Florida News Straight From the Source
The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will be informing consumers about scams targeting utility customers during the 22nd Annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), March 1-7, 2020. [Read more…] about PSC to Help Consumers in Duval County for National Consumer Protection Week
The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will host two information sessions on Tuesday, September 11, 2018, in Duval County for residents to learn about the Lifeline Assistance (Lifeline) discounted telephone and/or broadband service program. [Read more…] about PSC Highlights National Lifeline Awareness Week with Events in Duval County
Outstanding African-American students in the Duval County Public Schools were honored for academic excellence and community impact at the 34th annual High Potential Youth Recognition Awards Program last night at the University of North Florida Fine Arts Center Lazzara Performance Hall.
The top eight high school seniors received one-time academic scholarships and include Sandrilla Awad Elkarim, Atlantic Coast High School; Eric Mitchell, Paxon School for Advanced Studies; Alonna Turner, Alexis Williams and Victoria Laws, Robert E. Lee High School; Nkosi Alexander-Williams, Sandalwood High School; Mahelet Dalke, Samuel W. Wolfson High School; and Sydney Lewis, Stanton College Preparatory.
Alexander-Williams and Awad Elkarim are also committed to attend UNF and are recipients of the Jacksonville Commitment Scholarship. Awad Elkarim has a 4.0 recalculated GPA and was also presented the Dr. Caroline Annette Cody Memorial Scholarship Award, while Alexander-Williams, who graduated with a 4.73 recalculated GPA, enters the UNF Hicks Honors College with an associate’s degree.
UNF presented scholarships along with the Dr. Caroline Annette Cody Memorial Foundation, Dr. James A. Joyner, III Memorial Foundation, The Gary Legacy Scholarship, Ralph and Jeannine Frasier Scholarship and the Jack and Jill of America. A new scholarship, the Conqueror’s Award, was awarded to honor exceptional students with learning disabilities who have conquered some of life’s greatest challenges.
More than 830 students with a GPA of 3.50 or above were invited to the program and were recognized with gift certificates and prizes. Melanie Lawson, WJXT Ch. 4 morning anchor, served as the master of ceremonies, while Charles Griggs, 100 Black Men of Jacksonville president, gave the keynote speech.
The program is a joint venture between UNF, DCPS and Gamma Beta Boule, the local member boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. Business partnership donors are PGA TOUR, Inc., Florida Blue, The Gary Firm, The Renaissance Group and Southern King Holdings, LLC.
Since its inception 34 years ago, the annual High Potential Youth Recognition Awards Program has honored the top African-American students in Jacksonville. Through partnerships and joint ventures, it has provided more than $1 million in scholarship money to honor students for outstanding academic achievement and extracurricular community involvement.
Florida’s insurance industry has stepped up to support the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program at a record level, committing $61.2 million this year to fund scholarships for more than 9,380 students. Leading the pack is UnitedHealthcare, which has contributed more than $83 million to Step Up for Students over the past decade.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Greg Reidy today visited Arlington Community Academy whose students are among the beneficiaries of the scholarships, to promote the program’s impact and encourage other insurance companies to participate.
“By helping struggling students get into an educational environment where they can succeed, we know we are helping to make our state stronger,” said Greg Reidy, CEO of UnitedHealthcare. “It’s gratifying to meet the students who are benefiting from these scholarships and see them on a track to reach their full potential.”
Step Up For Students, the nonprofit organization that helps administer the needs-based Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, praised the insurance company’s historic support for the program. Step Up For Students provides scholarships for income-limited students to attend the schools that best meet their individual needs. A recent study found that students who receive these scholarships are 40 percent more likely to attend college than their public school counterparts, and 29 percent more likely to earn an associate degree.
Since 2009, UnitedHealthcare’s contributions have enabled more than 18,000 Florida students to attend schools that offer them a chance at a brighter future. The company’s recent contribution will help serve the 7,483 students who receive the scholarships in Duval County alone.
“Support from Florida’s insurance industry is critical for the work our team does to support children across the state,” said Doug Tuthill, president of Step Up For Students. “This contribution is an investment in students, and it enables the positive impacts of this program to continue and expand to change more lives for the better.”
Families and students who have benefitted from the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program added their voices in support of the insurance industry’s efforts, urging other companies to consider participation.
“This program directly helps children in our local area, and I am grateful that my own child can now attend the school that’s right for her,” said Jacksonville parent Tamara Herring. “I am so grateful for the many donors who support this program, individuals and companies that are helping children like mine have a better future. Every child deserves that chance.”
To learn more about UnitedHealthcare, CLICK HERE. To learn more about the impact of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program or how to support Step Up for Students, visit www.stepupforstudents.
The Florida Lottery announces that Maria Ambrogio, 60, of Atlantic Beach, claimed a $1 million prize in the $5,000,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. She chose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $745,000.00.
Ambrogio purchased her winning ticket from Publix, located at 220 Front Street in Ponte Vedra Beach. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
The $20 game, $5,000,000 GOLD RUSH DOUBLER, features six top prizes of $5 million, 30 prizes of $1 million, and more than $752 million in total cash prizes! This $20 game offers more than 16.8 million winning tickets, and overall odds of winning are one-in-2.99.
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.
Tomorrow, April 18, Governor Rick Scott will host a roundtable discussion with community leaders in Jacksonville regarding efforts to prepare for and combat the Zika Virus.
WHAT: Zika Preparedness Roundtable
WHEN: 9:00 AM
WHERE: Duval County Department of Health
900 University Blvd. N.
Jacksonville, Florida 32211
