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Hogfish conservation measures and boundaries effective Aug. 24

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A new management boundary and several conservation measures for hogfish will go into effect in state and federal waters starting Aug. 24. State changes were approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at its November 2016 meeting. 
Hogfish is overfished and undergoing overfishing in the Florida Keys and east Florida. Federal law requires the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to end overfishing immediately and implement a 10-year rebuilding plan.
Because most hogfish off the Keys and east Florida are taken in Florida state waters, consistency with regulations approved in Atlantic federal waters is necessary to rebuild the stock.
The new management boundary between the Keys/east Florida and Gulf stocks will be at 25 degrees 9 minutes north latitude (a line due west of Cape Sable, which is on the Gulf side of Florida). Starting Aug. 24, hogfish north of Cape Sable will be managed as Gulf hogfish, and hogfish south of that line, around the tip of Florida and up the Atlantic coast, will be managed as Atlantic hogfish. Prior to this change, the boundary for hogfish was a line following U.S. Highway 1 in the Florida Keys. This new management boundary line is closer to where Gulf and Atlantic hogfish stocks naturally separate as determined by a recent genetic study.
Other approved conservation changes effective Aug. 24 include:

  • Lowering the Atlantic recreational daily bag limit from five to one fish per harvester.
  • Setting an Atlantic recreational harvest season of May 1 through Oct. 31.
  • Increasing the Atlantic recreational and commercial minimum size limit from 12 to 16 inches fork length.
  • Increasing the Gulf recreational and commercial minimum size limit from 12 to 14 inches fork length.
  • Setting the minimum importation and sale size limit to 14 inches fork length statewide.

The size limit increase and recreational season will allow Atlantic hogfish more opportunities to spawn before entering the fishery and, along with a bag limit change, will help rebuild the Keys/east Florida hogfish population to sustainable levels.
The size limit change for Gulf state waters is also consistent with regulations for federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf stock is healthy, but stakeholders requested an increase in the minimum size limit as a conservation measure to give hogfish additional spawning opportunities. 
Visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Hogfish” for more.

Gov. Scott: I will fight to prevent unfair tax increases in the future

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Governor Rick Scott announced he will propose an amendment to Florida’s Constitution during the upcoming legislative session to require a supermajority vote by future Florida legislatures to raise any taxes or fees. Currently, it only takes a simple majority in the state legislature to raise taxes or fees. If passed, it would be up for consideration by Florida voters on the 2018 ballot. The Governor will also work with members of the Constitutional Revision Commission as they begin crafting proposals to amend the Florida Constitution. More details of the Governor’s proposal will be made available in the coming weeks.
Governor Scott said, “I am announcing today that I will fight during the upcoming legislative session to give voters the opportunity to amend the Florida Constitution to require a supermajority vote by future state legislatures to raise any taxes or fees. I am proud that by working with the Florida Legislature, we have cut more than $7 billion in taxes and I look forward to cutting even more taxes next year. While cutting taxes is important, we must prevent against unfair tax increases in the future so our progress is not undone. It is my goal to make it harder for politicians to raise taxes on Florida families and businesses – and that can be achieved with an amendment to our state’s constitution.
“The four years before I became Governor, we had lost over 800,000 jobs, taxes were increased by more than $2 billion and our economy was in shambles. We had to turn Florida’s economy around and grow jobs for Florida families, and that started with cutting taxes. Today, after cutting more than 75 taxes in the last six years, nearly 1.4 million new jobs have been added in our state and our unemployment rate has dropped to a ten-year low.
“I have run both small and large businesses, and I know the impact a tax or fee increase can have on a business owner. I have had to worry about making payroll, and any tax increase by politicians could mean job layoffs or closures. Because this issue is so important to ensuring future economic growth in our state, I will use every tool available to ensure Florida voters have the chance to consider this proposal. That is why I will also be working with the members of the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission to put this game changing proposal on the ballot.”
Since 2010, Governor Scott has championed more than 75 tax cuts, totally over $7 billion. This includes:

  • Cutting the fees for annual vehicle registrations in 2014, saving Florida motorists $400 million every year;
  • Cutting the tax on cell phone and cable bills in 2015, saving Floridians more than $226 million every year;
  • Permanently eliminating the sales tax on manufacturing machinery and equipment in 2016, saving Florida job creators more than $73 million every year;
  • Cutting the tax on commercial leases this year, saving Florida job creators more than $60 million every year; and
  • Eliminating the business tax for 75 percent of businesses over the past few years, saving Florida job creators more than $50 million every year.

Florida Supreme Court appoints three to Board overseeing Bar admissions

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The Florida Supreme Court has appointed three new members to the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, which implements the court’s constitutional authority to oversee and regulate admissions of new attorneys to The Florida Bar.
The new members come from the Panama City and the Tampa-St. Petersburg areas. They are:

  • Major General William F. Hodgkins (United States Air Force – Retired), of Lynn Haven, Florida, has been appointed to membership on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners by the Supreme Court of Florida to succeed retiring Member Janet M. Sermon of Tallahassee, Florida.  His term of office will extend through October 31, 2020.

General Hodgkins was born in Lansing, Michigan.  He is a graduate of Auburn University, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and a M.Ed. in Educational Administration.  He also attended Carnegie Mellon University’s Program for Executives, and an International Securities Studies Program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. General Hodgkins retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2006 after 32 years of service.  Among his assignments, he was a former Wing Commander at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, FL.  After his retirement from the Air Force, he worked for The Boeing Company’s Defense, Space and Security business as a Senior Executive responsible for Boeing’s business development offices in Colorado, California, Texas, Nebraska, New Mexico and Louisiana.  General Hodgkins retired from Boeing and relocated to Florida in 2012.

  • Jennifer Martinez Mooney of Land O’Lakes, Florida, has been appointed to membership on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners by the Supreme Court of Florida to succeed Scott N. Richardson of West Palm Beach, Florida.  Her term of office will begin November 1, 2017, and extend through October 31, 2022.

Ms. Mooney works in the Legal Department of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, in Tampa, Florida.  She was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1998 and was the Chairperson of the Florida Bar’s Unlicensed Practice of Law Committee from April 2011 to February 2016.  Ms. Mooney is an alumnus of the University of South Florida and Stetson University College of Law.

  • Elaine Terenzi, of Tampa, Florida, has been appointed to membership on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners by the Supreme Court of Florida to succeed retiring Member David Carl Lyles, of Jacksonville, Florida.  Her term of office will extend through October 31, 2020.

Ms. Terenzi was born in Brooklyn, New York.  She earned a Master of Business Administration from the New York Institute of Technology, and a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The New York School for Social Research and John Jay College of Criminal Justice, respectively. Ms. Terenzi served as Chief U.S. Probation Officer for the U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida from 1996 to 2012, and is currently president of Independent Business Group, LLC, and a volunteer Guardian ad Litem.
The Florida Board of Bar Examiners is an administrative agency of the Supreme Court charged with the responsibility of enforcing the Rules of the Supreme Court Relating to Admissions to The Bar.  This involves the supervision of character background investigations as well as the administration and grading of the Florida Bar Examination.
The Board’s website, located at www.floridabarexam.org, has the Board’s computerized Bar Application forms available to applicants free of charge.  The website also features the full text of the Rules of the Supreme Court Relating to Admissions to the Bar, Frequently Asked Questions and links to other agencies, including The Florida Bar and the Supreme Court.

Florida Department of State Launches Statewide Tour to Highlight the Economic Impact of Arts and Culture in Florida

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Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced today that the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs will partner with local agencies across the state to host the Arts and Economic Prosperity in Florida Tour, which will feature regional meetings and events to highlight the $4.68 billion economic impact of Florida’s diverse arts and culture industry and discuss how to use these results to help strengthen communities at the local level.
“Americans for the Arts’ latest study, Arts and Economic Prosperity 5, illustrates the enormous impact that arts and culture have on our state’s economy,” said Secretary Detzner. “With more than 132,000 jobs supported and $492.3 million in local and state government revenue generated, arts and culture help make Florida a great place to live, work and play. We are proud to announce this series of events to celebrate and spread the word about the importance of not-for-profit arts and culture in every corner of the Sunshine State.”
The regional meetings will focus on sharing methods and strategies for organizations to best use the results of the study in their own work and advocacy efforts, as well as highlighting successful local programs and organizations.
The tour will include stops in Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami, Tallahassee and Pensacola. A full schedule is below and more details will be released in the coming weeks for each event.

  • August 30, 2017 – Jacksonville
  • October 4, 2017 – Orlando
  • November 2017 (Date TBA) – Miami
  • January 23-25, 2018 – Tallahassee
  • March 2018 (Date TBA) – Pensacola

In addition to the regional tour events, grant workshops will be held in rural areas of the state to educate communities on the grant opportunities available through the Division of Cultural Affairs to support the efforts of local cultural organizations. The grant workshops will also provide information about the results of Arts and Economic Prosperity 5. More information on the grant workshops, including dates and locations, will be announced soon.
Visit our website for more information on the economic impact of the arts, including local studies. To view the Arts and Economic Prosperity 5: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations and Their Audiences in the State of Florida report, please click here.
For more information on the Division of Cultural Affairs, please visit dos.myflorida.com/cultural.
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.

Gulf gray triggerfish fall season dates announced

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Gray triggerfish will open in Gulf of Mexico state waters Sept. 1 through 4, Sept. 9 and 10, Oct. 7 and 8, and Oct. 14 and 15 for recreational harvest. During this season opening, the Gulf state waters minimum size limit is 14 inches fork length and the daily bag limit is two per person, per day.
“The FWC has heard from many anglers who are seeing more and bigger gray triggerfish, and we have listened to their requests for additional and sustainable fishing opportunities,” said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Chairman Brian Yablonski.  “We are pleased to announce new triggerfish fishing days in state waters, especially the Sept. 1 through 4 season dates, which are also when the popular red snapper season is open in state and federal Gulf waters.”
At its July meeting in Orlando, the Commission directed staff to implement a limited fall season for 2017 via an executive order. 
Earlier this year, the Gulf recreational gray triggerfish season was closed in both state and federal waters for all of 2017 due to the 2016 federal quota being exceeded. The Commission decided to open Gulf state waters for a limited harvest opportunity this fall after considering public testimony on gray triggerfish.
The Commission also approved several other management changes at the July meeting that should go into effect sometime in 2018. These changes will not be in effect during the 2017 season opening. These changes are consistent with pending changes in federal waters and include:

  • Decreasing the recreational daily bag limit from two to one fish per person.
  • Increasing the recreational size limit from 14 to 15 inches fork length.
  • Creating a January through February annual recreational closure in addition to the current June through July annual spawning closure.

These federal consistency measures should help maintain fishing opportunities for gray triggerfish in state and federal waters for 2018 and beyond. 
More information about Gulf gray triggerfish regulations may be found at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Triggerfish.”

FAMU Announces Homecoming Gala to Celebrate 130th Anniversary

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FAMU Announces Homecoming Gala to Celebrate 130th
Anniversary and Raise Support for Need-Based Scholarships

This October, Florida A&M University (FAMU) will kick off its celebration of 130 years of providing “Excellence With Caring” to scholars and communities around the globe.
FAMU will host a masquerade-themed gala at the Al Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium on Friday, Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m., during Homecoming week. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
The formal event will feature entertainment from popular performance group, Tallahassee Nights Live, and serve as a community fundraiser to support need-based scholarships for FAMU students.
“This is an exciting time for FAMU,” said Interim President Larry Robinson, Ph.D. “We have another opportunity to pay homage to FAMU’s legacy of providing affordable educational pathways that have a positive impact on the economic reality of countless families and communities. We also look forward to coming together to show our students that we support them and are committed to their success.”
While FAMU scholars represent some of the best and brightest in the country, approximately 65 percent of its undergraduate students are considered Pell Grant eligible. This often translates into many enrolled students facing limited financial resources and thus working full-time and part-time, which can impede student progress. The goal of the gala is to help eliminate these obstacles for as many students as possible and shorten their time to obtaining a college degree.
“We are inviting our alumni, faculty and staff, community supporters and business partners to help us celebrate FAMU’s impact by investing in our students through ticket purchases or becoming event sponsors,” said Kathy Y. Times, Executive Associate Director of Communications. “Homecoming brings in thousands of Rattlers and supporters from around the nation each year. We thought it was the perfect opportunity to rally support for our students, while bringing the community together to experience FAMU with an evening of live entertainment and great food.”

Now through Aug. 31, individual tickets are available for a discounted rate of $100. After Aug. 31, tickets will be sold at $130 and can be purchased at www.FAMU.edu/130 or via Ticket Master. Tickets may also be purchased at the University box office, located at 1800 Wahnish Way, Al Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium.

Sponsorship packages range from $1,500 to $25,000 and are available by emailing [email protected] or calling 850-599-3413. 

The full schedule of events for Homecoming week will be unveiled later this month.

Call for Nominations for 28th Annual Florida Bar Reporters' Workshop

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The 28th Annual Florida Bar Reporters’ Workshop will be held at the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee on Oct. 16 and 17. This intensive two-day event is designed for 24 print, online, TV and radio journalists who are new to the courts and legal beats, or new to Florida. The workshop is presented by The Florida Bar’s Media and Communications Law Committee.
Workshop scholarships cover two nights’ hotel accommodations and workshop meals. Travel expenses and incidentals are the responsibility of the participant or the participant’s employer.
Reporters attending will learn about legal reporting and covering the state courts from lawyers, judges and experienced journalists. Topics include:

  • Effective Techniques of Reporting the High-Profile Case
  • Benchmarks – Every 20 years: Florida’s Constitution Revision Commission
  • Fake News – Who’s reliable? Who’s not? Discussion regarding traditional and non-traditional  news; why fake news survives and how the 2016 election brought this to light
  • Implicit Bias: What is it and how do you measure it?
    -Public records access: How to get the records you need
    -Merit retention in Florida

Additionally, there will be luncheon speakers on timely topics, a tour of the Supreme Court of Florida and an evening reception and dinner on the 22nd floor of the Capitol with the Supreme Court justices of Florida.
Nominations must be made by editors, publishers or news directors and include information on the journalist’s background, current assignments and contact information.
Please send nominations for receipt by 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, to The Florida Bar Public Information Department by email ([email protected]), fax (850-561-9429) or mail Reporters’ Workshop, The Florida Bar, 651 E. Jefferson St., Tallahassee, FL 32399.
The selection process will be completed by early September, and those selected for participation will be notified by email.

Florida PSC Nuclear Cost Recovery Hearing Set for Tuesday

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The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will hold its annual Nuclear Cost Recovery Clause (NCRC) hearing at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 15, 2017.
During the hearing, the Commission will consider cost recovery related to nuclear construction projects filed by Duke Energy Florida, LLC (DEF) and Florida Power & Light Company.  Costs related to DEF’s Levy project termination will be considered by the Commission on October 25, 2017.
The NCRC hearing is scheduled for the following time and location:

Tuesday, August 15, 2017
1:30 p.m.
Betty Easley Conference Center
Joseph P. Cresse Hearing Room (Room 148)
4075 Esplanade Way
Tallahassee, Florida

In addition, August 16-18, 2017, are reserved to continue the hearing, if needed.  The starting time of the next day’s session will be announced at the conclusion of each day.
The NCRC hearing will be broadcast on the Florida Channel (check your local listings) and is available online at www.floridapsc.com (look for the “Watch Live Broadcast” icon on the left side of the web page).
For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.

Orlando Man Charged with Over 150 Crimes in $258,000 Timeshare Scheme

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Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced today that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services arrested an Orlando resident for allegedly running a timeshare vacation scheme that defrauded 68 victims out of more than $258,000. Mark David Richmond, 45, allegedly targeted timeshare vacation property owners by brokering false real estate transactions.
“We will continue to pursue scam artists who prey on Floridians and visitors for their hard-earned money,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “Anytime consumers receive a telemarketing call, they can help protect themselves by checking with our department to make sure the business is licensed and in good standing.”
According to the investigation, Richmond operated Ultimate Financing, Ultimate Finance, Continental Resorts, Resorts Unlimited, and Ultifin, which would require advance broker fees, closing costs, and other fees to facilitate the sale. Once the victims paid the requested costs and fees, the real estate transaction would not occur and the business would discontinue communicating with the victims.
The following tips help protect consumers from common scams:

  • Before any purchase is made, research whether the telemarketer or telemarketing salesperson is registered with FDACS and if any complaints have been filed against them. This can be done by visiting FreshFromFlorida.com’s Business/Complaint Lookup or by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352).
  • Do not give out bank account, credit card or personal information (date of birth, mother’s maiden name, Social Security number, etc.) over the telephone, unless it is to a known and trusted source.
  • Request written information by mail about the organization itself, as well as the product, service, investment or charity.

Richmond was booked into the Orange County Jail today on the following charges:

  • Aggravated White-Collar Crime in violation of §775.0844(5)(b), Florida Statutes, a felony of the first degree;
  • Grand Theft in the First Degree in violation of §812.014(2)(a)1, Florida Statutes, a felony of the first degree;
  • Organized Scheme to Defraud in violation of §817.034(4)(a)1, Florida Statutes, a felony of the first degree;
  • Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device (68 Counts) in violation of §934.215, Florida Statutes, felonies of the third degree;
  • Communications Fraud (68 Counts) in violation of §817.034(4)(b)1, Florida Statutes, felonies of the third degree;
  • Commercial Telephone Solicitation Without License (68 Counts) in violation of §501.623(3), Florida Statutes, felonies of the third degree; and
  • Unlicensed Real Estate Activity in violation of §475.42(1)(a), Florida Statutes, a felony of the third degree.

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

Player excitement grows as America's dueling jackpots rise

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Multi-state Jackpots offer $738 Million Combined

Excitement is buzzing among Lottery players across the nation as jackpots for both multi-state games, MEGA MILLIONS® and POWERBALL®, have continued to rise to a combined total of $738 million. The MEGA MILLIONS jackpot rolled to $382 million after Tuesday night’s draw, and the POWERBALL jackpot rolled to $356 million after Wednesday night’s draw.
Even if players don’t win the jackpot, they can still claim cash prizes of up to $5 million with MEGA MILLIONS and $2 million with POWERBALL. The integrity of all games is of utmost importance to the Florida Lottery; and players are reminded to sign the back of their tickets at the time of purchase and keep them in a safe place.
MEGA MILLIONS jackpots start at $15 million and roll until the jackpot is won. Players win by matching the five white ball numbers (1-75) and the golden Mega Ball number (1-15). There are eight other ways to win non-jackpot prizes ranging from $1 to $1 million or up to $5 million if the ticket includes Megaplier. The overall odds of winning a prize in the game are approximately one in 14.71.
POWERBALL jackpots start at $40 million and roll until the jackpot is won. Players win by matching the five white ball numbers (1-69) and the red POWERBALL (1-26). There are eight other ways to win non-jackpot prizes ranging from $4 to $1 million or up to $2 million if the ticket includes Power Play. The overall odds of winning a prize in the game are approximately one in 24.87.
Purchase your tickets at any of the more than 13,000 Lottery retailers for your chance to become Florida’s newest multi-millionaire. The Florida Lottery reminds all players to play responsibly, as it only takes one ticket to win. As with all Florida Lottery products, players must be 18 years or older to play.