Capital Soup

Florida News Straight From the Source

You are here: Home / Archives for Contributor

Contributor

Stuart woman claims $1 million prize in $10,000,000 FORTUNE scratch-off game

Posted on

1-9-17-marie-wiley-and-husband-1-million-10000000-fortune

Marie Wiley (right) poses with her husband and oversized check after
claiming a $1 million prize in the $10,000,000 FORTUNE Scratch-Off game.

The Florida Lottery announces that Marie Wiley, 69, of Stuart, claimed a $1 million prize in the $10,000,000 FORTUNE Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee.
Wiley chose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $792,000.00. She purchased her winning ticket from Publix, located at 6550 South Kanner Highway in Stuart.
The $25 Scratch-Off game, $10,000,000 FORTUNE, launched in February, and features more than $623 million in total cash prizes, including 46 prizes of $1 million and four prizes of $10 million. The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-2.88.
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.

Harris Employees Build Oyster Bagging Machine to Improve Indian River Lagoon Health

Posted on

harris-corp-brevard-zoo-logos
A group of Harris Corporation employee volunteers answered a call to aid the Indian River Lagoon with a machine that will help restore oyster beds to the endangered waterway.
The employees designed and built a mechanism to funnel shells into oyster bags, which serve as the foundation for new reefs. They donated the machine to the Brevard Zoo’s Oyster Restoration Program.
Volunteers can now fill an oyster bag in eight seconds, when it used to take several minutes by hand. Six volunteers can do the job that previously took a team of 40.
The Brevard Zoo has been working on oyster restoration in the lagoon for more than a decade and has plans to continue the efforts. Oysters are beneficial because their filter feeding improves water quality in the lagoon, which is among the most biodiverse estuaries in North America.
Six Harris employees donated a total of 240 hours to design and build the machine under the company’s volunteering program, which is called Harris Employees Actively Responding Together, or HEART. More than 2,900 employees have donated more than 40,000 hours under the program.
Harris was the first company to join the National Estuary Program’s Indian River Lagoon Innovators and Investors (IRL-I2) network. The company is dedicated to working with governments and groups to help improve the body of water, which stretches for 156 miles along Florida’s East Coast.
Who: Brevard Zoo: Jody Palmer, Director of Conservation
Jake Zehnder, Restoration Project Coordinator
Harris –Tom Campbell, Innovation Director

Employee volunteer team:
Ihosvany Garcia, project lead
Kari Andresen
Scott Cerasale
Chance Eldredge
Julio Perez
Jake Sherlock

What: Media availability to unveil oyster bagging machine designed, built and donated by Harris employees to the Brevard Zoo oyster restoration program. Reporters can interview employees who worked on the project and representatives of Harris and the Brevard Zoo as well as take photos and video of the oyster bagging machine in action.
When: Jan. 13, 2016, 9 a.m.
Where: Oyster shell impound area southwest of the interchange of I-95 and Eau Gallie Blvd. Impound area is remote and requires assistance with entry. All media are asked to meet at the Park-And-Ride lot (~1000 Inspiration Ln. 32934) west of I-95 on Eau Gallie Blvd. so they can be escorted by Zoo staff.
Why: Harris is committed to helping efforts to restore and preserve the Indian River Lagoon and is a member of the IRL-I2 group. The oyster bagging machine is a result of Harris employees taking that commitment to heart and volunteering time and expertise for this important initiative under the able leadership of the Brevard Zoo.
If you plan to attend the event, please RSVP by close of business Wednesday, Jan. 11. 
Harris Corporation
Harris Corporation is a leading technology innovator, solving customers’ toughest mission-critical challenges by providing solutions that connect, inform and protect. Harris supports customers in more than 100 countries and has approximately $7.5 billion in annual revenue and 21,000 employees worldwide. The company is organized into four business segments: Communication Systems, Space and Intelligence Systems, Electronic Systems and Critical Networks. Learn more at harris.com.
Brevard Zoo
Brevard Zoo is home to more than 800 animals representing 180 species from all over the world. As a not-for-profit organization, it is a leader in the fields of animal wellness, education and conservation. More information is available at www.brevardzoo.org.

Northwest Florida blue crab trap closure ending early

Posted on

Recreational and commercial blue crab traps may be placed back in state waters (shore to 9 nautical miles) from the Florida/Alabama state line through the Franklin/Wakulla county line starting Wednesday, Jan. 11.
Traps had to be removed from the water as part of a 10-day closure that started Jan. 5, but this closure ended early because efforts to remove lost and abandoned traps have been completed.
This and other similar closures give groups authorized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) the opportunity to identify and retrieve lost and abandoned blue crab traps from the water.
Lost and abandoned blue crab traps are a problem in the blue crab fishery because they can continue to trap crabs and fish when left in the water. They can also be unsightly in the marine environment, damage sensitive habitats and pose navigational hazards to boaters on the water.
The closure is one of three regional, 10-day blue crab trap closures that occur in 2017 on the Gulf coast of Florida. There are six regional closures total: three in odd-numbered years on the west coast and three in even-numbered years on the east coast.
For more information regarding the FWC’s trap-retrieval program, blue crab trap closure dates, regulations and cleanup events, go online to MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing” then “Trap Retrieval/Debris Removal.” For additional information, contact the FWC’s trap retrieval coordinator, Pamela Gruver, at 850-487-0554.
blue-crab-zones-odd-west-coast-2_original

Statement on introduction of 20-week abortion ban

Posted on

Below, please find a statement from Laura Goodhue, Executive Director of the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates on the introduction of a 20-week abortion ban by Rep. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), HB 203:
“This bill poses a serious threat to women’s health, ignoring women’s individual needs and circumstances. This kind of legislation seeks to deny a woman the dignity to make personal, private decisions.
“However we feel about abortion at different points in a pregnancy, a woman’s health should drive important medical decisions – not political agendas. Politicians are not medical experts and this is not an area where they should be interfering. Throughout her pregnancy, a woman must be able to make her own decisions with the advice of the health care professional she trusts.
“We’ve seen what happens when politicians stand in the way of women’s health and interfere in these deeply personal medical decisions. In states that have passed laws like this, some women and their families have been put into unimaginable situations – needing to end a pregnancy for serious medical reasons, but unable to do so.
“At the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, we believe that all people – no matter where they live or how much money they have – should have access to affordable health care. We will continue to work every day to ensure Planned Parenthood patients get the highest quality care, without judgment and without stigma – no matter what.”
What do the experts say?
The American Medical Association “strongly condemn(s) any interference by the government or other third parties that causes a physician to compromise his or her medical judgment as to what information or treatment is in the best interest of the patient.”
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists opposes the 20-week abortion ban, calling it part of legislative proposals “that are not based on sound science (and that) attempt to prescribe how physicians should care for their patients.”

Please visit www.fappa.org for more information.

 

Governor Scott Appoints Matilde Miller as Interim Secretary of DBPR

Posted on

Governor Rick Scott today appointed Matilde Miller as the interim Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DPBR). She has been at DBPR for more than 16 years and has held numerous positions including Legislative Affairs Director, and most recently, Chief of Staff. As Secretary, she will oversee the licensing and regulation of businesses and professionals throughout Florida. She will begin to serve as interim secretary on January 11, 2017.
Governor Scott said, “Matilde has spent many years at DBPR serving in numerous leadership positions and understands how important it is to help businesses open and create jobs in our state. Like Secretary Lawson, she will focus on reducing burdensome regulations and fees that make it harder for job creators to succeed in Florida. She has extensive legislative experience and relationships and I am confident she will be a great leader at DBPR.”
Matilde Miller has served as Chief of Staff since 2014, and began her career at DPBR as a Legislative Specialist in 2000. She also served as a Legislative Coordinator, Deputy Legislative Affairs Director and Director of Legislative Affairs before becoming Chief of Staff. She previously worked in the Florida House of Representatives and as a High School English and Spanish teacher. She received her Associates of Arts degree from Brevard Community College and is currently attending Florida State University.

Social Justice Advocate Jonathan Jackson, Son of Jesse Jackson, to Keynote FAMU’s MLK Convocation

Posted on

University Celebrates Second Annual Day of Service in Honor of Dr. King

This week, Florida A&M University (FAMU) will host two significant events that will honor the late Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and commemorate his remarkable legacy of service and advocacy.

Jonathan Jackson
Jonathan Jackson

On Friday, January 13, 2017, at 10:10 a.m., FAMU will host its annual MLK Convocation at Jake Gaither Gymnasium, located at 1755 Wahnish Way. The event is free and open to the public. The keynote speaker will be Jonathan Jackson, an accomplished businessman, educator, and social justice advocate, who is also the son of Civil Rights activist Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a friend of Dr. King.
“We are honored to have Mr. Jonathan Jackson address the FAMU community during our annual observance and celebration of Dr. King’s great impact,” said Interim President Larry Robinson, Ph.D. “Mr. Jackson’s contributions to social justice, education, and business are impressive and inspiring. We are excited to learn about and from his experiences.”
Robinson added, “Dr. King’s life and work represented an unwavering commitment to ensuring that all people, no matter race, color, or creed, have access to the American dream. The FAMU community is humbled to have another opportunity to honor his legacy with our annual convocation and service projects.”
Jackson’s advocacy and business savvy have taken him around the world. He has met with heads of state throughout the world, including Venezuela President Hugo Chavez during the 2005 Hurricane Katrina catastrophe and Haiti President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
Notably, in 1983, Jackson traveled to Syria with his father to secure the successful release of a captured American pilot, Navy Lt. Robert Goodman. In June 1984, Jackson, once again, flanked his father as he negotiated the release of 22 Americans being held in Cuba after an invitation by Cuban President Fidel Castro. On the eve of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Jackson traveled with Rev. Jackson to meet with Iraq President Saddam Hussein to negotiate the release of foreign nationals being held as a “human shield.”
Alongside his siblings, Jonathan campaigned for his father’s presidential bids in 1984 and 1988. Since that time, he has continued to support his father’s work as a national spokesman for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. He can regularly be seen on Saturday mornings on the Rainbow PUSH TV show and cable TV’s worldwide show “Upfront with Jesse Jackson.”
In 2009-2010, Jackson successfully fought the closure of 16 Chicago Public Schools, causing the district to reverse plans that would destabilize communities. In 2016, Jackson served as a Democratic National Committee delegate for Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, traveling to 30 cities advocating for the presidential candidate’s platform of economic and social justice.
The MLK Convocation will also mark the kick-off of FAMU’s second annual “Day of Service.” Held January 13-16, the event calls for FAMU students, alumni, employees, and supporters from around the world to host service projects in their respective communities. Last year, thousands of Rattlers participated, hosting projects ranging from clothing giveaways and providing meals to the less fortunate to offering free tutoring sessions and providing books to area youth.
Interested participants may sign up by emailing [email protected].

RoadWatch Advisory for SR 867 in Lee County

Posted on

FDOT Header
LEE COUNTY
SR 867/McGregor Boulevard from A&W Bulb Road to Cypress Lake Drive:  Maintenance contract project: Motorists should expect intermittent outside northbound lane closures during nighttime/overnight hours from 9 p.m. Thursday, January 12 to 6 a.m. Friday, January 13 for crews to install power poles, weather permitting. Motorists should use caution as crews work in the roadway.

Florida Lottery player wins top prize playing the $1 million CASHWORD scratch-off game

Posted on

The Florida Lottery announces that Billie Brown, 61, of Jacksonville, claimed a top prize in the $1,000,000 CASHWORD Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. She chose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $760,000.00.

Brown purchased her winning ticket from Kangaroo Express, located at 14376 in Jacksonville Beach. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.

The $10 Scratch-Off game, $1,000,000 CASHWORD, launched on May 17, 2016 and features eight top prizes of $1 million and more than 2.9 million winning tickets. The overall odds of winning are one-in-3.39.

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.

FWC celebrates 75 years of wildlife management area conservation success

Posted on

In 2017, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is commemorating the 75thanniversary of the wildlife management area system, one of the state’s greatest natural treasures. The FWC oversees this statewide network of remote and scenic lands, managing them for conservation and recreation. To celebrate the milestone and help people discover the opportunities these public lands offer, the FWC is hosting free events throughout the year.
“Florida has one of the largest systems of public lands in the country at nearly 6 million acres, and these lands are the best of the best of what wild Florida has to offer,” said FWC Chairman Brian Yablonski. “These natural communities span a variety of habitats from longleaf pine uplands and pine flatwoods to the hardwood hammocks and sawgrass savannas of the Everglades. Not only are these areas beautiful, they are managed to provide habitat for many species of wildlife and access for people to enjoy hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and more.”
Florida’s first WMA, Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area, was established in late 1941 in Charlotte and Lee counties. By the 1960s, there were 28 WMAs. Today, the FWC is the lead manager or landowner of over 1.4 million acres, and works in partnership with other governmental or private landowners on another 4.5 million acres. These healthy habitats are essential to Florida wildlife – both common and imperiled species. The FWC uses its scientific expertise and a comprehensive ecological approach to manage a variety of wildlife while balancing public access to these wild lands.
WMAs provide many recreational opportunities including paddling, fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, photography, wildlife viewing, and target shooting at areas with a public shooting range. They also offer a wide range of hunting opportunities including special hunts for families and people with disabilities. Throughout 2017, the FWC will host a variety of events to celebrate Florida’s WMAs. Events include a statewide geocaching challenge, volunteer work days, a photo contest, guided hikes, fun opportunities to explore WMAs, and citizen science bioblitzes where members of the public help document wildlife species at WMAs.
To learn more about upcoming events or to find a WMA near you, visit MyFWC.com/WMA75. Share your visits to Florida WMAs on social media by using #WMAzing.

Florida Recycles Day at the Capitol

Posted on

What:   Florida Recycles Day at the Capitol
Date: Wednesday, January 11
Time: 9:30 am
Location: Plaza Level – The Capitol 404 South Monroe Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399
9:30 am – Press conference:

  • Secretary Jon Steverson, Florida Department of Environmental Protection will present Recycling Recognition Awards to:
    • Desoto Trail Elementary School
    • Northrop Grumman
    • Skanska
  • Kim Brunson, Publix Super Markets Recycling & Waste Manager and Chair of the Florida Recycling Partnership

From 9:00 am until 1:00 pm there will be displays by Florida Recycling Partnership members and other non-profit organizations on the Plaza Level.
For additional information, please contact Keyna Cory at [email protected].