Yesterday, House Bill 269, sponsored by Representative MaryLynn Magar, was temporarily postponed in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. The bill would establish a statewide framework for dealing with safety and maintenance costs associated with high-speed rail.
State Representative Magar made the following statement regarding the bill:
“This bill would have clarified that the costs associated with crossing upgrades and maintenance is the responsibility of the rail company, not state or local governments.
“All Aboard Florida calls this a ‘privately funded project,’ yet the project is shifting the costs of required safety upgrades and maintenance of their rail system to the local governments. Indian River and Martin County’s fiscal impact study found the costs of safety upgrades in the millions of dollars, and all of these costs are to be borne by the taxpayers throughout the life of the All Aboard Florida system.
“Although this bill has been temporarily postponed, my co-sponsors and I will continue to work with stakeholders, constituents, and fellow legislators to move this issue forward.
“It is unfortunate that All-Aboard Florida says that this legislation will kill jobs. This bill simply asks that All-Aboard Florida pay for their rail system and not place the burden on the backs of local governments and the taxpayers of Florida.”
About MaryLynn Magar for State Representative
MaryLynn Magar was first elected in 2012 and represents District 82 in the Florida House of Representatives. She is Vice President and General Manager of HeartCare Imaging, Inc. She is the former Republican State Committeewoman in Martin County and has been a member of the Martin County Republican Executive Committee since 1993. She was active in the campaign efforts for Jeb Bush for Governor and George W. Bush for President. Within her community, Magar is a Eucharistic Minister for St. Jude Catholic Church and is Team Mom for Jupiter-Tequesta Athletic Association. Magar lives in Tequesta with her daughter, Samantha, and husband, Bob, who is President and CEO of HeartCare Imaging, Inc., and a board member of Florida Atlantic University.
ON THE WEB: www.marylynnmagar.com
Cortes continues to call on Gov. Scott for Ayala suspension
State Representative Bob Cortes releases a statement
advocating for the suspension of State Attorney Aramis Ayala
“Governor Scott’s removal of State Attorney Aramis Ayala from the Markeith Loyd case was the only way to fully ensure that justice for the victims of these heinous crimes will be done. State Attorney Ayala’s unilateral decision to not seek the death penalty would do great damage to our judicial system, and yesterday’s decision to keep her off the case was the right one. I hope her removal will continue to be upheld and that the victims’ families will find some measure of comfort that the case against Mr. Loyd is being prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
While I’m glad State Attorney Ayala is off this case, I continue to believe she should be suspended, and I urge Governor Scott to seriously consider that option. By saying that she will not pursue the death penalty in this or any other case, she is failing to fully do the job she was elected to do. For that reason, in addition to the Loyd case, all of State Attorney Ayala’s cases should be re-assigned to prosecutors who will consider the full range of appropriate options for seeking justice in the Ninth Circuit.”
Gov. Rick Scott to Host Military Roundtable in Tampa
Tomorrow, March 30th, Governor Rick Scott will host a roundtable with community leaders in Tampa to discuss economic development and jobs programs that the Florida House voted to eliminate. Governor Scott will specifically speak to those programs under Enterprise Florida that invest in Florida’s military and defense communities.
WHAT: Military Roundtable
WHEN: 9:00 AM
WHERE: VFW Post 424 Tampa
105 West Broad Street
Tampa, FL 33604
Flagler’s Theatre Arts Department wins big at Kennedy Center Festival Awards
Students Brian Matthews and Sissy Hofaker in ‘The Maids.’
Flagler College’s Theatre Arts Department has taken the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) Awards by storm, earning seven national awards, including Outstanding Production of a Play for its November performance of Jean Genet’s “The Maids.”
Other awards for the play included Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Play, which went to student Brian Harold Matthews; Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Play, to students Sissy Hofaker and Becca Woods; Outstanding Costume Design, to resident designer Elaina Wahl-Temple; Outstanding Ensemble of a Play, to the production’s cast; and Distinguished Director of a Play, to guest director and Flagler alumnus Joe Kemper.
This is the first time Flagler College has been recognized at KCACTF nationally.
“Having the Theatre Arts Department’s production of ‘The Maids’ recognized in this way is an incredible honor,” said Associate Professor and Department Chair Andrea McCook. “These awards and attending the national festival is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
McCook also emphasized broad institutional support for the department’s participation in the festival.
“From Dean (Alan) Woolfolk and the Office of Academic Affairs, to Barbara Blonder and the Office of Undergraduate Research and to the Business Office, we are extremely grateful to the institution, which made it possible for the production to go to the regional festival, where we were noticed on the national level,” she said.
KCACTF hosts the Irene Ryan acting competition and is comprised of a network of more than 600 schools throughout the country. Theater departments and student artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment by KCACTF respondents. Of the eight regions nationally, Flagler College is a part of Region IV. This year’s competition, held at Georgia Southern University, took place Feb. 8 to 11.
The students, along with Kemper and Wahl-Temple, will be attending the national festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. the week of April 18, 2017.
To see a full listing of the awards, click here.
2016-2017 PNC Bank Concert Artist Series Concludes with Alexander Frey April 2
On Sunday, April 2, The University of Tampa will welcome multi-talented pianist Alexander Frey, whom Leonard Bernstein referred to as “a wonderful spirit,” for the final concert in the 2016-2017 PNC Bank Concert Artist Series at the Sykes Chapel and Center for Faith and Values. The performance begins at 2 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
The program for the concert will include works by Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957) and Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), including the North American premiere of Korngold’s Walz an Luzi and the world premiere of Bernstein’s Valse Gaea. Frey will also perform Korngold’s Don Quixote and Marchenbilder, Op. 3, and Bernstein’s Thirteen Anniversaries.
Although living in Berlin, Frey’s career as a conductor, organist, pianist, harpsichordist and recording artist has taken him all over the globe with performances in the music capitals of Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa.
As pianist and organist, Frey has performed with many of the world’s great symphony orchestras. He also served as principal conductor of the Rome Philharmonic Orchestra from 1996–2002 and the Bohemia Symphony Orchestra in Prague from 2000–2006, and his many guest conducting appearances include performances with almost 50 orchestras on five continents. This year, he is serving as artist-in-residence for the Gaulitana International Music Festival in Malta.
Amongst his many recordings, his award-winning recording of Korngold’s Between Two Worlds was listed by Gramophone Magazine as one of the “250 Greatest Recordings of All Time,” and his recording of Bernstein’s Peter Pan reached No. 8 on the Billboard Classical Music Chart. He released two new albums in 2016, Tribal Domestic (Sony) and Big Americana Box (Bach Guild).
Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Parking is available on campus, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd.
The 2016-2017 PNC Bank Concert Artist Series is underwritten by PNC Bank and the UT College of Arts and Letters. For more information, contact [email protected] or go to www.ut.edu/sykeschapel.
Former Flagler Beach Pastor Sentenced in Investment Fraud Case
The Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) today announced that former Flagler Beach pastor, Wesley Alan Brown, was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison followed by 22.5 years of probation for his role in an investment scheme that defrauded members of his congregation. Today’s sentencing follows Brown’s conviction in January 2017, where he was found guilty of multiple felony charges, including organized scheme to defraud. Restitution is anticipated once the amounts owed to the victims have been verified by the court.
Commissioner Drew J. Breakspear said, “Abusing a position of trust for personal financial gain is heinous and will not be tolerated in Florida. I applaud the work of OFR’s investigators and the Flagler County State Attorney’s Office to end this scheme and prevent additional unsuspecting victims from experiencing financial harm.”
Brown, who was an associate pastor at a Flagler Beach area church, solicited church members to invest in the stock of Maverick International, Inc., telling them that Maverick was a diversified private company that invested in precious metals and commodities. He led victims to believe that investments in the company had high growth potential and no risk. However, OFR’s investigation revealed that Brown deposited at least $60,000 of investors’ money into his personal account, and that Maverick paid Brown’s personal credit card bills, totaling more than $84,000.
If you feel that you may be a victim of fraud or to report suspicious activity, please file a complaint with the OFR online, www.flofr.com, or call (850) 487-9687.
For tips on avoiding investment fraud, check out OFR’s Consumer Alert: Top Red Flags of Investment Scams.
Nelson, others seek to block Trump's executive order
One day after President Trump signed an executive order to roll back many of the Obama administration’s policies aimed at combating climate change, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and others filed legislation to nullify the order.
“Florida is ground zero when it comes to the effects of sea-level rise and climate change,” Nelson said today. “Rolling back these policies puts Florida’s economy and environment at risk – and it’s a risk Floridians shouldn’t have to take.”
The legislation would block federal agencies from implementing the actions outlined in an executive order Trump signed Tuesday instructing the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies to begin undoing several initiatives aimed at limiting harmful emissions from power plants.
In addition to Nelson, the bill is cosponsored by Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tom Udall (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
Text of the bill can be found here, and below is a background story on the president’s executive action.
Trump Signs Executive Order Unwinding Obama Climate Policies
By CORAL DAVENPORT
Published: March 28, 2017
President Trump signed on Tuesday a much-anticipated executive order intended to roll back most of President Barack Obama’s climate-change legacy, celebrating the move as a way to promote energy independence and to restore thousands of lost coal industry jobs.
Flanked by coal miners at a ceremony at the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr. Trump signed a short document titled the “Energy Independence” executive order, directing the agency to start the legal process of withdrawing and rewriting the Clean Power Plan, the centerpiece of Mr. Obama’s policies to fight global warming.
The order also takes aim at a suite of narrower but significant Obama-era climate and environmental policies, including lifting a short-term ban on new coal mining on public lands.
The executive order does not address the United States’ participation in the 2015 Paris Agreement, the landmark accord that committed nearly every country to take steps to reduce climate-altering pollution. But experts note that if the Trump program is enacted, it will all but ensure that the United States cannot meet its clean air commitments under the accord.
But energy economists say the order falls short of both of those goals — in part because the United States already largely relies on domestic sources for the coal and natural gas that fires most of the nation’s power plants.
“We don’t import coal,” said Robert N. Stavins, an energy economist at Harvard University. “So in terms of the Clean Power Plan, this has nothing to do with so-called energy independence whatsoever.”
Scott Pruitt, the E.P.A. administrator, said in an interview on ABC News on Sunday that the order will help the United States “be both pro-jobs and pro-environment.”
But coal miners should not assume their jobs will return if Trump’s regulations take effect.
The new order would mean that older coal plants that had been marked for closing would probably stay open for a few years longer, extending the demand for coal, said Robert W. Godby, an energy economist at the University of Wyoming.
But even so, “the mines that are staying open are using more mechanization,” he said.
“They’re not hiring people,” he continued.
“So even if we saw an increase in coal production, we could see a decrease in coal jobs,” he added.
Legal experts say it could take years for the Trump administration to unwind the Clean Power Plan, which has not yet been carried out because it has been temporarily frozen by a Supreme Court order. Those regulations sought to cut planet-warming carbon dioxide pollution from coal-fired power plants. If enacted, they would have shut down hundreds of those plants, frozen construction of future plants and replaced them with wind and solar farms and other renewable energy sources.
Throughout his campaign, Mr. Trump highlighted his support of coal miners, holding multiple rallies in coal country and vowing to restore lost jobs to the flagging industry. At a rally last week in Kentucky, Mr. Trump vowed that his executive order would “save our wonderful coal miners from continuing to be put out of work.”
While coal mining jobs have dropped in the United States, they do not represent a significant portion of the American economy. Coal companies employed about 65,971 miners in 2015, down from 87,755 in 2008, according to Energy Department statistics.
And though the percentage of coal mining jobs dropped sharply, economists said that was not driven by the Clean Power Plan. Rather, they blamed two key forces: an increase in the production of natural gas, which is a cheaper, cleaner-burning alternative to coal, and an increase in automation, which allowed coal companies to produce more fuel with fewer employees. The rollback of Mr. Obama’s regulations will not change either of those forces, economists say.
“The problem with coal jobs has not been CO2 regulations, so this will probably not bring back coal jobs,” Mr. Godby said. “The problem has been that there has not been market demand for coal.”
The coal industry nonetheless cheered the move.
“These actions are vital to the American coal industry, to our survival, and to getting some of our coal families back to work,” said Robert E. Murray, the chief executive of Murray Energy, one of the nation’s largest coal mining companies.
But even Mr. Murray conceded that he did not expect Mr. Trump’s order to return coal mining numbers to their former strength. “I really don’t know how far the coal industry can be brought back,” he said.
Mr. Trump’s directive also eliminates about a half-dozen of Mr. Obama’s smaller executive orders and memorandums related to combating climate change.
For example, the order would require White House economists to recalculate a budgeting metric known as the social cost of carbon that, under the Obama administration, limited pollution by arguing that global warming outweighed economic benefits for industries. It would also eliminate a requirement that federal agencies consider the impact on climate change when analyzing all future environmental permits.
Combined, the measures are likely to ensure the United States’ emissions of planet-warming pollution remain too high to meet the terms of the Paris climate accord.
The aim of the Paris deal is to reduce emissions enough to stave off a warming of the planet by more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, the level at which, experts say, the Earth will be irrevocably locked into a future of extreme droughts, flooding and shortages of food and water.
But analysts say Mr. Trump’s order signals that the United States will not meet its pledges under the Paris deal to cut its emissions about 26 percent from 2005 levels by 2025.
“Meeting the U.S. terms of the Paris Agreement would require full enforcement of the current regulations, plus additional regulations,” said Michael Oppenheimer, a climate scientist at Princeton University. “It takes a comprehensive effort involving every country doing what they committed to and more.”
He said Mr. Trump’s order “sends a signal to other countries that they might not have to meet their commitments — which would mean that the world would fail to stay out of the climate danger zone.”
Gov. Scott Applauds Senate’s Focus on Jobs; Concerned House is Slashing Jobs Programs
Governor Rick Scott released the below statement on the proposed budgets within the Florida Senate and Florida House. The Florida Senate’s proposed budget includes more than $80 million for Enterprise Florida programs and $76 million for VISIT FLORIDA, while the Florida House’s proposed budget eliminates Enterprise Florida and slashes VISIT FLORIDA’s budget to $25 million.
Governor Scott said, “Over the past few months, Floridians and job creators from across the state have come together in support of important economic development programs like Enterprise Florida and VISIT FLORIDA. I want to thank the Florida Senate for listening to our families and job creators by proposing to fully fund Enterprise Florida and VISIT FLORIDA.
“Unfortunately, at this time, the Florida House has chosen to continue ignoring the Floridians they serve. The House’s decision to severely cut the budget of VISIT FLORIDA is especially shocking when we look at how disastrous this has been in other states. A reduction of tourism marketing means a reduction of visitors and revenue, which increases the tax burden for our families and threatens the jobs of more than 1.4 million Floridians who rely on the tourism industry.
“Over and over again, politicians in the House have failed to understand that Florida is competing for job creation projects against other states and countries across the globe. Eliminating Enterprise Florida means we will not be able to effectively compete for new opportunities. Furthermore, while the House originally claimed that the role of EFI could be relocated to DEO, their proposed budget instead slashes positions within DEO’s Division of Business Development. The individuals in these positions are crucial to ensuring businesses honor their contracts and job creation goals before receiving any economic incentive dollars. Eliminating the majority of these positions puts our taxpayers’ hard-earned money at risk.”
Universities rally for critical student success and research initiatives
Joined by police chiefs, mental health counselors, medical school deans, and student leaders, the Board of Governors and presidents from all 12 of Florida’s public universities came together on Wednesday to rally support for additional mental health counselors and law enforcement officers, raising the State University System’s research profile, and rewarding university performance.
The rally marked the kick-off of the Safer, Smarter, Stronger initiative, designed to demonstrate the return on investment for each of the System’s top priorities. Speakers included Board of Governors Chair Tom Kuntz, Senator Gary Farmer Jr., University of West Florida Student Veteran Timothy Jones, UF Researcher Dr. Glenn Morris, Florida State University First Generation Student Genevieve Bell, and Vice Chair Ned Lautenbach.
“Florida recently ranked top in the country for higher education in U.S. News & World Report, an achievement that inspires all of us to continue striving toward our goals,” said Board of Governors Chair Tom Kuntz. “By putting measures in place to optimize student retention and success, and by positioning our universities to be more competitive in research, we’re priming our state to meet its full economic potential.”
During the rally, Florida Senator Gary Farmer Jr discussed the importance of funding mental health services for students. He was followed by UWF Veteran Timothy Jones, who was diagnosed with PTSD, and said it’s because of mental health counseling and community support that he’ll be graduating this spring. Information on student mental health is available here.
Dr. Glenn Morris, Jr., M.D., M.P.H & T.M. Professor and Director of the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute, discussed the leadership of UF and other institutions on addressing Zika and other diseases.
“Universities are at the front lines in addressing some of the world’s most pressing problems, including critical work on understanding how to prevent, and treat, human diseases,” said Dr. Morris. “The emergence of infections such as Zika are an unfriendly reminder of why we must continue to invest in research, and pursue the discoveries and inventions that make all of our lives safer and better.”
Florida State University Student Genevieve Bell, who is earning a doctorate in neuroscience, also addressed the group about her experience as a First Generation Student. Recognizing the Legislature for proposals to raise the state match on First Generation scholarships, she said she would have never been able to pursue an education if it wasn’t for financial assistance.
State University System Chancellor Marshall Criser said, “Safer, Smarter, Stronger is more than just a slogan, it is a description of what we are accomplishing for our higher education system by working together with the Governor, the Legislature and the universities. We all know that the strength of Florida’s higher education system is directly tied to the success of our students and the prosperity of our state.”
The Board of Governors’ legislative budget request is here. Please call Brittany Davis to arrange interviews with a rally participant or to be connected to sources at your local university.
Facts about the State University System of Florida and the Board of Governors
The State University System of Florida is a constitutional body led by the 17-member Board of Governors. The system has 12 universities and more than 341,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and managing the system’s coordination and operation. The Board appoints a Chancellor who serves as the system’s chief executive. For more, visit flbog.edu, think-florida.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
FAMU Leaders Join State Universities to Rally for Funding for Student-Centered Services
University and student leaders from Florida A&M University (FAMU) joined the Florida Board of Governors, police chiefs, mental health counselors, college deans, student leaders, and presidents from Florida’s 11 other public universities on Wednesday to advocate for funding of student-centered programs associated with mental health services and campus security. The event served as the launch of the “Safer, Smarter, Stronger” initiative, created by the Board of Governors to demonstrate the return on investment for each of Florida’s public universities’ top legislative priorities.
In light of the new “Safer, Smarter, Stronger” initiative, FAMU administrators, researchers, and faculty members are calling attention to the need for additional funding for mental health programs, counseling, security services, and related research on college campuses.
“FAMU has emerged as a leader in bringing unique mental health and safety programs to our campus and underserved communities,” Robinson said. “We are focused on identifying additional opportunities to support our students, faculty, and staff in environments that are safe and promote ‘Excellence with Caring,’ the cornerstones of our existence.”
FAMU is asking the Florida Legislature for additional support for its efforts to offer students more streamlined services and programs via a one-stop-shop through its new Student Affairs Building.
Set to be completed in the summer of 2019, the center will house counseling programs, health services, the Center for Disability Access and Resources, a police sub-station, and other wrap-around support services all in one building.
“Equipping students with all of the tools they need to not only be successful but also to thrive is an essential component of our legislative efforts this year,” said William E. Hudson Jr., Ph.D., FAMU’s vice president for Student Affairs. “The Student Affairs Building is a necessary student-centered approach that enhances and modernizes the campus experience, which improves persistence to graduation.”
Anika Fields, Ph.D., FAMU’s director of Counseling Services and member of the International Association of Counseling Services’ Board, underscored the need for additional funding to support mental health programs and services.
“Since the mid-1990s an increasing number of students have come to college with serious mental health issues. In order for them to have a chance at being successful in college, they need continued mental health services,” said Fields. “Students who complete our satisfaction survey each semester say that counseling has kept them in school and contributed to their academic success.”
FAMU’s efforts to meet this demand include individual, group, and couples counseling, as well as special programs and training that focus on victim advocacy, safety therapy, self-esteem promotion, and psychiatric consultation.
Fall 2016 FAMU graduate Donovan Harrell, who was impacted by suicidal ideation before and during college, said that participating in programs like the FAMU Counseling Services Suicide Awareness Walk during his freshman year were helpful. As a student journalist, the event was a stepping-stone to him writing and speaking about mental health while facing his own challenges.
“There were numerous personal obstacles I had to overcome, all of them stemming from mental illness,” said Harrell about the need for college students to have support for their mental health needs. “I was one of the fortunate ones. There are many that aren’t as fortunate as me. (Graduation) was truly an achievement for me as someone who once thought I wouldn’t live to see the day.”
In addition to the support he received through external health care, Harrell said that having access to student programs was also beneficial to helping him manage mental illness.
“The FAMUan (the University’s on-campus student newspaper) provided me with a healthy support group in the form of my coworkers and professors. It gave me a sense of purpose that helped me cope,” said Harrell, who is now a full-time political journalist.
Through the research and training provided by the FAMU Center for Ethnic Psychological Research and Application and its Mental Health First Aid programs, professors like Jackie Collins Robinson, Ph.D., are making strides toward more effectively promoting mental health literacy and improving overall behavioral and mental health on campus and nationally to help more individuals like Harrell. Collins Robinson explained that new data reveals a growing need for mental health support nationally.
“A recent survey of American college freshmen by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program at the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA showed that emotional health is at its lowest in three decades,” Collins Robinson said. “The sooner mental health conditions are recognized, and appropriate interventions are provided, the more likely it is that these students will go back to functioning well and will matriculate through college.”
In addition to its mental health programs, FAMU has also implemented new technology to help students have a safer on and off campus experience. Terence M. Calloway, FAMU’s chief of police, said that an increased investment in campus security by universities and the legislature is necessary for student success across the board.
“With services like our new LiveSafe app we’re able to leverage technology to communicate directly with students, faculty, and staff who need assistance immediately,” said Calloway. “The app allows us to respond to safety concerns and hazards in real-time and receive and share information more quickly via text, photo, and video in an emergency situation. Having additional funding for our security efforts will allow us to put more programs like this in place.”
Learn more about LiveSafe at http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?PublicSafety&LiveSafeapp.
