Beginning at 3 p.m. today the I-595 Express lanes will operate in the Westbound direction until Hurricane Dorian has passed. [Read more…] about 595 Express Lanes Westbound for Hurricane Dorian
Broward County
Governor Ron DeSantis’ Arrival to Broward County Delayed
MEDIA ADVISORY
Mechanical problems have forced Governor Ron DeSantis to divert to St. Petersburg. The Governor is accompanied by Attorney General Ashley Moody, his Chief of Staff Shane Strum and three members of his executive staff. This will result in an approximate 90 minute delay in Governor DeSantis’ arrival to Broward County. [Read more…] about Governor Ron DeSantis’ Arrival to Broward County Delayed
SR Technologies to Create 40 Jobs at New Headquarters in Broward County
SR Technologies, Inc. a division of SRT Group, announced today that it has selected Sunrise for its new headquarters. SRT will create 40 jobs and retain 161 positions. The company will also invest approximately $1 million in the local community. [Read more…] about SR Technologies to Create 40 Jobs at New Headquarters in Broward County
Gov. Scott Announces Advancement of Critical Infrastructure Project in Broward County
Governor Rick Scott today announced that the SW 10th Street Connector in Broward County, a $766 million project, has been accelerated from 2025 to 2021. This project will improve safety and mobility, address local access along SW 10th Street, provide a connection between I-95 and Sawgrass Expressway and enhance effective hurricane evacuation. [Read more…] about Gov. Scott Announces Advancement of Critical Infrastructure Project in Broward County
Broward County’s Volen Center Named PSC Helping Hand
Together We Make Community Happen is The Volen Center’s mission, and they are helping many Broward County senior adults take charge of their lives with year-round educational programs. As a participant in the Center’s recent Older Americans Month event, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) is recognizing The Volen Center as its second 2018 Helping Hand. [Read more…] about Broward County’s Volen Center Named PSC Helping Hand
PSC Finds Need for New FPL Dania Beach Plant
The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) today determined there is a need for Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) to replace its power plant in Broward County with a more efficient clean energy center. Expected to begin service in 2022, the new plant will increase system reliability at a reduced cost for FPL customers.
“The Dania Beach Clean Energy Center will save FPL customers from $299 to $364 million, as well as generate additional tax revenues for local governments and new jobs during the plant’s construction,” said PSC Chairman Art Graham. “The new plant will also reduce harmful air emissions, helping environmental quality.”
Commissioners agreed that retiring FPL’s existing Lauderdale plant this year, and reusing its infrastructure for the new facility is the most cost effective way to meet customers’ increasing power needs. Dania Beach will be a modernized 1,163 megawatt plant and will not require any new transmission lines, substation facilities, gas pipelines, or water supply. The project is expected to cost $888 million.
The existing Lauderdale plant has been upgraded or re-powered three times since its construction in 1925 as FPL’s first power plant. In contrast to Lauderdale, the new Dania Beach facility’s emission rates will be reduced by 95 percent for nitrogen oxide and by 22 percent for carbon dioxide, and its water allocation for power generation will be reduced by 1.0 to 1.69 million gallons per day.
FPL serves 4.9 million customer accounts across the state.
Broward County Legislators Release Joint Statement in Response to House Republicans’ Demand for Suspensions
STATEMENT BY BROWARD COUNTY LEGISLATORS
With recent calls for removals and/or suspensions from office, today Broward County lawmakers ask for patience and a thorough examination of the facts and circumstances before anyone, at any level of government, is publicly scorned or accused of dereliction of duty.
We have heard cries for the removal of the head of the FBI, the head of DCF, the Governor and even the Sheriff of Broward County before most of the facts and circumstances surrounding the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are even known. Given the understandably heightened emotions surrounding this tragedy, we understand that many in the political process are looking for solutions or someone to blame. But it is important to recognize that all of us, regardless of political party, share an obligation to get this right and learn what happened first so we can take whatever steps are necessary to ensure something like this never happens again.
What concerns us is that there are some who call for removals or suspensions simply to divert the focus of the efforts to protect our students away from the root common denominator of all mass shooting incidents – the use of military-style assault weapons and high capacity magazines to murder large numbers of people. Finally addressing mental health funding and examining school security are obvious solutions, but lost in the discussion is meaningful gun safety reform. Raising the age to purchase an assault weapon from 18 to 21 is a no-brainer fix of an obvious flaw in current law; but we need to do more.
In Newtown, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Parkland, with assailants 20, 64, 29 and 19 years-old, in those with and without signs of mental illness, in instances of advance warning or none at all – the one single factor each and every one of these killers shared, in these cases and too many others, is the legal possession of an assault weapon. It was this weapon of war that murdered 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook, 58 concert goers in Las Vegas, 49 individuals at the Pulse Nightclub, and 17 students and teachers at Stoneman Douglas High School. These weapons go far beyond any legitimate sporting purpose and the need for self-defense. We must include in the debate limits or the elimination of these weapons going forward.
Signed:
Broward County Delegation Chair, State Senator Gary Farmer
Broward County Delegation Vice-Chair, State Representative Richard Stark
Senate Democratic Leader, State Senator Oscar Braynon
State Senator Kevin Rader
State Senator Perry Thurston
State Representative Bobby DuBose
State Representative Patricia H. Williams
State Representative Barrington Russell
State Representative Joseph Geller
State Representative Shevrin Jones
Gov. Scott: We Must Have a Real Conversation About Keeping Students Safe
Governor Rick Scott today announced that he will be organizing meetings with state and local leaders in Tallahassee next week to discuss ways to keep Florida students safe, including school safety improvements and keeping guns away from individuals struggling with mental illness. Governor Scott remains in Broward County and has continued to be briefed by law enforcement, emergency management, and local school officials. Additional details on next week’s meetings will be announced in the coming days.
Governor Scott said, “This senseless act of evil is absolutely heart wrenching. Our entire state is in mourning, and we have to make sure something like this never happens again. The violence must stop. We cannot lose another child in this country because of violence in our schools. We need to have a real conversation about public safety and protecting schools in our state. That is why, next week I will be organizing meetings with state and local leaders in Tallahassee to discuss what we must do immediately to keep our schools safe and keep guns out of the hands of mentally ill individuals.
“As a father and grandfather, I cannot imagine the pain these families are going through, and Florida’s parents need to be able to wake up every morning and know their children are going to a safe school. We have an opportunity right now during the ongoing legislative session to have this important conversation, and I have spoken to Senate President Negron and House Speaker Corcoran who are incredibly focused on this. My goal is that these meetings and conversations will help us move forward and protect our schools, our families, and our students.”
Gov. Rick Scott: I am Demanding Answers on Fatalities in Broward
Governor Rick Scott this afternoon made the following statement regarding tragic news reports of multiple deaths in a nursing home in Hollywood Hills, Florida.
Governor Scott said, “I am absolutely heartbroken to learn of news reports of the deaths of multiple individuals in a nursing home in Broward County. Protecting the lives of Floridians is my top priority and that’s why we have worked all week to help Floridians prepare and respond to Hurricane Irma. I am going to aggressively demand answers on how this tragic event took place. Although the details of these reported deaths are still under investigation, this situation is unfathomable. Every facility that is charged with caring for patients must take every action and precaution to keep their patients safe – especially patients that are in poor health. I have directed the Agency for Health Care Administration and the Department of Children and Families to immediately work with local law enforcement to conduct an investigation, and if they find that anyone wasn’t acting in the best interests of their patients, we will hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law. I am also asking available first responders to immediately check in with the healthcare facilities in their area to make sure nursing homes and assisted living facilities are able to keep their residents safe.”
The state has taken the following actions regarding Hurricane Irma preparedness and response for healthcare facilities:
- Of Florida’s total 309 hospitals, all operational facilities have power or are running on generator power. Ten Florida hospitals are currently closed and are continuing to coordinate with the state on reopening.
- More than 90 special needs shelters were opened to help patients in need. There are currently 61 open.
- The Division of Emergency Management and the Department of Education worked with school districts to offer school buses to aid in evacuation. Every school district with evacuations offered this service.
- Governor Scott, the Secretary for the Agency for Health Care Administration and the State Surgeon General have held daily calls with hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities since September 5th to ensure they have every needed resource to keep patients safe.
- The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills is responsible for the safety of their patients. Department of Health officials have been in contact with Larkin Community Hospital Behavioral Health Services management and the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills over the past three days. Hospital administrators were advised to call 911 if they had any reason to believe that the health or safety of patients was at risk. Yesterday afternoon, the facility reported to the AHCA that they had power and access to fans and spot coolers provided by Memorial Healthcare.
- If ANY facility believes that their patients are in danger, they must call 911 and immediately work to get those in their care to safety.
- AHCA and DCF have launched investigations. If they find that this facility was not meeting the state’s high standards of care, they will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. These agencies will have investigators on site at the facility today.
- All nursing home facilities are required to have an emergency management plan. For nursing homes, this plan is required to be submitted and kept on hand by county emergency management officials. As part of the licensure process, AHCA confirms that the facility’s emergency plan has been submitted to local officials.
FDLE arrests Broward County man for scheme to defraud and grand theft over $100,000
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Colin L. Ansby, 25, of 225 NW 79th Terr., Margate, for one count each of scheme to defraud over $50,000, grand theft over $100,000, and grand theft between $20,000 and $100,000.
Ansby was the recipient of the proceeds of an elaborate scheme to defraud victims in Florida and Pennsylvania. The scheme, known as a business email compromise, used compromised email accounts to convince the victims to wire transfer money which they believed was for legitimate business purposes.
A victim in Lee County, Florida, believed that she was communicating via email with her real estate attorney, and wire transferred over $100,000 for a real estate purchase. A victim in Pennsylvania believed that she received an email from a superior directing her to wire transfer over $20,000 for the purchase of clothing.
Ansby was booked into the Broward County Jail. He will be prosecuted by the Office of Statewide Prosecution, Ft. Myers, Florida.
