Green Eggs, Ham And The Mayor Delight Camp Fire Kids
March 7, 2017
Last week, the children at Camp Fire Century learned about Dr. Seuss and celebrated his birthday. Century Mayor Henry Hawkins stopped the center to read “Green Eggs and Ham” to the children. Afterwards, the children had a chance to eat green eggs and ham. They also had a chance during the week to dress as their favorite Dr. Seuss character. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Animal Clinic Readies Youth For Spring Livestock Show April 1
March 7, 2017
A Gulf Coast Agricultural Project Animal Clinic was held this past weekend at the Escambia County 4-H Livestock Facilities on South Highway 99 in Molino. Presenters hosted workshops focused on chickens and rabbits, pigs, cows, and sheep.
The event was a precursor to the 2017 GCA/NRYO Spring Livestock show which will be held on April 1.
The GCA/NRYO Spring Livestock is open to all FFA and 4-H members in southwest Alabama and Northwest Florida. Admission for the livestock show and the adjacent Northview High School Blue Jacket Jamboree will be free.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Middle School Volleyball Playoffs – Ernest Ward Beats Ransom
March 7, 2017
The Ernest Ward Middle School volleyball team defeated Ransom Middle two sets to one in playoff action Monday night. The EWMS Eagles won the game on a 15-5 third set. Ernest Ward advances in the county middle school playoffs with a bye on Tuesday; their next game time and opponent for Wednesday is to be announced. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Tops W.S. Neal
March 7, 2017
The Northview Chiefs beat W.S.Neal 7-6 Monday night in Bratt.
Neal took an early 3-0 lead in the first, but the Chiefs scored unanswered runs in the second, third fourth and sixth before scoring the winning run in the seventh.
John Chivington went 3-3 with a run and RBI. Also for the Chiefs: Quinton Sampson 1-4; Zach Payne 2-4, R, RBI; Josh Neese 1-3, R; Blake Reid 1-4, R, RBI; Bailey Wilson 1-3 R, RBI; Daniel Mascaro R, RBI.
Alston Wiggins tossed the win for Northview in five innings, giving up two hits, four runs, two errors and striking out four. Josh Neese pitched two with no hits, no error, two hits, one strikeout and a walk.
Northview will travel to T.R. Miller on Tuesday. Game times have been switched…varsity will play at 4:00 and the junior varsity is scheduled for 6:00.
Photos by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Manhunt: Flomaton Man Charged With Kidnapping Ex-Girlfriend
March 6, 2017
A Flomaton kidnapping suspect that reportedly threatened his victim with a machete was taken into custody late Sunday afternoon after a day-long manhunt.
About 1:33 Sunday morning, the Flomaton Police Department received a 911 call from a woman who stated that Thomas Cofield had broken into her daughter’s home and had threatened her daughter with a machete. Cofield was the ex-boyfriend of the victim.
When officers arrived at the home, they could not locate the victim or Cofield. Officers checked the area and called for a K-9 tracking team to search for Cofield and the Victim. Neither could be located but were believed to be on foot in the area.
Officers from different agencies searched multiple homes over a period of several hours for the two. At approximately 10:13 a.m., officers located the victim off of Highway 113, where she had been allegedly held against her will for several hours. She was reportedly visibly shaken, but not injured.
Cofield had already fled on foot. The K-9 tracking team tracked him from the area of Wiley Drive in Flomaton to the area of Pecan Grove Trailer Park area on Highway 113.
After searching the area for several hours, law enforcement determined that Cofield had likely been picked up by someone in a vehicle. Officers searched several additional locations for Cofield as they received tips.
At 4:53 p.m., a family member brought Cofield to meet with officers to turn himself in.
Cofield was taken in custody without incident. It was later learned that Cofield was able to catch a ride from Highway 113 into Florida.
Coefield was charged with attempted domestic violence, kidnapping, burglary in the first and second degree and domestic violence in the third degree. He was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton.
This case remains under investigation and more arrests could be forthcoming.
Multiple law enforcement agencies assisted in the hunt for Cofield, including the Flomaton Police Department, Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Department, Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County Road Prison K-9’s, and the Alabama Department of Corrections K-9’s.
Work Underway On Crary Road Paving; Thompson, McNeal Next
March 6, 2017
Work is currently underway on a portion of a dirt road paving project on Thompson, Crary and McNeal Roads south of Century.
Construction is currently 75 percent complete on Crary Road, according to Escambia County, and should be completed sometime in April. The total price tag for Crary Road paving and drainage was $1,313,391 with work being done by contractor Roberson Excavation, Inc.
The Escambia County Commission is set to award bids on paving Thompson and McNeal roads at their March 16 meeting, with construction on both expected to take play from May until November of this year.
The project consists of the design and paving of Thompson Road from McNeal Road to Highway 29, Crary Road from Highway 29 to Byrneville Road and McNeal Road from Thompson Road to Byrneville Road. This project will also address the drainage upgrades necessary to prevent roadway flooding.
The project is being funded by Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) funds.
Learn About ‘Cut, Copy, Paste’ In Free Library Class
March 6, 2017
A free “cut, copy and paste” computer class in Century will teach participants the secrets of how to move information such as resumes, pictures and graphics from one software application to another.
The class will be held Thursday, March 6, at the Century Branch Library at 7991 North Century Boulevard.
For more information, call (850) 436-5060.
Jim Allen Elementary School Names Students Of The Month
March 6, 2017
Jim Allen Elementary School has named Students of the Month for February. They are Kinzy Cutler (left) and Cade Weaver. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New, Free ‘PBS Kids’ Channel Now On WSRE TV
March 6, 2017
There is new, free 24/7 kids television channel on the air.
The new WSRE PBS KIDS TV channel is now broadcasting over the air on channel 23.4. It is also available on Cox Channel 695; Mediacom Channel 84; Bright House Channel 200; Riviera Utilities Channel 826; and streaming at pbskids.org and on the PBS KIDS app.
Thr free channel will make it easy for families to watch quality PBS KIDS educational children’s content during primetime and other after-school hours when viewing among families is high, but when WSRE generally does not carry children’s programming on its primary channel. The TV channel is part of a new multiplatform delivery of 24/7 children’s services with live stream on digital platforms and interactive games integration. The effort is WSRE’s latest initiative to support early learning in Northwest Florida and through the station’s coverage area.
“WSRE PBS KIDS will be an awesome destination for families in our community. Whether you are streaming the service, playing an educational game, following along with a lesson plan or watching a show on our broadcast service, the experience will be learning-filled and fun,” said Bob Culkeen, WSRE general manager.
Florida Nursing Homes Fight Repeal Of Key Regulations
March 6, 2017
For the past two years, Florida lawmakers have debated eliminating controversial regulations on building or expanding hospitals.
But as the 2017 legislative session prepares to start March 7, the debate about repealing what is known as the “certificate of need” regulatory process has expanded to include nursing homes and hospice facilities — and has touched off a new wave of lobbying by industry groups.
Officials with the Florida Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes across the state, said keeping the certificate-of-need process for nursing facilities has become a top priority heading into the session. During a press briefing, they said repealing the regulations on building new nursing homes would lead to more empty beds in long-established facilities, affecting the operations of those homes.
“We think eliminating CON would be extremely disruptive,” Bob Asztalos, the association’s chief lobbyist, said.
But Gov. Rick Scott and some key lawmakers, including House Republican leaders, want to take a more free-market approach to health care that includes eliminating certificates of need. The decades-old process involves hospitals, nursing homes and hospice operators needing to get approval from the state Agency for Health Care Administration before they can build facilities.
A bill (HB 7) that would eliminate the process for all three types of health-care operations was approved in a 10-5 vote last week by the House Health Innovation Subcommittee. A similar bill (SB 676) has been filed in the Senate.
“We know from 40 years of studying CON outcomes, it’s not an effective mechanism in controlling costs,” House bill sponsor Alex Miller, R-Sarasota, told the subcommittee in a room filled with health-care lobbyists and industry officials. “We know it’s not an effective mechanism for improving quality outcomes. And it’s certainly not an effective tool for improving access.”
Certificates of need have long been controversial, and House leaders the past two years have sought to eliminate the process for hospitals. But the proposals have failed to pass, at least in part because of opposition in the Senate.
But Scott, a former hospital executive, last month called for eliminating certificates of need for nursing homes and hospice facilities, along with hospitals, saying such a move would increase competition.
“This will enable nursing homes, hospice services and hospitals to add needed beds without having to request a review,” Scott’s office said in outlining the proposal. “This will also allow Florida hospitals, nursing homes and hospice services to add facilities for those who are in most need, without making them wait due to red tape regulations.”
Eliminating the process for nursing homes, however, would come after years of policies that have helped hold down the number of nursing-home beds in the state.
Lawmakers in 2001 approved a moratorium on certificates of need for new nursing homes. Supporters said limiting construction of nursing homes would spur efforts to provide more services to seniors in their communities.
The moratorium was lifted in 2014, when lawmakers passed a measure to allow 3,750 nursing-home beds to be approved over a three-year period. Nursing-home operators have received certificates of need for those beds in various parts of the state.
While the House and Senate bills seek to end limits on new nursing homes, Asztalos said his association is offering a proposal that would allow up to 3,750 more nursing-home beds to be approved over the next three years while keeping the certificate-of-need process. Such an approach, he said, would meet needs for additional nursing-home beds in parts of the state.
In arguing against eliminating certificates of need, industry officials point to a potential impact on staffing as more nursing homes would compete for limited numbers of workers. Rob Greene, CEO of nursing-home operator Palm Garden Healthcare, said staffing would be “watered down” and affect quality of care.
Greene, who took part in the press briefing, also said he is concerned new facilities would attract patients whose care is covered by Medicare, leaving lower-funded Medicaid patients in older nursing homes — a concept known as “cherry picking.”
But during last week’s subcommittee meeting, Miller tried to dispel concerns about eliminating certificates of need and said the state will need more nursing-home beds in the future.
“We have to keep in mind that we have a major population growth problem,” Miller said. “We have 20 percent of the residents in this state that are over 65. It’s estimated that we will need 20,000 more beds in the next 20 years.”
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida