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RoadWatch Advisory for Charlotte and Sarasota Counties

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RoadWatch Advisory

I-75 Kings Highway Ramp Closures
Charlotte and Sarasota Counties, Florida

CHARLOTTE/SARASOTA COUNTIES
I-75 from south of Harborview Road (mile marker 167) to Sumter Boulevard (mile marker 182): Construction project: This project widens the road from four to six lanes and adds a 12-foot travel lane and 10-foot shoulder to the inside of existing northbound and southbound I-75.

  • Motorists should expect lane closures on I-75 during nighttime/overnight hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the duration of the construction.
  • Motorists should also expect periodic travel lane shifts through the duration of construction.
  • Motorists should expect the outside northbound lane on the bridge over the Peace River closed through the duration of the project.
  • Kings Highway on-ramp to I-75 northbound will be closed during nighttime/overnight from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Sunday, April 30, Monday, May 1, and Tuesday, May 2.
  • Kings Highway on-ramp to I-75 southbound will be closed during nighttime/overnight from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, May 3 and Thursday, May 4. 

Variable message signs will be in place to alert drivers that work is underway. Drivers should use caution while traveling in this area. Estimated completion is end of 2017. The contractor is Astaldi Construction Corporation.

Regular weekly opinion release from the Florida Supreme Court

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Filings for the Florida Supreme Court
April 27, 2017

  • SC14-1317 – Dontae Morris v. State of Florida
  • SC14-2276 – Randy W. Tundidor v. State of Florida
  • SC15-628 & SC15-1612 – Joshua Lee Altersberger v. State of Florida & Joshua Lee Altersberger v. Julie L. Jones, etc.
  • SC16-54 – State of Florida v. Damani Spencer
  • SC16-1692 – In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases – Report 2016-09
  • SC16-2239 – In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases – Report 2016-12

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Hosts Statewide Zika Workshops

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The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services hosted a series of Zika workshops for mosquito control programs throughout Florida, which concluded last week. The department hosted regional workshops in the following counties to discuss mosquito surveillance and control measures: Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Hillsborough, Lee, Leon and Okaloosa.
“As we enter into the warmer months, it’s especially important that Florida communities are equipped with the knowledge and resources they need for their Zika-related response efforts,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.
The department continues to support local programs by providing mosquito testing at the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. To date, nearly 90,000 individual mosquitoes, represented by more than 6,500 pools of mosquitoes, have been tested for the presence of the Zika virus. Of those collected in 2017, none has yielded positive results.
While the Florida Department of Health is the lead agency in this public health crisis, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is supporting efforts by:

  • Providing technical assistance to mosquito control programs and the Department of Health;
  • Monitoring mosquito control activities across the state and notifying local mosquito control programs of arbovirus activity or events;
  • Identifying resources to conduct incident-related mosquito control efforts.

For more information regarding Zika, visit the Florida Department of Health’s website here.

Gov. Scott: Politicians in Florida Legislature Need to Fix Herbert Hoover Dike

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Governor Rick Scott today urged the Florida Legislature to commit to fixing the federally-operated Herbert Hoover Dike and helping Lake Okeechobee by including $200 million in the state budget. Last week, President Donald Trump committed to providing federal resources to fix the dike.

WATCH: Remarks by Governor Scott

VISIT FLORIDA to Legislature: Please Learn from Colorado's Tourism Disaster

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VISIT FLORIDA shared the following video today that features Cathy Ritter, the Director of the Colorado Tourism Office. Twenty years ago, Colorado cut their tourism marketing funding and have never been able to regain the ground that was lost.
Note: This video was produced at no cost to VISIT FLORIDA.
Click HERE to watch.

Florida Poly to hold second graduation ceremony

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MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: Florida Polytechnic University will hold its second graduation ceremony on April 28 at 3:30 p.m. inside the Innovation Science and Technology (IST) Building on the Florida Poly campus in Lakeland.
More than 20 graduates, including four students who will finish courses over the summer, will receive degrees in either Innovation and Technology, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Information Technology, or Science and Technology Management.
This is Florida Poly’s second graduating class since it opened its doors in August 2014. The first class graduated in January. Currently, the University has more 1,300 students enrolled.
WHO: The graduation ceremony will feature Florida Poly leadership, students, faculty, and staff – with remarks by:
· Florida Poly President Dr. Randy K. Avent
· Florida Poly Board of Trustees Chairman Frank T. Martin
· Florida Poly Provost Dr. Terry Parker
· Commencement speech by Former Member of the Florida House of Representatives Seth McKeel
· Florida Poly Graduate Constanze Knahl
WHEN: Friday, April 28, 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Florida Polytechnic University
IST Building
4700 Research Way
Second Floor Commons
Lakeland, Fla. 33805-8531
VISUALS: Students, faculty, staff, commencement speakers and guests.
Photos of students receiving diplomas and leadership delivering remarks.
Interview opportunities with University leaders, students and speakers.
MEDIA CONTACT: Crystal L. Lauderdale
Director, Marketing and Communications
863.874.8444 (office)
[email protected]

National monuments at risk

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President Trump signed an executive order today directing the Department of Interior to review more than 20 national monuments that have been created under the Antiquities Act since 1996.  A list of the monuments that may be reviewed is below.
In response, Environment Florida’s state director, Jennifer Rubiello, issued the following statement:
“One of the things that makes our state and this nation so great is that we have gorgeous landscapes and we have had the foresight and political will to protect them for future generations.  Unfortunately, today’s executive order heads in the exact wrong direction.
If President Trump succeeds in rolling back any of our national monuments, he will in essence be attacking all our public landscapes. This effort is unprecedented and likely unconstitutional. Despite presidents from both parties establishing more than 150 national monuments over that last 111 years under the authority of the Antiquities Act, never has a president revoked the status of a monument.
Protecting our public landscapes is good for our ecosystem; it creates unprecedented opportunity for recreation and tourism; and land conservation makes political sense. Citizens across the country support presidential action to protect our lands, waters and wilderness.
I’m confident that Floridians will rally to keep all of our public lands in public hands. As we know from the Lorax: Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
National Monument designations that may be up for Review
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah, W. Clinton, 1996 (BLM)
Agua Fria National Monument, Arizona, W. Clinton, 2000 (BLM)
California Coastal National Monument, California, W. Clinton, 2000 (BLM)
Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona, W. Clinton, 2000 (BLM)
Portion of Sequoia National Forest (originally Giant Sequoia), California, W. Clinton, 2000 (USFS)
Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, Colorado, W. Clinton, 2000 (BLM)
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, Oregon, W. Clinton, 2000 (BLM)
Hanford Reach National Monument, Washington, W. Clinton, 2000 (FWS)
Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona, W. Clinton, 2000 (BLM)
President Lincoln and Soldier’s Home National Monument, Washington, DC, W. Clinton, 2000 (NPS)
Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona, W. Clinton, 2000 (BLM)
Carrizo Plain National Monument, California, W. Clinton, 2001 (BLM)
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, New Mexico, W. Clinton, 2001 (BLM)
Minidoka National Historic Site, Idaho, W. Clinton, 2001 (NPS)
Pompeys Pillar National Monument, Montana, W. Clinton, 2001 (BLM)
Sonoran Desert National Monument, Arizona, W. Clinton, 2001 (BLM)
Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, Montana, W. Clinton, 2001 (BLM)
Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, Virgin Islands, W. Clinton, 2001 (NPS)
Governors Island National Monument, New York, W. Clinton, 2001 (NPS)
African Burial Ground National Monument, New York, G. W. Bush, 2006 (NPS)
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (originally Northwestern Hawaiian Islands), Hawaii, G. W. Bush, 2006 (FWS, NOAA)
World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, Hawaii, G. W. Bush, 2008 (NPS, FWS)
Rose Atoll National Monument, American Samoa, G. W. Bush, 2009 (NOAA)
Pacific Remote Islands National Monument, Hawaii, G. W. Bush, 2009 (FWS, NOAA)
Mariana’s Trench National Monument, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, G. W. Bush, 2009 (NOAA)
Fort Monroe National Monument, Virginia, B. H. Obama, 2011 (NPS)
Fort Ord National Monument, California, B. H. Obama, 2012 (BLM)
Chimney Rock National Monument, Colorado, B. H. Obama, 2012 (USFS)
Cesar E. Chavez National Monument, California, B. H. Obama, 2012 (NPS)
San Juan Islands National Monument, Washington, B. H. Obama, 2013 (BLM)
Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, New Mexico, B. H. Obama, 2013 (BLM)
Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park, Maryland, B. H. Obama, 2013 (NPS, FWS)
First State National Historical Park, Delaware, B. H. Obama, 2013 (NPS)
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers Monument, Ohio, B. H. Obama, 2013 (NPS)
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, New Mexico, B. H. Obama, 2014 (BLM)
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, California, B. H. Obama, 2014 (USFS)
Honouliuli National Monument, Hawaii, B. H. Obama, 2015 (NPS)
Pullman National Monument, Illinois, B. H. Obama, 2015 (NPS)
Browns Canyon National Monument, Colorado, B. H. Obama, 2015 (BLM, USFS)
Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, California, B. H. Obama, 2015 (USFS)
Waco Mammoth National Monument, Texas, B. H. Obama, 2015 (NPS)
Basin and Range National Monument, Nevada, B. H. Obama, 2015 (BLM)
Mojave Trails National Monument, California, B. H. Obama, 2016 (BLM)
Sand to Snow National Monument, California, B. H. Obama, 2016 (USFS)
Castle Mountains National Monument, California, B. H. Obama, 2016 (NPS)
Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, Washington, DC, B. H. Obama, 2016 (NPS)
Stonewall National Monument, New York, B. H. Obama, 2016 (NPS)
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine, B. H. Obama, 2016 (NPS)
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, Massachusetts, B. H. Obama, 2016 (NOAA, FWS)
Bears Ears National Monument, Utah, B. H. Obama, 2016 (USFS, BLM)
Gold Butte National Monument, Nevada, B. H. Obama, 2016 (BLM)
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, Alabama, B. H. Obama, 2017 (NPS)
Freedom Riders National Monument, Alabama, B. H. Obama, 2017 (NPS)
Reconstruction Era National Monument, South Carolina, B. H. Obama, 2017 (NPS)

Statement from Commissioner David Altmaier on passage of HB 1421

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Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier issued the following statement:
“I applaud the Florida House of Representatives for their favorable vote on HB 1421 today, and I am especially grateful to Representative James Grant, the bill sponsor, and Representative Rene Plasencia, the prime co-sponsor. This legislation makes significant progress in protecting Florida consumers from homeowners insurance rate increases fueled by rising litigation costs associated with an Assignment of Benefits (AOB). We appreciate the support and efforts of the entire Florida Legislature as they considered this legislative priority of the Office of Insurance Regulation during the 2017 Session.”
For more information about this issue, visit the Office’s “Assignment of Benefits Resources” webpage.

DSC to break ground for Student Center/Workforce Transition facility, May 4

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Three-story, 84,000-sq-ft building will be campus hub

Daytona State College ushers in its 60th anniversary with a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, May 4, marking the start of construction on a Student Center/Workforce Transition building that will embody a design and function for modern-era higher education.
The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. on the south side of the Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd.
“We’re thrilled to get this facility underway,” said DSC President Tom LoBasso, noting his appreciation for legislative support for the $32.6 million project. “Students will gravitate to this building, which will become the focal point of the campus and an iconic structure on International Speedway Boulevard. It will be a center for student engagement with peers, faculty and college personnel, which research shows is key to academic success and degree completion.”
The building’s exterior will feature a coquina façade and bronze portal marking the building’s southeast entrance. A three-story structure, it will be built using green construction principles that are resource-efficient and environmentally responsible.

In addition to academic support services that include the library and Writing Center, the 84,000-square-foot facility will serve as a hub for the Daytona State student-life experience, featuring classrooms, a large events center, conference rooms, offices for student clubs, game room, study commons, cafeteria and coffee lounge, and an outdoor dining area.
The library alone provides academic support to about 1,200 students a week (200 students per day). And users annually access electronic resources over 300,000 times, check out 12,000 books and ask more than 4,000 reference questions.
Students and faculty tap infoguides created by DSC librarians over 100,000 times, with Library Research Instruction given to more than 4,000 students. The Writing Center handles some 5,600 tutoring appointments, 4,300 visits to its specialized learning space called the Attic, and 5,300 visits for general resources use each year. Across all these services, the new facility will enhance digital and information literacy for students, faculty and staff.
To support students from enrollment to graduation, the center also will include Career Services, a one-stop resource center for career planning and job placement, where students can explore career options, research employment opportunities, create resumes, practice interview skills and learn how to dress and act professionally. The center will serve both students seeking work experiences and businesses offering internships, service learning opportunities and/or cooperative education placements. Career Services has seen an 80 percent growth in utilization over the past 2 years, with almost 7,500 student engagements through visits, job-board registrations and in-class presentations last year.
The college’s Student Life Skills class, required for all associate of arts students, also will be offered in the new facility, providing a state-of-the-art teaching and learning experience for students.
To make room for the new building, the college recently razed its early 1970s-era Bergengren Building that through the years housed DSC’s main administrative offices and workforce training programs, but has been little used in recent years.
The Student Center/Workforce Transition building is expected to be completed in spring 2019, with webcam construction viewing available daily.
The building is being designed by New Jersey-based ikon.5 architects, Princeton, N.J. The construction manager for the project is Perry-McCall Construction Inc., Jacksonville.