Former Molino Resident Gindl Called Up To Milwaukee Brewers
June 15, 2013
Former Molino resident Caleb Gindl will make his Major League Baseball debut when he is called up today to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Friday, the Brewers placed Ryan Braun on the 15-day disabled list with a thumb injury. On Saturday, the Brewers will recall right fielder Gindl from the AAA Nashville Sounds.
So far this season, Gindl is batting .274 for the Sounds, has eight homers and 38 RBI’s. He has batted .364 during his last 10 games.
Gindl, 24, was a fifth-round draft pick for the Brewers out of Pace High School in 2007.
Football, Cheerleading Registrations Continue For NWE, Jay, Cantonment, Flomaton
June 15, 2013
Youth football and cheerleading registrations are continuing for Northwest Escambia, Cantonment, Jay and Flomaton.
Northwest Escambia Football and Cheerleading
Registration for Northwest Escambia Football and Cheerleading will be held every Saturday until July 27 at Ernest Ward Middle School and at Nadine McCall Park in Century at the corner of Hecker Road and North Century Blvd.Registration is $75 for football, plus jersey and trophy. Cheerleading fee is $35, plus uniform cost. For more information, call Greg Gibson at (850) 449-3185 .
Cantonment Cowboys Football and Cheerleading
Registration for Cantonment Cowboys football and cheerleading will be held on Saturdays through July 27 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Cantonment Football Field off Well Line Road. Cheerleaders should register by June 20th for certification purposes. Register online anytime at www.cantonmentcowboys.org/register/
Jay Junior League
The Jay Junior League will hold football and cheerleading signups every Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. through June 25, and every Saturday, June 1 – July 20 from 9 a.m. until noon at Bray-Hendricks City Park. Registration fee is $60. For more information, call (850) 529-7614 or (850) 529-9870.
Flomaton Youth Football and Cheerleading
Flomaton Youth Football and Cheerleading registration will be Saturdays until June 22 from 9-11 a.m. at Hurricane Park. The football fee is $50. One-half the cheerleading fee, $125, is due at signup for uniforms. Fund raisers will be held to help cover the remainder of the cheerleading fee. June 22 is absolutely the last day of signup for cheerleaders.
Alabama Attorney Sentenced On Drug Charge
June 15, 2013
An Escambia County (AL) attorney has been sentenced on a drug charge.
Sara “Sally” Oswald Stoddard, 66, was arrested by the Brewton Police Department in April 2012 on charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and attempt to commit a controlled substance crime.
She pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession charge was sentenced to five years in prison. The sentence was suspended by Judge Bradley Byrne, and she was placed on three years probation. Her license to practice law in Alabama was previously suspended.
Stoddard was accused of trading legal services for narcotics.
According to court records, Stoddard was arrested on similar controlled substance charges in Evergreen, Ala., in 2003. Those charges were later dismissed.
Stoddard later filed suit against then-Conecuh County Sheriff Tracy Hawsey and a deputy sheriff for $500,000 in punitive damages and $4,000,000 in compensatory damages. That case case was later dismissed.
Florida Medicaid Managed Care Gets Final Approval
June 15, 2013
The federal government gave final approval Friday to Florida’s long-debated proposal to overhaul the Medicaid system by requiring beneficiaries statewide to enroll in HMOs and other types of managed-care plans.
The decision was not a surprise: Federal officials signaled earlier this year that they would grant approval. Also, the Obama administration had already signed off on requiring managed care for tens of thousands of Florida seniors who need Medicaid-funded long-term care.
But Friday’s announcement was a victory for Gov. Rick Scott and Republican lawmakers who approved the proposal to move to statewide Medicaid managed care in 2011, amid controversy about whether the changes would best serve the needs of low-income Floridians.
Scott this year lobbied U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for approval and said the managed-care changes will lead to improved coordination of care for beneficiaries. Republicans also have argued that the changes will help control rising Medicaid costs.
The approval of what is known as a Medicaid “waiver” came in a letter from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which is part of Sebelius’ department.
擢lorida is leading the nation in improving cost, quality and access in the Medicaid program,” Scott said in a prepared statement. “CMS痴 final approval of our Medicaid managed care waiver is a huge win for Florida families because it will improve the coordination of care throughout the Medicaid system. Health-care providers can now more effectively manage chronic conditions and work with families to provide preventative treatments.”
Florida CHAIN, a patient-advocacy group that has been among the most-vocal critics of the managed-care requirement, issued a news release that said the federal government had included safeguards that will help protect beneficiaries. Among those safeguards: HMOs will have to spend at least 85 percent of the money they receive on patient care, a concept known in the insurance industry as a “medical loss ratio.”
But Florida CHAIN also said patients and advocates will have to remain “vigilant” and pointed, in part, to controversies about a Medicaid managed-care pilot program that began in 2006 and 2007 in Broward, Duval, Clay, Baker and Nassau counties.
泥espite these federal safeguards, the focus now shifts to the state and its efforts to implement this program that will affect access to care for millions of patients in all 67 counties,” Florida CHAIN’s statement said. “The countless reports of disrupted, delayed and denied care streaming in from the original five counties are still very fresh in the minds of all stakeholders.”
The state Agency for Health Care Administration said the plan approved Friday ultimately could affect 2.9 million people, with enrollment in managed-care plans tentatively scheduled to start in April 2014. The related move to enroll seniors in managed-care plans is slated to start this August in central Florida.
In the approval letter, federal officials also signed off on the continuation of a $1-billion-a-year program that helps hospitals and other providers care for uninsured and low-income people. That program, known as the Low Income Pool, is closely watched by the state’s hospital industry.
Along with people in the five pilot counties, hundreds of thousands of Medicaid beneficiaries already get care through HMOs. But others are part of a health-care payment system known as “fee for service” that critics have long derided as fragmented.
Scott and Republican lawmakers in 2011 approved making managed-care enrollment mandatory for almost all beneficiaries statewide and set up a process that involves HMOs and other types of plans, known as provider-service networks, competing for contracts in 11 different regions. The state needed federal approval before it could move forward with the changes, and the process crept slowly as AHCA and Obama administration officials negotiated details.
Even though final approval did not come until Friday, AHCA has already started the process of selecting managed-care plans to serve the 2.9 million people. It is expected to award contracts in September and has received proposals from about 20 managed-care plans, including major industry players such as Coventry Health Care of Florida, Humana Medical Plan, WellCare of Florida, Sunshine State Health Plan and UnitedHealthcare of Florida.
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Healthy Summer Series: Prepare Now For Hurricanes
June 15, 2013
Whether you’re new to Florida or a long time resident of the sunshine state, preparing for this hurricane season can be made simple with a few important steps.
Number One: Make a Plan, Just Make It!
This important step can save your family crucial time in the event of an emergency. With your family, create a Family Emergency Plan that includes:
- How you will communicate with each other if separated
- Who has specific care needs, like a grandparent or very young children
- What supplies, tools or equipment you and your family will need
- How will you meet your family’s power needs
- Where you will go if you are requested to evacuate
- And a plan for your pets
When it comes to hurricanes and tropical storms, does the area you live in experience storm-related flooding? If you lose power, will you still be able to use necessary medical equipment in your home that requires electricity? Take into consideration the potential challenges of communication, the possibility of an evacuation, and any health condition needs in your plan. Planning ahead will also give your kids a chance to feel included. Talk to them about their needs and concerns.
Number Two: Build an Emergency Supply Kit!
There are critical basic items all Emergency Supply Kits should include, yet make sure your kit meets your family’s particular needs. Having at least three days of drinking water and healthy, non-perishable foods for each person is vital, yet having additional medications, health supplies and documents, or a special toy or book can be very important to your family’s comfort during the days following an emergency. Purchasing a battery-operated, all-hazards weather radio to provide alerts and updates for your immediate area is a great way to stay informed. Monitor only trusted news outlets or official sources for information during any emergency.
Number Three: Know where to go!
If asked to evacuate from your home, you’ll need to know where you can go for safe shelter. Public Emergency Shelters will be announced if opened in your area. If you decide to stay in a hotel, does it allow pets? Research ahead so you will know for sure. Do you have friends or relatives you can stay with until it is safe to return home? If you have mobility or health-related challenges, each of Florida’s counties maintains a registry of persons who may need assistance. You can pre-register for assistance to ensure appropriate help will be on the way. Check with your county’s Emergency Management Office for instructions.
The Florida Department of Health has prepared the Florida Emergency Preparedness Guide, available in multiple languages and formats to all residents and visitors on www.floridashealth.com. The guide provides detailed information and health-related planning tools for individuals and families on preparing for hurricanes, tropical storms and other types of emergencies.
And, if you already have a plan and emergency supply kit, now is the perfect time to re-check and re-stock. Having a Family Emergency Plan, an Emergency Supply Kit and a pre-determined location to evacuate if needed can give you and your family confidence in an emergency situation. Knowing what to do, where to go, and what to have on hand for potential emergencies is an important part of living in Florida.
NorthEscambia.com’s “Healthy Summer Series”, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Health, will take a weekly look at issues aimed at keeping your Florida summer safe and healthy.
Northview Summer Ball Takes On Crestview, Baker
June 15, 2013
The heat took its toll on the Northview Chiefs Friday in summer baseball action. The combined A and B Northview teams lost to Crestview 9-5 and lost to Baker 12-2. The Chiefs will be in action again Saturday in Crestview. Photos by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Chief Deputy Aiken To Retire
June 15, 2013
Escambia County Chief Deputy Larry Aiken is retiring. His last day on the job will be June 28.
Aiken has a 35-year background in law enforcement, 31 years of which have been at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Prior to being named Chief Deputy in early 2010, he served as Commander of Administration under Sheriff David Morgan.
In December 2012, Aiken graduated from the FBI National Academy Program.
Previously he served as captain, assistant officer in charge of the Patrol Division. He has also been officer in charge of the Ensley Precinct, officer in charge of Special Operations and officer in charge of Special Investigations and assistant officer in charge of the Narcotics Unit. He also served as OIC of Internal Affairs and worked in Patrol as a shift lieutenant, K9 officer and patrol officer.
Pictured: Escambia County Chief Deputy Larry Aiken. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Free Performance Of ‘Oklahoma!’ Tonight In Pensacola
June 15, 2013
The Pyramid Players will present a free performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” tonight in Pensacola.
An art show and silent auction will precede the performance at 5:00, with a 7:00 curtain time at the Ashmore Theatre at the Pensacola State College Main Campus at 1000 College Boulevard.
Admission is free, but donations are accepted. The Pyramid Players is part of a non-profit organization that serves about 700 adults, many of which face severe developmental barriers. The Pyramid Players perform across Florida and in Georgia and Alabama.
Pictured: A dress rehearsal scene from the Pyramid Player’s performance of “Oklahoma!”. Photo courtesy Janice LeCocq for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
BayBears Beat The Wahoos
June 15, 2013
The Mobile BayBears scored single tallies in three separate innings, which was enough on Friday night as the BayBears knocked off the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 3-1 in front of a capacity crowd of 5,038 at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium, the 13th sellout of the season.
A night after pounding two homers, Nick Evans got the scoring started again with a fourth-inning solo shot off Wahoos’ starter Ryan Dennick. The BayBears added another run in the fifth inning thanks to a two-out double from Ender Inciarte, scoring the pitcher Bo Schultz who reached on a two-out infield single.
That was all Dennick (3-7) would allow in another solid start that ended in a loss. The southpaw tossed seven innings, allowing the two runs on six hits while tying a season-high with eight strikeouts. Despite the setback, Dennick lowered his ERA to 3.13.
Mobile added an insurance run in the eighth inning off reliever Brian Pearl. Justin Greene led off the inning with a triple and came home to score on a single from Raywilly Gomez.
Pensacola’s lone tally came in the sixth inning. Tucker Barnhart extended his hitting streak to a team-high nine games with a one-out double and he was promptly brought home on a single from Devin Lohman.
The Wahoos had numerous opportunities to take early leads off starter Bo Schultz, with runners on second and third and one out in the second and the bases loaded with one out in the third, but Schultz maneuvered through both jams without any damage. Pensacola ended up stranding a total of eight runners on the night.
Former Blue Wahoo Mark Serrano (1-0) picked up the win in his debut with the Diamondbacks organization, pitching a scoreless fifth inning in relief of Schultz who went just four innings. The win kept Mobile a half-game above second-place Mississippi who also won on Friday night.
The two teams continue their five-game set with a 6:30 p.m. contest on Saturday evening. Shaun Ellis (1-1, 4.21) will start for Pensacola against Mobile’s Andrew Chafin (2-4, 2.89).
story by Kevin Burke
Last Day For Pensacola Beach Observation Wheel
June 15, 2013
Saturday was the last day of operation for the observation wheel at Pensacola Beach. It is being moved to to Atlanta’s Centennial Park with plans to open in time for the Fourth of July holiday. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.