Century To Collect County’s New Property Tax For Libraries
January 10, 2013
The Century Town Council is supporting a new Escambia County property tax as a dedicated funding source for the county’s library system. Countywide, the tax will generate an estimated $3.7 million for library operations.
At their January 28 meeting, the Century Town Council is expected to give final approval to an ordinance allowing for the MSTU to be collected within the town. The tax is estimated to cost the average Century resident from $1 to $7 on their property tax bill beginning next year.
The property tax will also apply to Pensacola residents and those in the unincorporated areas of Escambia County.
Pictured top: Century Town Council members Gary Riley, Ann Brooks, Sandra McMurry Jackson and Jacke Johnston. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Beulah Man Gets 30 Years For Murdering Half Brother
January 10, 2013
A Beulah man was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison for murder.
Michael Daly, 43, shot his 19-year old half brother Thomas Jurkowich in 2009 at the family’s home because Jurkowich would not turn down the volume on a television set.
Daly will be required to serve at least 25 years of the sentence before he is eligible for release.
Florida’s AHCA Scales Back Obamacare Numbers
January 10, 2013
With Gov. Rick Scott facing accusations of using inflated numbers, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration late Wednesday released a report that slashes the state’s estimated costs for carrying out key parts of the federal Affordable Care Act.
The report indicates Florida’s costs could be as low as $3 billion over 10 years — a huge drop from the nearly $26 billion figure that AHCA produced in a report last month. Scott, a longtime critic of the federal law better known as Obamacare, has repeatedly used the $26 billion figure to express concerns about the state moving forward with an expansion of Medicaid eligibility.
The revisions came after state budget analysts, including the top staff member on the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee, raised questions about the assumptions that AHCA had used in the earlier report.
But even with the changes, it appears that the Scott administration believes that the state’s final tab over 10 years would be higher than the numbers released Wednesday.
For example, the earlier report disregarded part of the Affordable Care Act that says Washington will pay 100 percent of the costs of expanding Medicaid eligibility during the first three years and 90 percent of the costs later. Instead, the agency relied on far-lower estimates of federal spending on the expansion — spending that is known in the health care world as a “matching rate.”
The new numbers released Wednesday use the 100 percent and 90 percent figures. But as a hint of the administration’s skepticism, AHCA said those estimates “assume that the federal government will provide 100 percent to 90 percent match for the new population in Medicaid in perpetuity, which reflects a substantial and unending commitment from the federal government.”
Scott and AHCA have been under fire since the online publication Health News Florida reported about emails that showed state budget analysts thought the agency’s estimates last month were flawed.
Earlier Wednesday night, House Appropriations Chairman Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland, issued a statement that addressed the amount of money the federal government would provide for a Medicaid eligibility expansion. McKeel acknowledged that the federal government has in the past provided far less matching money than the 90 percent and 100 percent totals included in the Affordable Care Act, but he also indicated the state cannot ignore the law.
“However, unless there is unanimous consent to do otherwise, we must follow our process which requires estimates based on current law and practice,” McKeel said. “This is critical to the integrity of our budgeting process.”
Scott and other Florida Republican leaders fought the Affordable Care Act legally and politically for more than two years after it was approved by President Obama and congressional Democrats. But they are now pondering how to carry it out, after the U.S. Supreme Court in June upheld most of the law — and Obama was elected in November to a second term.
Lawmakers and Scott face major decisions in the coming months about whether to expand Medicaid eligibility and whether to take part in running a health-insurance exchange, which is a type of online marketplace where people could shop for coverage. Expanding Medicaid and creating exchanges in each state are important parts of Obama’s effort to dramatically decrease the number of uninsured Americans.
The report released last month suggested that expanding Medicaid eligibility and making other Medicaid changes in Florida would cost about $63 billion over 10 years, with the state picking up nearly $26 billion of the cost. Wednesday’s numbers showed an overall total of $29.6 billion, with the state paying as little as $3 billion, though an appendix to the report also includes some scenarios that could bump up the state’s share by what appears to be $2 billion or more.
Along with the issue about the federal matching rate, other changes in the revised numbers include eliminating estimated state spending on increased Medicaid payments to primary-care physicians.
The Affordable Care Act requires increased physician payment rates in 2013 and 2014, with the federal government paying the entire cost. In the report released last month, AHCA included figures for the state picking up part of the cost in later years.
By The News Service of Florida
Escambia Deputies Involved In Two Separate Wrecks
January 10, 2013
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies were involved into two separate traffic crashes Wednesday.
The first crash occurred just after 2 a.m. on Highway 29 at Burgess Road. The Florida Highway Patrol say Deputy Kristi Berry was en route to a robbery in progress call at a Waffle House on Highway 29. She was traveling in the inside lane, approaching a 1992 Toyota driven by Kaylyn Zimmerman of Pensacola. Zimmerman started to move to the inside lane and then quickly changed back to the center lane realizing a vehicle was approaching from the rear at a greater speed.
Berry took evasive action by changing into the left turn lane and braking sharply. She over-corrected, according to the FHP, and traveled across all lanes of southbound Highway 29 before striking a traffic signal support pole. She was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital for minor injuries. No contact was made between Berry’s patrol vehicle and Zimmerman’s vehicle.
The second accident involving a deputy occurred about 3:15 a.m. on Olive Road east of Davis Highway. The FHP said Deputy Jeremiah Meeks failed to stop for a 2010 Chevrolet SUV driven by Bradley Baker of Pensacola. Baker was stopped for a northbound vehicle on Davis Highway.
Meeks rear-ended Baker’s vehicle. There were no injuries.
There were no charges filed in either accident.
Bill Filed In Florida Senate To Establish Domestic Partnerships
January 10, 2013
A bill that would allow Floridians to enter “domestic partnerships” resembling marriages was filed Wednesday by Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, in an apparent effort to extend at least some marital benefits to same-sex couples.
While the legislation specifically states it is not an attempt to do an end-run around a provision in the Florida Constitution defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman, it would allow gay Floridians to get some rights approaching marriage. Any two people who are at least 18 years old would be allowed to establish a domestic partnership under the law.
“The state has a strong interest in promoting stable and lasting families, and believes that all families should be provided with the opportunity to obtain necessary legal protections and status and the ability to achieve their fullest potential,” the bill says in a section of legislative findings.
Sobel, who has filed similar legislation in previous sessions, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
The legislation is not new, but the current version (SB 196) comes amid new focus on the issue of gay marriage. President Barack Obama endorsed allowing same-sex couples to marry last year before winning Florida in his re-election bid, and the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to take up the issue in a pair of cases set for oral arguments in March.
Two openly gay lawmakers were elected to the Legislature last fall, marking the first time anyone who was openly gay had ever won a seat.
John Stemberger, president of the Florida Family Policy Council — a group opposed to same-sex marriage — said similar domestic partnership bills had been used in other parts of the nation to help in court fights aimed at legalizing gay unions. And he said domestic partnership proposals were aimed at avoiding the state’s legal definition of marriage.
“They’re attempts to get around (the Constitution) and approximate a faux marriage arrangement,” he said.
But Stemberger also predicted that sponsors were unlikely to push the bill far in a Legislature dominated by Republicans, many of whom are cool to the idea of same-sex marriage.
“I think they’re lucky if they get it debated,” he said.
By The News Service Florida
Blood Drives Scheduled In Honor Of Tate Senior Halee Boyd
January 10, 2013
Friends and family of Tate High School student Halee Boyd have scheduled blood drives to help with her cancer treatments.
Boyd, 18, was diagnosed with a life-threatening cancer. Her medical treatments have interrupted her senior year at Tate.
Blood drives at two locations are planned Saturday, January 12 in her honor:
- The Spinal Center, 2921 Michigan Avenue, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Red Lobster, Cordova Mall, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Generally, healthy people age 16 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds can donate blood.
Jernigan Road To Close
January 10, 2013
Jernigan Road between Nine Mile Road and Ramblewoods Drive will be closed next week.
Due to work on a pipe crossing, Jernigan Road will be closed from 7 a.m. on Tuesday, January 15 to 7 a.m. on Tuesday, January 16.
Missing Molino Toddler Found Safe After Search
January 9, 2013
A missing toddler was found uninjured after a search in Molino Wednesday afternoon.
The toddler was located about an hour after the search began and was “safe and sound”, according to Sgt. Mike Ward, spokesman for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The 3-year old was reported missing just before 3 p.m. from a home in the 2000 block of Chance Road between Lark Road and Chestnut Road. Over a dozen Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies and a K-9 team from the Escambia County Road Prison participated in the search.
Pedestrian Struck, Killed By Two Vehicles
January 9, 2013
A pedestrian died after being hit by two vehicles Tuesday night on Mobile Highway.
The accident was reported about 10:15 p.m. in front of the Happy China Restaurant on Mobile Highway at Towawanda Drive, near Walmart.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the pedestrian attempted to cross Mobile Highway and was struck by a 2009 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Joel Williams of Cantonment and a 2003 Ford car driven by Leslie Hall of Pensacola. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene by Escambia County EMS.
No charges were filed against either driver, according to the FHP.
The name of the pedestrian has not yet been released pending notification of next of kin.
Humane Society Seeks Owner Of Shot In Santa Rosa, Monetary Help
January 9, 2013
[Updated] The Humane Society of Escambia County (Ala.) in Flomaton is looking for the owner of a dog found shot in northern Santa Rosa County on Monday.
The dog is a male husky or malamute and appears to be a family pet. He was found on Highway 87 in Santa Rosa County and picked up by a good Samaritan that took him to a veterinarian in Brewton. The veterinarian was unwilling to treat him because there was no one to handle the cost, according to the Humane Society’s Facebook page.
The Humane Society later arranged for a medical assessment of the dog.
“X-rays reveal a small caliber bullet that has shattered the spine. He will be getting steroid injections for a couple of days to see how things go,” said Renee Jones, Humane Society director.
Anyone with information about the dog’s owner is asked to call the Humane Society of Escambia County (Ala.) at (251) 296-2275. After hours, call the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office at (251) 809-0741 and tell the operator that you need to speak to Renee as soon as possible about the injured husky dog.
Donations are being accepted to help with dog’s care. Click here and look for the “Donate Now” button near the bottom of the right column.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 11 a.m. on January 9 to reflect new information that the dog had been shot. It was originally believed that he had been hit by a car until an X-ray and examination revealed the true nature of the injury.
Pictured: This dog, now in the care of the Humane Society in Flomaton, was found shot Monday in northern Santa Rosa County. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.