Florida Weekly Gov’t Roundup: Worries About Drug Test Problems, Granny Dumping
June 19, 2011
Florida health care officials hit the road this week to hold hearings about the new Medicaid overhaul — and got an earful about “granny dumping” and endangered mom-and-pop pharmacies.
The Agency for Health Care Administration, which held 10 hearings from Pensacola to Fort Myers, can do little about many of the objections. In passing the overhaul, lawmakers required that seniors enroll in managed-care plans and decided against giving special treatment to independent drug stores.
But the hearings are a prelude to AHCA seeking all-important approval of the overhaul from the Obama administration. The objections could offer fuel for opponents who want the federal government to reject the Legislature’s plan.
Gov. Rick Scott, meanwhile, accomplished a priority this week when he signed a bill combining agencies into the new Department of Economic Opportunity. The bill includes dismantling the Department of Community Affairs, a move that is already starting to ripple through growth decisions.
But word also got out this week that Scott has delayed moving forward with a plan to require drug testing for state employees. He decided not to implement the plan while the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida challenges its constitutionality in federal court.
MEDICAID ROAD SHOW:
AHCA faces an Aug. 1 deadline for submitting a detailed proposal to the federal government to carry out the Medicaid overhaul, which calls for almost all beneficiaries to enroll in managed-care plans by October 2014.
That short time frame sent agency officials barreling across the state this week to hold public hearings. They held as many as four in one day — hitting Tampa, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami Gardens on Thursday.
Hundreds of people turned out for the hearings, with many critical of the overhaul. During a hearing Monday, Pensacola resident Julia Pearsall warned of glitches in moving to the managed-care system.
“What happens in the short run can be a matter of life and death to the recipients,” said Pearsall, who has long worked on social-service issues.
It was also clear from the hearings that some of the opposition was well-organized. Community pharmacy operators, for instance, turned out en masse because of concerns that HMOs will use mail-order pharmacies to fill prescriptions for Medicaid beneficiaries.
“With unemployment and the economy the way it is, it seems illogical to put more stress on independent business,” said David Enfinger, of A&E Pharmacy in Pensacola.
Another common refrain came from people opposed to requiring seniors to enroll in managed care. An oft-repeated sound bite: The overhaul will lead to “granny dumping,” with HMOs trying to keep seniors out of nursing homes.
Managed-care industry officials, however, argued that they will improve the care of Medicaid beneficiaries.
“We’re not managed costs,” said William McHugh, president of Amerigroup Florida. “We’re managed care.”
JOBS AND BODILY FLUIDS:
Florida got a glimmer of good news Friday, with the announcement that May’s unemployment rate was 10.6 percent — down 0.2 percent from April.
But Gov. Rick Scott made the biggest jobs-related news, when he signed a bill to create a new economic-development agency and acknowledged putting off drug tests for state workers.
The new Department of Economic Opportunity will merge agencies such as the Agency for Workforce Innovation and the remnants of the Department of Community Affairs.
Scott said the bureaucratic changes are intended to help create jobs. Dismantling the Department of Community Affairs, for example, largely eliminates state oversight of local growth decisions, removing a potential roadblock to development.
“The bill I signed today provides us flexibility to seize opportunities created by developing markets and effectively respond to the changing needs of the businesses that grow our economy,” Scott said in a prepared statement.
State workers, meanwhile, got at least a temporary reprieve from Scott’s drive to start requiring drug tests. Scott issued an executive order in March calling for the tests but put them on hold amid an ACLU lawsuit.
Scott and his staff denied that he was backing away from the tests. “We’re going forward with it,” the governor said. “We’re going forward, it’s just a process.”
But ACLU officials described the decision as a “retreat” and said the executive order is a violation of state employees’ rights.
“We are pleased that this new order has delayed subjecting thousands of state employees to demeaning, invasive and illegal tests of their bodily fluids,” ACLU legal director Randall Marshall said. “But it does not change our constitutional challenge.”
2012 AND BEYOND:
The 2012 legislative session is still seven months away, but a battle is already building about redistricting.
After supporting 2010 constitutional amendments that created new redistricting standards, several groups this week called on lawmakers to speed up the once-a-decade process of drawing new political lines. The process is scheduled to start in January, though the groups fear that will lead to chaos in candidate qualifying for the 2012 elections.
Also, the groups — including the state NAACP, the League of Women Voters of Florida, Hispanic advocacy group Democracia and Common Cause Florida – asked the House to drop out of a lawsuit that challenges one of the amendments.
“Please let us know that you will do your duty, abide by your oaths to enforce the Florida Constitution, and comply with the Fair Districts amendments,” the groups said in a letter to legislative leaders dated Tuesday.
Republican leaders, who have long opposed the amendments, said they think many of the complaints are politically motivated and aimed at helping Democrats.
“While I would hope that is not the case, how else can we interpret their suggestion that members of the public have less time to speak and to offer input prior to the maps being drawn,” said House Redistricting Chairman Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, who is scheduled to become speaker after the 2012 elections.
Democrats, meanwhile, also have longer-term political concerns as they try to figure out who might be a good gubernatorial candidate in 2014. Among the possibilities: unsuccessful 2010 nominee Alex Sink, Sen. Jeremy Ring of Margate, former Sen. Dan Gelber of Miami Beach — and maybe even former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, who is a man without a party.
“”Never underestimate Charlie Crist’s ability to shake things up,” Democratic campaign operative Steve Schale said.
KID STUFF:
It was a rough week for some students, both young and old.
The Florida Department of Education directed numerous school districts to investigate suspicious test scores on FCAT and end-of-course exams because of high numbers of erased answers. The districts are Broward, Miami-Dade, Duval, Flagler, Gadsden, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lee, Leon, Manatee, Orange, Palm Beach, Polk and Seminole.
Meanwhile, college students will get hit in the wallet again, as state universities looks to plug budget deficits. All of the state’s universities are expected to seek 15 percent increases next year in undergraduate tuition.
But on the bright side, Florida kids got a high-profile backer this week, when First Lady Ann Scott became the state’s new Chief Child Advocate.
Roy Miller, president of the Children’s Campaign, an advocacy and watchdog group, said he would have preferred to see a full-time child advocate along with the First Lady. But he also expressed optimism.
“We understand the importance of pillow talk to helping children, and we’re looking forward to working with her,” he said.
STORY OF THE WEEK: The Agency for Health Care Administration held hearings throughout the state, as it prepares to submit a detailed Medicaid overhaul to the federal government.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “There are members of my community, of the African-American community, who are sick and tired of a bleached Parole Commission,” said Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, after Scott and the Cabinet decided against reappointing Cassandra Jenkins to the Parole Commission, leaving it with no African-Americans.
By Jim Saunders
The News Service of Florida
New Unemployment Numbers Show More Out Of Work
June 18, 2011
The latest job numbers released Friday showed an increase in the number of unemployed in the North Escambia area.
Escambia County’s unemployment remained steady below double digits — at 9.9 percent in May and April. While the rounded percentage held steady over the month period, there were 91 jobs lost, for a total Escambia County unemployment of 13,852 people. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 10.2 percent.
Santa Rosa County recorded an increase— from 8.5 percent in April to 8.7 percent in May. Santa Rosa County lost 188 jobs during the period, with a total of 6,192 persons still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 9.1 percent.
Escambia County, Alabama, had an increase in unemployment — from 10.5 percent in April to 11.3 percent in May. Escambia, Alabama, lost 126 jobs during them month-long period, with 1,534 still out of work.
Florida
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May 2011 is 10.6 percent, the lowest since August 2009 when it was also 10.6 percent. This represents 980,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,249,000. The state’s unemployment rate is down 0.2 percentage point from the April 2011 rate of 10.8 percent and is 0.7 percentage point lower than the May 2010 rate of 11.3 percent.
Total employment increased to 8.2 million, up by 14,900 from March and 39,200 more than April 2010.
“This is the fourth straight month of decline in Florida’s unemployment rate and the lowest rate in more than a year and a half – very encouraging for Florida’s employers and job seekers,” said Agency for Workforce Innovation Director Cynthia R. Lorenzo, in a statement.
Alabama
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 9.6 percent in May, was up from April’s rate of 9.3 percent and was slightly above the year-ago rate of 9.5 percent. Alabama officials blame the increase in unemployment on the deadly tornadoes that hit the state.
Search Continues For Suspect In Century Shooting
June 18, 2011
The investigation is continuing into a double shooting one week ago in Century that injured a 31-year old woman and her 16-year old boyfriend. So far, there have been no arrests in the case.
The shooting happened about 8:30 last Saturday night, June 11, in the 7500 block of Jefferson Avenue in Century. Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies were told by a 31-year-old female victim that she and her 16-year-old boyfriend were shot as they were sitting in a vehicle in front of a residence.
The victims said that another vehicle, possibly a dark colored Hyundai, pulled in behind them and blocked them in. One of the occupants then exited the suspect vehicle and began shooting, injuring both the male and female.
The suspect was described as a black male of medium height with a thin build and wearing a red ball cap.
The victims left the area and drove to the 9500 block of Ivey Street to call 911. The male victim was transported by private vehicle to Jay Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The female victim was transported by ambulance after being questioned by deputies. Her injuries were also non-life threatening.
Investigators are also looking at the relationship between the 31-year old woman and 16-year old boy, according to Chris Welborn, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Weekend Gardening: Watering Wisdom
June 18, 2011
Dry weather is persisting across much of the South. Below normal rainfall and record-breaking heat is taking a toll on local landscapes. Because of Florida’s sandy soils, drought-sensitive plants may experience water stress after only a few days without rain or irrigation. Because water is a valuable resource, it’s crucial that irrigation be delivered properly to ensure plant health and conserve water.
How often we need to water varies, depending on such factors as temperature, rainfall, humidity, season, plants and light intensity. Proper watering is a function of applying the right amount of water at the appropriate times. It is important to get water to plant roots efficiently and effectively and to keep the moisture in the root zone area.
Irrigation Frequency
Many gardeners tend to water lightly every day during dry weather. Light frequent watering doesn’t get the water deep into the soil. Because roots only grow where there is adequate moisture, this practice results in a shallow root system.
Shallow-rooted plants are unable to tap reserves of water deeper in the soil and are prone to drought stress in even brief dry periods. Eventually, your plants become dependent on you to water them constantly.
Established trees and shrubs typically do not require frequent irrigation. For established plants, apply enough irrigation to wet the soil at least 8 to 12 inches deep rather than light amounts that wet only the surface. Deep watering provides water to a larger portion of the root system. A thorough watering should not be necessary for established landscape plants more often than once a week.
University of Florida guidelines call for watering lawns on an “as needed” basis. Lawns that are in need of water will show specific signs. These signs include the leaf blades folding in half, the grass showing a blue gray tint or your footprints remaining visible long after being made.
How Much To Water
To irrigate thoroughly, enough water should be applied to penetrate about 8 to 10 inches into the soil. Applying ½ to ¾ of an inch of water to medium-textured soils generally will accomplish this.
To figure out how long to leave your sprinkler on to apply the recommended amount of water, first, place several empty cans in the spray pattern of the sprinkler. Turn on the sprinkler and check the time. When about a ½ inch of water has accumulated in most of the cans, check the time again. That’s how long it takes your sprinkler to apply a ½ inch of water – and about how long you should leave it on to thoroughly irrigate an area.
The best check of how thoroughly an area has been watered is to go back about 15 minutes after watering and dig into the soil with a trowel. Find out if the water penetrated deep into the soil. Check several places. This procedure also works to calibrate an installed irrigation system or hose-end sprinklers.
In some situations, such as on slopes and heavy clay soils, the water may need to be added more slowly to reduce runoff. It takes water longer to penetrate heavy clay soils than light sandy soils. Run the sprinkler on for 10 to 15 minutes and off for 15 to 20 minutes until you’ve applied a ½ inch of water.
When to Water
Water early in the morning. Less water is lost to evaporation and wind drift in the morning because of cooler temperatures and less wind.
Final Thought
In the long run, organic matter in landscape beds helps to maintain soil moisture. For best results, mulch all landscape beds twice a year. Pine straw and pine bark are excellent mulches along with hardwood mulch.
For more information, contact Theresa Friday at 850-623-3868 or email tlfriday@ufl.edu. Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Escambia County ‘Hamburglar’ Gets 15 Years In Prison
June 18, 2011
An Escambia County man is headed to prison for a string of burglaries — including the theft of hamburger patties.
State Attorney Bill Eddins said James William Cole, Jr., entered a plea of no contest before Judge Jan Shackelford to 12 counts of burglary of an unoccupied structure, theft and criminal mischief.
Judge Shackelford found Cole guilty and sentenced him to 15 years in state prison as a habitual felony offender.
The burglaries occurred in Escambia County in January and February of this year. Cole broke into numerous local businesses including daycare centers, churches, a dry cleaner, and oil/lube centers. During the burglaries, Cole stole cash, electronics and at one location — hamburger patties.
Cole has additional cases pending in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties on charges of burglary, theft and criminal mischief.
Scott Signs Education Bills
June 18, 2011
Scott signed a pair of wide-ranging education-related bills on Friday.
The first, HB 1255, establishes a gift ban on school board members, revises testing requirements and requires districts to put budget information on their websites.
The second, HB 7151, eliminates a prohibition on requiring certain students to take summer classes at universities and includes a number of other Board of Governors priorities.
The bill also requires a study on the appropriate scores for Advanced Placement credits. The Senate companion of that bill at one point would have changed the minimum AP score a student needs to gain college credit from a 3 to a 4. But that was taken out with an amendment and not included in the final version. Both bills now become law.
Burn Bans In Effect
June 18, 2011
Burn bans remain in effect in Escambia County, Florida, and in the entire state of Alabama. In Santa Rosa County, officials are asking for caution, but there is no burn ban.
Escambia County issued a burn ban Wednesday afternoon due to the extreme drought and heightened risk of wildfires. The ban issued by Escambia County Fire Chief Daniel Spillman prohibits all open outdoor burning, including trash and debris burning, campfires, bonfires and all other similar fires. Fireworks are also included in the ban.
The Town of Century and the City of Pensacola are included in the burn ban, according to Sonya Daniel, public information officer for Escambia County.
The only exemptions to the ban are state permitted burns, authorized fireworks displays, fireworks sales authorized by state law and outdoor cooking in barbeque grills, smoker and other outdoor stoves at private residences.
Depending on the circumstances, violations could be enforceable by civil citations or criminal penalties if warranted, Daniel said.
In Santa Rosa county, officials are asking residents to avoid any outdoor burning activity, including campfires, bonfires and yard debris and trash burning.
“While no burn ban is in place at this time, if conditions change, the board of county commissioners can take emergency action immediately to enact any necessary burn ban,” said Joy Tsubooka, Santa Rosa County public information officer.
The Florida Division of Forestry is currently not issuing any burn permits.
Pictured top: An unauthorized burn Friday afternoon on Rigby Road in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Jay Man Arrested For Manslaughter; Woman Died From Narcotics Overdose
June 17, 2011
A Jay man has been arrested for manslaughter in connection with the December 2010 overdose death of a local woman.
Michael Sanford was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail on a charge of manslaughter.
The incident occurred on December 25, 2010, at Sanford’s home on Bullard Road in Jay, according to investigators.
That’s when the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and EMS responded to Sanford’s home for a possible overdose. The victim, Patsy Jean Wright, 55, was pronounced deceased a short time later at Jay Hospital.
An autopsy was conducted and showed several needle marks present on the victim’s body. The autopsy determined that the cause of death included include acute morphine intoxication and was homicide.
During the days following the incident, investigators spoke with witnesses who were present during the incident at Sanford’s house. Witnesses stated that Wright went to Sanford’s residence to be injected with Morphine pills after they were broken down into a liquid form.
Wright allegedly allowed Sanford to inject her with morphine and she immediately went to sleep, witnesses told investigators. Sanford gave Wright numerous other injections of morphine, rendering Wright was incapable of consenting to further injections, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Witnesses said they told Sanford to stop and became concerned for Wright’s wellbeing. Witnesses stated that during the early morning hours after being injected, Wright would not wake up and was having difficulty breathing and finally quit breathing and 911 was called.
Witnesses stated that Sanford took all of the evidence — including syringes, spoons, pill bottles, and related paraphernalia — and burned it in a burn barrel in his back yard.
Sanford was also interviewed by investigators and admitted to injecting Wright with morphine. Sanford admitted to deputies that he injected Wright numerous times and stated that it might have been after Wright was “passed out” because he was also “high”.
Sanford is currently being held in the Santa Rosa County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
3 Injured In Hwy 29 Crash
June 17, 2011
At least three people were injured in a two vehicle crash Friday afternoon on Highway 29 south of Century.
The accident happened just after 4 p.m. near Glover Road. The driver of a car apparently rear-ended a pickup truck hauling load of furniture. The driver of the car as well as two passengers in the pickup truck were injured. The driver of the pickup was not injured, according to preliminary reports.
The three injured parties were transported to a local hospital by ambulance.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details were not immediately available.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS, Atmore Ambulance and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Agrees To Fire Tax Increase; Failure Would Cut North Escambia Fire Services
June 17, 2011
The Escambia County Commission agreed Thursday night to raise fire fees. Without the increase, North Escambia fire stations will lose all paid firefighters that currently staff three stations during the weekdays.
The fire fee increases won’t be finalized until after the September 13 meeting to adopt a final tax assessment roll.
The Municipal Services Benefit Unit will increase on property tax bills by $5 per year for the next two years for county residents outside Pensacola and Santa Rosa Island. That will increase the current $75 fee to $80 for 2011 tax assessments and $85 for 2012. The commercial fee will rise from $.034 per square foot to $.037 per square foot, with a minimum of $80 for 2011 and up to $.040 per square foot with a minimum of $85 for 2012.
In 2009, the county hired 12 paid firefighters under a federal SAFER –Staffing Adequate Fire and Emergency Response- grant. The grant provided funding that decreases each year to fund the firefighter positions — $441,990 the first year, $385,413 the second, $245,701 the third and $150,369 for the fourth year. In the final year, 2014, Escambia County must fully fund $631,503 for the dozen firefighters.
The fee increase — an estimated $1.34 million over two years — will be used to replace the SAFER funds and maintain the current level of fire services.
The commission voted 3-2 in favor of the increase fees, with Commissioner Kevin White and Wilson Robertson against.
“The impact on your insurance rates will be much higher than $5 per year,” Commissioner Grover Robinson said of a no increase situation. “I believe this is a necessary move…I think it will actual decrease the money our citizens have to spend rather than increasing fire insurance rates.”
According to a presentation to the commission Thursday night by Escambia Fire Chief Daniel Spillman, a failure to adopt the fire fee increase would lead to the elimination of paid weekday firefighters that staff four stations — Century, Molino, Cantonment and Myrtle Grove. If that happened, North Escambia’s fire stations would have relied solely upon volunteers with no paid firefighters.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.