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Appointments by Governor Rick Scott for Wednesday, May 10, 2017

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Governor Rick Scott Appoints Donna Elam to
the Florida Commission on Human Relations

Governor Rick Scott today announced the reappointment of Donna Elam to the Florida Commission on Human Relations.
Elam, 65, of Wellington, is the president and chief executive officer for Elam Leadership Institute. She received her bachelor’s degree from York College and her master’s and doctorate degrees from New York University. Elam is reappointed for a term beginning May 10, 2017, and ending September 30, 2020.
The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
 

Governor Rick Scott Appoints Karin Hoffman to
Board of Control for Southern Regional Education

Governor Rick Scott today announced the appointment of Karin Hoffman to the Board of Control for Southern Regional Education.
Hoffman, 51, of Lighthouse Point, is the vice president of Sonshine Educational Tours and received her bachelor’s degree from Trinity International University. She succeeds Erik Fresen and is appointed for a term beginning May 10, 2017, and ending June 30, 2020.
 

Governor Rick Scott Appoints Two to
Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County

Governor Rick Scott today announced two appointments to the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County.
Richard Butler, 59, of Pinellas Park, is the owner of Richard Butler Realty and currently serves as a City Councilman on the Pinellas Park City Council. He attended St. Petersburg College and is appointed to fill a vacant seat for a term beginning May 10, 2017, and ending August 11, 2020.
James Millican, 50, of Pinellas Park, is the District Chief of Lealman Fire District of St. Petersburg. He received his EMT certification from St. Petersburg College and his Firefighter certificate from P-TECH. Chief Millican is appointed to fill a vacant seat for a term beginning May 10, 2017, and ending August 11, 2020.
The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
 

Governor Rick Scott Makes Four Appointments
to West Orange Healthcare District

Governor Rick Scott announced the appointment of one and the reappointment of three to the West Orange Healthcare District.
Maryke Lee, 65, of Windermere, is the dean of mathematics at Valencia College Orlando East Campus. She is reappointed for a term beginning May 10, 2017, and ending September 24, 2020.
Rodney Talbot, 60, of Winter Garden, is the president of Talbot Asset Management. He is reappointed for a term beginning May 10, 2017, and ending September 24, 2020.
Dr. Denise Carter, 56, of Windermere, is a physician at Florida Center for Orthopedics. She is reappointed for a term beginning May 10, 2017, and ending September 24, 2020.
Dr. Peter Taylor, 56, of Windermere, is a cardiologist at Orlando Health Heart Institute Cardiology Group. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning May 10, 2017, and ending September 24, 2019.

Governor Scott Signs Legislation to Protect Florida’s Reemployment Program

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Governor Rick Scott has signed legislation into law that strengthens the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s efforts to fight fraud in the state’s Reemployment Assistance program. Both the Florida House and Senate unanimously voted for this bill, which provides DEO access to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ DAVID System, including the state photo identification database. Sen. Kelli Stargel and Rep. Mike LaRosa sponsored the legislation.
Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Thank you to Governor Scott for signing this bill into law so quickly. We are proud of our daily efforts to stop criminals from fraudulently stealing Reemployment Assistance benefits from Florida job seekers who need help getting back to work. We appreciate the Governor and his support in passing this important bill. Now, DEO will have access to more tools that are critical in our fight against public benefits fraud.”
The legislation includes the tools and legal authorizations that are critical to prevent and fight public benefits fraud by providing DEO access to the driver’s license database to confirm claimant-provided IDs are not fraudulent.

Coalition To Prevent Gun Violence Vows To Keep Fighting For Smart Gun Legislation

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The Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence is encouraged by the overwhelming failure of the dangerous gun bills proposed during the just-ended legislative session and vows to continue fighting for sensible gun laws.
“We’re delighted that proposals for the carrying of firearms on college campuses, in airports, courthouses and many other public places were squashed,” said Patti Brigham, Coalition Co-Chair and 1st Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Florida.
Coalition leaders vow to be back next session to continue fighting for common-sense gun legislation.
“We will never give up fighting for the safety of our citizens and against laws that would eventually lead to certain death of innocent people,” Brigham said.
The Coalition was created by the LWVF after the Pulse Nightclub massacre to promote smart gun legislation. It helped set the course for bills filed in January by state Sen. Linda Stewart D-Orlando and Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando that would restrict the sale and transfer of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines in Florida.
Likewise, they applaud legislation filed by Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale, and Rep. Bruce Antone, D-Orlando, to close the private seller loophole at gun shows, which would have required all firearm sales be conducted by a licensed dealer.
“While these bills did not pass, we’re grateful to these great legislators for helping to educate their colleagues and the public on the dangers we face if we don’t take action,” said Angie Gallo, Education Chair of the Florida PTA.
The Coalition is also grateful to Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, who had the courage to publicly stand up against bad gun bills proposed by Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, and others, effectively dashing any hope they had of passing.
“We have amazing partners working with us,” said Brigham, “and we’re thankful for all of their hard work, including the Interfaith Council of Central Florida and the National Council of Jewish Women.”
Andy Pelosi, Executive Director of The Campaign To Keep Guns Off Campus and co-chair of the Coalition, echoed Brigham’s vow to keep fighting, and stated, “Change is slowly coming to Florida, as we have worked successfully to beat back most of the regressive gun legislation over the past two years and have charted a course to save lives by gaining introduction of a ban on assault weapons and legislation for universal background checks.”
Hannah Willard, Public Policy Director for Equality Florida, said her organization is committed to honoring the victims and survivors of the Pulse massacre that left 49 people dead. “We want to take action to make the world a safer place for us all,” she said. “We’re proud of the progress this Coalition has made to provide a common sense counter-narrative to the gun lobby.”

The Coalition has grown to include more than 125 local, state and national organizations and includes such diverse groups as the Peace and Justice Institute, United Church of Christ in Florida, Quakers of Orlando, and Moms Rising.

Secretary Detzner Announces Winners of 2017 Florida History Day State Contest

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Outstanding students and teachers from across
the state recognized and presented with awards

Secretary of State Ken Detzner and the Museum of Florida History are pleased to announce the winners of the annual Florida History Day (FHD) state competition, formerly known as Florida History Fair, held in Tallahassee on May 7–9. More than 60,000 students from around Florida participated in Florida History Day this year and the top entries from each county competed at the state contest. At the event, outstanding history teachers from across the state were also recognized and presented with awards.
“The students and teachers who participated in this year’s Florida History Day are a shining example of the talent and creativity in Florida schools,” said Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “I’d like to recognize all of the students who devoted time and energy to their projects and I want to congratulate the award winners who will represent Florida in the National History Day competition. I also applaud the teachers who were honored with awards this year for inspiring students and cultivating their interest in history.”

Students gather at the annual Florida History Day. Additional pictures
from the event can be found on the Florida History Day’s Facebook page here.

More than 1,140 middle and high school students competed in the FHD state competition. Students presented award-winning research in a variety of mediums including documentaries, exhibits, papers, performances and websites. The top two placements in each category are invited to represent Florida at the National History Day contest on June 11-15 in College Park, Maryland.
Below is a full list of student and teacher award winners.
Junior Historical Paper
1st Place Zachary Juan
Fred Korematsu’s War Against Injustice
Williams Middle Magnet School (Hillsborough)
2nd Place Victor Xie
Taking a Stand to Defend the Skies: The Flying Tigers of World War II
Thurgood Marshall Fundamental (Pinellas)
3rd Place Albert Zhang
Rachel Carson: Standing Up for Nature
James Weldon Johnson College Prepartory Middle School (Duval)
Senior Historical Paper
1st Place Wenjie Gong
Alice Seeley Harris: Confronting the Depredation of European Imperialism
Seminole High School (Seminole)
2nd Place Courtney Dantzler
Arnold Schoenberg: A Musical Bogeyman?
Stanton College Preparatory (Duval)
3rd Place Elena Lopez- Belio
Galileo’s Stand Against the Catholic Church
American Heritage School Of Boca/Delray (Palm Beach)
Junior Individual Documentary
1st Place Jonathan Bogen
Mikhail Gorbachev: The Evolution of a Revolutionary
American Heritage School Of Boca/Delray (Palm Beach)
2nd Place Joshua Hoffman
Stand and Deliver
American Heritage School (Broward)
3rd Place Nanako Kondo
Taking a Stand: Chuine Sugihara, the Man Who Saved 6,000 Lives
The Weiss School (Palm Beach)
Junior Group Documentary
1st Place Jack Lohse, Mack Alfele
Taking a Stand in the Sand: The Fort Lauderdale Beach Wade-Ins
Beachside Montessori Village (Broward)
2nd Place Myles Fisher, Hayato Shiomitsu
Tiananmen Square: The Moment that Defined Modern China
Fort Clarke Middle School (Alachua)
3rd Place Yash Vardhan, Rohan Cherivirala, Divij Lankalapalli
William Wilberforce: Exposing the Horrors of Slavery
Sanford Middle School (Seminole)
Senior Individual Documentary
1st Place Malavika Kannan
Chico Mendes: Martyr for the Amazon
Seminole High School (Seminole)
2nd Place Carmen Dosev
Bulgaria’s Choice
Pensacola Catholic High School (Escambia)
3rd Place Matias Civita
Taking a Stand in History: The Kent State Incident
Spanish River Community High School (Palm Beach)
Senior Group Documentary
1st Place Catherine Lee, Beverly Maddux, Nicole Leary
Thomas Nast: Seriously Funny
St. Petersburg High School (Pinellas)
2nd Place Jennifer Hanapole, Rumaisa Khalid, Veronica Lara
Giving Life to Choice
Spanish River Community High School (Palm Beach)
3rd Place Emma Hanley, Quinn Holden-Schrock
Smokey Hollow: the Community Without a Voice
James Rickards High School (Leon)
Junior Individual Performance
1st Place Max Mateer
Two Goats on a Bridge and a Torpedo Underneath
Gulf Breeze Middle School (Santa Rosa)
2nd Place Nina Giraldo
Aung San Suu Kyi—Standing for Democracy
Sarasota Middle School (Sarasota)
3rd Place Asher Moss
Elie Wiesel: Standing Against Genocidal Indifference
The Weiss School (Palm Beach)
Junior Group Performance
1st Place Trinaty Barber, Corinne McCormick, Emily Garnica
Margaret Hughes: Opening the Curtains to Women’s Rights in Theatre
Dunedin Highland Middle School (Pinellas)
2nd Place Annika Fuller, Hadassah Ebdora, Talya White
The Pullman Strike: An Impetus to Change
John Hopkins Middle School (Pinellas)
3rd Place Alexa Ruiz, Synnvove Mikkelsen
Betty Friedan and the Feminine Mystique
American Heritage School (Broward)
Senior Individual Performance
1st Place A. Tris Weeks
Edelweiss Pirates: The German Teens that Fought for Freedom
Pensacola Catholic High School (Escambia)
2nd Place Kiara Thompson
Toussaint L’Ouverture and the Haitian Revolution
Leon High School (Leon)
3rd Place Walker Willis
Toussaint L’Ouverture and the Haitian Revolution
Shorecrest Preparatory School (Pinellas)
Senior Group Performance
1st Place Madeline Jean-Marie, Victoria Pereira,
Natalia Vargas, Jasmine Jean-Marie
Taking a Step into History: South African Gumboot
Weeki Wachee High School (Hernando)
2nd Place Julia Arciola, Linsey Smith
Sophie Scholl
The North Broward Preparatory Schools (Broward)
3rd Place Grace Hallam, Abigal Stolp
Deaf President Now: How One Week Changed the Deaf World Forever
Lawton Chiles High School (Leon)
Junior Individual Exhibit
1st Place Grace Mims
Rachel Carson: Standing for the Environment
Gulf Breeze Middle School (Santa Rosa)
2nd Place Maya Moise
Service not Servitude
American Heritage School (Broward)
3rd Place Colin Stroble
The Global Stand Against Polio
Sarasota Middle School (Sarasota)
Junior Group Exhibit
1st Place Corrine Sypek, Manuela Herrera
Rosie the Riveter
American Heritage School Of Boca/Delray (Palm Beach)
2nd Place Joy Chi, Jeni Chi
Grace Abbott: The Voice of the Children and Immigrants
Deerlake Middle School (Leon)
3rd Place Chloe Cate, Amara Schoppmann
Stonewall Riots
J. H. Workman Middle School (Escambia)
Senior Individual Exhibit
1st Place Mallory Bramel
Mass Graves for the Misbehaved: Taking A Stand against the Injustice of the Incorrigibles
Milton High (Santa Rosa)
2nd Place John Jutras
Floridians Take a Bite: Dr. Porter Leads Florida in the War against Mosquitoes
Pensacola Catholic High School (Escambia)
3rd Place Spencer Bredoff
A World Without War: Draft Dodgers, Conscientious Objectors, and Protesters Speak for Peace
American Academy Of Boca/Delray (Palm Beach)
Senior Group Exhibit
1st Place Creed King, Kate Powell
“Law Not War”: Benjamin Ferencz’s Lifelong Stand for Peace through Justice
Leon High School (Leon)
2nd Place Daniela Hazan, Ekabouna (Kiki) Joseph
Watergate Scandal
American Heritage School (Broward)
3rd Place Kyra Riggins, Belicia Torres
Leningrad: Standing Up When the City is Falling Down
Frank W. Springstead High School (Hernando)
Junior Individual Website
1st Place Akash Bhat
Aneurin Bevan and the National Health Service
Fairview Middle School (Leon)
2nd Place Gabriel Lerner-Sperow
From Dixie To D.C.: John Lewis’s Long March to Rights
Okaloosa STEMM Center (Okaloosa)
3rd Place Paige Sondgeroth
Susan B. Anthony: Taking a Stand for Women’s Suffrage
Holy Nativity Episcopal School (Bay)
Junior Group Website
1st Place Kaitlyn Haslam, Kathryn Froehlich, Alondra Curet, Justin Barber
Ignaz Semmelweis – Taking a Stand to Save Lives
Osceola County School For The Arts (Osceola)
2nd Place Erin Collier, Sara Machado
The Women’s War
Community Christian School (Leon)
3rd Place Ginger Koehler, Hannah Spencer
Martin Luther: Sparking a Religous Reformation
Fort Clarke Middle School (Alachua)
Senior Individual Website
1st Place Joey Jung
Taking a Stand: Korea During the March First Movement
Lincoln High School (Leon)
2nd Place Alaa Osman
Tearing Away the Red Cloth of Communism: Chinese Students Taking a Stand Against Maoism During the 1980s
Ridgeview High School (Clay)
3rd Place Cassandra Colaco
The Descent into Madness
King High School (Hillsborough)
Senior Group Website
1st Place Kyle Nguyen, Sophia Chen
The Revolutionary Reforms of Jacob A. Riis: Bringing Light to America’s Dark Half
Palm Harbor University High (Pinellas)
2nd Place Alvin Nguyen, Dylan Palmer, Amadeus Reif
The Baltic Resistance: Taking a Stand Against Soviet Occupation
Frank W. Springstead High School (Hernando)
3rd Place Nicholas Skoufis, Mehul Kapur, Sami Humeda
The Haitian Revolution: A Stand Against Imperialism
Pensacola High School (Escambia)
Teacher Award Winners
Teacher of Merit Award Winner: Deanne Reynolds, Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School– West Campus (Broward)
Mayflower Outstanding Teacher Award: Alissa Kester, Mandarin High School (Duval)
Student Scholarship Winners
Mayflower Legacy Scholarship Award Winners
Senior Division
Zoe Zimmerman, Manatee School for the Arts (Manatee)
Junior Division
Andrew Arndt, Aidan Hogan and Aabhas Jain, Dunedin Highland Middle School (Pinellas)
National Maritime Historical Society Scholarship Award Winners
Senior Division
Zac Brown, Classical Preparatory School (Pasco)
Junior Division
Katelyn Turney-Rudisill, Bay Haven Charter Middle School (Bay)
Special Prize Award Winners
African American Heritage Award: William An, Frank W. Springstead High School (Hernando)
American Colonial Heritage Award: Andrew Arndt, Aidan Hogan and Aabhas Jain, Dunedin Highland Middle School (Pinellas)
American History Innovation Award: Zoe Zimmerman, Manatee School for the Arts (Manatee)
Best Use of Primary Sources Award, Junior Division: Sophia Cicerchia and Hannah Snyder, The Weiss School (Palm Beach)
Best Use of Primary Sources Award, Senior Division: Camille Luong, St. Petersburg High School (Pinellas)
Celebrate Freedom Award: Tyler Roy, Berkley Accelerated Middle School (Polk)
Economic Freedom Award: Hailey Ward, Gulf Breeze Middle School (Santa Rosa)
Florida Heritage Award: Thuytran Bui Vo, Port St. Lucie High School (St. Lucie)
Florida Historic Preservation Award: Maria Caballero, Natalee Escobar and Alyssa Hernandez, Pembroke Pines Charter Middle West (Broward)
Frederick Cubberly Florida History Award: Katie Mann, Lawton Chiles High School (Leon)
Hispanic Heritage Award: Alex Franco, Dunedin Highland Middle School (Pinellas)
Holocaust Education Award: Deepika Kannan, Sanford Middle School (Seminole)
Legal Heritage Award: Lorraine Angelakos, Pompano Beach High School (Broward)
Mapping History Award: Jesse Ann Barbee, Malechi Eve Sable and Zoe Thornton, Martha B. King Middle School (Manatee)
Military Heritage Award: Parker Beverly, Pensacola High School (Escambia)
Native American Heritage Award: Meredith McGee, Ernest Ward Middle School (Escambia)
Science Heritage Award: Anisha Abraham, Dunedin Highland Middle School (Pinellas)
Space Heritage Award: Logan Beatty and Manoj Kambara, Land O’Lakes High School (Pasco)
Sports Heritage Award: Lin Ai Liao, Cornerstone Learning Community (Leon)
Women’s Heritage Award: Graybill Partington, Episcopal Day School Christ Church (Escambia)
World War II Heritage Award: Grace Stanley, Brown Barge Middle School (Escambia)
For more information about Florida History Day, please visit the Florida History Day website here.
About Florida History Day
Florida History Day, formerly known as Florida History Fair, is part of National History Day (NHD). NHD was established in 1974 to promote history in the classroom by offering students the means and encouragement to research people, ideas, and events of the past. The 2016–17 theme is “Taking A Stand In History.” After analyzing and interpreting the information they have gathered, students express their findings in a paper, exhibit, performance, documentary, or website. More than 60,000 students participated in the 2016–2017 Florida History Day. For more information, visit floridahistoryday.com.

ICYMI: WESH-2 Orlando: “Florida Vault Holds More Than $1 Billion in Unclaimed Property”

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“Florida Vault Holds More Than $1 Billion in Unclaimed Property”
WESH-2 News Orlando
Story by Stewart Moore
May 9, 2017
Click HERE to read the full story.
Thousands of people around Central Florida have unclaimed property locked away inside a state of Florida vault.
Some of the property may be of monetary value, and some could be more valuable than money.
…
The unclaimed property comes mostly from dormant accounts in financial institutions, insurance and utility companies, securities and trust holdings. The tangible material usually comes from abandoned safe deposit boxes.
While unclaimed money is deposited into the state school fund, there is no statute of limitations and Florida residents can claim their property at any time and at no cost.
…
Click HERE to search for unclaimed property in your name.

Senate votes to keep limits on dangerous methane pollution

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Today, 51 senators voted against an attempt to reverse an Obama-era regulation that tightens limits on methane emissions from oil and gas development on public lands.
“We’re thankful for Senator Bill Nelson for for voting today to stand up for our health, the environment and good science,” said Jennifer Rubiello, Environment Florida state director. “We’re disappointed to see Senator Rubio once again side with the interests of polluters rather than the health of Floridians.”
Environment America’s DC office director Anna Aurilio said the following:
“Our families and the planet we leave to future generations is a bit safer today thanks to the 51 senators who voted to keep in place limits on dangerous methane pollution.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, 86 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20 year period when it comes to creating global warming. Thanks to the Obama Administration rule that will now stay on the books, oil and gas operations on public lands will need to clean up methane leaks.
The vote today is a good indicator that strong public support for our air and water and public lands can in fact win the day.”
Senate votes to keep limits on dangerous methane pollution.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, 86 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20 year period when it comes to creating global warming. Thanks to the Obama Administration rule that will now stay on the books, oil and gas operations on public lands will need to clean up methane leaks.
The vote today is a good indicator that strong public support for our air and water and public lands can in fact win the day.”

Teacher of the Year Finalist Receives $5,000 From Macy's and DOE

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PINELLAS MATH & AVID TEACHER NAMED TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALIST AND
RECEIVES $5,000 FROM MACY’S AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION!

Macy’s partners with the Florida Department of Education for a surprise announcement
to name one of the five finalists to compete for the 2018 Florida Teacher of the Year


Like any other school day, Ms. Ko and her students were focused on their lessons for the day. She had no idea that today was different and that she was about to receive the surprise of a lifetime! From a group of 73 teachers, Vanessa Ko from Palm Harbor Middle School in Pinellas County was chosen as one of five finalists to compete for the 2018 Macy’s/Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year Award!
For the past 29 years, Macy’s, along with the Florida Department of Education, has honored the most exceptional educators in Florida who make magic in and out of their classrooms every day. The Teacher of the Year program recognizes and honors the contributions of outstanding classroom teachers who have demonstrated a superior capacity to inspire a love of learning in students of all backgrounds and abilities.
At 9:45 a.m., Florida Department of Education Commissioner Pam Stewart, along with Leigh Ott, Macy’s district vice president, were on hand to make the big surprise announcement. The sixth and eighth grade math and AVID teacher was instructing her class when the Commissioner made the surprise visit and told her that she had been chosen as one of five finalists for the prestigious honor.
“Vanessa Ko is a great teacher who challenges and inspires her students to believe and achieve a better tomorrow. Macy’s congratulates Ms. Ko for her commitment to help her students reach their full potential,” said Dennis Witte, Macy’s executive vice president and regional director of stores.
Upon receiving the good news, Vanessa Ko was presented with a $5,000 check from the Florida Department of Education and Macy’s, and a $500 Macy’s gift card. A $1,000 check, funded by Macy’s, was presented to Palm Harbor Middle School.

“Teachers are some of THE most important people in our children’s lives,” continued Witte. “To be a teacher is to be a mentor, a friend, a coach and a constant in the lives of their students. Teachers are life changers and this is what happens each day in Ms. Ko’s classroom. Throughout Macy’s sponsorship of this program, we continue to be humbled and proud to support the best educators in the Florida.”
“It is a pleasure to highlight Vanessa Ko for her dedicated time and service to Florida’s students,” said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. “Ms. Ko has set out to change the way students think about math by creating an energetic and creative learning environment in which students are given opportunities to build confidence in their abilities. Congratulations to Ms. Ko for being selected as a finalist for 2018 Teacher of the Year!”
The winner of the 2018 Macy’s/Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year award will be announced during a ceremony on Thursday, July 13, 2017. The event will be held at Orlando’s Hard Rock Live at Universal Studios CityWalk.
In addition to a $5,000 award funded by Macy’s and the Department of Education, the Teacher of the Year will receive awards from Macy’s including an all-expense paid trip for four to New York City to attend the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The winner will also serve for one year as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education, touring the state to spread the word about educational opportunities and challenges in the Sunshine State. To date, Macy’s has contributed $3 million to teachers throughout the state.
This year’s five finalists were chosen from more than 195,744 public school teachers throughout the state by a Department of Education-appointed selection committee representing teachers, principals, parents and the business community. Each finalist is selected on the basis of outstanding ability to teach and communicate knowledge of the subject taught, professional development, philosophy of teaching, and outstanding school and community service.
About Macy’s
Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc., delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at approximately 730 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as to customers in the United States and more than 100 international destinations through its leading online store at macys.com. Via its stores, e-commerce site, mobile and social platforms, Macy’s offers distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic events as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and celebrity appearances. Macy’s flagship stores — including Herald Square in New York City, Union Square in San Francisco, State Street in Chicago, Dadeland in Miami and South Coast Plaza in southern California — are known internationally and leading destinations for visitors. Building on a more than 150-year tradition, and with the collective support of customers and employees, Macy’s helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities giving more than $69 million each year to help make a difference in the lives of our customers.
For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.

Stone crab season closes May 16

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The commercial and recreational harvest of stone crab claws in Florida closes on May 16, with the last day of harvest on May 15. Stone crab season will reopen on Oct. 15. This five-month closure occurs each year during the peak spawning season to help conserve and sustain Florida’s valuable stone crab resource.
Commercially harvested stone crab claws may be possessed and sold during the closed season, but only if they have been placed in inventory prior to May 16 by a licensed wholesale or retail dealer.
Stone crab traps must be removed from the water within five days after the close of the stone crab season unless a special extension is granted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Stone crab claws cannot be harvested from traps pulled after the season closes.
Learn more about the stone crab harvest season by visiting MyFWC.com/Fishing and clicking on “Saltwater Fishing,” and then either “Recreational Regulations” or “Commercial.”

ICYMI: Sun-Sentinel: Cheers to Promoting Free-Market Principles in Liquor Sales

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As the 2017 Legislative Session wrapped up on Monday, you may have missed a timely op-ed authored by Christian Camara, the Southeast region director and co-founder of R Street Institute. His piece ran in the Sun Sentinel and is entitled “Cheers to Promoting Free-Market Principles in Liquor Sales.”
In his column, Mr. Camara disputes many misconceptions about SB 106, which was passed by the Florida Legislature and would repeal a Prohibition-era law restricting alcohol sales. Camara urges Governor Scott to sign the pro-consumer bill and signal that Florida believes in a level playing field for businesses big and small.
Cheers to Promoting Free-Market Principles in Liquor Sales
By: Christian Camara
The Florida Legislature last week acted to join the majority of states in modernizing its alcohol sales laws. Senate Bill 106, which currently awaits Gov. Rick Scott‘s signature, repeals an unnecessary and costly regulation that prevented grocery stores and other businesses who hold liquor licenses and already sell beer and wine inside of their stores from being able to sell distilled spirits inside their stores also.
This commonsense legislation removes government from decisions businesses make about how they operate, while granting brick-and-mortar establishments the freedom to find innovative ways to compete with the convenience of a growing online marketplace.
Many who read about the legislation — often referred to in the press as the “Whiskey and Wheaties” bill — never make it past the headline to understand the bill was less about liquor sales and more about allowing the free market into an industry that long has been dominated by government protectionism. Simply put, in keeping with Prohibition-era restrictions, the government has kept its thumb on the scale to assist one business model over another — a practice that is inherently unfair to both businesses and consumers.
Businesses should have the flexibility to stock their stores and safely sell products that meet their customers’ demands. The legislation passed last week by the Legislature would allow grocery stores to sell liquor inside of one store instead of having to have a separate store for those sales and allow liquor stores to sell groceries if they choose to do so. It would not require any entity to change their business model; instead, it grants freedoms not allotted under current law. The legislation lets business owners decide which model works best for them and their customers.
A convenient fact about the free market is that, when it is left uninhibited, businesses compete on a level playing field and the consumer is the ultimate benefactor. Legislation similar to Florida’s has passed in 29 other states and the District of Columbia. These places still enjoy a robust independent liquor-store marketplace that coexists with grocery stores selling liquor.
Additionally, they have not experienced an increase in underage drinking or other societal ills, which is why no state has ever reverted back to the old “alcohol separation” system.
In Florida, we take pride in our business-friendly climate. This bill allows businesses to innovate, compete and capture additional revenue opportunities safely and fairly. If the governor signs this legislation into law, he will signal that Florida believes in a level playing field for businesses big and small and that free-market principles are alive and well in the Sunshine State.
Christian Camara is the Southeast Region director and co-founder of the R Street Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based free market think tank confronting public policy problems. Learn more at rstreet.org.
 
Floridians for Fair Business Practices is a coalition of retailers and business groups whose purpose is to identify rules and regulations, which prohibit the growth and expansion of Florida business. For additional information, please visit to www.FairBizinFlorida.com.