Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd will be available to the media to discuss Florida’s 2024 Primary Election tomorrow morning at the Department of State’s R.A. Gray Building at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The press availability will be in the Department’s Gallery for Innovation and the Arts on the first floor. Press will need to be prepared to show their press credentials.
Nearly 800 people gathered at Port Canaveral’s Jetty Park to bid “Bon Voyage” to Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas as it embarked on its first revenue sailing from the port. The event, dubbed “The World’s Biggest Wave Out,” was organized by the port for the local community, campground guests, and beachgoers. Attendees enjoyed a festive afternoon featuring a DJ, bubble machine, giveaways, and refreshments provided by local vendors.
Gerard van den Heuvel was recently appointed to the Port of Miami Terminal Operating Company (POMTOC) as its new Chief Executive Officer. He succeeds Carlos Arocha, who recently retired after a distinguished career with the organization.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution secured 40-year prison sentences for three members of a Romanian crime ring that stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from schools and churches. A Fort Myers jury found Panait Dumitru, Catalin Trandafir, and Simona Trandafir guilty of racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, grand theft, money laundering, aggravated white-collar crime, and unlawful possession of personal identification information. According to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation, the crime ring stole...
With growing complexity in supply chain management, a realignment of infrastructure supporting global trade routes is underway at the Port of Pensacola. The port is seeking $53 million in Triumph Gulf Coast grant funding to complete the first phase of its three-phase Supply Chain Enhancement Project. This project consists of engineering and construction elements intended to maximize the use of 75 percent of the port while achieving goals set forth by the portside Vision Plan for the remaining 25 percent.
Tallahassee, Fla., August 19, 2024 – The Florida Department of Education announced today that teacher vacancies for the 2024-2025 school year are 13.3 percent lower than first-day vacancies for the previous school year. Schools have reported an average of 1.11 teacher vacancies per school, down from last year's average of 1.28 vacancies per school. This year's decline follows a drop of over 8 percent in vacancies compared to the prior year.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced the launch of its 2024-25 Great Outdoors Initiative. This initiative aims to expand public access, increase outdoor activities, and provide new lodging options across Florida's state parks. The effort underscores the state's commitment to conservation, the outdoor recreation economy, and enhancing the quality of life for Floridians.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved Port Tampa Bay's General Reevaluation Report to deepen its shipping channels. This decision will allow the main portions of the navigable waterways serving Port Tampa Bay to be deepened from 43 to 47 feet. The Tampa Harbor Navigation Improvement Study, which began three years ago, received approval on August 14, 2024.
Contractors for Southeast Toyota Distributors, the world’s largest independent distributor of Toyotas, are making significant progress on a new 340,000-square-foot auto processing facility at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal. J.E. Dunn Construction has completed the foundations and is now beginning construction of the concrete walls in preparation for the installation of structural steel framing in late July.
Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is introducing a new four-night itinerary from Port of Palm Beach, Florida, featuring a new port of call to Key West and a day at sea.
Advent eModal (AeM), the world’s largest port community system serving the intermodal supply chain, recently announced the successful implementation of its eModal® Community Portal (eCP) at Florida International Terminal (FIT) at Port Everglades. This deployment introduces the advanced PreGate and Fee Manager applications into the comprehensive eCP system, enhancing port operations and intermodal logistics.
The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) praised members of the North Carolina General Assembly for their historic veto override votes on critical election integrity reforms. The Legislature passed Senate Bill 747 in mid-August and presented it to Governor Roy Cooper on August 18. Governor Cooper vetoed the bill on August 24. Today, the Senate overrode the governor’s veto by a vote of 30-19 and the House by a vote of 72-44.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will issue a School Fishing Club Grant to 50 schools for the upcoming school year. The School Fishing Club Program is an annual educational grant program that teaches youth anglers about best fishing practices to help ensure the future of fishing in Florida.
The sound of cannon fire filled the air as the 17th annual commemoration of the end of the Second Seminole War was celebrated at St. Francis Barracks, Florida, on August 17, 2024. The ceremony is a yearly tradition hosted by the Florida National Guard to honor fallen participants of the Florida Seminole War.
FEMA has established a Disaster Recovery Center in Manatee County to assist residents impacted by Hurricane Debby. The center is located at the Lakewood Ranch Library, 16410 Rangeland Parkway, Bradenton, FL 34211, and operates daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Today, FloridaCommerce announced that Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to Florida businesses and residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Debby and who are not eligible for regular state or federal Reemployment Assistance benefits. Eligible Floridians are encouraged to submit a claim at FloridaJobs.org.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Courtney Drummond, Alexis Lambert, and Ivey Yarger to the State Emergency Response Commission.
On August 16, 2024, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the preservation of Joseph Miller Ranch, a 490-acre cow/calf operation in St. Lucie County, through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The preservation was achieved through a rural land protection easement valued at $2,070,000.
FloridaCommerce announced today that the Jacksonville area’s total private sector employment increased by 15,500 jobs (+2.2%) over the year in July 2024. The Jacksonville Metro Area’s labor force saw a modest increase of 1,972 (+0.2%) during the same period.