The Riviera Beach Police Foundation has appointed Port of Palm Beach Executive Director Michael Meekins to its Board of Directors. "I am honored to join the Board of Directors, allowing me to contribute to the nonprofit’s mission and objectives," said Meekins.
Tallahassee, Fla., July 8, 2024 – Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. announced the selected books for the Commissioner’s Book of the Month for July. This monthly reading challenge aims to promote literacy and reading engagement in preK-12 schools. Each month, Commissioner Diaz highlights five recommended books—one per selected grade range.
Port Tampa Bay, Florida’s largest and most diversified seaport, stands as the primary economic engine in West Central Florida. Situated on the Interstate-4 Corridor, it supports a variety of maritime and related activities, including shipbuilding and repair facilities, cruise operations, and handling the highest cargo tonnage volume in the state.
The Port of Palm Beach recently participated in the All About the Ocean Night at Roger Dean Stadium, where the Jupiter Hammerheads played against the Clearwater Threshers. The event, held in June, aimed to promote marine conservation and education.
Operational performance at Port Everglades notably improved in 2023, placing the Broward County, Florida, seaport in the top 20% of ports worldwide, according to the latest Container Port Performance Index (CPPI). At a global level, Port Everglades is ranked No. 65 — up from the previous year’s ranking of No. 89. In 2021, the port was No. 116. Regionally, including the United States and Canada, Port Everglades claims the No. 3 spot, up two spots from the 2022 report, and remains No. 1 in Florida.
It has been said that everything good and magical happens between the months of June and August. For Florida’s system of seaports, there are many positive developments occurring.
The court-appointed receiver continues to remove the soft materials associated with the previous Port Manatee Berth 12 dredging project from the NGS-South compartment. To date, more than 151,000 cubic yards have been removed for dewatering and consolidation.
Operation Dry Water (ODW) weekend will take place from July 4 through July 6. The national weekend of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) detection and enforcement aims to reduce the number of alcohol- and drug-related boating incidents and fatalities. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and other participating law enforcement agencies will work together to make Florida waterbodies safer by identifying and removing dangerous or impaired vessel operators.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced the introduction of two new license hard card designs featuring student artwork from this year’s Florida State Fish Art Contest. Grace Wang’s depiction of a Florida bass and Emma Nemes’ representation of a snook were selected as the new freshwater and saltwater designs, respectively.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is urging beachgoers to help protect sea turtles and waterbirds during the Fourth of July weekend. Nesting season is currently underway for several imperiled species, including sea turtles, shorebirds, seabirds, and wading birds.
Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal, said in a June 24 post that the My Safe Florida Home program is helping state residents save money on insurance.
Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, issued a statement today regarding the year-over-year results from Florida’s statewide student assessments.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Ahead of Independence Day, Attorney General Ashley Moody is providing consumer protection resources to Florida’s service members and veterans. July is Military Consumer Protection Month, and the Florida Attorney General’s Office offers several resources for service members, veterans, and their families. These include information about military-targeted scams, a consumer protection guide, and the Military and Veterans Assistance Program (MVAP).
Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) announced that 29 long-term care employees across Florida have been awarded $69,500 in scholarships to advance their careers in healthcare. FHCA will award four caregivers each a $5,000 Bruce Taylor Scholarship to advance their nursing careers; 12 long-term care employees will each receive a $2,500 Career Climb Scholarship, and 13 nursing home Administrators in Training (AIT) have earned a $1,500 Rising Long Term Care Leader Scholarship to support their goals of becoming licensed Nursing Home Administrators (NHA).
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) marks its 25th anniversary today, celebrating a quarter-century of efforts in conserving wildlife and habitats across Florida, while providing recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. The FWC commenced operations on July 1, 1999, following a voter decision to replace the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, the Marine Fisheries Commission, and parts of the Department of Environmental Protection with this new agency.
This week, the Florida State Guard (FSG) completed its first annual training since Governor DeSantis reactivated the agency in June 2022. During the 14-day mission rehearsal exercise, soldiers underwent rigorous simulations to test their emergency response proficiencies in the aftermath of a catastrophic hurricane with multi-county impacts.
Attorney General Ashley Moody has welcomed new law enforcement officers to Florida from states including Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and New York as part of the Sunshine Salute initiative. The initiative recognizes officers who relocate to serve in Florida and highlights their stories. Several new Sarasota Police Department officers shared their reasons for moving to Florida with Attorney General Moody.
Florida's latest 3rd and 8th-grade reading scores were recently released, reflecting progress toward Florida 2030-related education goals. According to TheFloridaScorecard.org, 3rd-grade reading scores increased by 5 percentage points to 55%, while 8th-grade reading scores rose by 4 percentage points to 51%.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — 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 the May 2024 North Florida Tornadoes and are not eligible for regular state or federal Reemployment Assistance benefits. Eligible Floridians whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of the May North Florida Tornadoes are encouraged to submit a claim at FloridaJobs.org.