Group Wants More Local Residents To Achieve A College Degree
January 19, 2018
A local group wants to increase the number of Escambia County residents with a college degree by 20 percent by 2025.
Achieve Escambia has received a $20,000 planning grant from the Florida College Access Network to support a new effort dedicated to supporting pathways to postsecondary education and employment in Escambia County.
Currently, Escambia County’s postsecondary attainment rate is 40.1%. The Florida College Access Network’s goal is to increase that achievement rate to 60% by 2025.
To reach this goal, Achieve Escambia will create a Local College Access Network. The group will include leaders representing a variety of sectors to build a culture that supports postsecondary opportunity in Escambia County. The partnership will focus not only on increasing college readiness, access and completion, but also on supporting collaborative initiatives that can raise attainment rates in tangible ways.
“We are the first local network in the Panhandle to connect with a broader statewide strategy designed to provide all high school graduates with clear paths to postsecondary success,” said Kimberly Krupa, director of Achieve Escambia.
“We know that moving the needle on something as big as postsecondary attainment is not the responsibility of one individual or organization,” said Debbie Calder, executive vice president of Navy Federal Credit Union and chair of the Achieve Escambia Leadership Council. “This is all about bringing people together across many sectors to seriously focus on what we need to do to improve education and workforce outcomes.”
Laurie Meggesin, executive director of the Florida College Access Network, said local college access networks like Achieve Escambia are in the best position to close gaps that exist between the skills of local workers and the needs of current and future employers.
Northview Grad Singleton Lobbies Legislative Committee For FFA Education Bill
January 18, 2018
Northview High School graduate Mitchell Singleton lobbied a Florida legislative committee Wednesday on behalf of a bill to benefit agricultural education and the Florida FFA.
Mitchell currently serves as the Area 1 State Vice President of the Florida FFA Assocation. He spoke to the members of the Florida House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee in favor of House Bill 3053, Next Generation Agricultural Education Student.
The bill would provide a $1.25 million appropriation — $1 million would go toward making each of over 60,ooo agricultural education students in Florida members of the FFA at no cost to them, and $250,000 would go toward updates to the FFA’s Leadership Training Center in Haines City which used by thousands of FFA members each year.
“For me personally, my FFA story doesn’t being like most of you may think,” Mitchell told the committee. “I don’t have a background in agriculture. None of my family are farmers. I joined the FFA in the sixth grade at Ernest Ward Middle School because some of my friends were doing it and I thought that would just be the cool thing to do. So at that time I was a shy little sixth grader that would not even be caught dead speaking in front of this committee this morning, but also I didn’t know that I could have a place in agriculture because at that time my plan wasn’t to grow up and to be a farmer. But through the seven years that I have zipped up that blue corduroy jacket, I have realized that I can take every opportunity that is given to me to step out of my comfort zone, to grow myself as as individual, to grow myself as a leader.”
“But equally as important, I realized even I have a place in the agriculture industry,” he said.
He told the subcommittee members that the FFA and agricultural education is about much more than production agriculture, with positions such as social media marketing, scientists, or Singleton’s personal choice of education.
He said there are hundreds, or even thousands of FFA members with similar personal growth stories.
“This funding will allow us to truly change the future of Florida FFA forever,” he said. “We are asking your support to be able to open the door for every student in ag eduation courses in Florida so that we can build a better future for them, a better future Florida and a better future for the United States of America.”
Following Mitchell’s speech, the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee voted 12-0 in favor of the bill. It next goes to the full House Appropriations Committee.
Pictured: Mitchell Singleton addresses the Florida House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee Wednesday in favor of the Next Generation Agricultural Education Student bill. Image courtesy The Florida Channel for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Stock Broker Gets 20 Years In $1 Million Scam
January 18, 2018
A stock broker is headed to prison in a scam that took $1 million from an Escambia County widow.
Ronald Ball was sentenced to 20 years in state prison and ordered to pay more than $1 million restitution by Judge Thomas Dannhieser.
An Escambia County jury convicted Ball of nine felony charges, including three counts of grand theft, two counts of money laundering, two counts of racketeering, and one count of criminal solicitation.
The prosecutor, Assistant State Attorney Russell Edgar, said the case was a complex white collar crime matter involving multiple victims and thousands of financial transactions.
The case was investigated by the Office of State Attorney based on a complaint referred by the FBI that Ball had defrauded a physician’s widow of more than $1 million of life insurance proceeds.
Prosecutors presented testimony and evidence that showed Ball, a suspended stock broker, obtained the widow’s money under the pretense he would invest life insurance proceeds for her benefit. Instead he used sham companies, to misappropriate the victim’s money, laundered it through multiple brokerage and bank accounts and then used more than $800 thousand for himself.
Using the same sham companies, Ball obtained more than $300 thousand from credit card companies, an auto finance company, a bank, and a mortgage loan company under false pretenses.
After his arrest, Ball sent a threatening text to the physician’s widow and tried to hide evidence of his actions from investigators. Ball solicited his brother to remove a laptop, e-drive, cell phone and papers from Ball’s house. Investigators discovered Ball’s plan, obtained a warrant, and seized items before they could be removed. Investigators testified they found multiple incriminating items of evidence in Ball’s house, including forged and altered business documents
and computer images of the widow’s signature.
Ice Related Wreck Claims Life Of Milton Man
January 18, 2018
A wreck on an icy road Wednesday morning claimed the life of a Milton man.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 36-year old Edward Joe Meno Santos was northbound on Highway 87 when he encountered a patch of ice which had formed across his entire lane. Santos was unable to maintain control of his 2005 Nissan Titan and rotated into a construction zone, colliding with a roadway milling machine.
Santos was pronounced deceased at Santa Rosa Medical Center.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Ice, Ice Baby: Our Favorite Sleet And Ice Event Photos
January 18, 2018
Here are some of our favorite sleet and ice photos from Wednesday.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
House Bill Takes Aim At Prescription Costs
January 18, 2018
Pharmacists would be required to advise people about the costs of escriptions and whether the retail prices of drugs are lower than cost-sharing requirements imposed by insurers or HMOs, under a bill approved unanimously Wednesday by a House health-care panel.
Filed by Rep. David Santiago, R-Deltona, the bill (HB 351) also would require pharmacy benefit managers — often called “PBMs” — to register with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation and to supply information about their chief executive officers, chief financial officers and people responsible for the day-to-day operations of the companies. Registrations would be valid for two years.
Santiago said the bill, approved by the House Health Innovation Subcommittee, “begins to shine light and accountability” on pharmacy benefit managers and their practices.
Insurers and HMOs use pharmacy benefit managers as intermediaries with other health-care companies. Among the largest are Express Scripts and CVS Caremark. Pharmacy benefit managers negotiate large customer contracts and negotiate with pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies to get the best rates.
In addition to requiring pharmacy benefit managers to register with the state, the bill would amend insurance and HMO laws to detail what is allowable in contracts with pharmacy benefit managers and what is banned.
For instance, under the contracts, pharmacy benefit managers could not limit the ability of pharmacies to substitute generic equivalent drugs for brand-name drugs.
Rep. Nicholas Duran, D-Miami, said he was concerned the bill only ties the prohibition to contracts and that Santiago should consider changing it to make sure other documents between insurers or HMOs and pharmacy benefit managers would not impede pharmacists’ ability to let patients know about the most cost-effective options.
The bill is next scheduled to head to the House Appropriations Committee.
While the bill was supported by pharmacists and physicians, Abigail Stoddard, a lobbyist for Prime Therapeutics, raised some concerns. Those concerns included amending state insurance and HMO laws with measures that are currently included in pharmacy regulations. Prime Therapeutics is a pharmacy benefits management company owned by 18 Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans.
The House Health Innovation Subcommittee also approved a pharmacy-related bill that would preclude HMOs and insurers from requiring customers to be subjected to repeated “step therapy” protocols.
As initially filed, the proposal (HB 199) would have required insurers and HMOs to authorize or deny physicians’ requests to circumvent “step therapy” requirements within three business days for non-urgent care situations and within 24 hours for urgent care situations. If the requests were denied, insurers would have been required to provide detailed written explanations of the denial.
Step therapy is a type of prior authorization where patients must first try less-expensive drugs before they can “step” to more expensive drugs.
Bill sponsor Shawn Harrison, R-Tampa, said the initial bill was identical to a Senate measure (SB 98), which he prefers. But Harrison said he agreed to changes as a way to get the issue considered in the House.
“This is a vehicle we thought we could get started with,” Harrison said. “It’s smaller and we’ll see how it goes as the process moves along.”
by Christine Sexton, The News Service of Florida
FHP Troopers Issued Narcan To Help Fight Opioid Epidemic
January 18, 2018
The Florida Highway Patrol announced Wednesday it is issuing naloxone, an overdose-reversal drug commonly known by the brand name Narcan, to state troopers.
The troopers will be the latest law-enforcement officers to start using the drug, which revives overdose victims. The move comes as law-enforcement agencies and other first responders struggle to deal with the state’s opioid epidemic, which is responsible for at least 16 deaths each day in Florida.
The highway patrol “is part of a concerted, collaborative effort to combat the opioid crisis,” Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Terry Rhodes said in a prepared statement. Rhodes, whose department includes the highway patrol, said it is “critical that our members can safely perform their jobs to help prevent any unnecessary injuries or deaths in our state.”
Troopers in Broward, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Martin and Indian River counties were the first officers to receive supplies of the drug, according to a news release.
“FHP knows firsthand the seriousness of the opioid crisis and the department is taking the necessary steps to adapt our techniques and arm our troopers with the tools that will ensure the safety of the public and FHP,” Col. Gene Spaulding, director of the highway patrol, said.
The overdose reversal drug will be used to assist members of the public as well as first responders who may be accidentally exposed to potentially fatal synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and carfentanil. Miniscule amounts of such drugs “have been determined to be fatal, and even exposure from minor skin contact” can cause serious medical issues as well as death, according to the release.
by The News Service of Florida
Escambia (FL) And Santa Rosa Schools Back In Session On Thursday, Escambia (AL) Out Again
January 17, 2018
Escambia and Santa Rosa County schools in Florida will be open on Thursday. Escambia County Schools in Alabama will be closed again.
ESCAMBIA, FL
Superintendent Malcolm Thomas has announced that Escambia County (FL) District Schools will resume regular schedules on Thursday, January 18, 2018. However, all outdoor sports/activities for Thursday, January 18 have been canceled due to continued low temperatures. In preparation for the cold temperatures, district transportation routes will be handled as promptly as possible; the District requests assistance in asking families to formulate plans tonight to limit student exposure while traveling to school or waiting at bus stops in the mornings and evenings. Weather forecasts for the rest of the week will be monitored accordingly.
SANTA ROSA
Assistant Superintendent Joey Harrell, said based on the latest reports received from Santa Rosa County Emergency Operations, and Santa Rosa County Roads and Bridges, a decision has been made to resume normal school operations, with the exception of outside activities (to include PE) for tomorrow. Please keep in mind that school start temperatures and wind chill factors will be well below freezing tomorrow morning. Parents are encouraged to be mindful of these extreme conditions, especially if your children will be waiting outside at bus stops.
ESCAMBIA, AL
Escambia County Public Schools (Alabama) will be closed Thursday, January 18, 2018 due to the potential for dangerous icy road conditions. All schools will reopen following the regular schedule on Friday, January 19, 2018. Please stay safe. Thank you for your patience. Friday, students should wear school uniforms. Any warm outerwear will be allowed.
Pictured: Florida Ices Over
January 17, 2018
Here are photos of the accumulation of sleet and ice in Bratt, FL, about 3:45 a.m. Wednesday. A thin layer of ice covered most exposed surfaces. A few flurries were coming down, but the precipitation had mostly passed at the time, according to radar (pictured 3:45 a.m.). NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Have photos? Email news@northescambia.com and include your location.
Today’s Fashion: Dressing For Cold Weather
January 17, 2018
Our brutal cold weather can be dangerous. It’s important to dress in layers, cover skin and limit time outside, according to the National Weather Service.
With a low forecast tonight in the teens here in Florida, here’s how to dress for cold weather:
