Senate Panel Postpones Obamacare Talks
March 5, 2013
A Senate select committee that has been studying the Affordable Care Act postponed a meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon, saying it wants more time to get information about Medicaid and insurance issues. The postponement came at the end of a joint meeting with a House select committee that also has been studying the federal law, better known as Obamacare.
The Senate panel had been expected to discuss — and possibly make a recommendation — Monday afternoon about a controversial expansion of Medicaid eligibility.
Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said he expects to make a recommendation early during the legislative session, which starts Tuesday.
“It’s more important to get it right than to get it done quickly,” Negron said. During the joint meeting, the House and Senate select committees heard updated economic analyses of the Affordable Care Act by state economist Amy Baker.
By The News Service of Florida
Subway All-Star Basketball Game Is Friday
March 5, 2013
The Pensacola Sports Association has announce the rosters for the Subway High School All-Star Basketball Game Friday night, March 8 at Pensacola State College.
The game starts at 6 p.m. for the girls, 8 p.m. for the boys and will include seniors from Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa Counties.
The coaching staff for the Boys West Team, which includes all Escambia County high schools, will be led by the head coach from Tate High School, Clyde Abney. Chris Godwin, the head coach for Pine Forest High School, will coach the Girls West Team. Coaches from the other county high schools will assist Abney and Godwin with their game plans. The East Girls from Okaloosa and Santa Rosa Counties, will be coached by Kenneth Hughes from Pace High School. The boys coach for the East team will be Ken Meisner from Crestview High School. Both coaches will be assisted by the other head coaches from the two-county area high schools.
Tickets to the game are $8 and $6 with a canned good donation. The PSA is teaming with Manna Food Bank for a canned good drive and encouraging everyone to help families by bringing a canned good item. D
Game Rosters Are as Follows (North Escambia schools in bold):
West Team Boys: David Weathers, Deron Moreno, Auston Powell, and Roderick Carmichael from Pensacola High, Joe Wachob from East Hill, Grover Brown Jr., Kevontarious Williams, and Javon Williams from Washington, Maquis Cathings from Escambia, Devin Miller from West Florida, Trent Hershberges from Pensacola Christian, Shamar Johnson, Charlie Wilson, Damarcus Glover, Damarion Boggan, and Zanavion Williams from Pine Forest, Dyshun White, and Laderious Franklin from Northview, and Travis Walton from Tate .
West Team Girls: Jereaka Ephfrom, and Kierra Williams from West Florida, Jayla King, Tia Sanders, Jasmine McCants, and Latonya Miller from Pine Forest, Ali O’Brien, Alex Loomis, and Jardae Ward from Tate, Chelsey Gibson, and D’Arcy Draper from Pensacola High, Tijuana Weatherspoon, and Kim Bethea from Escambia, Shaquanna Jones, and Morgan Payne from Northview, and Phaedra Harris from Catholic.
East Team Boys: Isaiah Jones, Demichael McQueen, and David Tober from Milton, Jonathan Buckelew, Clay Hancock, and Roman Domofro from Crestview, Jean Quinones, and Rasheed Williams from Navarre, Tommy Calloway from Laurel Hill, Michael Hawkins, and Dylan Williams from Choctawhatchee, Garrett Sanders from Baker, Nicholas Haynes, Connor Ellis, and Brandon Mosley from Niceville, Tyrone Culbreth, and McKinnely Stephens from Fort Walton Beach, Nick Bookout, and Randy Halpin from Gulf Breeze, and Brice Moore from Pace.
East Team Girls: Rachel Moorer, Mckenzie Ervin, Mckenzie Wheelus, and Mckenna Wyrosdick from Pace, Elizabeth Hoehn, Nanci Suarez, and Haydn Ilano from Gulf Breeze, Brittany Salter from Fort Walton Beach, Kerrie York, and Jasmine Horne from Crestview, Jessica Reyes, and Lydiah Brunet from Navarre, Cassidy Anderson, Bethany Chestnut, and Sarah Hudson from Baker, Lauren Day, and Caneisaya Matthews from Choctawhatchee, Dani Douglas, and Amanda Demma from Niceville, and Natalie Jernigan from Central.
Farm Hill Utilities Boil Water Notice Rescinded
March 4, 2013
The boil water notice issued last Thursday by Farm Hill Utilities after a water main break on Beulah Road has been rescinded after tests showed the water is safe to drink.
The notice was in effect for Farm Hill customers living on Beulah Road, River Annex Road, Timber Creek Drive and Peartree Drive in Cantonment.
For more information, call (850) 968-2573.
Driver Hits Post Office
March 4, 2013
There were no serious injuries when a driver hit the US Post Office in Century Tuesday afternoon. The driver, 53-year old Randolph J. Wood of Century, said his foot slipped off the brake and hit the accelerator. His passenger, 55-year old Ella G. Williams of Century, was transported to Jay Hospital with minor injuries. There was no structural damage to the post office, which remained open. There were no charges filed in the incident, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Vehicle Crashes Off I-10 Bridge Onto Pine Forest Road Below
March 4, 2013
One person was injured when a vehicle ran off I-10 Monday morning and crashed onto Pine Forest Road below.
The Florida Highway Patrol says the driver of the 2005 Dodge pickup, 52-year old Theresa Diane Rainey of Baker, receive only minor injuries in the crash.
Rainey was on I-10 approaching the bridge over Pine Forest Road when she ran into the median, crashed through a guardrail and went airborne before landing under the bridge on Pine Forest Road about 9:15 a.m. She was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital.
A vehicle on Pine Forest Road was struck by the truck. The driver of that car, Tanya Marie Bray, age 22 of Cantonment, was not injured.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Rainey was suffering a medical emergency at the time of the crash.F\
Pictured top: This vehicle crashed onto Pine Forest Road from I-10 above. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge. Pictured below: FDOT traffic cameras in the area show the scene from above.
SUV With Five Teens Crashes On Dirt Road
March 4, 2013
The Florida Highway Patrol says charges are pending against a teen after a wreck involving five teens on a dirt road near Chumuckla Sunday night.
Brynna Dawn Miller, 16, of Pensacola Beach was traveling north on Gin Road in her 1999 Ford Explorer. She ran off the dirt road, over-corrected and traveled into a ditch where the SUV overturned onto its side.
Miller and her passengers, 17-year old Kayla Henry, 17-year old Carly D. McCraney, 19-year old Christian Skye Vaughan and 16-year old Hannah Michelle McKinley, all of Pace, were transported to Santa Rosa Medical Center with minor injuries. No one in the vehicle was wearing a seat belt, according to the FHP.
Escambia Schools Need Subs
March 4, 2013
The Escambia County School District is in need of substitute teachers.
Superintendent Malcolm Thomas recently established a Substitute Teacher Committee Task Force to seek solutions for meeting the constant need for substitute teachers within the Escambia County school system. The Task Force gathered information and researched strategies to improve the district’s ability to have substitutes available when they are needed.
The following recommendations were implemented as of last Friday:
- Limit workshops requiring substitute teachers to Tuesday through Thursday. A maximum of 50 workshop participants district-wide will be allowed to ensure classroom coverage. Once the substitute teacher pool adds additional members to increase the fill rate, the number of participants permitted to attend workshops will increase as well.
- Assist principals and secretaries with setting up preferred substitutes for a school and ensure individual teachers understand how to set up preferred substitutes that will expedite the job fill rate at that school and/or classroom.
- Ensure all schools and teachers are following the set AESOP protocol and not securing substitutes from outside the system.
- Permit individuals with AA degrees into the substitute pool for all schools for day to day substitute positions.
- Provide classroom management training by Human Resources for AA degreed substitutes.
- Work with principals, ESE and ESOL departments as well as ESE and ESOL teachers to schedule ESE and ESOL paper days on low request substitute teacher days.
- Strengthen plans with principals and teachers to schedule parent conference days on low request substitute teacher days.
- Support principals to ensure the contract is followed with regard to the use of personal leave on high substitute teacher request days.
For more information, contact Bill Threadgill at (850) 429-2914.
Perry Byars Named Northview High Teacher Of The Year
March 4, 2013
Perry Byars has been named Teacher of the Year at Northview High School. Byars has been teaching for 25 years and currently teaches Agriscience. While attending the University of Florida,Byars earned both his Bachelors degree and Masters degree in Agriculture. He also earned an Associates degree from Lake City Community College. He is the sponsor of the National FFA Organization at Northview. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Carver Community Center Receives ‘Power Of Service’ Award
March 4, 2013
Gulf Power Company recognized four community service organizations at its second annual “Power of Service” awards ceremony recently. The company started the “Power of Service” awards in 2012 as a way to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy of service and recognizes organizations that are dedicated to improving the lives of others.
The organizations recognized included Carver Community Center Association, Inc. in Century, Sickle Cell Disease Association of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, A Will & Way, Inc., and Community Enterprise Investments, Inc. Each organization was given a grant from Gulf Power and an inscribed award.
The Carver Community Center Association has been a big part of the Century community for many years. The center was started by a group of Senior Citizens in 1992, spearheaded by Leola Robinson, the mother of Marilyn Robinson, who now serves as the director. The center provides a safe place for children to go after school and during the summer and offers year-round tutoring and other programs.
The Carver Community Center on Jefferson Avenue provides food for 70 to 100 children Monday through Thursday and serves as a Satellite office for Catholic Charities, United
Ministries and Community Action.
“Gulf Power is proud to recognize these organizations and the good work they do to strengthen our communities,” said Sandy Sims, Gulf Power’s manager of Community Development. “Dr. King lived a life of service to others and these organizations have that same commitment.”
Pictured: Carver Community Center’s Henry Hawkins (center) accepts the Power of Service award from Gulf Power CEO and President Stan Connally (left) and Gulf Power District Manager Gary Sammons. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week
March 4, 2013
Escambia County Extension and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (UF/IFAS) are drawing attention to invasive species during National Invasive Species Awareness Week, March 2 to March 8. Invasive species are non-native or exotic species that do not naturally occur in an area and cause economic, environmental harm or harm to human health.
Invasive exotic plants and animals cause many challenges for natural resource managers of timber, wildlife and recreational uses. Invasive species can displace native plants and wildlife affecting fire regimes, water flow and biodiversity. Private and public lands are in need of frequent treatment to eradicate these invasive species. Invasive species do not know boundaries and as a result public and private lands are affected as well as natural and man-made water bodies and associated watersheds.
For more information on prevention and containment of invasive species contact Escambia County Extension at (850) 475-5230 or click here.
Pictured: Cogongrass, considered one of the 10 worst weeks in the world, occurs throughout Florida, displacing native species. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.