The Florida Lottery announces that Sheryl Tucker, 47, of Live Oak, claimed a top prize in the $500,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. She purchased her winning ticket from J K Food Mart, located at 969 Ohio Avenue North in Live Oak.
The new $5 Scratch-Off game, $500,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER, launched on January 17, and features more than $182.8 million in prizes, including 44 top prizes of $500,000. The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-3.98.
Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 65 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $734 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2015-16.
ICYMI: First Coast News: Jacksonville Leaders Fight for VISIT FLORIDA Funding
“Jacksonville Leaders Fight for VISIT FLORIDA Funding”
WTLV-JAX (NBC) – Jacksonville, FL
February 27, 2017
To view the clip, click HERE.
DEP awards more than $24 million for projects to improve water quality in the Indian River Lagoon
Department funds 12 projects to help restore Indian River Lagoon
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has awarded more than $24 million in funding for 12 recent projects to continue efforts to improve water quality in the Indian River Lagoon. These projects will help communities reduce stormwater nutrient loads, continue stormwater treatment improvements, reduce or eliminate nonpoint source pollution and eliminate muck sediments.
“We are committed to partnering with local communities to expedite and implement projects that improve water quality and contribute to the ongoing restoration of the Indian River Lagoon, which is vital to Florida’s environment, economy and quality of life,” said DEP Interim Secretary Ryan Matthews.
Recent projects benefiting the Indian River Lagoon include:
Brevard County: Awarded a total of $556,100 in grant funding and a legislative appropriation for a nutrient-reduction project at Pines Industrial Pond, a 71-acre commercial and industrial area, including construction of a treatment train system to treat stormwater runoff. The enhanced pond system is estimated to remove approximately 800 pounds of nitrogen and 100 pounds of phosphorous per year.
Brevard County was also awarded a $122,350 legislative appropriation, for a total of $361,850, for the Johnson Jr. High School pond retrofits. These will enhance the efficiency of an existing retention pond by regulating and redirecting stormwater flow through nitrogen-removing and phosphorous-absorbing chambers to reduce pollution entering the northern Indian River Lagoon.
Cape Canaveral: Awarded a $98,400 grant for shoreline restoration at Banana River Park and Manatee Sanctuary Park, along approximately 1,700 feet of the eastern shore of the Banana River Lagoon. Restoration includes a combination of coquina rock placement, native vegetation such as mangroves and wire grass, and enhancement of an infiltration swale. This project will protect the shoreline from high winds, wave erosion and sediment deposit.
Edgewater: Awarded a $159,300 grant for stormwater treatment improvements at Lamont and Hubbell streets, which will reduce untreated stormwater runoff directly discharged into the Indian River Lagoon. Project benefits include reducing nutrients entering the estuary, increasing groundwater recharge, reducing saltwater intrusion and encouraging seagrass growth. The project is estimated to remove approximately 24 pounds of nitrogen and three pounds of phosphorous per year.
Indialantic: Awarded a $65,500 grant for a stormwater retrofit at Lily Park, including clearing invasive melaleuca trees, installing approximately 900 linear feet of storm sewer and excavation of a stormwater treatment area within a 1960s era storm sewer system draining directly into the Indian River Lagoon. The project will improve the quality of stormwater discharged into the lagoon.
Melbourne: Awarded a $517,050 grant for a stormwater retrofit within approximately 200 acres in the high-density residential neighborhoods of Bell and Garfield, both with stormwater currently draining into the Eau Gallie River and northern Indian River Lagoon.
Ocean Breeze: Awarded a total of $465,000 in a grant and a legislative appropriation for a stormwater retrofit of a 46-acre watershed to the Indian River Lagoon, including construction of a treatment train consisting of bioswale excavation and plantings, two baffle boxes and exfiltration pipe. The project will help remove nutrients from stormwater entering the estuary.
Palm Bay: Awarded a $400,000 legislative appropriation for stormwater treatment at Palm Bay Marina near the mouth of Turkey Creek, which flows into the Indian River Lagoon. Treatment includes retrofit and installation of treatment trains that will reduce untreated stormwater, which damages seawalls, while discharging into the lagoon. The project will prevent further seawall erosion and is estimated to remove approximately 40 pounds of nitrogen and 1,600 pounds of phosphorous per year.
Rockledge: Awarded an additional $162,500 grant, for a total of $937,500 for phase one of a septic tank elimination project in the Rockwood and Knollwood Gardens subdivisions adjacent to the Indian River Lagoon to reduce nutrient pollution. Construction of a central sewer line will connect approximately 140 residential lots to a lift station.
St. Johns River Water Management District: Awarded an increase of $10 million for a total of $20 million from legislative appropriation grants for a muck dredging project in the Eau Gallie River, a tributary of the Indian River Lagoon. This additional funding and expansion of the project allows for completion of all dredging and the removal of approximately 625,000 cubic yards of muck sediment. Muck soils will be removed from the main stem of the Eau Gallie River, and from the southern branch of the river, Elbow Creek. The project is estimated to remove approximately 1,200 tons of nitrogen and 260 tons of phosphorous contained within the Eau Gallie River muck deposits.
Titusville: Awarded a $352,752 grant for stormwater treatment that includes installation of two treatment trains with catch basins for stormwater flowing from the Main Street and Sycamore Street sub-basins, totaling 588 acres. The project is designed to improve water quality and reduce pollutants carried by stormwater from entering the Indian River Lagoon.
Titusville was also awarded a $105,000 legislative appropriation for watershed improvements in the city’s Knox McRae Basin, including construction of a treatment train. The project is estimated to remove approximately 280 pounds of nitrogen and 55 pounds of phosphorous.
Project funding is provided by the state’s Total Maximum Daily Load Water Quality Restoration Grant, legislative appropriation grants and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grant.
The department is working aggressively to improve water quality in the Indian River Lagoon by identifying and funding additional wastewater and stormwater projects to reduce the amount of nutrients going into the lagoon, as well as dredging projects to remove muck from the bottom of the lagoon.
Governor Rick Scott’s “Fighting for Florida’s Families” budget proposes funding for a 50/50 state matching grant program with local communities, including those along Indian River Lagoon, to provide funding to encourage residents to move from septic tanks to sewer systems in order to curb pollution that is currently entering impacted water bodies. Additionally, this proposal will support local communities to help build wastewater systems to meet the increased demand for wastewater services.
About DEP’s Division of Water Restoration Assistance
The Division of Water Restoration Assistance is responsible for providing loans and grants for projects that improve the quality and quantity of the state’s water resources and provide a significant benefit to the environment and local communities. Projects in several funding program areas improve stormwater quality, reduce pollutants entering surface water and groundwater, protect springs, collect and treat wastewater, produce and distribute drinking water, nourish beaches and reclaim mined land. For more information, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/water/waterprojectfunding/.
Mast Helps Start New Bipartisan Congressional Caucus to Support Our Lagoon
U.S. Congressmen Brian Mast (R-FL) and Bill Posey (R-FL) have worked with their House colleagues to found a new bipartisan Congressional caucus to give the Indian River Lagoon a stronger voice and presence in the U.S. Congress. A total of twenty-three House Members have joined with Reps. Mast and Posey in forming the new Congressional Estuary Caucus, including Representatives Rick Larsen (D-WA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ).
“Our waterways are central to the quality of life and the economy on the Treasure Coast. Keeping our water clean is an issue that transcends party lines—it affects all of our families,” Rep. Mast said. “I’ve committed to work with members of both parties to keep our water clean, and this caucus will provide an essential bipartisan forum to protect the Indian River Lagoon.”
“Our Lagoon is important to our quality of life, our local economies, tourism, our natural beauty, and provides a critical habitat to many indigenous species of wildlife and plant life,” Rep. Posey said. “This new caucus will help promote and protect our nation’s estuaries like the Indian River Lagoon by giving our communities a platform in Washington to educate our leaders on the important role that our estuaries play.”
The Indian River Lagoon stretches 156 miles along Florida’s east coast through five counties. More than 2,000 species of plants, 600 species of fish, 300 species of birds, and 53 threatened or endangered species inhabit the Indian River Lagoon for at least some portion of their lives, and scientists have shown our Lagoon to be one of the most biologically diverse estuaries in North America, with approximately 4,000 species documented to occur.
Rep. Mast serves as Vice Chairman of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. As Vice Chairman, he has stated that his top priority will be protecting Treasure Coast waterways. He is also a member of the Everglades Caucus and the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus.
Win your ticket to freedom when you play Florida Lottery's newest $25 Scratch-Off game
$10,000,000 WORLD CLASS CASH and three others on sale today!
The Florida Lottery is introducing four new Scratch-Off games that offer more than $670 million in total cash prizes. The games, $10,000,000 WORLD CLASS CASH, CASH RESERVE, MONEY BAG MULTIPLIER, and HIT $5,000, go on sale today. All Lottery retailers are expected to have these new tickets in stock and available for purchase within 72 hours.
The $25 game, $10,000,000 WORLD CLASS CASH, features two top prizes of $10 million, 46 prizes of $1 million, and more than $539 million in total cash prizes! This $25 game offers more than nine million winning tickets, and overall odds of winning are one-in-2.89.
Beginning March 6, players will have the opportunity to win four free $10,000,000 WORLD CLASS CASH Scratch-Off tickets by uploading a photo of themselves to Instagram during the WORLD CLASS CASH Ticket to Freedom Instagram Contest. Four winners will be chosen each week during the three-week contest period, for a total of 12 winners. Visit www.flalottery.com for official guidelines.
The $5 game, CASH RESERVE, offers more than $73 million in prizes, including 16 top prizes of $250,000! The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-4.03.
For just $2, players can win up to $30,000 with MONEY BAG MULTIPLIER. There are more than 5 million winning tickets totaling over $33 million in cash prizes! The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-4.66.
HIT $5,000, the newest $1 game, features more than 4 million winning tickets! The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-4.88.
Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Florida Lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 65 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $734 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2015-16.
Gov. Rick Scott to Host Fighting for Florida Jobs Roundtable in Orange Park
MEDIA ADVISORY
Tomorrow, March 1st, Governor Rick Scott will host a Fighting for Florida Jobs Roundtable with business owners, economic development leaders, tourism leaders, and community members to discuss the local economic impact of VISIT FLORIDA and Enterprise Florida.
WHAT: Fighting for Florida Jobs Roundtable
WHEN: 3:15 PM
WHERE: Link Staffing Services
1496 Park Ave
Orange Park, FL 32073
Florida consumer sentiment in February drops from record high
After three months of positive gains, consumer sentiment among Floridians fell 3.3 points in February to 94.0, according to the latest University of Florida consumer survey.
The pattern in Florida is similar to consumer sentiment at the national level, which also dropped 2.2 points in February to 96.3 from January’s record 98.5 according to the University of Michigan’s survey of consumers.
“While readings about current economic conditions increased slightly, expectations for the future decreased sharply among Floridians in February,” said Hector H. Sandoval, director of the Economic Analysis Program at UF’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research.
Floridians’ perceptions of their personal financial situation now compared with a year ago ticked up six-tenths of a point this month, from 87.7 to 88.3. Opinions as to whether now is a good time to buy a big-ticket household item such as an appliance inched up seven-tenths of a point, from 100.7 to 101.4.
“The increase in these two components reflects that current economic conditions have improved in general among Floridians. These perceptions are particularly strong among men, those 60 and older and those with income levels over $50,000,” Sandoval said.
However, all three components that ask about future economic conditions showed a marked decrease. Expectations of personal finances a year from now showed the greatest decline in this month’s reading, dropping 6.6 points from 106.0 to 99.4.
Opinions about the national economy were also negative: Expectations of U.S. economic conditions over the next year decreased 5.2 points, from 96.8 to 91.6. Anticipated U.S. economic conditions over the next five years fell from 95.1 to 89.3, a 5.8-point drop.
“Expectations about future economic conditions increased between November and December of last year, but have declined since then. Floridians are pessimistic about their future personal finances independent of their socioeconomic and demographic status. The greatest declines in perceptions about the national economy were among women, those under age 60 and those with annual income above $50,000,” Sandoval said.
Until September 2016, the current economic conditions components and the future expectations components moved together in tandem. But from September 2016 until February 2017, the future expectations components went up faster and stayed above the components reflecting current conditions.
“Expectations about the U.S. economy improved greatly before and right after the presidential election, perhaps because the population was optimistic about the incoming administration,” Sandoval said. “However, these expectations are turning pessimistic in February and the gap between the present perceptions and future expectations has disappeared.”
Overall, economic activity has expanded and the labor market continued to strengthen in the U.S. As a result, earlier this month the Federal Open Market Committee decided to keep the benchmark overnight lending rate target at a range of 0.5 percent to 0.75 percent.
In recent months, Florida job gains have remained strong and the unemployment rate has remained low, reflecting the state’s positive economic environment.
Economists look to consumer sentiment as an early signal of future conditions, because confidence among consumers leads to spending and consumption. “High levels of confidence are important to keep the economy growing,” Sandoval said. “The next few months will be key to assessing the potential economic outlook for the following years.”
Conducted Feb. 1-23, the UF study reflects the responses of 489 individuals who were reached on cellphones, representing a demographic cross section of Florida.
The index used by UF researchers is benchmarked to 1966, which means a value of 100 represents the same level of confidence for that year. The lowest index possible is a 2, the highest is 150.
Details of this month’s survey can be found at http://www.bebr.ufl.edu/csi-data.
Writer: Colleen Porter, [email protected]
Rep. Jared Moskowitz & Sen. Dana Young File Legislation to Help Pet Owners Seek Justice
Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-Coral Springs) and Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa) have filed HB 1067 & SB 1270 providing pet owners a path of recourse in the event of the wrongful injury or death of their pet. Additionally, the bill holds defendants accountable for pain and suffering endured from emotional trauma to pet owners and for the value of the pet.
“People who kill or injure someone’s pet should be held accountable for their actions,” declared Representative Jared Moskowitz. “We form emotional bonds with our pets and those who endure the terrible tragedy of losing them deserve a chance at justice. This bill will act as a deterrent to those who work with animals to think about the legal consequences before engaging in negligent behavior.”
In current law, pets are treated as personal property. Because of this, pet owners are usually entitled to compensation only equal to the fair market value of their pet. Noneconomic damages are not typically awarded in cases involving wrongful injury or death of a pet.
Senator Dana Young said, “Under current Florida law, our pets are treated as property, like a piece of furniture that can be easily replaced. As a dog owner, I know that pets mean so much more — they become a part of the family and form deep bonds with their owners. Through this bill, we recognize this special relationship and provide pet owners with a means of recourse in instances where their pet is hurt or killed through gross negligence.”
19 year old Alachua resident claims top prize in $500,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER Scratch-Off game
The Florida Lottery announces that Carlos Carranza Casas, 19, of Alachua, claimed a top prize in the $500,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. He purchased his winning ticket from Deerhaven Marathon, located at 9600 Northwest 13th Street in Gainesville.
The new $5 Scratch-Off game, $500,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER, launched in January and features more than $182.8 million in prizes, including 44 top prizes of $500,000. The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-3.98.
Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 65 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $734 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2015-16.
UNF Environmental Center Presents ‘Exploring Northeast Florida’s Special Places’ Film Screening
The University of North Florida Environmental Center and the Public Trust Environmental Legal Institute of Florida will present the official debut of “Exploring Northeast Florida’s Special Places.” This free film screening event will take place 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 2, at Intuition Ale Works, 929 East Bay St., downtown Jacksonville, with parking available in Lot K on Bay Street.
This documentary series highlights the amenities, history and natural beauty found in the city, state and national parks of Duval County and was produced by Sean Lahav, a project leader in the UNF Environmental Leadership Program.
The event will feature episode screenings accompanied by live music from American folk band the Whetherman, a silent auction, community forum and networking. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance online or at the door. For further information, contact Maria Mark, coordinator of the UNF Environmental Center, at (904) 620-5806.
The Public Trust Environmental Legal Institute of Florida pursues legal means to protect and preserve public lands and waters, as well as supporting the education of political leaders, government officials and citizens. For more information about the Public Trust, contact John November, executive director, at (904) 247-1972.
The UNF Environmental Center fosters programs for students, faculty and staff to pursue environmental activities through academics, research and extracurricular activities. Grooming the next generation of environmental leaders, the Environmental Leadership Program is open to UNF undergraduate students who have a passion for the environment and a desire to lead community projects that address environmental needs/issues.
UNF, a nationally ranked university located on an environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures through a well-rounded education.
