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On Friday, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-244, moving all of Florida’s 67 counties into Phase 3. Executive Order 20-244 does the following:
1. Removes state-level restrictions on businesses, such as restaurants.
2. Provides that no COVID-19 emergency ordinance may prevent an individual from working or operating a business, giving Floridians and business owners needed certainty and the ability to provide for themselves and their families.
3. Provides that restaurants may not be limited by a COVID-19 emergency order by any local government to less than 50% of their indoor capacity. If a restaurant is limited to less than 100% of its indoor capacity, such COVID-19 emergency order must satisfy the following:
- Quantify the economic impact of each limitation or requirements on those restaurants; and
- Explain why each limitation or requirement is necessary for public health.
Suspends all outstanding fines and penalties, and the collection of such moving forward, applied against individuals related to COVID-19.
First Lady Casey DeSantis announced contemporary artist, Orestes Bouzon as Florida’s featured artist for Hispanic Heritage Month celebrated September 15 to October 15. Mr. Bouzon, who fled Cuba in 1994 to come to the United States, has made a name for himself and his art across the globe ever since. For more information on Florida's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, see here.
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WEAR TV
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WEAR) — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday morning that Florida is moving into full Phase 3 of its reopening.
The order specifically lifts COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants.
Restaurants can now operate at a minimum of 50% capacity -- meaning they are fully open. Gov. DeSantis says if local governments try to restrict the reopening of any restaurant, they need state's approval...
The Washington Post
As the United States’ covid-19 death toll moves relentlessly beyond 200,000, data shows that only about 100 children and teenagers have died of the disease, a fatality rate that is drawing wonder from clinicians and increasing interest among researchers hoping to understand why.
Covid-19 has become the nation’s third-leading cause of death this year, but 18 states had not seen a single fatality among people under 20 as of Sept. 10, according to statistics compiled by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association.
Children are much more likely to die of homicides (there were 1,865 in 2016, according to government data), drowning (995) or even fires and burns (340)....
The Hill, Dr.Marc Siegel
Fear messaging is at the heart of over-simplifying pandemic realities and, unfortunately, too many politicians and too much of the news media have latched onto this distorting, manipulative method to manage public expectations. New case numbers in hotspots are used to alarm us, despite an overall decline in the percentage of specimens testing positive for SARS-COV-2 since mid-July and a decrease in the number of visits to emergency departments for coronavirus-like Illness for the ninth consecutive week.
Instead of reporting any positive national trends, the media has continued to focus on bars, restaurants and schools, all whipping posts for the public face of fear. At the same time, the news has generally obscured the real heart of the COVID-19 destruction — specifically, poor neighborhoods, those without the resources or the opportunities to work from home or to escape to country houses, as well as the elderly population and those living in nursing homes...
American Institute for Economic Research, Jeffrey A. Tucker
overnor Ron DeSantis has proven it: it is actually possible for a politician to wise up and do the right thing. In a sweeping order announced September 25, the governor has opened up the entire economy. He has even limited the ability of local governments to impose more restrictions and collect fines for mask violations.
Inevitably, the announcement was decried by the lockdowners, even though, as the governor pointed out:
Covid+ hospitalizations have declined by 77% since the July peak.
Covid+ ICU hospitalizations have declined 72% since the July peak.
ED visits for Covid-like illness have declined by nearly 80% since the July peak.
Daily hospital admissions for Covid have declined by 81% since the July peak.
The percentage of positive diagnostic test results for new cases was reported at 4.32%.
24% of hospital beds are empty; so are 23% of ICU beds....
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Download or share any of these social media graphics below for your personal, business, or agency use.
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Agency for Health Care Administration
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AHCA Approves Over $1 million in Funding for Communicative Technology at Nursing Homes During Pandemic
In April, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the use of civil money penalty (CMP) funding for technology devices that allow nursing home residents to connect with family, friends and physicians virtually while visitation has been restricted in their homes. These devices help improve loneliness and social isolation and also facilitate physician care when necessary. As of September 21, the Agency has approved funding for 451 nursing homes – about 64% of nursing homes in the state – in the amount of $1,671,841.92 to utilize these devices.
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Agency for Persons with Disabilities
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Juggling Jobs to Succeed The Champion Newsletter Kenny Burnett is willing to hold down two jobs so that he is able to support his family and provide them with their own apartment. Burnett works in Ocala for the manufacturing company Signature Brand and has been with the company more than seven years. He joined Publix’s team at the Grand Oaks Town Center about two years ago. At Signature Brand, Burnett is able to work in many different positions because he has been there so long and knows what to do, such as manning the tip blister machine, packing and labeling boxes of products for shipment, and building and filling displays with product....
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Department of Business and Professional Regulation
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Restaurant Owners, Patrons enjoy Loosened Coronavirus Restrictions WINK News Fort Myers Hundreds came out to Millennial Brewing Company in downtown Fort Myers for their annual Oktoberfest celebration. This comes in the first weekend since Governor Ron DeSantis announced that bars and restaurants can open free of COVID restrictions.
This is the first event in Southwest Florida since Phase Three reopening was announced Friday. Everyone, patrons and managers alike, seems excited and think this event came at the perfect time.
“It definitely helps change how people feel about going out,” said Kyle Cebull, who is the CEO of Millennial Brewing Company.
Not only are people excited to get back out to restaurants and bars and some feel safe enough to so, they also want to help support their local businesses.
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Department of Children and Families
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DCF Partners with DOH for Suicide Prevention September is Suicide Prevention Month! From 2018 to 2019, lives lost to suicide in Florida decreased by nearly 3.5%. While numbers decreased last year, suicide death rates have steadily increased over the last decade. To spread awareness of resources available to prevent suicide, DCF has partnered with DOH for a suicide prevention social media ad initiative. These ads are targeting at-risk demographics throughout the state to share helpful suicide prevention resources that could potentially save someone's life.
How can you help us prevent suicide? If you know or suspect someone is struggling with their mental health, please call 1-800-273-8255 or visit the link here!
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Volusia Students Improve SAT Scores to Beat State and National Average Daytona Beach News-Journal
For the first time, Volusia County students scored higher than the national and state averages on the SAT last year.
Volusia County students' scores on the college readiness exam have been rising for the past four years, the district stated in a press release — most recently, in spite of a pandemic changing most aspects of life at the end of the last school year...
Florida Schools Reopened en Mass, but a Surge in Coronavirus Didn't Follow, a USA TODAY Analysis Found. USA Today
Many teachers and families feared a spike in COVID-19 cases when Florida made the controversial push to reopen schools in August with in-person instruction.
But a USA TODAY analysis shows the state’s positive case count among kids aged 5 to 17 declined through late September after a peak in July. Among the counties seeing surges in overall cases, it’s college-age adults – not school children – driving the trend, the analysis found.
The early results in Florida show the success of rigorous mask-wearing, social distancing, isolating contacts, and quick contact tracing when necessary, said health experts...
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Department of Environmental Protection
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DEP Secretary Visits Panhandle to Assess Hurricane Sally Damage
On Sept. 23, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Noah Valenstein traveled to Florida's Panhandle to assess the impacts of Hurricane Sally on Florida State Parks. Secretary Valenstein was joined by Deputy Secretary Shawn Hamilton in visiting Perdido Key, Topsail and Grayton Beach State Parks where they worked with staff at each park to determine the best restoration plan for that location. "DEP staff are working diligently to monitor and respond to the impacts of Hurricane Sally, and will continue our effort to ensure a swift recovery for our state parks," said Secretary Valenstein.
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Department of Economic Opportunity
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Focus on Manatee – Employers can get Help as they Begin to Hire More Workers Bradenton Herald
While the world seems like it has slowed down, hiring certainly hasn’t stopped.
Granted, we’ve seen several companies over the past few months have to trim down operations or shutter all together, and I don’t say that lightly. The impact the pandemic has had on our local economy is significant, and it’s important to now focus on connecting job seekers with the businesses that are hiring.
After months of unexpected losses in revenue, it’s a big task for an employer to take on – and can be a pricey one at that, especially when it can cost upwards of $4,000 to hire someone new...
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Department of Elder Affairs
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Florida SHINE Webinar Classes Begin Today
The Florida SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) Program is offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and Florida’s Area Agencies on Aging. SHINE provides free, unbiased Medicare counseling and virtual Medicare classes to assist beneficiaries, families and caregivers. SHINE will be hosting live, recorded and/or Zoom classes for anyone interested in learning more about Medicare. The Virtual Medicare Classes being offered begin today, September 28, 2020! The virtual programs are listed on their Facebook page and website. The classes are offered in English and Spanish.
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Department of Transportation
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NASA, Blue Origin Ready to Test Precision Lunar Landing Technologies Today Space Coast News.com
NASA – From the rim of Shackleton crater to permanently shadowed regions on the Moon, a NASA-developed sensor suite could allow robotic and crewed missions to land precisely on the lunar surface within half the distance of a football field. Technologies to enable exact and soft landings on the Moon and other worlds will fly on Blue Origin’s next New Shepard suborbital rocket launch, now targeted for 12:40 p.m. EDT Thursday, Sept. 24. The company’s live launch webcast will start at 12:10 p.m. and air on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
The rocket’s flight path is relevant to lunar landings, providing a unique opportunity to mature sensors and algorithms for potential use on Artemis missions. “This public-private partnership is a great example of NASA and industry working together on common goals – to explore more of the Moon and eventually land humans on Mars,” said Jim Reuter, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). STMD selected Blue Origin for a Tipping Point award in 2018 to help increase access to planetary surfaces....
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Division of Emergency Management
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FAMU Receives Thousands of Rapid COVID-19 Test Kits from the White House Tallahassee Democrat
Florida A&M University – which has operated its own COVID-19 test site since April – is among an initial group of Historically Black Colleges and Universities receiving massive shipments of new rapid COVID-19 test kits from the White House.
Mia Palmieri Heck, Director of External Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, told USA Today Friday that in August, the Administration awarded a contract for $760 million to Abbott for delivery of 150 million rapid, Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Card Point of Care SARS-CoV-2 tests to expand testing in the United States....
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Florida-Israel Business Accelerator Gets Another Relocation Win with Israeli Health Care Company Tampa Bay Inno The Florida-Israel Business Accelerator, which aims to bring Israeli companies to the Sunshine State, has accomplished its goal yet again. FIBA hosts yearly cohorts, bringing in Israeli startups to the Tampa Bay region and Florida as a whole to showcase what the state has to offer and vice versa. While Aviv Clinics was not in the cohort, FIBA officials worked with the company to help it open its first office outside of Israel...
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Florida Department of Corrections
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Florida Prisons to Allow No-Contact Visits Next Weekend, with Restrictions Orlando Sentinel
Immediate family of Florida prisoners will be allowed to visit state prisons starting next weekend, though visits must be scheduled, and physical contact will be prohibited, among other safety protocols, the Florida Department of Corrections announced Friday.
Visitation at Florida prisons has been suspended since early March due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which spread widely through the prison system, but corrections Secretary Mark Inch announced two weeks ago the facilities would begin re-opening for visitors Oct. 2..
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Florida Department of Law Enforcement
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FDLE Arrests Orange City Pastor for Child Pornography WESH
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Bryan Scott Carrejo, 33, of 545 Sandy Pines Drive, Orange City, on five counts of possession of child pornography.
Carrejo served as pastor at Victory Chapel in Orange City. Anyone with additional information about Carrejo pertinent to this case is encouraged to call FDLE’s Orlando Regional Operations Center at 407-245-0888.
The investigation discovered that someone at Carrejo’s residence was offering to share child pornography on the Internet. Agents executed a search warrant at Carrejo’s residence and discovered child pornography files depicting children as young as eight years old.
Child Rescue Coalition provided assistance in this case.
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Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs
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Veterans’ Newsletter Now Available
The September 2020 edition of the Forward March Veterans’ Newsletter, produced by Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs, is now available online at https://bit.ly/3j9ftuY.
The monthly newsletter is another tool to help connect Florida veterans with earned federal and state services, benefits and support.
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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
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Florida has one of the most active artificial reef programs among the 15 Gulf and Atlantic coastal states involved in artificial reef development. Since the 1940s, more than 3,330 planned public artificial reefs have been placed in state and federal waters off Florida’s coast. The FWC Artificial Reef Program provides financial and technical assistance to coastal local governments, nonprofit corporations and state universities to construct, monitor and assess artificial reefs.
See more info here: https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/artificial-reefs/
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Florida Housing Finance Corporation
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Florida Politics
And the winner is …
Set your DVR for The Cooking Channel Oct. 3 at 1 p.m. to find out if Tallahassee political consultant Josh Cooper will be crowned the 8th Annual World Food Champion — “the biggest title in Food Sport,” according to organizers — which comes with a $100,000 grand prize.
Cooper was named one of three finalists at The Final Table: Indianapolis contest in August. Judges chose the winner then but revealing who it is won’t happen until the telecast...
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New Research Shows Companies Plan to Return to In-Person Events TravelPulse While business travel in the near term still remains uncertain, one thing that is clear from new research from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is that in-person events will come back.
The GBTA reports that a majority of its companies expect their employees to return to in-person events, meetings or conferences in 2021.
Nearly half (45 percent) said that they believe these events would start up in the first half of the year, according to GBTA’s latest poll, taking place September 15-19, 2020. Twenty-five percent of employees expect a return to in-person events in the second half of 2021...
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Department of Juvenile Justice
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Department of The Lottery
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Department of Management Services
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Florida Department of Citrus
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Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
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