Governor Rick Scott announced today that Best Home Services, an air conditioning, electrical and plumbing company headquartered in Naples, has created 145 jobs with plans to create an additional 80 jobs this year.
Governor Scott said, “In Florida, we understand how important companies like Best Home Services are to creating new opportunities for our families. It is great to see so many people pursuing the American Dream in Southwest Florida thanks to the job they have with this great company. Just like Florida, Best Home Services is a true melting pot and has employees from nine countries, including Cuba, Puerto Rico and Mexico. I look forward to seeing Best Homes Services’ continued success right here in Florida.”
Keegan and Chadd Hodges, owners of Best Home Services said, “We are incredibly honored to be recognized by Governor Rick Scott and the State of Florida. Our family owned company is proud to be a leading home service provider in Southwest Florida. We are excited to grow our company even more in the next year and are truly blessed to have such a great team to help us achieve that goal.”
Best Home Services is a family owned and operated air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, and drains company headquartered in Naples. It has been voted one of the best in customer service in southwest Florida by several publications, including Angie’s List. Best Home Services also gives back to the community by investing in charitable organizations, including Habitat for Humanity and the Special Olympics.
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FDLE investigation uncovers real estate scheme, leads to charge
An investigation led by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the Clearwater Police Department, has identified Kervin Moreno as the perpetrator of an involved real estate scheme to defraud.
Moreno was arrested Friday in Wayne County, MI, and will face a charge of Organized Scheme to Defraud.
Agents found from April 2012 through June 2014, Moreno placed ads on Craigslist and other websites to advertise homes for sale or rent. But he neither owned the homes nor had authority to sell them. Moreno collected down payments or deposits on eight homes throughout Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties without providing anything of value. The monetary loss to victims is estimated at nearly $50,000.00.
The victims only became aware of the scam after moving into a home and receiving foreclosure notices or visits from lender representatives.
Moreno has several aliases, including Kervin Moreno Mojica, Kervin Moreno Mujica and Kevin M. Moreno.
He will be transported from Michigan to Pasco County to face charges. The Office of Statewide Prosecution will handle the case.
Daytona State highlights Black History Month with film series
Daytona State College will commemorate Black History Month in February with a variety of activities, highlighted by a series of rare films featuring African-American filmmakers to be shown in the Southeast Museum of Photography’s Madorsky Theater on the Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd. 
First Fight. Then Fiddle. Black Identity in American Cinema 1920 -2016 showcases films from the new collection Pioneers of African-American Cinema, a series of works by black filmmakers focusing on race issues that went unaddressed by Hollywood for decades. The series will continue with new showings through mid-April.
First Fight. Then Fiddle was curated by DSC photography professor Eric Breitenbach, who noted, “These films are rare and remarkable. Very few people are aware that they even exist, and our spring series marks the first time they will be screened in the Central Florida area.”
Each film in the series will be introduced by a Daytona State faculty member, and be followed by a question-and-answer session. All films begin at 6 p.m. and are closed captioned whenever possible. Admission is free and open to the public.
The series line-up is as follows:
- Feb. 1 – 13th A documentary (100 minutes); directed by Ava DuVernay, 2016
- Feb. 15 – Screen Snapshots (1 minute); Within Our Gates (79 minutes); directed by Oscar Micheaux, 1920, silent
- Feb. 22 – Two Knights of Vaudeville (11 minutes); Ten Nights in a Bar Room (64 minutes); directed by Ray Calnek, 1926, silent
- March 1 – Rev. S.S. Jones Home Movies (16 minutes); Symbol of the Unconquered – A Story of the Ku Klux Klan (59 minutes); directed by Oscar Micheaux, 1920, silent
- March 8 – The Scar of Shame (86 minutes); directed by Frank Perugini,1929
- March 22 – Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (195 minutes); directed by Stanley Nelson
- March 29 – Selma (127 minutes); directed by Ava DuVernay, 2015
- April 5 – 4 Little Girls (102 minutes); directed by Spike Lee, 1997
- April 12 – Welcome to Pine Hill (81 minutes); directed by Keith Miller, 2012
- April 19 – Bamboozled (135 minutes); directed by Spike Lee, 2000
For more information on the films, contact Breitenbach, (386) 506-3542, or museum director James Pearson, (386) 506-3350.
In addition, the public is invited to a free Black History Day event hosted by DSC’s Co-Curricular Activities Department on Wednesday, Feb. 22, in the Student Landing on the Daytona Beach Campus from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will feature music and presentations on African-American history and culture.
Also, the college’s African-American Student Union is planning one commemorative event a week during February. Details will be posted on the college’s website, DaytonaState.edu.
Women’s March on Tallahassee coincides with national effort
Other marches take place across Florida and U.S.
While the Women’s March on Washington was happening Saturday, Floridians joined the Women’s March on Tallahassee. The grassroots effort culminated in a rally with speakers including civic leaders, women’s advocates and others at the FAMU recreation center.
“These marches in Tallahassee, in Washington and around our state and nation are sending a bold message to the new administration and Congress in Washington, to Florida Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature, and to the world – that women’s rights are human rights,” said Lillian Tamayo, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida.
The Women’s March on Tallahassee was a show of solidarity with women and families across the state for the protection of women’s rights, health and safety. The event was inclusive with all genders, races, ages, religions and sexual orientations invited to participate.
“We envision a future where each of us will be treated with dignity, respect and compassion,” said Tamayo. “In the spirit of democracy and honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice who have come before us, we stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us means defending all of us.”
“The rhetoric of the past election cycle has insulted, demonized, and threatened many of us, including immigrants, Muslims and those of diverse religious faiths, LGBT Americans, Native people, Black and Brown people, people with disabilities, and survivors of sexual assault,” said Barbara Zdravecky, President and CEO for Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. “We will not tolerate hatred, racism and sexism and we will fight for respect, dignity and justice for all,” she added.
In addition to the March on Tallahassee, Floridians gathered in solidarity for sister marches in Key West, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Naples, West Palm Beach and Miami.
Please visit www.fappa.org for more information.
FDLE arrests Santa Rosa County man for child pornography
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement today arrested Thurston Rivers, 46, of 4710 Keyser Lane in Milton, Florida, for three counts of Possession of Material Including Sexual Conduct by a Child. Also arrested at the address was David Dezman, 51, for Possession of a Firearm & Ammunition by a Convicted Felon.
FDLE special agents, with assistance from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, Gulf Breeze Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, executed a search warrant at the residence on January 20, 2017, and the investigation determined that Rivers had downloaded and uploaded child pornography images.
Rivers and Dezman were booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 1st Judicial Circuit.
Please visit the Secure Florida website to review tips for keeping your children safe online at: http://secureflorida.org/staying_safe/best_practices_for_parents/.
Okeechobee man wins top prize playing $2,000,000 FLAMINGO MULTIPLIER Scratch-Off game
The Florida Lottery announces that Sammy Samuels, 28, of Okeechobee, claimed a top prize in the $2,000,000 FLAMINGO MULTIPLIER Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee.
Samuels chose to receive his winnings in annual payments of $80,000.00 for the next 25 years. He purchased his winning ticket from Murphy USA, located at 2109 South Parrott Avenue in Okeechobee. The retailer will receive a $4,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
The $10 game, $2,000,000 FLAMINGO MULTIPLIER, offers more than $164 million in prizes and more than 6.3 million winning tickets. The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-3.46.
Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 65 percent of ticket sales and generating more than $734 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in fiscal year 2015-16.
Florida National Guard Supports 58th Presidential Inauguration
Approximately 340 Soldiers and Airmen from the Florida National Guard supported the 58th Presidential Inauguration this week in Washington, D.C.
Florida National Guardsmen led Task Force Crowd, comprised of eight states’ National Guard forces, in assisting the local and federal civilian agencies in Washington, D.C.
“We are the eyes and ears of the U.S. Park Police and civil authorities that are out there,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Edson Kline, Joint Task Force Florida/Task Force Crowd Commander and 779th Engineer Battalion Commander.
Florida Guardsmen also played a significant role in Task Force Cyber, protecting the various communications networks from cyber threats.
“Cyber security is an ever growing concern within the military services, as well as our government. Cyber warfare is a very real threat and we must be ready to meet that threat and safeguard our democracy,” said DCO Team Chief, Maj. Jennifer Hunt. “The Florida Army National Guard is honored to play a role in the Presidential Inauguration and for the opportunity to serve on the forefront of cyber defense operations for our nation.”
In total, more than 7,500 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from 44 states, three territories and the District of Columbia will serve with the specially created Joint Task Force – District of Columbia. The District of Columbia National Guard created JTF – DC in response to requests for assistance from local and federal agencies in the National Capital Region. As a whole, National Guard Soldiers and Airmen will augment the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police forces on a range of support, including traffic control, crowd management, logistics and communication.
National Guard support to presidential inaugurations dates to April 30, 1789, when local militia members (today’s National Guard) joined the U.S. Army and revolutionary war veterans to form an honor detail and escort Gen. George Washington to his inauguration ceremony in New York City from Mount Vernon, Va. Over the years, National Guard involvement has grown and is designated to honor the commander-in-chief, recognize civilian control of the military, and celebrate democracy.
Sen. Stewart, House Democratic Leader Cruz and Rep. Berman Propose Bill to Eliminate Gender Pay Gap
State Senator Linda Stewart (D-Orlando), House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz (D-Tampa) and Representative Lori Berman (D-Lantana) today filed Senate Bill 410 and House Bill 319, jointly named the Helen Gordon Davis Fair Pay Act, aimed at closing the gender pay gap in Florida.
The bills seek to close the pervasive gender pay gap by updating and clarifying Florida’s current law to ban employers from paying workers differently based on sex or gender identity. On average, women in Florida take home only 87 cents for every dollar earned by men.
“It is unconscionable that in America today women continue to be paid less for the same amount of work as men,” declared House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz. “Our nation was founded on the ideal that all of us are created equal and that ought to hold in all facets of our lives. Paying people fairly for the work they do shouldn’t depend on their gender, but rather on the quality of their work.”
Additionally, SB 410 and HB 319 delineates which reasons employers can use to pay employees differently – things like education, skill-set, and experience. By clarifying these reasons, employers can avoid costly litigation and be clear about which attributes are valued. Moreover, the bills would prohibit “mommy tracking,” ensuring that women (and men) are not forced into lower tracks of employment based on assumptions. It would bar employers from inquiring about or screening employees based on their prior salary history – a practice we know can introduce unintended discrimination into the hiring process. It would also increase civil penalties for a violation, thus motivating employers to do the right thing.
“I’m honored to be a part of this fight. Reducing an entire group of Floridians take home pay not only hurts their families, but it hurts Florida’s economy as a whole. Those groups most affected by this – the single mother; a family stricken by illness or unemployment or tragedy that relies on a female breadwinner; those Floridians whose gender identity isn’t even recognized anywhere in our state laws; they deserve policies and protections that reflect the reality of their everyday existence. That’s why we need this bill. That’s why we were elected to serve,” proclaimed Senator Linda Stewart.
Efforts to close the gender pay gap are both popular and necessary. Despite having federal legislation on the books since 1963, the gender wage gap persists. According to the The American Association of University Women (AAUW) of Florida, over a lifetime of work (47 years), the total estimated loss of earnings of women compared with men is $700,000 for a high school graduate, $1.2 million for a college graduate and $2 million for a professional school graduate.
“I am proud and honored to file this legislation along with Senator Stewart and Democratic Leader Cruz. Leader Cruz has championed this bill for 5 years and I have always supported her efforts. While I feel this legislation should be unnecessary, the reality is that in 2017 women are still not earning the same pay as men in the same position. Paying women equally is good for the economy and good for business. It is simply a no-brainer and I invite my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to write this into statute once and for all,” said Representative Lori Berman.
On Tuesday, January 24th, 2017 at 11:30am in front of the Senate Chambers, all three Members will be hosting a press conference announcing this legislation. They invite their colleagues to join them.
Renovation begins on new Alumni House at Flagler College
Computer rendering of new Alumni House
Flagler College alumni will soon have a place to call home on-campus. Anderson Cottage, located at 48 Sevilla St. and between the Proctor Library and the Crisp-Ellert Art Museum, will be transformed into a central meeting hub for local and visiting alumni.
“Flagler now has over 16,000 alumni, and it’s always an honor to have them back on campus,” said Margo Thomas, director of alumni relations. “It’s important to keep our graduates connected to their Flagler experience, and to keep them involved and invested in our current students.”
Renovation of the site began last year after the college was awarded a $500,000 state grant for preservation and improvement of the building, which will be matched by the college.
The new Alumni House will include a lounge for alumni to gather, relax and reconnect; meeting space for both campus and alumni use; office space for alumni staff; and an indoor reception space that opens onto an outdoor patio and lawn in the center of campus.
The 5,300-square-foot house was built in 1875, and in 2007 was donated to the college by Drs. Robert Ellert and JoAnn Crisp-Ellert to ensure its preservation.
Alumna and president of the Alumni Board of Directors Michelle Olson-Rogers, ’04, expressed her excitement over the college’s new addition.
“This project will bring alumni back to campus, celebrate the talented individuals who bring value to the Flagler degree through their accomplishments, and provide opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage with alumni,” she said. “Flagler has always felt like family, and now we will have a place for alumni to come home to.”
Renovation of the Alumni House is expected to be completed by the end of the year. For more information, or to support the Alumni House campaign, visit here.
I-4 Ultimate: New HD Cameras Give Live Look at I-4 Construction
Two new live high-definition I-4 Ultimate construction cameras are now available for viewing.
In January, cameras were placed at the Maitland Boulevard (State Road 414) and Interstate 4 (I-4) interchange, and at the Kirkman Road and I-4 interchange. View video streams from the new cameras at http://fdot.tips/i4camera, or by visiting the I-4 Ultimate website and clicking on “Florida 511 & Live Traffic.”
The Maitland camera, situated in the Southwest quadrant of the interchange, is tracking construction progress at the interchange and of the new pedestrian bridge, which construction is slated to begin this year.
The Kirkman camera is situated high above the International Drive area atop the SkyCoaster at Fun Spot America. It gives users a view of the interchange construction and the new Grand National Drive overpass.
The two cameras join the existing camera that monitors the State Road 408 and I-4 interchange construction in downtown Orlando.
The I-4 Ultimate project is rebuilding 21 miles of Interstate 4 (I-4) from west of Kirkman Road in Orange County to east of State Road 434 in Seminole County, adding two new dynamic tolled Express Lanes in each direction, replacing more than 140 bridges, reconfiguring 15 major interchanges and reconstructing the entire roadway. Learn more about the I-4 Ultimate project or sign up for advance construction alerts by email or text at www.i4Ultimate.com.
Questions? Please contact the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Public Information Office, 386-943-5473 / [email protected].
The FDOT urges all motorists to use caution near any road construction. Please slow down and stay alert when driving through work zones.
