LIFTERS COMPETE IN SUMTER, SPORTS B1 LEESBURG, FLORIDA Friday, March 7, 2014 www.dailycommercial.com BLOCKED: Senate stalls vote on moving LOCAL: Pair of proescutors military oversight of sex assault cases, A6 to split homicide duties, A3 Obama: West won’t let Kremlin carve up Ukraine BRADLEY KLAPPER and LARA JAKES Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama ordered the West’s first sanctions in response to Russia’s military takeover of Crimea on Thursday, declaring his determination not to let the Kremlin carve up Ukraine. He assert- ed that a hastily scheduled referendum on Crimea seceding and becoming part of Russia would violate international law. BRETT LE BLANC / DAILY COMMERCIAL European leaders announced their own Hunter Lyles, an inspection specialist with the Florida Department of Agriculture, checks the rides at the Sumter County Fair in measures but split over how forcefully to fol- Bushnell on Wednesday. low America’s lead. Obama threatened further steps if Russia persists. After announcing his sanctions at midday, LEESBURG Obama emphasized his resolve in a person- al telephone call with Russian President Vlad- imir Putin later Thursday, the White House Weekend packed with events said. In a one-hour discussion, Obama af- firmed his contention that Russia’s actions vi- THERESA CAMPBELL and olate Ukraine’s sovereignty. ROXANNE BROWN | Staff Writers The U.S. president told Putin there was still [email protected] a way to resolve the dispute diplomatically, the White House said — with Russian forces mov- The next few days of- ing back to their base in Crimea, the govern- fer plenty of entertain- ments of Ukraine and Russia holding direct ment options in Lake talks and international monitors arriving. and Sumter counties. The U.S. is also calling on Russia to recog- The Leesburg Art Fes- nize the legitimacy of Ukrainian plans for tival, Clermont’s Pig on the Pond and the Sum- SEE UKRAINE | A2 ter County Fair — three of the year’s biggest events — are all slated for this weekend. Bill would give LEESBURG ART FESTIVAL Some 75 artists from around the country will THERESA CAMPBELL / DAILY COMMERCIAL nurse practitioners be in downtown Lees- Sixth-graders Kristen Cifelli, left, and Olivia Robinson from Lake Preparatory School in burg to take part in the Leesburg paint backdrops for the new Living Windows display during the 37th annual 37th edition of the art Leesburg Art Festival this weekend in downtown. festival, which routine- “At the event this year, more authority ly draws 15,000 people. we have the rubber KELLI KENNEDY The festival runs from Associated Press 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Satur- ducky race, which is day and Sunday. wonderful because MIAMI — With a massive shortage of pri- The artists will vie of the scholarship mary care physicians across Florida, state for more than $5,000 lawmakers are pushing a bill to expand the in awards, including that will be given powers of nurse practitioners, allowing them $1,500 for best of show, away. Plus, we’ll be to prescribe controlled substances like pain- $750 for first place, $500 showcasing a variety of killers and work without supervision from a for 2-D and 3-D judg- musicians. It will be a doctor. es’ choice and 10 mer- The bill’s champion, Rep. Cary Pigman, is an it awards of $250 each. celebration of music.” emergency room physician who has super- Youth attending the fes- Cheryl Fishel vised nurse practitioners for most of his career. tival will have a chance Event coordinator He says Florida has thousands of trained nurse to make prize ribbons for Pig on the Pond practitioners who can help fill the gap. But the and their own judge’s artists have patrons Florida Medical Association and many inde- badges as they give out who come from both pendent doctors have spoken out against the bill, saying even nurses with advanced training Kids’ Choice awards for coasts (to view and buy their favorite art pieces. need a doctor’s supervision. works). All of the people Nurse practitioners, who have a two-year “The artists love Lees- who come to the festi- burg for lots of rea- degree beyond the requirements of registered val say hospitality is the nurses, currently must work under the super- sons,” said Amy Paint- best here.” er, executive director vision of a physician and sometimes must The festival also is of the Leesburg Center pay the doctor a fee. Also covered under the known for providing for the Arts, the event’s proposal are clinical nurse specialists, nurse host. “We are geograph- family-friendly activities anesthetists and nurse midwives, who have similar advanced training. ically located smack and events not normal- Pigman, an Avon Park Republican, said dab in the middle of ly seen at other festivals, BRETT LE BLANC / DAILY COMMERCIAL the state, so a lot of the SEE EVENTS | A5 Lyles checks the rides at the Sumter County Fair. SEE NURSES | A2 Lawmakers could greatly expand private school vouchers GARY FINEOUT schools, many of them reli- vance the legislation, but not nearly $300 million school scholarships to families who Associated Press gious, could undergo a sub- before triggering a partisan voucher program in sever- earn more than $60,000 a stantial expansion under a debate on public vs. private al ways, including remov- year. U.S. Census data esti- TALLAHASSEE — A Florida bill that moved ahead Thurs- education and standardized ing some eligibility restric- mates that the 2012 medi- program that helps low-in- day in the state Legislature. testing. tions, increasing the money an household income in the come children attend private A House panel voted to ad- The bill would expand the available and offering partial SEE VOUCHERS | A2 INDEX DIVERSIONS C6 OBITUARIES A4 Vol. 138 LEGALS D1 SPORTS B1 TODAY’S WEATHER CLASSIFIED D1 No. 66 50¢ BUSINESS B4 VOICES A7 Detailed forecast 67˚/45˚ COMICS C7 5 sections CROSSWORDS D5 NATION A4 WORLD A6 on page A8. Morning showers A2 DAILY COMMERCIAL Friday, March 7, 2014 Patients with serious number of prescribers in his St. Petersburg pri- NURSES medical problems would a state known as a hotbed mary care practice, testi- FLORIDA FROM PAGE A1 be referred to physicians. for pill mills where pain- fied against the bill, say- Currently, 17 states and killers are illegally pre- ing nurse practitioners LOTTERY the current supervision the District of Columbia scribed to addicts. could miss serious prob- lems before they become mandate “is a sham” and give nurse practitioners “It’s about as broad as it MARCH 6 full autonomy and 21 gets and it goes way over obvious. so loose that “I could CASH 3 ...............................................8-8-8 be supervising a nurse give partial autonomy, the line,” said Jeff Scott, “While it’s very easy for according the Ameri- counsel for the Flori- the nurse practitioner to Afternoon ..........................................0-0-8 practitioner working in can Association of Nurse da Medical Association. treat very simple prob- Okeechobee 350 miles PLAY 4 .............................................3-1-3-1 Practitioners. “We’re going to do every- lems, oftentimes the sim- Afternoon .......................................5-4-2-9 away and I could get paid Pigman says that “Flor- thing we can to defeat it.” ple problems will occur for that.” ida is one of the most re- The powerful associa- at the same time as the MARCH 5 The bill would estab- strictive states in the tion may find its greatest exacerbation of underly- FANTASY 5 ........................... 5-10-11-14-25 lish standards for ad- U.S.” in not giving nurse ally in Senate President ing chronic illnesses and, FLORIDA LOTTO ................. 1-7-26-40-42-46 vanced practice regis- practitioners prescribing Don Gaetz, who has said at that time, there’s a fine POWERBALL........................ 3-7-9-26-54-19 tered nurses but it does powers. he will vote against it. distinction required in or- not increase their scope Critics worry that Pig- Dr. Michael Zimmer, der to make a careful as- of practice beyond their man’s bill goes too far who supervises sever- sessment and deliver high training, Pigman said. and would increase the al nurse practitioners at quality care,” he said. THE NEWSPAPER OF CHOICE FOR LAKE AND SUMTER COUNTIES SINCE 1875 The Daily Commercial (ISSN 0896-1042) is published daily for $90.74 per year (plus Florida sales tax) by Halifax Media Group at 212 East Main Street, Leesburg, Florida. Periodicals postage is HOROSCOPES paid at the USPO, Leesburg, FL. POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to The Daily Commercial, P.O. Box 490007, Leesburg, FL 34749-0007. All material contained in this edition is property of HAPPY BIRTHDAY for Fri- ing your way. Pace yourself, The Daily Commercial and is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Reproduction is forbidden without day, March 7, 2014: and know that you have a written consent from the publisher. This year you often won- lot to do. der how you could change VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. MISSED YOUR NEWSPAPER? HOW TO REACH US REDELIVERY NOT AVAILABLE IN a domestic matter to make 22) You might be asked ALTOONA OR SUMTER it more rewarding. 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