Florida News Straight From the Source
Attorney General Pam Bondi will present the 2017 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. in Tallahassee.
WHO: Attorney General Pam Bondi
WHAT: Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Ceremony
WHEN: Wednesday, May 16, 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Cabinet Meeting Room
The Capitol, LL-03
Tallahassee, Fla.
The University of North Florida received the 2017 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. This is the third time UNF has been named a HEED Award recipient.
As a recipient of the annual HEED Award—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—UNF will be featured along with 79 other recipients in the magazine’s November issue.
“UNF is honored to be acknowledged for its excellent initiatives in the areas of diversity and inclusion,” said UNF President John Delaney. “The University is dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the classroom and throughout the campus community.”
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected UNF based on its exemplary diversity and inclusion initiatives, which it continues to foster throughout all aspects of campus operations, programs, services and activities. “We take a holistic approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being accomplished every day across their campus,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
The University continues to make great strides to foster its commitment to diversity and inclusion in employment, education and business in a variety of ways. For example, supplier diversity is a thrust in the newly named Procurement Services Department. Faculty are also more engaged in research and educational awareness demonstrated by the increasing number of competitively awarded Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Research Awards.
The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity regularly conducts training for individuals who serve on search and screening committees as well as regularly reviews recruitment and personnel actions to foster diversity and inclusion. UNF also regularly conducts programs representative of various faiths and beliefs, supports student veterans through its Military Veterans Resource Center and promotes student, faculty and staff accessibility in educational programs and in the workplace.
Additionally, the University hosts several events on campus for underrepresented populations, including C.A.M.P. Osprey, Role Models of Excellence, Girls Rock Symposium and Success by Design, to name a few. UNF also works to provide opportunities for all students to access scholarship monies in a fair and equitable manner.
“The HEED award is a tribute to key decisions made during challenging times in society to ensure that UNF remains a competitive higher education university, where students successfully graduate and enjoy their student life, faculty and staff view it as a great place to work and the community acknowledges its worth and contributions,” said Cheryl Gonzalez, chief diversity officer at UNF.
INSIGHT Into Diversity is known for its annual Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award, which is the only award recognizing colleges and universities for outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts across campuses. In addition to its online job board, INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine presents timely, thought-provoking news and feature stories on matters of diversity and inclusion across higher education and beyond.
FDLE today awarded $10,000 to the anonymous tipster who notified local law enforcement and provided the location of fugitives Boyette and Rice, who were subsequently apprehended by law enforcement.
A killing spree across multiple states, including Florida, ended in Georgia on February 7 when William Boyette committed suicide and Mary Rice was arrested. The tipster had just seen a Facebook post with Boyette and Rice’s photos, as well as the tag number of the vehicle they were driving, when the tipster spotted the car and Rice at a convenience store. After the tag number of the car was verified, the tip was called in to law enforcement describing the location where the fugitives had been spotted. FDLE was informed on February 10 of a person wishing to claim the reward and has been working since to make sure it is awarded.
“It was very important to FDLE that this tipster receive the reward we had contributed. It certainly is well-deserved, because I firmly believe more lives could have been lost if these fugitives remained on the run,” said Jack Massey, Special Agent in Charge at FDLE’s Pensacola Regional Operations Center. “Due to the awareness and dedication of this citizen, who spotted them and took immediate action to report it, a murderous threat to the community was removed. Awarding this individual is the right thing to do.”
He added, “We all play a role in keeping our communities safe. Please report suspicious activity. ‘If you see something, say something.™’ It may well save innocent lives.”
The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) announced today that 11 nursing facilities have received the Gold Seal Award from the Governor’s Panel on Excellence in Long-Term Care. Six facilities earned Gold Seal designation for the first time while five others had their status renewed. There are now 37 Gold Seal Award facilities in Florida. This award recognizes Long-term Care (LTC) facilities that consistently provide their residents with exceptionally high levels of care.
Governor Rick Scott said, “Gold Seal facilities represent the very best nursing homes that Florida has to offer. Our state is dedicated to providing our seniors with the best possible care, and these facilities help give families the peace of mind that their loved ones are in good hands. I would like to thank these nursing homes and their staff members for their commitment to providing exceptional care for elderly Floridians.”
Agency Secretary Justin M. Senior said, “I would like to offer my congratulations to the facilities receiving this recognition and thank them for living up to the Agency’s mission of providing better health care for all Floridians. Residents of nursing homes often require around the clock care, and these facilities and their staff have consistently risen to the challenge of delivering high levels of care. Thank you again for the incredible service that you continue to provide for Floridians and their families.”
The following facilities are recognized as Gold Seal Award facilities effective January 1, 2017:
Facilities that wish to be considered for the Gold Seal Award must be in operation for a minimum of 30 months and meet rigorous standards for quality of care, financial soundness, family and community involvement, training and workforce stability. Facilities must also have an excellent regulator history in the 30 months preceding their application.
For a complete listing of Gold Seal facilities, please visit FloridaHealthFinder.gov and click on Facilities or Providers underneath the Locate header. From there choose Search by Facility Type/Location and use the Advanced Search option when searching for nursing homes to find the list of Gold Seal facilities.
The Agency for Health Care Administration is committed to better health care for all Floridians. The Agency administers Florida’s Medicaid program, licenses and regulates more than 49,000 health care facilities and 43 health plans, and publishes health care data and statistics at www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov. Additional information about Agency initiatives is available via Facebook (AHCAFlorida), Twitter (@AHCA_FL) and YouTube (/AHCAFlorida).
Jim Toedtman, a veteran journalist and director of Flagler College’s Forum on Government and Public Policy lecture series, will receive a distinguished Columbia Journalism School Alumni Award in April.
According to the Columbia Journalism School, the alumni awards are presented annually for a distinguished journalism career in any medium, an outstanding single journalistic accomplishment, a notable contribution to journalism education or an achievement in related fields. The awards, which represent recognition of excellence by professional peers, are highly prized by the Journalism School’s alumni, who include many of the most respected members of the profession.
“This is a terrific award from a great institution,” Toedtman said. “It is really a tribute to the many very talented people I’ve worked with and for in a long career from my early days as a newspaper reporter and editor, then as a magazine editor and most recently in and outside the classroom at Flagler.”
Toedtman is recognized for his distinguished career as a reporter and editor. Before taking the editorship of AARP Bulletin, he was editor of The Baltimore News American, executive editor of the Boston Herald and managing editor of Newsday. He has covered local government, Congress and the White House and has reported from three continents. At Newsday, he was a member of the reporting team that won the 1970 Pulitzer Prize, and he helped direct Newsday reporters who won Pulitzers in 1993 and 2002. He was named editor of the AARP Bulletin in 2005, and in this role he was consistently recognized for excellence in covering a range of public policy and consumer issues. In addition to graduating from Columbia University, he attained his bachelor’s degree from the College of Wooster and studied at the University of Queensland, Australia, as a Rotary Foundation Fellow. In 2012, he accepted the directorship of Flagler’s Forum on Government and Public Policy. For more than 30 years, the lecture series has invited nationally-recognized journalists and commentators to St. Augustine to discuss issues of importance in regional, state and federal government.
“Jim’s distinguished professional career speaks for itself,” said Flagler College President Dr. William T. Abare, Jr. “He is the consummate professional, and he has contributed in numerous ways to the betterment of our college. I am pleased to know that he is to be recognized by his alma mater for his many accomplishments.”
Toedtman, along with Columbia Journalism School’s alumni Matt Bai, Erika Dilday and Robin McDowell, will be formally recognized during the school’s Alumni Weekend on April 29.
Today, Lukas Hefty, the math and science magnet coordinator at Douglas L. Jamerson, Jr. Elementary School in Pinellas County, was honored by the Milken Family Foundation during a surprise assembly for his work in developing the school’s nationally recognized STEM curriculum. Hefty joins an elite group of educators as one of only 35 nationwide to receive this year’s award.
“Today, there are more jobs than ever in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and that trend is expected to continue,” said Education Commissioner Pam Stewart. “By engaging students as early as kindergarten in the school’s STEM activities and inviting families to join in the fun, Mr. Hefty is helping young learners establish a solid foundation that will benefit them as they continue their education and eventually enter the workforce. I am pleased to recognize him for his dedication to education, and I look forward to learning about the great things his students are bound to accomplish as a result of his efforts.”
The Milken Family Foundation is celebrating 30 years of surprising teachers. Dr. Jane Foley, Senior Vice President of the Milken Educator Awards and a 1994 Indiana Milken Educator, made today’s announcement at Douglas L. Jamerson, Jr. Elementary School.
“Having talented, passionate educators in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is paramount to preparing students for the challenges of a fast-paced global economy,” said Dr. Foley. “Lukas Hefty draws students into the excitement of these fields and carefully guides them to reach their maximum potential. He is also a valued resource to colleagues by synthesizing complex material, sharing best practices and modeling techniques. Lukas truly personifies the Milken Educator Awards motto, ‘The future belongs to the educated.’”
Hefty has been an educator for 11 years and was instrumental in writing and developing a unique integrated math and engineering curriculum, which led to the school becoming the 2015 Top Elementary STEM School in the Nation. He regularly facilitates lesson study opportunities and models best practices for instructional improvements for grade level teachers as well as provides training in mathematics and science to help parents gain a better understanding of the curriculum in which their children are engaged. Hefty is National Board Certified and holds a Master of Arts degree in Elementary Education with a focus on Mathematics and Science.
“Jamerson Elementary School’s success is built on the dedication of its educators, and Mr. Lukas Hefty exemplifies this commitment through his leadership, creativity and insatiable passion for teaching,” said Pinellas Superintendent Dr. Michael Grego. “The engineering and mathematics program has become a nationally recognized model, and Mr. Hefty’s keen vision for what excellence should look like has helped shape the program’s growing success. Our students are fortunate to have him in Pinellas County.”
Described as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Milken Educator Awards provide recognition and unrestricted financial awards of $25,000 to exceptional elementary and secondary school teachers, principals, and specialists who are furthering education excellence.
New recipients are invited to join the Milken Educator Network, a nationwide group of distinguished educators whose expertise serves as a valuable resource to fellow educators, legislators, school boards and others shaping the future of education. Florida has had 41 educators recognized with the Milken Award since 1998.
In addition to participation in the Milken Educator Network, 2016-17 recipients will attend a Milken Educator Forum, March 23-25, in New Orleans. Educators will have the opportunity to network with their new colleagues and hear from state and federal officials about the importance of maximizing their leadership roles to advance educator effectiveness.
For more information about the Milken Educator Awards, visit Milken.
For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.
