
June 21, 2019
An Escambia County man has been convicted of DUI manslaughter for the death of two passengers in his vehicle last year not far the the Walmart in Ensley.
Jamie Ty Hamrick, now 29, was driving south on North Palafox Street at Sharmon Street when his Honda Civic ran off the road, collided with a ditch, became airborne, hit a fence and overturned into a large oak tree about 2:50 a.m.on September 27, 2018.
Passengers La’Phontae DeWayne Lewis, 25, and Antion Wade Lindsay, 32, were ejected from the vehicle and pronounced deceased. Hamrick was not injured.
Prosecutors said Hamrick was under the influence of alcohol, Xanax and marijuana. He had a blood alcohol level of .155, nearly twice the legal limit. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison when he sentenced on August 12.
Crestview Man Killed In Escambia County Wreck
June 21, 2019
A Crestview man was killed on Sorrento Road in Escambia County Wednesday night.
Thursday, the Florida Highway Patrol identified the victim as 59-year old Michael Pietrzykowski.
The FHP said Pietrzykowski was traveling west on Sorrento Road when he crossed into the eastbound lane and collided with a Jeep driven by 59-year old Watler Peden of Pensacola. Pietrzykowski’s vehicle continued off the roadway, collided with trees and caught fire.
A third driver, 23-year old Jack Hoehn of Gulf Breeze, did not see the collision in time to avoid striking the Jeep.
Peden was critically injured, while Hoehn suffered minor injuries.
Inmate Charged With Bomb Threats On Government Offices ‘For The Cause Of The Islamic State’
June 21, 2019
A former state inmate in Santa Rosa County is charged with threatening to blow up several state and federal agencies, including the Social Security Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Escambia County.
Noah D. Stirn, 24, formerly housed at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility in Milton, was indicted on federal charges related to issuing threatening communications involving explosives and mailing threatening communications to injure others. The charges were announced by Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Stirn is now in federal custody.
The indictment alleges that in April and May 2019, while incarcerated at Blackwater, Stirn mailed multiple letters to federal and state agencies that threatened the use of explosive devices to harm those in the local buildings. The indictment alleges that Stirn asserted that the attacks were “for the cause of the Islamic State.” It is also alleged that Stirn threatened the use of “C4″ and “car bombs.”
This case resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Capitol Police, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Tallahassee Police Department.
Tate Aggies Youth Football Camp
June 21, 2019
The Tate High School Aggies Youth Football Camp is June 24-26 from 5-8 p.m. daily.
The cost is $75 for each attendee in grades 2-8. Registration includes the three day camp, event t-shirt and a pizza party on the last day of camp.
Register online at tatehighfootball.com or on the first day of camp.
Muscogee Road Area Boil Water Notice Lifted
June 21, 2019
A boil water notice that was issued Monday night for many Farm Hill Utilities customers has been lifted.
Water service was turned off Monday night for several hours along Muscogee Road from Hicks Street to Stinnis Street for an Escambia County project, leading to the boil water notice.
Wahoos Beat Jacksonville In Second Half Opener
June 21, 2019
The Blue Wahoos revamped their roster for the second half schedule, then reproduced elements which brought so much early-season success in a 4-3 road win Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
They received a strong pitching performance from Bryan Sammons, a late addition in the first half, played flawless defense, and got all their runs in the fifth inning from home run blasts.
Just as the Blue Wahoos opened the season in April with a road win, they started the Southern League’s second half division race in a desired way.
A crowd of 7,704 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, watched the Blue Wahoos beat the Jumbo Shrimp for the ninth time in 11 games. It’s the first time the Blue Wahoos have played this season in Jacksonville, the Miami Marlins’ Double-A affiliate.
Prior to the game, the Blue Wahoos made 11 roster moves during the league’s all-star break, including reactivating Alex Kirilloff, the Minnesota Twins No. 2 overall prospect and top 10-rated player by MLB.Pipeline, after he was on the injured list for the final two weeks of the first half.
Among the newcomers welcomed was first baseman Lewin Diaz, 22, a 6-foot-4 native of the Dominican Republic, who made his Double-A debut Thursday by going 2-for-4 in the game.
Diaz, the No. 9 rated first baseman prospects by MLB.Pipeline, batted .294 in the first half for the Fort Myers Miracle (High-A), smashing 13 homers and 36 RBI in being named to the Florida State League All-Star team.
Also joining the Blue Wahoos was relief pitcher Hector Lujan, who had six saves and a 2.18 for Fort Myers. He did not pitch Thursday.
The Blue Wahoos started Thursday’s game with Twins reliever Adalberto Mejia working a scoreless first inning on his injury rehab assignment. Sammons followed and earned his first Blue Wahoos win by going six innings, allowing four hits and two runs with eight strikeouts.
Jeff Ames pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Sam Clay got his six save in the ninth, after allowing a run. Clay got out of a two on, none out jam in the ninth by getting J.C. Millan to hit into a double-play, scoring a run. He then struck out Stone Garrett to end the game.
The Blue Wahoos run support was supplied in three swings, after two outs. Trailing 1-0 into the fifth, Brian Navarreto homered over the left field wall for the team’s first run. Travis Blankenhorn followed with a home run to right field.
After Kirilloff drew a walk, Ben Rortvedt hit a two-run, two-out homer to right center for the decisive runs.
Those three shots were three of the team’s seven hits. Rortvedt went 2-for-3 in the game. Blankenhorn went 2-for-4. Centerfielder Aaron Whitefield, an Australia native, who was signed by the Twins in 2015, made his Double-A debut and was 0-for-4 in the game.
The Blue Wahoos and Jumbo Shrimp will play four more times in the series. The Blue Wahoos will then return home Monday night to begin a five-game series on Tuesday against the first-half South Division winner Biloxi Shuckers.
Juvenile Charged With Opening Fire In Cantonment Street
June 20, 2019
A juvenile was arrested after allegedly shooting into the air while in a Cantonment street Thursday evening.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shots fire call in the 1200 block of Lake Drive about 6:15 p.m.. Witnesses told deputies that a teenage male fired shots into the air after an argument with people on the street.
The 16-year old male was later located by deputies with the reported weapon, according to ECSO spokesperson Deb Henley. The juvenile was arrested for discharge of a weapon in public and possession of a weapon by a juvenile.
The juvenile’s name has not yet been released. There were no injuries reported.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Police Say Missing, Endangered Adult Female Has Been Found
June 20, 2019
**UPDATE** Pensacola Police tell us Howard has been located in Douglas County Georgia, and is safe. She left Pensacola on her own. Her family has been contacted, and is aware that she has been located.
Marilyn Adrain Howard, 21, was last seen at the Pensacola fishing pier on Monday, June 17 at about 10 p.m. According to Pensacola Police, she has the mental capacity of a 10-12 year old and is unable to take care of her essential needs such as medical, transportation and shopping. Marilyn is very trusting and may not realize the danger she is in.
She was last seen wearing a red blouse, gray leggings with black stripes, green flip flogs, and she had a black purse. She has black hair with pink streaks in it, and has a faded dolphin tattoo on her right leg. She stands 5’1 and weighs 160 pounds.
The photograph was taken in 2015.
If you have and information about the whereabouts of Marilyn Howard, please contact the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1901 or local law enforcement.