The Marion County Library System and Coping with Dementia LLC have announced free ABC of Dementia workshops at Belleview and Freedom branch libraries, as follows:
Belleview Public Library, located at 13145 SE County Hwy 484. A workshop will be offered from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
Freedom Public Library, located at 5870 SW 95th Street in Ocala. A workshop will be offered from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, September 7, 2023.
All participants will receive a free packet of useful information. Continue reading
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office announces its partnership in a free conference for families living with dementia at the Savannah Center in The Villages on October 30, 2023. The event will be organized by Coping with Dementia LLC, a dementia education and training company that has presented successful conferences in Citrus County since 2014.
About the event, Sumter Sheriff William O. “Bill” Farmer Jr. says, “The extraordinary growth of Sumter County – along with Lake and Marion counties — has developed one of the most senior demographic populations in the nation. One result is that dementia, which becomes more common among citizens over the age of 65, has become a pressing issue affecting public safety and our quality of life. I think it’s a great time to partner in this free major event that will give our citizens an opportunity to learn about Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and to inform them of the many resources that are available to lighten the load of dementia care.” Continue reading
As part of the Children’s Summer Reading program at the Lady Lake Library, the Lady Lake Police Department presented Bike Safety for Kids today, which included free helmets and fittings, giveaways and bicycle raffles. The event is part of the Police Department’s Safer Kids in Lady Lake Program (SKILL), which takes place several times a year.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is excited to announce its annual back-to-school festival and school supply giveaway. The event, known as Project Kid Connect, is being held on Saturday, July 15, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Sheriff’s Office South Lake District Office, located at 15855 State Road 50 in Clermont.
Kids in attendance will be given a free backpack containing free school supplies. There will also be music, free food and drinks, a dunk-a-deputy tank, and other fun games and activities.
The purpose of this event is to bring kids and law enforcement together in a positive and fun atmosphere. As such, children must be present and must be residents of Lake County in order to receive a backpack. Backpacks are being given out on a first-come-first-served basis and supplies are limited.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of this year’s sponsors for contributing to this cause and making the event possible.
Connecting more than 59,000 Unserved and Underserved Businesses, Homes, Farms and Anchor Institutions Like Hospitals and Libraries to High-Speed Internet
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis awarded more than $247 million through the Broadband Infrastructure Program, connecting more than 59,000 unserved and underserved businesses, homes, farms and anchor institutions like hospitals and libraries to high-speed Internet. Infrastructure deployment through 63 strategic projects in 43 Florida counties ensures that Florida residents have reliable and efficient access to workforce, education and health monitoring opportunities for generations to come.
These awards are in addition to more than $226 million in Broadband Opportunity Grant Funding already awarded to 53 counties awards to expand broadband Internet access to unserved areas across the state, connecting more than 250,000 homes and businesses. Additional funding will become available this year through new and existing programs. Continue reading
Each educator earning a Civics Seal of Excellence Endorsement receives a stipend worth $3,000 each
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced Florida has awarded 11,000 teachers more than $33 million for completing civics training offered by the Florida Department of Education. The educators have completed either the Summer Civics Professional Learning Series or the first-of-its-kind Civics Seal of Excellence Endorsement, which equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to provide high-quality civics instruction.
Governor DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) launched the Civics Seal of Excellence in January, and more than 10,000 teachers registered for the course within the first week. Course enrollment is at capacity with 20,000 teachers enrolled and an additional 11,000 educators on the waiting list. FDOE enlisted the assistance of nationally recognized civics experts to create the 50-hour online program that contains over 28 hours of high-quality video lessons focused on America’s history, civics, and government. Continue reading
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Kat Cammack (FL-03), Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus, and Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13), Co-Vice Chair of the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus, Co-Chair Susie Lee (NV-03), and Co-Vice Chair Representative Monica De La Cruz (TX-15), led a bipartisan letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, calling for the prioritization of women’s cardiovascular health.
“Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one killer of all. While many heart attacks, strokes, and deaths caused by CVD are preventable, the widespread lack of CVD awareness and subsequent lack of screening, diagnosis and treatment only broaden the impact this disease has on women,” wrote the signers. “All women deserve quality cardiovascular care with a focus on prevention, which includes access to innovative treatments when needed. Special attention should be focused on the disparities that exist among racial and ethnic groups. According to a report published by the American Heart Association, non-Hispanic Black women are more likely to suffer from CVD than their non-Hispanic White female peers. Between 2015 and 2018, the alarming prevalence of CVD was 42.1 percent in non-Hispanic white women, 42.7 percent in Hispanic women, and 58.8 percent in non-Hispanic Black women aged 20 years or older.” Continue reading
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Kat Cammack voted to support FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
“With continued threats from the Chinese Communist Party, it’s more important now than ever to make sure our military is prepared to strengthen our national security. Our Armed Forces must have the necessary resources to keep our nation safe, and I’m glad this NDAA takes the proper steps to put our readiness first. We increased servicemembers’ pay to support our servicemembers and their families, removed radical, woke ideology, training, and requirements for our military, rejected Green New Deal initiatives, provided a path back to service for those who did not take the COVID vaccine, and reduced the burden on our military families for housing expenses.
“I’m also excited to see my own amendment included in the NDAA, including legislation to explore the uses of blockchain technology to create additional accountability within the DoD,” said Cammack. Continue reading
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL-03) announced the Gainesville Regional Airport’s award of $6,354,437 to improve infrastructure and acquire a new aircraft firefighting vehicle.
“Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) continues to be an important part of our community in North Central Florida, providing commercial and chartered flights each day to destinations across the south and along the eastern seaboard,” said Congresswoman Cammack. “To continue the service patrons have come to expect at Gainesville Regional, it’s imperative to improve the infrastructure and continue to attract more travelers who deserve the best visitor experience possible. I know GNV will put the funds to good use, and I look forward to seeing the improvements.” Continue reading
After seven consecutive weeks in Washington, D.C., it feels great to be home! This week, I visited with constituents in Alachua, Marion, Hamilton, Levy, and Baker Counties, criss-crossing Florida’s Third Congressional District and meeting some of the finest folks in the Sunshine State.
Volunteers with Americans for Prosperity Florida and the local chapters of the American Cancer Society visited to share their health priorities with me. I believe that our health care system is broken, but it will take a preventive approach from providers and patients to improve our quality of care. I’m excited to share some new projects on this front in the coming months.
In Baker County, I visited with Sheriff Scotty Rhoden, Baker Clerk of Court Stacie Harvey, the local fire department, World Honey Market, and several small organizations in Macclenny. I also stopped by Cedar Key in Levy County to check out the latest water projects on the Withlacoochee River in Yankeetown before heading to Marion County for a stint as a cashier at the RaceTrac location in Ocala. You can see these visits below and stay tuned for more from our travels next week. Continue reading
