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Media Alert: Florida’s United Ways Reveal the State of ALICE in New Report Findings

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Officials to provide update on Asset Limited Income Constrained
Employed and highlight advocacy efforts for Florida’s working

WHAT: 
Two years ago, United Ways introduced ALICE®, which stands for – Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed – to place a spotlight on a large population of residents who are working, earning more than the Federal Poverty Level, but still have difficulty affording the basic necessities of housing, food, child care, health care and transportation. In a press conference, United Way officials will reveal the new 2017 ALICE Report and highlight key report findings as well as legislative issues important to working families throughout Florida.

WHEN:
Wednesday, Feb. 22
Begins promptly at 12:15 PM
WHERE:
Florida State Capitol Building
4th Floor – Rotunda
400 S Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399

VISUALS:

  • Dozens of United Way officials gathered from all over the state
  • ALICE Family (Mother with two teenage sons) who has been helped by United Way
  • Large graphic of report cover

INTERVIEWS:

  • Ted Granger, President, United Way of Florida
  • Lars Gilberts, Statewide ALICE Director, United Way of Broward County
  • Business leaders and United Way CEOs from across Florida
  • An ALICE family
  • Senator Audrey Gibson
  • Representative David Santiago

MEDIA CONTACT:
Primary – Lars Gilberts, 786-223-5277, [email protected]
Secondary – Lynne Takacs, 850-728-2520, [email protected]

About United Way of Florida
The United Way of Florida is a statewide association representing Florida’s 32 United Ways on legislative and administrative issues, training, and disaster preparation, response and recovery issues, among others. The mission of the United Way of Florida is to enhance Florida United Ways’ efforts to increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another.

Florida Health Care Association to Detail Legislative Priorities at Media Roundtable

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The Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) will hold a media roundtable TODAY, February 20, at 10:30am. Officials from FHCA, the largest advocacy organization in the state for nursing centers and the residents under their care, will discuss its priorities for the upcoming legislative session, including Certificate of Need, Managed Care, and Prospective Payment System legislation.
What: Media roundtable on legislative priorities
When: Today, February 20
10:30am
Where: Florida Health Care Association
307 W. Park Avenue
Tallahassee

Call-in Info: 1-866-951-1151
Room # 7059080

Flagler College’s Theatre Arts Department wins awards at regional festival

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2.17.2017 KCACTF sm
Fifteen Flagler College students recently returned from the nationally-recognized Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in Statesboro, Ga., where they competed regionally in categories ranging from design and technical theatre to performance, stage management and dramaturgy.
One of the college’s productions, “The Maids,” written by Jean Genet and translated by Andrew Upton and Benedict Andrews, was selected as one of six in the region to be showcased. In addition, the Theatre Arts Department received a departmental award, Associate Professor Paul Denayer and Resident Costume Designer Elaina Wahl-Temple won design awards and Guest Director Joe Kemper received a directing award. Student Terrence Christopher Scott was passed from the initial Irene Ryan Acting Competition to the semi-finals on the second day. His acting partner was Kaitlyn Mollohan. Students Mykala Bazzell, Megan Williams and Rylee Kuberra presented a Devised Theatre piece.
Other students in attendance included: Taylor Anderson, Dustin Delgross, Elijah Eyerly, Sarah (Sissy) Hofaker, Emily Gilmer, Corlina Kiernan, Brian Matthews, Amelia Temple, Shelby Walker and Rebecca Woods.
KCACTF, which hosts the Irene Ryan acting competition, 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. Students are able to compete and present nationally alongside the best theatre students from around the South. This year’s competition, held at Georgia Southern University, took place Feb. 8 to 11.

Scott Pruitt won’t protect Florida’s air, water or families

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The Senate voted today to approve President Trump’s nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency.
Environment Florida’s State Director, Jennifer Rubiello, issued the following statement in response:
“This country needs an Environmental Protection Agency Administrator whose top priority is protecting our air and water and our families’ health. We need somebody willing to enforce and defend our bedrock environmental laws and a leader guided by science when creating and implementing policy.
“It’s clear that Scott Pruitt won’t protect Florida’s air, water or families and we are extremely disappointed that he will now be the next EPA administrator. As attorney general, he put dirty energy interests and other polluters ahead of protecting public health. Instead of taking steps to reduce pollution, he sued to stop the agency he will now lead from enforcing critical clean air and water protections.
“In fact, as attorney general, Scott Pruitt joined with polluters to file 14 lawsuits against the very agency he will now run. These suits aimed to dismantle critical public health safeguards ranging from the Clean Water Rule that protects drinking water sources for nearly 2 million Floridians to the Mercury and Air Toxic rule that protects our kids and other vulnerable citizens from highly damaging pollution.
“In addition, as Oklahoma Attorney General, Mr. Pruitt disbanded the state’s environmental protection unit. He was the leading opponent of the Clean Power Plan which set the first ever national limits on carbon pollution and undercut actions to clean up major poultry pollution problems in his state’s river system.
“When asked during his hearing, Mr. Pruitt could not name one current EPA protection that he supported.
“Floridians and all Americans deserve an EPA administrator who will fight to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the planet we love. Scott Pruitt fails on all these accounts.
“We thank Senator Nelson for standing up for our families’ health, clean water and clean air and voting to reject President Trump’s nomination of Scott Pruitt to head the EPA. Unlike his colleague, we are extremely disappointed that Senator Rubio voted to jeopardize our families’ health and Florida’s environment by approving Pruitt to head the EPA.”
Environment Florida is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization working for a cleaner, greener, healthier future.

ICYMI: Senator Brandes files legislation to tackle insurance fraud

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Bill strengthens dedicated prosecutor program statewide to address insurance fraud

Senator Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg), in partnership with Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Representative Holly Raschein (R-Key Largo), announced the filing of Senate Bill 1012, investigative and forensic services, to tackle the growing issue of insurance fraud in Florida. Every year insurance fraud adds to the cost paid by consumers for everything from automobile insurance to homeowners’ insurance. The legislation will require cooperation between the insurance industry and the state to investigate and prosecute fraud.
“Insurance fraud in Florida is evolving, and policyholders are forced to pay for it through higher premiums every year,” stated Senator Brandes. “This is a hidden tax on every Floridian who drives a car, owns a home, rents an apartment, or pays for health insurance. If left unchecked, the cost of fraud will grow and consumers will continue to pay the price. I am committed to making insurance affordable for Floridians, and I am proud to work with Jeff Atwater to address this critically important issue.”
“We must do everything possible to help hold the line on rising insurance rates—rates that are particularly high in South Florida,” said Representative Holly Raschein. “I’m proud to sponsor this common sense solution that will better align the resources that we already have in place, and allow law enforcement to use them strategically in the fight to curb the fraud that drives up rates in our state.”
“We’ve made significant strides in our fight against insurance fraud, and we couldn’t have done so without the steadfast partnership of the fraud-fighting units housed within many of our state’s insurance companies and the dedicated prosecutors who take our cases to trial,” said CFO Jeff Atwater. “With this bill we hope to further improve our processes and hone our techniques so that we can continue to stay a step ahead of the criminals who seek to defraud Floridians.  I am thankful to Senator Brandes and Representative Raschein for their leadership on this important issue.”
Fraud can account for as high as 10 percent of the property and casualty insurance industry’s loss expenses every year. This proposed legislation seeks to strengthen the state’s efforts to fight insurance fraud. The bill requires the development of anti-fraud plans by insurance companies and be submitted to the Division of Investigative and Forensic Services. The bill further requires anti-fraud training for personnel within insurance companies designated to oversee the company’s fraud prevention efforts. The bill requires reporting of anti-fraud statistics to the division annually, so that the division can better track the changing trends of fraud statewide. Finally, the bill strengthens a program to assign dedicated prosecutors to different regions of the state to tackle insurance fraud. The Chief Financial Officer of Florida, based on the annual fraud statistics submitted to the division, may assign and re-assign the dedicated prosecutors as needed to address the changing trends of insurance fraud.
For more information on SB 1012 please visit http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2017/1012.

Peer Milk-Sharing Participants Generally Keep It Clean

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Mothers who want the benefits of breast milk for their babies but can’t produce the substance often turn to milk-sharing networks.
A new study from the University of Central Florida found that although not a recommended practice, those who participate in milk-sharing networks generally follow good hygiene, which is critical for keeping milk free from bacterial contamination.
“Peer milk sharing is a growing practice despite warnings from the FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics,” said Beatriz Reyes-Foster, lead author and an anthropology assistant professor. “Our findings suggest that parents who engage in these networks are taking precautions to make sure their children don’t get sick and that’s not something we knew before this study. But there is room for improvement.”
Reyes-Foster, sociology associate professor Shannon K. Carter and assistant professor Melanie Sberna Hinojosa, published their findings in this month’s edition of the Journal of Human Lactation.
The team of researchers surveyed 321 Central Florida peer milk-sharing parents who did not exchange money for milk. They asked:

  • Do you freeze milk for more than six months?
  • Do you leave the milk at room temperature for more than 8 hours?
  • Do you use ice to transport?
  • Do you sanitize pump equipment?
  • Do you wash your hands before handling the milk?

The team found that 35.4 percent of recipients reported using all five safe practices and another 40.6 percent reported using at least four of the five. No recipient reported using only one or none of the safe practices. Results for donors were similar with nearly 80 percent confirming they sanitize pumps use to extract the milk.
The team also found that the behavior didn’t change even when sociodemographic characteristics did.
The research was conducted in 2014, before a Human Milk Banking Association of North America bank was established in Florida. This organization provides donors with milk-handling guidelines. The researchers suggest that the numbers may change now that the organization is in the state.
The researchers also warn that more study is needed and that the findings don’t extend to online classifieds where milk is exchanged for money. The prevalence of safety practices in those kinds of exchanges is unknown and deserves study, Reyes-Foster said.

ICYMI: Secretary Detzner in Gainesville Sun: “Arts and Culture Stimulate State Economy”

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Florida Department of State

Upcoming Convening Culture Conference in Gainesville (Feb. 22-23) will
explore how arts and culture benefit entrepreneurship in the Sunshine State

“Arts and Culture Stimulate State Economy”
Gainesville Sun
Guest Column: Ken Detzner is Florida’s Secretary of State and Chief Cultural Officer
February 17, 2017
“Arts and cultural organizations bring many benefits to the Sunshine State and enrich the lives of Floridians every day. In recent years, the arts and cultural industries in Florida have become increasingly dynamic and innovative, which translates to positive economic impact in Florida’s communities.
“As Florida’s chief cultural officer, I want to continue to build on this positive impact. To facilitate this initiative, the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs is holding its fourth annual Convening Culture Conference Feb. 22-23 in Gainesville. Presented by Citizens for Florida Arts (an organization whose mission is to support the Division of Cultural Affairs), and hosted by the University of Florida College of the Arts Center for Arts in Medicine, the conference offers networking opportunities to students and professionals alike, including receptions featuring renowned Florida artists and two full days of professional development and workshops.
“The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Exploring Innovation and Entrepreneurship through Arts and Culture,’ and for good reason. Florida is home to more than 29,000 creative industries establishments, which include not-for-profit and for-profit entities, ranging from art galleries to landscaping businesses. These establishments are estimated to generate more than $49 billion in annual revenue.
“During the 2015-2016 fiscal year alone, recipients of arts and cultural grants from the Division of Cultural Affairs generated more than $1.2 billion in direct economic activity in communities across the state.”
Continue reading here.
About the 2017 Convening Culture Conference
The 2017 Convening Culture Conference will be held February 22 & 23 in Gainesville and is hosted by the University of Florida College of Arts Center for Arts in Medicine. This statewide cultural conference brings together individuals working in arts and culture in Florida for two days of informative sessions, facilitated discussions and networking opportunities. Several honors will be presented at the conference, including the induction of Billy Dean, Don Felder, Lee Bennett Hopkins and Jim Stafford into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, joining such luminaries as Ernest Hemingway, Zora Neale Hurston, and Robert Rauschenberg. For more information or to register for Convening Culture 2017, please visit http://dos.myflorida.com/cultural/programs/convening-culture-conference. The annual convening culture conference is presented by the Citizens for Florida Arts, Inc., a statewide non-profit organization that works to support the efforts of the Division of Cultural Affairs.
About the Division of Cultural Affairs
The Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs is Florida’s legislatively designated state arts agency. The Division promotes the arts and culture as essential to quality of life for all Floridians. To achieve its mission, the Division funds and supports cultural programs that provide artistic excellence, diversity, education, access and economic vitality for Florida’s communities. For more information, visit dos.myflorida.com/cultural.

Senator Dennis Baxley Files Senate Bill 1004, Efficiency in Sunshine Bill

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Senator Dennis Baxley filed a bill to improve the efficiency of local governing boards.  Similar to the practices in the Florida Legislature, under this bill, two members of a Board (of five or more) would be permitted to gather information and discuss topics without such an action constituting an official public meeting, all the while ensuring that no public policy is being made. The goal of this bill is to improve efficiencies in local government while still maintaining strict safeguards to ensure the public’s business is conducted in the sunshine. Representative Byron Donalds filed the House companion bill.
“It’s time to clarify what Sunshine law means with local officials and to add a level of common sense and reason,” Senator Dennis Baxley said.
“This bill provides the opportunity for public servants to be more effective while maintaining the intent of Florida’s government in the sunshine principle,” Representative Byron Donalds said. “We should allow local officials to have the same flexibility we have in the Legislature to educate themselves on matters they are addressing.”

UCF Engineers Secure $2 Million Federal Grant to Advance Energy Grid

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A team of UCF engineers and their private partners have been awarded $2 million by the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative to develop the next generation of grid planning and operational tools to integrate solar power into the power grid.
The team, five faculty members in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering led by Professor Zhihua Qu, will work on algorithms that improve the digital distribution of energy from the source, such as solar, to the end users.
This can be thorny problem on an energy grid, with multiple energy sources – electricity, solar, and wind, for example – feeding in. The grid then has to distribute the power across a wide area while managing consistent coverage during peak usage times and power surges.
SunShot Initiative’s Enabling Extreme Real-Time Grid Integration of Solar Energy (ENERGISE) program granted $30 million to 13 teams to explore several facets of the grid expansion. Several of the projects will demonstrate commercially ready solutions that will be available by 2020 while others are developing long-term technologies that can be easily scaled to reach across the grid and offer real-time control, meaning the customer can have constant control of power despite intermittent renewable-power integration.
UCF’s “Scalable/secure cooperative algorithms and framework for Extremely-high penetration solar integration (SolarExpert),” is one of the long-term research and development projects, and it focuses upon designing the scalable architecture and algorithms for optimizing distributed control systems. Those systems utilize autonomous controllers throughout an area, such as the power boxes located on individual homes, as opposed to completely centralized systems.
ENERGISE is one of four ongoing projects funded for $1 million or more and undertaken by the faculty members at UCF’s Resilient Intelligent and Sustainable Energy Systems (RISES) cluster. The group is committed to transformative and collaborative research to enable deployment and integration of renewable energy resources.
The UCF team includes the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Duke Energy, General Electric, Siemens, OPAL-RT Technologies and the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute. Most of these partners also belong to the FEEDER (Foundations for Engineering Education for Distributed Energy Resources) consortium, one of the three national centers on distributed technologies.
The FEEDER center, also led by UCF’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is funded by the Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative under the GEARED (Grid Engineering for Accelerated Renewable Energy Deployment) program.  More than 50 partners including two national labs, 22 utilities and co-ops, 12 universities and 15 industry partners are participating in the program.
More details about the ENERGISE program and its awardees can be found at
https://energy.gov/eere/sunshot/enabling-extreme-real-time-grid-integration-solar-energy-energise
About the SunShot Initiative
The U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative is a national effort to drive down the cost of solar electricity and support solar adoption. SunShot aims to make solar energy a low-cost electricity source for all Americans through research and development efforts in collaboration with public and private partners. Learn more at energy.gov/sunshot.

RoadWatch Advisory for I-75 in Charlotte/Sarasota Counties

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CHARLOTTE COUNTY 
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 inside northbound lane on the bridge over the Peace River closed through the duration of the project. 
  • Toledo Blade Boulevard will be reduced to one lane during nighttime/overnight hours from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Monday, February 20 and will continue for three weeks.  
  • I-75 northbound off ramp to Toledo Blade Boulevard will be closed during nighttime/overnight from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Tuesday, February 21 and Wednesday, February 22.

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.