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Government
PSC Customer Service Hearings Scheduled for Tampa Electric Company
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, May 24, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: (850) 413-6482
PSC Customer Service Hearings Scheduled
for Tampa Electric Company
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will hold customer service hearings on Monday, June 10; Tuesday, June 11; and Thursday, June 13, for Tampa Electric Company (TECO) customers. In April, TECO filed a petition with the PSC for a rate increase.
Service hearings allow TECO’s customers to provide public comments on its rate request and its quality of service. The Commission will consider customer input when reviewing the utility’s request.
TECO customers wanting to speak before the Commission may register by:
· using the online registration form, available on the PSC’s website under the Hot Topics;
· calling the PSC at 1-850-413-7080;
· emailing the PSC at [email protected]; or
· registering at the venue.
Virtual and in-person service hearings are scheduled for the following times and locations:
Virtual Service Hearings
Monday, June 10, 2024
6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
2:30 p.m.
In-Person Service Hearing*
Thursday, June 13, 2024
10:00 a.m.
Hillsborough Community College – Brandon Campus
10451 Nancy Watkins Drive
BADM 116/117
Tampa, Florida 33619
*Spanish Interpreter will be available.
TECO provides electric service to approximately 844,000 customers in Hillsborough and portions of Polk, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.
Customers unable to participate can watch footage of the live meeting on the PSC’s website (click “Watch Live and Archived PSC Events” on our homepage).
For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.
Follow the PSC on X and LinkedIn.
Subscribe to the Commission’s YouTube channel for Consumer Tips and PSAs.
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Florida Democrats Call Out Republican Hypocrisy on Cuba Visits
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 24, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT
What They’re Saying: Florida Democrats Call Out Republican Hypocrisy on Cuba Visits
Miami, FL — On Tuesday, Axios Miami first reported that the Transport Security Administration provided Cuban government officials a tour of Miami International Airport on May 20, a day that marks Cuban Independence Day.
According to reports, local authorities including Miami-Dade County officials and Congress were not notified of the visit, raising questions about protocols and sparking security concerns.
Florida Republicans including U.S. Senator Rick Scott and Rep. Carlos Giménez, who served mayor of Miami-Dade County from 2011 to 2020, were quick to respond with outrage claiming in a letter and recorded videos that this is the first time they have heard of the Cuban delegation visits but yesterday, the Miami-Herald reported that Cuban officials visited Miami’s airport in 2015 and 2011.
Excerpts from the Miami-Herald article are below:
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Federal authorities brought Cuban aviation officials to tour Miami International Airport in 2011 and 2015, the Transportation Security Administration confirmed Wednesday, two days after the revelation of a similar visit launched a political storm in Miami.
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Cuban groups also visited security operations at other U.S. airports under the administration of President Donald Trump. In 2018, three Cuban officials visited airports in Philadelphia; Arlington, Virginia; and Atlantic City, New Jersey, Howell said.
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Giménez was mayor in 2015 and took office in the first half of 2011. In a videotaped question-and-answer session released by a spokesperson Wednesday afternoon, Gimenez said he wasn’t notified of any Cuban officials visiting MIA while he was overseeing the airport as mayor.
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Federal authorities said the Cuba visits are part of a broader program to promote better security screening at foreign airports with direct flights to the United States.
In response, Florida Democrats called out the hypocrisy from Florida Republicans and coordinated with authorities to establish protocols and received an apology and commitment from the TSA to ensure transparency on visits in the future:
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried: “It is not the first time this has happened but the timing of the visit on Cuban Independence Day is a slap in the face to the Cuban American community in exile. While Florida Democrats are cooperating with authorities to demand answers and make sure this never happens again without full transparency, the hypocrisy from Florida Republicans is questionable. The first Cuban delegation visit to Miami airport happened when Giménez was mayor and Rick Scott was governor. Why didn’t they raise their concerns the first time? Spare us the spectacle.”
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25): “I immediately demanded an explanation from the Trump-appointed TSA director who let this unacceptable behind-the-scenes tour happen. I hope MAGA apologists bring the same energy against Putin or the other dictators they salivate over, who prop up Cuba’s despotic regime. Nobody has worked harder than President Biden and Florida Democrats to free political prisoners, assist Cuba’s democracy movement, and stand up to autocrats and their bootlicking admirers in Havana, Caracas, Moscow, and Mar-a-Lago.”
Mayor Daniella Levine Cava: “Today, I met with the Department of Homeland Security, TSA and the State Department to share our community’s deep frustration about the visit of Cuban officials to MIA. The agencies apologized and committed to changing their protocols to ensure we are informed before any other foreign delegations tour our airport.”
PSC Customer Service Hearings Scheduled for Duke Energy Florida, LLC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, May 24, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: (850) 413-6482
PSC Customer Service Hearings Scheduled for
Duke Energy Florida, LLC
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will hold customer service hearings on Tuesday, June 11; Wednesday, June 12; and Tuesday, June 18, for Duke Energy Florida, LLC (DEF) customers. In April, DEF filed a petition with the PSC for a rate increase.
Service hearings allow DEF’s customers to provide public comments on its rate request and its quality of service. The Commission will consider customer input when reviewing the utility’s request.
DEF customers wanting to speak before the Commission may register by:
· using the online registration form, available on the PSC’s website under Hot Topics;
· calling the PSC at 1-850-413-7080;
· emailing the PSC at [email protected]; or
· registering at the venue.
Hybrid (in-person/virtual) and in-person service hearings are scheduled for the following times and locations:
In-Person/Virtual
Tuesday, June 11, 2024 *
9:30 a.m.
Betty Easley Conference Center
Joseph P. Cresse Hearing Room (Room 148)
4075 Esplanade Way
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
In-Person
Wednesday, June 12, 2024
10:00 a.m.
Citrus County Auditorium
3610 S. Florida Avenue
Inverness, Florida 34450
Wednesday, June 12, 2024*
6:00 p.m.
Parks and Conservation Resources
Magnolia Room
12520 Ulmerton Road
Largo, Florida 33774
In-Person/Virtual
Tuesday, June 18, 2024*
6:00 p.m.
Betty Easley Conference Center
Joseph P. Cresse Hearing Room (Room 148)
4075 Esplanade Way
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
*Spanish language interpreter will be available.
DEF supplies electric service to approximately two million retail customers in Pinellas, Pasco, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties.
Customers unable to participate can watch footage of the live meeting on the PSC’s website (click “Watch Live and Archived PSC Events” on our homepage).
For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.
Follow the PSC on X and LinkedIn.
Subscribe to the Commission’s YouTube channel for Consumer Tips and PSAs.
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Leon County Woman Wins $1 Million Playing $5,000,000 Cashword Scratch-Off Game
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2024
CONTACT:
FLORIDA LOTTERY COMMUNICATIONS
(850) 487-7727
[email protected]
LEON COUNTY WOMAN WINS $1 MILLION PLAYING
THE $5,000,000 CASHWORD SCRATCH-OFF GAME
TALLAHASSEE – Today, the Florida Lottery (Lottery) announces that Anita Ervin, 61, of Tallahassee, claimed a $1 million prize from the $5,000,000 CASHWORD Scratch-Off game at Lottery’s Headquarters in Tallahassee. Ervin chose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $780,000.00.
Ervin purchased her winning ticket from Fair Price Food Store, located at 440 East Paul Russell Road in Tallahassee. The retailer received a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
Turn your love of words into a life-changing opportunity with the $5,000,000 CASHWORD Scratch-Off game! This $20 ticket comes packed with more than $239.6 million in total cash prizes and more than 5.4 million winning tickets! The game’s overall odds of winning are 1-in-2.91.
Scratch-Off games are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, comprising approximately 72 percent of ticket sales in fiscal year 2022-2023. Additionally, since inception, Scratch-Off games have awarded more than $61.9 billion in prizes, created 2,103 millionaires, and generated more than $18.95 billion for the state’s Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF).
ABOUT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY
The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $46 billion to enhance education and sending more than 983,000 students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Lottery reinvests 99 percent of its revenue into Florida’s economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,500 Lottery retailers, and transfers to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid more than $94.2 billion in prizes and made more than 4,000 people millionaires. For more information, please visit www.floridalottery.com.
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Play Responsibly
Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute graduates 33 from the Senior Leadership Program
Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute graduates 33 from the Senior Leadership Program
Graduates represent criminal justice agencies from across the state
For Immediate Release
May 24, 2024
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute (FCJEI) announces the graduation of the 26th Senior Leadership Program Class today at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The 33 graduates represent criminal justice agencies from across the state.
The graduates met for six weeks over a 10-month period and attended classes on topics such as Risk Management, Trust-Based Leadership, and Futures Forecasting as it relates to criminal justice.
The goal of the Senior Leadership Program is to prepare Florida’s criminal justice leadership for the challenging and changing demands of the future. Class participants studied the trends and events that will challenge criminal justice professionals and the state in the new millennium and examined the leadership skills necessary to create and lead the changes that lie ahead.
In 1990 the Florida Legislature established the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute (FCJEI) to meet the need for an innovative and multifaceted approach to educating and training criminal justice professionals. The FCJEI is housed within the FDLE and is affiliated with the State University System.
For Further Information Contact:
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001
Graduates of Class 26
Lieutenant Nelson Andreu, Jr.
Miami-Dade Police Department
Lieutenant Jorge Audino
Miami-Dade Police Department
Shift Commander LaTonya Banks
Consolidated Dispatch Agency
Lieutenant Matthew Bos
Ocala Police Department
Lieutenant Christopher Butler
Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Chad Cave
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant John Cheek
Walton County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Matthew Dallarosa
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Lieutenant Donald “DJ” Folley
Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office
Director Katherine Gomez, PhD.
Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Lieutenant William Gosch
Seminole County Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant Donald Green
Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Shawn Hankins
Escambia County Corrections
Lieutenant Jon Hepler
Fernandina Beach Police Department
Lieutenant James Horton
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Deputy Circuit Administrator Anatrisha Jackson
Florida Department of Corrections
Captain Lenita King
Florida Highway Patrol
Lieutenant Debra Knighton
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant Domenico Laurenza
Orange County Corrections Department
Lieutenant Patrick McManus
Collier County Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant Kenneth Miller
St. Petersburg Police Department
Lieutenant James Murphy
Clay County Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant Marc Musser
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
Captain Latresha President
Broward Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant William Reed
Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Chad Rewis
Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant Lester Ricks
Clay County Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant Felix Rodriguez
Marion County Sheriff’s Office
Assistant Warden William Rummel
Florida Department of Corrections
Captain Harold Schweinsberg
Florida Highway Patrol
Lieutenant Nathan Vore
Clay County Sheriff’s Office
Lieutenant Chasen Yarborough
Florida State University Police Department
Captain James Yetter
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
For Further Information Contact:
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001
Statement from President Biden on the Louisiana State Legislature Passing S.B. 276
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Florida Democrats Slam Sham Starbucks Investigation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT
FLORIDA DEMOCRATS SLAM SHAM STARBUCKS INVESTIGATION
Tallahassee, FL — Yesterday, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody joined Ron DeSantis on his takeover of Sean Hannity’s radio show to announce an investigation into Starbucks for their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. In response, the Florida Democratic Party has released the following statement:
“The Republican Party’s obsession with DEI is a sham, and so is Ashley’s investigation into Starbucks,” said FDP Chair Nikki Fried. “The vast majority of business leaders — including 95% of conservative business leaders — know that diversity initiatives are strategically important for the economic health of their company. The fact that Republicans continue to attack businesses for making their own choices proves that the era of ‘free market Republicans’ is dead and gone.
“Florida Republicans are playing a dangerous and unconstitutional game in an effort to impress Donald Trump and stir up their base. Florida Democrats believe that the government has no business interfering with the practices of private corporations, and we plan to fight back against this extreme Republican overreach at the ballot box this November.”
FDLE arrests Kissimmee man for possession of child sexual abuse material
For Immediate Release
May 22, 2024
FDLE arrests Kissimmee man for possession of child sexual abuse material
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested Alexander Tehrani-Mercedes, 18, of Kissimmee, for 10 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.
FDLE’s investigation began after the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office provided agents a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The tip reported a user that uploaded multiple files of child sexual abuse material. Upon further investigation, the associated information identified Tehrani-Mercedes to be the account holder.
On May 21, agents served a search warrant on Tehrani-Mercedes’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices. An initial forensic examination located several images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, some as young as 3 years old.
FDLE’s Cybercrime Task Force in Orlando is investigating the case, which remains active.
Tehrani-Mercedes was booked into the Osceola County Jail without bond pending first appearance. Additional charges are possible pending further forensic analysis. The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Please visit the FDLE website to review tips for keeping your children safe online at https://secureflorida.org/Family-Safety/BPParents.htm.
For Further Information Contact:
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001
FDACS Provides Information on Florida Energy Rebate Programs
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