Capital Soup

Florida News Straight From the Source

You are here: Home / Archives for Contributor

Contributor

Step Up For Students, Insurers to Hold Media Conference Call to Announce Record-Setting Contributions for Scholarships

Posted on

MEDIA ADVISORY

Speakers from Step Up For Students, Tower Hill Insurance Group, and UnitedHealthcare will host a media conference call this Tuesday, August 29, at 9:30 a.m. to discuss the insurance industry’s record-setting contributions to the Tax-Credit Scholarship that are supporting students across the state. Following a discussion of each speaker’s involvement with Step Up For Students, the speakers will respond to questions from members of the media.
What: Media Conference Call
Who: Step Up For Students – President Doug Tuthill
Florida Insurance Industry Scholarship Program – Chairman Peter Corrigan
Tower Hill Insurance – President Don Matz
UnitedHealthcare – CEO Nicholas Zaffiris
Step Up For Students – Graduate Maricela Flores
When: Tuesday, August 29, 2017
9:30 am (ET)
Where: Conference Line Number: (888) 392-4560
Access Code: 4590009

Dick Williams Announces Candidacy for St Johns County Commission District 4 Seat

Posted on

He Pledges to Bring Efficient and Effective Governance to the County Commission while Focusing on Pro-Business Policies and Job Creation Initiatives all while Promoting a Strong Quality of Life for All who Live in St. Johns County

Dick Williams, long-time St. Johns County resident, has officially announced his candidacy for the St. Johns County Commission, District 4 seat.

Dick Williams

“It is with great excitement that I announce the official launch of my candidacy for St Johns County Commission, District 4. Like most families relocating to Florida with school age children, our family chose to live in St Johns County for its “A” rated public schools, low crime rate and the great quality of life. I believe that the best government is the one closest to the people. I am committed to the continued representation of an open and pragmatic business approach necessary to maintain the excellent quality of life that we all enjoy while protecting our hard-earned tax dollars and ensuring that we continue to grow our economy,” said Williams.
Williams is a a strong conservative whose business career spans thirty years of successful top management of multi-million dollar budgets of commercial radio stations throughout the U.S. In 2006, he retired from the corporate world following six years as VP / General Manager of five Northeast Florida radio stations including conservative news talk WOKV 690.
In 2008, Williams came out of retirement and accepted the challenge of turning around a financially stressed local non-profit. Putting his business experience to work, he successfully guided the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach through the “great recession” and assured its financial future. Williams knows first-hand the difficulties small business owners face meeting a payroll and making every dollar count.
A first-time candidate for elected office, Williams has been very active in community service; as a current member of the United Way of St. Johns County Campaign Cabinet, board member of the Cultural Center and Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra Beach. Dick was honored to be appointed by the St Johns County School Board to serve on the Citizens Advisory Committee to assist in selecting a new Superintendent. Having twice served as an appointed volunteer on the county’s Planning and Zoning Agency, Williams dealt openly with the challenges of balancing private property rights while managing the need for responsible county growth.
A Republican candidate for the St Johns County Commission District 4, Dick Williams is committed to the continued representation of an open and pragmatic business approach necessary to insure we can maintain the excellent quality of life that we all enjoy while protecting our hard-earned tax dollars and ensuring that we continue to grow our economy.

Growing up in Janesville, Wisconsin, he and his wife, Linda, were high school sweethearts. Following graduation from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, they married and today have two grown sons and two grandchildren..  For more information, please visit his website at: http://Williams4Commission.com/.

Paid by Dick Williams, Republican, for St Johns County Commission, District 4

UNF School of Nursing Among 50 Schools Nationwide Awarded White Coat Ceremony Funding

Posted on

The University of North Florida’s School of Nursing is one of 50 schools across the country selected by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to receive funding to host White Coat Ceremonies, which underscore the importance of humanistic patient care.
UNF was one of two universities in Florida selected to receive a $1,000 grant for White Coat Ceremonies this year. Launched in 2013, a groundbreaking collaboration between APGF and AACN has enabled 260 schools of nursing in 48 states to offer ceremonies designed to instill a commitment to providing compassionate care among the next generation of registered nurses.
“We’re honored that the School of Nursing was selected to receive funding to support the White Coat Ceremony, which symbolizes the commitment to providing compassionate care to the patients which we serve,” said Dr. Li Loriz, director of UNF’s School of Nursing. “We’re excited to have the students cite the oath to prepare competent, caring professionals.”
Though White Coat Ceremonies have been conducted by medical schools for more than 20 years, the APGF-AACN initiative marks the first time a coordinated effort has been developed to offer similar events at nursing schools. In nursing, a White Coat Ceremony typically consists of the recitation of an oath, an address by an eminent role model, and a reception for students and invited guests. Students also are given a specially designed pin that serves as a visual reminder of their oath and commitment to providing high quality care.
The School of Nursing not only prepares its graduates to be compassionate caregivers but also to provide a high level of excellent care. UNF nursing graduates exceed the pass rate for the National Council Licensure Examination both at the state and national levels, scoring a 94.4. The national pass rate is 84.57, while the state exam pass rate is 76.68.
“At the UNF School of Nursing, we strive to excel in the education and preparation of our nursing students in order to assure the consistent passing of the graduate licensure exam and excellence in the care they provide to patients,” Loriz said.
The School of Nursing was selected as the first flagship program at the University and offers a wide variety of programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The program has a community-based, population-focused curriculum corresponding to changes in health care delivery trends.

AHCA Announces Call for Nominations to Pediatric Cardiology Technical Advisory Panel

Posted on

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) is issuing a call for nominations for cardiology specialists and cardiac surgeons to serve on a new Pediatric Cardiology Technical Advisory Panel (Panel). The Panel will fulfill the responsibilities outlined in a new law, Chapter 2017-151, Laws of Florida, signed by Governor Rick Scott earlier this year. The Panel is charged to develop procedures and standards for measuring the quality and outcomes of pediatric cardiac surgery programs in the state. The panel will make recommendations to the Agency on specific regulatory guidelines.
Panel members will include representatives from each of the state’s ten existing pediatric cardiology surgery programs, as nominated by the Chief Executive Officers of those hospitals and three additional at-large members to be appointed by the Agency’s Secretary Justin Senior. Additional eligibility information is outlined in the legislation. The Agency will accept nominations through the end of August and appointees will be announced in September.
The Panel will convene in the fall and meet as needed to form their recommendations. The Agency has launched a dedicated webpage at: www.AHCA.myflorida.com/PCTAP to make available information about the Panel’s work, member appointments, and meeting information. Under Florida’s Sunshine Laws, all Panel meetings will be open to the public. Members of the public may also send questions and information to the Panel through the website.

Sen. Bill Nelson statement on Venezuela sanctions

Posted on

Following is a comment from U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) on the president’s executive order imposing new sanctions on Venezuela:
“These new sanctions are a step in the right direction, but they don’t go far enough. The administration needs to ban at least some of the Venezuelan oil being imported into the U.S., until constitutional democracy has been restored in Venezuela.”

Orlando Sentinel article on FDLE’s Pulse Nightclub After-Action Report mischaracterized the findings of the report

Posted on

Setting the Record Straight

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) sets high goals and demands the best of its members. The goal of the After-Action Report was to analyze FDLE response efforts, identify strengths to be maintained and built upon, identify potential areas for improvement, and support development of corrective actions.  These types of reports have become a best practice following mass casualty events.
This article indicated FDLE’s role quickly expanded to include helping the FBI with the investigation, identifying the victims and notifying families who lost a loved one and that led to chaos and miscommunication at times.
Fact: FDLE members responded to the incident in an officer-involved shooting capacity. However, due to the scope of this event, the department soon transitioned to provide other assistance including the role of identifying victims and notifying their next of kin. And while the department does not have protocols in place for this type of process, FDLE command staff accepted this role to assist its partner agencies. Nowhere in the report does it state helping notify victim families led to chaos and miscommunication. Instead the report specifies “When FDLE members arrived at the hotel for next of kin notification, they encountered chaos and no plan of action for the operational processes.” Additionally, it goes on to state “Despite these challenges, SASs (supervisors), intelligence analysts and special agents displayed exceptional team work in these roles. FDLE SASs (supervisors) took leadership roles, provided direction and coordinated the various agency representatives working at the sites.” Encountering chaos is not the same as causing chaos. In fact, FDLE members were able to positively identify 48 of the 49 victims by 7 a.m. Monday.
Further, the Sentinel wrote the report also detailed problems that led to a statewide intelligence agency not immediately sharing information about the shooting, which led to a significant delay in getting details to law enforcement.
Fact: There were no delays in providing information to law enforcement. Notifications began around 4 a.m. Due to the type of intelligence being gathered and the level of the investigation being conducted immediately following the event, the Florida Fusion Center was directed by FDLE command staff not to disseminate specific pieces of information. This was a terrorist event and whether there were other potential targets or impacts had yet to be determined. Until the information and intelligence had been vetted, it could not be distributed to non-law enforcement FFC partners. Similar steps are taken following any event of this type.
Many of Orlando’s Regional Domestic Security Task Force resources were deployed to the Pulse incident immediately.  Task Force chairs (FDLE Special Agent in Charge Danny Banks and Osceola County Sheriff Robert Hansell) were on scene communicating with other regional task forces ensuring deployment of additional resources from law enforcement to medical personnel to bomb squads.
It is unfortunate the Sentinel chose to sensationalize the report by providing inaccurate information.
By overstating the recommendations for improvement, while failing to mention the strengths noted in the report, the article is unbalanced and unfair to those law enforcement members who put their lives on the line the night of the Pulse attack and tirelessly worked the days following to ensure a safer Florida.

Stuart Commissioner Krauskopf Honored with E. Harris Drew Municipal Official Lifetime Achievement Award

Posted on

Stuart Commissioner Jeffrey “Jeff” A. Krauskopf has been honored by the Florida League of Cities as recipient of the E. Harris Drew Municipal Official Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented to Commissioner Krauskopf last Friday during the League’s 91st Annual Conference in Orlando.
The League’s most prestigious award was named for former Supreme Court Justice E. Harris Drew, who coined the League’s motto: “Local self-government, keystone to American democracy.” Appointed to Florida’s Supreme Court in 1952 while serving as the League’s first vice president, Drew remained an advocate of local government throughout his career.
“The Florida League of Cities emphasizes membership education. Take advantage of every opportunity they offer to better yourself and your service to your community – I did,” said Commissioner Krauskopf. “Thank you, FLC!”
Known as a passionate and persistent public servant, Commissioner Krauskopf is tireless in his pursuit of “smart growth” for the City of Stuart. He defines smart growth as the type of development that implements the city’s Comprehensive Plan and creates job growth while preserving Stuart’s historic charm and environmental heritage.
Whether he’s forging beneficial relationships with local partners, negotiating deals on environmental projects, or thinking about creative ways to generate additional revenue for the city, he consistently goes above and beyond to meet the needs of Stuart’s residents.
Thanks to Commissioner Krauskopf’s leadership, the city has developed a strong working relationship with Martin County officials. This mutually beneficial relationship led to the adoption of an inter-local agreement for the purchase of 53 acres within the city, known as the ‘”Haney Creek Preserve,” which dedicated environmentally sensitive land for preservation and water quality improvements to the St. Lucie River Estuary. He also played a significant role in nearly a dozen other environmental and redevelopment projects within the City of Stuart.
Commissioner Krauskopf is a financial innovator, constantly searching for ways to generate additional revenue without increasing taxes for residents and local businesses. He has long been a proponent of long-term leases on city-owned property as a revenue source. Today, the city’s leased Property Management Fund generates $1.3 million per year, which amounts to a 1 mill decrease in the ad valorem property tax.
In addition to being a dedicated public servant, Commissioner Krauskopf is also active in numerous civic organizations. He serves as a board member for the Environmental Studies Council, the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, the Council of 100, the Martin County Republican Club, the Sunrise Rotary Club, and the Martin County High School Interact Club, and he is co-founder of the Martin County High School Career Day.
Founded in 1922, the Florida League of Cities is the united voice for Florida’s municipal governments. Its goals are to promote local self-government and serve the needs of Florida’s cities. Florida’s cities are formed by their citizens and governed by their citizens. The League is founded on the belief that local self-government is the keystone of American democracy. For more information, visit www.floridaleagueofcities.com.

August 26 is Florida Lineworker Appreciation Day

Posted on

The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) will join the state tomorrow, August 26, to celebrate Florida Lineworker Appreciation Day in honor of the men and women who risk their lives daily to ensure reliable delivery of electricity throughout Florida. FMEA encourages people to recognize Florida’s lineworkers through social media by using the hashtags #ThankALineman and #LineworkerAppreciationDay.
“Lineworkers literally put their lives on the line every single day to make sure the lights go on when we flip that switch,” said Chip Merriam, FMEA President and Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) Vice President of Legislative, Regulatory & Compliance. “I commend and thank all of Florida’s lineworkers for their service to our communities.”
In 2012, the Florida House of Representatives created the annual appreciation day to be observed every August 26. The date was selected in remembrance of Marc Moore, a lineworker for Lakeland Electric, who was tragically killed while serving his community in 2002. In 2015 – the most recent data available – the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics listed utility line work as one of the most dangerous jobs in the country.
Lineworkers not only serve their own communities, but others across the state and country. When disasters strike, such as last year’s Hurricanes Hermine and Matthew, lineworkers leave their families and homes to travel to neighboring cities and states working long hours under dangerous conditions to help restore power.
“After 11 years without a hurricane hitting the state, Hermine and Matthew really reminded us of the important role of lineworkers,” said Amy Zubaly, FMEA Executive Director. “They truly are our hometown heroes.”
FMEA also supports lineworkers through its FMEA Lineman Assistance Fund. The fund provides aid to lineworkers and their families when an on-the-job injury or loss of life creates a special need for aid and to help ease the burden of unexpected medical emergencies. Contributions to the fund can be made online at https://fs6.formsite.com/fmea/form152/secure_index.html.
For more information on FMEA and Florida’s public power communities, please visit www.publicpower.com.

PSC Recognizes Florida Lineworker Appreciation Day

Posted on

Electric lineworkers have a dangerous and very important job. All hours of the day, 365 days a year, they risk a lot to make sure our lights stay on.  Florida Lineworker Appreciation Day is August 26, and the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) honors the brave men and women who work tirelessly to construct, operate, and maintain the electric system that keeps Florida running.
“When the power goes out, we rely on utility lineworkers to quickly get things back to normal,” said PSC Chairman Julie Brown.  “They are among the first responders when storms and natural disasters strike, working to make our communities safe for other public safety heroes.”
Florida’s lineworkers are highly skilled professionals, trained to work safely and efficiently during high winds, rain, and even ice storms. They are prepared when Florida utilities send lineworkers to other parts of the country, when needed, to help restore power to families and businesses struggling after a storm.
“Even when there is no storm or hurricane, lineworkers work daily with high voltage electric lines atop tall utility poles, risking their lives on our behalf. We owe them a huge gratitude,” Chairman Brown added.
In 2012, the Florida House of Representatives created Lineworker Appreciation Day, honoring the thousands of workers risking their lives daily to ensure reliable electric delivery throughout the state. Collectively, lineworkers maintain the nation’s more than 5 million miles of power lines, in all weather and other hazardous conditions.
For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.

Commissioner Adam Putnam to Give Keynote Address at Florida State University Convocation on Sunday

Posted on

MEDIA ADVISORY

Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam will provide the keynote address and join President John Thrasher to welcome nearly 6,500 freshmen to Florida State University.
Event: Florida State University New Student Convocation and President’s Welcome
Date: Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: Donald J. Tucker Civic Center
505 W. Pensacola Street
Tallahassee, Fla. 32301