Florida News Straight From the Source
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is holding a public information meeting on the South Lake Trail Phase IIIB. The meeting is on Tuesday, June 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the E.L. Puryear Building/Community Center in Groveland. [Read more…] about South Lake Trail Public Information Meeting in Lake County
The Honorable Judge Rosemary Barkett was presented with the 2018 Leadership Florida® LeRoy Collins Lifetime Achievement Award today during the organization’s Annual Meeting. This award recognizes an individual who has gone above and beyond by using their leadership abilities to improve the quality of life for Florida’s citizens and its future generations. The award is in recognition of the impeccable standards Governor LeRoy Collins set for leadership in Florida, and in 1991 Leadership Florida renamed the Lifetime Achievement Award in his honor. [Read more…] about Leadership Florida Presents The Honorable Judge Rosemary Barkett with LeRoy Collins Lifetime Achievement Award
Leadership Florida® presented JASMYN with the 2018 Florida Regional Impact Award Saturday during its Annual Meeting. This award recognizes a business or nonprofit organizations that has created a specific project or body of work whose impact is currently transforming the future of its region and has the potential to transform Florida as a whole. [Read more…] about Leadership Florida Honors the Jacksonville Area Sexual Minority Youth Network (JASMYN)
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) filed legislation today to maintain the current moratorium on oil and gas activities in the eastern Gulf of Mexico – and prevent the administration from opening up any new areas closer to Florida’s coast to offshore drilling – until, at least, 2027.
The move comes amid reports that the oil industry – despite the Trump administration’s pledge that Florida would be “off the table” to new drilling – has launched a new campaign to try to open up additional areas in the eastern Gulf to offshore drilling.
“Here we go,” Nelson tweeted in response to the reports Wednesday. “Like us, Big Oil doesn’t believe Florida is really “off the table” to new drilling – despite what Scott and the Trump administration keep saying – and now they are making a new push to drill closer to Florida’s shores. We can’t let that happen!”
Nelson, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, filed the measure to maintain the current moratorium in the eastern gulf for an additional five years – until 2027, instead of 2022 – as an amendment to the annual defense bill that’s currently being considered in the Senate.
By filing the measure as an amendment to the defense bill – instead of as a standalone piece of legislation – it could need only 50 votes to be approved and added into the broader bill, instead of the 60 votes it typically takes to get a bill through the chamber.
Now filed, a decision on whether to allow a vote on Nelson’s amendment will be up to Senate leaders – while a decision on whether the amendment would need only 50 votes, instead of 60, will be up to the Senate Parliamentarian.
Nelson says, however, if they are successful in getting Senate leaders to allow a vote on the measure, the fact that it may only need 50 votes to pass as an amendment would drastically increase its chances of becoming law.
Full text of the amendment can be found here.
Image source: nelsonforsenate.com
The Florida Office of Financial Regulation today announced that an administrative complaint has been filed against Riverside Chevrolet, LLC d/b/a Riverside Chevrolet for violations of Chapter 520, Florida Statutes. The agency is seeking a revocation of licensure and an administrative fine.
Division of Consumer Finance Director Gregory Oaks said, “This examination is ongoing. Consumers who suspect questionable business practices are encouraged to file a complaint with the Florida Office of Financial Regulation online at flofr.com or by calling (850) 487-9687.”
The agency’s administrative complaint alleges that Riverside Chevrolet failed to pay off liens on vehicles which were traded in, in violation of the retail installment contracts, and then resold trade-in vehicles, despite not having legal title to sell the vehicles.
Tomorrow, June 8th, Governor Rick Scott will attend the grand opening ceremony for the new VT Mobile Aerospace Engineering Facility. The new hangar will create 400 jobs. Since December 2010, Florida’s hardworking businesses have created more than 1.5 million jobs.
WHAT: Grand Opening Ceremony
WHEN: 11:00 AM
WHERE: VT MAE
2701 Langley Avenue
Pensacola, FL 32504
Enterprise Florida (EFI) recently presented a series of trade seminars across the state to help Florida small and medium-sized businesses learn about doing business in Germany and German markets. The week-long event, held May 13-17, included 15 meetings and seminars in 8 cities.
Enterprise Florida senior vice president of international trade and development, Manny Mencia said, “These types of seminars allow us to reach companies around the state and help them learn about potential new markets. Germany is a top 10 total merchandise trade partner for the state and businesses there provide tremendous opportunities for companies in Florida. We’re continuously working to help companies here grow through trade in markets like Germany.”
[Read more…] about Enterprise Florida Trade Seminars Give Small Businesses Insight to German Markets
Motorists are advised of planned detours along State Road (S.R.) 44 near Woodland Boulevard from about 6 p.m. Friday, June 8, through Sunday, June 10. Woodland Boulevard will remain open. Access to businesses and residences between Amelia Avenue and Woodland Boulevard, and between Clara Avenue and Woodland Boulevard will be maintained.
The closure is needed for concrete repairs on S.R. 44 on both sides of Woodland Boulevard. The work is weather permitting. During the closure, S.R. 44 traffic will be detoured around the work zone using Clara, Amelia, Rich and Howry avenues. Please see attached map.
The closures are part of a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) project to repair and replace sections of concrete roadway along S.R. 44 between Boundary and Hill avenues. An additional detour is expected near Alabama Avenue later in the month.
Electronic message boards will be used to alert motorists to lane closures and detours, and updates will be available on the FDOT’s Central Florida website, CFLRoads.com.
Media inquiries should be directed to the FDOT District Five Communications Office at 386-943-5479 or [email protected].
FDOT advises drivers to slow down and use extra caution in construction zones.
With Florida’s red snapper season beginning this Monday, June 11, Governor Rick Scott encourages Floridians and visitors to take full advantage. Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World and recreational saltwater fishing contributes $8 billion annually to Florida’s economy. Fishing is just one of Florida’s incredible natural treasures. Florida’s fishing, like the state’s world-renowned beaches, attract millions of visitors to the Sunshine State every year and led to Governor Scott announcing this week that Florida experienced the highest quarter ever for tourism with more than 33 million visiting the state in the first quarter of 2018. Also, last week, Governor Scott announced that this Saturday and Sunday, June 9-10, are license-free freshwater fishing days in Florida.
Governor Scott said, “Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World and now is the perfect time to get outdoors and go fishing. I am proud that Florida’s world-class fishing continues to attract visitors from around the world, fueling our incredible tourism industry which supports more than 1.4 million jobs across our state. I encourage all Florida families and visitors to spend time with their loved ones this weekend enjoying Florida’s beautiful outdoors and head out for red snapper next week.”
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Chairman Bo Rivard said, “We are proud to lead Florida’s conservation efforts so that residents and visitors can access and enjoy all our state has to offer, like red snapper fishing, bass fishing, boating and more.”
For red snapper season, this year and next year are unique compared to previous years in that Florida’s Gulf recreational red snapper season will be the same in both state and federal waters.
Anglers fishing from private recreational boats will need to have their recreational saltwater fishing license (unless exempt) and will need to have Gulf Reef Fish Angler on their license (includes those that are exempt) to target red snapper or other certain reef fish in Gulf state and federal waters (excluding Monroe County). You can get this printed on a license at no cost at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or by visiting any location you can purchase a license.
To learn more about the 40-day recreational red snapper season in Gulf state and federal waters, including season size and bag limits, visit MyFWC.com/Snappers.
To learn more about license-free fishing, visit MyFWC.com/License.
The Florida Lottery announces that Yassannah Fernandez, of Miami, trustee of the Yurisans Trust, claimed a $15 million top prize from the FLORIDA 100X THE CASH Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. The Yurisans Trust chose to receive the winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $11,175,000.00.
The winning ticket was purchased at Sunshine, located at 8781 Southwest 72nd Street in Miami. The retailer will receive a $30,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
The $30 game, FLORIDA 100X THE CASH, launched on February 26, and features eight top prizes of $15 million – the largest Scratch-Off top prize ever offered by the Florida Lottery! The game also offers 20 prizes of $1 million. Overall odds of winning are one-in-2.59.
Scratch-Offs are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, generating more than $784 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in FY 2016-17, and comprising approximately 68 percent of ticket sales.
