Citizens Insurance Shedding 100K Policies, Responds To Critics
October 22, 2012
Citizens Property Insurance has defended its decision to shutter an internal watchdog unit, while another 100,000 Citizens policies will be taken over by private firms starting in December.
The state Office of Insurance Regulation announced the takeout late last week. Combined with earlier announcements, 318,000 Citizens policies are headed to private insurers.
American Integrity Insurance Co. of Florida, which had already been approved to take-out 50,000 policies in November, is approved for an additional 40,000 in December. Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co., licensed in August, has been approved to remove 60,000 policies.
Earlier, Citizens spokeswoman Christine Ashburn defended the insurer’s decision to close the Office of Corporate Integrity, which had been in charge of monitoring internal office matters, sexual harassment claims and misuse of funds. Four people lost their jobs as part of the move, which was disclosed this week.
The duties of the office, Ashburn said, have been reassigned to other divisions within Citizens, including the Office of Internal Audit, the Ethics Officer and the Employee Relations Office.
Citizens also plans to hire four forensic accountants trained to track potential corporate fraud and abuse. Those positions have yet to be filled.
“We believe these changes strengthen our ability to ensure Citizens employees operate with the highest level of integrity,” said Citizens President Barry Gilway, in a statement.
The state-backed insurer has come under fire recently for travel expenses and other expenditures that occurred before Gilway took over earlier this summer. The Citizens board of governors has since enacted more stringent travel and expense guidelines.
The insurer is also in the middle of a controversial proposal to provide $350 million in loans to private companies willing to take policies off its hands. The low-interest loan proposal is undergoing an outside review after concerns were raised by key lawmakers and others.
On Thursday, Gov. Rick Scott sent a letter to Gilway in which he said Citizens must maintain a high level of quality assurance so that customers and taxpayers can be assured the insurer is running a tight ship.
Scott said disbanding the Corporate Integrity office before having other watchdogs already on board was “troubling.” He urged Gilway to use “greater caution with future modifications affecting internal investigations, audits and compliance.”
“While I understand your desire to reduce redundancy and create efficiencies within Citizens, such efficiencies cannot be achieved at the expense of accountability, transparency, and compliance,” Scott wrote.
By The News Service of Florida
Molino Woman Killed In Pace Crash
October 21, 2012
A Pace woman was killed in a four vehicle crash Sunday morning near Pace.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 49-year old Angela Long of Molino was turning on a green traffic signal from Woodbine Road to Highway 90 in Pace when her 2008 Ford Explorer was struck by a 2012 Ford F250 driven by 46-year old Parham Booker of Pace. Long was pronounced deceased as a result of the 9:54 a.m. crash.
Booker ran the traffic signal at the intersection and charges against Booker are pending, the FHP said.
Booker’s pickup then struck two other vehicles, causing minor injuries to one person.
Several Fall As Deck Collapses; Man Underneath Critically Injured
October 21, 2012
One person was critically injured when a deck with several people on it collapsed onto him Saturday afternoon in Molino.
The accident happened about 4 p.m. in a wooded area in the 1400 block Evers Haven, just off Schaag Road. An unknown number of people were on the free-standing deck above a storage area when it collapsed about 20 feet onto the stored items and the man below, according to first responders.
The 40-year old man was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital as a “trauma alert” with multiple injuries.
None of the persons on the deck suffered serious injuries. Further details have not been released.
Pictured: A man was critically injured when a deck full of people collapsed onto him Saturday afternoon in Molino. He was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Soul Bowl: Jay Royals Join Inner City Teams At Maritime Park (With Gallery)
October 21, 2012
The 23rd annual crosstown rivalry between two inner city Pensacola youth sports leagues — the Soul Bowl — was held Saturday the Maritime Park, with a little help from some youngsters from Jay.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Thousands watched as the Pensacola Tigers and the East Pensacola Rattlers faced off in the Blue Wahoo’s baseball stadium that was converted for football. The Rattlers were short a couple of teams for an even head to head matchup with the Tigers, so they invited Mini Mite and Mite teams and cheerleaders from the Jay Royals to play on the big field.
Soul bowl scores were as follows:
Mini Mites – Pensacola Tigers 19, Jay Royals 12
Mites – Pensacola Tigers 36, Jay Royals 14
Mighty Mites – East Pensacola Rattlers 7, Pensacola Tigers 0
Mini Mites – Pensacola Tigers 8, East Pensacola Rattlers 0
Mites – East Pensacola Rattlers 6, Pensacola Tigers 0
Midgets – Pensacola Tigers 33, East Pensacola Rattlers 0
Juniors – East Pensacola Rattlers 31, Pensacola Tigers 6
The event also featured soul food and entertainment throughout the celebration.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: The Jay Royals take on the Pensacola Tigers Saturday morning at the Pensacola Maritime Park during the annual Soul Bowl. Photos courtesy Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Applications Being Accepted For 4-H Task Force
October 21, 2012
Applications are being accepted for the 4-H Task Force.
The group will be selected to study and review options that will address outdoor education, animal science programs and natural resources education.
The recent sale of the Langley Bell Center 4-H property marks a transformation for UF/IFAS4-H Youth Development Program in Escambia County. On May 3, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Escambia County Board of Commissioners, the University of Florida IFAS Extension and the Escambia County 4-H Foundation was approved by the county commission. The MOU is a legal binding contract and serves as the blueprint of the immediate goals for the local 4-H program.
Information about the application process, the application form and job description can be found at the Escambia County Extension website: http://escambia.ifas.ufl.edu. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, October 26, at 4:30 p.m.
Applications may be emailed to lainhaf@ufl.edu or mailed or hand delivered to Escambia County Extension Service, Attention: UF/IFAS 4-H Task Force, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment, Florida 32533.
For more information contact Escambia County Extension at (850) 475-5230.
Season Ends For Popular Market, One Of 10 Best In USA
October 21, 2012
Saturday was the final day of the season at the Market at St. Monica’s in Cantonment. Recently named the number 10 small market in the country by the group American Farmland Trust, The Market at Saint Monica’s featured a variety of produce, handcrafted items and much more during the season. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Hot Commodity: Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere
October 21, 2012
Pumpkins have been a hot commodity around the North Escambia area the past couple of weeks.
For Jill Kelley and her boyfriend Jeffery Steadham, a little pumpkin patch experiment in the 500 block of Highway 164 in McDavid produced big results. Priced at 75-cent to $12, their locally grown pumpkins — all 5,000 of them — were gone in just days.
“We will definitely be going bigger next year,” Kelley said.
When the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA chapter decided to sell pumpkins, students were lining up to buy them. Hundreds of pumpkins were gone in just days, long before they were offered for sale to the public.
Hundreds upon hundreds of pumpkins have been sold this year under a tent a Highway 29 and Neal Road in Cantonment at the Allen Memorial United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch. The first order of over 1,500 pumpkins was gone in a short time. But another semi load of pumpkins was delivered Friday, just in time for weekend shoppers.
Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes are still available at the Allen Memorial Pumpkin Patch on Highway 29 just north of the paper mill. Some of the pumpkins are priced as low as $1.
Pictured top: Allen Memorial United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch on Highway 29 at Neal Road. Pictured inset and below: A few of the 5,000 pumpkins grown at a local patch this year on Highway 164 in McDavid. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Vehicle Goes Over Cliff
October 21, 2012
A man is hospitalized in critical condition after the vehicle he was driving left the roadway and went over a cliff Saturday in Pensacola.
The incident occurred just after 4 p.m. off Scenic Highway just south of Hyde Park Road. Pensacola Police officer Danny Lawrence said the Lincoln Town Car was north bound on Scenic Highway when the driver lost control and went sideways off the cliff. The vehicle traveled approximately 75 to 100 feet down the cliff, and flipped at least one time before stopping near railroad tracks below.
It is not known if the man was wearing a seat belt. He has name has not yet being released pending family notification.
Robotics Competition Teaches Students Teamwork
October 21, 2012
Robots raced against time as students from Northwest Florida competed Saturday at the sixth annual Emerald Coast BEST Robotics competition at the University of West Florida Field House.
Middle and high school students competed at the competition sponsored by Gulf Power Company. The event pits teams from area Northwest Florida schools in a head-to-head competition to teach teamwork, problem solving, project management and pride in task completion.
BEST Robotics Inc. is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization whose mission is to inspire students to pursue careers in engineering, science, and technology through participation in a sports-like, science and engineering-based robotics competition.
“Gulf Power believes the competition teaches students practical engineering, science and math skills, which are critical for their future,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesperson. “But the event also teaches the students to work together as a team, to organize projects, to market their work and to creatively solve problems.”
It takes several volunteers to organize the event. Jennifer Grove, Workforce Development coordinator for Gulf Power, has served on the steering committee since the program started in 2006.
“Competitions like this are critical to engage students in project-based learning that will excite them about and inspire them to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering and math,” said Grove. “Students have so much fun designing, building and troubleshooting the robot that they often aren’t aware of the critical STEM skills they’re practicing through this program.”
Each student team has six weeks to design and build a remote-controlled robot to solve a problem or perform a specific function. This year’s theme, WARP XX, was based on the goal of building robots capable of transporting cargo and equipment onto a Space Elevator tower during three-minute matches.
“The competition is exciting and it makes school fun,” said Nathan Sams from Newpoint High School.
Each team was judged on its robot performance, marketing presentation, team exhibit, technical notebook and spirit and sportsmanship. The 22 schools from across Northwest Florida participated in the University of West Florida Emerald Coast BEST hub and the top schools will advance to the regional competition Dec. 1 and 2 at Auburn University.
Area schools have been competing in BEST since 2004, when Gulf Power sponsored eight local teams to compete in the BEST hub in Mobile, Ala. The funding of hub operations depends entirely on corporate and individual sponsorships. Materials kits to build the robots are provided to the teams by the hub. No fees are paid by students or schools participating in BEST robotics.
2012 Winners
Robotics Award: Awarded to the teams whose machines finish first, second, and third in the tournament bracket.
- Seaside Neighborhood Middle School
- Woodham Middle School
- Pensacola High School
Best Robotics Finalist: Awarded to the team whose machine finished 4th.
- Newpoint Pensacola High School
Founders Award for Creative Design: Newpoint Pensacola High School
Most Robust Machine: Pensacola High School
Most Photogenic Machine: Woodlawn Beach Middle School
Gulf Power Blood, Sweat and Duct Tape Award: Baker School
Best Tee-shirt Design
- Sims Middle School
- Woodlawn Beach Middle School
- Newpoint Pensacola High School
Best Spirit and Sportsmanship:
- Seaside Neighborhood Middle School
- Woodlawn Beach Middle School
- Woodham Middle School
Best Team Exhibit and Interview:
- Seaside Neighborhood School
- Woodlawn Beach Middle School
- Woodham Middle School
Best Project Notebook:
- Seaside Neighborhood Middle School
- Newpoint Pensacola High School
- Bethlehem K-12
Best Marketing Presentation
- Seaside Neighborhood School
- Woodham Middle School
- Bruner Middle School
Web Page Design Award: Newpoint Pensacola High School
BEST Award: The BEST Award is presented to the team that best embodies the attributes associated with “Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology” in its development which include teamwork, diversity of participation, sportsmanship, creativity, ethics, positive attitude/enthusiasm, school/community involvement and exposure to and use of the engineering process:
- Seaside Neighborhood Middle School
- Woodham Middle School
- Newpoint Pensacola High School
2012 Teams:
- Arnold High School
- Avalon Middle School
- Bailey Middle School
- Baker School K-12
- Bethlehem
- Bruner Middle School
- Deane Bozeman K-12
- Everitt Middle School
- Freeport High School
- Milton High School
- Newport Pensacola High School
- Pace High School
- Pensacola High School
- Pine Forest High School
- Ransom Middle School
- Seaside Neighborhood
- Sims Middle School
- Tate High School
- West Florida High School
- Woodham Middle School
- Woodlawn Beach Middle School
- Workman Middle School
Pictured top: Students race to lift cargo up to the Space Elevator with the robots at the 2012 BEST Robotics competition. Pictured inset: Seaside Neighborhood Middle School won the BEST award and will advance to the regional competition at Auburn University in December. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
BP: Gulf Oil Sheen Not From Well
October 21, 2012
A newly reported sheen of oil on the Gulf of Mexico is likely coming from a piece of equipment that was used to contain the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill, and is definitely not from the Macondo well, BP said in a statement.
The company said Thursday that it has confirmed the integrity of the Macondo well and its associated relief wells following an underseat survey to try to identify potential sources of the new surface sheen.
“The latest survey marks the third time since the Macondo well was permanently sealed in September 2010 that it has been visually inspected at the sea floor and confirmed not to be leaking,” the company said in a release. “The nearly three-day-long inspection was also successful in identifying the cofferdam, a piece of containment equipment used during the Deepwater Horizon response, as the probable source of the surface sheen.”
The cofferdam is an 86-ton steel container that was lowered over the leading drill pipe during the 2010 disaster. The Coast Guard says the sheen doesn’t pose a risk to Gulf shorelines, and isn’t feasible to remove.