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Irish eyes smile early on Orlando man

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Wins $1 Million Prize in $5,000,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER Scratch-Off Game

The Florida Lottery announces that Emilio Graveran, 51, of Orlando, claimed a $1 million prize in the $5,000,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER Scratch-Off game just in time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $745,000.00.

Graveran purchased his winning ticket from 7-Eleven, located at 10254 Curry Ford Road in Orlando. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.

The $20 game, $5,000,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER, features six top prizes of $5 million, 30 prizes of $1 million, and more than $752 million in total cash prizes! This game offers more than 16.8 million winning tickets, and overall odds of winning are one-in-2.99.

Scratch-Offs are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, generating more than $784 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in FY 2016-17, and comprising approximately 68 percent of ticket sales.

Florida Department of State Celebrates Florida Archaeology Month

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Secretary of State Ken Detzner today announced that the Florida Department of State will celebrate Florida Archaeology Month in March by hosting special programs and behind-the scene tour events in Tallahassee, to promote Florida’s rich cultural heritage and showcase the state’s important collections of archaeological artifacts.

“We commemorate Florida Archaeology Month to remind and inform Florida citizens of the wealth of knowledge that archaeology contributes to our understanding of our state and nation’s history. Last month we shared the news of recent evidence revealed by our underwater archaeologist’s research and documentation of the Manasota Key Offshore site, a 7,000 year old Native American ancestral resting place in the Gulf of Mexico near Venice, ” said Secretary Detzner. “I am proud to recognize the important work done by our state archaeologists every day on the ground and underwater, to ensure that we protect, interpret and preserve our state’s precious archaeological heritage. I encourage Florida families and visitors to our state to participate in special tours and programs being offered throughout the month of March.”

This year, Florida Archaeology Month events include:

At the R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee

  • Friday, March 16 – Shipwreck Archaeology with Dr. James Delgado –Museum of Florida History Auditorium – Reception at 5:30 p.m., Presentation 6 – 7:30 p.m.

In recognition of Florida’s Archaeology Month theme, Heritage At Risk, Secretary of State Ken Detzner will announce the launch of the state’s new Florida History in 3D website, featuring artifacts held in the state collection from the wrecks of the Spanish Plate Fleet. Renowned nautical archaeologist and policy expert Dr. James Delgado, will speak about shipwreck archaeology.

  • Saturday, March 24 – Canoes and Archaeology – Heritage Hall Auditorium – Multiple speaker presentations from 9:00 until 11:30 a.m. 

Join the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research as we explore the question “how do archaeologists use science to learn from dugout canoes?” The event is free and open to the public, and features presentations by specialists in dendrochronology, radiocarbon dating, high-resolution 3D scanning, portable X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF), and historical canoes. In the afternoon, tour the state’s Conservation Laboratory and the Museum of Florida History displays to see six of Florida’s dugouts on display, and ask experts questions about archaeological science.

  • Saturday, March 24 – Behind the Scenes Tours – State Archaeological Conservation Lab and Museum of Florida History Canoe Exhibit – Staff led tours will be conducted between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.

See the techniques and process used to preserve state artifacts for display and research in the state’s unique facility, get an in-depth look at the variety of canoes on display in the Museum of Florida History and learn the stories behind each of them.

The Florida Public Archaeology Network has more details about Florida Archaeology Month events taking place in March throughout the state at http://fpan.us/FAM/.

About The Bureau of Archaeological Research
The Florida Department of State’s Bureau of Archaeological Research is entrusted with the maintenance, preservation and protection of more than 12,000 years of Florida heritage. Archaeological and historical resources on state-owned and state-controlled lands, including sovereignty submerged lands, are the direct responsibility of the bureau. State archaeologists carry out archaeological surveys and excavations throughout Florida, primarily on state-owned lands. They maintain records on historical resources that have been recorded, and assist consultants and planners in protecting sites. The state’s underwater archaeology program includes historic shipwreck and pre-Columbian underwater sites, some of which are among the oldest human sites in the New World. The Bureau also manages Mission San Luis, a 60-acre world-class archaeological site located in Tallahassee, featuring a fulltime research program, a living history museum and is the only reconstructed Spanish mission in the Southeast. For more information visit flheritage.com/archaeology.

About The Division of Historical Resources
The Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources (DHR) is responsible for preserving and promoting Florida’s historical, archaeological, and folk culture resources. DHR directs historic preservation efforts throughout the state in cooperation with state and federal agencies, local governments, private organizations, and individuals. The director of DHR serves as the State Historic Preservation Officer, acting as the liaison with the national historic preservation program conducted by the National Park Service. The Division is comprised of two Bureaus or major program areas: archaeological research and historic preservation. For more information, visit flheritage.com.

Caldwell Announces Launch of #2LaneTravels Website

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Representative Matt Caldwell today announced the launch of the #2LaneTravels webpage to highlight the campaign travels across the Sunshine State in his bid for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. Click HERE to visit the #2LaneTravels website.

Representative Caldwell said, “It is a blessing to see support grow and momentum continue to build as we engage with the hardworking men and women that make Florida so remarkable. As I travel across the Sunshine State, on major highways and two lane roads, supporters will be able to follow along as we share our conservative message and build our grassroots campaign.”

Brian Swensen, spokesperson for Caldwell’s campaign said, “Matt continues to establish himself as the hardest working candidate in the race for Commissioner of Agriculture. He has traveled more than 50,000 miles across the State since May and has proven that he is the principled conservative in the race. Additionally, he has raised more than $1.5 million and has over one million dollars cash on-hand, putting the campaign in an excellent position to continue this truly statewide campaign.”

The Commissioner of Agriculture serves as a member of the Florida Cabinet and is critical to the foundation of Florida’s economy. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services helps the agricultural industry with its daily challenges, promotes Florida’s agricultural commodities, manages state forests, safeguards consumers, implements the school lunch program, and oversees the concealed-weapon license system.

The campaign recently announced the endorsements of Republican House members from the Panhandle, Northeast Florida, Central Florida, Southwest Florida, and South Florida delegations. This is in addition to endorsements from the Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, former candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture Paul Paulson, and a number of county constitutional officers.

Paid by Matt Caldwell, Republican, for Commissioner of Agriculture.

FDOT Public Hearing for US 41 Design Project from Blackburn Point Road to McIntosh Road in Sarasota County

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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One is hosting a public hearing for proposed median and access management improvements to US 41 from Blackburn Point Road to McIntosh Road in Sarasota County.

Meeting date and location:

Date: Thursday, March 15, 2018
Time: 5 p.m. Open house / 6 p.m. Public Hearing
Location: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, 241 Burney Road, Osprey, Florida 34229

Beginning at 5 p.m., people can view the draft design plans, display boards with design overlays, ask questions, and provide comments to FDOT representatives. The formal public hearing begins at 6 p.m. A hearing moderator will offer introductory remarks and a slide presentation will follow describing the project.

The primary purpose of this project is to create a complete street that serves all users: cars, trucks, transit, pedestrians and bicycles.

The proposed design includes reconstruction of paved shoulders from 4 feet to 7 feet to provide 7-foot-wide buffered bike lanes, widening of the right-turn lanes to accommodate the new bike lanes, and adding 5-foot-wide sidewalks to fill in the gaps on either side of the roadway. The proposed design also includes widening the medians and closing the median opening at Holland Street and extend the southbound left turn lane at Bay Street to allow for additional space for vehicles.

FDOT solicits public participation without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. People who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Jamie Schley, District One Title VI Coordinator, at 863-519-2573 or by email at [email protected] at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.

Interested parties may submit written comments at the meeting or by mail postmarked by March 26, 2018 to Justin R. Reck, FDOT Project Manager, at 801 N. Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830, by telephone at 863-519-2502 or toll-free at 1-800-292-3368, Ext. 2502, or by email to [email protected].

For more information please visit our website SWFLRoads.com or contact Justin R. Reck as referenced above.

More than 1,200 Floridians Attend CRC Public Hearing in Tampa Bay Area

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More than 1,200 Floridians attended a public hearing held by the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) on Tuesday, March 13th at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg (USFSP). The public hearing marked the sixth and final public hearing held on the CRC’s 2018 “Road to the Ballot” public hearing tour. The CRC has held a total of 15 public hearings since 2017.

At the public hearing, more than 430 individuals requested to speak before the CRC and more than 1,200 attended the public hearing. The public hearing lasted more than 10 hours (1:00-11:30 PM) and all Floridians who attended the public hearing and wanted to speak were given an opportunity to be heard.

To watch the public hearing held in St. Petersburg, visit the Florida Channel’s website which has a page dedicated to all CRC public hearings and meetings. A complete transcript of the public hearing, appearance forms and documents received will be available online at flcrc.gov/Meeting/PublicHearings as soon as possible.

The CRC will begin its floor session in Tallahassee on Monday, March 19th. Visit flcrc.gov/Meetings for additional details on the CRC’s upcoming schedule and to view documents from previous CRC public hearings held in 2018 and 2017.

Orlando woman claims top prize in $500,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER Scratch-Off game

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The Florida Lottery announces that Elizabeth Gomez, 55, of Orlando, 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 7-Eleven, located at 7018 Narcoossee Road in Orlando.

The $5 Scratch-Off game, $500,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER, 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 68 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $784 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2016-17.

Florida CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis Praises Gov. Rick Scott for Signing House Bill 29 for Florida’s Military Community

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Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis today praised Gov. Rick Scott for signing one of his 2018 Legislative Session priorities, House Bill 29, into law. The bill waives licensing and training fees for military personnel, their spouses, and veterans for the Division of Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services, the Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services, and the Division of State Fire Marshal.

“Thank you to Gov. Scott for signing this legislation that helps Florida’s military community take charge of their economic futures more easily. Florida is known as a top military-friendly state and I want to keep it that way. Waiving fees and duplicative requirements for our military personnel and veterans are important ways we can remove barriers and make it easier for them to prosper here in Florida.

“We could not have done this without the lift from the bill sponsors. Thank you to Reps. Mel Ponder and Paul Renner, and Sen. Doug Broxson for leading the charge on this measure that supports our military community.”

UT Writes Presents Reading on Organized Secularism March 22

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On Thursday, March 22, The University of Tampa will host a reading and reception, titled “Madalyn Murray O’Hair Would Not Have Been the Most Hated Person in America … If She Were a Man: Organized Secularism in the US,” featuring Ryan Cragun, associate professor of sociology. The program, which is part of the University’s UT Writes series, begins at 6 p.m. in the Macdonald-Kelce Library, AV Room 2. It is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

Cragun will read from Organized Secularism in the United States: New Directions in Research, a new collection of essays about the rise and structure of organized secularism in the U.S. that he co-edited.

Cragun specializes in the sociological study of religion, focusing on Mormonism, the nonreligious and secularization. He is also the author of several books, including What You Don’t Know About Religion (but Should) and How to Defeat Religion in 10 Easy Steps: A Toolkit for Secular Activists.

Cragun has twice received the Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award from the College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education at UT. He is a member of the American Sociological Association, the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, the Mormon Social Science Association, the Nonreligion and Secularity Research Network and the Center for Atheist Research.

The event is sponsored by The Friends of the Macdonald-Kelce Library. For more information about the event, contact Leslie Vega, reference instruction librarian, at [email protected] or (813) 257-3244.

Dozens Arrested in Massive Multi-Million Dollar SNAP/EBT Fraud Investigation

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Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution joined the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Secret Service, and other federal authorities in announcing the end of a lengthy investigation involving five million dollars in benefits fraud.    

“Food stamp trafficking steals from Florida’s hardworking taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “The SNAP/EBT program is designed to provide services to the most vulnerable among us and for anyone to take advantage of this system is shameful. I want to thank local and federal authorities for putting an end to this scheme and look forward to my Office of Statewide Prosecution holding these defendants accountable in a court of law.”  

The investigation focused on fraudulent transactions involving the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program and Electronic Benefits Transfer cards, commonly known as the SNAP/EBT throughout the Jacksonville area.

Many of these fraudulent transactions occurred when individuals took advantage of taxpayers and Floridians entitled to benefits offered by SNAP/EBT. The defendants allegedly traded personal benefit cards from beneficiaries to make phony food purchases or went through a middleman ultimately swapping benefits for cash at a rate of 50 cents on the dollar. These fraudulent transactions occurred at fictitious seafood and meat shops established as part of the undercover operation. The Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will prosecute more than 115 felony cases relating to this massive investigation.

Throughout the investigation, law enforcement conducted multiple undercover operations and created fictitious businesses where the fraudulent transaction took place. During a six-month period, undercover detectives conducted approximately 390 undercover transactions at these business, meeting with more than 130 individuals. SNAP/EBT cards are explicitly required to be used strictly for the purchase of food. The SNAP program is USDA-funded and administered in Florida by the Florida Department of Children and Families. The program provides supplemental nutrition assistance to vulnerable populations, such as seniors, children and families in economic distress.    

As a result of this investigation, more than 115 individuals have been charged with felonies and 61 others with misdemeanors. The following agencies also assisted in the investigation: the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, Homeland Security Investigators, Florida Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Volusia County State Attorney R.J. Larizza Endorses Marsy’s Law

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Calls on Florida Constitutional Revision Commission to send Proposal 96 to the
voters, to place enforceable rights for crime victims in the Florida Constitution

The Marsy’s Law for Florida effort today announced the endorsement and support of R.J. Larizza, the elected State Attorney for the 7th Judicial District, which includes Daytona Beach, and between its four counties has nearly a million residents.

“As a prosecutor, I have devoted my professional career, and my time in public office, to ensuring that victims of crime are treated with dignity and respect.  On a weekly basis I meet with Victims and their families to discuss and prepare them for the grueling process they are about to experience. Because supporting victim’s rights is the right thing to do, I endorse Marsy’s Law and urge CRC members to advance it to voters,” said State Attorney Larizza, in supporting the measure.  “I have reviewed the language in Proposal 96, Marsy’s Law, as it heads to the full Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), and I am confident that these enumerated rights will guarantee that victims of crime have meaningful and enforceable rights.”

Proposal 96, known as Marsy’s Law, proposes to enshrine key rights for victims of crime into the Florida constitution. Highlights from the proposal include:

  • The right to be treated with dignity and respect.
  • The right to be notified of proceedings in their cases.
  • The right to be present at proceedings, including the trial.
  • The right to be heard at key moments such as at sentencing or a release hearing.
  • The right to confer with the prosecuting attorney about the case.
  • The right to decline a request from the defense for pre-trial interview or discovery.
  • The right to be notified when the accused is to be released or if there is an escape.
  • The right to full and timely restitution.
  • The right to go to a judge to assert their rights if they feel they are being violated.
  • The right to be notified of their rights.

“The constitution of a state is where we place those things we value as a society – and as a values proposition Marsy’s Law is a tremendous idea.” said Larizza.

Larizza joins a growing list of State Attorneys who have endorsed Marsy’s Law, including Miami-Dade County prosecutor Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Tampa prosecutor Andrew Warren, Ocala prosecutor Brad King, as well as former State Attorneys Rod Smith of Gainesville and Willie Meggs of Tallahassee.

If passed by the CRC, Marsy’s Law for Florida would be placed on the 2018 General Election ballot as a constitutional amendment. The proposal must receive 60 percent of the vote to be placed in the Florida Constitution.

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.