State Irma Losses Top $6.55 Billion; 212 Claims In Escambia County
December 19, 2017
Estimated insured losses from Hurricane Irma have topped $6.55 billion, with the number of claims approaching 866,000, according to information released Monday by the state Office of Insurance Regulation.
The latest report showed that 865,974 claims from the September storm had been filed with insurance companies as of Friday, with 719,512 involving residential properties.
While people have several years to file claims, the numbers indicate a slowing in reported damages, as numbers posted by the state office on Dec. 4 showed 853,356 claims with estimated losses of $6.3 billion.
In Escambia County, 212 claims were filed. Of those, 103 were paid, 71 were closed without payment and 38 remain open.
Lynne McChristian, spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, said Irma could have been “much worse” for homeowners and the industry.
“The insurance companies have been well-capitalized,” McChristian said. “They have been waiting for this. There may be some claims that will continue to be filed, but insurance companies know that this is what happens when you are dealing with Florida’s hurricane risk.”
While figures are not available from individual private insurers, state-backed Citizens Property Insurance reported last week it had received 63,500 claims from Irma. Most were in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties.
Citizens anticipated its number of Irma claims will grow to 70,000, with $1.2 billion in damages, over the next year.
Citizens President and CEO Barry Gilway also said Wednesday that he expected the storm to increase Citizens’ policy count from “about 442,000 policies back up to 500,000” in the next year.
In the overall industry, Miami-Dade County has the largest number of Irma-related claims, with 114,078 as of Friday, according to the Office of Insurance Regulation numbers. Other counties with large numbers of claims included Broward, 71,970; Orange, 68,306; Lee, 65,311; Collier, 63,644; and Polk, 50,180.
Irma made landfall Sept. 10 in Monroe and Collier counties, causing widespread destruction and at least 84 deaths in Florida. The insurance industry has closed 48 percent of Irma claims with some payment. Another 31 percent were closed without any payments.
In most cases where money did not change hands, the damages failed to meet policyholders’ deductibles, McChristian said.
To reduce risk in Florida, the House Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness has received a number of potential housing changes — as part of the more than 140 recommendations — for lawmakers to consider during the 2018 legislative session, which begins in January.
Among the proposals, Rep. Holly Raschein, R-Key Largo, suggested the state identify areas where rebuilding after disasters might be high-risk and to consider options for not rebuilding, including the possible purchase of the properties. The land, she suggested, would be used to create additional open space and natural buffers.
Meanwhile, Sen. Annette Taddeo, D-Miami, and House Minority Leader Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, introduced a proposal (SB 1282 and HB 1011) last week that would require insurance companies to disclose to homeowners when coverage lacks flood insurance.
“I’ve met many constituents who had no idea that their hurricane coverage did not include protections when their homes flooded,” Taddeo said in a prepared statement. “This is especially problematic in South Florida as we face sea level rise and stronger storm surges from climate change.”
by The News Service of Florida with contribution from NorthEscambia.com
FDOT: Expect Lane Closures At New Molino Road Bridge
December 19, 2017
Motorist can expect intermittent daytime lane closures this week at the recently opened Molino Road bridge of Penasula Creek, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Workers will be completing minor construction activities in the project, weather permitting.
The new bridge opened to traffic last week. It has been closed for reconstruction since January 3.
Detreal Jackson Named Escambia County’s Employee Of The Year
December 19, 2017
Detreal Jackson, senior office support assistant in the Public Safety Division, has been selected as Escambia County’s 2017 Employee of the Year. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Injured In Highway 95A, Archer Road Crash
December 18, 2017
One person was injured and two refused medical treatment in a two vehicle accident Monday morning on Highway 95A at Archer Road in Cantonment. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Local Woman Celebrates 105th Birthday
December 18, 2017
Myrtle Louise Joiner Peacock Gilmore recently celebrated her 105th birthday, surrounded by family and friends, at Solaris HealthCare on University Parkway.
When asked if she was having a good birthday, she replied, “I’ve had so many Happy Birthdays, I’ve run out of places to keep them.”
Myrtle attributes her long life to being thankful. She has said that she rarely goes more than a few minutes without thanking the Lord for all He’s done for her and her family.
‘Severe Meth Addict’ Gets Jail Time For ‘Viciously Beating’ Small Dog
December 18, 2017
A Cantonment woman who pleaded guilty to”viciously beating” a small dog while it “cried out in pain” has been sentenced to 90 days in the county jail.
Heidie Creamer, 35, “intentionally and repeatedly” inflicted “unnecessary pain and suffering on a one-year old, five pound Chiweenie (chihuahua/dachshund mix) dog by picking the dog up by its back leg, raising it in the air, then viciously beating the animal while it screamed out in pain and suffering” on September 19, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report.
Creamer and her boyfriend had been living in a tent on a woman’s property on Frank Ard Road. The woman said Creamer is a “severe meth addict” and her drug abuse had grown out of hand, according to the report. The woman told deputies that Creamer walked over the dog and snatched it up as as it was peacefully sleeping in the shade. After the alleged beating, she carried the dog upside down by one leg about 50 feet back to her tent. The woman said Creamer had beat the dog four or five times in the past month.
Several witnesses provided deputies with a similar account of the incident.
Creamer was also sentenced to three years probation following her release from jail.
In their report, deputies describer Creamer’s tent and living area as “utterly filthy” with a strong body odor. The report also states Creamer was covered all over her body with festering sores and she appeared to be high on some substance.
The deputy reported that when Creamer stepped out of the tent, the Chiweenie and a Yorkie appeared to cower away and try to move away from her as if in great fear.
Inmate Gets Death Penalty For Murdering Cellmate
December 18, 2017
A Santa Rosa Correctional Institution inmate was sentenced Monday morning to death for the murder of a cellmate in 2012.
Shawn Rogers attacked inmate Ricky D. Martin, 24, on March 30, 2012. Martin died from blunt force trauma to his brain on April 8, 2012.
Martin, who was from Collier County, was serving time for 2007 conviction on charges of grand theft, armed burglary, trafficking in stolen property and four counts of grand theft of a firearm.
Rogers was already serving a life sentence for robbery with a deadly weapon and a 15-year sentence for aggravated battery with deadly weapon.
Florida Lawmaker Seeks Year-Round Daylight Savings Time
December 18, 2017
With the measure dubbed the “Sunshine Protection Act,” a House Republican on Friday proposed a bill that calls for Florida to observe daylight-saving time throughout the year.
The bill (HB 1013), filed by Rep. Jeanette Nunez, R-Miami, indicates it would depend on Congress changing a law to authorize states to stay on daylight-saving time year-round. But the Nunez proposal, which says Florida “should be kept sunny year-round,” could clash with a bill (SB 858), filed by Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, that would lead to the state exempting itself from daylight-saving time and observing standard time.
The bills are filed for consideration during the 2018 legislative session, which starts Jan. 9. Daylight-saving time this year started March 12 and ended Nov. 5.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
December 18, 2017
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities. For the upcoming holiday season, there will be no lane closures or other activities which impede traffic on state roads beginning at 7 a.m. Friday, Dec. 22, 2017 and ending at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, January 2, 2018.
Escambia County:
- U.S. 98 (S.R. 30) Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement- The eastbound, right lane will be closed across the bridge from 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15 to 5 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16 as crews perform concrete work.
- State Road (S.R.) 742 (Creighton Road) Construction Improvement Project from east of 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, Dec. 17 through Thursday, Dec. 21 continue as crews perform milling, paving, sidewalk and curb replacement.
- 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. Sunday, Dec. 17 through Thursday, Dec. 21:
- Alternating east and westbound I-10 and north and southbound U.S. 29 lane closures.
- 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).
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- Alternating lane closures on the I-10 westbound exit ramp to U.S. 29 north (Exit 10B).
- County Road 182 (Molino Road) over Penasula Creek Bridge Replacement- Motorists can expect intermittent daytime lane closures the week of Monday, Dec. 18 as workers complete minor construction activities on the project.
- I-10 Widening from Davis Highway to the Escambia Bay Bridge – The following lane restrictions will take place on I-10 and Scenic Highway the week of Monday, Dec. 18 for construction activities.
- Intermittent and alternating day and nighttime lane closures on I-10 between Davis Highway (Exit 13) and Scenic Highway (Exit 17),
- Intermittent and alternating day and nighttime lane closures on Scenic Highway, between Whisper Way and Northpointe Parkway.
- The on-ramp from Scenic Highway to I-10 westbound ramp will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21 as crews pave. Traffic will be detoured on I-10 eastbound to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) to access I-10 westbound.
- U.S. 29 Widening from I-10 to Nine Mile Road – Alternating lane closures from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, Dec. 18 through Thursday, Dec. 21 on U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road as crews continue drainage work.
Santa Rosa County:
- I-10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) – The following lane restrictions will take place on I-10 and Avalon Boulevard from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 17 through Friday, Dec. 21 as crews widen the roadway and reconstruct the overpass.
- Alternating lane closures on I-10 from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of Avalon Boulevard.
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- Alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard near the I-10 interchange.
- U.S. 90 Roadway Testing over Simpson River- Beginning Monday, Dec. 11 and continuing through Thursday, Dec. 21 east and westbound traffic over Simpson River can expect intermittent lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday as crews perform roadway testing.
- S.R. 87 Pipe Maintenance from Laredo Street to Nevada Street- Drivers can expect intermittent lane restrictions from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 18 through Thursday, Dec. 21 as crews continue to seal and line existing pipes.
- 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
Bratt Elementary Names Students Of The Month
December 18, 2017
The following students were named Students of the Month for December at Bratt Elementary School.
Pre-K
KayLeigh Morris
Michael Flowers
Kindergarten
Jadon Long
Weston Spicer
Houston Smith
Makyla Mason
Brylynn McGhee
1st Grade
Nathan Gilmore
Mason Helton
Pryce Flowers
Parker Marsh
2nd Grade
Sawyer Gilmore
Eli Anthony
Waylon Pardue
Kaylee Wilson
3rd Grade
Wesley Lambeth
Michael Griffs
Annberly Dunn
4th Grade
Reagan Peebles
Aydin Odom
Jasmine Zisa
James Patrick
5th Grade
Hannah Smith
Kaya Mason
JaCee Dortch
Anthony Miller
Houston Smith and Michael Griffs have been chosen to represent Bratt Elementary for Escambia County Students of the Month for December