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Daytona State OTA students to help mature drivers find ‘perfect fit’

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Seniors invited to take part, improve car comfort and safety

Students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Daytona State College will put their training into practice by participating in the March 8 CarFit®  event – a unique program that offers older adults the opportunity to check how their personal cars “fit” them.2.8.2017 carfit
Created in 2005 by the American Society on Aging and developed in collaboration with AAA (American Automobile Association), AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association, the CarFit® check takes approximately 20 minutes to complete and is designed to help older drivers find out how well they currently fit their personal vehicle. The program identifies actions drivers can take to improve their fit, and to promote conversations about driver safety and community mobility.
WHAT: CarFit®
WHEN: Wednesday, March 8, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
WHERE: Florida Lutheran Retirement Center-Good Samaritan Society, 450 N. McDonald Ave., DeLand
“Students will lead older drivers through a 12-point checklist with their vehicle,” said OTA Academic Clinical Coordinator Shirish Lala. “It’s a great opportunity for our students to work in the community, and each assessment concludes with recommendations for car adjustments and adaptations that could make the individual’s cars fit better or enhance their safety.”
According to the CarFit® website – car-fit.org – older drivers are often the safest drivers in that they are more likely to wear their seatbelts and less likely to speed or drink and drive. However, older drivers are more likely to be killed or seriously injured when a crash occurs due to the greater fragility of their aging bodies. Driver safety programs improve adult driver safety by addressing cognitive abilities and skills; however, older drivers can also improve their safety by ensuring their cars are properly adjusted for them. A proper fit can greatly increase not only the driver’s safety but also the safety of others.
Register online for the free CarFit® event, visit car-fit.org/carfit/ViewEvent/6241/. For more information, call (386) 506-3850.

The Negron-Bradley Plan Will Hurt North Florida

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SB 10 will jeopardize more state conservation dollars by sending them to South Florida

TThe Florida Senate Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation met today and passed SB 10, a proposal sponsored by Senator Rob Bradley and on behalf of Senate President Joe Negron that aims to spend billions of state dollars to buy farm land in South Florida to build a reservoir.

Former Congressman Steve Southerland, the Chairman of Stand Up North Florida, released the following statement after today’s meeting:

“Today’s committee meeting made clear that the interests of North and Central Florida are being ignored. There is no way that the Negron-Bradley Plan outlined in SB 10 does not negatively impact North and Central Florida, as it sets up for billions of dollars to be spent in South Florida on a single project while leaving North and Central Florida’s taxpayers holding the bag. 

Being from North Florida, Senator Bradley should have first hand knowledge of the needs we have for important restoration of our lakes, rivers, springs and beaches that will be hampered by sending even more of our limited conservation funds South.

The fact is South Florida received more than 94 percent of the Land Acquisition Trust Funds that were allocated for water projects last year. South Florida is already receiving the lions share of these conservation funds, and the Negron-Bradley Plan will send even more of these funds South, further putting important restoration projects in the rest of the state in jeopardy.” 

Stand Up North Florida is a grassroots coalition of Floridians from North and Central Florida that believe the vital water resources of our region must be protected. Water plays an important role for our region – directly impacting economics through tourism, agriculture and fishing, while directly impacting our daily life and survival. With more than 70 percent of Florida’s river water sheds and nearly all of the state’s springs, North and Central Florida impact statewide water issues as well and provide nearly all of the recharge to the Floridan Aquifer, the state’s largest drinking water source.

In 2014, Florida voters passed Amendment 1, creating the Land Acquisition Trust Fund and a dedicated pot of funds for conservation projects for 20 years. In order to protect the waters of North and Central Florida, these and other dollars should be equitably shared across the state, rather than having a majority of funds dedicated to one region or area.

 

DEO Explains Economic Incentives' Return on Investment for Florida Taxpayers

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The Florida House of Representatives today used data maintained by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) that was unfortunately used to inaccurately describe the result of the state’s economic incentive programs. DEO would like to take this opportunity to accurately explain the data and how the incentive programs work to create valuable Florida jobs while aggressively protecting taxpayer dollars.
DEO Director Cissy Proctor said, “Before Governor Scott came into office, state incentives were often awarded before stringent requirements were met. However, under Governor Scott, Florida companies receive economic incentives after these requirements are met, including proven job growth and wage requirements. Only contractual commitments that are met are paid. This ensures a return on investment for Florida families.”
CLAIM
64.3 percent of the economic incentives listed below were unsuccessful because:

  • They only completed a portion of their requirements for which they were paid and can receive no more payments (inactive) 14.2%
  • They never received any payments though a contract was executed and are ineligible for future payments (terminated) 36.9%
  • The contract was never signed (vacated) 11.9%
  • The application was withdrawn 1.2%

FACT
It is inaccurate to say that all inactive, terminated, vacated and withdrawn projects are not successful. While inactive projects met some performance measures, businesses were only rewarded for the jobs they created. This means the program is working. Only contractual commitments that are met are paid.
For example, if a company moves to Florida and commits to creating 100 jobs over five years but ultimately only creates 75 jobs over four years, the company only receives payments for the 75 jobs created; not for the full 100. Are those 75 jobs a failure? No. Are the 75 Floridians who found a new opportunity to provide for their family or achieve their dreams evidence of a failed project? No.
Job creation should never be viewed as a failure. This process shows the reforms that Governor Scott put in place are working to protect taxpayer dollars while encouraging job growth.
Furthermore, terminated, vacated and withdrawn projects NEVER received taxpayer funds. This shows that the Governor’s strict accountability measures are working to safeguard taxpayer dollars. This is part of the due diligence process that was reformed under Governor Scott’s leadership.
CLAIM
Less than 10% of approved incentives were completed having met all its contractual obligations with the state.
FACT
Many state incentive projects resulted in the creation of new jobs, capital investment, or higher wages in companies across the state. These job creation deals are multi-year projects with multiple different types and sizes of businesses across various industries. A multitude of factors can result in a company changing its business model, which is why Governor Scott’s reforms included strict performance-based contracts for each year of the agreements. In the years that the companies meet their contract goals, jobs are created for Florida families and investments are made in Florida communities. These new opportunities and investments are a success for the state. Again, if jobs are not created, no taxpayer dollars are spent.
CLAIM
A trend worth noting for many of the incentive programs is the common practice of either providing a one or more year extension for the various businesses receiving incentives to meet performance criteria with no award penalty, or simply amending contracts to change performance criteria.
FACT
When companies enter into agreements with the State of Florida, they are projecting performance up to a decade in advance. When initiating their projects, companies may experience delays related to local permitting, construction, renovation, federal contracts, and relocating their business. While some extensions may be provided after a thorough and strict review process, state money is not given out until full job creation, wages and capital investment from the contract are made.
CLAIM
6 out of 10 approved incentives do not result in successful projects
FACT
While inactive projects met some performance measures, they were only paid for the investments that were made. Furthermore, job creation is never a failure. Terminated, vacated and withdrawn projects NEVER received taxpayer funds.
CLAIM
3 (“Active”) of the remaining 4 that could potentially be successful could still end in a status of “Termination” or “Inactive”
FACT
All incentive projects are held accountable for the life of the project and taxpayer dollars are not spent until strict performance measures are met.
CLAIM
12% of approved incentives never execute a contract with the state
FACT
In these cases, companies seeking incentives meet with the state to discuss their business growth plans. During the due diligence process that was reformed under Gov. Scott’s leadership, the state works with the company regarding the strict requirements of the incentive program. At this point, a company may decide not to pursue an agreement. Again, in this case, no taxpayer money is ever spent. This shows that the program is working.
CLAIM
Since 1994 a total of 186 (9.6%) of approved incentives have resulted in a project that completed its contract with the state.
FACT
While inactive projects met some performance measures, they were only paid for the investments that were made. Furthermore, job creation is never a failure. Terminated, vacated and withdrawn projects NEVER received taxpayer funds.
CLAIM
No statistics are currently available for the 9.6% to determine how many, if any, were sanctioned during contract performance for failure to meet their full performance requirements.
FACT
All performance-based contracts have sanctions and clawbacks in the event that a company is unable to meet a requirement. This is part of the reforms of the incentive process done by Governor Scott, and the state will continue to aggressively pursue efforts to hold companies accountable in order to safeguard taxpayers’ dollars.

About DEO
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity combines the state’s economic, workforce and community development efforts. This new approach helps expedite economic development projects to fuel job creation in competitive communities. For more information, including valuable resources for employers and job seekers, please visit www.floridajobs.org.

Gov. Rick Scott to Highlight Transportation Investments in the "Fighting for Florida’s Future" Budget

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Tomorrow, February 8th, Governor Rick Scott will highlight transportation investments in his 2017-2018 “Fighting for Florida’s Future” budget.
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: 8:30 AM
WHERE: PortMiami
Front of the PortMiami Administration Building
1015 N. America Way
Miami, FL 33132

Senate Committee Advances Plan to Protect Coastal Counties from Polluted Discharges

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Legislation Would Reduce Harmful Discharges from
Lake Okeechobee, Increase Southern Water Storage

The Senate Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation today passed Senate Bill 10, Water Resources, by Senator Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island). The legislation, a priority of Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart) authorizes bonding a portion of proceeds from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund, set aside by the voter-approved Water and Land Conservation Amendment (Amendment 1, 2014), to purchase land and construct a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to reduce harmful discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries.
“I am pleased to see this legislation earn the support of my Senate colleagues today,” said Senator Bradley. “I appreciate the input provided by many stakeholders during today’s committee meeting, and I look forward to continuing that important dialogue as the bill moves through the legislative process.”
“This legislation provides a solution to the plague of harmful, polluted discharges and toxic blue-green algae that respects both the interests of the agricultural community and the rights of private land owners,” said President Negron. “After twenty years of talking about southern storage, the time to act is now. This legislation will make an important difference in the quality of life for people in my community and many others across our state. I am very grateful to my fellow Senators for their support.”
Senate Bill 10 authorizes the issuance of bonds to raise over a billion dollars to acquire 60,000 acres of land and build a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to reduce harmful discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. The reservoir is expected to hold 120 billion gallons of water, approximately as much water as was discharged from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie Estuary between January and May of 2016.  The creation of significant storage capacity south of the Lake will help manage Lake levels in anticipation of periods of high rainfall like this year’s predicted El Nino weather pattern.  Storing water during the wet season provides the additional benefit of allowing water to be sent south to hydrate the Everglades and Florida Bay, or for agricultural use, during the dry season.
The estimated cost of a reservoir on 60,000 acres of land, providing 120 billion gallons of storage in the area south of Lake Okeechobee, is roughly $2.4 billion. With the federal government paying at least half of the cost of such a reservoir, the state’s commitment would be $1.2 billion. The bill authorizes the use of approximately $100 million of documentary stamp tax revenue set aside by the Water and Land Conversation Amendment (Amendment 1, 2014) annually over the next 20 years to finance land acquisition and construction of the reservoir.
The bill directs the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to begin the formal process of purchasing land from willing sellers. The project is subject to Congressional approval to secure the 50/50 cost sharing agreement authorized for other Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects.
If the SFWMD is unable to identify sellers of land appropriate for a reservoir through an open solicitation by the end of CY 2017, the legislation authorizes the Board of Trustees to exercise the option with U.S. Sugar entered into in 2010 to buy 153,000 acres of land in the Everglades Agricultural Area, for the purpose of securing the 60,000 acres necessary for the reservoir and to begin the planning the construction of the reservoir.
If the state is ultimately unable to purchase land for the reservoir by November 30, 2018, the legislation increases the ongoing Legacy Florida appropriation by an additional $50 million for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, which includes a reservoir in the Everglades Agricultural Area as a key component. This is in addition to Legacy Florida’s existing commitment of $200 million. Legacy Florida also requires preference among these projects to be given to projects that reduce the harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee Estuaries.
Background:
Record rainfall this past year resulted in unseasonably high water levels in Lake Okeechobee, which threatened the integrity of the Herbert Hoover Dike. To maintain safe water levels, the Army Corps of Engineers authorized the release of billions of gallons of water from the Lake to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers. Such freshwater discharges cause significant environmental damage by lowering the salinity levels of the estuaries and introducing pollutants into coastal waters. Due to the discharges this summer, massive amounts of toxic algae that originated in Lake Okeechobee were sent to the estuaries and coastal waterways.
As a result of the high volume discharges, coastal communities experienced enormous harmful algal blooms with devastating impacts not only to the ecology of local waterways, but also to residents, fishermen, and local businesses. The extent and severity of the blooms resulted in Governor Scott declaring a state of emergency in four Florida counties.

Attorney General Bondi Shuts Down Scam Debt Relief Operations

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Attorney General Pam Bondi today announced federal court approval of proposed consent judgments against several Florida-based debt relief service providers. The consent judgments, filed jointly in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida by the Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Trade Commission, resolve allegations that the defendant debt relief companies targeted individuals deeply in debt with promises of lower credit card payments and substantial savings and collected upfront fees for the promised services, but never delivered on those services or provided refunds. As a result, consumers fell even deeper into debt.
“Debt relief scams target people trying to pay their bills and get out of debt and these types of scams impede their efforts—leaving victims, trying to do the right thing, owing more than when they asked for help,” said Attorney General Bondi. “We will continue to do everything in our power to identify and eliminate these scams to better protect Floridians.”
As part of the scam, the defendant debt relief service providers allegedly worked with payment processors to create more than two dozen shell merchants to process credit card payments for the scam operation. The defendants allegedly created these fake businesses to act as fronts and launder the illegal transactions, ultimately taking more than $12 million from consumers.
The defendant debt relief service providers subject to the consent judgments include Steven D. Short and his wife, Karissa L. Dyar, E.M. Systems & Services LLC, Administrative Management & Design LLC, Empirical Data Group Technologies, LLC, Epiphany Management Systems, LLC and KLS Industries, LLC, doing business as Satisfied Service Solutions, LLC. To view the order granting approval of the consent judgments with the debt relief service providers, click here.
The payment processors included in the court’s orders are CardReady LLC and its executives, Brandon A. Becker, James F. Berland and Andrew S. Padnick. To view the orders approving the consent judgment with CardReady and it executives, click here and here.
Additionally, a telemarketing company, One Easy Solution LLC and its principals, Christopher Miles, Jason Gagnon, Matthew Thomas and Kenneth Sallies are permanently banned from all telemarketing activities. To view the orders approving the consent judgment with One Easy and its principals, click here, font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;”> here, font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;”> here and here.
The court orders require a payment of more than $4 million and the relinquishment of property as follows:

  • Card Ready, LLC, Brandon A. Becker and James F. Berland must pay $1.8 million;
  • Matthew Thomas must pay $10,000 and turn over various pieces of jewelry;
  • Steven D. Short and Karissa L. Dyar must turnover money held in numerous bank accounts;
  • Andrew Padnick must pay almost $6,000;
  • Christopher Miles must pay $6,600 and transfer certain bank accounts;
  • Jason Gagnon must transfer a vehicle; and
  • Kenneth Sallies must pay more than $2.5 million.

Under the federal consent orders, the debt relief service providers are permanently banned from conducting outbound telemarketing and selling or advertising any debt relief product or service. Additionally, the payment processors are permanently banned from the payment processing industry.

FDLE Agents arrest Tampa man on 100 counts of child pornography

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Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested 22-year-old Nathanael Reyes, of 7607 Southern Brook Bend, Apartment 202, Tampa, on 100 counts of possession of child pornography.
FDLE Agents began investigating Reyes after receiving a tip. A search warrant revealed an online account with several videos that appeared to be child pornography. Further investigation revealed as many as 100 images and videos of child pornography, with many of the victims younger than 5 years old.
Reyes was transported to the Hillsborough County Jail for booking on a $1 million bond. The Office of the State Attorney, 13th Circuit, will prosecute.

ICYMI: Gov. Scott fights for Florida jobs despite House of Representatives job killing legislation

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Governor Rick Scott met with reporters earlier today to discuss the importance of funding jobs and tourism following news that the Florida House of Representatives has decided to push legislation to undo economic development funding in Florida and defund the state’s tourism agency.
Below is a transcript of a portion of the Governor’s remarks – To watch the full video of the Governor’s remarks, click HERE to watch on the Florida Channel.
Governor Rick Scott said, “Now I go into my next Legislative Session and I watch the Florida House- they don’t care about people’s jobs. These are individuals who haven’t experienced what I went through as a child; have never been in business; don’t know the difficulty of building a business; must not think about the importance of business or jobs; are not thinking about their constituents…They are individuals who have never been in business and they want to lecture me. I’ve taken the risk of starting businesses. I’ve gone through the struggles of building a  business. I watched my parents struggle. And now I have people that want to lecture me that have never done anything like this.
“When the House wants to stop Enterprise Florida, they’re hurting our poorest communities, they’re hurting our rural communities. When they want to say that we don’t need to do anymore marketing for VISIT FLORIDA, what they are saying is we don’t need any more jobs in tourism. Now let’s think of what’s happened. In business, what you learn is you have to get a return on investment. Otherwise there will be no shareholders who give you money, there will be no bondholders who give you money, you won’t be able to stay in business. So when I came in…I said, we’re going to get a return. I’m not going to put the money out unless we get a return…And we’ve gotten a much better return than anybody’s going to get in their bank account.
“On top of that, look at what we’ve done with VISIT FLORIDA. We have increased the number of our expenditure and what have we seen? We have seen unbelievable number of new jobs and new tourists. The state had stagnated around 80 million tourists- 82 million tourists a year before I got elected. This year, we’ll have over 110 million tourists. Even after going through all the issues we had last year- whether it’s Zika or the hurricanes or other issues. We’re seeing tourism grow. So these are two groups that have gotten very good return for all of our taxpayers.
“But the most important thing- they’ve given people the opportunity for a job. A job creates hope, a job creates opportunity for your family. I know the importance of that. That’s what my parents struggled with. Now…we are seeing people that just want to run for higher office that are not concerned about what happens to other people. They just think it’s a nice soundbite. That doesn’t help anybody in their community, it doesn’t help anybody in our state.”