Local Boy With Cystic Fibrosis Gets To Be A Pilot For A Day
July 14, 2011
Like many 12-year olds, Patton Goetter of Christian Home wants to be a military pilot, a “dream come true”, he says.
But there’s a huge obstacle standing in his way — cystic fibrosis, an inherited disease that affects the lungs and digestive tract. It’s a relatively rare condition that claimed the life of Patton’s older brother Tyler about 10 years ago.
Patton had the chance this week, thanks to Naval Air Station Whiting Field and Sacred Heart Hospital, to be a “pilot for a day”.
“I got some badges for my shirt and stuff, and I got my name tag, and I got boots and a whole suit and a helmet – an awesome helmet. It’s just been really cool,” Patton. He had the chance to climb into the cockpit of a training aircraft, take a helicopter simulator for a high tech spin and use night vision goggles.
Patton’s case of cystic fibrosis is not as severe as his brothers, and mom Abby Goetter says she hopes that a new drug on the horizon will be a cure. In the meantime, she’s not going to hold her son back.
“I’m not going to say he can’t do anything. I’m not going to set any limits,” Abby Goetter said.
For Patton — who will be a fifth grader this year at Byrneville Elementary School — the sky’s the limit despite cystic fibrosis.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” Patton Goetter said.
WALA FOX 10 contributed to this report. The FOX 10 video is below.
Pictured top: Patton Goetter gets a hug from his mother Abby during his “pilot for a day” experience at Naval Air Station Whiting Field. Pictured inset. Patton Goetter. Images courtesy WALA FOX 10 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Citizens Insurance Chair Wants To Sell Off Policies
July 14, 2011
Admonishing lawmakers for making a shaky insurance pool even more precarious, the chairman of the Citizens Property Insurance Corp. on Wednesday said the insurer should be allowed to sell off a large chunk of its business to private interests to reduce its exposure while continuing to cover the state’s riskiest property.
Such a move, which would likely raise rates dramatically for hundreds of thousands of policyholders, is needed as the state-backed insurer expects to eclipse 1.4 million policies within the next week, Citizens Chairman James Malone told governing board members.
Up to 900,000 Citizens policies are likely uninsurable in the private market because they cover older homes, mobile homes, and residences along the coast.
Malone estimated that the remaining policies could be marketed to some private entity because they involve billions of dollars in assets and a widely dispersed premium base, envisioning a return to Citizens’ roots as the true insurer of last resort.
“That has a value someplace in this open market,” Malone said. “The state of Florida needs money and this could be turned into an asset that had a value that people were willing to purchase in the private sector.”
Created as the insurer only for those who couldn’t get policies from private companies, Citizens has gone beyond that role to become the largest property insurer in the state.
The insurer continues to charge rates that are actuarially too low, many say. Coupled with carrier insolvencies and private market decisions to reduce books of business, Citizens adds about 1,000 policyholders every day. Because taxpayers back the company, critics say the addition of so many policies leaves the state a major hurricane away from financial fiasco.
“If the right decision had been made politically, let’s say five years ago… we wouldn’t have this exposure,” Malone said. “We could have (had) a huge event and everybody in this state could feel comfortable that resources were available to take care of the loss.”
Malone made the comments at the second to last board of governors meeting before all board members are removed from office July 31. After Aug. 1 a new governing board will be seated.
Florida officials have been trying to depopulate Citizens for years. With premium rates that have been restrained by lawmakers, the gap between what Citizens and private insurers charge customers continues to widen. So far, lawmakers have tried to provide financial incentives for private insurers to take Citizens policyholders from the pool.
“Today we use depopulation as a method to try to use the carriers that are currently in the market to have them take on our exposure and remove it from Citizens,” said Christine Ashburn, Citizens spokeswoman. “It sounds like what (Malone) is talking about is a bit different. ”
Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples and chairman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, said Malone’s idea should be given serious consideration. After years of unsuccessful efforts to reduce the number of Citizens’ policyholders, Richter said lawmakers will be receptive to anything that works toward that end.
“All our efforts to deal with this issue have so far been unsuccessful,” Richter said. “I respect the chairman’s intellect and business acumen and will approach the idea with an open mind.”
Malone said he was skeptical that lawmakers will be able to accomplish much on the issue next year. Despite a strong push by Gov. Rick Scott and a cadre of new lawmakers swept into office in November, legislators were unable to reverse growth in the company’s customer base this past year.
Legislators did pass a law that will make it easier for private insurers to raise rates to meet their obligations, but Citizens was not given the ability to significantly to reduce its exposure.
“If they weren’t willing to take a tough vote in this cycle, I can’t imagine anyone is going to take a tough vote during an election year,” Malone said.
Malone’s comments come a day before Citizens finalizes a $900 million pre-event financing deal to shore up the fund’s liquidity for the remainder of the 2011 hurricane season and beyond. The sale is expected to conclude Thursday. A Citizens financial consultant said the sale went better than expected. Not only did the state receive more favorable rates, but the market was willing to purchase bonds of longer maturity.
“Financing by any measure was extremely successful,” said John Forney, consultant with Raymond James. “It enabled Citizens to meet its liquidity goals for the 2011 hurricane season and beyond at very attractive interest rates while expanding the investor universe and taking advantage of the excess demand that is here to lower those rates even further.”
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida
Latest Poll: Gov. Scott Approval Rating At Just 27 Percent
July 14, 2011
According to a survey commissioned by the conservative website Sunshine State News, Gov. Rick Scott sits with a 27 percent approval rating, with 58 percent disapproving of the job he’s doing.
The discontent with Scott appears to be fairly widespread. Scott’s approval rating among Republicans is just 48 percent, compared to 34 percent disapproval. Men, women and voters across all age groups registered majority disapproval of Scott’s job so far.
The poll was taken July 5-7, shortly after Scott announced his decision to allow the SunRail commuter line in Central Florida to go forward. The decision outraged Scott’s tea-party supporters and apparently did little to buoy the governor’s numbers in the area; Central Florida voters still give Scott a 54 percent disapproval rating and a 28 percent approval rating.
According to Sunshine State News, the automated poll by Voter Survey Service included 1,000 registered like voters who voted in the 2006 or 2008 elections. The margin of error is 3.1 percentage points.
By The News Service Florida
Robbery Outside Cordova Mall Gets Man Life In Prison
July 14, 2011
An Escambia County man was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for robbing a man outside Cordova Mall.
Judge Nicholas Geeker sentenced Anthony Rhaney II for carjacking with a firearm, robbery with a firearm and fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer.
Rhaney was convicted for robbing a man outside of the Cordova Mall in Pensacola on September 16, 2010. Rhaney and a second suspect approached Brian Crawford as he exited the mall and was attempting to get into his vehicle, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins. The second suspect held Crawford at gunpoint while Rhaney robbed Crawford of his merchandise, watch, and cell phone. When Crawford did not have any cash to give the men, they decided to take his car.
The next day Pensacola Police Officer Bruce Harris saw the car driving south on 9th Avenue by the mall. He and another officer got behind the vehicle and attempted to pull it over. Rhaney, who was driving the stolen car, led officers on a 10 minute pursuit through Pensacola. Eventually officers were able to stop the car and take Rhaney into custody. Rhaney was then identified as one of the robbers by Crawford.
McDavid Man Pleads Not Guilty To Assault, Battery, Weapons Charges
July 13, 2011
A McDavid man has pleaded not guilty to domestic violence and weapons charges stemming from a May incident.
Jason Edward Potter, 31, of Purdue Road, was charged with domestic violence aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of battery domestic violence, felony possession of weapon by a convicted felon, and criminal mischief. He remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond on a probation violation charge.
After an alleged dispute with his sister over $20, Potter allegedly tackled her. He also allegedly used his elbow to break the glass out of gun cabinet, taking a .22 caliber revolver, load it and threaten to kill himself and say that the police would have to kill him.
The sister, age 29, was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Buy A Fantasy 5 Ticket In Pensacola? You Might Have Won $100K
July 13, 2011
A Fantasy 5 ticket purchased on Nine Mile Road in Pensacola is worth over $100 thousand.
The ticket with the numbers 01-17-25-30-35 was one of two winners in Tuesday’s Fantasy 5 game. The tickets were sold in Kissimmee and the Publix at Nine Mile Road and University Parkway in Pensacola. The winning ticket purchased in Pensacola was a free ticket.
There were 233 tickets with four correct numbers worth $138.50, 7,500 tickets with three correct numbers for $12, and 79,899 tickets that won a free ticket for picking two numbers.
Highland VBS Takes Kids On Big Apple Adventure In Molino
July 13, 2011
Big Apple Adventure Vacation Bible School is underway this week at Highland Baptist Church on Highway 95A in Molino.
The VBS, for ages three through completion of fifth grade continues each evening from 5:30 until 8:30 through Friday. There will also be a Family Night “Pizza In The Park” Sunday at 5 p.m.
By Sunday night, either Pastor Brian Calhoun or his wife Sara will be walking around with pink or purple hair. There is a friendly little competition between the boys and girls at Highland’s VBS to make the largest offering to the Children’s Malnutrition Center of San Juan, Guatemala, via the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. If the girls win, the pastor’s hair will be purple on Sunday; if the boys win, the pastor’s wife’s hair will be pink.
Almost 250 took part in the first night of the VBS at Highland Baptist Church.
For more photos from the Highland Baptist Church VBS, click here.
Pictured above and below: VBS at Highland Baptist Church in Molino. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge..
Do you have new or photos you would like to share from your church? Email news@northescambia.com
Escambia Supervisor Of Elections Named President Of State Association
July 13, 2011
Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford was sworn in as president of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections for 2011-2012.
The Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections (FSASE) is organized and exists to assist its members to conduct fair, honest and accurate elections by providing continuing education and certification programs that encourage the highest level of professionalism; to assist the citizens of Florida to become better informed about voting and be prepared to participate in the democratic process; and to create a forum for the Supervisors to express their joint opinions on important election issues.
Stafford has been active in the association since his election in 2004, having served on the executive committee since 2007 and in several other capacities, most recently as chair of the legislative committee.
Pensacola Residents Could See Tax Cut
July 13, 2011
Pensacola residents may see a decrease on their property tax bills.
Tuesday, Mayor Ashton Hayward announced plans to cut property tax rates by 5.5 percent — a quarter of a millage point. He said the move will still allow the city to operate with a balanced budget while cutting $973,300 from the upcoming budget year.
“Governments around the world are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, because they’ve let spending get out of control. I want to make sure that we continue to be fiscally responsible here at City Hall, and we have to make tough choices like every family and business has to make,” Hayward said. “Rolling back property tax rates will give our taxpayers a bit of a break in this tough economy, and it will force us at City Hall to do more with less, which was my pledge to the voters.”
Each year, the mayor submits the tentative millage rate for property taxes in the City of Pensacola and the Downtown Improvement District. Those millage rates are formally approved by the Pensacola City Council during the budget process. Under Florida law, each taxing authority must submit a tentative ad valorem tax millage rate to the tax appraiser and tax collector. These rates must also be publicly advertised, and the public forums for the millage rates will be held in September, prior to the October 1 beginning of the city’s fiscal year.
Century To Resurface Five More Streets
July 13, 2011
The ride around Century will soon get even better — the town council has approved resurfacing five more streets in addition to seven that were just completed.
The town will resurface West Cottage Street, Lake Street, Ramar Street, Academy Street and the portion of Pleasant Hill Road that is in the town limits.
The resurfacing project will cost the town just under $88,500 by piggybacking on an Escambia County contract with Roads, Inc. Of Northwest Florida.
Earlier this year, the town resurfaced Freedom Road, the portion of Old Flomaton Road in the city limits, Hecker Road, Elm Street, Hilltop Road, B Street and Archie Street — the streets that were placed on the top of the town’s priority list for repaving. That project came in with a total price tag just over $200,000.
Pictured top: The recently resurfaced Hecker Road in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.