Senate Bill Seeks To Change Painkiller Prescriptions To Seven Days Or Less
October 24, 2017
A prominent Senate Republican has filed a sweeping measure aimed at keeping patients from getting hooked on prescription painkillers. The proposal filed Monday by Senate Rules Chairwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto mirrors legislation filed this month by House Commerce Chairman Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton.
Under the bills, doctors would be limited to prescribing up to seven days’ worth of powerful narcotics and would have to consult a statewide database before ordering most pain medications.
The legislation would limit doctors to writing prescriptions for three days’ worth of controlled substances, such as the highly addictive opioid oxycodone, unless the practitioner decides a seven-day prescription is “medically necessary to treat the patient’s pain as an acute medical condition.”
Health care practitioners would also be required to consult the database, known as the prescription drug monitoring program, before writing prescriptions for controlled substances.
Under current law, doctors can access the program but are not required to use it. The measures also include some changes to the database, which pharmacists are required to use before dispensing most pain medications.
The bills proposed by Boyd and Benacquisto are intended to address a rapidly escalating opioid crisis in Florida, where 14 people die from overdoses every day, according to an interim report by the state’s medical examiners.
“This is ravaging families. It’s ravaging communities. As a human being, you cannot hear what’s going on and the pleas for help and stand on the sidelines,” Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, said Monday. “This is the moment when we have to take strong action.”
The bills are filed for the 2018 session, which starts in January.
by The News Service of Florida
Tate High Names 2018 Senior Hall Of Fame
October 24, 2017
Tate High School has announced their 2018 Senior Hall of Fame members. They are:
- Ashlyn Adams
- Mollie Anderson
- Matthew Blalock
- Dylan Brown
- Kinsey Gill
- Juanito Gonzalez
- Emma Grissom
- Reid Halfacre
- Logan Hamlin
- Maurice Hendricks
- Hannah Huggins
- Kylee Jackson
- Shelby Jackson
- Michael Lett
- Adam Norre
- Blake Norre
- Riley Orr
- Levi Shaffer
- Jesse Sherrill
- Rosemary Smyth
- Sydni Solliday
- Nathaniel Walker
- Natalie Woods
- Nicole Woods
Driver Partially Submerges Truck; Flooding Closes O.C. Phillips, Pineville Roads
October 23, 2017
There were no injuries reported when a driver partially submerged a pickup truck in floodwaters sometime Sunday night or Monday morning on O.C. Phillips Road at Brushy Creek. The truck was discovered late Monday morning on the remote dirt road.
O.C. Phillips Road is now closed due to flooding at the bridge over Brushy Creek, between Highway 97A and South Pineville Road.
North Pineville Road is also closed due to flooding between Tullis Road and Jakes Road in the Nokomis area.
For information about an additional road closure on Barrineau Park Road at the Perdido River, click here.
Pictured top: A truck was partially submerged in floodwaters on O.C. Phillips Road. Pictured below: Another view of the flooding (after the truck was removed). NorthEscambia.com reader submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Barrineau Park Bridge Closed; Flood Warning For Perdido River
October 23, 2017
The Barrineau Park Bridge from Florida into Alabama has been closed due to flooding.
The Highway 196/Barrineau Park Road bridge west of Highway 99 is closed it crosses the Perdido River at the Florida/Alabama state line.
The section of the road was functioning as the detour route for the construction project on west Muscogee Roadand which is now closed at Alabama 112 and at County Road 99. Traffic will be detoured via Beulah Road. The current heavy truck prohibition on Beulah Road will be temporarily lifted until flood waters have subsided.
A flood warning is in effect for the Perdido River near Barrineau Park until Tuesday evening. At 10 p.m. Monday, the river was at 15 feet; flood stage is 13 feet. The river will continue rising to near 15.2 feet. The river will fall below flood stage Tuesday evening.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Molino Park 1st Graders Attend Wedding Of Q And U
October 23, 2017
The letters Q and U were united in marriage last week in a wedding hosted by the first grade at Molino Park Elementary School.
First graders wore their fancy clothes to look like a QUeen or King for the royal event.
After the QUick wedding, Q and U are now QUietly at home in the vocabulary of first graders at Molino Park Elementary as they continue their QUest for learning.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Two North Escambia Area Administrators Named Tops In School District
October 23, 2017
Two North Escambia area principals have received top honors as principal and assistant principal of the year for the Escambia County School District.
Principal of the Year
The Escambia County School District’s outstanding Principal of the Year is Susan Sanders, principal of R. C. Lipscomb Elementary School.
A graduate of Tate High School, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education and a master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of West Florida. She taught at Oakcrest and Beulah elementary schools. She became an assistant principal while at Beulah and then served as assistant principal at R. C. Lipscomb Elementary before becoming the principal in 2012.
Susan Sanders is married to Kevin Sanders, who is also an educator in Escambia County School District. They have two sons, Kevin and Tyler.
During her tenure as principal at R. C. Lipscomb, Sanders has provided outstanding leadership for the faculty, staff, and students. She is passionate about the work she does at her school and maintains a strong focus on data-driven instruction.
This past year the school earned a school grade of “A”. Sanders will tell you it is a combination of student effort along with the ability of her staff to provide highly effective instruction. Her staff, however, believe her leadership is a direct influence on the success at the school.
Assistant Principal of the Year
Ransom Middle School Assistant Principal Sandra Ames has been selected as the Escambia County School District’s Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year.
Ames is s graduate of Escambia High School. Ames graduated from the University of West Florida Magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English Education. She started her career as a teacher assistant at Pine Forest High School. The next year she became a language arts teacher. She taught language arts at Pine Forest High School for over 20 years, impacting the lives of many Escambia County students.
She started her administrative journey as a dean at Pine Forest and then served as assistant principal at Brown Barge Middle School, Principal at Brown Barge Middle and Assistant Principal at Ransom Middle School. Ames is married to Scott Ames, who is an agriscience teacher at Ransom. The Ames have three children, who are all graduates of West Florida High School.
Pictured: Superintendent Malcolm Thomas with Principal of the Year Susan Sanders (top) and Assistant Principal of the Year Sandra Ames. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
October 23, 2017
Drivers will encounter traffic variations on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County
· Interstate 10 (I-10)/U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements Phase I – Drivers will encounter the following traffic impacts on I-10 and U.S. 29 near the interchange (Exits 10A and 10B) from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 22 through Thursday, Oct. 26 as crews perform construction activities:
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- Alternating lane closures east and westbound I-10 and north and southbound U.S. 29.
- Intermittent closure of the U.S. 29 south to I-10 eastbound ramp and the U.S. 29 north to I-10 eastbound ramp. Traffic will be detoured on U.S. 29 to access I-10 eastbound.
- Intermittent closure of the I-10 westbound to U.S. 29 south ramp (Exit 10A). Traffic will be detoured to Exit 10B.
- Alternating lane closures on the I-10 westbound to U.S. 29 north ramp (Exit 10B).
· I-10 Widening from Davis Highway to the Escambia Bay Bridge-Drivers will encounter alternating east and westbound lane closures between Davis Highway (Exit 13) and Scenic Highway (Exit 17) and on Scenic Highway near the I-10 interchange from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 22 through Thursday, Oct. 26 as crews perform construction activities.
· 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 a.m. as follows:
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- Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 overpass: Nightly eastbound traffic shift onto the westbound inside travel lane continue as crews prepare the area for construction of the support column for the new center bridge deck.
- U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road: Drivers may experience alternating lane closures as crews perform drainage operations.
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· 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. continue as crews perform milling and paving operations, curb replacement, sidewalk repairs, and Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades.
· Nine Mile Road (S.R. 10/U.S. 90A) Widening from Pine Forest Road to U.S. 29- Alternating lane closures continue Untreiner Avenue as crews perform jack and bore operations.
· U.S. 98 (S.R. 30) Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – Alternating east and westbound lane closures on Bayfront Parkway between 14th Avenue and the bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 23 through Saturday, Oct. 28 as crews install barrier wall and perform temporary signalization and striping work. On Tuesday, Oct. 24, westbound lane restrictions will be in effect from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
· I-10 at W Nine Mile Road Utility Work Pacing Operations- Utility crews will perform work on the Navy Federal Reconductor project over I-10 at Nine Mile Road Thursday, Oct. 26. Motorists may encounter minor delays from 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26 to 1 a.m. Friday, Oct. 27 as law enforcement assist with two 15-minute traffic pacing operations.
Santa Rosa County
· I-10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (Exit 22) – Widening efforts on I-10 and reconstruction of the Avalon Boulevard overpass continues. Alternating I-10 lane closures will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 22 through Friday Oct. 27. Drivers can also expect lane restrictions on Avalon Boulevard, near the I-10 interchange.
· 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 will remain restricted to loads less than 11-feet wide through completion of the project in late 2018.
· U.S. 98 Turn Lane Closure at Panhandle Trail in Navarre- The eastbound, left and westbound, right turn lanes at Panhandle Trail will be closed from 6 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24 through 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27. This is in association with the temporary closure of Panhandle Trail to perform utility work.
Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through the construction zone, and to pay attention for workers and equipment entering and exiting the work area. All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Century Blackcats Youth League Scores
October 23, 2017
Mighty Mites (4-7 year olds)
Frisco City 20, Century 18
The Century Blackcats fell short in a thriller 20-18 to Frisco City on Saturday afternoon at Anthony Pleasant Park in Century. A game that went back and forth all day came down to the wire. With 1:03 left in the game and the Blackcats down by eight, 20-12, Jamarria Davison ran for 58 yards behind a key block by Keyunta Ewing, bringing the ball to the 2-yard line. Ewing scored two plays later, making the score 20-18 with 22 seconds left in the game.
Ewing fought hard for the two point conversion, but came up short within inches of goal line. Frisco City won the game and the championship 20-18.
Tiny Mites (8-10 year olds)
Century 22, Beatrice 12
Pee Wees (11-13 year olds)
Castleberry 16, Century 0
Northview High Debuts New Facebook Page
October 23, 2017
Northview High School has a new Facebook page, located at:
https://www.facebook.com/northviewchiefspage/
School officials said it will be used mainly for information, announcements and news. The page has been added to the Escambia County School District’s Families App. The free app — ECSD Families — is available for download in the Apple App Store for iPhones and on Google Play for Android phones.
Escambia BOCC Weekly Meeting Schedule
October 23, 2017
Here is a schedule of Escambia County public meetings for the week of October 23-27:
Monday, Oct. 23
Attorney/Client Session – 9 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, Board Chambers, 221 Palafox Place
Library Board of Governance – 4 p.m., Downtown Branch Library, 239 North Spring Street
Tuesday, Oct. 24
October Coffee with the Commissioner: Jeff Bergosh, District 1 – 6:30 a.m., McDonald’s, 5 S Blue Angel Pkwy.
Environmental Enforcement Special Magistrate – 1:30 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place (Agenda)
Wednesday, Oct. 25
Development Review Committee – 1 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place (Agenda)