Cantonment Firefighters Attend Breakfast At Heritage Baptist Church
September 24, 2017
Heritage Baptist Church invited the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue to breakfast Sunday morning. Special guest speaker Ray Melton presented the message to the men’s group. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Habitat For Humanity Completes 16 Tornado Recovery Homes In Century
September 24, 2017
After almost a year of work in the Century community, Pensacola Habitat for Humanity is proud to be finishing up their planned disaster recovery work. Starting in November of 2016, Pensacola Habitat worked in concert with BRACE, Escambia County, and the Escambia County Housing Finance Authority to build 16 new homes for the qualified residents.
“Thanks to the coalition, Pensacola Habitat for Humanity has been able to complete a significant amount of work in the Century area,” explained Pensacola Habitat Executive Director Tim Evans. “This project was our first major test to prove we are ready to act when disaster strikes. We are a community development organization that is concerned with all aspects of housing in our community and we are capable leaders of disaster recovery and repair.”
A community development organization with a long history in the area, Pensacola Habitat was eager to complete builds in the area as part of the ongoing effort to restore normalcy to Century and its residents. Pensacola Habitat worked with the county and the Town of Century to create homes that fit the exact needs of the qualifying homeowners. In addition to building entirely newly designed homes, this was the organization’s first time leading recovery efforts on a project of this magnitude.
“We were enthusiastic to lead disaster recovery efforts alongside amazing efforts by organizations, like United Way of Escambia County and BRACE, to ensure proper aid was given to our local community. After the storm, we recognized the scope and type of damage to the area fit right into the expanding capacity of our organization,” explains Evans. “With the funding for the builds provided by Escambia County, the Escambia County Housing Finance Authority, and local businesses, we were able to create sizable change, and impact, in the area.”
Giving “a hand up, not a handout,” the 35-year-old affiliate continues to build and sell award-winning homes to suitable families who are interested in homeownership, have the ability to pay an affordable mortgage, and demonstrate a willingness to work in partnership with Habitat for a home of their own.
NorthEscambia.com and submitted photos, click to enlarge.
James Earl Hall Named Escambia Farm Family Of The Year
September 24, 2017
James Earl Hall of Walnut Hill and his wife Anita have been named the 2017 Escambia County Farm Family of the Year. Hall is a watermelon grower and cattleman. Hall is pictured in the green shirt. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Flomaton Celebrates Railroad Junction Day
September 24, 2017
Flomaton celebrated the town’s heritage Saturday with Railroad Junction Day. The day featured a variety of free activities, demonstrations, entertainment, food and vendors as friends and neighbors gathered for the event.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery click here.
Gallery includes Railroad Junction Festival photos, dance performance photos and car show photos.
NorthEcambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
ERC Football Scores
September 24, 2017
Here are week 4 scores from ERC youth league football:
Seniors
- Brewton 32, Jay 0
- Baker 25, Neal 13
- Flomaton 35, NWE 8
- Excel 44, Straughn 0
Juniors
- Brewton 40, Jay 0
- Neal 19, Baker 6
- NWE 33, Flomaton 13
- Poarch 49, Uriah 0
- Straughn 31, Excel 12
Sophomores
- Jay 25, Brewton 24
- Neal 33, Baker 0
- NWE 39, Flomaton 0
- Poarch 38, Uriah 0
- Straughn 41, Excel 7
Freshmen
- Brewton 32, Jay 0
- Neal 12, Baker 6
- Flomaton 30, NWE 0
- Poarch 47, Uriah 0
- Excel 33, Straughn 6
Century Bingo Closes Just Weeks After Opening
September 24, 2017
One of Century’s newest businesses has closed its doors just a few weeks after openng.
Century Bingo opened this summer after receiving approval to operate in April from the Century Town Council.
The bingo business was operated in a leased 5,000 square foot building at 9420 North Century Boulevard, the former location of the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store.
Last April, the Century Town Council was not tasked with approving any issue regarding bingo games, but rather with determining if a bingo facility was allowable under the general use categories of the town’s Land Development Code. With their vote, the council determined that bingo games met the criteria as an “indoor recreation center”.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
FWC Seeks Comment On Proposed Hunting Rule Changes
September 24, 2017
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is seeking public input on drafted rule changes regarding hunting and FWD-managed lands that would begin with the 2018 hunting seasons.
Proposed Northwest Region changes include:
Blackwater WMA, Carr Unit – discontinue the special-opportunity released quail season and permit requirements; and allow northern bobwhite to be released and taken by shotgun during the small game season. A daily no-cost permit and proof that northern bobwhite were purchased within the past 90 days from a game farm licensed by the Commission or another state would be required for each individual or group participating.
Blackwater WMA, Hutton Unit – shift the 4 existing November quail hunts to February; and expand dove hunting from 4 to 8 days by adding 4 additional days of dove hunts during the second phase of the statewide dove season.
Escambia River WMA – allow raccoon hunting year-round in the still and dog hunt areas, except during the youth turkey hunt and spring turkey season; and limit camping to 14 days within any consecutive 30-day period.
Perdido River WMA – expand small game season from 30 to 68 days; and limit camping to 14 days within any consecutive 30-day period.
To submit comments to FWC on these and other proposed rule changes, click here.
Tate Graduate Henschen Completes Basic Military Training
September 24, 2017
U.S. Air Force Airman David M. Henschen graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Henschen is the son of Gregg and Corrina Ferguson, brother of Chris Henschen of Denver, CO, and Ashley Henschen of Pensacola, and grandson of Mary J. Oliver of Pensacola.
Henschen is a 2017 graduate of J.M. Tate High School.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: The Aftermath Of Hurricane Irma
September 24, 2017
More than 10 days after Hurricane Irma crashed through the state, thousands of Floridians were still in the dark as estimates of damage in nearly all parts of the peninsula continued to escalate.
Also intensifying was tension between Gov. Rick Scott and a Broward County nursing home that turned into a hotbox after the massive storm wiped out the facility’s air conditioning. Ten seniors who had been residents of The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills have died, and state and local law enforcement agencies are investigating the deaths. The facility pushed back by filing a lawsuit against the state for cutting off admissions and funding.
The public and private sectors’ response to Irma spurred House Speaker Richard Corcoran to set up a select committee to explore ways to make the state more disaster-ready in the future.
As the blue tarps go up, fallout from the storm — both literally and figuratively — prompted national officials, including U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, to witness the damage and pledge to deliver aid to the Sunshine State.
“More is going to occur. More is coming,” said Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican who told reporters he spent his “youth” fishing off Islamorada and whose mother lives in Broward County. “We want the people of Florida to know that we are in it with you, that the federal response will be complete and that we have more work to do and that’s why we’re here, to assess this.”
NURSING HOME DEATHS SPAWN BLAME GAME
Health officials Wednesday issued an emergency suspension of the license of The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, a day after the facility filed a lawsuit against the Scott administration for effectively shutting it down.
The license suspension was another step after the state Agency for Health Care Administration last week placed a moratorium on admissions to the nursing home and suspended it from the Medicaid program. The nursing home’s lawsuit, filed late Tuesday, challenged the admissions moratorium and the Medicaid cutoff.
Eight of the residents died Sept. 13, three days after Hurricane Irma shut down the nursing home’s air-conditioning system. The license suspension alleged that four of the residents had body temperatures of at least 107 degrees when they arrived at a nearby hospital or when they died. Two other elderly residents died this week.
“Respondent (the nursing home) failed to maintain safe conditions in its facility; failed to timely evacuate its facility once conditions were no longer safe for residents; and failed to timely contact `911′ during a medical emergency,” said the emergency suspension order, signed by Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Justin Senior.
But the nursing home pushed back, saying caregivers repeatedly reached out by calling a cell phone number given to the industry by Scott himself and calling state emergency officials and Florida Power & Light.
Kirsten K. Ullman, co-counsel for the nursing home, released a statement Wednesday night that said caregivers “continuously monitored their residents, offered them hydration, and implemented efforts to keep the facility temperatures as comfortable as possible.” The statement, in part, also took issue with the assertions that residents suffered from body temperatures of 107 degrees or more.
“It is not known specifically for how long, nor is it known when the AHCA cited temperatures were taken, where they were taken, by whom they were taken, or to which residents they are attributed to. However, before the evacuation, only two of the residents who passed away had elevated temperatures, neither of which were in the critical range,” Ullman said.
The deaths of the nursing-home residents have drawn national attention and a criminal investigation. The Scott administration and the nursing home also have released timelines of the events leading up to the deaths, as the two sides try to bolster their arguments.
On Thursday, the Hollywood Police Department, which is investigating the deaths, reported that a 10th resident had died.
But Ullman implied that the death of 93-year-old Martha Murray wasn’t the nursing home’s fault.
“Hollywood Hills cares for residents, including residents in hospice care in terminal condition. There has been a report of a resident who was discharged from Hollywood Hills one week ago who has passed away. Hollywood Hills has not been provided any information regarding this former resident’s passing. Hollywood Hills sends deepest condolences to the family at this time of loss,” Ullman said in a statement Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Florida Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes, and LeadingAge Florida held a summit Friday to address an emergency rule aimed at requiring nursing homes to have generators to power air-conditioning.
DEPARTMENT OF LESSONS LEARNED
Corcoran’s newly created select committee will explore a number of ways to better prepare Florida for major storms like Irma, from creating a state gasoline reserve to protecting vulnerable seniors in nursing homes.
“With any event of this magnitude, lessons can be learned,” Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, said Tuesday in a memo to House members, announcing the 21-member Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness. “We must move quickly to assess our recent experience and pinpoint tangible, meaningful ways to improve Florida’s hurricane readiness and response capabilities.”
Corcoran told reporters that the impact of Irma, the first major hurricane to hit Florida since 2005, has changed the agenda for the 2018 legislative session, saying over the last decade the absence of storms has resulted in the state not being “as aggressive as we could or should be” in preparing for hurricanes.
“Gas wasn’t readily accessible,” Corcoran, who is mulling a run for governor next year, said. “Having a committee that looks at why does a state, in the richest country in the world, the third largest (state), why don’t we have a significant gas reserve in the central part of the state so that’s not an issue moving forward for our citizens?”
Also Tuesday, state Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, called on Scott to create a state commission to review how Florida handled Irma and the aftermath, including recovery efforts.
“We should learn from the experiences of this effort, while those lessons are fresh in our minds in order to positively impact future preparedness,” Brandes said in a letter to Scott.
DEPARTMENT OF NON-STORM NEWS
Apparently learning from previous mistakes, state health officials released a highly anticipated process for businesses to vie for five new medical marijuana licenses.
The new rule, published Wednesday and going into effect immediately, outsources the evaluation of the applications to “subject matter experts,” requires “blind testing” of the applications, and includes a detailed application form — all departures from the Department of Health’s previous medical-marijuana regulations that spawned a series of legal and administrative challenges.
After voters last fall approved a constitutional amendment that legalized medical marijuana for potentially hundreds of thousands of patients with debilitating conditions, the Florida Legislature passed a law during a June special session requiring health officials to issue 10 new “medical marijuana treatment center” licenses.
The law gave health officials until Aug. 3 to issue some of the new licenses, and until Oct. 3 to select five more. Additional licenses must be issued once the number of patients in a statewide registry — now at 37,830 — reaches 100,000.
Whether the agency will meet next month’s deadline is questionable.
“The goal is still Oct. 3,” Department of Health spokeswoman Mara Gambineri said in an email.
But industry insiders remained skeptical.
“It’s not just unlikely. It is literally impossible,” Ben Pollara, who was instrumental in the passage of the constitutional amendment and who represents a coalition of medical marijuana businesses, told The News Service of Florida on Wednesday.
STORY OF THE WEEK: The finger pointing escalated between Gov. Rick Scott’s administration and a Hollywood nursing home as deaths continued to increase of seniors who had been residents of the facility.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “We want the people of Florida to know that we are in it with you, that the federal response will be complete and that we have more work to do and that’s why we’re here, to assess this.” — U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, after touring damage from Hurricane Irma in Jacksonville and the Florida Keys.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Teen Struck By Hit And Run Driver On Beulah Road
September 23, 2017
The Florida Highway Patrol is searching for a hit and run driver that hit a teenager walking along Beulah Road Friday night.
According to the FHP, 17-year old Ryan Babe was walking on the shoulder of Beulah Road toward the Escambia County Equestrian Center. Babe told troopers all he remembered was being hit from behind by an unknown vehicle. The vehicle left the scene before Babe was able to see it. No witnesses have come forward according to the FHP.
Babe was transported in serious condition to Sacred Heart Hospital.
File photo.