Escambia (Ala.) To Lose One VA Office
April 26, 2010
One of the two Veterans Administration offices in Escambia County, Alabama, will be closing, perhaps as soon as next week.
Currently, there are two VA offices in the county — one in the Highway 31 satellite courthouse in Atmore and the second in the courthouse annex in Brewton. The Atmore office is currently open on Mondays and Friday; the Brewton office is open on Thursdays. Both are served by Veterans Affairs Service Officer Mike Hanks who also divides his time with two days each week in Monroe County.
According to a Horton, VA spokesperson, the decision to close one of the offices is purely financial due to the economic downturn. He said officials in Atmore and Brewton would be notified as early as this week as to which office would be closing.
Jay Boy’s Track Team Places Third In Regionals
April 26, 2010
The Jay High School Boy’s track and field team placed third in the Class 1A Regional Championship Meet held at Bolles High School in Jacksonville.
The following athletes scored points during Friday’s competition. Those placing in the top four will proceed to the State Championships in Winterpark this Friday.
- 4×800 m relay – 5th place – Drew Kennedy, Dusty Kennedy, Chad Phillips, Jeffery Fischer
- High Jump – 4th place – Justin White (5′ 10″)
- Pole Vault – 1st place – Chris Carrigan (14′), 3rd place – Dakota Boughton (12′), 7th place – John Daniel Golden
- Discus – 3rd place – Andrew Polk (128′ 8″)
- 3200 m run – 3rd place – Drew Kennedy (10.47.31), 4th place – Dylan Nadsady (10.48.46)
- 110 m hurdles – 7th place – Steven Brabham
- 300m hurdles – 6th place – Steven Brabham, 8th place – Ben Shorb
Students Of The Month Named
April 26, 2010
Escambia County Students of the Month for April have been named by the Escambia Association for Administrators in Education. The awards are presented monthly to two students from participating schools.
The following students were named from North Escambia area schools:
- Bratt: Emilee A. Cabral, pre-kindergarten; Jeremiah D. Woods, third grade
- Jim Allen: Dove D. Tucker, fourth grade; Latoya L. Williams, fourth grade
- Molino Park: Jerry K. Calvert, second grade; Shadonavon M. Young, first grade
- Ernest Ward: Courtney B. Weekley, sixth grade; Decordic D. King, seventh grade
- Ransom: Jordan A. Lammens, eighth grade; Christopher A. Payne, eighth grade
- Northview: Tori D. Reid, 10th grade; Chad M. Smith, ninth grade
- Tate: Kaleigh L. Blackmon, 10th grade; James L. Sherrill, 11th grade
Pictured top: Tori Reid and Christopher Payne, Northview High School’s Students of the Month for April. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Medicaid Overhaul Dead, Budget Talks Continue
April 26, 2010
House and Senate leaders confirmed Sunday what had become increasingly obvious in recent days: The proposed Medicaid overhaul is dead for this year.
“I still believe it is good policy,” said Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Lake Placid, chairman of the House Health Care budget committee, and an architect of the sweeping House proposal that would push the state’s 2.7 million Medicaid recipients into managed care over the next five years.
“We will just have to bring it back next year,” Grimsley said.
The ambitious Medicaid rewrite faded into history Sunday as budget-writers struggled to conclude budget negotiations. While not having much of an immediate impact on spending, the disputed Medicaid plan stood as an obstacle that needed to be cleared from the budget landscape, lawmakers conceded.
“It’s where we expected it” to end, said Senate budget chief J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales.
But even with Medicaid out of the picture, dozens of spending provisions separated House and Senate budget negotiators, with some issues that appeared settled remaining officially open to further talks. And the talks went on – with a 5 p.m. deadline between Alexander and his House counterpart, Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, scrapped in favor of continued negotiations between the budget leaders.
The pair set midnight Sunday for sending any remaining issues to Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, and House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala. But even that deadline looked fluid – with both budget chairmen conceding they could continue working through Monday.
Budgets will likely have to be on the desks of lawmakers sometime Tuesday to assure an on-time finish to the session Friday.
Meanwhile, budget negotiators Sunday settled a host of issues, including a 7 percent reduction in the state payment rate to hospitals treating indigent patients – a $96 million reduction that followed a $76.7 million cut in payments to nursing homes, and a $39.3 million general revenue reduction for HMOs.
An effort to exempt from the 7 percent cut rural hospitals and St. Petersburg’s All Children’s Hospital and Miami’s Children’s Hospital remained in play between the House and Senate going into Sunday night.
In education, state funding and terms for a revamped Bright Futures scholarship program was approved. The Legislature is moving to increase the SAT requirements for both the top and secondary awards, as lawmakers try to rein-in the cost of the scholarship program which covers tuition for about half of the state’s college students.
Budget negotiators haven’t settled public school financing, but are working to keep per-pupil spending close to its current, $6,866-level. That’s roughly a middle-ground between the House’s proposal to cut school dollars by $52-per-pupil and the Senate looking to boost spending by $38 for each child in a classroom.
The two sides Sunday also agreed to exclude from the budget revenue from the $7.50 saltwater fishing license fee approved just last spring. The fee was expected to be paid by some 120,000 anglers – but drew widespread criticism from Florida’s cane-pole fishing community, leaving lawmakers to push for repeal this year.
Even with some areas of agreement, the House and Senate continued to scrap over myriad details with dollars attached and “proviso” language that describes how money must be spent.
The Senate hasn’t surrendered in its effort to give school boards authority to increase property taxes by .25 mills without a voter referendum. The House rejects the idea and has already pushed back the Senate’s bid to build into school budget allocations money from these increased property taxes, which 42 of the state’s 67 counties approved last year.
Sometimes, the disputes took on a personal touch.
Rivera, a candidate for Congress, said the House will not retreat in its push to exclude human stem-cell research from such science carried out at state universities, sending the Senate back to effectively take it or leave it. He also is pushing to include a budget provision that would ban state-sanctioned travel to countries considered a “sponsor of terrorism,” a move similar to legislation he earlier sponsored aimed at banning university travel to Cuba.
While Rivera promoted those measures, Alexander said he was satisfied with budget language that puts the Department of Management Services under the authority of the governor and Cabinet – a heightened level of oversight for a state department he earlier wanted broken apart and scattered among other agencies.
Alexander has turned into a fierce DMS critic after the agency was unable to provide a list of state-owned property. Other budget bills now being advanced require DMS to provide such an inventory no later than Sept. 15 each year.
Alexander also endorsed a budget bill provision that gives the University of South Florida-Polytechnic priority to lease vacant land and buildings at the state’s former G. Pierce Wood mental hospital in DeSoto County. Alexander, a major advocate for USF-Poly in his home Polk County, denied Sunday he was positioning for a branch campus of the school, but instead is looking to help the school obtain new facilities at an underused site.
But the biggest move Sunday – the official end of the Medicaid rewrite — was in the makings for weeks.
Indeed, the Medicaid proposal was probably doomed when House leaders unveiled the plan with just a scheduled three weeks remaining in the legislative session. The Senate had already approved its own effort to overhaul Medicaid which, although dramatic, paled compared to the House approach.
Neither side worked toward a real consensus, but it wasn’t until Sunday that leaders took the idea off the table.
“You’ve got to start this type of thing early,” said Sen. Durell Peaden, the Senate’s Health and Human Services budget chief. “It’s going to take educating everybody up and down the state to work.”
by John Kennedy, The News Service Florida, for NorthEscambia.com
Weekend In Photos: Relay In Atmore, Century; Sawmill Day; Ernest Ward Sports; EREC
April 26, 2010
It was a busy weekend across North Escambia, and our NorthEscambia.com cameras were there, bringing you the photos from Relay for Life Events in Atmore and Century, Sawmill Day in Century, the Ernest Ward Middle Sports Banquet and the EREC Annual Meeting in Bratt.
For photos from the Century Relay for Life, click here.
For photos from the Atmore Relay for Life, click here.
For photos from Sawmill Day in Century, click here.
For photos from the EREC Annual Meeting in Bratt, click here.
For photos from the Ernest Ward Middle Sports Banquet, click here.
Pictured: In one of the most unique of our weekend photos, Paula Jernigan (top) and Nadine McCaw pose at the Century Relay for Life. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Century Wreck Claims One Life Sunday Afternoon
April 25, 2010
An elderly Century man was pronounced dead following a Sunday afternoon wreck in Century.
The accident happened about 3:20 p.m. at the intersection of North Century Boulevard and Henry Street. Cary Watkins, 83, was transported by LifeFlight to Jay Hospital where he pronounced dead at 4:25 p.m.
Authorities said it appeared Watkins suffered some sort of medical problem before prior to the accident.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Watkins was northbound on Highway 29 when he traveled to the outside edge of the roadway, struck the concrete curve and then traveled back across both the north and southbound lanes of the roadway. He traveled onto the grass shoulder at the northwest corner of Highway 29 and Henry Street where his 1995 Buick Park Avenue struck a palm tree and came to a final rest.
The accident completely blocked Highway 29 for about 30 minutes due to the helicopter landing.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Atmore Ambulance and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the call.
Pictured above: Cary Watkins, 83, of Century was flown to Jay Hospital by LifeFlight following a Sunday afternoon crash in Century. Pictured below: Watkins’ vehicle sustained only minor damage. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
James Edward Pugh
April 25, 2010
James Edward Pugh, age 68, passed away Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at his home. Mr. Pugh was a lifelong resident of Barrineau Park and a decorated Vietnam War Veteran.
Self employed as a farmer where he farmed hundreds of acres and he was also known as the “Hayman”. After that Mr. Pugh was an accomplished carpenter and cabinet builder before he was employed with Escambia County School District, where he was employed for 22 years. He retired from the Capital Improvement Shop as a Construction Mechanic II on July 5, 2002. Mr. Pugh welcomed everyone into his home and never met a stranger. He was loved by all, most of all he loved his family and would do anything to help anyone.
Preceding him in death was his father; Elvis B. Pugh, his mother; Mary Bell Pugh, his granddaughters; Shana Marie Sanders and Angel Pugh, his brother; Gillis Pugh and his brother-in-law; Ricky Robinson.
Survivors include his wife of 49 years; Anita Lynn Pugh, his sons; Keevan (Donna), Shannon (Leann) and Jack (Mellisa), his three granddaughters; Katie (Joe), Jennifer (Andy) and Skye Eller his brother; Arnold (Earlene), his sister-in-law; Jackie (D.L.), his great granddaughters; Taylor Bailey, Tabitha and Tatum Harris and Allyssa Simmons as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at Faith chapel Funeral Home North-Cantonment with Rev. Ed Cotten and Rev. Fred Stallworth officiating. Interment will follow at Oliver Pugh Cemetery.
Serving as pallbearers were Frankie Archer, Mike Barnes, Brad Bodree, Randy Henderson, Mark Seaman and George Whitehead.
Honorary pallbearers were Clarence Gulsby, Jackie McCaskill, Harvey Shelby and Lance Rawson.
Larry Etheridge Hamilton
April 25, 2010
Larry Etheridge Hamilton, age 66, passed away Thursday, April 22, 2010. He served his country for 4 years in the U.S. Navy and retired from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department.
Larry Hamilton is preceded in death by his mother, Florrie; father, Etheridge Hamilton and brother, Lester.
Larry Hamilton is survived by his wife, Barbara; his sister, Johnnie (Walt) Waters; brother, Harold (Joyce) Hamilton; step-daughter, Alise (Mike) Robinson and host of other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 PM on Sunday, April 25, 2010 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North-Cantonment with Rev. Jim Duck officiating. Interment will follow at Pensacola Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Saturday, April 24, 2010 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 pm.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 Highway 29 South is in charge of arrangements.
Century Area Fights Cancer With Relay For Life
April 25, 2010
Communities from across the area joined together Saturday and early Sunday morning for Century’s Relay for Life.
The event, which benefits the American Cancer Society, was held from noon Saturday until early Sunday morning at the Old Century High School gymnasium — forced indoors by Saturday’s stormy weather.
Click here for a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event.
“It is a community joining together for a common goal — celebrating life, remembering those lost to cancer and fighting back against the disease” Paula Jernigan, Century’s Relay chairperson, said.
During Saturday’s opening ceremony, Tri-City Ledger Publisher Joe Thomas (pictured) spoke about his battle with prostate cancer during the past year — and his victory over the disease due to early intervention and technology made possible in part by the American Cancer Society.
Participating teams included the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society, Tina’s Journey, The Mud Bugs, Ernest Ward Middle School, Emerald Coast Hospice, Byrneville Elementary School, Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church, Century Correctional Institution, Students Stomping and the Century Library.
Pictured top: The Century Relay for Life gets underway Saturday afternoon with a Survivors Lap at the old Century High School. Pictured inset: Tri-City Ledger Publisher Joe Thomas speaks about his battle with prostate cancer. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Atmore Holds Relay For Life
April 25, 2010
Rain forced the Atmore Relay for Life indoors this year but did not dampen the spirit of those working to fight cancer.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
Teams participating in the 2010 Atmore Relay for Life included Atmore Community Hospital, Atmore First Assembly, Atmore News, Atmore Nursing Care Center, Elaine’s Team, First National Bank & Trust, Gulf Winds, Liberty Belle’s, Masland Carpet, Poarch Creek Indians, Team Hope, United Bank, Walgreens and Winn Dixie.
The fund raising goal for this year’s Atmore Relay for Life was $65,000, with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.
Pictured above and below: The Atmore Relay for Life was forced indoors Saturday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
