New Travel Related Zika Case Reported In Escambia County
July 28, 2016
A new travel-related case of the Zika virus has been reported in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health. It is the second travel-related case in the county this year.
The Escambia County case was one of 17 new travel related cases announced Tuesday and the only new case reported in the Florida panhandle. A case was previous reported in Santa Rosa County in February.
Florida health officials said Wednesday they are investigating two additional Zika cases that might not be linked to travel outside the state. The announcement means health officials are now looking at four cases that might not be travel-related — a potential sign that mosquitoes could be infecting people with the virus in Florida. Two of the cases are in Miami-Dade County, while two are in Broward County.
The number of Floridians diagnosed with the virus has steadily climbed, but until recently health officials said all of the infections had resulted from travel outside the state. As of Wednesday, the state had 328 cases that did not involve pregnant women, with 96 of those cases in Miami-Dade and 55 in Broward. The state said it also has monitored 53 pregnant women who showed evidence of Zika, though it does not release the counties where those women live.
The health department urges Floridians to drain standing water weekly, no matter how seemingly small. A couple drops of water in a bottle cap can be a breeding location for mosquitoes. Residents and visitors also need to use repellents when enjoying the Florida outdoors.
Healthy Start: Free Shots, Kids Activities And More Today
July 28, 2016
A grand opening celebration will be held from 9 until noon at the Century Healthy Start location on Church Street.
Free immunizations will be available for all all age for both Florida and Alabama residents. Alabama residents must bring a shot record. There will also be newborn wellness checks free of charge.
Smokey the Bear will be on hand, and there will be a free bounce house and snacks.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Debate Emerges On Carving Up ‘Docs V. Glocks’ Law
July 28, 2016
As a federal appeals court ponders the constitutionality of Florida’s “docs v. glocks” law, attorneys this week debated in court documents whether it would be possible to jettison parts of the controversial measure — and keep others.
The full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments June 21 in a challenge by physician groups and individual physicians to the 2011 law, which seeks to restrict doctors from asking questions and recording information about patients’ gun ownership. Two days after the arguments, the court asked attorneys to file briefs about the issue of “severability,” a legal concept that can involve eliminating unconstitutional parts of laws while retaining other provisions.
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office and a lawyer for the physicians filed briefs Monday taking starkly different positions on the question.
Bondi’s office said the appeals court could carve out unconstitutional pieces of the law while keeping the rest intact.
“The act’s provisions are functionally independent, and any invalid provision can easily be severed without disrupting the operation or integrity of the remaining provisions,” Deputy Solicitor General Rachel Nordby wrote. “If the court determines that any provision of the act is invalid, the court should apply the doctrine of severability and uphold all remaining valid provisions of the act.”
But plaintiffs say the law, dubbed by the Legislature as the Firearm Owners’ Privacy Act, cannot be broken apart. The plaintiffs contend the law violates doctors’ First Amendment rights.
“The challenged provisions of FOPA (Firearm Owners’ Privacy Act) are parts of a single legislative act, adopted by the Florida Legislature as a package, with a shared unconstitutional purpose,” plaintiffs’ attorney Douglas Hallward-Driemeier wrote. “In enacting FOPA, the Florida Legislature indisputably intended to chill speech by health care practitioners about firearms — and indeed a particular viewpoint on the same — with which the Legislature disagreed.”
The law, which is backed by gun-rights groups such as the National Rifle Association, seeks to place a series of restrictions on doctors and other health providers. For example, it seeks to prevent physicians from entering information about gun ownership into medical records if the physicians know the information is not “relevant” to patients’ medical care or safety or to the safety of other people.
Also, the law says doctors should refrain from asking about gun ownership by patients or family members unless the doctors believe in “good faith” that the information is relevant to medical care or safety. Also, the law seeks to prevent doctors from discriminating against patients or “harassing” them because of owning firearms.
In addressing the severability question, Hallward-Driemeier’s brief said some members of the appeals court during oral arguments posed a “hypothetical scenario” about possibly trying to narrow the anti-discrimination provision.
The appeals court typically does not signal when it will rule in cases, and judges have been divided on the constitutionality of the law — widely known as the “docs v. glocks” law.
A U.S. District Court judge blocked the law from taking effect, but a three-judge panel of the appeals court upheld the law in three rulings. The full appeals court then took the somewhat-unusual step of agreeing to hear the case.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Wahoos Over Biscuits 3-1
July 28, 2016
Four Pensacola pitchers combined to limit Montgomery to one run and Phillip Ervin delivered the clutch hit to help the Blue Wahoos win, 3-1, Wednesday over the Biscuits at Riverwalk Stadium.
Pensacola starting pitcher Rookie Davis, who struck out the side in the second inning, ended up working 5.1 innings, allowing one run on a homer by Montgomery second baseman Paul Blair. He gave up five hits and two walks with six strikeouts total. He improved to a team-best 9-3 with and lowered his earned run average of 2.62.
Meanwhile, relievers Abel De Los Santos, Carlos Gonzalez and Alejandro Chacin threw 3.2 scoreless and hitless innings, while striking out four.
Like he has done all season for Pensacola, Chacin took over and tossed a scoreless ninth inning getting Montgomery out 1-2-3 with a strikeout to earn his 20th save this year, which leads the Southern League. He has struck out 49 batters in 44.1 innings.
Meanwhile, Pensacola left fielder Phillip Ervin stepped to the plate with two outs and runners on second and third in the fifth inning. In 87 previous at bats with two outs Ervin was hitting .195. He singled to center field in the fifth inning and drove in catcher Chad Wallach and center fielder Beau Amaral to put his team up, 3-0, over Montgomery.
His clutch hit made him 1-4 on the night. Six of the Blue Wahoos nine hitters got one hit Wednesday.
Pensacola scored first in the fourth inning when the hot-hitting shortstop Zach Vincej tripled in Brandon Dixon, who had singled to center field, with two out to put the Blue Wahoos up, 1-0.
Vincej went 1-4 and is hitting .346 and has an on-base percentage of .400 in July, which are both his highest marks this season. He also has 11 RBIs this month, which is highest total.
Montgomery did get on the board when Blair, who was batting ninth in the lineup and averaging .168, lifted a solo homer to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull the Biscuits within, 3-1.
Chih-Wei Hu pitched six innings, allowing three runs on six hits, walking one and striking out three. He fell to 3-7 with 2.34 ERA. Hu and two Biscuits’ relievers — Kyle Bird and Jordan Harrison — retired 12 in a row until Pensacola first baseman Eric Jagielo earned a walk in the ninth inning.
Pensacola improved to 24-27 on the road. The first half Southern League champions are now back to .500 at 16-16 in the second half and in third place 2.5 games behind the Mississippi Braves (18-13). Montgomery fell to 19-12 but still leads the North Division.
Century Holds Meeting In Apparent Violation Of State Sunshine Law
July 27, 2016
The Town of Century conducted a meeting Tuesday afternoon in an apparent violation of Florida’s Sunshine Law. The state law requires that the public’s business be conducted in open, public noticed meetings.
A public notice published on NorthEscambia.com and in the weekly Tri-City Ledger newspaper in Flomaton stated that the Town of Century’s Community Development Block Grant Citizen’s Advisory Task Force (CATF) would meet at Century Town Hall at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
NorthEscambia.com arrived for the 4 p.m. meeting to find the front doors of the Century Hall locked and the parking lot empty.
When reached by phone, Debbie Nickles, Century’s town planner, said the meeting had been held at 2 p.m. Tuesday. She said letters mailed to the four citizens on the task force had advised them to arrive for a meeting at 2 p.m. She said the discrepancy between meeting time in the letters and the legal public notices was discussed, and the meeting was held despite the improper public notice.
Nickles said she was present at the meeting, along with town consultant Robin Phillips and CATF members Sylvia Godwin, Helen Mincy, Robert Mitchell and Alfonzie Cottrell.
According to the meeting minutes, the CATF voted to recommend that the council apply for the CDBG grant.
When NorthEscambia.com reached Century Mayor Freddie McCall on his cell phone Tuesday to inquire about the meeting, he was with a local group at a church camp in Kentucky and said he was unaware of the meeting. Town Clerk Leslie Gonzalez did not work Tuesday and did not answer her cell phone, and Deputy Clerk Kim Godwin said she was unaware of the meeting.
Nickles said that another CATF meeting would be scheduled and properly noticed. At about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, the town provided notice that the committee would meet again Thursday afternoon at 1:50 p.m.
Pictured: The Century Town Hall was locked and the parking lot empty at 4 p.m. Tuesday, the time of a publicly noticed town task force meeting. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Another Wet Wednesday
July 27, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southwest after midnight.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93.
First Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens In Florida
July 27, 2016
Florida first legal medical-marijuana dispensary formally opened Tuesday in a Tallahassee storefront, a week after the company known as Trulieve received state approval to begin selling a type of non-euphoric cannabis.
A 2014 law allows the company to sell low-THC cannabis oil to patients who suffer from cancer, chronic muscle spasms and seizures.
Another law, passed during the most recent legislative session, allows terminally ill patients to use full-strength marijuana.
“When I say it is an historic and momentous day, it really is,” Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said during a packed news conference at the store Tuesday. “We are really overwhelmed and so proud to be this pioneer.”
The company plans to open a Northwest Florida location in Pensacola.
So far, one issue facing patients who want to get legal weed is finding doctors who will sign off on the treatment. As of last week, only 15 doctors had signed up to order the low-THC products.
While lawmakers gave approval in 2014, a series of legal battles has delayed the cannabis from becoming available to patients.
by The News Service of Florida and NorthEscambia.com
Pictured top: Trulieve’s Tallahassee location opened Tuesday. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Highway 99, Barrineau Park Road Projects Running Ahead Of Schedule
July 27, 2016
A contractor is on track for an early completion of projects to widen and resurface several miles of County Road 99 and Barrineau Park Road.
Work is 80 percent complete on a project to widen and resurface seven miles of Highway 99 from Barrineau Park Road north to Highway 97A in Bay Springs, according to Escambia County. Panhandle Grading and Paving is still widening shoulders. The entire widening area will then be resurfaced , and then striping and signage will be added.
The Highway 99 project will be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration Agency (FHWA) for reimbursement at an estimated project construction cost of $2.87 million.
Escambia County says work is also 80 percent complete on the Barrineau Park Road project which includes widening the existing travel lanes to 11 feet wide, adding four foot paved shoulders, upgrading guardrails and minor drainage improvements. Panhandle Grading and Paving is still widening shoulders. The entire widening area will then be resurfaced , and then striping and signage will be added.
In addition to the two county projects, the Florida Department of Transportation upgraded the railroad crossing on Highway 99 south Highway 97A.
Escambia Vote By Mail Ballots On The Way
July 27, 2016
The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office delivered more than 26,000 vote-by-mail ballots to the post office on Tuesday for the Primary election. Voters could receive their green or ivory colored vote-by-mail packages as early as as today. Voted ballots must be received in the Supervisor of Elections Office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day, August 30. Ballots require a first-class postage stamp ($.47 postage) if returned by mail.
The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the Primary election is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 24. To request or track your vote-by-mail ballot for the Primary election, visit EscambiaVotes.com and click “Vote by Mail”, or contact the Supervisor of Elections Office at (850) 595-3900.
Ascend Awards Scholarships To Three North Escambia Students
July 27, 2016
Three North Escambia students have been awarded $2,000 scholarships from the Ascend Cares Foundation.
The non-profit organization managed and funded by Ascend Performance Materials, awarded 23 scholarships to children of their employees in Alabama, Florida and Texas this summer. Applicants were required to have earned at least a 3.0 grade point average and have demonstrated a record of community service.
The three North Escambia winners were:
- Abri’ McDaniel of Cantonment, 17, a graduate of West Florida High School of Advanced Technology in Pensacola. In school, Abri’ was a varsity cheerleader and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Outside of school, Abri’ was active at the Ronald McDonald House, the NAACP’s Youth Council and the Charmettes etiquette club. She plans to attend Troy University in Alabama in the fall semester. Abri’s parents are Twana and Donald McDaniel. Donald McDaniel is a processor at the Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment.
- Jacob Norre of Cantonment, 18, a graduate of Tate High School. In school, Jacob was a member of the Beta Club, the National Science Honor Society and the school’s band, where he was drum major and played saxophone. Outside of school, he was an Eagle Scout and volunteered in The Miracle League. Jacob plans to attend Texas A&M University in the fall semester and major in aerospace engineering. His parents are Michael and Cathy Norre. Michael Norre is a project engineer at the Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment.
- Allison Woodfin of Molino, 18, a graduate of West Florida High School of Advanced Technology. In school, Allison was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Future Farmers of America. Outside of school, she raised show pigs as part of the 4H agricultural club. She plans to attend Troy University in the fall semester and major in communications. Allison’s parents are Jennifer and Walt Woodfin. Walt Woodfin is a scheduler at the Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment.
“We believe that part of being a good company means being good to our team members, their families and our community,” said Rachell Gold, executive director of the Ascend Cares Foundation. “We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in these dedicated young people and wish them the best as they further their education.”