Gov Scott Highlights Navy Federal Credit Union’s Expansion

CONTACT: GOVERNOR’S PRESS OFFICE
(850) 717-9282
media@eog.myflorida.com

GOV. SCOTT HIGHLIGHTS NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION’S EXPANSION
Highlights Navy Federal’s expansion leading to 700 new jobs and a $6.75 million investment

PENSACOLA – Governor Rick Scott today toured Navy Federal Credit Union’s Brian L. McDonnell Center Campus, where 2,700 of the company’s employees are based. At a press conference following the tour, the Governor highlighted Navy Federal Credit Union’s continued expansion that will result in 700 new jobs and a $6.75 million investment into the area.

Governor Scott said, “Thanks to Navy Federal Credit Union hundreds of Florida families will have jobs, which will benefit this community. I’ve made job creation my top priority, and while we’re headed in the right direction, we still have a lot of work to do.”

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Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford Organization Session Speech

Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford delivers a speech during the 2012-14 Organization Session immediately following his swearing in.

Organization Session Speech
Will Weatherford, Speaker of the Florida House
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Remarks As Prepared

In speeches like this, people often say, “we are living in unprecedented times.” Perhaps that’s true. It’s not something we can judge, but rather history judges for us.

What I do know is that we are living in a time when the people of Florida expect us to act. Despite our efforts, more than eight percent of Floridians still cannot find a job. Half of Florida’s homeowners are underwater on their mortgages. More than three and a half million Floridians are on food stamps. One third of all Florida high school students do not graduate.

These are problems that are often avoided because they seem insurmountable. Yet, these are problems that we cannot afford to ignore. Florida must take the reins and determine our own destiny.

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Man Arrested for Selling Food Stamp Card on Craigslist

Contact: Erin Gillespie, DCF Press Secretary, (850) 717-4450
Anna Alexopoulos, DFS Press Secretary, (850) 413-2860
Dave Bristow, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer, (941) 747-3011 ext. 2278

Man Arrested for Selling Food Stamp Card on Craigslist Collaborative effort of state agencies, local law enforcement will continue to combat public assistance fraud

MANATEE COUNTY— A 21-year-old Bradenton man was arrested recently and charged with multiple crimes in Manatee County, including unauthorized use of public assistance for selling his food stamp card on Craigslist. This is the first known arrest in Florida resulting from a collaborative effort of state agencies and local law enforcement to monitor social media sites for public assistance fraud.

The arrest was a collaboration of the Manatee Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Children and Families, which determines food stamp eligibility, and the Department of Financial Services, which investigates public assistance fraud in Florida.

“We appreciate the hard work of our partners in pursuing this case and ensuring that those who defraud the government are brought to justice,” said DCF Secretary David Wilkins. “We want people to know that it is illegal to buy and sell food stamp cards, and we will be working with law enforcement across the state to continue combatting this crime.”

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Altamonte Springs man arrested for possession of child pornography

Altamonte Springs man arrested for possession of child pornography

Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Orlando Regional Operations Center Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Altamonte Springs Police Department arrested Alan M. Smith, 34, of Altamonte Springs, Fla., for 10 counts of possession of child pornography.

FDLE and Altamonte Springs Police Department agents executed a search warrant at Smith’s home, located at 582 Sabal Palms Circle, Altamonte Springs, Fla., and located several thousand images of child pornography on his computer.

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Statement from the Florida Board of Pharmacy Chair Cynthia Griffin Regarding Special Meeting To Discuss Compounding

Contact: DOH Communications
(850) 245-4111

Statement from the Florida Board of Pharmacy Chair Cynthia Griffin Regarding Special Meeting To Discuss Compounding

“Today, the Florida Board of Pharmacy convened an important meeting to discuss compounding pharmacy rules in light of the issues surrounding the New England Compounding Center (NECC). The current actions of NECC are weighing heavily on our entire nation, and we must change the rules that govern the pharmacy industry to best protect the health and safety of all Floridians. It is also essential that, during any publicly held meeting, we have decorum. I appreciate the opportunity to work together as a full board to discuss this topic and ask all to respect the work that we are doing and the processes put in place to protect our work.”

The Florida Department of health works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Florida Department of Health Announces New Division Director for Community Health Promotion

CONTACT: DOH Office of Communications
(850) 245-4111

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ANNOUNCES NEW DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH PROMOTION
~Director to lead programs including healthy foods, nutrition education and disease prevention~

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Health (DOH) today announced the appointment of Betsy Wood as the new Division Director of Community Health Promotion, effective immediately. The Division’s program includes the bureaus of Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Child Care Food, Tobacco Free Florida, Family and Community Health and Chronic Disease Prevention.

“The Department of Health promotes and protects health across the lifespan,” said Interim Deputy Secretary for Health and Deputy State Health Officer for Children’s Medical Services Dr. Dennis Cookro. “I look forward to Ms. Wood’s continued leadership and expertise in this role which will help all Floridians to make healthy choices.”

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New DOH Initiative Encourages Healthy Behaviors in the Big Bend Area

Contact: DOH Communications
Jessica Hammonds, (850) 245-4111

NEW DOH INITIATIVE ENCOURAGES HEALTHY BEHAVIORS IN THE BIG BEND AREA
-Big Bend Better Living part of a multi-county collaboration to improve community health-

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Health (DOH) today launched a new initiative to help residents of the Big Bend get healthy. Big Bend Better Living is a new website resource specifically for Floridians in Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jefferson, Leon, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla counties offering online support on how to eat healthy and be physically active.

“Projects like this are essential to inspiring meaningful change in the individual and, ultimately, in the community,” said Multi-County Collaborative Coordinator for Jefferson and Madison County Health Departments and Big Bend Better Living Project Coordinator Nicollette Castagna. “The tools designed were tailored to the needs of this community, and we want to energize individuals to lead a healthier life with this initiative.”

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Four arrested for operating an unlicensed pain management clinic

Four arrested for operating an unlicensed pain management clinic

Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Ft. Myers Regional Operations Center arrested Rebekah Stewart, 46, of Arcadia, Tricia Thompson, 37, of Sarasota, Alex Carrino-Dellipaoli, 20, of North Fort Myers and Matt Flores, 25, of North Fort Myers, for operating an unlicensed pain management clinic.

These arrests stem from a search warrant served on July 24, 2012 at Luxor Industries Physicians Group located at 1890 North Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41/S.R. 45) in North Fort Myers, Florida.

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Attorney General Bondi Advocates for Extended Tax Relief for Distressed Homeowners

Contact:
John Lucas
Phone: 850.245.0150
john.lucas@myfloridalegal.com

Attorney General Bondi Advocates for Extended Tax Relief for Distressed Homeowners

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –Attorney General Pam Bondi and Connecticut Attorney
General George Jepsen are leading the national effort by state attorneys
general urging Congress to extend tax relief for consumers who have
mortgage debt canceled or forgiven due to financial hardship or a decline
in housing values. Forty-two state attorneys general have joined Attorney
General Bondi and Attorney General Jepsen in signing on to a letter to U.S.
House and Senate leaders requesting them to extend this distressed
homeowner tax relief, which has been in effect since 2007 and is scheduled
to expire Dec. 31, 2012.

“We are urging Congress to protect distressed homeowners who qualify for
mortgage relief from encountering an unexpected tax bill from the IRS,”
stated Attorney General Pam Bondi. “This tax relief is critical in helping
Floridians keep their homes and get back on their feet.”

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Several Restaurants Across the State Recognized for No Safety or Sanitation Violations

Contact: DBPR Communications Office, 850.922.8981

SEVERAL RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE STATE RECOGNIZED FOR NO SAFETY OR SANITATION VIOLATIONS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s (DBPR) Division of Hotels and Restaurants today released this week’s list of food service establishments with no safety or sanitation violations within the past year. This week, there are a total of 30 establishments featured on the list. These specific businesses have shown a pattern of complying with sanitation and safety standards outlined in the Federal Food and Drug Administration’s Food Code.

Establishments on this week’s list include six restaurants each in Dade and Lee counties, three restaurants in Sarasota County and two restaurants each in Broward, Collier, Manatee and Orange counties. During their latest inspections and within the past year, Division of Hotels and Restaurants inspectors did not find any sanitation or safety violations in these establishments. Although inspection reports only offer a snapshot of the conditions at the time, the Department is recognizing the results as outstanding. The agency regularly features zero-violation inspection results for establishments across the state.

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Remarks by House Speaker Will Weatherford for 2012-2014 Organization Session

Organization Session Speech
Will Weatherford, Speaker of the Florida House
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Remarks As Prepared

In speeches like this, people often say, “we are living in unprecedented times.” Perhaps that’s true. It’s not something we can judge, but rather history judges for us.

What I do know is that we are living in a time when the people of Florida expect us to act. Despite our efforts, more than eight percent of Floridians still cannot find a job. Half of Florida’s homeowners are underwater on their mortgages. More than three and a half million Floridians are on food stamps. One third of all Florida high school students do not graduate.

These are problems that are often avoided because they seem insurmountable. Yet, these are problems that we cannot afford to ignore. Florida must take the reins and determine our own destiny. … Continue Reading

Bed alarms not proven to prevent patient falls in hospitals, UF researchers say

From the University of Florida
News Desk http://www.news.ufl.edu
newsdesk@ufl.edu
352-392-0186, fax 392-3358
101 Tigert Hall / Box 113075
Gainesville, FL 32611-3075

Bed alarms not proven to prevent patient falls in hospitals, UF researchers say

ATTENTION EDITOR: Photo available upon request.

For media inquiries call Czerne M. Reid at 352-273-5814 or email czerne@ufl.edu

Downloadable video available at https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10837916/20121120_HospitalFallPreventionRelease.zip

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Equipping hospital beds with alarms does not decrease patient falls and related injuries, according to University of Florida researchers and colleagues. The findings, published today (Nov. 20) in the Annals of Internal Medicine, cast doubt on the merits of the widely touted alarms as a patient safety tool.

“The idea that hospitals can magically eliminate the problem of falls by investing a lot of money and effort into bed alarms is not well-founded,” said lead researcher Dr. Ron Shorr, a professor of epidemiology in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions and College of Medicine and director of the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center. “Does that mean bed alarms should never be used in hospitals? No — I think that alarms may have a use within the context of a well-developed fall prevention program.”

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FSU Interior Design Grad Program: Most Admired in the Nation

CONTACT: Anna Trudeau, FSU College of Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance
(850) 645-2706; atrudeau@fsu.edu

FSU INTERIOR DESIGN GRAD PROGRAM: MOST ADMIRED IN THE NATION

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The graduate program of the Department of Interior Design at Florida State University has been named the most admired program of its kind in the country in a national survey of 122 deans and department chairs.

DesignIntelligence, a respected industry journal of the Design Futures Council, lauded Florida State in its annual “America’s Best Architectural and Design School 2013” rankings. The rankings have served for 14 years as the definitive analysis of architecture and design programs nationwide.

“I am so pleased with this recognition, which showcases our faculty-student relationships and the mentoring offered by the faculty,” said Lisa Waxman, department chair, who was previously named by DesignIntelligence as one of the “Top 25 Most Admired Design Educators in the United States” in 2012.

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Ocala and Palm Coast Metro Areas Continue to Lead in Largest Over-the-Year Unemployment Rate Drops

CONTACT: DEO Communications, (850) 617-5600, media@deo.myflorida.com

OCALA AND PALM COAST METRO AREAS CONTINUE TO LEAD IN LARGEST OVER-THE-YEAR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DROPS
14 of the state’s 22 Metro Areas experienced a 2.0 percentage point drop or greater since October 2011

TALLAHASSEE — Ocala led all of Florida’s metro areas with the largest over-the-year unemployment rate drop from October 2011 to October 2012, with a 2.8 percentage point decrease, followed by Palm Coast with a 2.5 percentage point decrease and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville ranking third with a 2.4 percentage point drop. Overall, 14 of the state’s 22 metro areas experienced declines in their unemployment rates of 2.0 percentage points or greater during the same time period (not seasonally adjusted).

“Communities throughout Florida are growing jobs and opportunities for Florida families, and while we still have more work to do, Florida’s economy is moving in the right direction,” said Governor Rick Scott.

The Lakeland-Winter Haven, Sebastian-Vero Beach and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro areas were all tied with a 2.3 percentage point drop, followed by the Cape Coral-Ft. Myers, North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro areas with 2.2 percentage point declines.

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Nuclear Cost Recovery Commission Conference Set for Monday

CONTACT: (850) 413-6482

Nuclear Cost Recovery Commission Conference Set for Monday

TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s Public Service Commission (PSC) will hold a Commission Conference on Monday, November 26, to determine the 2013 nuclear cost recovery amounts for current and future Progress Energy Florida (PEF) and Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) nuclear power plant projects.

Under Florida statute, utilities may recover certain construction costs associated with the development and maintenance of nuclear power plants. The PSC evaluates these costs annually and approves amounts recovered through the fuel and capacity cost recovery charge on customers’ bills.

PEF’s projects include construction of its proposed nuclear power plants Levy Units 1 and 2, and adding capacity to its existing Crystal River nuclear generating plant. FPL’s projects include construction of its planned Turkey Point Units 6 and 7, and adding capacity to existing Turkey Point Units 3 and 4 and St. Lucie Units 1 and 2.

The agenda is set for the following time and location:

Monday, November 26, 2012
1:30 p.m.
Betty Easley Conference Center
Joseph P. Cresse Hearing Room (Room 148)
4075 Esplanade Way
Tallahassee, Florida

For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.

Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.

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Attorney General Bondi’s Office Requires Online Advertising Service Provider to Reform Practices

Contact:
John Lucas
Phone: 850.245.0150
john.lucas@myfloridalegal.com

Attorney General Bondi’s Office Requires Online Advertising Service Provider to Reform Practices

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office has reached a
settlement with Clickbooth.com, LLC, an online advertising network. The
settlement resolves allegations that advertisements within the
Clickbooth.com advertising network were deceptively designed by its
affiliates to replicate actual news articles. The fake news items often
included fabricated consumer comments and other misleading statements. As
part of the settlement, Clickbooth.com must reform and monitor its
advertising practices as well as pay $500,000 to the Attorney General’s
Office. The Attorney General’s Office acknowledges the assistance of the
Federal Trade Commission in this case.

“Online advertising service providers are responsible for ensuring that the
advertisements they facilitate within their networks are clear and
accurate,” stated Attorney General Pam Bondi. “I am pleased that
Clickbooth.com has cooperated with my office and will ensure that its
affiliates’ advertisements do not include misrepresentations or omissions.”

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