Governor Rick Scott announced today the appointment of Sara Gaver to the Florida Rehabilitation Council.
Gaver, 23, of Jacksonville, is a current member of the Florida Independent Living Council and former Ms. Wheelchair Florida 2015. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Florida. Gaver fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning April 7, 2017, and ending June 30, 2018.
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Flagler students take a stand against sexual assault and ‘take back the night’
Flagler College’s ‘Take Back the Night’ group
Nearly 150 Flagler College students clutching candles and posters while chanting “People Unite Take Back the Night” marched against sexual assault Thursday night, as part of the school’s third annual “Take Back the Night” event. Held on campuses throughout the world, the event raises awareness of and calls for an end to sexual violence of all forms.
“Sexual assault happens whether people believe it or not,” said Colleen Turkiewicz, student chairperson for the event. “By coming, people are increasing their awareness for sexual assault and standing up against it. Take Back the Night is where everyone can come together and stand up for themselves and say that they will no longer be victims, but survivors.”
Turkiewicz was one of the many Flagler students participating in the night’s events, from writing inspirational letters to other survivors and handing out teal beads for all attendees to wear, to painting students’ handprints on a board to take an empowering stand against sexual assault. The college’s counseling center and the local domestic violence support organization Betty Griffin House were also available for support.
“Take Back the Night symbolizes a commitment to end sexual assault,” Betty Griffin volunteer Katelin Maloney told the crowd in the college’s Virginia Room. “Everyone needs to be involved in this prevalent issue. But this night, this full room gives me hope that young people on campuses can be safe. Just remember you survived, and that makes you a survivor.”
A “Special Victims” unit detective from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office noted ways in which people can prevent sexual assault from happening, including being aware of one’s surroundings, paying attention to others, and monitoring one’s social media accounts. After the event’s guests spoke, the students and staff members shared their flames from candle-to-candle in a ceremony to create a supportive community as they “took back the night.”
Students then headed to the streets — specifically down King Street, to Cordova and Valencia Streets and back around to Sevilla Street — chanting “No means no!” and “Yes means yes!”
“We want students to take away empowerment and a call to action after this event,” said Michelle Holland, event facilitator and director of Residence Life. “It is an event to raise awareness, and at the same time we want those who attend to think about what they can do to make our campus safer for everyone.”
According to the non-profit organization Take Back the Night, the foundation serves to create safe communities and respectful relationships through awareness events and initiatives. They seek to end sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse and all other forms of sexual violence. One in three women and one in six men worldwide experience some form of sexual violence. Less than 50 percent of victims report these crimes.
To end the night, students gathered outside the school’s Ringhaver Student Center to sing Kari Kimmel’s “Where You Belong,” and to blow out their candles as one. Flagler’s “Take Back the Night” was co-sponsored by the Career Development Center, Residence Life, Alpha Delta Kappa, Campus Activities Board, Flagler Softball, Flagler Dance Club and Glee Club.
Bob Cortes Statement on Passing of Frank Attkisson
State Representative Bob Cortes made the following statement today regarding the death of former State Representative and Osceola County Commissioner Frank Attkisson:
“Frank Attkisson was a great public servant whom I deeply respect. His loss is a tragedy not just for his family but for all of us in this community who benefitted from his hard work and leadership over his long career.”
About Bob Cortes for State Representative
Bob was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2014. Previously, he served as mayor of Longwood and on the Longwood City Commission beginning in November 2009. In 2012, he was re-elected to a second term. He is a member of the Seminole County Community Traffic Safety Team and a graduate of the Florida League of Cities Institute for Elected Municipal Officials. He is a member of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO). With this organization, Bob has participated in several institutes, including the Newly Elected Leadership Institute, the Redistricting Institute, and the Fiscal Policy Institute hosted by NALEO and the Kellogg School of Business. Bob grew up in New York and Puerto Rico and moved to Central Florida in 1989. He founded Cortes Towing Service, a successful small business now in operation for over two decades. In 2011, he started another venture, Cortrans Shuttle Service, a transportation provider that serves Orlando Sanford International Airport, Orlando International Airport, the Port Canaveral Cruise Terminal, and area attractions. He was recently named one of the 25 Most Influential Hispanics by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando. He and his wife, Virginia, are members of St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Altamonte Springs. They are blessed with three grandchildren.
ON THE WEB: www.bobcortes.com
Paid by Bob Cortes, Republican, for State Representative
Jacksonville Civic Council urges City Council approval of Mayor’s pension proposals
The Jacksonville Civic Council today urged the Jacksonville City Council to approve Mayor Lenny Curry’s collective bargaining agreements, presented to the City Council yesterday afternoon as an important step toward comprehensive pension reform.
“Mayor Curry’s defined contribution plan is a crucial step toward addressing Jacksonville’s enormous unfunded pension liability,” said JCC Chairman Ed Burr, “and we urge our City Council members to support it. The Mayor’s plan will unlock the sales tax revenue approved by a wide margin by voters last August and provide both immediate and long-term benefits to new employees, including portability and greater control of their retirement assets.”
“Mayor Curry’s defined contribution plan is a crucial step toward addressing Jacksonville’s enormous unfunded pension liability,” said JCC Chairman Ed Burr, “and we urge our City Council members to support it. The Mayor’s plan will unlock the sales tax revenue approved by a wide margin by voters last August and provide both immediate and long-term benefits to new employees, including portability and greater control of their retirement assets.”
“Since our initial engagement with this issue,” Burr continued, “the Civic Council has consistently advocated for a solution that addresses the city’s unmanageable pension deficit while providing fair and competitive compensation to our valued first responders. Mayor Curry’s pension reform proposals meet those conditions and we congratulate the Mayor and his team and ask City Council members to support the proposals and put our city on the road to financial sustainability at last.”
Burr went on, “we believe that the long-term shift to a defined contribution plan with a dedicated source of revenue to pay down the city’s rapidly-growing unfunded pension liability is the best option and it is no exaggeration to say that this burgeoning debt is the greatest threat to our community’s future.”
JCC’s mission is to promote a fiscally responsible, economically vibrant, thriving community that offers opportunity for all its residents.
Students secure competitive internships with National Science Foundation program
Three Flagler College students have earned coveted internships at major research institutions this summer, thanks to National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. Coastal Environmental Science majors Cody Burns, Madeline Musante and Alexis Morris will be heading to Oregon and Virginia for their highly-competitive research experiences.
“This is the pinnacle of all internships,” said Dr. Terri Seron, chair of the Natural Sciences Department.
The REU program funds opportunities for undergraduates, who work in research programs of the host institution. Students are associated with a specific research project, where they work closely with the faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel.
Burns will be traveling to Old Dominion University, where he will investigate the impacts of climate change on urban communities. Musante will be interning at the Hatfield Marine Science Center at Oregon State University, where she will work on a collaborative project between the Lab and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to study the early development of rockfish off the coast of the state. Morris will also travel to Oregon State, where she will study the effects of anthropogenic activities on marine communities found in underwater sediments.
Musante was thrilled to learn she secured an internship: “It’s the perfect fit for me because it builds on the knowledge and experience I have gained at Flagler,” she said.
Flagler alumni Kyle Jennette was awarded the prestigious internship in 2010, and Kassi Ferguson and Daphne Pariser in 2012; all students have since entered doctoral programs. Jennette is working on his doctorate at the University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Ferguson at Florida State University and Pariser at New York University.
“This demonstrates how important undergraduate research here at Flagler really is, and how much work and time our Science faculty and students are putting in outside of regular classes,” Seron said. “I am so proud of the way research has grown here at Flagler.”
Gov. Scott: Judge Gorsuch will uphold the law as newest justice
Governor Rick Scott released the below statement regarding the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch as Supreme Court Justice.
Governor Scott said, “I am glad the Senate has confirmed Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Gorsuch has dedicated his entire career to upholding the law, instead of creating the law. I believe he is the absolute best choice to proudly carry on the legacy of Justice Antonin Scalia and I applaud President Trump for this great pick. As a member of the Supreme Court, Judge Gorsuch will help shape the lives of American families across our country and I have no doubt that he will serve in this impactful role with unmatched honor and integrity.”
Dennis Baxley statement on the death of Frank Attkisson
State Senator Dennis Baxley made the following statement today regarding the death of former State Representative and Osceola County Commissioner Frank Attkisson:
“Frank Attkisson was a great leader, a great Floridian, and a great man, and I am deeply saddened by his death. It was an honor to serve with him in the Florida Legislature. His commitment to public service with the highest standards of integrity should serve as an example to all of us.”
ON THE WEB: www.dennisbaxley.com
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Dennis Baxley, Republican for State Senate District 12
Florida Why Courts Matter Coalition statement on Gorsuch confirmation
Statement from Progress Florida Executive Director Mark Ferrulo on behalf of the Florida Why Courts Matter Coalition:
“Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation has made history for all the wrong reasons.
“This is the first time in our nation’s history that a President whose campaign and administration are under investigation by the FBI has filled a Supreme Court seat.
“It’s also the first time the Senate changed their own rules to confirm a Supreme Court nominee who couldn’t garner enough bipartisan support.
“Sen. Marco Rubio has failed Floridians by refusing to act as a check and balance on President Trump’s power. Rubio and his GOP colleagues destroyed more than 200 years of Senate rules and tradition. The result is that now we have a new Supreme Court Justice who is completely out of step with the mainstream American values of equality, fairness, religious freedom and personal privacy.
AHCA announces continued improvements in access to health care services for children
The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) announced today that Florida’s Medicaid program showed significant improvement in a key national report on quality and access for children. The report showed continued improvement in children’s access to services for the second year in a row, with Florida once again showing gains in every single metric in the report. The 2016 Form 416 data reported to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a nationally recognized quality and access measure in the Medicaid program, and includes a yearly report that tracks the number of children who received preventive screening and dental services. The Agency saw improvements in children receiving blood lead screenings and the usage of dental and other oral health services, and Florida’s dental scores have improved every year since 2011.
Agency Secretary Justin M. Senior said, “The Agency has worked to improve quality and access simultaneously, and the increase in usage of Medicaid services by eligible children is a testament to the hard work that our Agency has done. Preventive services are vital for keeping Florida’s children healthy, and I am excited that we are delivering necessary health care to more eligible children than ever. Our managed care system is working as it was intended to, and we will continue to work to ensure that all Medicaid recipients have access to quality health care.”
During this reporting period, 36 percent of eligible children enrolled for 90 continuous days received a preventive dental service, such as dental cleanings and fluoride varnish, as calculated using the Child Core Set P-Dent measure. This is an increase of 3 percentage points from last year and 17 percentage points from the federal fiscal year 2012 report. In addition, this year 156,291 children received a sealant on a permanent molar, an increase of more than 16,550 children (12 percent) compared to last year. Over the reporting period, 38 percent of eligible enrollees accessed dental services provided by a dentist, an increase of 3 percentage points, and more than 41 percent of eligible enrollees accessed some form of oral health care through Medicaid. These dental scores are the highest in the history of the program. In addition, the ratio for eligible enrollees receiving an initial or periodic screening increased from 0.57 to 0.59. The Agency also achieved a 5.4 percent increase in children who were tested for lead in their blood.
States are required by CMS to inform all Medicaid-eligible individuals under the age of 21 of the availability of Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) services, provide or arrange for the provision of screening services, arrange for necessary corrective treatment and annually report EPSDT performance information via Form CMS-416. For more information on the Agency’s Medicaid program, visit the Medicaid website at: http://ahca.myflorida.com/Medicaid/index.shtml
Statement from Jim Kallinger on death of Frank Attkisson
Florida Faith and Freedom Coalition President Jim Kallinger made the following statement today regarding the death of Frank Attkisson, former State Representative and Osceola County Commissioner:
“We mourn the tragic loss of Frank Attkisson along with every other Floridian that had the pleasure of knowing and working with him. In every capacity he held, he was fully committed to working hard and delivering results for the constituents he was elected to serve. His leadership and integrity will be missed.”
About Florida Faith and Freedom Coalition
The Florida Faith and Freedom Coalition is committed to educating, equipping, and mobilizing people of faith and like-minded individuals to be effective citizens. Together, the Coalition influences public policy and enacts legislation that strengthens families, promotes time-honored values, protects the dignity of life and marriage, lowers the tax burden on small business and families, and requires government to tighten its belt and live within its means.
ON THE WEB: www.ffcflorida.com
