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RoadWatch Advisory for US 17 in Hardee County

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HARDEE COUNTY

US 17 from south of West 9th Street to north of West 3rd Street: Construction project: Crews are constructing a new four-lane concrete roadway using the old railroad corridor along Oak Street to realign this 1-mile segment. The contractor is installing curb and gutter, 7-footbike lanes, sidewalks, and a 52-foot raised median to separate the northbound and southbound lanes of traffic. The project also includes installing a new underground drainage system and two storm water ponds to manage water running off the roadway. Estimated completion is fall 2018. The contractor is AJAX Paving Industries of Florida. New US 17 is now open to all southbound and northbound traffic.  The sidewalks are open so please use caution and watch for pedestrians.

  • Motorists should expect southbound and northbound intermittent lane closures on the new US 17 during daytime and nighttime hours Wednesday, April 11 through Friday, April 13 for crews to complete road work. 

Please use caution in this area and watch for crews working close to the roadway.

MSD Commission launches Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Website

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The MSD Commission created a website page for information on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, including posts of upcoming commission meetings.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission was established during the 2018 legislative session and is staffed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The legislation represents a comprehensive approach to identifying and addressing issues presented by the tragedy that occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.   The Commission was formed to specifically analyze information from the school shooting and other mass violence incidents in the state and address recommendations and system improvements.

To visit the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission website, click here.

Florida Sheriffs Endorse Marsy’s Law for Florida During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

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Sheriffs from 24 counties joined the growing list of law enforcement leaders endorsing Marsy’s Law for Florida/Constitution Revision Commission Proposal 96, which would place equal rights and protections for victims in the state constitution. Endorsing Marsy’s Law for Florida today:

  • Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell
  • Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell
  • Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk
  • DeSoto County Sheriff James Potter
  • Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly
  • Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith
  • Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden
  • Lafayette County Sheriff Brian Lamb
  • Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil
  • Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum
  • Liberty County Sheriff Eddie Joe White
  • Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells
  • Martin County Sheriff William Snyder
  • Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay
  • Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings
  • Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco
  • Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson
  • Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight
  • Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma
  • St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara
  • Volusia County Sheriff Michael Chitwood
  • Wakulla County Sheriff Jared Miller
  • Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson, Jr.
  • Washington County Sheriff Kevin Crews

Marsy’s Law for Florida was previously endorsed by the Florida Police Chiefs Association and Florida Sheriffs Association.

In a letter to Marsy’s Law for Florida/Proposal 96 sponsor Constitution Revision Commissioner Tim Cerio, Walton County Sheriff and Florida Sheriffs Association President Mike Adkinson said, “Florida has always been a state with strong safeguards in place for crime victims. Previous state legislatures made certain that crime victims were both protected and properly compensated. Proposal 96 will further strengthen these efforts by guaranteeing crime victims have a meaningful role in the criminal justice system. Victims of crime must be treated with fairness and Proposal 96 respects victims by providing them with access to information on every step of the judicial process.”

The measure has also received the support of Governor Rick Scott, former Governor Jeb Bush, State Attorney Andrew Warren (13th Judicial Circuit, Hillsborough County) State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle (11th Judicial Circuit, Miami-Dade County) State Attorney R.J. Larizza (7th Judicial Circuit, Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia Counties), State Attorney Brad King (5th Judicial Circuit, Marion, Lake, Citrus, Sumter, Hernando Counties), State Attorney Dave Aronberg (15th Judicial Circuit, Palm Beach County), former State Attorneys Rod Smith of Gainesville and Willie Meggs of Tallahassee, and State Senator Lauren Book.

The sheriffs’ endorsements come in the midst of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 8 – 14, a time to promote victims’ rights and honor crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf.

The full Constitution Revision Commission has already voted favorably on Marsy’s Law for Florida and will vote again one final time to determine if the measure should be placed on the November ballot as a proposed constitutional amendment. To be placed in the Florida Constitution, the amendment must pass with at least 60 percent of the vote.

About Marsy’s Law
Marsy’s Law is named after Marsalee “Marsy” Nicholas of California who was stalked and killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1983. Only one week after her death, Marsy’s mother and brother, Henry T. Nicholas, walked into a grocery store where they were confronted by the accused murderer. The family, who had just come from a visit to Marsy’s grave, was unaware that the accused had been released on bail.  In an effort to honor his sister, Dr. Nicholas, co-founder of Broadcom Corporation, has made it his mission to give victims and their families constitutional protections and equal rights. He formed Marsy’s Law for All in 2009, providing expertise and resources to victims’ rights organizations nationwide.

Fitness/MMA Center TRAIN. FIGHT. WIN. Opens Spacious New Training Facility

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On Saturday, April 14, fitness and mixed martial arts center Train. Fight. Win. will celebrate a move to spacious new facilities on Apalachee Parkway by partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend and the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab for an exciting day of free exercise and education in self-defense for youth, adults, and the entire community to enjoy. The day will feature plenty of sign-up specials, with a percentage of those sales being donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters – and participating big brothers and sisters have been asked to invite their littles for a fun-filled morning.

The grand opening celebrates Sky and Alissa Rudloe’s move from their previous location on Gaines Street to a renovated 8,000-square-foot facility at 2523 Apalachee Parkway. The new location for Train. Fight. Win. (TFW) features huge mat space and a 20-foot mixed martial arts (MMA) ring, as well as a fully appointed fitness class area with artificial turf, cardio machines, and a fully stocked weight room including free weights and kettlebells. This year TFW has also become a BANG Muay Thai affiliate, offering members a well-rounded muay thai boxing and kickboxing curriculum.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., kids and youth ages 4 to 12 will enjoy free classes, prizes, face painting, a bounce house provided by local business BJ’s Party House, and classes on bullying and stranger danger provided by local law enforcement. Beginning at 1 p.m. those ages 13 to adult can participate in kickboxing, fitness, and self-defense classes. Demonstrations in Bang Muay Thai, judo, and jiu-jitsu will be presented throughout the day, and the festivities will conclude with exhibition matches in MMA and kickboxing between the TFW coaching staff and competition team. Coffee and tea will be served up by Catalina Café, the Vitamin Shoppe will be handing out samples, and the Mac Shack food truck will be on site with delicious bites.

Owner Sky Rudloe is tapping into family connections to bring Gulf Specimen Marine Lab’s famous SeaMobile to the festivities – he is the son of local environmental activist Jack Rudloe, the marine lab’s founder, and his brother Cypress is the lab’s CEO. SeaMobile has delighted countless children and adults with touch tanks filled with live sea creatures. During the day, Jack Rudloe will discuss his father’s WPA sports mural, which is in the Smithsonian Institution of American Artists. Sky and Alissa Rudloe are proud to display the original study of this historically important piece of American sports art work in their facility.

MMA is the fastest-growing sport in the world, and Florida is at the forefront of the sport. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has hosted events in Miami, Tampa, and Orlando, while Tallahassee regularly hosts MMA events with Combat Night. You can find some of the most famous MMA facilities in the world right here in Florida, and TFW’s grand opening signifies a landmark shift in Tallahassee’s sport landscape.

Tallahassee is now home to the largest and best-equipped MMA and fitness facility in North Florida, and TFW is the only BANG Muay Thai affiliate in the area.

Members of TFW say that working out at Train. Fight. Win. has changed their lives. People from all walks of life can now experience this fun and exciting way to stay in shape and build self-confidence in a beautiful new facility.

Statement by Commissioner Adam Putnam on Updated Citrus Crop Forecast, Disaster Assistance

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Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today released the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its monthly citrus crop forecast for the 2017-2018 season:

“Florida’s citrus growers took a direct hit from Hurricane Irma and suffered unprecedented damage, which today’s forecast clearly shows.

“We’re encouraged by the USDA’s recent announcement that disaster relief is forthcoming, and I’llcontinue to work with the USDA, Governor Scott, our congressional delegation and industry representatives to make sure the disaster relief process is implemented in a way that will helpFlorida’s growers and producers get back on their feet.”

The USDA’s forecast today of 45 million boxes of oranges for the 2017-2018 season is unchanged from February’s estimate and down 9 million boxes from the 54 million boxes predicted at the start of the season. Today’s forecast represents a decline of more than 80 percent since the peak of citrus production at 244 million boxes during the 1997-98 season.

In the wake of Hurricane Irma, Commissioner Putnam announced that Florida citrus sustained more than $760 million in damages. In the weeks following Hurricane Irma, Commissioner Putnam joined Governor Rick Scott in Washington D.C to discuss the agricultural damage and to request federal assistance with Florida’s Congressional Delegation. In February, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed a spending bill that included more than $2.3 billion for agricultural assistance.

For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.

Export Sales Mission to Costa Rica Produces More than $23 Million in Export Sales

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The recent Enterprise Florida-led export sales mission to San Jose, Costa Rica produced more than $23 million in total export sales for the 21 small and mid-sized businesses attending. The mission was held February 26 – March 1, 2018.

During the mission, more than 180 meetings were held between Florida businesses and their Costa Rican counterparts to jointly assess the local and, in some instances, Central America sales potential of their products and/or services.

The sales mission included an economic briefing from locally-based U.S. Government officials, providing the Florida delegation with valuable insights about how business is conducted in Costa Rica. Florida companies also had the opportunity to meet with U.S. commercial officers stationed in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

Trade between the U.S. and Costa Rica totaled $10.2 billion in 2016, where Florida was the leading state in two-way trade. Costa Rica ranked as Florida’s 12th largest merchandise trading partner with nearly $3.6 billion in total trade and nearly $2.5 billion in exports alone in 2016.

“This event was extremely helpful for our company to introduce our products to this new market,” said Michael Rogers, president of e-Lifeguard.com in Rockledge. “The quality of leads was exceptional and the future potential prospects appear very promising for future sales to Costa Rica and Central America. This expansion will help us to grow our business in Florida and hire new workers to produce the goods needed for these new sales.  We also appreciate the introduction to area professionals in our market industry to help us learn about it locally.”

Kelly Wood, president of Nu-Trend Plastics in Jacksonville, attended the mission as well. The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network connected the company to Enterprise Florida. “Nu-Trend Plastics is just entering into the export business,” Wood said. “The guidance and knowledge we have received from Enterprise Florida has been phenomenal! We are a small business and could not have been able to gain this exposure without the assistance of the grant. We were well prepared before leaving and the support received during the mission trip was outstanding. Before arriving we had ten appointments set. All clients we met with want to continue conversations and sent samples for Nu-Trend to quote. Thank you!”

“The experience of our first trade mission to Costa Rica has opened our eyes to both the demand for our products and services outside the U.S., as well as the strength of the collaboration between the US Trade offices and Enterprise Florida,” said Helda Rodriguez, president of Oldsmar-based NovaCharge LLC. “As Gold Key participants, both the customer and partner leads provided to us, and the meetings set up on our behalf during the event, far exceeded our expectations. This potential for future business has already caused us to assess the staff we will require and the added services spending we will need to begin a successful export business. While we have yet to determine our final plans, we expect to add sales staff and operational staff to address our expanded reach outside of Florida, as we grow to address the opportunities in Costa Rica and other potential markets.”

EFI maintains an extensive schedule of overseas trade missions and exhibitions worldwide. In Fiscal Year 2016-17, more than 500 small and mid-sized Florida businesses reported $738 million in total export sales following international events.

Companies that attended the Costa Rica mission:

Hollywood’s Rob Hardy and Wall Street Executive Shundrawn Thomas to Deliver FAMU’s Spring Commencement Addresses

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Two distinguished Florida A&M University (FAMU) alumni will return to their alma mater in May to deliver inspirational addresses to graduates during the 2018 spring commencement exercises. The ceremonies will be held May 4-5 at the Alfred L. Lawson, Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium.

Northern Trust Asset Management President Shundrawn Thomas, who received his degree in accounting from FAMU, will address students on Friday, May 4 at 6 p.m.

Filmmaker Rob Hardy, who received his degree in mechanical engineering from FAMU, will address students on Saturday, May 5 at both 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. An Army ROTC commissioning ceremony will be held during the 9 a.m. event.

As president of Northern Trust Asset Management, Thomas’ responsibilities include developing long-term strategy, executing operating plans, cultivating client relationships, managing vendor relationships and developing talented professionals. He also serves as a member of the Management Group for Northern Trust Corporation. Previously, Thomas served as executive vice president and head of Funds and Managed Accounts at Northern, and president and chief executive of its subsidiary Northern Trust Securities, Inc.

Thomas, who received an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, was recognized by Diversity MBA Magazine as one of the nation’s “Top 50 Diverse Executives Under 50” and by Black Enterprise as one of the “75 Most Powerful Blacks on Wall Street.”

Hardy is a producer, director and CEO of Rainforest Entertainment, a full-scale production company. He is a driving force behind many of today’s popular television and film productions including the “The Quad,” a critically-acclaimed show focused on a fictional historically Black college.

As an executive producer, Hardy’s credits include “No Good Deed,” “ Stomp The Yard,” “Think Like a Man,” “Think Like a Man Too” and “Alpha Man: The Brotherhood of MLK.” His credits as a director include “Black’ish” “Being Mary Jane,” “Empire,” “Power,” “ How to Get Away with Murder,” “Criminal Minds,” “ER,” and “The Flash.”

The Hollywood Reporter celebrated Hardy as one of the leading African-American “Power Brokers” and Black Enterprise listed him among the “Top 25 Money Makers in Entertainment.” In 2014 he was nominated for the prestigious NAACP Image Award. Hardy, who also graduated from the New York Film Academy, launched his career in the early 90’s while a student at FAMU, when he teamed up with fellow Rattler and filmmaker Will Packer. The two would go on to develop some of the most popular African-American films in the history of Hollywood.

CFO Jimmy Patronis Releases Top 7 Tips to Boost Financial Education during Financial Literacy Month

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Data breaches at major companies like Equifax, Target, Uber, and most recently Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor and Under Armour’s MyFitnessPal app will continue to happen and Florida’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) wants to ensure Floridians take steps to protect themselves from fraud and safeguard their finances. One of the top ways to protect yourself from fraud is to freeze your credit, and CFO Patronis successfully eliminated the fee imposed to do so during the 2018 Legislative Session. Knowing how to protect your finances is equally as important as knowing how to manage your finances and with Financial Literacy Month recognized in April, CFO Patronis released his top 7 easy tips to strengthen and protect your financial future.

“Nearly half of American adults don’t have enough money saved for a $400 emergency, a third of American adults have not saved a penny toward retirement, and 16.7 million consumers were impacted by identity fraud in the United States last year,” said CFO Jimmy Patronis. “These are shocking statistics and numbers we can change with increased awareness and education to safeguard your finances.”

  1. Freeze your credit if you’re a victim of a data breach. CFO Patronis worked to eliminate the credit report freeze fee during the 2018 Legislative Session. Freezing your credit is one of the top ways to protect yourself from identity fraud.
  2. Watch your credit report. Check it for inaccuracies by setting up alerts to better protect yourself from fraud.
  3. Keep your passwords secure. You can avoid opening your financial world to anyone who knows your pet’s name or your birthday, and make sure to change your passwords regularly.
  4. Follow the 20-10 rule when it comes to credit cards. Don’t borrow more than 20 percent of your annual net income on all your loans (not including a mortgage). Payments on those loans shouldn’t exceed 10 percent of your monthly net income.
  5. Set up alerts whether via a credit card’s app or via email so you don’t ever miss a payment. It also helps you know when charges are made on your cards so you can flag anything that is suspicious.
  6. Keep track of everything you spend for a week and adjust your spending as needed. Make purchases with cash to help you stick to a budget and avoid impulse purchases.
  7. Rank nonessential expenses and keep the ones you like the best and cut the items on the bottom of the list.
CFO Patronis’ Division of Consumer Services offers several resources and programs to help increase Floridians’ financial knowledge and protections:

Frauds and Scams – An overview of frequent frauds and scams that impact consumers.

Consumer Alerts – Sign up to receive Consumer Alerts to stay abreast of important issues that impact consumers such as insurance, current frauds, scams, disaster alerts and more.

Consumer Protections – A section that covers insurance topics to help consumers gain a better understanding and assist in making informed insurance and financial decisions.

Mediation and Neutral Evaluation Programs – If consumers have a claim dispute with their insurance company, the Department’s Mediation and Neutral Evaluation programs offer alternative dispute resolution options that may help resolve the issue prior to taking legal action.

For more information on the Department’s Division of Consumer Services, call the toll-free Insurance Consumer Helpline at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236) or visit www.MyFloridaCFO.com/Division/Consumers.

Gov. Scott: Florida Students Lead the Nation in Reading and Mathematics

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As the nation’s performance remains flat, Florida excels

Governor Rick Scott today announced Florida’s results on the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading and mathematics assessments. The results show that Florida is the only state to have improved significantly in grade 4 mathematics, grade 8 reading and grade 8 mathematics between 2015 and 2017. Additionally, three Florida urban school districts earned top spots for performance among large urban school districts – Duval County Schools, Hillsborough County Schools, and Miami-Dade County Schools.

Governor Scott said, “Florida students have again outpaced their peers and have demonstrated once again that our states’ commitment to providing a high quality public education for each student has paid dividends. My wife, Ann, and I benefitted from public educations, so we understand the important role that our schools play in ensuring our students can grow and achieve. A large part of today’s success comes from a commitment from Florida taxpayers to continue to invest in Florida schools. During my time in office, state funding for Florida’s K-12 public schools has increased by $3.2 billion or 37 percent. Every Floridian should be proud of the results that our educators and schools have delivered for our students today.”

Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart said, “Today’s announcement provides further evidence that Florida’s commitment to high expectations and strong accountability is right for Florida students. We continue to see the benefit of focusing on policies that ensure Florida schools have high-quality teachers and administrators, and that students, families and educators have access to outcomes-based information about school and district performance. As a result, student success has continued to climb. I am thrilled to congratulate our state’s students on their accomplishments and to thank the educators whose hard work and dedication helped make this achievement possible.”

Highlights of the 2017 NAEP Reading and Mathematics state and national results include:

  • Florida made more progress than any other state in the nation in 2017, as the only state that showed significant improvement in 3 of the 4 NAEP assessments administered in 2017.
  • Florida students outperformed the nation in grade 4 Reading, grade 8 Reading, and grade 4 Mathematics.
  • All of Florida’s student subgroups significantly outperformed their national peers in grade 4 Mathematics. (Subgroups are defined by NAEP as White, Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, students eligible for free/reduced lunch, students with disabilities, and English language learners in 2017.)

  • All of Florida’s student subgroups outperformed their national peers in grade 4 Reading, and many of them significantly outperformed their national peers.
  • Florida is the only state that showed significant improvement in grade 4 and grade 8 Mathematics between 2015 and 2017.
  • Florida’s grade 4 Hispanic students rank #1 among the 50 states in reading and mathematics.
  • Florida’s Hispanic students, Black students, students eligible for free/reduced lunch, and students with disabilities rank #1 among the 50 states in grade 4 Mathematics performance.

Highlights of the 2017 NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) Reading and Mathematics results include:

  • Among the 27 large, urban school districts that participated in the 2017 NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA), the three participating districts from Florida occupied top spots for performance in Reading and Mathematics.
    • Duval County Public Schools ranked #1 in grade 4 Mathematics and #3 in grades 4 and 8 Reading
    • Hillsborough County Public Schools ranked #1 in grade 8 Reading, #2 in grade 4 Reading, and #3 in grade 4 Mathematics
    • Miami-Dade County Public Schools ranked #1 in grade 4 Reading and #2 in grade 4 Mathematics 

BACKGROUND: ATTRIBUTING OUR SUCCESS

  • Florida has rigorous standards (Florida Standards) that guide instruction in all K-12 courses and grade levels, and the statewide standardized assessments are aligned to the Florida Standards. The Florida Standards were established with input from thousands of Florida stakeholders, including educators and local education leaders, students, parents and many other members of the public.
  • Florida has been a national leader in developing and refining school-based accountability for two decades. In that time, the standards and statewide assessments became more rigorous. As a result, student performance has improved continually. Today, 56 percent of Florida schools are rated A or B and only 8 percent are rated D or F.
  • As Florida raised standards for students, teacher certification exams became more rigorous to ensure that newly certified teachers have the skills and knowledge necessary to prepare students for college and career. Florida has also made available objective information regarding impact of teachers on student learning and has raised the bar on its teacher preparation programs’ accountability system.
  • Florida’s accountability system highlights the areas in which districts are earning high marks, as well as where there is room for significant improvement. Using this information, the Florida Department of Education offers additional support and services, and the State Board of Education has the authority to direct administrators to implement student-focused changes.
  • Florida statute outlines the steps school districts must take when one or more schools earn a D or F, and these policies have gotten increasingly stringent in recent years. The State Board of Education has made it abundantly clear that it will honor its responsibility to all Florida’s students. By ensuring there is a focus on low-performing schools, Florida is taking every step possible to make sure all Florida students have access to the public education system they deserve.

For more information about Florida’s 2017 NAEP, visit The Nation‘s Report Card.

Sen. Victor Torres Calls for Florida’s Governor to Not Abandon Puerto Rican Evacuees as They Rebuild Their Lives in Florida

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As more than 300,000 American citizens who sought refuge in Florida are poised to be left in the lurch as FEMA and the state shutter the last multi-agency resource center in Orlando, state Senator Victor Torres is calling for greater cooperation between Florida Governor Rick Scott and the governor of Puerto Rico to reestablish a central point of assistance.

“With FEMA shutting down help to evacuees and Florida closing the last MARC center in the state, people are being left with no central location to visit to get information for much needed community services,” said Torres. “With so many Hurricane Maria refugees from Puerto Rico, it seems only logical to have a service center located in central Florida to serve the needs of the largest Puerto Rican community in our state.”

Last Friday, March 30, FEMA and the State of Florida closed the last remaining Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) in Orlando. Additionally, two weeks ago, the Puerto Rican government closed the Puerto Rican Federal Affairs (PRFAA) office located in Kissimmee and reopened a new facility in Orlando a few days later.

In a letter sent Friday to Governor Scott, Senator Torres is calling for a “One-Stop” Service Center to be opened at the new Orlando PRFAA office, which could be staffed by State Agencies like DCF and Access Florida to assist evacuees with applications for financial assistance as well as using available non-profit and community organization volunteers. He said he is hopeful that Florida’s Governor Scott and Puerto Rican Governor Rossello can find a way to make this service center a reality.

“The people who fled the devastation from Hurricane Maria left with little more than the clothes on their backs,” said Torres. “As a state with so many deep cultural and family ties with the island, we have a humanitarian obligation to keep the lines of communication and aid open as fellow Americans attempt to rebuild their lives in the Sunshine State.”