Escambia Chiropractor Arrested On Fraud Charges
January 16, 2013
An Escambia County chiropractor was arrested Tuesday during an apparent raid on his office on Pine Forest Road.
Russell D. Dominick was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond on three charges of fraud and one count of possessing synthetic narcotics. The fraud charges were brought by the Florida Department of Financial Services, and the narcotics charge was filed by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The Department of Financial Services has not yet commented on the nature of the charges against the chiropractor.
The Dominick Chiropractic Clinic is located in the 7800 block of Pine Forest Road, just south of I-10.
Former Marine Gets Six Years For Teen’s Murder
January 16, 2013
A former Marine was sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison for the December 2011 murder of an Escambia County teen.
Michael Palmer Davis, 27, was convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter back in November; he had been charged with second degree murder for the shooting death of Alonzo Dewayne Knight.
Deputies responded to the 7100 block of Princess Lane near Fairfield Drive and Patricia Drive during the early morning hours of December 2, 2011. Upon arrival, Knight was
pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound.
Authorities said a friend of Davis got into argument with several teenagers. During the argument, Davis fired a shot from 142 feet away, striking and killing Knight. Davis’ attorney argued that he was trying to break up the situation and did not actually intend to shoot anyone. As a trained Marine, the defense argued, he thought the shot was properly fired and he never thought a shot fired at the ground would hit someone.
Too Many Wrecks: Escambia County Seeks To Make Improvements To Jacks Branch Road
January 16, 2013
Escambia County is applying for a grant to construct paved shoulders along a six mile stretch of Jacks Branch Road due to the higher than normal number of wrecks on the roadway.
The paved shoulders would run from Barrineau Park Road near Molino to Muscogee Road in Cantonment. The county is asking the State of Florida Department of Transportation to pick up the tab, up to $3.7 million, for the project.
The Florida DOT previously notified Escambia County that Jacks Branch Road qualifies for the funding through a state Highway Safety Program. The justification was based upon the traffic crash rate for this portion of Jacks Branch Road.
Picture top and inset: A Molino man died in this 2010 crash after he hit a guardrail on approach to Jacks Branch Road and plunged into a creek. Pictured below: One person was injured in this October 2012 accident on Jacks Branch Road near Perdido Lake Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cold, Rainy Forecast
January 16, 2013
Pictured: Tuesday afternoon’s sunset as seen in a rear view mirror looking back toward Canoe Creek along Highway 4 near Byrneville. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: A 40 percent chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 37. West wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Thursday: A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before 10am. Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 49. Breezy, with a west wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
- Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 30. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 56. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. Calm wind.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 62. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 33.
- M.L.King Day: Sunny, with a high near 60.
- Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 33.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 49.
- Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 27.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 53.
Longtime Fire Chief Passes Away
January 16, 2013
A longtime area fire chief passed away Tuesday morning.
John Hilbert Martin served for decades as the fire chief for Brewton, AL. After his retirement, he continued in the fire services industry, working for a company selling fire equipment across several states.
Martin called Brewton his home for 55 years, becoming involved in the Mason, the Lions Club and the First baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Leola Morris Martin of Brewton and numerous other relatives.
He will be laid to rest with full Fire Department Honors on Friday. For a complete obituary, click here.
Bobbie Jean Davis
January 16, 2013
Bobbie Jean Davis, 78 of Davisville, passed away Tuesday, January 15, 2013, at her residence. She was a homemaker, born in Escambia County, AL, on October 03, 1934, to the late Marion and Lottie Bell Wainwright.
Survivors are three daughters, Terri (Bud) Swift-Schumann of Gulf Breeze, Tammy Clark of Cantonment, Tina (Joey) Donald of Walnut Hill; five grandchildren, Toni, Bo, Christina, Anna and David; one great-granddaughter Evie; and one sister, Elizabeth Wainwright of Mobile.
Services will be Thursday January 17, 2013, at 11 a.m. from Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ted Bridges officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Active Pallbearers are Bud Schumann, Joey Donald, David Donald, Daniel Capers, Little John Davis and Frank Jay.
Family will receive friends Thursday, January 17, 2013, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel one prior to service time.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in Atmore is charge of all arrangements
Health Plans Chosen For Florida Medicaid Makeover
January 16, 2013
In another step toward transforming Medicaid into a statewide managed-care system, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration said Tuesday it has chosen five health plans to provide coverage to seniors who need long-term care.
The announcement came after a months-long bidding process that included HMOs and other types of managed-care plans competing in 11 regions of the state. While losing plans can still launch bid protests, AHCA expects to start using the new long term-care system in August in the Orlando area — and would gradually expand to other parts of Florida.
The state also still needs federal approval of what is known as a “waiver” for the long-term care changes, but Medicaid director Justin Senior said he is optimistic that will occur by a Feb. 7 deadline.
“The Agency has selected plans that will be able to meet the needs of the recipients we serve and be good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” AHCA Secretary Liz Dudek said in a prepared statement. “We look forward to beginning to work with the selected plans and to finalizing negotiations with CMS (the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) for waiver approval within the next several weeks.”
Lawmakers in 2011 approved a far-reaching proposal to eventually shift almost all Medicaid beneficiaries into managed-care plans. The first phase would involve seniors who need long-term care, while a later phase would address the broader Medicaid population.
In both phases of the program, AHCA is required to contract with a limited number of plans in each of the 11 geographic regions. Along with HMOs, lawmakers called for contracting with another type of managed care known as provider-service networks.
The announcement Tuesday included selection of provider-service network American Eldercare to receive contracts in all 11 regions. The firm participates in already-existing state “diversion” programs, which are designed to help keep seniors out of nursing homes by providing services in their homes and communities.
Among the other selected plans, Sunshine State Health Plan, a subsidiary of the St. Louis-based health company Centene Corp., was selected to serve 10 regions. United HealthCare of Florida was selected for nine, while Coventry Health Care of Florida was chosen for four, and Amerigroup Florida was picked for two.
HMOs that were not chosen for contracts included prominent companies such as Humana and WellCare. If such companies want to challenge the agency’s decisions, Senior said they have 72 hours to file notices of bid protests.
“We are definitely preparing for it,” Senior said.
But Senior said he expects that the agency could continue moving forward with the selected plans even if bid protests are filed. In most regions of the state, AHCA did not choose the maximum number of plans allowed by the 2011 law. As a result, plans could be added to the system if they are successful in bid protests.
Supporters of the statewide managed-care system argue it will hold down costs while also improving the coordination of care for beneficiaries. In the long-term care portion, that includes health plans providing care that ultimately would help keep seniors from moving into nursing homes.
But Democratic lawmakers and some patient-advocacy groups have long said they fear statewide managed care will involve squeezing the services provided to beneficiaries.
“Their (supporters of the changes) motivation is money,” said Rep. Mark Pafford, a West Palm Beach Democrat who works on health-care issues. “It’s not access and quality.”
AHCA wants to gradually roll out the long-term care program, starting in August in a region that includes Orange, Brevard, Osceola and Seminole counties. It would follow in September in southwest Florida and in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, before gradually expanding later to other parts of the state.
During a presentation Tuesday to the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee, Senior said a key challenge is helping beneficiaries in choosing the most-appropriate health plans. He said it will involve elder-advocacy groups and others playing a role in helping with the decisions.
“This is not going to be an easy undertaking over the next seven or eight months,” Senior said. “But it is one we are committed to.”
By The News Service of Florida
Teen Jailed For 2012 Murder
January 16, 2013
An Escambia County teen has been arrested for a murder back during the summer of 2012.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office charged 18-year old Bennie Louis Robbins III with homicide, robbery and aggravated assault. He is being held without bond.
Investigators said Robbins shot and killed 19-year old Matthew Cox just before midnight on July 28, 2012, at 4415 Deauville Way. Investigators were able to link forensic evidence at the scene to Robbins.
Specific details have not been released, but the Sheriff’s Office said robbery appears to have been the motive for the shooting.
Northview Softball Standout Doran Signs With Wallace State
January 16, 2013
Northview High School senior Misty Doran signed a scholarship Tuesday morning to play softball for Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, AL.
The Wallace State fast pitch softball program won the 2008 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I National Championship, finishing national runner-up on two other occasions and third in 2012. Wallace State softball reclaimed the top spot in the state in 2012, winning its fifth Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC)/Region 22 state championship in six seasons and its seventh straight Northern Division title. The Lions finished with a 60-12 record and had a third-place finish at the NJCAA tournament.
Pictured: Misty Doran signs with Wallace State Tuesday morning at Northview. Looking on are her parents, Jerry and Suzanne Doran (seated), recruiter Freddie Kirby of Southeastern Athletics and Wallace State Coach Jayne Clem. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Police: Pensacola Man Had 100 Child Porn Movies On Computer
January 16, 2013
A Pensacola man was arrested on child pornography charges Tuesday morning after investigators determined he had downloaded sexually explicit movies involving children onto his
laptop computer.
Matthew Thomas Lee Burbank, 23, of 11000 Tanton Lane, Pensacola, was charged with 25 counts of possession of obscene material and three counts of distribution of obscene communications. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail on a $280,000 bond.
Detective Jeff Brown said agents with the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force initiated a search warrant at the residence this morning after Burbank was identified via the internet as downloading child pornography.
Brown said approximately 100 movies containing child pornography were found on Burbank’s computer. An investigation is continuing to identify people who received child
pornography from Burbank via the internet.
Task force members who assisted the Pensacola Police Department with the investigation included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of Homeland Security and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.