COMING SOON

Wawa announces plans for continued expansion into the Florida Panhandle

Wawa has announce plans to expand its footprint into the Florida Panhandle region, along with adjacent markets in South Alabama over the next few years. 

• According to the company, Wawa is actively looking into potential sites for new stores in the Florida markets of Pensacola, Panama City, and Tallahassee, along with Mobile, Alabama. 

The stores offer a large fresh foodservice selection, including Wawa brands such as:

• Custom prepared hoagies
• Freshly-brewed coffee
• Hot breakfast sandwiches
• Specialty beverages
• Assortment of soups, sides and snacks

Current plans are for Wawa to open up to 40 stores in these markets with the first stores expected to open in 2024.

“Over the years, we’ve been delighted to hear from so many people from so many areas, who are interested in having a Wawa closer to home,” said John Poplawski, Vice President of Real Estate for Wawa. “We couldn’t be more excited to bring Wawa’s one-of-a-kind brand and offering to these new markets in the near future.”

• Poplawski says that Wawa is looking forward to expanding beyond their current reach and serving these new markets with their food and beverages.

In 2022, Wawa will mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of its first Florida store. The store opened July 18, 2012 in Orlando across from SeaWorld. 

• Since then, Wawa has expanded rapidly throughout the state and will open its 250th store in Florida later this year. 
• Today, Wawa employs almost 10,000 associates all across the Sunshine State.

According to the company, Wawa continues to open stores throughout its current markets and is set to open 54 new stores in 2022. Additionally, Wawa has plans to enter new, adjacent markets in the next few years.

ELECTIONS

Okaloosa Supervisor of Elections wants to reduce misinformation during election season

In an effort to reduce misinformation during elections, Paul Lux, Supervisor of Elections for Okaloosa County, has partnered with Florida Supervisors of Elections and the National Association of Secretaries of State on a new TrustedInfo2022 initiative.

According to the Supervisor’s office, #TrustedInfo2022 is a campaign designated to promote state and local elections officials as the trusted source regarding all election information.

“The biggest threat to our democracy is election misinformation, disinformation, and misinformation (MDM), that undermines voter confidence in the integrity of our elections,” says Wesley Wilcox, Marion County Supervisor of Elections. “Wilcox is also the President of the Florida Supervisors of Elections.”

• The goal of this new campaign is to support honesty, accuracy, and integrity within the Florida Election system.

“Florida voters can be confident that our elections are accurate and conducted with the highest levels of integrity and transparency in our nation,” added Wilcox. “We are committed to ensuring voters have access to accurate election information during the 202 election cycle and beyond.”

To learn more about the National Association of Secretaries #TrustedInfo2022 campaign, information can be found at CanIVote.Org

COMING SOON

Eglin Federal Credit Union to add a branch in Pace

Eglin Federal Credit Union has announced a new branch will be added in Pace, Fla., making it the second location in Santa Rosa County. 

As part of the Credit Union’s growth and expansion efforts, property was recently purchased at 4413 US-90 in Pace. 

• Construction is expected to begin in a few months and be completed in 2023.
• La Macchia Group is the design/build firm for the new Pace branch.

“We are excited to announce that the National Credit Union Administration has recently approved expanding our field of membership to include anyone who lives, works (or regularly conducts business in), worships or attends school, and businesses and other legal entities in specific geographic locations within Escambia County, Alabama as well as Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, Florida,” Eglin Federal Credit Union President/CEO Jerry Williams said.

Williams says that the new branch location in Pace was selected to add convenient and affordable products and services as well as financial wellness resources to a growing membership.

“We will look for opportunities to partner with local chambers and businesses to add value to their community and employees,” he said. “We do more than build credit. We build community.”

The new branch in Pace will be very similar to the Freeport branch design with approximately 4,000 square feet, two ITMs (Interactive Teller Machines) in the drive-up and additional ITMs in the entry foyer and lobby. 

The branch will have safe deposit boxes, Coinstar, night drop and a member engagement area with interactive touch screen monitors.

SUSPENDED

Destin nursing home license suspended by the State, must discharge 100-plus residents

On April 16th, 2022, the State of Florida’s Agency for Healthcare Administration suspended the nursing home license of Destin Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, located at 195 Mattie M Kelly Blvd. 

• The suspension comes due to alleged staffing shortages being the cause of egregious violations of state law regarding minimum patient care. 
• Florida law requires nursing facilities that fail to meet minimum staffing requirements for 2 consecutive days to not accept new admissions. 
• The state alleges that the nursing home accepted 57 new residents in 63 days, without informing them of staffing issues.

In a 17-page Emergency Order revoking the facility’s ability to admit new patients, the Deputy Secretary of the FL AHA alleges that the facility has been operating with dangerously low staff levels for at least the past several months.

• The EO states that this can create “unsafe conditions and deficient work practices” which can place patients “at risk of living in an environment ill-equipped to provide for resident health, safety and welfare.” 

The state’s investigation, conducted on April 10th, concluded that all of the facility’s residents were at immediate risk due to the short staffing of nurses and certified nurse assistants (CNA). 

• The Facility failed to meet minimum state staffing guidelines for 58 out of the 63 days reviewed, according to the order.

Multiple staff interviews revealed that staff has been working extra shifts frequently and have very heavy patient assignments during work.

Resident interviews revealed allegations that included inconsistent, or completely absent, rehabilitation care for patients, and the neglect or absence of bathing/grooming regimens. 

One resident stated that “she did not remember when she had a bath last,” and added that she laid in urine for 16 hours one day. 

• “There was only one CNA for 60 residents last Saturday,” stated another resident. “I’ve waited for two hours for my call light to be answered and have laid in feces for 4 hours in the recent past, although I’m luckily don’t have any skin breakdown yet.” 

Residents have alleged multiple failures of minimum care as the lack of staffing creates situations where residents have tried calling family members to receive baths and clean up their urine/feces. Many residents have been hesitant to call for assistance from employees because “the staff are working so hard.”

Get The Coast’s Legal and Political Correspondent, Parker Destin, broke the story after being contacted by a facility resident. 

“If it is as bad as has been alleged, then this facility is the nightmare that many other nursing/rehab facilities may be experiencing at the intersection of recent pandemic work shortages and the for-profit business model in healthcare,” stated Destin. “The State alleges that the staff present in the facility are trying to perform their duties as competently as possible, but that the levels of staff to the number of patients is creating this environment of dangerous neglect.” 

According to Destin, the State alleges that the facility’s local administrators have been repeatedly informing their corporate management of the facility’s inadequate staff levels for some time now, but the legislative moratorium on new admissions was repeatedly ignored by corporate.

• “When people are the product in for-profit business models, whether it be in nursing homes, prisons, or education, there is always a potential for neglect, deferred maintenance, and failures to meet minimum standards of service/care to be ignored in order to protect profits and it’s the people who suffer,” said Destin. 

The State is implying that Destin Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center has been choosing to stay open and admit patients to keep cash flowing instead of lowering the total number of patients until it could recruit more staff, according to Destin.

“My worry is this scenario is playing out all over Florida given our healthcare provider shortages and large elderly population,” stated Destin.

The Executive Order alleges that “corporate management weighed their concerns and consciously decided to place financial issues above resident care.” It goes on to say that the at the very least, the response of the nursing home should have been to hire temporary staffing services to alleviate the immediate staffing shortcomings. 

• The nursing home’s Administrator told investigators that they were attempting to hire people but weren’t getting applications. 
• Starting pay is up to $18/hour.

Destin Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center’s license is suspended effected April 25, 2022 at 5pm. It will be required to safely discharge the nursing home residents, notifying any guardians and family members that are responsible for the residents. 

• However, it will have 30 days to appeal the Emergency Order per FL Statute. 

To read the Emergency Order and alleged violations in their entirety, click here.

FISHING

DeSantis announces 57 Days of Gulf Red Snapper Season, longest combined season for Florida

On Thursday morning, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the 2022 Gulf Red Snapper season at Aj’s Seafood and Oyster Bar in Destin, Florida.

The 2022 Gulf Red Snapper Season will last a total of 57 days and include both summer and fall season. This will be the longest combined season that has ever been available for anglers since state management began.

The 2022 Gulf Red Snapper Summer Season will open June 17 and run consecutively through July 31st. This will include Father’s Day and July 4th weekends.

Anglers will also have the opportunity to continue the season later in the year with a Fall Gulf Red Snapper season with a 12 additional days, including Veteran’s Day weekend and Thanksgiving week.

“These additional days of fishing means that families can take advantage of the holiday weekends and have a great time off of Florida’s coast in places like Destin,” said DeSantis. “We know that they love the red snapper here in Destin and why not? It’s a great thing. This has been going on since the 1800s and we appreciate what it means to the culture of our state.”

“We love red snapper here in Destin-Fort Walton beach, and they love our waters mostly because we have the most active artificial reef program in the state,” said Jennifer Adams, Okaloosa Tourism Director.

This year alone, the Tourist Development Department will invest almost $3 million in growing the artificial reef network. To date, the Coastal Resource Team has created over 300 artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, along with the 8 Fish Aggregating Devices named after Captain Kelly Windes.

“These FADs are the only buoys of their kind in the Continental United State,” added Adams. “For decades, we’ve been proud to be known as the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village and as you stand here today in the Destin Harbor, you can see why we are home to the largest fleet in the nation.”

With more than 300 for-hire fishing operations, there are more than 2 million fishing trips that are taken annually in Destin-Fort Walton Beach.

In 2019, recreational saltwater fishing contributed more than $74 million to the economy with more than 830 jobs. 

“The impact of fishing extends far beyond our docks,” added Adams. “This past year, visitors spent more than $736 million in our community, above and beyond the $33 million that we collected in tourist development taxes. That money goes directly back to our local economy of restaurant owners, charter captains, paddleboard operators, and other tourism related industries.”

Adams says that one of the most popular Little Adventures that the county has is charter fishing. 

• “Our experienced captains have taken generations of families out on the water and because our deep water is so accessible, we can get kids outside very quickly and teach them how to fish,” she added. “When kids come off the boat, holding their fish, that smile on their face is priceless.”

“This is going to be a big deal for a lot of people and I really look forward to all the anglers being able to enjoy this expanded red snapper opportunities,” said DeSantis. 

Dates to save

The 45-day summer season will begin on June 17 and continue through July 31. The 12-day fall season is the longest fall season since the beginning of state management and spans the following dates:

• October 8-9
• October 15-16
• October 22-23
• November 11-13 (Veteran’s Day Weekend)
• November 25-27 (Weekend after Thanksgiving)

If you plan to fish for red snapper in state or federal waters from a private recreational vessel, even if you are exempt from fishing license requirements, you must sign up as a State Reef Fish Angler (annual renewal required) at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

THE WEEKENDER

A few things to do

April 22, 2022 – Musical Echoes Native American Flute & Art Festival – Free – View

April 22, 2022 – Dance Facets 2022 – $10 – $15 – View

April 23, 2022 – 2022 Earth Day Cleanup – Free – View

April 23, 2022 – Cruisin The Beaches Car Show – – View

April 23, 2022 – Northwest Florida Ballet Academie Auditions for incoming 3rd and 4th Graders – Free – View

April 23, 2022 – Kid’s One-Stroke Painting Workshop – $32.50 – View

April 23, 2022 – Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers Crawfish Boil – – View

April 23, 2022 – Western Lake Painting with Estelle Grengs at J.Leon Gallery and Studio – $150 – View

April 23, 2022 – Dance Facets 2022 – $10 – $15 – View

Looking ahead 👇

April 26, 2022 – Shells in Rivulets Watercolor ongoing class – $78.14 – View

April 28, 2022 – MKAF’s Concerts in the Village: Naturally 7 – View

April 30, 2022 – Acrylic Pouring for Anyone at Artful Things Niceville – $67.50 – View

April 30, 2022 – Mattie Kelly: “Waitress” – $50 – View

May 4, 2022 – Maxine Orange Gallery presents Featured Artist Collab Michael Lunsford & Gabriel Dishaw – Free – View

May 5, 2022 – MKAF’s Concerts in the Village: Shania Twin – $12. – $15 – View

May 6, 2022 – Sip N’ Stroll Gallery Night at J.Leon Gallery – View

May 6, 2022 – 10th Annual Destin Rotary Cajun Crawfish Bash – View