Governor Rick Scott has signed legislation into law that strengthens the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s efforts to fight fraud in the state’s Reemployment Assistance program. Both the Florida House and Senate unanimously voted for this bill, which provides DEO access to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ DAVID System, including the state photo identification database. Sen. Kelli Stargel and Rep. Mike LaRosa sponsored the legislation.
Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Thank you to Governor Scott for signing this bill into law so quickly. We are proud of our daily efforts to stop criminals from fraudulently stealing Reemployment Assistance benefits from Florida job seekers who need help getting back to work. We appreciate the Governor and his support in passing this important bill. Now, DEO will have access to more tools that are critical in our fight against public benefits fraud.”
The legislation includes the tools and legal authorizations that are critical to prevent and fight public benefits fraud by providing DEO access to the driver’s license database to confirm claimant-provided IDs are not fraudulent.
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Coalition To Prevent Gun Violence Vows To Keep Fighting For Smart Gun Legislation
The Florida Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence is encouraged by the overwhelming failure of the dangerous gun bills proposed during the just-ended legislative session and vows to continue fighting for sensible gun laws.
“We’re delighted that proposals for the carrying of firearms on college campuses, in airports, courthouses and many other public places were squashed,” said Patti Brigham, Coalition Co-Chair and 1st Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Florida.
Coalition leaders vow to be back next session to continue fighting for common-sense gun legislation.
“We will never give up fighting for the safety of our citizens and against laws that would eventually lead to certain death of innocent people,” Brigham said.
The Coalition was created by the LWVF after the Pulse Nightclub massacre to promote smart gun legislation. It helped set the course for bills filed in January by state Sen. Linda Stewart D-Orlando and Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando that would restrict the sale and transfer of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines in Florida.
Likewise, they applaud legislation filed by Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale, and Rep. Bruce Antone, D-Orlando, to close the private seller loophole at gun shows, which would have required all firearm sales be conducted by a licensed dealer.
“While these bills did not pass, we’re grateful to these great legislators for helping to educate their colleagues and the public on the dangers we face if we don’t take action,” said Angie Gallo, Education Chair of the Florida PTA.
The Coalition is also grateful to Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, who had the courage to publicly stand up against bad gun bills proposed by Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, and others, effectively dashing any hope they had of passing.
“We have amazing partners working with us,” said Brigham, “and we’re thankful for all of their hard work, including the Interfaith Council of Central Florida and the National Council of Jewish Women.”
Andy Pelosi, Executive Director of The Campaign To Keep Guns Off Campus and co-chair of the Coalition, echoed Brigham’s vow to keep fighting, and stated, “Change is slowly coming to Florida, as we have worked successfully to beat back most of the regressive gun legislation over the past two years and have charted a course to save lives by gaining introduction of a ban on assault weapons and legislation for universal background checks.”
Hannah Willard, Public Policy Director for Equality Florida, said her organization is committed to honoring the victims and survivors of the Pulse massacre that left 49 people dead. “We want to take action to make the world a safer place for us all,” she said. “We’re proud of the progress this Coalition has made to provide a common sense counter-narrative to the gun lobby.”
“We’re delighted that proposals for the carrying of firearms on college campuses, in airports, courthouses and many other public places were squashed,” said Patti Brigham, Coalition Co-Chair and 1st Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Florida.
Coalition leaders vow to be back next session to continue fighting for common-sense gun legislation.
“We will never give up fighting for the safety of our citizens and against laws that would eventually lead to certain death of innocent people,” Brigham said.
The Coalition was created by the LWVF after the Pulse Nightclub massacre to promote smart gun legislation. It helped set the course for bills filed in January by state Sen. Linda Stewart D-Orlando and Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando that would restrict the sale and transfer of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines in Florida.
Likewise, they applaud legislation filed by Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale, and Rep. Bruce Antone, D-Orlando, to close the private seller loophole at gun shows, which would have required all firearm sales be conducted by a licensed dealer.
“While these bills did not pass, we’re grateful to these great legislators for helping to educate their colleagues and the public on the dangers we face if we don’t take action,” said Angie Gallo, Education Chair of the Florida PTA.
The Coalition is also grateful to Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, who had the courage to publicly stand up against bad gun bills proposed by Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, and others, effectively dashing any hope they had of passing.
“We have amazing partners working with us,” said Brigham, “and we’re thankful for all of their hard work, including the Interfaith Council of Central Florida and the National Council of Jewish Women.”
Andy Pelosi, Executive Director of The Campaign To Keep Guns Off Campus and co-chair of the Coalition, echoed Brigham’s vow to keep fighting, and stated, “Change is slowly coming to Florida, as we have worked successfully to beat back most of the regressive gun legislation over the past two years and have charted a course to save lives by gaining introduction of a ban on assault weapons and legislation for universal background checks.”
Hannah Willard, Public Policy Director for Equality Florida, said her organization is committed to honoring the victims and survivors of the Pulse massacre that left 49 people dead. “We want to take action to make the world a safer place for us all,” she said. “We’re proud of the progress this Coalition has made to provide a common sense counter-narrative to the gun lobby.”
The Coalition has grown to include more than 125 local, state and national organizations and includes such diverse groups as the Peace and Justice Institute, United Church of Christ in Florida, Quakers of Orlando, and Moms Rising.
Secretary Detzner Announces Winners of 2017 Florida History Day State Contest
Outstanding students and teachers from across
the state recognized and presented with awards
Secretary of State Ken Detzner and the Museum of Florida History are pleased to announce the winners of the annual Florida History Day (FHD) state competition, formerly known as Florida History Fair, held in Tallahassee on May 7–9. More than 60,000 students from around Florida participated in Florida History Day this year and the top entries from each county competed at the state contest. At the event, outstanding history teachers from across the state were also recognized and presented with awards.
“The students and teachers who participated in this year’s Florida History Day are a shining example of the talent and creativity in Florida schools,” said Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “I’d like to recognize all of the students who devoted time and energy to their projects and I want to congratulate the award winners who will represent Florida in the National History Day competition. I also applaud the teachers who were honored with awards this year for inspiring students and cultivating their interest in history.”
Students gather at the annual Florida History Day. Additional pictures
from the event can be found on the Florida History Day’s Facebook page here.
More than 1,140 middle and high school students competed in the FHD state competition. Students presented award-winning research in a variety of mediums including documentaries, exhibits, papers, performances and websites. The top two placements in each category are invited to represent Florida at the National History Day contest on June 11-15 in College Park, Maryland.
Below is a full list of student and teacher award winners.
Junior Historical Paper
1st Place Zachary Juan
Fred Korematsu’s War Against Injustice
Williams Middle Magnet School (Hillsborough)
2nd Place Victor Xie
Taking a Stand to Defend the Skies: The Flying Tigers of World War II
Thurgood Marshall Fundamental (Pinellas)
3rd Place Albert Zhang
Rachel Carson: Standing Up for Nature
James Weldon Johnson College Prepartory Middle School (Duval)
Senior Historical Paper
1st Place Wenjie Gong
Alice Seeley Harris: Confronting the Depredation of European Imperialism
Seminole High School (Seminole)
2nd Place Courtney Dantzler
Arnold Schoenberg: A Musical Bogeyman?
Stanton College Preparatory (Duval)
3rd Place Elena Lopez- Belio
Galileo’s Stand Against the Catholic Church
American Heritage School Of Boca/Delray (Palm Beach)
Junior Individual Documentary
1st Place Jonathan Bogen
Mikhail Gorbachev: The Evolution of a Revolutionary
American Heritage School Of Boca/Delray (Palm Beach)
2nd Place Joshua Hoffman
Stand and Deliver
American Heritage School (Broward)
3rd Place Nanako Kondo
Taking a Stand: Chuine Sugihara, the Man Who Saved 6,000 Lives
The Weiss School (Palm Beach)
Junior Group Documentary
1st Place Jack Lohse, Mack Alfele
Taking a Stand in the Sand: The Fort Lauderdale Beach Wade-Ins
Beachside Montessori Village (Broward)
2nd Place Myles Fisher, Hayato Shiomitsu
Tiananmen Square: The Moment that Defined Modern China
Fort Clarke Middle School (Alachua)
3rd Place Yash Vardhan, Rohan Cherivirala, Divij Lankalapalli
William Wilberforce: Exposing the Horrors of Slavery
Sanford Middle School (Seminole)
Senior Individual Documentary
1st Place Malavika Kannan
Chico Mendes: Martyr for the Amazon
Seminole High School (Seminole)
2nd Place Carmen Dosev
Bulgaria’s Choice
Pensacola Catholic High School (Escambia)
3rd Place Matias Civita
Taking a Stand in History: The Kent State Incident
Spanish River Community High School (Palm Beach)
Senior Group Documentary
1st Place Catherine Lee, Beverly Maddux, Nicole Leary
Thomas Nast: Seriously Funny
St. Petersburg High School (Pinellas)
2nd Place Jennifer Hanapole, Rumaisa Khalid, Veronica Lara
Giving Life to Choice
Spanish River Community High School (Palm Beach)
3rd Place Emma Hanley, Quinn Holden-Schrock
Smokey Hollow: the Community Without a Voice
James Rickards High School (Leon)
Junior Individual Performance
1st Place Max Mateer
Two Goats on a Bridge and a Torpedo Underneath
Gulf Breeze Middle School (Santa Rosa)
2nd Place Nina Giraldo
Aung San Suu Kyi—Standing for Democracy
Sarasota Middle School (Sarasota)
3rd Place Asher Moss
Elie Wiesel: Standing Against Genocidal Indifference
The Weiss School (Palm Beach)
Junior Group Performance
1st Place Trinaty Barber, Corinne McCormick, Emily Garnica
Margaret Hughes: Opening the Curtains to Women’s Rights in Theatre
Dunedin Highland Middle School (Pinellas)
2nd Place Annika Fuller, Hadassah Ebdora, Talya White
The Pullman Strike: An Impetus to Change
John Hopkins Middle School (Pinellas)
3rd Place Alexa Ruiz, Synnvove Mikkelsen
Betty Friedan and the Feminine Mystique
American Heritage School (Broward)
Senior Individual Performance
1st Place A. Tris Weeks
Edelweiss Pirates: The German Teens that Fought for Freedom
Pensacola Catholic High School (Escambia)
2nd Place Kiara Thompson
Toussaint L’Ouverture and the Haitian Revolution
Leon High School (Leon)
3rd Place Walker Willis
Toussaint L’Ouverture and the Haitian Revolution
Shorecrest Preparatory School (Pinellas)
Senior Group Performance
1st Place Madeline Jean-Marie, Victoria Pereira,
Natalia Vargas, Jasmine Jean-Marie
Taking a Step into History: South African Gumboot
Weeki Wachee High School (Hernando)
2nd Place Julia Arciola, Linsey Smith
Sophie Scholl
The North Broward Preparatory Schools (Broward)
3rd Place Grace Hallam, Abigal Stolp
Deaf President Now: How One Week Changed the Deaf World Forever
Lawton Chiles High School (Leon)
Junior Individual Exhibit
1st Place Grace Mims
Rachel Carson: Standing for the Environment
Gulf Breeze Middle School (Santa Rosa)
2nd Place Maya Moise
Service not Servitude
American Heritage School (Broward)
3rd Place Colin Stroble
The Global Stand Against Polio
Sarasota Middle School (Sarasota)
Junior Group Exhibit
1st Place Corrine Sypek, Manuela Herrera
Rosie the Riveter
American Heritage School Of Boca/Delray (Palm Beach)
2nd Place Joy Chi, Jeni Chi
Grace Abbott: The Voice of the Children and Immigrants
Deerlake Middle School (Leon)
3rd Place Chloe Cate, Amara Schoppmann
Stonewall Riots
J. H. Workman Middle School (Escambia)
Senior Individual Exhibit
1st Place Mallory Bramel
Mass Graves for the Misbehaved: Taking A Stand against the Injustice of the Incorrigibles
Milton High (Santa Rosa)
2nd Place John Jutras
Floridians Take a Bite: Dr. Porter Leads Florida in the War against Mosquitoes
Pensacola Catholic High School (Escambia)
3rd Place Spencer Bredoff
A World Without War: Draft Dodgers, Conscientious Objectors, and Protesters Speak for Peace
American Academy Of Boca/Delray (Palm Beach)
Senior Group Exhibit
1st Place Creed King, Kate Powell
“Law Not War”: Benjamin Ferencz’s Lifelong Stand for Peace through Justice
Leon High School (Leon)
2nd Place Daniela Hazan, Ekabouna (Kiki) Joseph
Watergate Scandal
American Heritage School (Broward)
3rd Place Kyra Riggins, Belicia Torres
Leningrad: Standing Up When the City is Falling Down
Frank W. Springstead High School (Hernando)
Junior Individual Website
1st Place Akash Bhat
Aneurin Bevan and the National Health Service
Fairview Middle School (Leon)
2nd Place Gabriel Lerner-Sperow
From Dixie To D.C.: John Lewis’s Long March to Rights
Okaloosa STEMM Center (Okaloosa)
3rd Place Paige Sondgeroth
Susan B. Anthony: Taking a Stand for Women’s Suffrage
Holy Nativity Episcopal School (Bay)
Junior Group Website
1st Place Kaitlyn Haslam, Kathryn Froehlich, Alondra Curet, Justin Barber
Ignaz Semmelweis – Taking a Stand to Save Lives
Osceola County School For The Arts (Osceola)
2nd Place Erin Collier, Sara Machado
The Women’s War
Community Christian School (Leon)
3rd Place Ginger Koehler, Hannah Spencer
Martin Luther: Sparking a Religous Reformation
Fort Clarke Middle School (Alachua)
Senior Individual Website
1st Place Joey Jung
Taking a Stand: Korea During the March First Movement
Lincoln High School (Leon)
2nd Place Alaa Osman
Tearing Away the Red Cloth of Communism: Chinese Students Taking a Stand Against Maoism During the 1980s
Ridgeview High School (Clay)
3rd Place Cassandra Colaco
The Descent into Madness
King High School (Hillsborough)
Senior Group Website
1st Place Kyle Nguyen, Sophia Chen
The Revolutionary Reforms of Jacob A. Riis: Bringing Light to America’s Dark Half
Palm Harbor University High (Pinellas)
2nd Place Alvin Nguyen, Dylan Palmer, Amadeus Reif
The Baltic Resistance: Taking a Stand Against Soviet Occupation
Frank W. Springstead High School (Hernando)
3rd Place Nicholas Skoufis, Mehul Kapur, Sami Humeda
The Haitian Revolution: A Stand Against Imperialism
Pensacola High School (Escambia)
Teacher Award Winners
Teacher of Merit Award Winner: Deanne Reynolds, Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School– West Campus (Broward)
Mayflower Outstanding Teacher Award: Alissa Kester, Mandarin High School (Duval)
Student Scholarship Winners
Mayflower Legacy Scholarship Award Winners
Senior Division
Zoe Zimmerman, Manatee School for the Arts (Manatee)
Junior Division
Andrew Arndt, Aidan Hogan and Aabhas Jain, Dunedin Highland Middle School (Pinellas)
National Maritime Historical Society Scholarship Award Winners
Senior Division
Zac Brown, Classical Preparatory School (Pasco)
Junior Division
Katelyn Turney-Rudisill, Bay Haven Charter Middle School (Bay)
Special Prize Award Winners
African American Heritage Award: William An, Frank W. Springstead High School (Hernando)
American Colonial Heritage Award: Andrew Arndt, Aidan Hogan and Aabhas Jain, Dunedin Highland Middle School (Pinellas)
American History Innovation Award: Zoe Zimmerman, Manatee School for the Arts (Manatee)
Best Use of Primary Sources Award, Junior Division: Sophia Cicerchia and Hannah Snyder, The Weiss School (Palm Beach)
Best Use of Primary Sources Award, Senior Division: Camille Luong, St. Petersburg High School (Pinellas)
Celebrate Freedom Award: Tyler Roy, Berkley Accelerated Middle School (Polk)
Economic Freedom Award: Hailey Ward, Gulf Breeze Middle School (Santa Rosa)
Florida Heritage Award: Thuytran Bui Vo, Port St. Lucie High School (St. Lucie)
Florida Historic Preservation Award: Maria Caballero, Natalee Escobar and Alyssa Hernandez, Pembroke Pines Charter Middle West (Broward)
Frederick Cubberly Florida History Award: Katie Mann, Lawton Chiles High School (Leon)
Hispanic Heritage Award: Alex Franco, Dunedin Highland Middle School (Pinellas)
Holocaust Education Award: Deepika Kannan, Sanford Middle School (Seminole)
Legal Heritage Award: Lorraine Angelakos, Pompano Beach High School (Broward)
Mapping History Award: Jesse Ann Barbee, Malechi Eve Sable and Zoe Thornton, Martha B. King Middle School (Manatee)
Military Heritage Award: Parker Beverly, Pensacola High School (Escambia)
Native American Heritage Award: Meredith McGee, Ernest Ward Middle School (Escambia)
Science Heritage Award: Anisha Abraham, Dunedin Highland Middle School (Pinellas)
Space Heritage Award: Logan Beatty and Manoj Kambara, Land O’Lakes High School (Pasco)
Sports Heritage Award: Lin Ai Liao, Cornerstone Learning Community (Leon)
Women’s Heritage Award: Graybill Partington, Episcopal Day School Christ Church (Escambia)
World War II Heritage Award: Grace Stanley, Brown Barge Middle School (Escambia)
For more information about Florida History Day, please visit the Florida History Day website here.
About Florida History Day
Florida History Day, formerly known as Florida History Fair, is part of National History Day (NHD). NHD was established in 1974 to promote history in the classroom by offering students the means and encouragement to research people, ideas, and events of the past. The 2016–17 theme is “Taking A Stand In History.” After analyzing and interpreting the information they have gathered, students express their findings in a paper, exhibit, performance, documentary, or website. More than 60,000 students participated in the 2016–2017 Florida History Day. For more information, visit floridahistoryday.com.
ICYMI: WESH-2 Orlando: “Florida Vault Holds More Than $1 Billion in Unclaimed Property”
“Florida Vault Holds More Than $1 Billion in Unclaimed Property”
WESH-2 News Orlando
Story by Stewart Moore
May 9, 2017
Click HERE to read the full story.
Thousands of people around Central Florida have unclaimed property locked away inside a state of Florida vault.
Some of the property may be of monetary value, and some could be more valuable than money.
…
The unclaimed property comes mostly from dormant accounts in financial institutions, insurance and utility companies, securities and trust holdings. The tangible material usually comes from abandoned safe deposit boxes.
While unclaimed money is deposited into the state school fund, there is no statute of limitations and Florida residents can claim their property at any time and at no cost.
…
Click HERE to search for unclaimed property in your name.
Senate votes to keep limits on dangerous methane pollution
Today, 51 senators voted against an attempt to reverse an Obama-era regulation that tightens limits on methane emissions from oil and gas development on public lands.
“We’re thankful for Senator Bill Nelson for for voting today to stand up for our health, the environment and good science,” said Jennifer Rubiello, Environment Florida state director. “We’re disappointed to see Senator Rubio once again side with the interests of polluters rather than the health of Floridians.”
Environment America’s DC office director Anna Aurilio said the following:
“Our families and the planet we leave to future generations is a bit safer today thanks to the 51 senators who voted to keep in place limits on dangerous methane pollution.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, 86 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20 year period when it comes to creating global warming. Thanks to the Obama Administration rule that will now stay on the books, oil and gas operations on public lands will need to clean up methane leaks.
The vote today is a good indicator that strong public support for our air and water and public lands can in fact win the day.”
Senate votes to keep limits on dangerous methane pollution.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, 86 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 20 year period when it comes to creating global warming. Thanks to the Obama Administration rule that will now stay on the books, oil and gas operations on public lands will need to clean up methane leaks.
The vote today is a good indicator that strong public support for our air and water and public lands can in fact win the day.”
Teacher of the Year Finalist Receives $5,000 From Macy's and DOE
PINELLAS MATH & AVID TEACHER NAMED TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALIST AND
RECEIVES $5,000 FROM MACY’S AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION!
Macy’s partners with the Florida Department of Education for a surprise announcement
to name one of the five finalists to compete for the 2018 Florida Teacher of the Year
Like any other school day, Ms. Ko and her students were focused on their lessons for the day. She had no idea that today was different and that she was about to receive the surprise of a lifetime! From a group of 73 teachers, Vanessa Ko from Palm Harbor Middle School in Pinellas County was chosen as one of five finalists to compete for the 2018 Macy’s/Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year Award!
For the past 29 years, Macy’s, along with the Florida Department of Education, has honored the most exceptional educators in Florida who make magic in and out of their classrooms every day. The Teacher of the Year program recognizes and honors the contributions of outstanding classroom teachers who have demonstrated a superior capacity to inspire a love of learning in students of all backgrounds and abilities.
At 9:45 a.m., Florida Department of Education Commissioner Pam Stewart, along with Leigh Ott, Macy’s district vice president, were on hand to make the big surprise announcement. The sixth and eighth grade math and AVID teacher was instructing her class when the Commissioner made the surprise visit and told her that she had been chosen as one of five finalists for the prestigious honor.
“Vanessa Ko is a great teacher who challenges and inspires her students to believe and achieve a better tomorrow. Macy’s congratulates Ms. Ko for her commitment to help her students reach their full potential,” said Dennis Witte, Macy’s executive vice president and regional director of stores.
Upon receiving the good news, Vanessa Ko was presented with a $5,000 check from the Florida Department of Education and Macy’s, and a $500 Macy’s gift card. A $1,000 check, funded by Macy’s, was presented to Palm Harbor Middle School.
“Teachers are some of THE most important people in our children’s lives,” continued Witte. “To be a teacher is to be a mentor, a friend, a coach and a constant in the lives of their students. Teachers are life changers and this is what happens each day in Ms. Ko’s classroom. Throughout Macy’s sponsorship of this program, we continue to be humbled and proud to support the best educators in the Florida.”
“It is a pleasure to highlight Vanessa Ko for her dedicated time and service to Florida’s students,” said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. “Ms. Ko has set out to change the way students think about math by creating an energetic and creative learning environment in which students are given opportunities to build confidence in their abilities. Congratulations to Ms. Ko for being selected as a finalist for 2018 Teacher of the Year!”
The winner of the 2018 Macy’s/Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year award will be announced during a ceremony on Thursday, July 13, 2017. The event will be held at Orlando’s Hard Rock Live at Universal Studios CityWalk.
In addition to a $5,000 award funded by Macy’s and the Department of Education, the Teacher of the Year will receive awards from Macy’s including an all-expense paid trip for four to New York City to attend the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The winner will also serve for one year as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education, touring the state to spread the word about educational opportunities and challenges in the Sunshine State. To date, Macy’s has contributed $3 million to teachers throughout the state.
This year’s five finalists were chosen from more than 195,744 public school teachers throughout the state by a Department of Education-appointed selection committee representing teachers, principals, parents and the business community. Each finalist is selected on the basis of outstanding ability to teach and communicate knowledge of the subject taught, professional development, philosophy of teaching, and outstanding school and community service.
About Macy’s
Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc., delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at approximately 730 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as to customers in the United States and more than 100 international destinations through its leading online store at macys.com. Via its stores, e-commerce site, mobile and social platforms, Macy’s offers distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic events as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and celebrity appearances. Macy’s flagship stores — including Herald Square in New York City, Union Square in San Francisco, State Street in Chicago, Dadeland in Miami and South Coast Plaza in southern California — are known internationally and leading destinations for visitors. Building on a more than 150-year tradition, and with the collective support of customers and employees, Macy’s helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities giving more than $69 million each year to help make a difference in the lives of our customers.
For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.
Capital Regional Medical Center Receives Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.― Capital Regional Medical Center has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.
To receive the Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, hospitals must achieve 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines-Stroke achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month periods and achieve 75 percent or higher compliance with five of eight Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Quality measures.
These quality measures are designed to help hospital teams provide the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. They focus on appropriate use of guideline-based care for stroke patients, including aggressive use of medications such as clot-busting and anti-clotting drugs, blood thinners and cholesterol-reducing drugs, preventive action for deep vein thrombosis and smoking cessation counseling.
“The care our patients receive at Capital Regional Medical Center is our number one priority,” said Ann Smith, Chief Nursing Officer. “That’s why we’re proud to be among the hospitals recently recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for our excellence in implementing the Get With The Guidelines program.”
Florida on Verge of Building Code Policy Improvements
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee passed Senate Bills 1372 and 1312 by Senator Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, both of which which would improve Florida’s ability to strengthen its building code. The Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) made the following statement:
“Florida is on the verge of a common-sense solution that keeps our state the gold standard for building code safety,” said Jeremy Stewart, president of FHBA. “This policy allows Florida to amend its own already strong, existing state code, rather than starting from scratch with out-of-state code driven by special interests. It means improvements to safety, understanding, compliance, and enforcement of our state’s relevant codes.
“We want to thank Senators Perry and Lee for their leadership on this issue. On behalf of the builders and contractors working with families every day and making commitments to safe structures, we’re grateful for the progress made today, and we look forward to this policy reaching the Governor’s desk.”
Background:
Florida upholds the strongest building codes in the nation to help prevent the tragic loss of life the state saw in Andrew’s aftermath.
Currently, Florida is required to take up a new edition of its building code “rule book” every three years via the ICC (International Code Council). It takes a year to fully digest all the code changes, requiring marketing planning and building strategy changes. Once those are confirmed, the state moves to an entirely new code. It is difficult for contractors and inspectors to keep up. The vast majority of these changes have little to do with building integrity.
The policy passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee today would flip the presumption that Florida must start from scratch every three years, and would allow Florida to simply amend / add onto its own already strong, existing state code.
Inefficient code practice is also costly to homeowners. Keeping up with rapidly changing codes, often unnecessary and added by special interests, trickles down to home buyers. For every $1,000 increase in the price of a new affordable home in Florida, the number of households priced out of the market ranges from 21,037 to 22,974 households.
With this policy change, some ICC codes would not be in the Florida code, but nothing that would sacrifice safety. What would be axed are things that are unnecessary and only in there for special interest reasons.
For more information, visit http://fhba.com/.
FLORIDA TAXWATCH STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF HB 7109
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro released the following statement on the HB 7109, which passed the House earlier today –
“Florida TaxWatch commends the Florida House for their commitment to Florida taxpayers. Their tax package is a win for the state and will reduce the tax burden on Floridians, allowing them to make their own decisions on how their hard-earned money is spent.
“The package addresses numerous TaxWatch recommendations, including reducing the onerous business rent tax, which is the only statewide sales tax on commercial leases in the nation. HB 7109 reduces the business rent tax by 1.5 percent for two years. After that, the rate is reduced permanently by 0.5 percent.
“Florida TaxWatch research has found that this onerous tax impedes small businesses and startups from reaching their potential by imposing additional costs upon them, restricting opportunities for growth and forcing companies to cut back on hiring. The House’s tax package would boost our state’s economy and encourage hiring of new employees.
“The package also establishes 3 sales tax holidays – Back to School (ten days), disaster preparedness (nine days) and veterans (one day) – the benefits of which have been highlighted in Florida TaxWatch research.
“Florida TaxWatch hopes that the Senate passes a similar comprehensive tax package that addresses the burdensome business rent tax and finally provides some relief to Florida taxpayers.”
2nd Infantry Regiment U.S. Colored Troops' 2017 Season of Emancipation
Saturday, May 13
5th Annual “Walk Through Living History Festival Parade and Day in the Park,” on Saturday, May 13, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Speed Spencer Stephens Park, 1907 Saxon St., Tallahassee
The day will kick-off with a parade at 9 a.m. featuring JROTC groups from throughout the city. The parade begins at the corner of Perry and Floral streets, and ends at Saxon Street. Activities in the park range from games and activities for children to stage presentations. The main feature of the park will be living history demonstrations depicting civilian and military life prior to, during and after the Civil War. Attendees will be able to travel back in time and visit Civil War campsites, chat with Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Black Seminole Indians and Buffalo Soldiers. It’s a fun way to celebrate American soldiers and their families and learn as well. Area vendors will also showcase their wares.
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Friday, May 19
7th Annual Emancipation and Abolitionist Ball, on Friday, May 19, 7-11 p.m., Goodwood Museum, 1600 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee
The ball culminates the citywide commemoration of May 20,1865, the day that slaves received the news in Florida that slavery had been abolished. In honor of the 152nd anniversary of the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in Tallahassee. Attendees are encouraged to wear Civil War period attire and they will enjoy old-fashioned, Civil War era cuisine for dinner. Among the highlights of the ball is the presentation of the Althemese Barnes Outstanding Service Award for extraordinary service in the preservation and promotion of African American History. This year’s recipient is the Ahmed Temple #37 Shriners organization.
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Saturday, May 20
Wreath-laying Ceremony and salute to fallen U.S.C.T. soldiers, on Saturday, May 20, from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Old City Cemetery, Martin Luther King St., Tallahassee.
Historical Reenactment and Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, on Saturday, May 20, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Knott House Museum, 301 East Park Ave., Tallahassee.
Contact for all events: Jarvis Rosier at 850-509-0295
