Court Ruling Keeps Health Coverage For Floridians, But Doesn’t End Debate
June 26, 2015
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a crucial interpretation of the Affordable Care Act on Thursday, preserving health insurance for more than 1 million Floridians but providing no larger solutions to the national or statewide divisions on the law.
In a case that hinged on what Congress meant by making tax credits for insurance available to people using “an Exchange established by the State,” a majority of justices found that credits could be given to people who purchase coverage through an exchange set up by the federal government if the state doesn’t operate one.
The 6-3 opinion makes health care more affordable for millions of people across the country, including Floridians. Without the tax credits, many Americans’ incomes would be considered too low to afford insurance policies, and those citizens would be exempt from the individual mandate contained in the law, commonly known as Obamacare.
Like in 33 other states, Floridians get coverage through a health exchange set up and run by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More than 1.3 million Floridians buy their insurance through that marketplace.
“This historic decision benefits more families in Florida than anywhere else in the nation,” said Mark Ferrulo, executive director of Progress Florida, a liberal advocacy group. “More than a million Floridians will continue to save over $3,000 each through tax credits and cost-sharing reductions that enable them to afford health coverage.”
But nationally and in Florida, opponents seemed to not be backing down on arguments that the law is unworkable and that the coverage it provides is inadequate.
“The Supreme Court ruling does not change the fact that Obamacare is a fundamentally broken law and has been since day one,” said U.S. Rep. Ander Crensaw, R-Fla. “Floridians and all Americans should know that Republicans will continue to build a bridge for them to cross over its turbulent waters to safe shores once and for all.”
Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said other parts of the law made it clear that federal exchanges were supposed to function largely like marketplaces run by states.
“But state and federal exchanges would differ in a fundamental way if tax credits were available only on state exchanges — one type of exchange would help make insurance more affordable by providing billions of dollars to the states’ citizens; the other type of exchange would not,” Roberts wrote.
He was joined by Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
In a sharply-worded dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia accused the court of twisting provisions of the law to preserve the Affordable Care Act. Scalia also dissented in a 2012 case that upheld the constitutionality of the act.
“Today’s opinion changes the usual rules of statutory interpretation for the sake of the Affordable Care Act. That, alas, is not a novelty. … We should start calling this law SCOTUScare,” Scalia wrote in an opinion joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
Scalia also wrote “I dissent” at the end of his opinion, instead of the customary “I respectfully dissent.”
In Washington, D.C., officials with the Obama administration said the decision should settle the debate over the still-controversial law.
“The ACA is part of the fabric of America, and now that the highest court in the land has upheld it twice, the time has come to turn to building on the progress that we’ve made,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell said during a conference call with reporters.
Supporters of the law in Florida said the state Legislature should reconsider whether to expand Medicaid under a separate provision of the law. The state Senate put forward a plan that would use Medicaid expansion funds to help low-income Floridians purchase private insurance, but that idea was rejected by the House and is strongly opposed by Gov. Rick Scott.
“It’s time for the opponents, including Governor Scott, to accept the fact that the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, and their best efforts have failed to undermine it,” said state Senate Minority Leader Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa. “Both he and the House Republican leadership need to put down their calls for war, and unblock health-care expansion for the additional 1 million uninsured Floridians still waiting for affordable insurance to reach them.”
But groups such as the conservative Americans for Prosperity-Florida signaled that the health-care debate will continue, issuing a statement that blasted Obamacare and vowing to “fight for real, patient-centered health-care reform.”
“Six years after Obamacare was passed and the law continues to drive up health-care costs and restrict access to care,” Chris Hudson, the group’s state director, said. “The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision today will not change anything.”
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Wahoos Beat Mississippi
June 26, 2015
In the first game to start the second half of the Southern League season, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored nine runs on 14 hits.
Pensacola hit .240 in the first half of the season—the lowest in the league—but had four batters with multi-hit games Thursday in the Blue Wahoos, 9-3, victory over the Mississippi Braves.
Blue Wahoos right fielder Jesse Winker lead the way with a 2-5 night, including a two-run homer and scoring two runs. Lead-off batter Zach Vincej also went 2-5 and scored a run, while left fielder Sean Buckley went 3-5 and center fielder Beau Amaral was 2-4 and scored.
Pensacola went ahead, 6-0, scoring two runs in the second, third and fourth innings.
Blue Wahoos pitcher Wandy Peralta tripled in catcher Yovan Gonzalez and Amaral to put Pensacola up, 2-0, in the second.
In the third, first baseman Marquez Smith hit a two-run home run to left center that also scored third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean that gave Pensacola a 4-0 lead. It was Smith’s fourth homer in June. The 30-year-old Smith has driven in 10 runs, while hitting .333 and earning a .424 on-base percentage this month.
Then in the fourth, Winker crushed his fourth homer of the season, a two-run dinger to right center that brought in Vincej and put the Blue Wahoos on top, 6-0.
Mississippi cut the lead in the fifth inning to 6-3. Braves catcher Matt Kennelly smacked a double to centerfield that scored shortstop Emerson Landoni. Pinch hitter David Rohm then hit a soft liner to center that drove in second baseman Levi Hyams. Kennelly then ended up scoring when center fielder Matt Lipka grounded into a double play that cut Pensacola’s lead to 6-3.
Blue Wahoos pinch hitter Juan Silva then doubled with two outs. He stole third, his sixth of the season, and Kennelly made a throwing error on the play to score Silva, 7-3, in the eighth inning.
In the ninth, Pensacola added two more runs when Mejias-Brean tripled in Winker for an 8-3 lead. Then Blue Wahoos second baseman Juan Perez singled to left to drive in Mejias-Brean to go up, 9-3.
Peralta improved to 3-6 on the season with a 4.85 ERA. In five innings of work, he allowed three earned runs on eight hits and three walks.
Marcelete (Mrs. Lete) Daugherty
June 26, 2015
Marcelete (Mrs. Lete) Daugherty went home to be with her Lord, Jesus Christ on Tuesday, June 23, 2015.
Mrs. Lete was born in Molino, on May 19, 1927. She was a member of Central Chapel and was an employee of WalMart on Creighton Road for 23 years. She considered her co-workers her extended family. She was loving, kind, considerate and put others before herself. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her father, Nolan Lorenzo Martin; mother, Rosa Lee Powell; stepmother, Mae Martin; husband, David Daugherty; stepsons, Bill and Pete Daugherty; and brothers, Cecil Martin, Randy Stewart and Howard Martin.
Mrs. Lete is survived by her daughter, Joyce (Gary) DuBose; granddaughter, Brittany (Geoff) Woodliff; step-grandson, Starsky (Terri) DuBose; sisters, Allie Watford, Marie Smith and Voncille Stewart; daughter-in-law, Kaye Daugherty; and many nieces, nephews, friends and acquaintances.
Visitation will be held Monday, June 29, 2015 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m. with funeral services following immediately at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Clayton McCormick officiating.
Interment will take place at Pugh Cemetery.
The family would like to express heartfelt thanks to Dr. Gorton, Dr. King, Dr. Wagoner and Sacred Heart Hospital micu, pcu and 4 East, as well as Covenant Hospice for their kindness during this difficult time.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Confederate Flag Removed From City And County Displays
June 25, 2015
Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward has ordered the removal of the Confederate flag from all city displays. Escambia County is also removing the flag from county properties.
In a released statement, Hayward said,
“Today, I directed City staff to remove the Confederate Flag from display at all City of Pensacola facilities and to fly in its place the flag of the State of Florida.
“While the Confederate Flag undeniably represents a part of Pensacola’s history, to many it is a painful symbol of racial hatred and intolerance. I proudly celebrate our great city’s rich history, but I do not believe that we are defined by our history alone. We will always be the City of Five Flags — but now is the time for us to turn our focus to our city’s bright future.”
Escambia County is also removing Confederate flags from displays, notably the Pensacola Bay Center. In March, the county approved an ordinance to “mirror” what the city does with flag displays.
40 Percent Chance Of Rain This Afternoon
June 25, 2015
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
This Afternoon: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. South wind around 5 mph.
Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. West wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89.
Fiery Crash: Driver Hits Pumps At Highway 29 Gas Station
June 25, 2015
One person was hospitalized after their pickup slammed into gas pumps at the Raceway station on Highway 29 in Ensley Thursday morning.
About 6:50 a.m., the pickup driver, 32-year old Jessie L. Thomas of Pensacola, suffered a “medical event” according to the Florida Highway Patrol. He crossed from the southbound lanes of Highway 29 into the northbound lanes, striking a Mazda Miata drive by Sidney Hargis, 36. Thomas then continued into the parking lot of the gas station off Highway 29 and lost control before hitting and sheering-off one set of pumps and hit another set, sparking a roaring blaze. Thomas was rescued from the truck by bystanders.
Thomas was transported to Baptist Hospital with minor injuries. Hargis was not injured.
Thomas was cited by the FHP for having no insurance.
Do you have additional photos of this crash? Email them to news@northescambia.com
Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gives Final Approval For Black Bear Hunting
June 25, 2015
October 24 will start a really bad few days to be a black bear in Florida.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday voted 4-1, over the pleas of angry and frustrated critics, to approve rule changes that will allow an unlimited number of hunters to participate in the first hunt of black bears in the state in more than two decades.
About 300 bears are expected to be killed in four parts of the state where hunting will be allowed over two to seven days, starting on Oct. 24.
Commissioners said the hunt is a step in managing the growing bear population in Florida.
“Our responsibility lies in taking care of what we have here in Florida, to perpetuate for our next generations,” said Commissioner Richard Hanas.
“I don’t think that doing things like concentrating on garbage control and education and outreach, and all those types of efforts, and hunting are mutually exclusive,” added Commissioner Aliesa “Liesa” Priddy, who made a point to note she was not pressured into her decision. “I think we need to do both of those.”
Commissioner Ron Bergeron cast the lone vote against reviving the hunt this year.
Bergeron, noting he is an avid hunter, questioned the size of the proposed hunt as a sustainable figure for the bear population and said he would like staff members to gather more data about the number of bears, which were removed from the state’s threatened list in 2012, in two parts of the state where the hunt will proceed.
“I’m not supportive of hunting the way it’s presented,” Bergeron said. “You have to look at the interest of the bear.”
Chairman Richard Corbett said the commission will make additional changes to the rules if the hunt is found to be “overdone.”
With emotions running high from proponents and opponents, about 70 speakers addressed the commission before the vote at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota. Most of the speakers opposed the measure, including one wearing a bear outfit, with many of the critics resigned that their comments wouldn’t change the outcome for what they view as a “trophy hunt.”
“We do not see this hunt resolving the human-bear conflict issues at this time,” said Maria Bolton-Joubert, programs chair for Sierra Club of Central Florida. “We see this as impacting the bear population further.”
Bolton-Jorbert, as with a number of other speakers, noted that Florida’s increased human population is expanding into wildlife habitat and that the state should further implement non-lethal rules, such as bear-proofing trash containers, prohibiting people from feeding wild bears and cracking down on the illegal harvesting of saw palmetto berries, which is a staple of a bear’s diet.
Katherine McGill, a founding member of the National Urban Wildlife Coalition, said the state should wait a year, when updated bear counts will be available, and see if rules designed to reduce human-bear conflict and nuisance animals can take hold.
“We need to stop killing our wildlife for being wildlife, for getting into trash, for getting into bird feeders, for just being seen walking through the backyard,” McGill said.
In addition to ongoing outreach efforts by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to reduce human-bear conflicts through non-hunting measures, such as public education and trash control, Florida lawmakers approved a new law this year (HB 7021) that increased penalties for people charged a fourth time with feeding bears and alligators not in captivity. The charge would be a third-degree felony.
Currently, a fourth offense of illegally feeding wildlife within a 10-year period is a first-degree misdemeanor.
Among those supporting the return of the bear hunt include the National Rifle Association, Unified Sportsmen of Florida and a number of regional hunting groups.
Newton Cook, a member of the Future of Hunting in Florida board of directors, called the proposed effort to maintain the bear population “good science.”
“Too many people have lost their relationship to the natural world,” Cook said. “A bear and all wildlife live in very cruel, bloody harsh conditions in the wild. If you’re a hunter you see it. You see the deer that has been pulled down and partially eaten by coyotes, or a panther, or maybe a bear, sometimes still alive, but just the guts eaten out of it. It’s not pretty out there. But we get these Bambi mentalities and you have a problem.”
Robert “Bob” Andrew, president of the Southwest Florida Outdoorsman Association in Punta Gorda, added that the bear population needs to be regulated for the good of the bears.
“I’d rather see them harvested than starve to death,” Andrew said.
Some speakers viewed the hunt as a step in expanding hunting to other animals that the state has protected.
Carole Baskin, the founder and CEO of Big Cat Rescue, expressed concern that reopening the bear hunting season will “embolden” the state to allow the Florida panthers to be hunted.
On Tuesday, the commission was presented with a proposal to alter conservation efforts for endangered Florida panthers.
The panther population-control plan, which Priddy said keeps panthers on the endangered species list, is expected to return before the commission in September.
At that time, the state is also expected to have updated numbers on the bear population in Florida so that the harvest numbers will be revised, said Diane Eggeman, director of the commission’s Division of Hunting and Game Management.
Black bears were placed on the state’s threatened list in 1974, when there were between 300 and 500 across Florida. At the time, hunting black bears was limited to three counties. In 1994, the hunting season was closed statewide.
Florida now has an estimated 3,150 black bears in four regions — the eastern Panhandle, Northeast Florida, east-central Florida and South Florida — where the hunts would be conducted. The numbers are based on 2002 estimates for the eastern Panhandle and South Florida, and a 2014 count in the Northeast Florida and east-central Florida regions.
The hunt will be halted in each region — the FWC intends to communicate daily with hunters via text and email — once the quota for the area is reached, Eggeman said.
The timing of the hunt is set for when bears are typically more active, said Eggeman. It also comes at a time when most cubs are more mature and able to survive on their own, she said.
The cost to get a bear hunting permit will be $100 for Floridians and $300 for non-Floridians. Once the permits are made available, they can be acquired up until the day before the hunt begins.
Each hunter would be limited to one bear, and the kill would have to be registered and tagged within 12 hours.
The bears hunted must weigh at least 100 pounds.
Also, hunters would be prohibited from killing bears within 100 yards of active game-feeding stations. Hunters would also be prohibited from using dogs to hunt bear, but can have leashed canines trail shot bears.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Adopt A Pet With Reduced Fees
June 25, 2015
The Escambia County Animal Shelter will host a public animal adoption event, “Clear the Kennels,” on Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 200 West Fairfield Drive.
The purpose of this event is to alleviate overcrowding and help these great animals find forever homes. Manager’s special pricing will be offered both days.
Manager’s Special Adoption fees:
- Dogs (over three years of age): $35
- Dogs (under three years of age): $55
- Cats (over three years of age): $20
- Cats (under three years of age): $30
The adoption fee includes spay or neuter, vaccinations and microchip.
The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
For more information call (850) 595-3075 or email animalshelter@myescambia.com
Molino Library To Hold Teen Summer Reading Event Tonight
June 25, 2015
Teens age 12-17 are invited to escape the ordinary during a special Summer Reading Club Program tonight at the Molino Branch Library.
Teens can battle boredom with maniacal laughter playing this interactive mash-up inspired by Box of Lies and Silent Library. The event takes place from 6-7:30 in he Molino Branch Library auditorium at the Molino Community Complex at 6450-A Highway 95. For more information, call (850) 435-1760.
Escambia Man Gets Life Sentence For Attempted Murder
June 25, 2015
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to life in prison for a 2014 attempted murder and assault.
Hector Adolfo Demontalvo was sentenced by Circuit Judge Linda Nobles to life in state prison with a minimum mandatory sentence of 33 years to be served day for day. Demontalvo pled no contest on March 30, 2015 to the charges of attempted murder with a firearm, aggravated assault with a firearm, and armed burglary with a firearm.
On September 4, 2014, Escambia County deputies responded to 211 Donald Drive. At the scene, they found Zachary Brown inside the residence suffering from multiple wounds. Witnesses stated that Brown was shot, stabbed, kicked and struck by a skateboard causing serious bodily injuries. Witnesses identified Demontalvo as the perpetrator and stated that he had fled the residence. Those witnesses also stated that Demontalvo accused Brown of “wearing a wire” just prior to his attack. The deputies found the knife and gun used in the attack at 211 Donald Drive.
Within minutes of arriving, the deputies were called to 216 Henry Street in Pensacola where they found the Demontalvo. They discovered at Demontalvo had broken into that house and attempted to kidnap a resident while armed with a second gun.