Local Schools, Students Place In FFA-Sub-District Career Developments
January 12, 2018
Local schools and students placed during the FFA-Sub-District Career Developments last month. They were:
Middle School Extemporaneous Speaking
1st Beulah Academy of Science
Opening and Closing Ceremony
1st Jay Middle School
2nd Central Middle School
3rd Lead Academy
Safe Tractor Operations and Maintenance
1st Zach Rutherford, Central High School
2nd Donnie Dixon, Northview High School
3rd Logan Cooley, Jay High School
High School Prepared Public Speaking
1st Avery Young, Take High School
2nd Raleigh Woodfin, Northview High School
3rd Tamara Barnes, West Florida High School
High School Extemporaneous Speaking
1st Gab Ferguson, Tate High School
2nd Kylie Schwarz, Tate High School
3rd Cody Kite, Northview High School
FFA Creed Speaking
1st Amber Gilman, Northview High School
2nd Jackson Arnold, Central High School
3rd Nathan Neal, Tate High School
Parliamentary Procedure
1st Tate High School
2nd West Florida High School
3rd Northview High School
Medicaid Work Requirement Unlikely In Florida
January 12, 2018
While the Trump administration signaled willingness this week to allow work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries, the Florida Legislature is unlikely to move ahead with such a mandate this year.
House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, told The News Service of Florida on Wednesday that the state’s $26 billion Medicaid program is comprised mostly of children and seniors and that work requirements are more geared toward able-bodied adults who qualify for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare.
“I think that’s geared toward Obamacare expansion, not to our plan since we didn’t expand,” Corcoran said of imposing work requirements. “We don’t have childless able-bodied working age adults in our system, so I don’t know how that would transpose to us. If you look at our Medicaid population, mostly children, mostly seniors, and single pregnant moms, I don’t think that is necessarily something that we would do.”
There are about 4 million people enrolled in Florida’s Medicaid program, making it the fourth largest in the nation in terms of population, according to Medicaid Director Beth Kidder. Estimated spending on the program will be just under $27 billion this year, making it the fifth-largest program in the nation in terms of spending.
Kerri Wyland, a spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Scott, did not directly answer whether Scott would support work requirements or co-payments for the Medicaid program. “This would require legislative action. Governor Scott will review any bill that reaches his desk,” she said in an email.
The Trump administration on Wednesday sent a letter to state Medicaid directors announcing a policy to authorize work requirements for states with what are known as “Medicaid 1115 waivers.” Florida has such a waiver.
“Subject to the full federal review process, CMS (the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) will support state efforts to test incentives that make participation in work or other community engagement a requirement for continued Medicaid eligibility or coverage for certain adult Medicaid beneficiaries in demonstration projects authorized under section 1115 of the Social Security Act,” the letter said. “Such programs should be designed to promote better mental, physical, and emotional health in furtherance of Medicaid program objectives. Such programs may also, separately, be designed to help individuals and families rise out of poverty and attain independence, also in furtherance of Medicaid program objectives.”
States would have the flexibility to identify activities other than employment that promote health and wellness and could include community service, caregiving or job training.
Mandating work requirements has been a long-standing priority for conservatives, and the Trump administration announcement reverses previous policies that prevented states from requiring Medicaid beneficiaries to work to qualify for the program.
While Corcoran said the House won’t move ahead with the idea this year, the Republican-led chamber considered it last year. Rep. Travis Cummings, R-Orange Park, introduced a bill that would have required all Medicaid beneficiaries who are part of the state’s “managed medical assistance” program to adhere to the same work requirements that currently apply to families who receive temporary cash assistance.
The bill also would have required Medicaid enrollees to pay monthly premiums to remain enrolled in the managed medical assistance program, which involves enrolling in managed-care plans.
The Florida Senate in 2015 proposed expanding Medicaid under Obamacare and included in its proposal a mandate that eligible adults work to receive the benefits.
But Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Chairwoman Anitere Flores, R-Miami, said the Senate has not discussed requiring those currently enrolled in the program to work.
“Should eligible Medicaid recipients be looking for work or be trying to work? Yes,” Flores said. “Should that be a barrier to getting benefits? Probably not.”
by Kristine Sexton, The News Service of Florida
New Escambia County Annual Report Available Online
January 12, 2018
The Fiscal Year 2016-17 Escambia County Board of County Commissioners’ Annual Report is now available online and in printable PDF form, featuring a variety of county-related information for citizens.
To view the annual report, click here. To download the PDF version, click here.
Escambia County’s annual report is filled with information about county services throughout the community, ongoing county projects and an overview of accomplishments during the fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, 2016 and ended Sept. 30, 2017.
The annual report also allows residents to easily access statistics, review the county’s organizational chart and learn more about the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners and its departments. The statistics and budget pages include data about grant funding, local option sales tax spending and more.
Firefighters Save Dog From Molino Mobile Home Fire; Two People Displaced
January 11, 2018
Thursday morning, firefighters saved a small dog from a mobile home fire in Molino that displaced two people.
The fire was reported shortly before 8 a.m. on Rumford Road off Duxbury Avenue. Firefighters arrived to find light smoke coming from the 2,000 square foot mobile home. The fire reportedly originated in the the laundry room.
During a search of the home, a small dog was located and removed from the structure. Escambia County EMS provided the dog with oxygen and water.
Two adults living in the mobile home were temporarily displaced by the fire.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Barrineau Park Road To Close For Jacks Branch Bridge Replacement
January 11, 2018
Construction activities are scheduled to begin the week of January 22, 2018 on Barrineau Park Road (Hwy. 196) over Jacks Branch in Escambia County. Crews will remove and replace the bridge over Jacks Branch, add new guardrail, and reconstruct the approach slabs.
Barrineau Park Road will be closed and traffic detoured via Highway 29, Molino Road (Hwy. 182), and Highway 95A. The $1.97 million project is anticipated to be completed in the fall of 2018.
FDOT graphics for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
The Story Of A Miracle At Tate High’s Ag Department
January 11, 2018
Tate High School Ag Teacher Leanne Jenkins tells the story of ‘Miracle” a calf born at the school during our extreme January cold. It’s a story of survival, the story of an emergency van ride for the calf, and the story of a miracle.
Do you believe in miracles? I truly have witnessed a miracle this past week.
I am sure some of you have seen or heard about my coworkers and I driving my minivan to the vet with a calf in the back. I would love to share the entire story with you because I feel like the Lord is up to something with this small life.
Last Thursday, I took my 5th period class out to the land lab to check on the animals. Another ag teacher had mentioned one of the cows was showing signs of labor. We walked to the back pasture and got close enough to see that momma had just delivered a baby. We could tell the baby was breathing, but it was not moving and had not lifted its head. This was not alarming to us, since it had just been delivered.
We checked on the momma and baby again the next class period and baby was still not moving. We came out again an hour later and begin to be concerned when we saw the baby shivering and still not lifting its head. My coworkers and I quickly got a truck and brought the calf to the barnyard. It was unusually cold in Florida – the school even cancelled after school activities because of the freezing temperatures and 16 MPH winds. We got the baby under heat lamps and blankets and began rubbing it hoping to get the blood circulating. We thought it would die any second. Being too weak to stand, there was no way for this baby to nurse. We ran to the store, purchased colostrum and fed the calf. Within about an hour, it was trying to stand and seemed to be perking up. We attempted another bottle a few hours later with no success. I said a prayer for the sweet baby and my coworker said, “we’re going to go ahead and name him Miracle.”
The next day, Miracle continued to get weaker. We got the momma-cow in the shoot and milked her. We tried to feed Miracle and he was too weak to suck. I called my husband, Zach, and told him, “will you please bring the minivan to the school with a tarp so we can take Miracle to the vet.” He hurried over and we rushed to the Animal Hospital. By the time we got there, his eyes were rolled back in his head and he had very little pulse. The vet used a piece of equipment to feed a tube down his throat to fill his stomach with his momma’s colostrum we had collected. Within minutes he seemed to be feeling better. We later brought him back to school and locked him in a pen with his momma.
The next morning, with coaching, we were able to get him hooked up to his momma and he has continued to get healthier ever since. Today, I took my class out to check on him and he was acting especially frisky – we talked about how he was truly living up to his name.
THEN, the craziest thing happened. I took out my phone to take a picture of Miracle to send to my mother (she has been worried about him). She responded with “did you cause the brightness around him, or is that just his miracle self?” I thought, “huh??” I looked back at the picture and saw Miracle GLOWING! Y’all, I cannot explain this picture, but I can tell you the Lord has had his hands on this little life. We did not expect this little guy to live, but we refused to give up hope or stop trying to help. I loved sharing his story with all of my students and showing how every life is meaningful and precious. He has put a smile on the face of so many students and I am thankful we have been privileged to have him born on our farm. We typically sell all males born on our farm, but we decided today, Miracle is here to stay!
You’ll hear people say, “Let nature take its course,” but our new motto is, “do everything you can and believe in Miracles.”
Arbor Day Tree Giveaway And Art Contest Set For Jan. 20 In Barrineau Park
January 11, 2018
The annual Arbor Day tree giveaway is coming up Saturday, January 20 from 10 a.m. until noon at the Barrineau Park Community Center, and entries are being accepted now in an Arbor Day art contest.
Each attendee will receive two free native one-gallon trees. Species available include tulip poplar, Chickasaw plum, Shumard oak, and fringetree.
To participate in the Arbor Day Mail Art Contest, mail a drawing, painting, or mixed media artwork with the theme, “Strong Trees, Strong Communities” to Arbor Day Art Contest c/o Escambia County Extension, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment, FL 32533. Include your name, age, and contact information on the back of your artwork. Contest entries must arrive by mail or be dropped off by January 18, and will be judged at the Tree Giveaway on January 20.
First place winners will receive prizes including a 7-gallon tree, a shovel, and a tree book. Second place winners will receive a tree book and and third place winners win gardening gloves. Categories include children (12-under), teen (13-18), and adult (over 18). All participants in attendance at the tree giveaway will receive a special edition Arbor Day water bottle featuring last year’s winning design.
For more information about the tree giveaway or art contest, call 850-475-5230 or email ctsteven@ufl.edu.
High School Graduation Rates Improve Statewide, Locally
January 11, 2018
Florida’s high school graduation rate has reached a 14-year high according to data released Wednesday by the Florida Department of Education. For the 2016-17 school year, Florida’s statewide graduation rate rose to 82.3 percent, an increase of 23.1 percentage points since 2003-04 and 1.6 percentage points over last year.
The Escambia County School District’s gradation rate increased to 79.5 percent, as compared to 76.1 percent one year earlier. For the class of 2013, Escambia County’s graduation rate was 64.2 percent.
In District 5, from the graduating class of 2012 to 2016, Tate High School’s graduation rate increased from 73.4 to 81.4 percent, while Northiew High School increased from 67.4 to 84.2 percent.
“I am proud to announce that Florida’s high school graduation rate has reached a 14-year high. We want every Florida student to have access to a world-class education so they can succeed in the classroom and their future careers, and that is why my recommended Securing Florida’s Future budget includes historic funding for education for the sixth consecutive year, including significant investments for teachers and students in our K-12 system. I look forward to working with the Legislature during the upcoming session to make sure our students have the resources they need to continue to build on this accomplishment for years to come,” Gov. Rick Scott said.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Little Free Library Now Available In Cantonment
January 11, 2018
Saint Monica’s Episcopal Church is now hosting a Little Free Library in Cantonment. The library is contained in an old newspaper stand that is painted bright red directly in front of the church at 699 S. Highway 95A, next to and facing the highway.
Anyone from the community may borrow a book or keep a book or add a book to the library. Anyone taking a book or two from library does not need to return that exact book. The library is currently supplied with mostly children’s books, but donations of more books for adults would be greatly appreciated. The library is never locked, so people can access it at any time.
“The purpose of the Little Free Library is to inspire a love of reading, build community, and spark creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges. Through Little Free Libraries, millions of books are exchanged each year around the world, profoundly increasing access to books for readers of all ages and backgrounds,” said Viven Welch of Saint Monica’s.
The Little Free Library has its own Facebook page — https://www.facebook.com/stmonicaslittlefreelibrary/ — with planned updates on the latest available books.
Football Playoff Series Changes Considered For 1A-4A Teams
January 11, 2018
The Florida Athletics Directors Advisory Committee on Wednesday unanimously recommended a playoff change for 1A-4A high school football, including Northview and Jay high schools.
If approved at a future date by the Florida High School Athletic Association, six teams would qualify for state series play from each region in class 1A-4A beginning with the 2018 season.
The first and second seed would receive a bye to the second round. In the first round, the third seed team would host the sixth seed and the fourth seed would host the fifth seed.
Currently four team from each region qualify for the playoffs. There is no district play, forcing teams to often play much tougher schedules. This change would allow the top 50 percent of each region to have a real playoff.
According to the Athletics Directors Committee, there is a built-in extra round for Class 1A-4A and allowing more teams to earn a playoff spot would not affect the current playoff structure. This would also allow the third and fourth seed teams to host a playoff game, earning more revenue for those schools.
“I think there are positives and negatives,” Northview High School Coach Derek Marshman said. “Obviously, more teams will be allowed to participate in the post season. The reason the FHSAA eliminated districts was to eliminate blowouts in the first round. I could see fifth and sixth place teams struggling. That is obviously a case-by-case situation. I do think overall that it is a good thing to allow more teams in the post season.”
“The most beneficial thing is eliminating the bye week the week before the championship games. It could definitely throw a kink into the rhythm of a team if they have the bye week immediately before the state championship game,” Marshman continued.
The proposal was previously unanimously approved by the 1A-4A coaches council and must next be approved by the FHSAA board of directors.
Pictured: Action from last year’s Northview at Jay game. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
