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ICYMI: Palm Beach Post: UTC announces 100 more jobs in Gardens at $115M technology showcase

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UTC announces 100 more jobs in Gardens at $115M technology showcase
Palm Beach Post
Sarah Peters
April 17, 2018

United Technologies will add another 100 jobs in Palm Beach Gardens by 2021, an executive announced at the opening for the company’s $115 million technology showcase off Donald Ross Road.

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Gov. Rick Scott spoke at the opening for the 224,000 square-foot Center for Intelligent Buildings as hundreds of employees watched the event from balconies overlooking the lobby.

“To have this happen in this short period of time is remarkable,” Scott said. “These are good, high-paying jobs for a company that’s going to continue to be successful.”

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UTC created 380 new jobs in Palm Beach County and kept 70 local jobs. The 100 employees to be hired in the next three years also will work at the building. Employees have been moving into the new offices since March.

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“Gov. Scott talks about jobs — a lot. The important thing I can tell you is it’s not just talks. Companies like ours don’t take a decision to relocate our corporate headquarters lightly,” he said.

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The creation of additional jobs will have a bigger economic impact than Palm Beach Gardens expected, Mayor Maria Marino said.

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Oversight Committee to Hold Hearing on Brightline at Mast’s Request

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MEDIA ADVISORY

The United States House of Representatives Oversight Subcommittee on Government Operations will conduct a hearing on April 19, 2018 into Brightline. Rep. Mast requested this hearing in February, which is titled “Examining Tax-Exempt Private Activity Bonds For All Aboard Florida’s Brightline Passenger Rail System.” Witnesses for the hearing include representatives for Brightline, the Department of Transportation, Martin County and Indian River County.

WHO:
Rep. Mast
Grover Burthey, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy for the U.S. Department of Transportation
Patrick Goddard, President and Chief Operation Officer for Brightline
Chief Dan Wouters, Division Chief of Emergency Management for Martin County Fire Rescue
Dylan Reingold, Attorney for Indian River County
Robert Crandall, Former CEO of American Airlines
Additional Members of the United States House of Representatives

WHEN:
Thursday, April 19, 2018
10 a.m.

WHERE:
Oversight Committee Hearing Room
2154 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

**Please note: A live stream of the hearing will be available here for Florida-based press.**

WHAT:
Despite their claim that Brightline is “not publicly funded at all,” there are at least four instances in which Brightline has sought public financial support:

Moreover, because Brightline failed to qualify for public financing under the statutory definition of high-speed rail, Brightline instead sought and secured the public financing for this expansion by claiming that their passenger rail train is actually a “highway.”

In addition to these financial concerns, Brightline trains have been involved in six deaths since they began running, raising serious safety concerns ahead of the proposed expansion through the Treasure Coast to Orlando.

UNF Honoring Students’ Exceptional Service at Spring Commencement

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The University of North Florida will honor students with outstanding records of volunteerism and caring spirits, when it hands out more than 1,850 degrees Friday, April 27, during spring commencement at the UNF Arena, Building 34, on campus.

Senior Sara-Marie Saliba, who will graduate from the Brooks College of Health with a Bachelor of Science in nursing, will be recognized as the recipient of the Senior Service Award, while Ayshka Elise Rodriguez-Velez, who will be graduating with a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering, will be recognized as the recipient of the Albert D. Ernest Jr. Caring Award.

The UNF Alumni Association presents the Senior Service Award to a graduating senior for outstanding volunteer service to the University or community. The Caring Award recognizes students who demonstrate the spirit of caring, humanitarianism and volunteerism exemplified by Albert Ernest.

Saliba, whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon, believes that a nursing career will provide her the opportunity to greatly impact individuals and the community. She has been an instrumental member of the Student Nurses Association, serving as volunteer chair and first vice president. She also revived the Red Cross Ospreys Club on campus in association with the American Red Cross, functioning as the club’s vice president.

Because Saliba wants to drive change and promote health, she has participated in the UNF Environmental Center’s “Garbage on the Green” project. This initiative educates students, faculty and staff about ways to reduce campus trash through recycling and litter-prevention practices.

A Jacksonville native who lives on the Southside, Saliba has exemplified the University’s commitment to community service through her seven-year volunteer involvement with St. Maron Catholic Church and Holy Family Catholic Church. She has volunteered at Mayo Clinic’s optical shop and emergency department, in addiation to tutoring Sulzbacher Center students twice weekly over the last two years as well as mentoring other adolescents in the community. Rodriguez-Velez, a Southside resident, plans to pursue a career in biomedical application and devices that will help serve the world community. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate careers at UNF, she has been a member and an officer of the Society of Women Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

Rodriguez-Velez has invested her time outside of class by volunteering for programs such as the SHPE Jr. program at Ribault High School and Introduce A Girl to Engineering Day. These initiatives that promote STEM awareness and offer hands-on activities, give children from underrepresented households opportunities to see the world beyond their backyards. As a Hispanic female engineer, Rodriguez-Velez hopes to inspire other young women and Hispanics to pursue their dreams, no matter what they may be.

The ceremony for the Brooks College of Health and the College of Education and Human Services will take place at 9 a.m., followed by a 12:30 p.m. ceremony for the Coggin College of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences (art, biology, chemistry, economics, English, fine arts, French studies, history, interdisciplinary studies, international studies, math, music, philosophy, physics, practical philosophy and applied ethics, religious studies, Spanish and statistics.)

The ceremony for the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction and the final ceremony for COAS (anthropology, communication, criminal justice, political science, public administration, psychology, social work and sociology) will take place at 4 p.m.

The University expects to award a total of 1,545 bachelor’s degrees, 242 master’s degrees and 71 doctorates this term. Including the spring 2018 graduates, UNF has issued a total of 75,501 bachelor’s degrees, 18,883 master’s degrees and 602 doctorates since first opening its doors in 1972.

Florida PSC Commission Conference on Friday

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The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will hold a Commission Conference on Friday, April 20, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. Items scheduled for consideration can be found here. Public comment may be taken on any item noticed for public participation.

The Commission Conference is scheduled for the following time and location:

Friday, April 20, 2018
9:30 a.m.
Betty Easley Conference Center
Joseph P. Cresse Hearing Room (Room 148)
4075 Esplanade Way
Tallahassee, Florida

The Commission Conference will be broadcast on the Florida Channel (check your local listing) and is available online at floridapsc.com (look for the “Watch Live Broadcast” icon on the left side of the webpage).

FDLE arrests Tallahassee man for intellectual property and computer crimes

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The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with assistance of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office arrested Andru Rae’sion Reed, 21, on offenses against intellectual property and offenses against users of computer systems, both third degree felonies, after the Florida Department of Revenue reported external hard drives had been stolen.

FDLE began its investigation in late March at the request of the Department of Revenue. On March 30, agents spoke with Reed at his home, 1834 Jackson Bluff Road, Tallahassee and located four external hard drives.

The four hard drives contained confidential taxpayer information. Reed indicated that he had connected the hard drives to his Xbox to download video games without knowing what was on the hard drives. At this time in the investigation, it appears that the information on the hard drives was not used or further shared, but computer forensic examinations continue.

Reed was arrested this morning at his home without incident and booked into the Leon County Jail. The State Attorney’s Office, 2nd judicial circuit, will prosecute this case.

The Morean Arts Center Showcases the Relationship Between Nature and Art in Upcoming May Exhibitions

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Opening reception during Second Saturday
ArtWalk on Saturday, May 12, 5pm-9pm

The Morean Arts Center’s (MAC) upcoming exhibitions Leslie Neumann: Manna from Heaven…and Earth and Water over the Bridge: Contemporary Seascapes explore the relationship between art and nature and are on view May 12 through June 29. The opening reception is held during Second Saturday ArtWalk on Saturday, May 12, from 5pm-9pm.

Artist and environmental activist Leslie Neumann, presents a new body of work focusing on the power of nature in these troubling times. Neumann has lived and worked in Aripeka, Fla., located on the Gulf of Mexico, 50 miles north of St. Petersburg. Aripeka is a small Florida town reminiscent of what the state looked like 50 years ago. She divides her time between art-making, expressing the beauty of Aripeka, environmental activism, and working to preserve and expand the surrounding 15,000 acres of coastal marsh.

Neumann is an artist that specializes in painting wetlands and cosmic images using a technique called encaustic on panel. Using a combination of oil paints and hot wax, she achieves striking images with deep, rich colors and texture.

Water Over the Bridge: Contemporary Seascapes is a collaboration between the MAC’s Curator of Exhibitions Amanda Cooper and New York City curator D. Dominick Lombardi. This exhibition features the works of artists from both the New York City metro area and Tampa Bay area artists, creating a provocative, cross-country dialog. Selected artists include Selina Roman, Anne Bowen, Babs Reingold, Carolina Cleere, Margaret LeJeune, Rieko Fujinami, Bill Gusky, Dale Leifeste, China Marks and William Thompson.

Cooper stated, “Both exhibitions, while focusing on environmental issues that have become political hot-buttons, are vastly different in their approach. Where Water over the Bridge is sometimes a searing indictment of the current situation and how we as citizens of the planet have failed to protect it, Leslie’s exhibition addresses land conservation by displaying nature’s raw beauty and power. One is a loud protest — a call to action — the other is more of a love-in; a visual celebration of nature that serves a reminder of what could be lost if we continue on this destructive path.”

The MAC’s exhibitions are free and open to the public Monday through Saturday, 9am-5pm and Sunday, Noon-5pm. Neumann will be hosting an Artist Talk discussing art and environmental activism on Thursday, June 21, 6pm-7:30pm.

“We hope people will leave with a renewed awareness of global conservation issues and a sense of urgency to take action, whatever that looks like for them,” said Cooper.

Treasure Coast Leaders to Testify at Congressional Hearing Examining PABs used for All Aboard Florida/Brightline

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MEDIA ADVISORY

T.C. Leaders to Express Concerns over U.S.
DOT’s Decision to Issue PABs for AAF Project

Congressman Mark Meadows (R-North Carolina), Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations will be examining the tax-exempt private activity bonds (PABs) used for All Aboard Florida’s Brightline passenger rail system.

The review of the PABs was made at the request of Congressman Brian Mast in a letter to Chairman Meadows.  In his letter, Congressman Mast states, “Brightline is continuing their deceptive business practices, seeking public financing for this expansion by claiming that their passenger rail train is actually a “highway” because they fail to qualify for public financing under the statutory definition of high-speed rail.”

Several leaders from the Treasure Coast region have been invited to testify and will be expressing their concerns regarding the U.S. Department of Transportation’s decision to issue PABs to finance the AAF project. Those leaders include: Dylan Reingold, Indian River County Attorney; Chief Dan Wouters, Division Chief Martin County Fire Rescue, and Bob Crandall, CARE FL Steering Committee member, former president, chairman and CEO of American Airlines.

Also attending the congressional hearing will be Senator Debbie Mayfield (R-Melbourne), Rep. Erin Grall (R-Vero Beach), Rep. MaryLynn Magar (R-Tequesta) and Brent Hanlon, Chairman of CARE FL.

**To stream the committee hearing live, click here. Please note video will not appear until the hearing begins.**

WHO: Dylan Reingold, Indian River County Attorney
Dan Wouters, Division Chief Martin County Fire Rescue
Bob Crandall, CARE FL Steering Committee Member

WHAT: Treasure Coast Leaders to Testify Before House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee

WHEN: Thursday, April 19, 2018
10:00a.m. EST

WHERE: 2154 Rayburn House Office Building
45 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20515

APD Seeks Revocation and Closure of Carlton Palms

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The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) is seeking to revoke the license of Carlton Palms, which is operated by Bellwether Behavioral Health, and impose a $10,000 fine, the maximum allowed by Florida law. APD filed an Administrative Complaint against Carlton Palms of Mt. Dora today. Numerous recent verified findings of abuse and neglect by the Florida Department of Children and Families warrant this action by APD.

APD Director Barbara Palmer said, “Protecting the health and safety of APD customers is the top priority of the agency. APD demands excellence in service to Floridians with developmental disabilities. We are actively working to close Carlton Palms as soon as possible, and we have taken multiple actions in the past to hold Bellwether Behavioral Health accountable, including an agreed moratorium on new residents, extensive video monitoring in all homes, an outside monitoring and transition team, along with other administrative sanctions and $10,000 in fines. We will not tolerate any type of abuse or neglect at any of our APD licensed facilities.”

With this action APD seeks closure of Carlton Palms as soon as residents can be safely transitioned to other community settings. APD is expediting the transition of the remaining customers living at Carlton Palms into community group homes. The agency is increasing its outreach to parents or guardians to encourage their selection of new residential options. The goal is to give parents or guardians choices for their loved ones in their local communities while ensuring that the new homes can meet the unique needs of these clients. APD is working with community providers to develop additional group homes for individuals with intensive behavioral needs. These specialized services will help APD customers live in their home communities near families or guardians.

Previously in 2016, APD reached an agreement to close Carlton Palms by March 2019 and transition residents into smaller, homelike settings that follows new requirements by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). To date, 52 people have transitioned into new community group homes. Guardian Healthcare has been contracted to provide daily health and safety oversight during this transition period.

APD supports people with developmental disabilities to live, learn, and work in their communities. The agency annually serves more than 50,000 Floridians with severe forms of autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, intellectual disabilities, Down syndrome, Phelan-McDermid syndrome, and Prader-Willi syndrome. For more information about the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, visit APDcares.org or call toll-free 1‑866‑APD‑CARES (1‑866‑273‑2273).

Sen. Victor Torres and Florida legislators join call by coalition groups for Spanish-language election materials in all Florida counties

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Warning that failure to accommodate Florida’s large influx of Spanish-speaking American citizens in the upcoming elections may violate the 1965 federal Voting Rights Act, state Senator Victor Torres on Monday joined six fellow Democratic lawmakers in calling on Florida’s Secretary of State to ensure bilingual ballot information is available to voters.

“Florida is home to over 20 million individuals and more than 4 million of them are of Hispanic or Latino origin,” wrote Torres in a letter sent to Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “Additionally, with the influx of evacuees from Puerto Rico, there are an additional 300,000 American citizens who are eligible to vote in this upcoming election cycle. Providing election information and ballots in Spanish-language are essential for some qualified electors to participate in the 2018 Florida elections process.”

The letter, signed by Senators Torres, Annette Taddeo, Jose Javier Rodriguez, Linda Stewart, and Representatives Robert Asencio, John Cortes, Carlos Guillermo Smith, and Amy Mercado, follows efforts last week by several Hispanic and civil right organizations, including Demos and Latino Justice, calling for 13 of Florida’s 67 Supervisor of Election offices who are not currently supplying election materials and information in Spanish-language format to do so under requirements of the Federal Voting Rights Act. Their letter similarly asserts that under Section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act, bilingual ballots, election materials and poll worker assistance should be provided to America citizens whose primary language is Spanish.

The lawmakers are seeking reassurances that federal law will be obeyed.

“We are requesting that you respond to the allegations that some Supervisor of Elections offices may be in violation of the Federal Voting Rights Act by failing to provide required Spanish-language elections materials. We further request you outline any plans your office has to ensure that no qualified electors are discouraged from exercising their Constitutional rights to participate in the 2018 election due to a failure of the local Supervisor of Elections to provide this information,” they wrote.

“Florida has a long history of failing to accommodate citizens whose native language may be other than English,” said Torres, the only Florida Senator of Puerto Rican heritage and representative for the largest population of Puerto Ricans living in the Sunshine State. “With more than 4 million Hispanics now living in Florida, there is no excuse for not providing election services to citizens in the language with which they feel most confident.”

Chief Justice Jorge Labarga to hold media availability preceding Supreme Court’s Commission on Access to Civil Justice

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Who: Chief Justice Jorge Labarga, Chair of Access Commission, and Gregory W. Coleman, Chair of the Access Commission’s Executive Committee

What: Media Availability to discuss the work of the Florida Commission on Access to Civil Justice

When: 1:30 p.m., Friday, April 20

Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld
Nautilus Ballroom
10100 International Drive
Orlando

Streaming: Media availability at 1:30 p.m. and Commission meeting at 1:45 p.m. aired on The Florida Channel on cable systems and streaming at thefloridachannel.org.