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Sarasota County Schools to Serve Florida-Grown Lunches on My “Fresh From Florida” Plate Day

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MEDIA ADVISORY

To highlight Sarasota County’s robust use of Florida fruits, vegetables and beef through the Farm to School program, all Sarasota County students will enjoy a “Fresh From Florida” lunch on Wednesday, May 10, to celebrate My “Fresh From Florida” Plate Day. Students will be served a hamburger, featuring a Florida beef patty and Florida lettuce and tomatoes, with Florida milk and a side of Florida’s seasonal fruit.
Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Dr. Todd Bowden will help serve lunches, and local farmers and producers will participate and teach students about the agricultural process.
Event: My “Fresh From Florida” Plate Day
Participants: Sarah Whannel and Mike Baker, Homestead Hydroponic Farm
Nicole and Delanie Bartell, Florida Cattleman’s Association Sweethearts
Leslie and Alan Jones, Jones Potato Farm
Harrison and Robert Young, Miami Beef
Norm Stockton, Cattle Farmer in Sarasota County
Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Location: McIntosh Middle School
701 McIntosh Rd
Sarasota, Fla. 34232
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com or call 1-800-HELP-FLA.

ACLU of Florida’s Legislative Session Summary

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As the 2017 Legislative Session began, the ACLU of Florida was ready to battle several bills that would have trampled Floridians’ civil rights and liberties. Throughout the session, the ACLU of Florida, its partners, and concerned citizens made their voices heard in fending off unconstitutional proposals. With just a few exceptions, many of the bills which the ACLU of Florida warned posed a threat to Floridians’ rights did not advance in the legislature.
The ACLU of Florida’s summary of priority issues is below.
Immigration
While dangerous anti-immigrant bills advanced in the Florida House, Floridians have the Senate to thank for stopping bills that would have threatened the rights of immigrants. These unconstitutional bills do nothing to make our state safer and would have served only to exploit and deepen the stigma against Florida’s immigrant communities. The legislation the ACLU fought would have:
  • Required local law enforcement to honor warrantless detention requests from the federal government. HB 697/SB 786 would have stretched law enforcement resources in our communities and discouraged immigrants who are crime victims from calling police or reporting crimes.
  • Made an individual’s immigration status grounds for enhanced sentencing, meaning a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in a county jail would jump to a five-year stint in Florida’s prison system based solely on a person’s immigration status. (HB 83/SB 120)
Reproductive Rights
Unlike in recent past legislative sessions, bills that would have further restricted a woman’s access to legal health care services saw little progress this year. Harmful legislation would have:
  • Instituted a ban on abortions following the 20-week mark. HB 203/SB 348 failed to consider a woman’s individual personal and medical circumstances that may necessitate an abortion after twenty weeks.
  • Allowed a woman who had an abortion to sue her doctor for malpractice up to 10 years after her procedure. HB 19/SB 1140 would have more than doubled the four-year statute of limitations in place for bringing malpractice suits for other types of medical care.
  • Required the state to to develop materials intended to interfere with a woman’s and distribute them in ob-gyn offices and include them in curricula taught in schools. HB 841 and SB 1006 jeopardized a woman’s health and autonomy by allowing the DOH to develop & distribute informational materials deterring women from a safe procedure.
LGBT Rights
The ACLU of Florida strongly supported the Florida Competitive Workforce Act, which  would have protected anyone who lives or works in the Sunshine State from being discriminated against at work, in housing or in public places like restaurants because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. While this legislation did not pass, it gained greater support than previously seen in the legislature, with bipartisan support in the Senate among its 15 cosponsors, and in the House with 40 cosponsors. We will continue to push for protection for LGBT Floridians against discrimination in the 2018 Legislative Session.
Additionally, no legislation was filed this session explicitly attacking the rights of individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Religious Freedom
Unfortunately, SB 436, regarding Religious Expression in Public Schools passed in the final hours of floor debate.
This bill is troublesome because it opens the door to teachers, administrators, and other adults in positions of power proselytizing and otherwise favoring their religious beliefs during the school day.  Under this bill, any student or school employee not in the majority religion at that school is in danger of being further isolated, marginalized, and silenced due to activities championed by others in the majority. Additionally, this bill could allow teachers and other school personnel to discriminate against LGBTQ students under the guise of religious expression. Religious education of children is the responsibility of parents, not the public schools.
The ACLU has a long history of fighting to protect and defend religious freedom and will continue to do so vigorously, but religious freedom does not mean the right to discriminate against others and treat others less humanely.
Fortunately, school districts across Florida have declined to implement similar measures in the past, as they recognize that these types of measures will almost certainly expose districts and school personnel to potential litigation.

DCF Celebrates Florida Child Welfare Professionals Recognition Day

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As Governor Scott proclaimed May 7-13 Public Service Recognition Week, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) encourages Floridians to reflect on the important role of Florida’s dedicated child welfare professionals who devote their careers to serve and protect vulnerable children and families. From state child protective investigators to local case managers and from state policy makers to local providers of safety services, all those along the system of care work diligently to seek the best interest of the children and families served.
“Every day is a different day in the life of child welfare professionals,” DCF Secretary Mike Carroll said. “They wear many hats and make sacrifices in order to help others. Without the dedication of these individuals across the spectrum of care, Florida’s families and communities may look very different.”
DCF works in partnership with local communities, courts, and tribes to ensure the safety, timely permanency, and well-being of children.  The structure of Florida’s child welfare system allows for community-based care lead agencies to meet the needs of unique communities to the individuals and families it serves on a local level. Florida’s child welfare system encompasses a wide-range of services, including assistance to families working to stay safely together or be reunited, foster care, youth and young adults transitioning from foster care to independence, and adoption.
“The individuals who choose a career in child welfare work in a daunting field with incredible challenges, but they refuse to give up, because they know these children represent the future of Florida,” said Kurt Kelly, CEO, Florida Coalition for Children. “They are the backbone of our system of care and it is critical that we recognize they are the reason we are able to help children and families in our state overcome insurmountable challenges. We are beyond grateful for their service today and every day.”
While we honor this day, we celebrate the amazing child welfare professionals all year long. To answer the call to serve the families in your community, visit http://myflfamilies.com/general-information/employment/cpijobs. To learn more about Florida’s child welfare system, visit http://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/child-welfare.

Osceola Elementary School Teacher Named Teacher of the Year Finalist

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Teacher receives $5,000 from Macy’s and 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, Mr. Miller and his students were focused on their lessons for the day. He had no idea that today was different and that he was about to receive the surprise of a lifetime! From a group of 73 teachers, Michael Miller from Kissimmee Elementary School in Osceola 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 9:00 a.m., Florida Department of Education Commissioner Pam Stewart, along with Doug Prescott, Macy’s vice president, were on hand to make the big surprise announcement. The fifth-grade elementary math teacher was instructing his class when the Commissioner made the surprise visit and told him that he had been chosen as one of five finalists for the prestigious honor.
“Michael Miller is a great teacher who challenges and inspires his students to believe and achieve a better tomorrow. Macy’s congratulates Mr. Miller for his commitment to help his students reach their full potential,” said Dennis Witte, Macy’s executive vice president and regional director of stores.
Upon receiving the good news, Michael Miller 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 Kissimmee Elementary 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 Mr. Miller’s classroom. Throughout Macy’s sponsorship of this program, we continue to be humbled and proud to support the best educators in the Florida.”
“Michael Miller has distinguished himself as one of Osceola’s most dynamic and well-respected teachers and has demonstrated a passion for helping students reach their full potential,” said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. “By setting high expectations and using data-driven instruction strategies, Mr. Miller has had a profound impact on his students, and I am pleased to announce that he is one of Florida’s 2018 Teacher of the Year finalists. The Millers are an outstanding family; just last year, his wife, Amy, earned this prestigious honor!”
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.

RoadWatch Advisory for Sarasota and Manatee Counties

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Eastbound University Parkway CLOSED/DETOUR 
at I-75/University Parkway Interchange

SARASOTA/MANATEE
I-75 (SR 93) / University Parkway Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) Sarasota/Bradenton:  Construction Project:

Detour – Eastbound University Parkway CLOSED under I-75 at the I-75/University Parkway Interchange:  

Tuesday, May 9. Details below:

The contractor anticipates implementing a temporary detour route on eastbound University Parkway at the I-75/University Parkway interchange at night/overnight beginning Tuesday, May 9 from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Wednesday morning while crews pave University Parkway.

Motorists traveling eastbound on University Parkway (west of I-75) wishing to travel east through the interchange are directed to travel southbound on I-75, exit at Fruitville Road/Exit 210, enter northbound I-75, and exit at University Parkway/Exit 213.

Motorists traveling southbound on I-75 wishing to travel east on University Parkway are directed to exit at Fruitville Road/Exit 210 (south of the closure), enter northbound I-75, and exit at University Parkway/Exit 213.

Improvements being made as part of this project consist of constructing a diverging diamond interchange, adding an auxiliary lane on northbound and southbound I-75, constructing new bridges on  I-75 over University Parkway, widening of University Parkway, widening of I-75 bridges over Errie Creek and Foley Creek, realignment of on-ramps and off-ramps at I-75/University Parkway, addition of ponds, drainage improvements, new lighting and signalization, construction of a noise wall on the west side of I-75, sidewalks, bike lanes, and pedestrian walkways. Expected completion is fall 2017. The contractor is Prince Contracting, LLC. For additional information, please visit the project website at http://www.swflroads.com/i75/university/.

Flagler College makes public old photographs, catalogs on new digital archive site

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Henry Flagler’s third wife Mary Lily Flagler and their dog Delos, circa 1905

More than 1,000 Flagler College archival items, from yearbooks and college catalogs to historic and college photographs are now available to the public, thanks to a new digital archives project by the college’s Archives Specialist Jolene DuBray. These relics of the past — formerly viewable only during in-person visits — became available online May 5, during Alumni Weekend, when DuBray launched the project.
“With the new digital archives project, we’re starting out with a select portion of old photographs, yearbooks, FLARE magazines and course catalogs,” DuBray said. “There’s definitely been in increased interest in archives. I think that living in an historic town like St. Augustine is part of the appeal.”
The benefits of the new archives project extend beyond satiating the interests of memorabilia aficionados; it’s also a preservation initiative. By viewing items online instead of handling them in-person, long-term damage is mitigated.
“The more items are digitized, the longer the actual object actually lasts,” DuBray said. “We don’t have to take it out and expose it to light. And, a main benefit to digitization is instant access to the archives.”
One of the challenges of the project has been photo identification — of individuals pictured, and the year it was taken. By launching it during Alumni Weekend, visiting alumni served as an investigative resource to help clear up some of those mysteries.
To access the new digital visit here: http://digitalarchives.flagler.edu/.

Florida PSC reminds consumers to think about water use

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As Drinking Water Week kicks off, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) joins water professionals across the country to remind consumers to get serious about this year’s theme, “Your Water—To Know It Is To Love it.”
To commemorate Drinking Water Week, May 7-13, 2017, the PSC is providing consumers with easy, everyday water conservation tips with our Drop by Drop brochure.  Below are some summer conservation reminders from the American Water Works Association (AWWA), who sponsors Drinking Water Week:

  • Don’t over water your lawn. Only water every three to five days in the summer and 10 to 14 days in the winter.
  • To prevent water evaporation, don’t water your lawn during the hottest part of the day, or when it is windy.
  • Only run the dishwasher and clothes washer when they are fully loaded.
  • Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator or in the microwave instead of running water over it.
  • When washing dishes by hand, use two basins–one for washing and one for rinsing– rather than let the water run.
  • Use a broom, rather than a hose, to clean sidewalks and driveways.
  • If you have a swimming pool, get a cover. You’ll cut water evaporation by 90 percent.
  • Repair dripping faucets and leaky toilets. Dripping faucets can waste about 2,000 gallons of water each year. Leaky toilets can waste as much as 200 gallons each day.

About Drinking Water Week
For more than 35 years, AWWA and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week–a unique opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to join together to recognize the vital role water plays in our daily lives. Additional information about 2017 Drinking Water Week, including free materials for download and celebration ideas, is available on the Drinking Water Week web page, http://www.awwa.org/.
For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.
Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.

UNF Accounting Grad Top CPA Exam Performer/Elijah Watt Sells Award Winner

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Patrick Kmieciak, who earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from the University of North Florida, is a top CPA exam performer and winner of the 2016 Elijah Watt Sells Award by the American Institute of CPAs. This is the first time a UNF graduate has been recognized with this national award.

Patrick Kmieciak

“The faculty in the Department of Accounting and Finance are extremely proud of Patrick upon being named as a recipient of this prestigious award,” said Dr. David Jaeger, chair of the Department of Accounting and Finance at UNF. “This honor is well deserved and is the result of Patrick’s hard work and dedication, providing evidence of the high-quality students attracted to the accounting programs at UNF.”
Over 100,000 individuals sat for the exam in 2016 and only 58 candidates meeting the criteria received the Elijah Watt Sells Award. The award is bestowed upon CPA candidates who have obtained a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination, passed all four sections of the exam on their first attempt and completed testing in 2016.
“The CPA Examination, along with the education and experience required, sets a high bar for entry into the profession. This serves to protect the public interest by ensuring that only qualified individuals earn a CPA license,” said Michael Decker, AICPA vice president of examinations. “On behalf of the AICPA, I’d like to congratulate this year’s winners of the Elijah Watt Sells award on their outstanding accomplishment and wish them the best of luck in their careers.”
Kmieciak, a downtown resident, is currently employed at PwC LLP, where he provides auditing services to private and public clients. While at UNF, he was a graduate and teaching assistant, teaching intermediate accounting classes as well as proctoring exams. In the fall of 2013, he began tutoring accounting and finance students and currently conducts private tutoring sessions on the weekend, which allows him to aid students and stay close to the University.
Kmieciak is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma. He was on the President’s Honor Roll between fall 2013 and summer 2016, earning a 4.0 GPA every semester for three years. In 2015, he scored in the 99th percentile on the Coggin College of Business exit exam and the 97th percentile on the Graduate Management Admission Test.
The Elijah Watt Sells Award program was established by the AICPA in 1923 to recognize outstanding performance on the CPA Examination. Sells, one of the first CPAs in the U.S., was active in the establishment of the AICPA and played a key role advancing professional education within the profession.

Florida’s Top Economic Developers Honored at 2017 Annual Conference

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Florida Economic Development Council recognizes
individual and team achievements from around the state

The Florida Economic Development Council (FEDC), the statewide organization that educates, advocates for, and connects Florida’s economic development stakeholders, honored the individuals and teams that are helping to drive Florida’s economy forward at its 2017 Annual Conference. The conference took place May 7-9 at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 in Ft. Lauderdale.
Florida Governor Rick Scott was presented with the 2017 Business Ambassador Award for his strong defense of economic development and tourism programs and success in bringing hundreds of thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars in capital investment to the state.
Veteran economic developers Crystal Sircy and Kathleen Woodring were honored with the Eunice Sullivan Economic Development Professional of the Year and Toni Jennings Workforce Professional of the Year Awards, respectively.
The Eunice Sullivan Economic Development Professional of the Year award is given annually in recognition of the achievements of an outstanding economic developer within the state of Florida. The award was first given in 1985 and was renamed in 1991 to honor Eunice Sullivan for her dedication and commitment to the economic development profession and the Florida Economic Development Council.
Ms. Sircy, executive vice president of the Orlando Economic Partnership, has served the state of Florida in economic development leadership roles for more than 25 years. In her earlier role at Enterprise Florida, the statewide economic development organization, Ms. Sircy served as executive vice president and chief operating officer, where she managed five divisions, a $25 million annual budget, and led more than 90 employees across three offices.
“Crystal is the most accomplished state business development lead in Florida’s history,” said Cathy Chambers, 2016-2017 chair of the Florida Economic Development Council and senior vice president of strategy and business development at JAXUSA Partnership. “She is a tireless advocate for economic development issues, and has testified many times in front of Florida House and Senate committees. Economic developers from around the state have relied on her to mentor them. Her contributions to our state are too numerous to count.”
Given annually in recognition of the achievements of an outstanding workforce developer within the state of Florida, the Toni Jennings Workforce Professional of the Year award was first presented in 2007 to honor and recognize the former Lieutenant Governor’s exceptional leadership in revamping Florida’s workforce system to respond to critical workforce needs and to advance local, regional and state economic development.
This year’s recipient, Kathleen Woodring, is the executive vice president of CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion. Ms. Woodring has spent more than 25 years in workforce development roles in Pennsylvania and Florida. She has served citizens of Citrus, Levy, and Marion counties since 1997, directing workforce program implementation and programming for the three county area. She also leads the statewide planning effort for the annual Workforce Professional Development Summit for system-wide training of over 800 professionals each year.
“Ms. Woodring has set a new standard for excellence in managing relationships with community organizations and partners,” said Ed Peachey, president and chief executive officer of CareerSource Tampa Bay. “Thanks to her leadership, extraordinary attention to detail, and devotion to educating our professionals to be the most innovative and effective in the nation, she has helped create a path to prosperity for thousands of at-risk Citrus, Levy and Marion County residents. Her impact on these communities will be felt for decades to come.”
The FEDC also honored Derek Shavor, project manager with Hillsborough County Economic Development, as its 2016-2017 Dan Webster Young Innovator Scholarship Award recipient. Given annually by The Corridor in recognition of the achievements of an outstanding young innovator in economic development in Florida, the Dan Webster Young Innovator Scholarship Award winner receives up to $5,000 to be applied towards coursework and fees associated with achieving the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation.
Awards were also given to recognize exemplary achievements in innovation and marketing for economic development and innovative/best practices for our communities and abroad. The 2017 Economic Development Deal of the Year awards were presented as well.
The 2017 winners are:

  • Deal of the Year (Rural Community): Gadsden County Development Council for Four Star Freight Liner (28 jobs, $2.5 million capital investment)
  • Deal of the Year (Urban Community): Greater Ft. Lauderdale Alliance/Broward County for Magic Leap, Inc. (725 jobs, $150 million in capital investment)
  • Innovation in Marketing – External Publication: Greater Ft. Lauderdale Alliance/Broward County
  • Innovation in Marketing – Video Series: Enterprise Florida
  • Innovation in Marketing – Internal Publication: Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation
  • Innovation in Marketing – Special Event: Energy 101
  • Innovation in Marketing – Ad Campaign: Enterprise Florida
  • Innovation in Marketing  – Single Ad: Florida Power & Light
  • Innovation in Marketing  – Website: JAXUSA Partnership

The FEDC’s 2017 Annual Conference was sponsored by Enterprise Florida, CareerSource Florida, Florida Power & Light, Florida First Capital Finance Corp., GrowFL, Pinellas County Economic Development, Greater Ft. Lauderdale Alliance/Broward County, Duke Energy, Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, The Corridor, Santa Rosa Economic Development, First Green Bank, and JAXUSA Partnership.
For over 50 years, the FEDC has been developing the brightest economic development professionals and equipping them with sound policy and effective programs. The annual conference helps professionals to sharpen their skills and access the tools and resources they need to become outstanding economic leaders.
Visit fedconline.org for learn more.