Earthquake Just Off Coast
February 18, 2011
A 3.5 magnitude earthquake was reported off the coast of Baldwin County Friday evening.
The earthquake, confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey, was centered less than 10 miles off the coast in the Gulf of Mexico at 5:15 p.m. The quake center was about 35 miles from Mobile, 40 miles from Pensacola, or about 48 miles from Molino.
According to reports to the USGS, the quake was felt not only in nearby locations like Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, but also Mobile, Pensacola and McDavid.
It was at a depth of about 3.1 miles. According to the USGS, a minor earthquake of 3.5 is often felt but rarely causes damage.
No damage was immediately reported from Friday’s quake off Baldwin County.
Pictured: This map from the U.S. Geological Survey shows the center of Friday’s earthquake.
Fire Damages Bulldozer
February 18, 2011
Fire damaged a bulldozer Friday afternoon at a work site in Walnut Hill. The fire, which was reported about 3:30, was out before the first firefighters arrived on scene. There were no injuries reported.
An excavator burned at the same location at the intersection of South Highway 99 and Tungoil Road Monday morning.
The Walnut Hill and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to Friday afternoon’s blaze.
Pictured top: The reported bulldozer fire was out before firefighters arrived. Pictured inset: Firefighters wet down the bulldozer to ensure the fire was out. Note: The smoke seen in both photos above is from a pile of brush behind the bulldozer. Pictured below: An excavator burns at the same work site Monday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Feinburg Takes Heat From Florida Business
February 18, 2011
usiness owners affected by the BP spill continued to vent to lawmakers on Friday about not having been paid quickly enough and getting little feedback on why some claims are denied.
BP claims overseer Ken Feinberg answered a call to appear before the House Economic Affairs Committee, and while acknowledging some problems exist he said the reimbursement process is working. It has been slowed by the sheer volume of claims, now exceeding 500,000, which have flooded into claims offices throughout the Gulf region, he said. To date, Feinberg said the Gulf Coast Claims Facility has paid more than $3.5 billion in claims, including $1.3 billion in Florida.
“We’re doing something right,” Feinberg said. “I believe that there is no comparison between the Gulf Coast Claims Facility and BP, which came before.” Before the federal office was set up to handle the money that BP paid to reimburse those who lost business because of the spill, the oil giant itself handled the claims.
Feinberg told lawmakers that formal rules would be released later in the day to address many concerns about a lack of transparency in the process but some business owners who also came before the committee said they don’t believe Feinberg because they’ve heard similar assurances before and are still waiting to get paid.
Feinberg, appointed by President Barack Obama to make payments to thousands of individuals and businesses affected by the spill, has been the target of increasing criticism by hotel owners, commercial fishers and other tourism-reliant businesses affected by the April 20 explosion and subsequent spill from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig.
“The perception is that the current process is broken,” said Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Fort Myers. “And to the people who have not been paid at all or who have been denied without explanation, many of whom are in the audience today, it is not a perception. It is a reality.”
The biggest problem, Feinberg contended, remains that many of the claims have been “woefully lacking” in corroborating information. More than 50,000 claims for interim and final payments, for example, have come in with no documentation at all.
“I’m not trying to hold back money,” Feinberg said. “I just want to make sure the claimant has the information needed to justify the claim.”
To speed up the process, Feinberg said he would be dispatching more accountants to the local claims centers. The new rules will also spell out in more detail the information needed to process claims.
Feinberg met Thursday with Gov. Rick Scott and Friday morning with Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Feinberg also met Thursday evening with Rep. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, who said Feinberg told him to “back off” his criticism of the GCCF, a request Broxson said he could not fulfill.
“I told him I’ll continue to represent my constituents,” Broxson said Friday.
Friday’s meeting was attended by dozens of hotel owners who said the claims process has been completely unresponsive to the losses incurred at their hotels, many of which are now in foreclosure.
“The spill has cost our industry hundreds of millions of dollars.” said Nash Patel, a hotel owner from Pensacola. “We are still waiting.”
Angered over Feinberg’s comments Friday, Patel and some others walked out of the meeting.
Speaking to reporters, Art Rocker, a representative of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, said the civil rights group, with Fienberg’s blessing, enlisted the help of 400 pastors along the Gulf coast and collected claims from 15,000 residents whose losses have yet to be paid.
“These are real people we’re talking about here,” Rocker said. “They’re poor people. They’re the ones who clean the rooms and who fish in the Gulf to feed their families and make a little extra.”
By Michael Peltier
The News Service Florida
Escambia Approves Student Drug Testing
February 18, 2011
Escambia County middle and high school students who participate in extracurricular activities, athletics or drive onto campus will be subject to random drug tests beginning next school year.
The Escambia County School Board unanimously approved the new random drug testing policy at a special meeting Thursday night. Parents will be required to sign a permission form to allow their child to be tested. Without consent from parents, students will not be allowed to participate in the activity or drive onto campus.
Several parents spoke out against the policy during the public forum, including Kathy Fellgren, parent of a 14-year old student.
“This policy bothers me a lot,” she said. “She’s an excellent student. She would be mortified to be randomly called out of class and told she had to go pee in a cup…Why are your putting on the backs of kids that are good?”
District 5 board member Bill Slayton made a motion to amend the policy to test only high school students, expressing concerns that many middle schoolers would not be comfortable or understand the testing.
Ernest Ward Middle School Principal Nancy Perry spoke out in favor of the drug testing policy, including at the middle school level. “Middle school is the time of experimentation. Middle school is the time that peers influence peers,” she said.
Slayton’s motion failed 1-4, as he cast the only vote in favor of skipping testing for middle school students.
Others expressed more technical and logistic concerns over the testing, including Susan Watson, local ACLU representative. She likened the random drug tests to “government bullying”, and also expressed concern that common medications or foods could cause false positives, potentially damaging the reputation of a middle or high school student.
Board member Gerald Boone said he supported the policy, but felt reservations about taking on what he called a parenting role. “I don’t really want to take the role of the parent. I just wish that there was more parenting out there, and there’s not in this day and time,” he said.
The school board will next review the policy and its procedures for it is implemented in August with a committee of parents, officials and students.
As the policy currently stands, students that participate in athletics, extracurricular activities or park on campus would be subject to the random urine tests. A signed parental consent form would be valid during the entire school year, not just for the duration of the athletic season or extracurricular activity period.
Students whose parents do not consent to the tests would not be allowed to participate in the activities — including any practice, tryout, rehearsal or even sit with the team, club or organization at a game or pep rally.
The drug tests will be conducted by the school health nurse or technician under the plan. If there is a positive result, the student would be required to take a follow-up drug test at a District-approved licensed laboratory within 24 hours. Failure to take the follow-up test would be considered a positive result, according to the proposed plan.
If a student refuses to participate in a random drug test, it will be considered a positive result.
A positive result would result in the student being removed from all extracurricular and athletic activities, including practices, for at least 30 days and would be suspended from driving on the school campus. The student would be referred to a District-approved drug assessment and rehabilitation program.
A student with a positive drug test result would be required to pass a second drug test before participation in future activities at the expense of their parents. They would be subject to additional random drug tests, and they would remain on probation for the rest of their school years in the Escambia County School District. The student would not be allowed to return to any leadership position — such as captain of a squad, club officer or class officer — for the remainder of the school year.
A second positive result would prohibit a student from participation in all athletics and extracurricular activities and from driving on campus for one full calendar year.
Pictured top inset: Ernest Ward Middle School Principal Nancy Perry addresses the Escambia County School Board Thursday night. Pictured middle inset: Board member Gerald Boone. Photos courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
More Fog Tonight; Sunny And 78 Saturday
February 18, 2011
We are expecting more fog tonight and into Saturday morning. After the fog clears, Saturday will be near perfect, with sunny skies and a high near 78.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Patchy dense fog after 9 pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: Areas of dense fog before 10 am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
- Saturday Night: Patchy dense fog after 9 pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 48. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Sunday: Areas of dense fog before 10 am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph.
- Sunday Night: Patchy dense fog after 9 pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Washington’s Birthday: Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming south between 10 and 15 mph.
- Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. South wind around 10 mph becoming northwest.
- Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. North wind between 10 and 15 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.
- Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 71.
- Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74.
Molino Man Fined, License Suspended For Bicyclist’s Death
February 18, 2011
A Molino man’s driver’s license has been suspended and he has been fined in connection with the death of cross country bicyclist last year.
Eddie Hogg, 41, pleaded no contest and was subsequently found guilty on a careless driving charge. He had his driver’s license suspended for six months and was fined $1,160 by Judge Thomas Welch on the civil citation.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Roger W. Grooters, 66, of Gulf Breeze was riding his bicycle on the shoulder of State Road 20 in Bay County about 8:55 a.m. October 6, 2010. Hogg, 41, of Molino, traveled onto the shoulder of the roadway in his 2006 Chevrolet pickup where he hit the bicyclist, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Grooters was ejected from the bicycle and came to rest on the shoulder of the road where he was pronounced dead by Washington County EMS. He was on the final leg of a bicycle journey from Oceanside, California, to Jacksonville, Florida, to raise awareness of the plight of oil spill victims.
Three Students Facing Felony Charges After Fight, Deputy Punched
February 18, 2011
Three Northview High School students are facing felony charges following a fight in which a deputy was allegedly punched Thursday morning in a school hallway.
Isaac Sheldon Moorer, 16, of Juniper Street, Walnut Hill was charged with felony battery on a law enforcement officer. Marquis Taurus Davis, 14, and Christopher Benard Staten, 17, of Allen Circle, Molino, were each charged with felony affray/riot and misdemeanor resisting without violence.
According to Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest reports, the school’s resource officer was in the main hallway when he noticed Staten and Davis fighting near the cafeteria. Deputy James Moretz and the school’s dean attempted to break up the fight when Moorer approached and started punching Staten. Moorer also punched the deputy in the head, according to the report, knocking off his glasses.
Moretz removed the chemical pepper spray from his belt, ordering Moorer to stop, according to the report. When Moorer lunged in his direction again, the deputy attempted to spray him, but the pepper spray can did not activate.
The deputy and the three juveniles involved in the fight were not injured, other than a minor injury treated at the school to Staten’s hand.
Editor’s note: Under Florida law, the identity of a juvenile charged with a felony is public record.
EMWS Drama Students Awarded At State
February 18, 2011
Three Ernest Ward Middle School Drama Department students performed at the Florida State Junior Thespian Festival in Melbourne last week.
Katelyn Born, Megan Bryan and Morgan Packer each received an “Excellence” rating and a medal at the competition with about 120 schools and almost 2,000 in attendance.
“It is quite an accomplishment to place at state, so we are extremely proud of these girls,” said Katie Ward, Ernest Ward drama instructor.
Pictured: Ernest Ward Middle School drama students (L-R) Megan Bryan, Morgan Parker and Katelyn Born. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Drug Awareness Program Tonight In Cottage Hill
February 18, 2011
Residents of the Cottage Hill community will come together Friday night to learn about battling drugs and crime in their neighborhood.
The “Drug Awareness” program will be held at 6:30 Friday evening, February 18 at the Cottage Hill Baptist Church at 230 Williams Ditch Road.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Delarian Wiggins will present information on a community “Clean Sweep” that will be held on March 24, how to form a neighborhood watch and information on making the community safer while decreasing crime.
The public is invited to attend.
Florida Medicaid Plan: Fewer Choices, HMO-like Plans
February 18, 2011
In a proposal that would make sweeping changes to the state’s Medicaid program, lawmakers Thursday released a bill to move millions of low-income Floridians to HMO-style health plans and put limits on how much the state will spend on the health care program.
Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, the chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, had hinted at parts of a comprehensive overall plan two days ago, but did not release the more than 200-page bill until Thursday morning. The crux of the proposal is a plan to carve the state into 19 regions and push the majority of Medicaid recipients into HMOs or other managed care plans beginning in December 2011.
Negron believes the plan will save the state $4.3 billion over three years, but it will only work if the federal government first gives the state the OK. If federal officials do not, then Negron has proposed that the state run its Medicaid program without Washington’s rules – and without its help – meaning the state would lose billions of dollars to pay the health care costs of the poor.
Negron said he believes the federal government will accept the state’s plan and would give the government from August 2011 to December 2011 to approve Florida’s reforms.
“They would have to make a decision of going from being a partner to being a bully and I don’t think they’re going to do that,” he said.
But the idea alone of retreating from the federal money has rankled some lawmakers, including House Speaker Dean Cannon who told the Florida Tribune that the Senate’s proposal could be a “hazardous threat” that could jeopardize negotiations with the Obama administration.
Democratic leaders too appeared wary of saying farewell to what Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich estimated could be up to $12 billion per year in federal funds.
“Unlike you,” Rich said to Negron during a hearing on the bill, “I feel there would be a crisis in this state if we were not part of the federal Medicaid program.”
The overall proposal contains many smaller additions that may or may not make the final product when the House and Senate work out the differences between their proposals. The House has not yet released a bill on Medicaid reform.
Among the other changes is reducing the amount of money that covers services to senior citizens with high medical expenses, but don’t qualify for Medicaid; creating restrictions on the use of psychotropic drugs for children; and extending lawsuit limits to better protect doctors from legal action.
By Kathleen Haughney
The News Service of Florida