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Blacklidge Continues Solid Fundraising

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Since becoming a candidate, the Republican has
banked over $100,000 in the race for House District 69.

The Ray Blacklidge Campaign today announced that it raised $10,395 during December, bringing his total amount raised to more than $87,000. When combined with funds raised for his political committee, Friends of Ray Blacklidge, his total amount exceeds $100,000. Blacklidge is seeking the District 69 seat in the Florida House of Representatives.
“Our momentum in this campaign continues to grow,” said Blacklidge. “Our fundraising strength demonstrates that more and more people are jumping on board with our vision for more jobs and a stronger economy, and I look forward to continuing to get our message out to the voters of District 69.”
Blacklidge, a Republican, has an extensive background as an entrepreneur with a record of protecting consumers and fighting fraud. He currently works as an insurance executive and attorney in the management of a Florida-based insurance company.
Ray is a longtime Pinellas County resident who lives with his wife, Lisa, a physician’s assistant, in Madeira Beach, and they are thrilled that their five children and three grandchildren all live in the Tampa Bay area.
House District 69 covers the south Pinellas beach communities from Redington Shores to Fort DeSoto, as well as portions of St. Petersburg, Gulfport, Kenneth City, and Pinellas Park. With 36 percent of the district’s voter registration, Republicans maintain a slight lead over the Democrats’ 35 percent. Independents and minor parties make up 29 percent of the district.

Paid by Ray Blacklidge, Republican, for State Representative

FDOT will hold workshop next week about proposed improvements on U.S. 17/92 in Osceola County

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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will conduct a public workshop to discuss proposed improvements to an approximately five-mile section of U.S. 17/92 from south of the Polk/Osceola County line to west of Poinciana Boulevard in Osceola County. The workshop will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at St. Nicholas Anglican Church, 1729 Business Center Lane, Kissimmee, FL 34758. 
The purpose of the workshop is to present the proposed improvements and obtain input from attendees. Proposed improvements include roadway and bridge widening; and, the addition of bicycle and pedestrian features. Maps and other displays will be available for review, and members of the study team will be available to answer questions.
Persons with disabilities who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Ms. Heather Garcia, Project Manager, Florida Department of Transportation, by phone, (386) 943-5392, or via email, [email protected].  If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact us by using the Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TTY/TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice).
Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. Persons wishing to express their concerns relative to FDOT compliance with Title VI may do so by contacting Jennifer Smith, FDOT District Five Title VI Coordinator, [email protected].
For project-related questions, please contact Ms. Heather Garcia. Media inquiries should be directed to FDOT Communications Manager Steve Olson at 386-943-5479 or [email protected].

UNF Earns Top 40 Ranking in U.S. News & World Report’s ‘Best Online’ Bachelor’s Programs

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The University of North Florida is among hundreds of higher education institutions included in U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 Best Online Programs rankings released today. UNF is ranked among the Top 40 colleges and universities in the country for “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs,” which includes data from nearly 1,500 distance-education degree programs nationwide.

UNF, ranked No. 31, soared 17 spots from last year’s ranking and is the only local higher education institution listed among the rankings in this category. The University also landed on the “Best Online Education Programs” list, a graduate-level ranking. Only degree-granting programs offering classes entirely online were considered. For more information on the “Best Online Programs” rankings, visit usnews.com/online.

“It’s very rewarding to have U.S. News & World Report rank our bachelor’s and our graduate education online programs among the best in the nation,” said UNF President John Delaney. “Faculty in our online programs are committed to this form of program delivery and have developed course materials and teaching methods that are second to none.”

U.S. News assessed schools based on four general categories: student engagement (including participation in courses that allow students opportunities to readily interact with instructors and fellow classmates), faculty credentials and training (including doctoral and tenure-track faculty and formal training for faculty in distance education), student services and technology (including diverse online learning technologies, career guidance and financial aid resources) and peer reputation (including industry opinions that account for intangible factors on program quality that is not captured by statistics).

“UNF continues to support the development of high-quality online courses and programs to meet student demand,” said Dr. Deb Miller, UNF senior director for Academic Technology and Innovation. “Our focus is on online courses that promote high levels of student interaction and developing programs that expand access to the University’s excellent offerings.”

UNF is leading the way in distance learning with its innovative Doctor of Clinical Nutrition program. The fully-online DCN program is an advanced practice doctoral program with emphasis on leadership, advanced evidence-based practice and research. The DCN prepares practitioners for leadership roles in clinical, community or higher education settings through course work, advanced practice residency and the production of applied scholarship. Nationally, this program is one of only two DCN degree programs.

The University’s online graduate education programs include Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Nursing Practice in Psychological-Mental Health, Doctor of Clinical Nutrition, Master of Science in American Sign Language/English Interpreting, Master of Education in Educational Leadership: Instructional Technology Track, Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, Master of Science in Criminal Justice, RN-BSN Bridge Track as well as Graduate Certificates in Early Childhood Education, Health Informatics and Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.

This latest recognition comes on the heels of UNF receiving several other national designations, including Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s “Best College Value of 2018,” 2018 “Best in the Southeast” by Princeton Review, 2018 “Best Regional” University by U.S. News & World Report, 2018 “Best Colleges” by College Factual and the 2017 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from Insight into Diversity magazine, to name a few.

UNF Earns Top 40 Ranking in U.S. News & World Report’s ‘Best Online’ Bachelor’s Programs

Posted on

The University of North Florida is among hundreds of higher education institutions included in U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 Best Online Programs rankings released today. UNF is ranked among the Top 40 colleges and universities in the country for “Best Online Bachelor’s Programs,” which includes data from nearly 1,500 distance-education degree programs nationwide.
UNF, ranked No. 31, soared 17 spots from last year’s ranking and is the only local higher education institution listed among the rankings in this category. The University also landed on the “Best Online Education Programs” list, a graduate-level ranking. Only degree-granting programs offering classes entirely online were considered. For more information on the “Best Online Programs” rankings, visit usnews.com/online.
“It’s very rewarding to have U.S. News & World Report rank our bachelor’s and our graduate education online programs among the best in the nation,” said UNF President John Delaney. “Faculty in our online programs are committed to this form of program delivery and have developed course materials and teaching methods that are second to none.”
U.S. News assessed schools based on four general categories: student engagement (including participation in courses that allow students opportunities to readily interact with instructors and fellow classmates), faculty credentials and training (including doctoral and tenure-track faculty and formal training for faculty in distance education), student services and technology (including diverse online learning technologies, career guidance and financial aid resources) and peer reputation (including industry opinions that account for intangible factors on program quality that is not captured by statistics).
“UNF continues to support the development of high-quality online courses and programs to meet student demand,” said Dr. Deb Miller, UNF senior director for Academic Technology and Innovation. “Our focus is on online courses that promote high levels of student interaction and developing programs that expand access to the University’s excellent offerings.”
UNF is leading the way in distance learning with its innovative Doctor of Clinical Nutrition program. The fully-online DCN program is an advanced practice doctoral program with emphasis on leadership, advanced evidence-based practice and research. The DCN prepares practitioners for leadership roles in clinical, community or higher education settings through course work, advanced practice residency and the production of applied scholarship. Nationally, this program is one of only two DCN degree programs.
The University’s online graduate education programs include Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Nursing Practice in Psychological-Mental Health, Doctor of Clinical Nutrition, Master of Science in American Sign Language/English Interpreting, Master of Education in Educational Leadership: Instructional Technology Track, Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, Master of Science in Criminal Justice, RN-BSN Bridge Track as well as Graduate Certificates in Early Childhood Education, Health Informatics and Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.
This latest recognition comes on the heels of UNF receiving several other national designations, including Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s “Best College Value of 2018,” 2018 “Best in the Southeast” by Princeton Review, 2018 “Best Regional” University by U.S. News & World Report, 2018 “Best Colleges” by College Factual and the 2017 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from Insight into Diversity magazine, to name a few.

CFO Jimmy Patronis and Commissioner Adam Putnam Host Joint Press Conference on Credit Report Freeze Fee

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis will hold a press conference with Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg), and Rep. Shawn Harrison (R-Tampa) to urge lawmakers to support Senate Bill 1302 and House Bill 953, which eliminate the credit report freeze fee, on Wednesday, January 10, at 11 a.m.
WHO: CFO Jimmy Patronis and Commissioner Adam H. Putnam
Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg)
Rep. Shawn Harrison (R-Tampa)
WHAT: Press Conference on Eliminating the Credit Report Freeze Fee
WHEN: Wednesday, January 10, 2018
11 a.m.
WHERE: The Florida Capitol
Fourth Floor Rotunda
Senate Side

Secretary of State Announces Recipients of the 2018 Florida Folk Heritage Awards

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Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced today the recipients of the 2018 Florida Folk Heritage Awards which are given to outstanding folk artists and folk culture advocates who have made longstanding contributions to the folk cultural resources of the state. In the category of Folk Culture Advocate, the award recipients are Marshall Davis, Director of the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in Miami, and Jeff Klinkenberg, author and former Tampa Bay Times columnist in St. Petersburg. In the category of Folk Artist, the award recipient is Pedro Bullaudy, salsa musician and band leader in Clearwater. Awards will be presented to the recipients in a ceremony at the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee on January 24, 2018.
“We are honored to recognize these individuals for their commitment to fostering Florida’s folk arts and cultural heritage,” said Secretary Detzner. “Their contributions have led to a greater appreciation and recognition of the importance of traditional arts and artists in our state.”

The 2018 Florida Folk Heritage Award recipients
(l-r) Pedro Bullaudy, Jeff Klinkenberg and Marshall Davis.
Photos courtesy of Bullaudy, Klinkenberg, and Davis.

Pedro Bullaudy
As the founder of salsa band Orquesta Infinidad, Cuban-born musician and arranger Pedro Bullaudy has served for more than 20 years as the driving force behind the Tampa Bay area’s salsa scene delivering original arrangements, fresh energy and the best in the Latin music repertoire.
Marshall Davis
Since 1983, Marshall Davis has served as the Director of the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in Miami where he has developed curricula that enables students to actualize themselves in the arts, and fostered increased recognition and cultural understanding of the arts in Florida.
Jeff Klinkenberg
Author and former “Real Florida” columnist for the Tampa Bay Times, Jeff Klinkenberg has written about Florida’s traditional culture for nearly four decades, interviewing cattlemen, African American citrus pickers, Gibsonton carnival workers, sponge divers in Tarpon Springs, Cuban lectors in Ybor City, while shedding light on subjects from fish camps to The Highwaymen and bringing public attention to our state’s treasured tradition bearers.
For additional information, including photos and full bios of each award recipient, visit the Florida Folklife Program’s Facebook page.
About the Florida Folk Heritage Awards
Based on public nominations and recommendations from the Florida Folklife Council, the Secretary of State confers Florida Folk Heritage Awards annually. Awards are given to outstanding Folk Artists and Folk Culture Advocates who have made long-standing contributions to the folk cultural resources of the state. Established in 1985, the program parallels the National Heritage Fellowships and honors the state’s most influential tradition bearers and folk advocates for excellence, significance and authenticity in terms of traditional arts. To make a nomination, contact State Folklorist Amanda Hardeman at 850.245.6427 or click here.
About the Florida Folklife Program
The Florida Folklife Program, a component of the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources, documents and presents Florida’s folklife, folklore and folk arts. Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the program coordinates a wide range of activities and projects designed to increase the awareness of Floridians and visitors alike about Florida’s traditional culture. Established in 1979 by the legislature to document and present Florida folklife, the program is one of the oldest state folk arts programs in the nation. For more information, visit flheritage.com/preservation/folklife.

U.S. 1 Roundabout at Old Dixie Highway Public Hearing Next Week

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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will hold a public hearing about the proposed design of a roundabout at the intersection of U.S. 1/State Road 5 and Old Dixie Highway next Thursday, Jan. 18, at the Community Baptist Church, 956 S. Old Dixie Highway in Bunnell. The hearing will begin as an open house at 5:30 p.m., with a formal presentation at 6 p.m., followed by a comment period.
The goal of the project is to improve safety and mobility at the intersection. No additional right of way will be required. The hearing will provide an opportunity for the public to learn about the design concept, speak with project team representatives and provide input.
Persons with disabilities who require accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Heidi Trivett, FDOT Project Manager, by phone at 386-943-5466, or via email at [email protected]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice).
Public participation is sought without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. Persons wishing to express their concerns relative to FDOT compliance with Title VI may do so by contacting Jennifer Smith, FDOT District Five Title VI Coordinator, [email protected].
The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 14, 2016, and executed by the Federal Highway Administration and FDOT.
For design-related questions, please contact Heidi Trivett, FDOT Project Manager, or visit the project page on the Central Florida Roads website. For media inquiries, please contact FDOT Communications Manager Steve Olson at 386-943-5479 or [email protected].
FDOT advises drivers to slow down in construction zones; the life you save may be your own.

Gov. Scott Proclaims UCF Knights Football National Champions in Florida

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Governor Rick Scott issued a proclamation declaring the University of Central Florida Knights football team as national champions in Florida after their undefeated, 13-0 season. The UCF Knights beat the Auburn Tigers 34-27 in the Peach Bowl on New Years Day. This season, the Auburn Tigers beat both the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide, who are playing in the last game of the College Football Playoff. To view the proclamation, click HERE.
Governor Rick Scott said, “Florida is home to the country’s best college football, and this season, UCF proved to the world that they can beat any team. By having a perfect season and beating the only team that defeated both Alabama and Georgia this season, the UCF Knights are clearly champions. I wish both teams good luck tonight in Atlanta. Charge On.”

Attorney Benjamin Crump Will Deliver Keynote at FAMU MLK Day Convocation

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MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: On Friday, January 12, Benjamin L. Crump, civil rights attorney and the host of the A&E series “Who Killed Tupac?,” will be the keynote speaker during Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) 2018 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation.

Benjamin Crump

WHAT: FAMU invites prolific speakers and notable figures in Black history, human rights and civil rights to deliver the annual address before students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community. Crump will reflect on King’s famous “Letter From Birmingham City Jail” and use the message to empower students and people of all ages to use “what they have” to stand up for justice.
WHY: Crump and his Tallahassee-based law firm’s representation of victims of gun violence sparked national outcry and ongoing protests over the murders of unarmed Black men, primarily at the hands of police.
WHERE: The convocation begins at 10:10 a.m., at FAMU’s Jake Gaither Gymnasium, located at 1835 Wahnish Way in Tallahassee. The public is invited to attend the free event and is encouraged to arrive early, as seating is limited.

Public Information Meeting for John Young Parkway Widening Project

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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is holding a public meeting regarding the State Road (S.R.) 423/John Young Parkway widening construction project. The meeting is an informal open house format scheduled for next Tuesday, Jan. 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The American Legion Department of Florida, 1912A Lee Road, Orlando, FL 32810. Plans will be available for review and project staff will be available to address questions.
The $28 million project will widen John Young Parkway from four to six lanes beginning at S.R. 50/West Colonial Drive and ending at Shader Road. Other improvements include curb and gutter, drainage, two new ponds, sidewalks, lighting, signing and pavement markings, intelligent transportation system (ITS) improvements, and signals. Work is slated to begin early 2018.
Persons with disabilities who require accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Shemir Wiles, Public Information Coordinator, at 321-319-8130 or via email at [email protected]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact us by using the Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice).
Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. Persons wishing to express their concerns relative to FDOT compliance with Title VI may do so by contacting Jennifer Smith, FDOT District Five Title VI Coordinator, [email protected].
For construction-related questions, please contact Shemir Wiles. Media inquiries should be directed to FDOT Communications Manager Steve Olson at 386-943-5479 or [email protected].
FDOT advises drivers to slow down in construction zones; the life you save may be your own.