SNAP Food Stamp Cards Are Working Again
September 16, 2013
Floridians receiving SNAP benefits on EBT cards can once again use their cards to purchase groceries at participating Florida retailers. Their EBT vendor transition was successfully completed this afternoon.
The program that provides food assistance — formerly known as food stamps — to low-income people was temporarily offline today as the Florida Department of Children and Families switched to a new vendor.
DCF has been working since July on the switch to the new vendor, e-Funds, which will provide electronic-benefits transfer services. It says the switch will lead to $21 million in savings over three years in the food-assistance program known by the acronym SNAP.
Now that the transition is complete, SNAP recipients can continue to use EBT cards. No action is required on the behalf of recipients.
High School Football Standings, Upcoming Schedule
September 16, 2013
Here is a district by district look at last Friday night’s high school football scores and this week’s schedule. District play begins this Friday night for 5A and 6A teams, while 1A and 7A teams in the area either have an off week or will not play district games.
Michael Bryan Hart
September 16, 2013
Michael Bryan Hart, 53, went home to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on September 13, 2013.
He was born in Tacoma, WA. Formerly a resident of Foley, Michael served as an officer with the Foley Police Department and as a deputy with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Department. After 12 years he left his law enforcement career to service Christ as a missionary in Mexico. He most recently served in Veracruz, through Good Samaritan Baptist Church under the auspice of Baptist International Missions, Inc.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Teresa (Dawson) Hart; their children: Bryan (Hannah) Hart of Killeen, TX, and Kayln Rochelle of Havelock, NC; grandson Bradley and granddaughter Kallianne. He is also survived by his mother Barbara Hart of Fole; brother Bill (Sandra) Hart; sisters: Bonnie (Mike) Davis; Brenda (Buck) Steadham; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
The visitation will be Monday, September 16 from 5-7 p.m. at Faith Chapel Funeral Home in Cantonment. The funeral service will be held at 11 am, Tuesday, September 17, 2013, from the chapel of Enon Baptist Church, 7121 Highway 97A, Walnut Hill, with Pastor Rick Hopkins officiating. Burial will follow in Enon Baptist Church Cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Bryan Hart, Bill Hart, Mike Davis, Buck Steadham, Gary Dawson and Dan Mahone. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Iglesia Bautista de la Fe building Fund through BIMI, a missionary of your choice, or to Covenant Hospice. Thank you to the doctors and staff at Sacred Heart Oncology and Covenant Hospice.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home in Cantonment as been entrusted with arrangements.
One Injured In CR 97 Motorcycle Crash
September 15, 2013
One person was injured in a single motorcycle accident early Sunday morning near the intersection of County Road 97 and Kingsfield Road. The motorcyclist lost control and ejected onto the roadway in the crash, which was reported at 12:05 a.m. The victim was transported to an area hospital by ambulance for treatment; their Harley Davidson was not seriously damaged. Further details have not been released by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Escambia Health Department: Be Prepared For Emergency Situations
September 15, 2013
September is National Preparedness Month, and the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County is encouraging households, businesses, and communities to prepare and plan for emergency situations.
The department says Escambia County residents should prepare for an emergency or natural disaster that may create the need to be self-reliant for three days without electricity, water service, access to supermarkets or local services, and even without response from police, fire, or rescue. An emergency preparedness plan can apply to several types of emergencies including natural disasters and terrorism.
The health department recommends these four important steps:
- Be Informed – Remember that hurricanes are not the only natural disasters that occur in Escambia County. Knowing what to do before, during and after an emergency or natural disaster is an essential part of being prepared. Remember to consider safety first.
- Make a Plan – Disasters may strike at any time so it is important to make a communications plan in advance. Remember to include how to contact family members and relocate to safe locations, together or apart. Make plans to respond to different situations.
- Build a Kit – A disaster supply kit consists of basic items that a household may need in the event of an emergency including food, water, medications, and other supplies. An emergency or natural disaster may not allow for time to collect these items, and local officials or relief workers may not be able to reach residents for days. Plan to have supplies that will last for at least 72 hours.
- Get Involved – There are many ways to get involved in emergency preparedness, and to learn how to make your family, home and community safer from emergencies or natural disasters. Volunteer for your local Medical Reserve Corps unit or the Community Emergency Response Team, or start a preparedness project within your neighborhood.
For more information on how to prepare for emergencies and natural disasters, visit www.ready.gov. Business owners in Escambia County can visit the Business section of the Ready website (www.ready.gov/business) to create a plan for his or her business and employees. For more information on public health preparedness in Escambia County, visit www.EscambiaHealth.com.
Trials Delayed In Lottery Store Murder, Robbery
September 15, 2013
Trial was set to begin Monday for the Alabama men that allegedly robbed and shot a Davisville lottery store owner last November. But now trials for both men accused of the murder have been delayed, according to Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille.
Jury selection was set to begin Monday morning in the trial of 21-year old Brent Dewayne Lambeth and 25-year old Malcolm McGhee Jr. A continuance was granted Friday by Judge Linda Nobles until November for McGhee. A continuance was also granted for Lambeth, but his new trial date was not immediately reflected in court records.
Lambeth and McGhee remain in the Escambia County Jail without bond, charged with first degree murder and robbery with a firearm for the shooting death of 74-year old Thomas “Tommy” Kroll during a robbery on November 6, 2012, at the State Line O’ Yes Lotto on Highway 97.
Investigators said McGhee and Lambeth targeted Kroll’s business because they had previous purchased “Spice” there and the duo intended on robbing the store of more of the synthetic marijuana.
Pictured top and bottom: The scene outside the State Line O’ Yes Lotto on Highway 97 following the murder of store owner Thomas Kroll on November 6, 2012. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Century To Hold Final Public Hearing On Budget
September 15, 2013
The Town of Century will hold a public hearing Monday afternoon before adopting a budget and setting the tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year.
The proposed 2013-2014 budget is$4,384,791. There will be no net increase in ad valorem taxes this year to meet the budget for fiscal year 2013-2014, which begins October 1. T
The budget hearing will be held at 6:50 p.m. Monday at the Century Town Hall, 7995 North Century Boulevard. The budget hearing is just prior to a regular meeting of the Century Town Council at 7:00.
To view a summary of the budget in pdf format, click here or the image below.
Lawmaker Says Drop Out Of State Customers From Citizens Insurance
September 15, 2013
Out-of-state residents who own property in Florida may again be the target of legislative efforts to further reduce the number of policies at the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Rep. Bill Hager, R-Delray Beach, said that lawmakers next year could discuss prohibiting people who don’t live in Florida from being eligible for coverage from Citizens.
“During the 2013 legislative session, my colleagues in the Florida Legislature and I made some necessary, forward progress to reform Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp,” Hager said in a news release. “However, the figures of current out-of-state and out-of-country policies are evidence that there is still more work to be done.”
Hager, vice chairman of the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee, was responding to the Stronger Safer Florida Coalition, which questioned Florida property owners “subsidizing” nearly 180,000 Citizens policies that are held by people who live out-of-state.
The coalition includes the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida and the Florida Wildlife Federation.
A similar proposal was discussed during the 2013 session but was not included in a final package directed at revamping and reducing the size of Citizens. The state-backed company had 1.22 million policies as of July 31.
by The News Service of Florida
Weekend Gardening: What To Do In September Calendar
September 15, 2013
Here’s the September gardening calendar from the UF/IFAS Extension Service.
WHAT TO PLANT
- Bedding Plants — If summer beds need refreshing,try ageratum, celosia, zinnia, and wax begonia for color into fall.
- Bulbs — Add color, texture, and pattern to the garden with the many varieties of Elephant’s Ear (Alocasia) available now. Others to plant now include calla, narcissus, and zephyr lily.
- Herbs — Plant herbs that tolerate the warm temperatures of early fall, such as Mexican tarragon, mint, rosemary, and basil.
- Vegetables — Plant cool season vegetable crops such as radish, carrot, cabbage, and lettuce.
WHAT TO DO IN SEPTEMBER
- Lawn problems — Continue to monitor the lawn for signs of insect damage. Fall armyworms, chinch bugs, mole crickets, and sod webworms are still active this month.
Fertilize lawns — Bahia, Bermudagrass, Zoysia, and St, Augustine lawns should be fertilized this month. Choose one with no or very little phosphorus unless a soil test indicates a need for it. A fertilizer containing controlled-release nitrogen will give longer lasting results. - Lawn Weeds — Healthy grass is the best defense against weeds. Avoid “weed and feed” products; only apply herbicides to areas with weed infestations.
- Flowering perennials — Firebush, firespike, russelia, and other perennials supply nectar for visiting hummingbirds.
- Vegetable gardens — If not done in August, prepare the fall vegetable garden. Using transplants from your local garden center will get the garden off to a fast start, but seeds provide a wider variety from which to choose
WHAT TO DO EVERY MONTH
- Adjust irrigation based on rainfall.
- Deadhead flowers to encourage new blooms.
- Monitor the garden for insects and disease.
- Plant trees, shrubs, and perennials and water until established
Dept. Of Corrections Ends Cigarette Ban In Work Camps
September 15, 2013
Corrections officials quietly reversed a blanket ban on tobacco at prisons this summer and are now allowing inmates at work release centers to have up to 10 packs of cigarettes each.
Department of Corrections officials say they lifted the prohibition on tobacco-related products in the work release programs because they didn’t want prisoners so close to completing their sentences to have to go back behind bars for breaking the rules.
But the American Lung Association called the move a mistake.
“I’m surprised,” said Brenda Olsen, chief operating officer of the American Lung Association in Florida. Olsen said it’s incumbent state agencies to “set a good example” by barring or limiting tobacco use.
The switch comes less than two years after DOC made all tobacco-related products off-limits at prisons, work camps and work release centers on Sept. 30, 2011.
“The decision to eliminate smoking and tobacco use was made to reduce the medical cost associated with exposure to tobacco, and eliminate second hand smoke exposure to non-smokers,” the agency said in April 2011, when the ban was announced. The ban also applied to prison workers, who are not allowed to bring cigarettes into facilities, and to visitors. Death Row prisoners are allowed to buy two packs of smokeless tobacco products per week.
The federal Bureau of Prisons and more than half of the other states also ban tobacco in prisons, but the prohibitions have created a new demand for cigarettes, a valuable commodity behind bars. According to some reports, inmates in New York City jails are paying up to $200 for a pack of smokes.
During a six-month period shortly after the Florida ban went into effect, nearly 30,000 inmates or prison workers were caught with some sort of tobacco contraband, according to DOC’s annual report. The report does not say how many of the culprits were staff and how many were prisoners.
The new work camp rule went into effect on June 13 and allows the roughly 3,800 inmates in work programs to have up to 10 packs of cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products or 20 cigars, plus one disposable lighter.
The rationale: Inmates on work release can get access to cigarettes, chewing tobacco or other products while they’re in the community.
“The Department determined, after assessment, that it was a better use of resources to not find an inmate in violation, which would potentially cause him/her to go back into prison, for possession of tobacco when so far along in the process of transitioning back into the community, hopefully as a productive citizen,” DOC spokeswoman Jessica Cary said.
Cary said there were “quite a few such incidents” of inmates being sent back to prison for sneaking smokes or other tobacco products into work release centers but no data was immediately available about how widespread the problem is. Prison guards and other staff have also been caught providing contraband tobacco products to prisoners, Cary said.
But making sure prisoners are tobacco-free before they are sent home would help them live healthier lives and save them money once they are released, Olsen said.
“We know how addictive tobacco products are,” Olsen said. “This is a great opportunity for these people to start their journey on having a smoke free life.”
By The News Service Of Florida
Pictured: Tobacco products are still banned inside Florida’s prisons, like the Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.