Grand Opening Held For New Molino Community Complex (With Gallery)
October 18, 2012
The grand opening of the new Molino Community Complex was held Wednesday morning.
The project included the conversion of the old Molino School in to a library, community center and museum. There was also a new 7,000 square foot facility constructed for the tax collector and property appraiser. The project was funded by local option sales tax monies.
“It’s a joyful day; it’s just wonderful,” said Lil King, a longtime proponent for the project and a former Molino School student.
- For a photo gallery from Wednesday’s ribbon cutting, click here.
- For a photo tour of the old Molino School, click here.
During the ceremony, Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley presented a $500 check to the Friends of the Library specifically for use at the Molino Branch Library.
Despite Wednesday morning’s ribbon cutting, the library, community center and museum are not yet complete and open. The tax collector and property appraisers offices have been open since July.
Librarian Pat Rigel said the library could open as soon as December.
Pictured: The grand opening of the new Molino Community Complex was held Wednesday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Frontier, Verizon Customers Report Widespread Telephone Outages
October 18, 2012
There was no immediate word Wednesday night on the cause of communications problems in the North Escambia area that left many residents unable to make or receive phone calls.
Frontier Communications customers from Molino north through Walnut Hill and Atmore into Monroe County, Ala., reported that they were unable to make phone calls outside of Frontier exchanges and unable to receive phone calls from non-Frontier customers. Numerous Verizon Wireless customers also reported problems making and receiving calls or text messages, particularly in the Molino area.
In previous similar Frontier outages, residents also reported that they were unable to call 911. However, test calls made Wednesday night from Walnut Hill confirmed that Frontier customers were able to reach 911 emergency services in Escambia County.
Front Brings Lows In Down Into The 40’s; Nice Day Out Of School Friday
October 18, 2012
A cold front is bringing overnight lows into the 40’s the next few nights, and sunny skies. Friday — a student holiday with no school in Escambia County (Fla.) — looks to be sunny and mild.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Becoming mostly clear, with a low around 47. Northwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 45. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 77. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. Calm wind.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 83. East wind around 5 mph.
- Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 82.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 82.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.
Poarch Creeks Halt $246 Million Wetumpka Casino Construction
October 18, 2012
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians are halting the $246 million expansion of a casino and 20-story hotel in Wetumpka, Ala., in order to continue discussions with the Muscogee Creek Indians who say the site is desecrating sacred grounds.
Muscogee Principal Chief George Tiger and Poarch Chairman Buford L. Rolin and other Poarch representatives met to discuss the adversarial relationship between the two nations over the Atmore-based tribe’s ongoing construction of the Wind Creek Casino Wetumpka.
“As ongoing discussions between the Muscogee Creek Nation and the Poarch Band continue, construction will not proceed until further notice,” the Muscogee Nation said in a press release. The Poarch Creeks will remove construction personnel, park equipment and take measures to ensure the safety of the site.
The Muscogee tribe from Oklahoma calls the site “Hickory Ground” and considers it sacred because it was used as a burial ground, a ceremonial site and was also the last home of the Muscogee Creek National prior to the tribe being removed in the 1830’s.
Facilities Receiving Recalled NECC Medications Named, Included Facilities In Pensacola, Atmore
October 18, 2012
As the investigation into the fungal meningitis outbreak linked to contaminated New England Compounding Center (NECC) products has progressed, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has provided an updated list of all health care facilities nationwide that have received NECC products.
The list also includes the facilities previously identified as receiving spinal medications.
- Andrews Institute, Gulf Breeze
- Baptist Hospital, Pensacola
- Baptist Hospital Cardiology, Pensacola
- Interventional Rehab Center, Pensacola
- Pain Consultants Of West Florida, Pensacola
- Retina Specialty Institute, Pensacola
- West Florida Hospital, Pensacola
Baptist Health Care said Tuesday evening that their facilities have not administered the NECC steroid injections at any of its locations.
“Three BHC facilities have used other NECC produced medications. These medications have not been associated with the outbreak, but in an abundance of caution, we are following the Food and Drug Administration’s recommendation to alert all patients who received an NECC medication,” Baptist said in a news release.
Baptist Hospital use is limited to some heart catheterizations, stress tests and heart surgeries. Andrews Institute Ambulatory Surgery Center use is limited to local anesthesia used in pain management and retina procedures. Atmore Community Hospital use is limited to a small number of stress tests.
All Baptist patients that received NECC medications are being contacted. Baptist patients can call (850) 437-8500 from 8:30 until 5 p.m. for more information.
Strength Team Delivers Strong Message
October 18, 2012
With feats like ripping a phone book in half,, crushing concrete and bending steel, the Strength Team brought their strong inspirational messages to Highland Baptist Church and Molino Park Elementary School Wednesday.
At Molino Park, the Strength Team delivered a motivational message, addressing how students can work hard toward obtaining their goals and dreams through education and hard work.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The leader and founder of The Strength Team, Mike Hagen, has dedicated over 20 years of his life to this kind of work. He has spoken to hundreds of thousands of people and performed at thousands of school and church assemblies. He has been featured on CNN, ESPN, and the popular television show “Walker Texas Ranger” with Chuck Norris.
Pictured: The Strength Team Wednesday at Highland Baptist Church and Molino Park Elementary School. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Another Case Of Meningitis Linked to Escambia County Clinic
October 18, 2012
Another case of fungal meningitis associated with contaminated steroid injections from Pain Consultants of West Florida in Escambia County was confirmed Wednesday by the Florida Department of Health.
The latest patient, a 28-year old woman in Escambia County, is the 13th case in Florida. Two other patients of the Davis Highway clinic — a 78-year old man and a 47-year old man — were previously diagnosed with fungal meningitis.
In all, three patients in Florida have died from fungal meningitis.
“One death is too many. We extend our condolences to his family and loved ones during this challenging time,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. “We remain focused on contacting all patients who may have received contaminated NECC steroid injections to ensure that they receive appropriate medical attention.”
All contaminated lots of NECC steroid injections in Florida have been returned in accordance with FDA recall procedures.
Nelson, Mack Bicker At Debate
October 18, 2012
The sole debate between Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and his Republican challenger, Congressman Connie Mack, turned into a sharp and squabbling affair almost from the start and rarely let up.
The back-and-forth, held Wednesday evening at Nova Southeastern University, took on a tough tone as soon as Mack began his opening statement by highlighting Nelson’s vote for President Barack Obama’s health-care overhaul and what Mack said were 150 votes for tax increases — a figure that’s been disputed by independent fact-checkers.
Nelson responded by starting out his evening calling his opponent a liar.
“I’m looking forward to pointing out what the truth is, because everything that the congressman has just said is not true,” he said.
The discussion largely followed those outlines for the next hour.
“I’m not going to let you get away with this,” Nelson said after Mack accused him of hacking away at Medicare Advantage, which allows private insurers to cover some Medicare patients.
“You’ve just painted this picture that doesn’t exist,” Mack retorted after Nelson said the economy was slowly improving. “I’m not sure which Florida you’re talking about.”
Mack tore into Nelson for his support of “Obamacare” — arguing it constitutes a raid on Medicare — and taxes. Mack repeatedly said the senator had voted with Obama 98 percent of the time.
“Is that the only line that you have memorized?” Nelson shot back once, drawing laughter from the crowd.
But Nelson also threw out his own share of barbs, citing Mack’s votes on women’s issues and the congressman’s support of the Ryan plan to overhaul Medicare by essentially turning it into a voucher program. Nelson also hammered Mack for his attendance.
“And when you show up, it’s even worse because you try to take out Medicare and Social Security,” Nelson said.
Mack swept the charges aside, repeatedly asserting that Nelson was exaggerating or lying about Mack’s voting.
“Senator, you need to do a better job of explaining your own record, because you’re really messing up my record,” he said. “Apparently, you’re looking at somebody else.”
Little changed after the debate, with Nelson telling reporters that he saw a profound difference between the congressman’s father, a Republican senator who worked with Democrats, and the son.
“It’s extremism in the raw, and fortunately that’s not where Florida is,” Nelson said.
Mack bristled at the extremism charge, even when reporters asked him about it without noting the barb about the elder Mack.
“I think this is an example of a desperate candidate who is willing to say and do anything to try to keep his job,” the younger Mack said.
Supporters of Nelson and Mack each said the other candidate had started the attacks and that their preferred candidate was simply trying to keep up.
“Connie Mack is well behind in the polls, so he obviously had to swing for the fences,” said former Democratic state Sen. Dan Gelber. “And he obviously swung wildly, and I believe in total disregard for the truth. And that set the tone.”
What was less certain was whether the evening would have any effect on voters, perhaps turning them off with the negativity.
“That’s modern politics,” said outgoing Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, a Haridopolos supporter.
By The News Service of Florida
Bratt Fall Festival This Afternoon
October 18, 2012
The annual Bratt Elementary School Fall Festival will be held today from 3:30 until 6:30 at the school on North Highway 99. There will be local vendors, food, fun and games for all ages.
Ernest Ward Football Schedule Updated Beginning Tonight
October 18, 2012
There has been a change in Ernest Ward Middle School’s football schedule with tonight’s game moved home and new game moved next week.
Ernest Ward was scheduled to travel to Elberta, Ala., tonight. But instead, the Eagles will be at home in Walnut Hill against Escambia Academy at 6:00. A new final game of the season has been added for next 6:00 Tuesday night at Escambia Academy.