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Attorney Ben Crump to Star in New A&E Series “Who Killed Tupac?”

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Six-part TV series premieres Tuesday, November 21, and
follows Crump as he investigates murder of Tupac Shakur

Ben Crump
Photo credit: A&E Network

Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who gained national recognition representing the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and other victims of gun violence, is starring in a new six-part television series, “Who Killed Tupac?”
“Who Killed Tupac?” follows Crump and a team of investigators as he conducts, for the first time ever, a no-stone-unturned investigation 20 years after Shakur’s death. The series promises to bring to light confidential, exclusive documents, interviews, and information that will be used to both support and discredit some of the key theories that have surrounded the unsolved murder over the past two decades.
Crump will provide his own personal and legal analysis, based on the facts, to either corroborate or disprove those theories. He works closely with Mopreme Shakur, Tupac’s brother, over the course of the investigative series. The limited series investigates the 1996 murder of the prolific and controversial rapper and actor. It premieres on Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the A&E Network.
“Tupac’s influence on society is still felt today, and the public is still keenly interested in finding out what really happened to him,” Crump said. “Some truly fascinating discoveries will be revealed each week.”
Crump will host a viewing party, which will be held at Xen Lounge in Studio City on Tuesday, November 21, from 7-9 p.m. PT and is open to the public.

Governor Rick Scott Attends L-8 FEB Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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Governor Rick Scott today attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the L-8 Flow Equalization Basin, a major restoration project completed as part of the Governor’s $880 million Everglades water quality plan. Since Governor Scott has been in office, more than $1.8 billion has been invested by the State of Florida in restoring the Everglades.
To continue protecting Florida’s world-class beaches, award-winning and nationally acclaimed state parks, renowned springs and iconic Everglades, Governor Scott’s Securing Florida’s Future budget proposes more than $3.8 billion, including a record $355 million for the following Everglades restoration related projects:

  • $32 million in recurring state funding that is part of the Governor’s $880 million Everglades water quality plan;
  • $173.8 million for Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects, including the C-43 Reservoir and land acquisition required to move additional projects forward;
  • $36 million for dispersed water management and public private partnerships to provide additional water storage;
  • $64 million to the South Florida Water Management District for the EAA Reservoir (Senate Bill 10); and
  • $50 million to accelerate repairs to the federally-operated Herbert Hoover Dike.

Stetson professors co-author the right to a clean and healthy environment amendment to the Florida Constitution

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The “right to a clean and healthy environment” proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution, drafted by Stetson University professors Clay Henderson and Lance Long, is one of only six out of 2,000 public proposed amendments advanced for further consideration by the Florida Constitution Revision Commission. The proposed amendment will be considered by the Florida CRC Judiciary Committee in Tallahassee on Nov. 28.
The “right to a clean and healthy environment” proposal or P23, sponsored by Commissioner Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, would amend the Florida Constitution to provide that “the natural resources of the state are the legacy of present and future generations” and “every person has a right to a clean and healthful environment, including clean air and water.”
Henderson, executive director of Stetson University’s Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience, proposed the right to a clean environment at a public hearing in Jacksonville earlier this year.
“Floridians have demonstrated time and again that protection of the environment is a fundamental value that should rise to a constitutional level of protection,” Henderson said.
“The proposed amendment provides Florida citizens with a constitutionally enforceable right to a clean and healthful environment,” said Long. “It does not create an independent right to bring legal action, but it does set a standard applicable to any action by a private or public party.” Long teaches legal research and writing, and environmental law and environmental advocacy at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, where he also serves as faculty adviser to the Go Green Committee on campus.
The proposal was drafted by a small group of environmental lawyers including Henderson and Long. Stetson law student Kai Su helped prepare the proposed amendment by researching similar provisions in other states. The proposed amendment was presented by Executive Director of Conservation Trust for Florida Traci Deen.
The Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience at Stetson University in DeLand focuses on water and environmental research in order to offer policy options to protect natural resources in Central Florida and beyond, combining student and faculty research across all university colleges – in partnership with other institutions and community stakeholders.

FAMU Head Football Coach Announces Resignation

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Florida A&M University (FAMU) Athletics Director Milton Overton, Jr., announced Coach Alex Wood has resigned his position as head football coach and will step down today.
Overton said, “Wood has served FAMU Athletics with honor as he worked to help rebuild the Rattler football program during the past three seasons. We thank him for his dedication and service.”
Offensive Line Coach Edwin Pata, a two-time FAMU alumnus and former FSU football player, will serve as interim head football coach.
FAMU will work diligently to identify the next head football coach under the leadership of Interim Athletics Director John Eason.

Senate Democratic Leader Designate Audrey Gibson's Statement on Bittel Resignation

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Please find below Senator Audrey Gibson’s statement on Mr. Bittel’s resignation:
“I was shocked and disappointed to learn of Mr. Bittel’s behavior as reported by Politico, and I appreciate his decision to resign. His behavior is unacceptable and counter to our party’s values. Every individual should be treated with dignity and respect. Senate Democrats are committed to changing the culture in Tallahassee.”

Alachua Delegation Meeting Announced

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The Alachua County Legislative Delegation Meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 29th, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The public hearing will take place at the Santa Fe College NW Campus Fine Arts Hall, located at 3000 NW 83rd St, Gainesville, Florida for the purpose of consideration of local bills.
To be placed on the agenda to address the Alachua County Legislative Delegation, please email  Staz ([email protected]) in Senator Perry’s office by Monday November 27th for the proper form. All materials or handouts for this meeting must be sent to Staz in Senator Perry’s office no later than Monday, November 27th. The Alachua County Legislative Delegation meeting is open to the public.

Enterprise Florida and 30 Small Businesses Exhibit at Global Tradeshows

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Florida Pavilions opened at MEDICA and the Dubai Airshow this week

This week, Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) and 30 small and medium-sized businesses are exhibiting at two of the largest tradeshows in the world. MEDICA, the world’s largest medical technology tradeshow, and the Dubai Airshow both started this week, and EFI is hosting Florida Pavilions at each show.
“Florida’s aerospace and life sciences small businesses are some of the most innovative and ambitious in the country, and these shows give them the opportunity to reach new global customers,” said Stan Connally, Chairman, President and CEO of Gulf Power Company and Vice-Chair of EFI. “These two industries represent thousands of companies in Florida, most of which are small and medium-sized businesses. Part of our mission is to help those businesses grow and shows like these help them find new opportunities in international markets.”
MEDICA 2017, the largest medical technology trade show worldwide is held annually in Düsseldorf, Germany. This is the 30th consecutive year Florida is attending the show. Twenty-three companies are exhibiting at the Enterprise Florida Pavilion this year, the largest presence of any U.S. state. The pavilion will allow companies to market their medical and healthcare products to an international audience, and demonstrates the innovation and expertise that makes Florida a leader in this sector.
The 2017 Dubai Airshow is one of the largest and most important aerospace events in the world. This year, seven Florida businesses are exhibiting in the Enterprise Florida Pavilion. The show is held every two years and attracts more than 65,000 visitors and 1,100 exhibitors worldwide.
EFI maintains an extensive schedule of overseas trade missions and exhibitions worldwide. In fiscal year 2016-17, more than 500 small and mid-sized businesses reported nearly $740 million in total actual and projected export sales following EFI sponsored international missions and trade shows.

FWC awards BearWise funding to 10 communities to reduce human-bear conflicts

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Unsecured trash is the No. 1 reason that Florida black bears enter neighborhoods and come into conflict with people, so the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is awarding 10 communities with a total of $515,283 to address this critical issue.
BearWise funding will help communities purchase and provide bear-resistant trash cans, dumpsters and other equipment to their residents at a discounted cost. Funds are being distributed to each of the 10 communities that applied:

  • Seminole County – $189,000 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for residents in the western portion of Seminole County, which has an ordinance requiring trash be kept secure from bears.
  • Lake County – $85,508 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for residents in Lake County, which has an ordinance requiring trash be kept secure from bears.
  • Volusia County – $75,000 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for residents in the western portion of Volusia County.
  • Holley by the Sea Improvement Association – $65,000 to purchase hardware to modify all 3,700 trash cans to make them bear-resistant in the Holley by the Sea Improvement Association, located in the southern portion of Santa Rosa County, which has an ordinance requiring trash be kept secure from bears.
  • Highlands County – $48,000 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for residents in the central portion of the Highlands County.
  • Orange County – $20,000 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for residents in the northwestern portion of Orange County, which has an ordinance requiring trash be kept secure from bears.
  • Walton County – $18,000 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for Walton County parks and to modify dumpsters to make them bear-resistant.
  • Air Force Enlisted Village – $7,700 to modify dumpsters to make them bear-resistant in this community in Okaloosa County.
  • Collier County Parks and Recreation – $3,675 to purchase bear-resistant trash cans for three Collier County parks.
  • Franklin County – $3,400 to purchase hardware to modify regular trash cans to make them bear-resistant for residents in the southern portion of Franklin County.

This year the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott provided $415,283 to the FWC to cost-share with local governments in areas with high levels of human-bear conflicts. At least 60 percent of the funding must go to communities with ordinances requiring trash be kept secure from bears until the morning of pickup. The FWC also received funding from the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, which provided an additional $100,000 in proceeds from the Conserve Wildlife license plate.
FWC staff evaluated BearWise funding applications based on several factors, including:

  • Does the community have an ordinance requiring residents and businesses to keep trash and other attractants secure from bears?
  • How many households within the community are in an area with significant human-bear conflicts and how many residences and businesses are expected to benefit?
  • How much in matching funds or in-kind services can the community provide?
  • What is the likelihood the project will result in a community-wide reduction of human-bear conflicts?

For more information on Florida black bears, including how to reduce conflicts with them, visit MyFWC.com/Bear and click on “Live BearWise,” watch the BearWise Communities video and read the A guide to living in bear country brochure.

Gov. Scott: Florida Unemployment Rate Drops to 3.6 Percent

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More Than 127,000 Private-Sector Jobs Created in October

Governor Rick Scott today announced that the state’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.6 percent, the lowest in more than a decade. More than 127,000 private-sector jobs were created in October. Since December 2010, Florida businesses have created 1,448,300 jobs. Florida’s annual job growth rate of 2.6 percent also exceeds the nation’s rate of 1.6 percent.
Governor Scott said, “I am proud to announce today that Florida’s unemployment rate has reached a more than 10-year low of 3.6 percent and that more than 127,000 private-sector jobs were created in October. While Hurricane Irma was a devastating storm, we have worked day after day to help communities recover and send a message across the world that Florida is open for business. Today’s announcement, and the creation of more than 1.44 million private-sector jobs since December 2010, shows the strength of our economy. We will continue to work to make our state more business-friendly, including fighting to cut taxes by more than $180 million during the upcoming legislation session, to help secure Florida’s future as the best place for families and job creators to succeed.”
As of October, Florida’s unemployment rate had dropped 7.1 percentage points since December 2010, faster than the national decline. In the last year, 216,000 people entered Florida’s labor force, a growth of 2.2 percent, which is more than four times the national labor force growth rate of only 0.5 percent.
Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Recovering from Hurricane Irma has been our top priority. We are committed to ensuring Florida’s families and businesses continue to prosper. The unemployment rate has consistently declined while jobs are being added in diverse industries all across the Sunshine State, proving that we have the best economic climate in the nation.”
Other positive economic indicators include:

  • Private-sector industries gaining the most jobs over-the-year were:
    • Professional and business services with 38,900 new jobs;
    • Trade, transportation and utilities with 38,300 new jobs;
    • Construction with 35,600 new jobs;
    • Education and health services with 17,600 new jobs; and
    • Other services with 17,600 new jobs.
  • Florida job postings showed 240,297 openings in October 2017.
  • In October, Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards reported 23,082 Floridians, including 1,273 veterans, were placed in jobs.

To view the October 2017 employment data, click here.
 

CRC Chairman Beruff: Majority of CRC Proposals Represent Public Ideas

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More than 50 percent of proposals filed by Commissioners
represent public proposal submissions received by the CRC

The Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) today announced that more than 50 percent of the 103 proposed constitutional revisions filed by CRC Commissioners represent public ideas. In addition to directly sponsoring public proposals without making language changes, CRC Commissioners represented hundreds of public proposals and ideas submitted by the public.
CRC Chairman Carlos Beruff, said, “Over the past seven months, CRC Commissioners have traveled the state listening to Floridians and reviewed thousands of public proposals and comments. As a result, more than 50 percent of proposals filed by Commissioners represent public ideas. Much like the previous CRC in 1997-1998 advanced ‘general concepts’ based on public input, we identified general themes and ideas that were submitted by Floridians and then crafted proposals in the appropriate legal language. Altogether, more than 740 public proposal submissions are represented by Commissioner proposals. If you also consider the Commissioner proposals inspired by ideas presented by Floridians at CRC public hearings, this representation is even higher. Proposals are now being referred to CRC Committees for further review and consideration. We encourage Floridians to stay engaged in the CRC process as we move forward.”
Of the 103 proposals filed by Commissioners, 56 address topics similar to approximately 746 public proposal submissions. A spreadsheet demonstrating the matches between public proposals received by the CRC and proposals filed by Commissioners is available at flcrc.gov/Reference. (Spreadsheets containing all 2,013 public proposal submissions are also available at flcrc.gov/Reference.)
In addition to public proposal submissions, Commissioner proposals also represent ideas shared by Floridians through other means including testimony at CRC public hearings. A spreadsheet organizing the topics discussed at CRC public hearings is available at flcrc.gov/Reference.
How to Review Proposals and Public Input