Lingering Issues Raise Possibility Of Another Session
June 23, 2015
Officially, as of Tuesday, there are 85 days left until the Legislature returns to the Capitol for committee meetings and 203 days left until the 2016 legislative session begins. But even as a special session to deal with the state budget finally came to an end Friday, there were questions about whether another session might become necessary this year.
Those who raise the specter of another edition of legislative overtime point to a few key issues, particularly an expected ruling by the Florida Supreme Court on whether lawmakers need to go further in redrawing congressional districts. But the U.S. Supreme Court is expected soon to issue a decision that could affect the health-insurance coverage of hundreds of thousands of Floridians, and the status of the state’s gambling “compact” with the Seminole Tribe is also up in the air.
“Considering we’re going in next year in January into regular session, it leaves a number of months in between that we may have to take additional action. … I’ll just keep my suits fairly clean,” said House Minority Leader Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach.
But after the Legislature finished its work on the budget Friday, at least one key lawmaker didn’t seem worried about the prospect of a special session.
“I don’t see that those (issues) would necessitate that at this point. I really don’t,” said House Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes. “I think what it necessitates is those committees that we normally have in the fall in an off-election year are going to be very busy. In order to get ready and prepared for the January session, those committees are going to have to be very productive and very busy.”
The one event that could be most likely to trigger a special session would be a ruling by the state Supreme Court holding unconstitutional a new version of Florida’s 27 congressional districts. In March, justices heard arguments about whether Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis went far enough when he ordered the Legislature to make changes to fix two districts he said were problematic.
Voting-rights organizations fighting the maps want the court to go further, throwing out the entire map for violating a constitutional ban on gerrymandering approved by voters in 2010. A ruling could be handed down in a matter of weeks.
Pafford also said that a circuit judge could rule before January on the constitutionality of a map for the state Senate, which is the focus of a trial set to begin in September. Either side could appeal a decision in that case to the Supreme Court as well, delaying the deadline for lawmakers to act.
If it loses at the Supreme Court, the Legislature would have to correct the congressional lines in time for candidates to prepare for the qualifying deadline in May; the deadline for candidates to jump into state Senate races is June.
Another potential tripwire for a special session is a U.S. Supreme Court decision in the King v. Burwell case, which concerns whether residents of states that are part of a federal health-care exchange should qualify for tax credits that are part of the landmark Affordable Care Act. According to the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, more than 1 million people in Florida could lose coverage if the court rules that the tax credits are limited to those in exchanges set up by states.
House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, declined to say recently whether a court ruling against the federal exchange would prove that Florida should have set up its own marketplace.
“Ultimately, you’ve got to see what the courts hand down on that,” Crisafulli said. “And we’re waiting to see what that is. And we understand that we may see that in the next couple of weeks. And I think, at that point in time, we’ll be able to sit down and determine what the future looks like.”
Potentially complicating any effort to approve a state exchange under the Affordable Care Act is the fierce opposition from the House and Gov. Rick Scott to the law, commonly known as Obamacare.
Perhaps the least likely issue to trigger a special session is the gaming compact. The deal — which gives the Seminole Tribe exclusive rights to operate banked card games, such as blackjack, at five of its seven casinos — is set to expire in July. But it gives the tribe 90 days after the expiration date to shut down the card games, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican and a key lawmaker on the compact, told The News Service of Florida in May that there might not be a need for a special session.
“(Scott) could modify the existing agreement to expand the banked card games unilaterally, subject to ratification by the Legislature,” Galvano said.
Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, also poured cold water on the idea of trying to hold a quick session to deal with the issue.
“The reality is I think it’s going to be very difficult to just come in and say, ‘Let’s renew the compact,’ ” he told reporters last week. “You’re probably opening up a lot of dialogue on other gambling issues.”
Any special session could be held at the same time as committee meetings in September, October or November. But most lawmakers would likely be fine with waiting until January, if possible, to get back to the floor.
“Special sessions are supposed to be special, and there needs to be a crisis of some kind to force us to address these things,” said Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee, R-Brandon. “If it were me, I would encourage patience. But who knows what’s going to come down in these rulings? You never know.”
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Quintette Area Mobile Home Damaged By Fire
June 23, 2015
A Monday evening fire damaged small mobile home on Pettway Circle off Quintette Road
The fire was reported to have started in the kitchen and was quickly extinguished by the first fire firefighters arriving on scene just before 8:30 p.m.. One occupant of the home was evaluated by Escambia EMS for smoke inhalation.
Partnership Recycles 10 Billion Gallons Of ECUA Reclaimed Water
June 22, 2015
Gulf Power’s Plant Crist in Pensacola recently passed the 10-billion-gallon milestone for the use of reclaimed water from the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment.
The electric-generating plant uses the advanced-treated wastewater as a coolant during electricity production and to run the scrubber system that reduces air emissions. And, by using the reclaimed water from the nearby facility, Gulf Power avoids taking millions of gallons of water out of the Escambia River and conserves groundwater.
“This shows how two different utilities can work together to benefit all their customers and the environment,” said Natalie Smith, Gulf Power spokesperson. “With our scrubber system, we are providing cleaner electricity for our customers in Northwest Florida, and this partnership benefits Northwest Florida with cleaner air — and cleaner water.”
Gulf Power proposed the project to ECUA soon after starting construction on the scrubber system, which went online in December 2009.
The advanced ECUA facility was built to replace the Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant, which was located in downtown Pensacola, across the street from the then-planned Community Maritime Park. State regulations would only permit the new wastewater treatment facility if it would not discharge water into Escambia Bay — even though the water was to receive a much higher level of treatment.
ECUA began piping water from the CWRF to Plant Crist in 2010. Combined with the CWRF’s internal reuse and the use of onsite sprayfields, Gulf Power and International Paper’s use of the reclaimed water qualifies the facility as a zero-discharge plant.
“The ECUA and Gulf Power partnership has proven to be beneficial for both utilities and the environment,” said Don Palmer, director of water reclamation for ECUA. “Together we have met some unique milestones in wastewater treatment and effluent reuse, and I expect that our partnership will continue to be a positive collaboration.”
Gulf Power’s partnership with ECUA won the Sustainable Florida Award in 2010. A year later, Gulf Power won the 2011 Industry Excellence Award from the Southeastern Electric Exchange, which includes 20 major utilities in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic from Texas to Maryland and Virginia. In 2012, the project also was awarded the 2012 York Reuse Award from the Florida Water Environment Association.
Pictured: ECUA reclaimed water from the CWRF in Cantonment flows through the Crist Plant. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New State Budget Funds Millions In Escambia Projects
June 22, 2015
The 2016 state budget includes an estimated $700 million for Northwest Florida education, transportation, economic development, environmental and cultural projects, according to Sen. Don Gaetz.
On average, public school districts will see more than a 4 percent increase in total funding. Per student funding will increase by $207 to $7096.96. In 2016, Northwest Florida public schools will have more operating funds than at any time in the state’s history:
Escambia County will see a 2.99% increase in funding from $271,767,718 to $279,884,266, while Santa Rosa County will see an increase of 4.77% funding increase from $172,775,066 to $181,014,246.
In addition, the National Flight Academy in Pensacola is budgeted for $1.5 million to expand its instructional and lab space to serve more students. And in addition to continuing base funding from the state, the University of West Florida will benefit from $12.4 million in supplemental program funds to meet critical workforce education needs, veterans and military support, aviation education, economic development and research and an additional $4 million in supplemental operational support.
Groundbreaking could occur as soon as next year on a new three-mile bridge linking Gulf Breeze and Pensacola at a cost of $505 million, all of which will be paid for by the state.
Overall, $1.9 billion is appropriated in the workplan for transportation infrastructure improvements in Northwest Florida in the next five years. The Pensacola airport will receive $3 million, and the Muscogee Road Freight Corridor will receive $1 million.
Lakeview Center in Pensacola will receive $750,000 for mental health and substance abuse services for children. ARC Gateway will be awarded $2 million for the second year to provide innovative education and training to disabled young men and women.
In Escambia County, the booking and detention facility will receive $1 million for construction and repairs. Bethel Empowerment Foundation Reentry Program gets $400,000 and the Reentry Alliance Pensacola is appropriated $50,000. Second Chance Outreach Reentry and Education Development receives $150,000. Expansion of the Juvenile Assessment Centers in Escambia and Bay counties is allocated $735,840.
The Pensacola Lighthouse Association will receive $50,000 for staircase renovations, and the UWF Historic Trust will receive $194,000 for the Historic Pensacola Restoration and Preservation Project.
Several Escambia County cultural projects will also receive funding:
- Pensacola Little Theater Inc. Escambia $38,588
- The Greater Pensacola Sympony Orchestra Escambia $62,068
- Pensacola Opera Inc. Escambia $63,259
- The Pensacola MESS Hall, Inc. Escambia $11,877
- Pensacola Children’s Chorus Inc. Escambia $44,516
- Pensacola Museum of Art Escambia $26,753
- The Choral Society of Pensacola Escambia $2,787
Gov. Rick Scott has until June 30 to sign or veto any spending item.
Perdido Landfill Receives National Award For Coloring Book
June 22, 2015
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) recently announced that the Escambia County Perdido Landfill has been named the winner of the SWANA Bronze Excellence Award in the Communication, Education and Marketing Tools category. The award will be presented at SWANA’s annual conference on Tuesday, August 25, in Orlando.
The Escambia County Perdido Landfill is receiving the SWANA award for its “Escambia Recycles Activity and Coloring Book,” a tool that teaches about sustainability, landfills, resources and recycling.
“A few years ago, we looked at the available activity books. They are good tools. Basics about recycling or sustainability in a couple of pages, but we wanted something more in depth and tuned to our program,” said Dee Dee Green, recycling and education outreach coordinator. “We also wanted it to apply to any recycling program in the country.”
This book covers topics, including where does garbage go, the anatomy of a landfill, gas to energy, leachate, alternatives to landfilling solid waste, resources, different types of recycling, electronic and chemical recycling, composting, some green alternatives to chemicals, while also attempting to set a child’s mind in a recycling mode.
Covenant Hospice To Pay $10.1 Million To Settle Government Overbilling Claims
June 22, 2015
Covenant Hospice Inc. has agreed to pay $10,149,374 to reimburse the government for alleged overbilling of Medicare, Tricare and Medicaid for hospice services, the Department of Justice announced. Covenant Hospice Inc. is a non-profit hospice care provider which operates in Southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
“The hospice benefits provided by federal health care programs are intended to provide comfort and care to patients nearing the end of life,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to ensure that these benefits are used for their intended purposes.”
The Medicare, Tricare and Medicaid hospice benefits are available for patients who have a life expectancy of six months or less if their disease runs its normal course. Patients admitted to a hospice stop receiving care to cure their illnesses and instead receive medical care focused on providing them with relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a terminal illness.
Medicare, Tricare and Alabama and Florida Medicaid reimburse for four different levels of hospice care: routine home care, continuous home care, inpatient respite care and general inpatient care. The routine home care level is the lowest reimbursement rate and the highest reimbursement rate paid by the federal health care programs is for general inpatient care. The level of care provided to a patient is subject to change based upon a variety of factors, including the patient’s condition and needs, and the availability of family members or other caregivers to meet those needs.
The reimbursement for general inpatient care is greater than that provided for routine home care based upon the expectation that patients requiring the former level of care have more acute medical and psychosocial needs that must be provided in an inpatient setting and are more costly to treat. It is the responsibility of the hospice provider to ensure that a patient’s medical record contains the appropriate documentation to support the level of hospice care that is billed.
“Careful and correct claims for reimbursement from critical federal health care programs are essential to the health of our economy,” said U.S. Attorney Pamela C. Marsh of the Northern District of Florida. “Those public servants who worked hard to investigate the conduct and obtain this settlement deserve our deepest gratitude. We will continue our efforts to ensure that federal dollars intended for compassionate care and legitimate patient needs are protected.”
The settlement resolves allegations that between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010, Covenant Hospice Inc. improperly submitted hospice claims for general inpatient care that should have been billed at the routine home care level for Medicare, Tricare and Medicaid patients. The government alleged that Covenant Hospice Inc.’s medical records did not support the medical necessity of the general inpatient care.
The federal government will recover $9,597,118.44 for Covenant Hospice Inc.’s overbilling to Medicare, Tricare and Medicaid, and Alabama and Florida will collectively recover $552,255.56 as a result of overbilling of their respective Medicaid programs. The Medicaid program is jointly funded by the federal and state governments.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Graffiti Bridge Shooting Suspect Arrested
June 22, 2015
A man has been arrested in connection with a shooting Saturday near the “Graffiti Bridge”.
Kenneth D. Knight, 25, was taken into custody Sunday night after police found him hiding in a wooded area near his residence on Lillian Highway. He was charged with an open count of murder, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The victim – Dustin Burns, 32, address unavailable – died at the scene after he was shot near the 17th Avenue boat ramp around 9:13 p.m. Saturday. Pensacola Police Lt. Chuck Mallett said a motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1900.
Northview Beats Washington
June 22, 2015
Coming off two losses on Saturday, the Northview Chiefs lost to Walton County 7-5 before bouncing back with a 7-3 win over Washington High School on Sunday at Escambia High School. Photos by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gunter Graduates From NYU School Of Law
June 22, 2015
Nikki Guntner has graduated with a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law.
Prior to law school at NYU, Guntner was a 2008 Tate High School graduate andattended Florida State University, where she received a Bachelors in Political Science in 2011 and a Masters in Applied American Politics and Policy in 2012.
After graduation, Guntner begins her career as a civil litigation attorney at Willkie Farr & Gallagher in New York, NY.
Guntner is the daughter of Barry and Dara Guntner, and the sister of Olivia Guntner, of Cantonment. Her grandparents are Clyde and Helen Allen of Cantonment and George and Jeanette Guntner of Milton.
Mobile Beats Wahoos
June 22, 2015
Pensacola knocked two home runs Sunday while Mobile added five – which ties a franchise record – in an offensive explosion that saw ball flying out of Pensacola Bayfront Stadium like a disturbed flock of seagulls at rest on the beach.
Mobile defeated rival Pensacola, 11-4, in front of 4,005 fans and now have won eight of 10 games against the Blue Wahoos this season.
“We just couldn’t keep the ball in the park,” said Pensacola manager Pat Kelly. “This is a ballpark that’s not conducive to home runs. I didn’t expect to see a lot of balls in the air. I expected to see a lot of ground balls. It was as much of a surprise to me as the fans.”
Leading the way Sunday for the BayBears was centerfielder Gabriel Guerrero with a two-run and solo shot for three RBIs in his first two at bats. Guerrero, the nephew of nine-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero, now has four homers on the season. Mobile shortstop Jack Reinheimer (2), left fielder Zach Borenstein (4) and third baseman Sean Jamieson (3) also knocked it out of the park.
This series, the BayBears hit 10 home runs in 25 innings off Pensacola pitching. For perspective, Pensacola only has 14 home runs at home this season.
Pensacola first baseman Marquez Smith clubbed his third home run of the month Sunday when he smashed a two-out, two-run line drive over the left field wall in the third inning that pulled Pensacola within one, 3-2. It was also the first hit of the game for Pensacola, which has seen its starting nine go hitless in their first appearances at the plate in the past three games against Mobile.
Few Blue Wahoos batters have hit as well as Smith has in June. The 30-year-old minor league veteran has driven in eight runs, while hitting .339 and earning a .405 on-base percentage.
Blue Wahoos second baseman Juan Perez then hit his first homer in Double-A just inside the left field foul pole in the fourth inning and Pensacola trailed Mobile, 4-3.
However, Mobile put the game away in the sixth inning with five runs to go up, 11-3. It got a three-run homer by Borenstein and a solo shot to the left-center gap to start off the inning by Jamieson.
Mobile jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning when Guerrero crushed a two-run homer high to left field. The BayBears are 23-13 when scoring first this season.
Mobile finished below .500 for only the third time in a half since 2009, going 34-35 in the Southern League.
Meanwhile, Pensacola finished the first half 25-43.
Kelly has a few goals to turn the Blue Wahoos season around in the second half—a better bullpen and better starting pitching.
Among the relievers, he would like to see Kyle McMyne, Ben Klimesh and Zach Weiss return to form.
“Our bullpen was our strength when you look at the first two months of the season,” Kelly said. “We got to solidify that bullpen. When we give them leads, they got to win them.”
Also looking into his crystal ball, Kelly would like to receive a starting pitcher or two. Currently, the Blue Wahoos have only four starters.
“Obviously, we’re short one,” Kelly said. “If we can get one or two guys to help solidify our staff, we’re good.”