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Statewide Career Fair Prioritizes Hiring Floridians and Puerto Rico Evacuees

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Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Teams Up with CareerSource Florida, The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Homebuilders, Uber and Lennar to Hire for Construction Jobs

Nineteen local workforce boards will host a statewide, construction industry-focused job fair beginning June 12 in cities and towns across Florida. In partnership with the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, CareerSource Florida, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Homebuilders, Uber and Lennar – the largest homebuilder in America and Florida, the events bring together construction and related companies seeking to hire Floridians and individuals displaced by Hurricane Maria for a variety of high-paying jobs.

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Law Enforcement Leadership Continue to Endorse Amendment 6/Marsy’s Law for Florida

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Law enforcement leadership from across the state continue to endorse Amendment 6/Marsy’s Law for Florida, which would place equal rights and protections for victims in the state constitution if supported by voters. Endorsing Amendment 6/Marsy’s Law for Florida are:

  • Retired Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti
  • Dixie County Sheriff Dewey Hatcher
  • Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan
  • Glades County Sheriff David Hardin
  • Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar
  • Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams
  • Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell
  • Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods
  • Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper
  • Okeechobee County Sheriff Noel Stephen
  • Osceola County Sheriff Russell Gibson
  • Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd
  • Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach
  • Miami-Dade Police Department Director Juan J. Perez

Previously endorsed by sheriffs from 24 counties, the Florida Police Chiefs Association and the Florida Sheriffs Association, Amendment 6/Marsy’s Law for Florida now has the support of more than half of the state’s sheriffs.

A proposed constitutional amendment, Amendment 6/Marsy’s Law for Florida will be on the November 2018 General Election ballot. If passed by a margin of 60 percent or more of Florida voters, Amendment 6 would place a Crime Victims Bill of Rights in the state constitution. Enshrining a Crime Victims Bill of Rights in the state constitution would ensure crime victims have clear, enforceable rights that are equal to, not greater than, the rights of the accused and convicted.

Amendment 6/Marsy’s for Florida was approved and placed on the ballot by the Florida Constitution Revision Commission in April.

The measure has also received the support of Governor Rick Scott, former Governor Jeb Bush, U.S. Congressman Ron DeSantis, State Senator Lauren Book, State Senator Darryl Rouson, Florida Speaker of the House Richard Corcoran, former Secretary of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Wansley Walters, Broward County Commissioner Chip LaMarca, Retired Florida Judge Frank Shepherd, Indian River County Tax Collector Carole Jean Jordan, State Attorney Andrew Warren (13th Judicial Circuit, Hillsborough County) State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle (11th Judicial Circuit, Miami-Dade County) State Attorney R.J. Larizza (7th Judicial Circuit, Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia Counties), State Attorney Brad King (5th Judicial Circuit, Marion, Lake, Citrus, Sumter, Hernando Counties), State Attorney Dave Aronberg (15th Judicial Circuit, Palm Beach County), and former State Attorneys Rod Smith of Gainesville and Willie Meggs of Tallahassee.

For more information on Amendment 6/Marsy’s Law for Florida, visit marsyslawforfl.com.

About Marsy’s Law
Marsy’s Law is named after Marsalee “Marsy” Nicholas of California who was stalked and killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1983. Only one week after her death, Marsy’s mother and brother, Henry T. Nicholas, walked into a grocery store where they were confronted by the accused murderer. The family, who had just come from a visit to Marsy’s grave, was unaware that the accused had been released on bail.  In an effort to honor his sister, Dr. Nicholas, co-founder of Broadcom Corporation, has made it his mission to give victims and their families constitutional protections and equal rights. He formed Marsy’s Law for All in 2009, providing expertise and resources to victims’ rights organizations nationwide.

New Website Will Help Florida Businesses Prepare for Natural Disasters

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The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) today announced the launch of a new website, FloridaDisaster.biz, to help Florida businesses prepare for and recover from hurricanes and other disasters. By providing critical information before, during and after a disaster, the website will help businesses recover and get Floridians back to work following emergencies.

Features of the new website include:

  • A disaster planning toolkit to help businesses prepare for hurricanes and other disasters;
  • Critical disaster updates from the State Emergency Operations Center to keep businesses informed during emergencies; and
  • A Business Damage Assessment Survey to help businesses get back up and running after an emergency.

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FLACP Presents Rep. Olszewski With Award for Outstanding Support for Consumers in 2018 Session

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Rep. Olszewski’s support for responsible lending products
for low-income consumers stands out during session

Florida Alliance for Consumer Protection presented Rep. Olszewski with its award for his support for legislation that promoted responsible lending products for hard working families during the 2018 legislative session. [Read more…] about FLACP Presents Rep. Olszewski With Award for Outstanding Support for Consumers in 2018 Session

Gov. Scott: Florida’s Tourism Industry Booming, Achieves Highest Quarter Ever

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Governor Rick Scott today announced that Florida welcomed an all-time record 33.2 million visitors to the Sunshine State in the first quarter of 2018. This represents an increase of 7.4 percent over the same period in 2017 and is the largest quarter for visitation in Florida history.

Governor Scott said, “I am proud to announce that Florida set an all-time record by welcoming over 33 million visitors to our state during the first quarter of 2018. This historic tourism number represents a 7.4 percent increase over last year and demonstrates the momentum that our state has built. Since December 2010, Florida has created more than 1.5 million jobs, and a large part of this growth is because of the incredible success of our state’s tourism industry. I appreciate the team at VISIT FLORIDA and their help making these historic numbers possible.”

VISIT FLORIDA estimates that a record 29.1 million domestic visitors traveled to Florida in Q1 2018, an 8.5 percent increase in domestic visitors over the same period last year. Following efforts by VISIT FLORIDA and Governor Scott to better market Florida visitation in Canada, 1.4 million Canadians came to Florida in Q1 2018, an increase of 2.5 percent from Q1 2017, continuing Florida’s strong growth of 4 percent in calendar year 2017. Total enplanements at Florida’s 18 major airports in Q1 2018 increased 7.6 percent over the same period the previous year, with Orlando International Airport reporting the most enplaned passengers at nearly 6 million. Of total enplanements, 80.1 percent were domestic, up 1.4 million compared to Q1 of last year. The number of rooms sold and the hotel occupancy rate in Q1 2018 also grew by 3.3 percent and 1.9 percent respectively.

Ken Lawson, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA, said, “This record setting quarter of 33.2 million visitors to our state, the largest quarter in our state’s history, shows that VISIT FLORIDA is marketing our state like never before. With the help of our 12,000 industry partners, we saw a historic 7.4 percent increase over last year, which is fantastic news. We will continue developing more innovative and cutting-edge marketing programs to build on this success across the country and across the world. I am very proud of our team’s efforts as we continue to market Florida as the number one global destination.”

To view additional Florida visitor data, go the research page on VISIT FLORIDA’s media website.

Business Leaders to Discuss Florida’s Workforce Needs

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Florida 2030 Project recommendations on workforce to
be released at Learners to Earners Workforce Summit

The Florida Chamber Foundation will hold their annual Learners to Earners Workforce Summit June 12-13 to tackle conversations on workforce needs facing Florida between now and 2030.

This day-and-a-half event will consist of:

June 12
Florida 2030 Research Recommendations Released

Join us as we release the Talent Supply & Education portion of the Florida 2030 Report and cover what more than 10,000 Floridians in each of Florida’s 67 counties had to say about the future of work.

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8th Annual Great St. Pete Cupcake Contest Registration Opens Today

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The Morean Arts Center invites you to compete in a city-wide search for St. Petersburg’s BEST CUPCAKE. This is the 8th Annual Great St. Pete Cupcake Contest, celebrating artistry in a unique way. The contest will be hosted at the Morean Center for Clay located in the Warehouse Arts District at 420 22nd Street South – Saturday, August 25 from 12-3 p.m.

Following last year’s 100th birthday celebration in honor of the Morean’s 100th anniversary, close to 100 bakers competed, and expect to have a similar number for the 8th Annual contest! A $15 entry fee allows each participant to enter one submission. A minimum of 4 delicious cupcakes are required for entry so that the judges can taste each submission.

Registration is officially open as of June 1, and contestants may complete entry forms and liability waivers via the Morean Arts Center’s website. Deadline for entering the contest is Monday, August 20; although the number of contestants has been expanded, the Morean Arts Center expects to max out as usual, so early registration is encouraged.

First and Second Place awards will be given in both Novice and Professional categories as well as the People’s Choice award. The Morean Arts Center will continue to accept entries for additional categories including Youth/Teen for those aspiring bakers ages 10-16 years old, and the Specialty category for those choosing to offer Gluten Free or Vegan recipes.

The winners in 2017 were: First Place Professional: Alexis Blanton; Pancake Breakfast at Tiffany’s First Place Novice: Michael Ash; Samoa First Place Specialty: Vincent House; Black Bean S’mores First Place Youth/Teen: Rachel O’Brien; Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake People’s Choice: Michelle Saxton; Pick of the Patch Pumpkin

Over 500 contestants have competed in this contest over the past six years, and the Morean Arts Center is expecting yet another phenomenal turnout this year. Cupcakes will be judged on icing/frosting, flavor/texture and presentation/creativity for a total of 50 points, which allows plenty of room for edible creativity. The winners will receive bragging rights around St. Petersburg and a handmade cupcake trophy by a local artist to be announced later this summer.

The winning cupcakes will enjoy fame and fortune as a celebrity on the Morean website, Facebook page and city-wide media. Awards announced at 3 p.m. The People’s Choice award will be voted on by the attending audience. Participants in the contest are encouraged to bring sufficient quantities for the public to taste, but not required. Votes will be tallied and winner of the People’s Choice Award announced at 3 p.m. $5 admission will be collected to help support the Morean Arts Center’s mission of Connecting People with Art. Admission includes 5 ballots, additional ballots can be purchased for $1 (cash or credit).

Registration will be capped at 100 contestants. Please send in forms as soon as possible. Multiple submissions are allowed, but each flavor entered needs to be accompanied by a separate registration form and entry fee. For information or questions on how to enter the contest, please call the Morean Arts Center at 727.822.7872 or go online and download the entry form at MoreanArtsCenter.org

Harvard faculty to lead unique Executive Leadership Course at Florida Poly

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Business executives from all over Florida are invited to participate in a one-of-a-kind leadership course developed by Harvard professors and taught at Florida Polytechnic University from August 5-10.

The immersive week-long Florida Poly Executive Leadership Course is designed for mid-career professionals looking to improve their leadership skills. Attendees will learn how to better understand their market, execute creative change, and grow their organizations through flexible and adaptive leadership.

The course is led by Harvard professors emeritus Drs. Paul Marshall and Earl Sasser to provide participants with the most advanced leadership strategies through hands-on activities, real-world case studies, group break-outs and self-reflection. Both Marshall and Sasser are leaders in the field of management and executive education, each having over 40 years of experience in the classroom.

“What makes this course unique is that it is led by Harvard faculty and modeled by what people can find at Harvard,” said Florida Poly president, Dr. Randy K. Avent. “It’s also a resident program which brings the opportunity to build valuable relationships with leaders from other companies.”

Participants will also learn from Florida Poly faculty members who will emphasize the role technology and innovation play in the skills needed for success in today’s business world.

Marshall and Sassar created the program drawing from their experience with the Harvard Business School case study method, which helps participants gain insider perspective, decision-making skills, and increased confidence through small-group discussion and engaging lecture.

Throughout the day, attendees will have the opportunity to explore Florida Poly’s campus and will spend time in the iconic Innovation, Science & Technology (IST) Building, designed by famed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The IST is home to a supercomputer, 3D printing lab, media lab, big data lab, and the university’s bookless library.

Attendees will spend their evenings in a residence hall and are invited to take advantage of the on-campus fitness center.

Seating in this unique program is limited and the registration deadline is July 22. For more information, contact [email protected] or 863-874-8614.

Heat up your summer with higher instant cash prizes

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The Florida Lottery’s Summer EZmatch™ Promotion Begins Today

Temperatures are rising and so are instant cash prize amounts! For a limited time only, Florida Lottery players who add EZmatch to their FANTASY 5®, LUCKY MONEY™ and FLORIDA LOTTO® purchases can instantly win higher cash prizes of up to $1,000.

Beginning today, through Sunday, July 29, 2018, the EZmatch top prize will double from $500 to $1,000 and the second prize from $250 to $500.  EZmatch players will also enjoy an increased minimum prize of $5, up from $2.

For an additional $1 per play, the EZmatch add-on feature gives players of these games the opportunity to win cash prizes instantly. When players add EZmatch to their FANTASY 5, LUCKY MONEY or FLORIDA LOTTO purchase, multiple EZmatch numbers and instant prize amounts will be printed on the ticket. If any of the EZmatch numbers match any of the player’s numbers on the ticket, the player instantly wins the prize amount shown. Players can multiple times on a single ticket.

All EZmatch prizes of less than $600 are redeemable at any Florida Lottery retail location. Prizes of $600 or more must be claimed at a Florida Lottery District Office. If an EZmatch prize is paid by a retailer before the applicable FANTASY 5, LUCKY MONEY, or FLORIDA LOTTO drawing on the ticket has occurred, a continuation ticket will be provided to the player.  EZmatch prizes can be claimed up to 180 days after the first draw date on the ticket. More information about this Promotion, or any Florida Lottery game, is available at flalottery.com.

FANTASY 5 drawings are held seven days a week, at 11:15 p.m., ET; LUCKY MONEY drawings are held Tuesday and Friday nights at 11:15 p.m., ET; and FLORIDA LOTTO drawings are held Wednesday and Saturday nights at 11:15 p.m., ET. Florida Lottery drawings are broadcast on 17 carrier stations throughout the state and are available for viewing on the Florida Lottery website. Winning numbers are available on the Lottery website, at retailers statewide and by phone at (850) 921-PLAY.

Mayor Billy Bain Endorses Diaz

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The Miami Springs mayor is the latest Miami-Dade official to throw his support behind Diaz’s candidacy for the Florida Senate

The Manny Diaz Campaign today announced the endorsement of Miami Springs Mayor Billy Bain. Diaz has represented District 103 in the Florida House of Representatives since 2012 and is seeking the District 36 seat in the state senate. Bain joins a growing list of Miami-Dade elected officials, including seven other mayors, who have endorsed Diaz in recent weeks.

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