|
Yesterday, Governor Ron DeSantis announced bold legislation to stop violent assemblies and protect law enforcement. The proposed legislation, the “Combatting Violence, Disorder and Looting and Law Enforcement Protection Act,” creates new criminal offenses and increases penalties for those who target law enforcement and participate in violent or disorderly assemblies. See the proposed legislation here.
Positivity Rate Statewide Under 6% for a month
Lowest Hospitalization Rates Since June
| |
Fox News
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday announced a new law to counter violent protests that have rocked the state and country since the police custody death of George Floyd in late May.
DeSantis’ announcement came during a press conference at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Under the new law, anyone found guilty of throwing objects at police and law enforcement officers would be subject to a minimum six-month jail sentence. It also imposes felony penalties for protesters who block roadways, topple monuments or harass people.
“There’s going to be a ton of bricks raining down on you,” DeSantis said of protesters who break the law.
Florida, like many other states, has experienced weeks of protests that often turned into violent confrontations with police. The death of Floyd has prompted many far-left activists to call for defunding the police. Florida’s new law, however, would target cities that try to go down that path....
FloridaPolitics
Florida will distribute $2 million in CARES Act funds for rural county school districts to bolster their mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
First Lady Casey DeSantis announced the upcoming distribution during a roundtable Monday with state health care and education officials along with superintendents of rural county school districts. Districts will be able to submit applications to cover services including broadband access, telehealth and expanded counseling staff.
Of the 13,317 deaths among Florida residents with COVID-19, only 35 have been among people younger than 25, and of the 42,543 hospitalizations, 1,608 have been in that age group. But the pandemic has taken a toll on children in other ways, she said.
“At the end of the day, we have to make sure we’re thinking about this holistically and all of the other things that we might not be thinking about and why everybody is pushing the kids to safely be in schools because it is just so important for their overall wellbeing to be able to have that outlet,” DeSantis said....
CNN
(CNN)Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis released a sweeping set of proposals on Monday that would dramatically crack down on people who attend protests that turn violent or disorderly by threatening them with a mix of felonies and increased jail time.
The proposals, which DeSantis, a Republican, called the "boldest and most comprehensive" piece of legislation on the issues of civil disobedience and protest in the US, were aimed squarely at "those who target law enforcement and participate in violent or disorderly assemblies," he said in a tweet....
| |
COVID-19 by the Numbers | COVID-19 Fatalities
| |
|
ICUs and Hospital Beds by the Numbers | as of 9/22/2020
| |
24.51%
% of ICU Beds Available Statewide
| |
36.80% % of Pediatric ICU Beds Available Statewide
| |
25.50% % of Available Hospital Beds Statewide
| |
Download or share any of these social media graphics below for your personal, business, or agency use.
| |
Agency for Health Care Administration
| |
Gary White, The Ledger
BARTOW — Steve Peacock talked by phone every day with his mother, Lois Peacock, during the nearly six months when a government order kept him from visiting her at the Rohr Home in Bartow. Though the calls provided a gauge of his 87-year-old mother’s general health, Steve Peacock still had concerns about how well she was faring during the forced isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peacock finally got permission to see his mother in person following a state order issued Sept. 1 that lifted a ban on all visits to long-term care centers. The Rohr Home began allowing visits Sept. 9, and Peacock was the first relative allowed into the facility. He returned Thursday morning to see his mother for the third time. Lois Peacock, sitting in a wheelchair about eight feet away, appeared to be in good physical health, and she demonstrated that her mental acuity remains keen...
| |
Agency for Persons with Disabilities
| |
Miracle League for Special Needs Athletes Sets October Start South Florida Sun Sentinel
Julia Kadel said it has been difficult to watch the lives of her program’s families disintegrate before her eyes.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the families of the Miracle League of Palm Beach County, which is a baseball/softball league for special needs athletes in Delray Beach.
It gives its participants an opportunity to play the sport with others. Its players hail from Wellington, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Parkland and Boca Raton.
“COVID has affected us tremendously, more so with the mental health on our families as a whole,” Kadel said. "The parents who normally have a respite, don’t have that respite or that hour break.
“A few families were evicted, lost their jobs and some kids had to be moved to a full-time facility because their parents were unable to take care of them. It’s bad and the kids don’t understand. You can explain to them that it is raining and you can’t play in the rain because they can see that. You can’t see and you can’t understand what a virus is and why you can’t play.”
Kadel and her husband Jeff incorporated the league in 2005 and used the Bucky Dent Baseball School infield from 2007 to 2010 until they started to play their games on their own field — the Anthony V. Pugliese V Miracle League Field at Robert Miller Park in Delray Beach. This is the league’s 13th year....
| |
Department of Business and Professional Regulation
| |
Strange doesn’t even come close to describing today’s real estate market. You would think that in the middle of a pandemic, everyone would be afraid to leave their home, much less purchase a new one.
Well, I guess the American people are made of stronger stuff than that because the real estate market is not only alive and well, it’s soaring.
According to the S&P/CoreLogic/Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, the adjusted-for-inflation real home prices rose 45% from February 2012 through May 2020. Not a bad investment if you purchased a home eight years ago. In fact, it’s a remarkable record considering that the United States is dealing with a once-in-a-century coronavirus pandemic, which created a recession and social upheaval...
| |
Department of Children and Families
| |
Governor DeSantis Proclaims September as Suicide Prevention Month
Recently, Governor Ron DeSantis issued a proclamation recognizing September as Suicide Prevention Month. The COVID-19 pandemic has added new stress, anxiety, and fear for many Floridians. Now more than ever, it is crucial to share resources with family, friends, and networks.
DCF is encouraging everyone to spread the message of hope through sharing resources for Suicide Prevention Month. For these resources and more, visit https://hopeforhealingfl.com/index.shtml#gethelp
| |
School Choice: Florida's Rising Tide The Hill
The next time school choice opponents claim the apocalypse is coming to public schools in your state — and there’s a whole new round of that in the wake of pandemic pods — point them to Florida. Choice in the Sunshine State isn’t some fearmonger’s abstraction, and the storyline here is a rising tide, not a falling sky.
Over the past quarter-century, Florida has expanded education choice as much as any state in America, driven by commitments to equity and diversity as much as liberty and competition. The state is now home to the nation’s largest private school choice program, its biggest education savings account program, one of its biggest charter school sectors, and a pioneering virtual school that, in the midst of the pandemic, is more cutting-edge than ever.
Yet, rather than succumb to the phantom menace of “privatization,” Florida’s education system has morphed from punchline to pacesetter, and students disadvantaged by poverty and disability have experienced some of the biggest gains.
The most recent evidence comes via Education Week. Its latest rankings, out this month, put Florida at No. 3 in K-12 achievement, behind Massachusetts and New Jersey. The publication’s formula is based on a thoughtful mix of common indicators, including graduation rates, Advanced Placement exams, and math and reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress....
| |
Department of Environmental Protection
| |
DEP closes on acquisitions for Devil’s Garden and Green Swamp Florida Forever Projects
DEP’s Division of State Lands (DSL) has closed on the Alico acquisition in the Devil’s Garden Florida Forever Project. Ranked number 12 in the Critical Natural Lands project category, the acquisition was approved by the Board of Trustees in May and protects nearly 10,700 acres of conservation land. The property shares its western and southwestern boundary with the Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest and its southeastern boundary with a U.S. Department of Agriculture Wetlands Preserve Program conservation easement. This connectivity with other conservation lands ensures longevity for a wide range of species including the Florida panther. DSL also recently closed on the AVT Ranch conservation easement. The closing added over 700 acres in the Green Swamp Florida Forever Project, bringing the total number of acres protected by the project to over 100,000 acres. The Green Swamp is a critical hydrological resource and recharge area for the Floridan Aquifer and home to the headwaters of the Withlacoochee, Ocklawaha, Hillsborough and Peace Rivers. Designated as an Area of Critical State Concern, the project is part of a multi-agency partnership including the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Florida National Scenic Trail and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The conservation easement will add protection to this critically important area by limiting its use and development.
| |
Department of Economic Opportunity
| |
Fort Myers Widow gets Husband’s Back Unemployment Pay WINK News
A Fort Myers woman who lost her husband to COVID-19 and was struggling to get by has received his missing unemployment payments after some help from WINK News.
Judith Alves said at first, the Department of Economic Opportunity told her “that money died with” her husband. Now, she’s finally finding peace.
“He’s always going to be in our hearts, but it’s really hard to get through this,” Alves said.
Together for 17 years, Alves and her husband Orlando Castellanos’ last moments together were shared over FaceTime....
| |
Department of Transportation
| |
This week, FDOT is proud join other DOTs and organizations throughout the nation to recognize Rail Safety Week and to remind Floridians to be safe on or near rail crossings.
As this is the department’s first Rail Safety Week since the beginning of Operation STRIDE, we will use this week as another opportunity to inform Floridians on how to safely navigate all rail crossings and highlight how a Dynamic Envelope provides a visual reminder of where to safely stop when approaching a rail crossing. Please take a minute to watch the video below to learn about the department’s progress on Operation STRIDE.
FDOT will be highlighting Operation STRIDE progress throughout the state and raising awareness on its social media channels. Be sure to follow along on Facebook at @FLDOT, on Instagram at @my_fdot and Twitter at @MyFDOT. In addition, FDOT has several resources on its dedicated Operation STRIDE webpage including safety tips, videos and photos of completed Dynamic Envelopes. The department has also released a press release in recognition of Rail Safety Week which you may view here.
I am proud to work at an agency full of individuals who are dedicated to making Florida a safer place for all road users. Thank you to each of you who have worked diligently over the past few months to make Operation STRIDE a reality. I have no doubt this will increase safety across the state for generations to come.
| |
Building the Base of the Future Air Force Magazine Nearly two years after Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., was slammed by Hurricane Michael, leaders there are working not just to rebuild that base, but to create a “base of the future” with a focus on resiliency, sustainability, and smart technology that can serve as a model for the entire Department of Defense. “Innovation is at the very core of what we’re doing, not only in the smart technologies that we’ve implemented, but in the agile process, the ‘how’ of building the base we need, not the base we had,” said Brig. Gen. Patrice A. Melancon, executive director of the Tyndall Program Management Office, during a panel discussion at AFA’s virtual Air, Space & Cyber Conference. The Air Force has “reached a critical point in time” where it must assess the “enduring strength, resiliency, and efficacy of its installations,” explained Brig. Gen. William H. Kale III, the Air Force director of civil engineers and deputy chief of staff for logistics, engineering, and force protection. “We face some formidable challenges right now,” he said. “Our installations are not sanctuaries, as we continue to compete with near-peer adversaries. Our installations are not immune to severe weather and climate events. Our installations are not modern and must be upgraded to meet the future operating environment and withstand threats across all domains.” And the necessary changes and upgrades must be done under “continuous budget constraints...."
| |
Florida Department of Corrections
| |
Federal Immigration Officials are Working with Florida Prison Officials Tampa Bay Times
The push to participate in the program — known as 287(g) — began a year and a half ago, at the request of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has long embraced President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies.
TALLAHASSEE — A select group of correctional officers at a Northwest Florida prison is set to take part in a federal immigration program that will allow officers to interrogate any detainee who they believe is in the country illegally and process them for potential immigration violations.
Florida Corrections Secretary Mark Inch signed the agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in mid-August, though corrections officials only made the formal partnership public on Friday.
The push to participate in the program — known as 287(g) — began a year and a half ago, at the request of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has long embraced President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies.
DeSantis said Friday he is pleased to see the program moving forward, adding that he directed Inch to seek the program to “facilitate greater cooperation in immigration enforcement with the federal government...."
| |
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
| |
FDLE’s Analyst Academy Certifies 17 New Graduates
On September 7, 2020 the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) designated 17 new analyst academy graduates as Florida-Certified Law Enforcement Analysts. The academy is a five-week training and certification program, delivered over five months covering topics such as critical and creative thinking, analytical techniques, ethics, privacy and civil rights, and is supplemented with homework assignments, weekly quizzes, a simulated command staff presentation on the students’ final project and a comprehensive final exam.
This group, Class 31, started their journey together in January 2020 at FDLE’s Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center, met in person again in February, and finished their course of study remotely from June through August. The instructors, all working analysts in the field, took on extra responsibilities to convert their course materials from classroom to remote learning delivery. The program has graduated over 700 analysts since its inception in 2003, representing approximately 100 law enforcement agencies from all over Florida.
| |
Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs
| |
Boca Raton Doctor Pleads Guilty To $20 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
TAMPA, Fla. – Dr. Richard Davidson of Boca Raton has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Davidson has also agreed to forfeit $2,472,087 to the United States, which represents the proceeds he obtained through the commission of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2018, Davidson and his conspirators established a conglomerate of durable medical equipment (“DME”) supply companies. During the creation of the companies, they lied to Medicare to secure billing privileges. The scheme involved placing the companies in the names of straw owners. By concealing their true ownership, the conspirators secretly gained control of multiple companies, which Medicare prohibits. This enabled the conspirators to submit high volumes of illegal DME claims while attempting to evade law enforcement scrutiny. In one year, through the conglomerate, Davidson and his conspirators submitted more than $20 million in illegal DME claims, resulting in more than $10 million in payments from Medicare and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“CHAMPVA”).
To attain such high volumes of claims, the conspirators used bribes and kickbacks. Specifically, Davidson and his conspirators illegally purchased thousands of signed doctors’ orders for DME braces from so-called “marketers.” The marketers, for their part, had generated the signed doctors’ orders under the guise of “telemedicine,” but no telemedicine had actually occurred. Instead, the “marketers” had bribed doctors to sign the DME brace orders that supported the illegal claims. Davidson and his conspirators paid millions to secure the illegal DME claims for submission to Medicare and CHAMPVA.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Tampa Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Fiore.
| |
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
| |
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is proud to announce that a Florida landowner is being nationally recognized for his proactive conservation and environmental practices and outstanding stewardship of fish and wildlife resources.
The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) has recognized Doug Moore and the South Prong Plantation in Baker County with the Private Lands Fish and Wildlife Stewardship Award.
South Prong Plantation is a working, multi‐use timberland operation that provides wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, and a living classroom to teach others how to be better land stewards.
“Private lands are critical for Florida’s native wildlife and the efforts of landowners like Doug should be celebrated,” said Eric Sutton, Executive Director of the FWC. “His contributions are a great example of the important role private landowners play in conserving Florida’s habitats and wildlife populations for future generations to enjoy.”
“I am honored to receive this national award. I thank all the forest and wildlife agencies, friends and family that made it happen,” said Mr. Moore. “It has always been a passion of mine to own a large timber property that I could manage, share and introduce others into learning more about our great outdoors. I am living my dream.”
To learn more, please go to the “Wildlife and Habitat Assistance” section online at, MyFWC.com/LAP
| |
Florida Housing Finance Corporation
| |
CBS4
Gainesville, Fla — In a unanimous vote The Florida Housing Finance Corporation expanded their housing program to Alachua County.
The Housing Stability for Homeless Schoolchildren Initiative will help homeless families in Alachua County regain housing stability and make sure children in school remain on track with their education.
Patrick Dodds with United Way of North Central Florida said this is unique in that the rental assistance lasts up to two years.
United Way of North Central Florida is part of the community partnership, The Florida Housing works with, to make sure the housing program is a success. When it comes to selecting families, Patrick Dodds said, Syltane Fifi Pierre, with the Alachua County School District will make the final decision. “Her familiarity with families provides her with the most insight, which families have the greatest needs, which families will benefit the most, so she will be selecting who gets the service," said Dodds.
| |
Bring AmeriCorps To Your Community: 2021-2022 AmeriCorps Competitive Funding RFP
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Volunteer Florida, the entity responsible for managing AmeriCorps programs in the State of Florida, is pleased to announce the 2020-2021 AmeriCorps competitive funding request for proposals (RFP). Organizations interested in applying should respond to the RFP by Monday, November 2, 2020 at 5 pm (ET).
“AmeriCorps members do tremendous work to strengthen and serve Florida’s communities,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Today, I am pleased to join Volunteer Florida to announce this opportunity for organizations across our state to strengthen their mission through national service.”
“Volunteer Florida, with the support of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), is proud to increase the capacity and impact of organizations across the Sunshine State through AmeriCorps,” said Volunteer Florida CEO Clay Ingram. “AmeriCorps members ‘get things done’ in Florida and I encourage organizations who are interested in bringing this change to their communities to consider applying.”
Each year, nearly 1,700 people across our state take the pledge to strengthen Florida’s communities through AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps members serve in many different capacities, including educational support, veteran services, public land conservation, disaster response and more. Member activities include tutoring and mentoring underserved students, supporting veterans and military families, sustaining state parks and responding to emergencies and disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue reading here: https://www.volunteerflorida.org/americorps-competitive-funding-available-2021-2022/
| |
Department of Elder Affairs
| |
Department of Juvenile Justice
| |
Department of The Lottery
| |
Department of Management Services
| |
Division of Emergency Management
| |
Florida Department of Citrus
| |
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
| |
|
|
|
|