The CEP’s groundbreaking series, exCEPtional Mornings breakfast presented by James Moore & Company is designed to foster connections, inspire growth, and cultivate success for everyone involved.
The CEP started our exCEPtional Mornings breakfast almost 10 years ago and the reason was to create an event that once a month would provide an opportunity to bring the business community together. It allows us to share information with them that is valuable to our community and to bring a speaker who is of significance to the local business community. That could be like our most recent breakfast, where we had the Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation speak. It could be an elected official or a business leader. In fact, those are often our most popular when we have one of our local business executives who talks about their business. Continue reading
Dear friends,
The previous two columns we have been reporting to you on the 2023 Legislative Session and today we are bringing you the third installment in this series. This month we will continue by highlighting some other passed legislation that will be of interest to you.
Last month’s release of the blockbuster film “Sound of Freedom” has captivated American audiences and, rightfully so, brought much attention and awareness to the devastation of human trafficking. Florida continues to lead on this front to the best of our ability (our federal government must step up and secure our borders!) and a number of bills were passed to help us combat this issue. One such bill was SB 7064 by Senator Ileana Garcia. This bill requires that law enforcement officers successfully complete 4 hours of training in identifying and investigating human trafficking as part of their basic recruit training or additional training. The Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission will develop the training in consultation with the Department of Legal Affairs and the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking. Further, SB 7064 also establishes the state’s unified Statewide Data Repository for Anonymous Human Trafficking Data at the University of South Florida Trafficking in Persons – Risk to Resilience Lab. The human trafficking data, which must be submitted by law enforcement agencies and other entities, will be used to aid in combatting human trafficking, prosecuting those engaged in human trafficking, and assisting victims of human trafficking. Continue reading
It has been an eventful month at the Lady Lake Police Department, and I wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the significant incidents and developments that have occurred. As always, the dedication and professionalism of our officers continue to impress me.
First, we want our residents to be aware of the new constitutional gun carry law that took effect July 1. This legislation allows a person to carry a concealed weapon without a valid concealed weapons license as long as the criteria for obtaining a license is met. It does not authorize the open carry of a firearm.
Our dedication to the community was exemplified by our participation in an amazing fireworks show on July 1. Setting up our booth at the Guava Street Athletic Complex, we had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with children and families, building positive relationships. The event showcased the dedication and teamwork of our officers on site, while our patrol crew handled calls for service. Continue reading
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
