TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today announced a $113 million agreement with Apple, Inc. regarding Apple’s decision to throttle consumers’ iPhone speeds in order to address unexpected shutdowns in some iPhones. Attorney General Moody is joined by more than 30 other attorneys general in reaching the agreement.
Based on the multistate investigation, Apple allegedly discovered that battery issues were leading to unexpected shutdowns in iPhones. Rather than disclosing these issues or replacing batteries, Apple updated software that reduced iPhone performance in an effort to keep the phones from unexpectedly shutting down.
The attorneys general allege that Apple’s decision to throttle the performance of consumers’ iPhones led to Apple profiting from selling additional iPhones to consumers whose phone performance Apple had slowed.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Countless Floridians depend on their iPhones daily for necessary professional and personal communication and pay significant fees for this service. It is essential that a widespread and trusted service provider such as Apple provide accurate and reliable information about performance issues and viable options if service is disrupted. I am proud of this action that will require Apple to be more transparent to consumers and hold them accountable for their actions that negatively impacted many Floridians.” Continue reading
OCALA, Fla. (Nov. 10) – The City of Ocala has been awarded grant money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the amount of $1,454, 257. Funding will be used to cover the cost of installing backup generators and other improvements to the city’s sanitary sewer collection systems.
The city applied for grant funding in June 2018 and was awarded these funds Nov. 4, 2020. The grant is funded by the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), a funding source that operates under FEMA, providing resources for critical infrastructure upgrades.
The approved proposal includes the purchase and installation of twenty permanent generators, automatic transfer switches and other electrical components for designated lift stations. The upgrades will allow lift stations to remain functional in the event of power loss due to hurricanes or other tropical storms. Existing manhole covers will be removed and replaced with new covers and seals to prevent stormwater intrusion and sanitary overflows.
The new generators will be protected against wind and weather conditions and include a 500-year flood event, meaning there is a 1 in 500 (0.2%) chance this type of flood risk could occur in a given year. All system requirements will be completed in strict compliance with Federal, State, and Local rules and regulations. Timelines for installation are under contract review and will be forthcoming.
For more information, please contact the City Engineer’s Office at 352-351-6772.
OCALA, Fla. (Nov. 16, 2020) – ‘Santa on the Square’ returns to Downtown Ocala this December. This family-friendly holiday program will take place Tuesdays and Thursdays, Dec. 3-17, 6 to 8 p.m. at the downtown square.
Due to COVID-19, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus will be socially distanced. Guests are encouraged to wear face coverings, maintain a physical distance of six-feet apart in the que line, and utilize hand sanitation stations supplied by the city. Santa will remain seated behind stanchions spaced six feet apart from guests.
This program is free, but guests must reserve a time slot by emailing lartis@ocalafl.org. No more than 8 individuals will be allowed in the photo at one time. Guests are encouraged to bring their own camera to capture the moment. Individually wrapped treats will be handed out to children after their photo with Santa.
For more information, visit www.ocalafl.org/holidays or call the City of Ocala Recreation and Parks Department at 352-368-5517.
A man who once claimed he could prove a federal conspiracy against Sheriff Joe Arpaio — and who collected more than $100,000 from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office before it determined his claims were baseless — is now a key figure in a right-wing vote fraud conspiracy theory being pushed by key supporters of President Donald Trump.
Media reports and conservative activists on social media say Dennis Montgomery has been spreading the claim that widespread voter fraud is the product of a deep-state supercomputer called “The Hammer” and software called “Scorecard.” According to the claims circulated online, those systems were allegedly used to alter ballot counts across the country.
The right-wing website American Report apparently helped launch the idea in a story it published Oct. 31. American Report features, among other things, extensive stories reiterating right-wing conspiracy theories from the Obama administration era.
The site said Montgomery claimed to have developed the HAMR, or Hammer, computer and the Scorecard software in the late 2000s, and that it was commandeered by the Obama administration and used to steal the 2012 election and is now being used to steal the election on Biden’s behalf.
The claim has been pushed by former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, former national security adviser Michael Flynn, Fox Business host Lou Dobbs and other high-profile allies in Trump’s orbit — though researchers have thoroughly debunked the idea.
The Ocala Business Leader ask for all the vets that were there please come up front. They were ask to give a short version of what branch of military they we’re in and anything else they wanted to say. All were up beat except when mentioning the loss of a family member. Several said it was exciting and they had fun traveling but not when they were near the front. Some were retired military. Some were in the reserves but they all gave a positive up beat story.
The Griffis family donated the easement which is within the critical O2O wildlife corridor
Jacksonville, Fla., Oct. 28, 2020 – North Florida Land Trust has received a donation of a conservation easement in Columbia County which lies within the critical Ocala to Osceola, or O2O, wildlife corridor. Sam “Buck” Griffis and his wife, Vickie, donated the land on their 68-acres known as Sweet Gum Farm to make sure it remains free from development forever. A grant NFLT received from the EJK Foundation of Houston, Texas helped to fund the due diligence that was needed to complete the donation.
“Buck and Vickie consider the farm a sanctuary and wanted to make sure no one could come in and turn their beautiful farm into a residential development,” said Jim McCarthy, president of NFLT. “The Griffis’ will continue to own the land where they enjoy raising cattle, horses and chickens while ensuring it will remain a farm and natural forest in perpetuity.”
In addition to the farmlands and some unimproved pastures, the property consists of pine flatwoods, depression marshes, mixed scrub-shrub wetlands and upland hardwood forests. It lies within the boundaries of the Osceola National Forest and is adjacent to the forest on two sides. Preserving the land not only protects it from development but also helps further the objectives of The Forest Plan for the National Forests in Florida. The plan aims to improve ownership patterns of the forest to enable important management techniques including prescribed burning.
The 1.6 million-acre O2O corridor is a preservation focus for NFLT. It provides an important habitat for the Florida Black Bear and numerous endangered species including the red-cockaded woodpecker, indigo snakes and gopher tortoises. The nonprofit is currently leading the O2O Wildlife Corridor Partnership, an effort by public and private organizations to accelerate land conservation within the O2O. Continue reading
Ground Breaking for Ye Ole Thrift Shoppe, located next to the Log Cabin, Lady Lake. We are looking forward to the new addition.
A new us post office was built “to be opened soon”. They have plans to “rebuild” what they tore down in “2017”. Florida “d.o.t” owns the bridge. 4 lane will be changed to 6 lane. Information supplied by a Local Business Person! More updates next month. If you have information that you would like to share send it to tloury@att.net
Here are three pictures from the Market place at the Lady Lake Chamber Log Cabin. They have a Market Place every Tuesday Morning. Many vendors set up and show their products. Some handmade, some art, produce, services like knife sharpening, making homemade jelly and jams. Emergency services, insurance, healthcare, food, Fresh shrimp and etc. Come on out next Wednesday and see all the interesting stuff.
LL Anderson Coaching celebrated their Ribbon Cutting. Friends and family came out to help Latisha Anderson, cut the ribbon, and start a new year with LL Anderson Coaching. Look for Latisha at https://llanderson.org/
