PNJ Columnist Mark O’Brien Part Of Gannett Layoffs
June 22, 2011
Popular longtime Pensacola News Journal columnist Mark O’Brien was laid off Tuesday.
About 700 employees were laid off nationwide Tuesday by Gannett Co., the parent company of the PNJ. The Pensacola News Journal reported Wednesday morning that five of their staffers lost their jobs Tuesday.
O’Brien, who once wrote in his column “for news north of Nine Mile Road, www.northescambia.com is must-reading”, had been at the PNJ for about 20 years.
“Don’t weep for me, Pensacola. I just took a dip in the swimming pool and now am open to a new career,” O’Brien wrote Tuesday afternoon on his Facebook page. “Any ideas? markobrien5001@gmail.com”
Two K-9’s Purchased With Community Donations
June 22, 2011
Residents and businesses in Santa Rosa County have stepped up and help their Sheriff’s Office purchase two near K-9’s. In late March, NortheEscambia.com and other media outlets published a request from the Sheriff’s Office for help in replacing aging K-9’s.
“The community participation was astounding,” said Sgt. Scott Haines, public information officer. Donations totaled about $31,000 in just six weeks.
Two K-9’s were purchased to replace “Gero” and “Banja”. Gero” suffered a career ending injury in March that required him to be retired at nine years old. “Banja” was required to be retired for health related issues at eight years old.
The new K-9’s are:
“Rocky” (assigned to Deputy Roman Jackson) replaced K-9 “Banja”
“Rocky” is a three-year old Belgian Malinois. Rocky is “titled”, meaning he has had extensive training prior to coming to the SRSO. Rocky was imported to the United States from Belgium. Prior to coming to the SRSO, Rocky was a police service dog in Kure Beach, North Carolina. He was also certified in patrol work, narcotics, and tracking by the United States Police Canine Association. Rocky was the 2010 Region 2 USPCA Champion.
“Kaz” (assigned to Deputy Andy Magdalany) replaced K9 “Gero”
“Kaz” is a 14-month old German Shepherd. Kaz was imported from Belgium. He is considered a “green” dog with no prior training, but has all of the genetic “drives” or superb qualities to be an excellent candidate for police work, according to the SRSO.
Both dogs are taking the 400 hour FDLE K-9 course to become ready to patrol the streets of Santa Rosa County.
Two Forestry Firefighters Killed
June 22, 2011
Two Division of Forestry firefighters were killed on Monday while fighting the Blue Ribbon Fire in Hamilton County, the Department of Agriculture said.
Forest Rangers Josh Burch of Lake City and Brett Fulton of White Springs were killed Monday while battling the blaze — the first Florida firefighters in 26 years to be overcome while battling a wildfire.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of the two courageous men who sacrificed their lives for the safety of others,” said Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. “We can rebuild the structures and restore the land, but the lives of these two heroes can never be replaced.”
Two other Forestry firefighters were injured fighting the blaze, which started last week. According to the Division of Forestry, more than 200,000 acres across the state have burned this year, making it already one of the busiest wildfire seasons in years.
State May Begin Self-Insuring Workers In HMOs
June 22, 2011
Looking at potentially tens of millions of dollars in savings, Florida lawmakers this week could move toward restructuring part of the health insurance program for state employees.
A joint House and Senate budget committee Friday will consider setting aside more than $19 million that could be used to begin self-insuring HMO coverage. That amount would be a down payment toward what could turn into far-larger savings.
Under the concept, the state would take on the financial risks of insuring workers, while contracting with HMOs to administer many of the day-to-day operations of the program. Currently, HMOs get paid to take on the financial risks, along with handling the operations.
The key: A consultants’ report early this year said the state could save as much as $109 million over a two-year period by self-insuring. It said the move would reduce HMO costs built into the current system and also give the state more flexibility in running the program.
“The state group insurance program insures a large and stable workforce with relatively predictable expenses,” John P. “Jack” Miles, secretary of the state Department of Management Services, said in a letter to legislative leaders early this year after the report was finished. “As such, self-insuring appears to be a sensible solution to manage the cost of providing health care to our employees.”
The joint Legislative Budget Commission will take up the issue Friday, as it considers a proposal to set aside $19.7 million in reserves.
If okayed by the LBC, the ultimate decision about whether to self-insure would depend on the result of negotiations between the Department of Management Services and HMO contractors, and the savings those talks produce.
House Appropriations Chairwoman Denise Grimsley, a Sebring Republican who also chairs the Legislative Budget Commission, said in an e-mail that the proposal is “predicated on the assurance of ultimate savings, a concept which I support.”
Of the $19.7 million, all but about $600,000 is estimated to be needed to pay HMO contractors, which would do such things as handle claims and oversee provider networks. The move to self-insurance could occur in 2012.
Michael Garner, president of the Florida Association of Health Plans, said his HMO industry group has not taken a position on self-insuring the program. He said the group has members with different stances on the issue.
The concept of self-insuring is nothing new: The state insurance system offers HMO and preferred-provider organization coverage to workers and has long self-insured the PPO portion. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida has a contract to administer the PPO plan.
Also, similar self-insurance plans are relatively common for large private corporations.
A potential downside to self-insuring is that the state would be liable for large, unexpected health costs. But Buck Consultants, which helped put together the report that went to legislative leaders early this year, said the benefits of self-insuring far outweigh potential costs.
“For a group the size of the state of Florida Employee Group Health Insurance Plan, there is no compelling financial advantage to maintaining fully insured HMO plans,” the consultants wrote.
By Jim Saunders
The News Service of Florida
Becky Odom Spears
June 22, 2011
Mrs. Becky Odom Spears, 45, passed away on Monday, June 20, 2011, at a local hospital.
Mrs. Spears was a native of Fortuna, CA, a resident of Flomaton for the past 41 years, and attended the Baptist church. She was preceded in death by her father, Sylvester Odom and her mother, Sybil Barnes.
Survivors include her husband, James Spears of Flomaton; two sons, Jimbo and Carleen Spears of Flomaton and Lucas Spears of Flomaton; a granddaughter, Carlisa Spears; her stepmother, Sandy Odom of Flomaton; a brother, Cory Odom of Brewton; and five sisters, Joyce Ann Petty of Atmore, Mary Odom McKee of Meridian, Piper McKee of CA, Cindy Odom Gordon of Flomaton, and Debbie Cash of Flomaton.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 23, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Doug Hogg officiating.
Burial will follow at Emmons Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, June 22, 2011, from 6-9 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home in Atmore.
Pallbearers will be Ricky Grissett, Kevin Grissett, Robert Grissett, Jason Spears, Josh Spears and Brandon Hammonds.
Internet Outage For Frontier DSL, Dialup Customers
June 21, 2011
Frontier Communications DSL and dialup customers in the Walnut Hill, Bratt, Molino and Atmore areas were without internet service for about five hours today.
The outage appeared to be a problem with one of the companies that provides the internet connection to Frontier, not an actual Frontier problem, according to Stephanie Schifano, a corporate spokesperson for Frontier.
The outage began about 2 p.m. and was restored by just after 7 p.m.
Expert: McDavid Mystery Steamboat Appears To Be From 1800’s
June 21, 2011
We are learning a little more about the possible steamboat pulled from the Escambia River near McDavid over the weekend.
“It does look like a late 1800’s steam launch,” Dr. Della Scott-Ireton, director of the Northwest Region of the Florida Public Archaeology Network said after viewing the photographs on NorthEscambia.com. (Click here for our weekend story.)
She said it appears to have a been a screw-driven vessel, powered by steam, not a paddle-wheel boat, as evidenced by the photos. For a photo gallery from the discovery, click here.
“This appears to be a locally significant find,” she said. “We don’t have preserved examples of these in Florida, but we know they existed from photographs in the state archives.” None of those photographs are of steam launches on the Escambia or other rivers in the area.
Archeologists were make plans Monday to document and preserve the vessel that now sits on a sandbar near a McDavid boat launch. The vessel was discovered and pulled from the river Saturday by a local family — a move Scott-Ireton advises against.
“If you find something, let the experts document it,” she said, adding that removing historical artifacts from Florida’s rivers may be a felony despite good intentions. However, no one is expected to face any charges whatsoever in connection with the McDavid find.
The boat has since been returned to the water awaiting investigation by archeologists.
Pictured top: A hole for a steam-powered screw can been seen in this photo. Pictured inset: Another look at the vessel. (NorthEscambia.com photos.)/ Pictured below: Examples of other steam launches in Florida — the first photo show a typical steam launch in the 1880’s in Tarpon Springs, Florida; the second photo shows the steam launch “Princess” between 1880 and 1890 on Rice Creek near Gainesville. (Courtesy the State Archives of Florida).
$2,700 Reward Offered For Info On Strangulation Of Pregnant Cow
June 21, 2011
A $2,700 reward is being offered by a national animal group for information that leads a conviction in the case of a pregnant cow found strangled to death last month in Enon.
The owner of the pet Jersey cow found the animal dead in a pasture just behind his house on Highway 97-A Memorial Day morning as he checked on his animals. Thin twine — often called grass string – had been tied several times around the cow’s neck and had apparently strangled the animal as it was dragged through the pasture. The cow was found on its side, with its head upside down and its horns pushed several inches into the dirt.
Authorities suspect the death could have results from a prank gone wrong since school was about to end and the cow’s owner is a school bus driver.
“Viciously killing a pregnant cow for an apparent prank is an inexcusably cruel crime and anyone who would do that can be capable of hurting people, too,” said Jennifer Hobgood, Florida state director for The Humane Society of the United States. “We hope our reward helps bring justice in this horrible case.”
For more photos, click here. (Warning: Some readers may find the photos disturbing.)
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the cow’s death. The Junior Humane Society/United Humanitarians is also offering a $200 reward.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Frank Way at (850) 256-6196.
Pictured: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office crime scene investigator photographs a pregnant cow that was apparently strangled to death in Enon. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photo, click to enlarge.
Man Says He Did Not ‘Steal’ Century Church
June 21, 2011
A Pensacola man accused of “stealing” a Century church says he’s not guilty.
John D. Young, 72, was arrested last month for grand theft for allegedly signing a Century church property over to a Flomaton woman when he was not authorized to do so. During an arraignment hearing before Judge Terry Terrell, Young pleaded not guilty to the charge against him. He is scheduled to be back in court in late September.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, Young signed the property over to Taryn Wright with a quit-claim deed on the small, 1,500 square foot church located at 401 Hecker Road in Century. Young signed the documents while acting as the bishop of the Northwest Florida Jurisdiction Church of God In Christ, Inc., but investigators said Young knew he was no longer the organization’s bishop and could not act on their behalf.
Young was appointed bishop of the Northwest Florida Jurisdiction of Church of God in Christ, Inc,. in 1996 and resigned in 2008, according to the arrest report. In February 2009, a letter was sent to Young confirming the unanimous acceptance of his resignation by the church board. In July 2009, Young was removed from the corporations records with the Florida Department of State. He signed the property over to Wright as “Bishop Young of Northwest Florida Jurisdiction of God In Christ, Inc.” in May 2010.
Willie Green, the current bishop of the church, told Sheriff’s investigators that he tried unsuccessfully to resolve the issue with Young. Green said he then tried to rent the church to Wright but failed and then asked her to vacate the property.
According to Escambia County Property Appraiser records, the church property is valued at $14,253.
Summer Weather: Three Month Outlook
June 21, 2011
Today is the first day of summer. The long term temperature forecast for the summer calls for above normal temperatures and normal precipitation. Overall, forecasters are calling for some improvement from our extreme drought over the next three months, but dry conditions will continue.