Florida News Straight From the Source
Posted on
Tomorrow, March 23, Governor Rick Scott will host a Fighting for Florida Jobs Roundtable with business owners, economic development leaders, tourism leaders, and community members to discuss the local economic impact of VISIT FLORIDA and Enterprise Florida.
WHAT: Fighting for Florida Jobs Roundtable
WHEN: 9:00 AM
WHERE: Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe
1842 Patterson Ave
DeLand, FL 32724
NOTE: Parking is available in row of spaces directly in front of building and empty lot next door.
Posted on
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement today announced an arrest in connection to a cargo theft ring that stole semi-trucks and trailers with various cargo from areas in Georgia and Florida. The stolen property included beer, energy drinks, refrigerators and power tools, totaling more than a million dollars in losses.
“Members of this multistate theft ring are charged with stealing more than a million dollars’ worth of cargo, and then illegally selling the property,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Thanks to the great collaboration between my Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, stolen goods have been recovered and those responsible will be held accountable.”
“Our investigation uncovered a massive cargo theft ring operating in multiple states,” said FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen. “I’m pleased with the work of our agents in dismantling this theft ring and recovering over a million dollars’ worth of stolen items.”
Authorities today arrested William Shepard Ellison, 70, owner of Shep’s Chicken and Auction House and Shep’s Discount Store. According to the investigation, three defendants stole semi-trucks, trailers and cargo and transported the property to Ellison’s two Jacksonville businesses. Ellison then allegedly offered the stolen property for sale. Authorities served search warrants for both businesses and Ellison’s home that resulted in the seizure of thousands of stolen items.
Two additional defendants involved with this operation are in custody and one defendant is still at large. Pedro Fernandez Hernandez, 47, is currently in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections; Lewis Dominguez, 33, is currently in federal custody on unrelated charges; and Juan Carlos Castaneda Quintana, 45, of Broward County, remains at large.
The defendants face a range of charges including racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering and grand theft. The Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will prosecute this case. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated the case.
Posted on
Guest View: Visit Florida puts Pandhandle gems on map
Pensacola News-Journal
Op-ed: Commissioner Adam Putnam
March 22, 2017
…
Last year, more than 112 million visitors came to Florida and spent $109 billion during their time in the Sunshine State. These dollars are spent at hotels, restaurants and attractions, among other Florida businesses, where more than 1.4 million Floridians are employed. This record was, in part, achieved by the reputation of our white, sandy beaches, family-friendly attractions and warm hospitality. But many of Florida’s destinations would have remained unknown without the advertising and promotions by the state’s tourism agency, Visit Florida, under the focused leadership of Governor Rick Scott.
Visit Florida has helped put the gems of Northwest Florida on the radar of curious tourists looking for lesser known places to explore and enjoy while recharging their batteries during their annual vacation. Places like the Perdido River Paddling Trail and Pensacola Beach Boardwalk don’t always come to mind when families are brainstorming where to go. These destinations are highlighted as go-to places by Visit Florida’s promotions, along with many other special, yet lesser known parts of Florida.
….
Northwest Florida has been dealt a number of blows in recent years. Tourism took a dive during the Great Recession, and then the BP oil spill threatened to damage the natural beauty this area is so well known for. But, recently, the courts directed BP to contribute $300 million toward economic development in Northwest Florida and another $1.4 billion more over the next 14 years.
…
Tourism, agriculture and the military have long-anchored the Northwest Florida economy. We shouldn’t stop promoting the Emerald Coast – and just assume families will continue to come. We need to toot our own horn loudly and proudly about what Florida has to offer.
…
Adam Putnam is Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture.
Posted on
New material has been posted to the Supreme Court website in:
Posted on
WHAT: The televisions debut of the documentary “Camp Blanding: Florida’s Hidden Gem From the Beginning”
WHEN: 8 p.m., Thursday, Mar. 23 2017.
WHERE: WJCT Channel 7-1 / Comcast Channels 8 or 440
This short documentary gives viewers a modern day high tempo view of the current training and capabilities of this little known post. It also provides a rustic historical telling of how the post came into being, its ties to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, the Empire State Building, and German POW’s.
Some of the people who appear in the movie worked at Camp Blanding as teenagers, trained there before entering World War Two, were held as German POW’s, and one woman who was born there, tells the story of her father who worked in the post hospital as a doctor.
The original movie was written, directed and produced by Mr. A.J. Artley. The extended version to air on local television was co-produced by Mr. Artley and WJCT Producer, Mr. Carlos Bouvier.
Contributors: Col. Matt Johnson, Commander, Camp Blanding Joint Training Center
Mr. Greg Parsons, Historian, Camp Blanding Museum
Doctor George Cressman, Historian, Camp Blanding Museum
Posted on
Posted on
The education community lost one of its brightest stars with the passing yesterday of Deputy Chancellor of Educator Quality Dr. Brian Dassler. Please see below for the remarks Commissioner Stewart made today during the State Board of Education meeting:
Yesterday was one of the saddest days of both my professional career and my life. I am heartbroken over the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Brian Dassler. He joined the Florida Department of Education in 2013 and brought with him an unrivaled passion for students, educators and the field of education as a whole.
It is only fitting that he was scheduled to be recognized during this meeting for having volunteered 50 hours as mentor between July 1st and December 31st 2016. For Brian, it wasn’t enough that he spent countless hours encouraging students and providing professional development to educators in his official capacity. In his free time, he also mentored a student at Godby High School here in Tallahassee.
Brian was one of a kind. He was always the first to highlight the positive in any situation, and through his inherent goodness and relentless drive, he inspired others to go the extra mile and believe they too could make a difference.
For evidence of that fact, look no further than the position Brian held before becoming Deputy Chancellor – founding principal of a charter high school in New Orleans and the chief academic officer of the arts conservatory for the state of Louisiana. He went to New Orleans Post-Katrina – at a time when lifelong residents weren’t even sure they would ever return.
That was Brian.
He fiercely believed in the city and its people, and more than anything, he could not turn his back on a group of students and educators who had already been dealt one of the worst hands our nation has ever witnessed.
It comes as no surprise that the school and its students succeeded. And, in typical Brian fashion, he maintained the relationships he had built during that time and he returned regularly to celebrate in the achievements of his former students and colleagues who had seamlessly become friends.
Brian was always destined for greatness. Even in his first job, as a high school English teacher in Broward County, his impact was significant. He was one of the founding teachers of the Urban Teacher Academy Program and he was recognized as the county’s teacher of the year.
I believe he was able to achieve so much in his short 38 years because he never lost his desire to learn. Brian earned bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees from the University of Florida where he has twice been named an outstanding young alumnus.
We are truly heartbroken. His loss will be deeply felt throughout the nation, and he will never be forgotten.
Posted on
A University of Central Florida engineer who is recognized worldwide as a leader in power electronics and whose work led to the creation of the first compact single-solar photovoltaic panel has been named as a 2017 inductee to the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame.
Issa Batarseh, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the Florida Solar Energy Center’s Energy System Integration Division, was selected because of the depth of his research and his propensity for transferring the knowledge to the market through his two successful startup companies.
“Dr. Batarseh’s work is reflective of UCF’s emphasis on collaboration to bring discoveries and inventions from the lab to the marketplace,” said Elizabeth Klonoff, vice president for research and dean of the College of Graduate Studies. “There is no higher honor than having your peers recognize your contributions to making significant change in the world. We join Dr. Batarseh’s peers in applauding his exemplary work.”
Eight inductees from across the state were named Wednesday and will be honored at the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame’s fourth annual induction ceremony and gala Sept. 8 at the Hilton Tampa Downtown.
“This recognition is only possible because of the excellent research and development done by my students over the years” Batarseh said. “I owe my success to the success of my research team and the support we continue to receive from the Office of Research and Commercialization at UCF.”
Nominees, who must have at least one U.S. patent and a connection to Florida, were nominated through an open nomination process and elected by a selection committee comprising distinguished leaders in research and innovation throughout Florida.
Batarseh, who has been at UCF since 1991, holds 28 U.S. patents for technologies focused on the development of advanced systems for solar energy conversion to improve cost, power density, efficiency and performance.
He is the co-founder of Petra Solar (now Petra Systems), formed in 2006 by licensing Batarseh’s technology to distribute and control solar power from panels and feed it directly into the grid. Shortly after formation, the company received $14 million in venture capital funding for product development and global market expansion. The company established its research and development activities in the Central Florida Research Park and hired UCF graduates, many trained by Batarseh. In 2011, Petra System raised an additional $40 million in venture funding. One of the company’s successes was supplying New Jersey with more than 200,000 utility pole-mounted solar units.
Batarseh and his students also co-founded the Advanced Power Electronic Corporation, also located in the Central Florida Research Park. The company, which completed the UCF Business Incubation Program, is still run by UCF’s graduates. The company specializes in solar energy conversion and integration technologies and is a leading designer of solar chargers for military applications.
Because Batarseh is recognized as a leader in the industry, a publisher is working with him to develop an all-interactive, electrical engineering e-book that will be used to train the next generation of students.
Batarseh is the third UCF researcher to be named to the hall of fame. Shin-Tson Wu, a professor of optics, was inducted into the inaugural class in 2014, and M.J. Soileau, professor emeritus of optics, was named last year.
“The accomplishments of this year’s inductees have been recognized by national and international organizations with many other honors and awards,” said Paul R. Sanberg, chair of the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame advisory board, senior vice president for research, innovation and economic development at the University of South Florida, and a 2015 inductee. “We are honored to be inducting them into the hall of fame.”
The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame was recognized by the Florida Senate in 2014 with a resolution sponsored by Sen. Jeff Brandes that commended the hall “for its commitment to honoring inventors and celebrating innovation, discovery and excellence.” The hall of fame is at the University of South Florida in Tampa and supported, in part, by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.
More information is at www.FloridaInvents.org or contact [email protected].
The Florida Inventors Hall of Fame recognizes and commends Florida inventors whose achievements have advanced the quality of life for Floridians, the state and the nation. Founded in 2013 and housed in the University of South Florida Research Park in Tampa, the hall was recognized by Florida Senate Resolution 1756 in April 2014. The hall of fame encourages individuals of all ages and backgrounds to strive toward the betterment of Florida and society through continuous, groundbreaking innovation, and by commending the incredible scientific work being accomplished in the state, to further the growth of Florida’s innovation sector. FloridaInvents.org
Posted on
“The Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce applauds the passage of House Bill 81 today in the Commerce Committee. Representatives demonstrated their support for this pro-business, common sense bill and we are pleased the legislation will be heard on the House floor this session. With the companion bill, SB 106, being voted on by the full Senate tomorrow, Florida is one step closer to joining 30 other states in providing all retailers with a level playing field and the tools to compete in today’s modern society. As advocates for our state’s hardworking Hispanic business owners, we are proud to stand with the Floridians for Fair Business Practices coalition and encourage legislators to fully repeal the antiquated Alcohol Separation Law.”
Floridians for Fair Business Practices is a coalition of retailers and business groups whose purpose is to identify rules and regulations, which prohibit the growth and expansion of Florida businesses. For additional information, please visit www.FairBizinFlorida.com.
Posted on
Hundreds of Floridians gathered together in the state capitol today to urge elected officials to pass a fracking ban, commit to increasing renewable energy sources, and protect our waterways.
The diverse group, including elected officials, members of ReThink Energy Florida, Food & Water Watch, Sierra Club, Environment Florida, Floridians Against Fracking, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Organize Florida, Florida Conservation Voters, and others cited over 900 health studies for why fracking has no place in the Sunshine State.
“Banning fracking in Florida is one of the best things we can do to protect our treasured waterways, public health, and economy,” said State Senator Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater). “I stand with the 90 cities and counties in Florida that have passed ordinances or resolutions calling on us, the State Legislature, to pass this important legislation.”
Nationwide opposition to hydraulic fracturing has escalated dramatically over the past year as public awareness of its impacts grows.
“The time has finally come to end this dangerous practice,” said State Senator Gary Farmer (D-Ft. Lauderdale). “This bill represents the now bipartisan recognition that Florida’s unique geological makeup leaves our water supply particularly vulnerable and must be protected.”
The gathering follows introduction of a bicameral, bipartisan fracking ban bill in the Florida Legislature with widespread support. Senator Dana Young (R-Tampa), present at the event, introduced the bill into the Senate. Representative Mike Miller (R-Orlando) introduced the House ban bill on the same day. Both ban bills have received overwhelming bipartisan support, garnering dozens of cosponsors from around the state.
Students from Cornerstone Learning Community in Tallahassee attended in support of the legislation as well.
“We, as the future generation, understand how important it is to protect our water, animals, and environment from the dangers of fracking,” said Claire Encinosa, a 5th grader speaking on behalf of her class at the Cornerstone Learning Community.“Fracking will not just pollute our world but also make us sick, cause birth defects, and even cancer. We want the Florida Legislature to ban fracking for the future.”
Advocates also called for strong, common-sense implementation of Amendment 4, the pro-solar initiative 73% of voters passed last August, which makes it easier for businesses to implement solar energy.
“With the overwhelming support of Amendment 4, the doors are wide open for solar power in the Sunshine State,” said Clifford Mitchem, Independent Energy Adviser for CREW, a member-owned solar cooperative. “It’s now up to our legislators to help us walk through the door.”
After this year’s toxic algae outbreaks, just as many are calling for the preservation and protection of our precious water resources.
“Business as usual will drain our aquifers and poison what’s left,” said Burt Eno, president of Rainbow River Conservation. “We must balance our water permits with monitoring to ensure users don’t take too much water, and we need to better manage fertilizer, industrial, and stormwater runoff to avoid polluting our waters.”
Following the rally, constituents will meet with their elected officials in support of SB 442/HB 451 “Advanced Well Stimulation Treatment,” SB 90/HB 1411 “Renewable Energy Source Devices,” and SB 1700 “Water Management;” and in opposition to HB 17/1158/751/1378 “Home Rule Preemption,” and SB 1238/HB 1043 “Utility Investments in Gas Reserves.” One additional bill, HB 1351 “Renewable Energy Source Devices,” requires amending because it contains language outside of what Floridians voted on in 2016.
“Floridians continue to call on their elected officials to pass legislation banning fracking, promoting renewable energy, and protecting our vital clean water supplies,” said Kim Ross, president of ReThink Energy Florida. “From the Keys, to Tampa, Jacksonville, and Gainesville — hundreds of Floridians are here to inspire our leaders to reclaim Florida’s future, environment, and health.”
Environment Florida is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization working for a cleaner, greener, healthier future.
Floridians Against Fracking is a coalition of over 55 environmental, health and social justice groups supporting a ban on fracking in Florida.
Copyright © 2021
Terms & Conditions