Escambia Health Department Resumes Clinical Services
May 21, 2014
The Florida Department of Health in Escambia County (DOH-Escambia) and the Florida Department of Health’s Children’s Medical Services Pensacola regional office (CMS-Pensacola) are partnering to enable DOH-Escambia to recommence clinic services in Escambia County. DOH-Escambia’s need for alternate clinic facilities was prompted by the temporary closure of its Fairfield Drive location due to the April 2014 flood event.
“This partnership highlights the integrated nature of the Florida Department of Health,” said DOH-Escambia Director, Dr. John Lanza. “We appreciate the hospitality afforded by CMS-Pensacola Director Dr. Rex Northup and his staff, which enables us to resume providing clinic services to the public.”
CMS-Pensacola will permit DOH-Escambia to use the clinic space located in the regional CMS-Pensacola facility located at 5192 Bayou Boulevard in Pensacola. DOH-Escambia will be providing clinic services, by appointment, at this location, on the days that CMS-Pensacola does not have clinic services operating in the facility. The CMS-Pensacola staff will continue to serve their clients on their regular schedule, and DOH-Escambia will serve their clients the remaining days and times.
Starting immediately, DOH-Escambia will again be able to provide healthcare services to individuals seeking family planning services, and to established Medipass clients. DOH-Escambia healthcare professionals will also be providing evaluation and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. Pregnant women seeking presumptive Medical eligibility will now be served at the CMS-Pensacola location, rather than the Northside facility. Individuals seeking any of these services may call 850-484-5040×1125 for an appointment. Due to limited capacity, services will be provided on an appointment basis only. Individuals needing these types of services who wish to receive them elsewhere may refer to the healthcare access resource list at www.escambiahealth.com, or may call 2-1-1.
Longleaf Pine Landowner Incentive Program Now Accepting Applications In Escambia, Santa Rosa
May 21, 2014
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Florida Forest Service is now accepting applications for the Longleaf Pine Landowner Incentive Program. The sign-up period will run until June 27 and is available for non-industrial private forest landowners, including those in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Longleaf pine forests are highly valued for their resistance to damage by insects, disease, wildfire and storms. They are also favored for their yield of high-quality wood products, biological diversity and scenic beauty. The goal of this program is to increase the acreage of healthy Longleaf pine ecosystems in Florida by helping non-industrial private forest landowners make the long-term investment required to establish and maintain this valuable ecosystem.
The Longleaf Pine Landowner Incentive Program is offered for private lands in Florida counties located west of the Apalachicola River and counties adjacent to the Ocala or Osceola National Forests (map attached).
The program provides incentive payments for the following:
- Improving timber stand
- Controlling invasive species
- Conducting prescribed burning operations
- Planting Longleaf pine
- Establishing native plant understory
- Conducting mechanical underbrush treatments
To obtain an application form, contact a local Florida Forest Service office or visit www.FloridaForestService.com. All qualifying applications will be evaluated and ranked for funding approval. This program is supported through a grant from the National Fish and Wildland Foundation with funding from the Southern Company, the U.S. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
For more information in Escambia County, call (850) 587-5123. In Santa Rosa County, call (850) 983-5310.
Escaped Prisoner Captured Inside Church (With Exclusive Photos)
May 20, 2014
An escaped prisoner was taken into custody late Monday night, about 10 hours after he first fled from a work site and sparked a large manhunt near Barrineau Park.
Nolan Ray McDaniel, 25, reportedly made a phone call just after 11 p.m. Monday from a phone inside the Lathram Chapel Methodist Church on Jacks Branch Road.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Deputies and officers from the Escambia County Road Prison surrounded the church. McDaniel did not immediately surrender to authorities; they were forced to search for him. Officers entered and searched the main sanctuary with no success. Officers then entered an adjacent education and fellowship building, emerging a few moments later at about 11:30 p.m. with McDaniel in custody.
McDaniel was an inmate at the Escambia County Road Prison. He had been on the run since about 1:30 Monday afternoon after he was discovered missing from a work site near the area of Jacks Branch Road and Schifko Road — just a short distance from where he was taken into custody.
McDaniel, according to jail records, was arrested April 18 on charges of methamphetamine production, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a listed chemical. His jury trial was set to begin on July 14. He was released in late 2012 from Century Correctional Institution after service a sentence related to a 2009 a domestic violence strangulation case from Santa Rosa County.
McDaniel was charged with escape Monday night, and he was also charged with burglary and criminal mischief for breaking into the church.
Members of Lathram Chapel Methodist Church were quick to praise the actions of the Road Camp officers and Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies. A Bible study was scheduled for early Tuesday morning at the church. “Imagine what would have happened if we’d walked in on him,” one church member said.
Editor’s note: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said late Monday morning that Nolan did not call authorities from inside the church, but that he called “an acquaintance”.
Pictured: Escaped Escambia County Road Prison inmate Nolan Ray McDaniel was taken into custody without incident late Monday night inside a building at the Lathram Chapel Methodist Church on Jacks Branch Road. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Pleads In Child Porn Case
May 20, 2014
A Cantonment man has pleaded no contest to 10 child pornography charges filed against him after investigators after determined he had downloaded sexually explicit pictures and movies of children from the internet onto his home computer.
Jason Scott Bergen, 42, of 806 Chesapeake Trail was charged with a total of 25 counts of possession of obscene material/child pornography. Fifteen of those child pornography charges were dropped when Bergen entered his plea. He will be sentenced on the remaining charges late this month in Escambia County Circuit Court, following the completion of a presentencing investigation.
Bergen remains free on bond.
Agents with the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force initiated a search warrant at Bergen’s residence in late September 20113 after he was identified via the internet as downloading child pornography.
Task force members from the Office of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Walton County Sheriff’s Department assisted the Pensacola Police Department with the investigation.
Pictured top and bottom: Law enforcement executes a search warrant in Cantonment Tuesday. The suspect’s address, 806 Chesapeake Trail, is the house to the far right (foreground) of the bottom picture. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Asks Scott For More State Money For Recent Flood And Hurricane Ivan
May 20, 2014
Commission Chairman Lumon May has signed two letters to be sent to Florida Governor Rick Scott asking for additional financial relief related to two disasters experienced by Escambia County nearly a decade apart.
In the first letter, May requested that the State of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management prioritize and complete a reconciliation of all projects related to Hurricane Ivan, which struck the County in September 2004 causing approximately $226 million in damages. Ten years later, the State of Florida still holds more than $4 million in monies owed to Escambia County.
Officials said by closing out all projects related to Hurricane Ivan and releasing the funds, the county would benefit from a multi-million dollar cash flow into its general fund.
In a second letter to the Governor’s Office, C May has requested that the State of Florida cover the local match required under the Federal Emergency Management’s (FEMA) declaration of Public Assistance related to the April 29 flood event.
A FEMA Public Assistance declaration provides aid to state or local governments to pay part of the costs of rebuilding a community’s damaged infrastructure. Generally, under public assistance programs the Federal government pays for 75 percent of the approved project costs, while the state and local governments each pay 12.5 percent. If the Governor honors May’s request, the County would be released from its 12.5 percent obligation.
Pictured top: Gov. Rick Scott (center) toured flooding damage in Pensacola on May 8 along with local leaders including Mayor Ashton Hayward (left) and Senate President Don Gaetz (right). NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge. Inset: Escambia County Commissioner Chairman Lumon May.
Escambia County Approved for Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance
May 20, 2014
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) has announced that Escambia County has been included in the latest federal declaration for Individual Assistance.
Individuals who have lost their jobs or businesses in Escambia County as a result of recent severe storms and flooding may be entitled to Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits. A federal disaster declaration was received on May 6, authorizing the use of federal funds to provide assistance to individuals affected by the disaster.
Although many affected workers will be covered by the state’s regular reemployment assistance program, those not covered or otherwise eligible may apply for DUA. This is a federally funded program, which assists individuals who become unemployed as a direct result of a declared disaster and who do not qualify for regular reemployment assistance benefits. The program also covers self-employed individuals, workers on and owners of farms and ranches, as well as fishers and others who are not normally covered by state reemployment assistance benefits.
The Department of Economic Opportunity administers the DUA program in Florida in partnership with the United States Department of Labor and funding for the program is provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Applicants must file for disaster benefits within 30 days of the date of public notification. DUA applications must be filed no later than June 9 for Escambia County. To be eligible for either regular state reemployment assistance or DUA, the applicant must be a legal resident. To be eligible for DUA benefits, an individual must not be entitled to regular state reemployment assistance and must have been working in or residing in a county for which the disaster has been officially declared. DUA benefits are available to unemployed individuals for up to 26 weeks from the date of the disaster declaration. The disaster assistance period is May 4 through November 8, 2014.
Federal regulations provide that the unemployment of an individual is caused by a disaster if the individual: (1) becomes unemployed as a direct result of the disaster, i.e. the individual was prevented from working due to damage caused by the disaster at the place of employment; or (2) is unable to reach the place of employment as a direct result of the disaster; or (3) was scheduled to begin work and does not have a job or is unable to reach the job as a direct result of the disaster; or (4) has become the major support for a household because the head of the household has died as a direct result of the disaster; or (5) cannot work because of an injury caused directly by the disaster.
To file a DUA claim, call (800) 681-8102. Hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.
Recital Photo Gallery: Dancing Around The World
May 20, 2014
Dozens of performers delighted hundreds of people Saturday night during the 19th annual Heather Leonard Danceworks recital at Northview High School.
“Dancing Around the World” featured dance performances with songs that highlighted various cities and countries around the globe.
For a Facebook photo gallery, click here.
Heather Leonard’s Danceworks will offer a Summer Dance Workshop at the Byrneville Community Center June 9-13.
Classes will be offered as follows:
- 8:30 – 9 am — Pre-ballet (ages 3-4)
- 9:15 – 10:15 am — Ballet I (ages 5-7)
- 10:30 – noon — Ballet II and Jazz (ages 8-10)
- 12:30 – 2 p.m. — Ballet III and Jazz (ages 9-teen)
Proper dancewear and dance shoes are required. An optional Summer Dance Workship t-shirt will be available for $15 at registration time. The registration deadline is June 2. Contact Heather Leonard’s Danceworks by email at hldanceworks@gmail.com or on Facebook.
A registration will also be held Thursday at the Byrneville Community Center from 6-7:30 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Jail Video Visitation To Be Interupted Tuesday
May 20, 2014
Escambia County Corrections says that their video visitation service will be taken offline from 7 a.m. until noon on Tuesday.. The temporary suspension of the service will allow for the system to be fully upgraded. The upgrades should be completed by the end of the business day Tuesday.
The Escambia County Correction’s Office offers video visitation for inmates at the Escambia County Jail, Work Camp and Work Release sites through the Video Visitation Center located at 1190 West Leonard Street.
Currently, video visitation for inmates at the Work Camp and Work Release facilities are available on a first come, first serve basis. A specific schedule for available visitation times for inmates at the Work Camp and the Work Release facilities will be announced as soon as scheduling is available.
Visitations for inmates at the Main Jail can be scheduled on the MyEscambia.com website or by the kiosk located in the lobby of the Video Visitation Center.
The Escambia County Correction’s Video Visitation Center operates seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m
Navy Hospital Converting ER To Urgent Care; Veterans Not Eligible
May 20, 2014
On June 1, the Emergency Room at Naval Hospital Pensacola will be converted into an Urgent Care Center that will be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The UCC will be available to all TRICARE beneficiaries to include TRICARE Prime enrolled at the hospital, TRICARE Prime Network, TRICARE Standard and TRICARE For Life. Veterans enrolled in the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System have not been authorized by the VA to use NHP’s UCC and should contact their VA healthcare team for their urgent care needs.
Eligible beneficiaries will be able to visit the UCC for acute care symptoms such as minor lacerations and injuries, fevers, sore throats and cough. Beneficiaries enrolled with a Medical Home Port Team at NHP or one of its local branch clinics are highly encouraged to contact their Medical Home Port Team before visiting the UCC.
“The Medical Home Port Teams know their patients best because they see them on a regular basis,” said Capt. Maureen Padden, commanding officer, NHP. “Having continuity of care with the same team of healthcare professionals is a huge benefit to our patients enrolled here because there is a relationship established between the team and patient, which leads to trust and better overall care. Our beneficiaries now have better access to care through their Medical Home Port Teams than ever. We offer same day appointments and a team of healthcare professionals dedicated to the care of our patients.”
After June 1, emergency services at NHP will no longer be available. Tricare beneficiaries in need of emergency services should visit one of the local ERs or call 911. Examples of types of emergencies that should be seen at an ER include chest pains, stroke-like symptoms, difficulty breathing or head traumas. Beneficiaries also have the option of calling the Nurse Advice Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-TRICARE, option 1. The Nurse Advice Line offers professional healthcare advice and can assist beneficiaries with deciding if they should visit an ER, the UCC or schedule an appointment with their provider.
“You should always err on the side of caution,” said Padden. “If you believe you are having a true emergency, then call 911 or visit an Emergency Room.”
The decision to convert the ER into a UCC was based on Navy Medicine’s efforts to align resources to best meet the operational needs of the Navy, reduce healthcare costs and streamline its resources to provide the best care possible to beneficiaries. The hospital currently sees approximately 50 patients a day in the ER, which is relatively low when compared to the local civilian ERs that can see approximately 200 patients a day.
“A significant portion of the patients currently seen in our ER will be able to be seen in our Urgent Care Center when it opens,” said Padden. “The small number of true emergencies seen at our ER will now be referred to the civilian ERs, with whom we have excellent relationships. We are very fortunate as a naval hospital to be able to provide healthcare to those that have served our country and their families. We will continue to provide the exceptional care that our beneficiaries deserve and expect from us.”
Story by Jason Bortz, and photos by Petty Officer 1st Class James Stenberg for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: Our Baby Mockingbirds
May 20, 2014
A few weeks ago, we posted photos of three mockingbird eggs nestled deep within the fronds of a sago palm at our NorthEscambia.com office. Two of three eggs hatched, and we’re happy to report that the two young birds have now left the nest. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
