Congresswoman Kat Cammack named Melissa Li, Hailey Lin, Katie He, and Una Kinbarovsky the winners of the 2022 Congressional App Challenge. Ms. Li created an app called “PlanIt,” which provides users with an integrated, customizable planner that uses a rewards system to incentivize and motivate users to track and complete their daily activities.
“I’m excited to name this team this year’s Congressional App Challenge winner,” said Rep. Cammack. “It’s truly incredible to see these talented high school students channel their creativity in such innovative ways, using sophisticated technology and coding software at such a young age. I’d like to congratulate all our applicants from the competition for being part of the next wave of young innovators, and of course, the winners of the challenge for their app, ‘PlanIt.’ We can’t wait to see what you do next!”
Winners of the Congressional App Challenge are eligible to have their app displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building and featured on the House of Representatives website. They are also invited to a reception on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to celebrate their accomplishments.
Congresswoman Kat Cammack announced this year’s Veteran of the Year as Mr. Ansil Lewis, a 30-year United States Marine Corps veteran.
Mr. Lewis served as a Sergeant Major in the United States Marine Corps from 1987 to 2017, where he received the Bronze Star; Legion of Merit; Meritorious Service Medal; Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal; Combat Action Ribbon; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Navy Unit Commendation; and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal.
After his decades-long service to our nation, Mr. Lewis has continued to demonstrate his dedication to our area’s veterans as an involved member of the Clay County veteran community, serving as the past Commandant of the Roy S. Geiger Marine Corps League Detachment 1047, a member of the board for Operation Bambas, and the president of the Veterans Council of Clay County.
“I’m honored to announce Mr. Lewis as the 2022 Veteran of the Year,” said Congresswoman Cammack. “Sergeant Major Lewis served our nation honorably for three decades, committing his life’s work to the Stars and Stripes. Upon his return, he’s only increased his commitment to our veteran community, introducing more people to our region’s vibrant history of service and leadership. From his presidency with the Veterans Council of Clay County to his organization of dozens of events for our nation’s heroes, I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor. I’m excited to celebrate this award with Mr. Lewis and his family in the new year.” Continue reading
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Reps. Kat Cammack (R-FL-03) and Darren Soto (D-FL-09) led the Florida congressional delegation in sending a bipartisan letter to House and Senate appropriators, urging them to provide relief for specialty crop insurance providers who are facing steep Administrative and Operating (A&O) costs.
In 2011, a cap on the administrative and operating (A&O) expense reimbursement was established to ensure that, when the prices of crops like corn, wheat, soybeans, or cotton increase, A&O costs associated with these crops’ policies do not also significantly rise. Unfortunately, specialty crops have not seen the same price increase as row crops but have been subject to the same A&O caps, resulting in steep decreases to specialty crop insurance funding.
Thus, the downward pressure on specialty crop funding has made it more difficult for crop insurance providers to deliver specialty crop insurance policies to producers in Florida and elsewhere, which in turn threatens the long-term survival of our nation’s specialty crop producers
The letter is a follow-up to one sent by Rep. Cammack and Rep. Soto in June of this year, and asks the House Appropriations Committee to provide relief in the FY23 Agriculture appropriations bill to ensure that specialty crop insurance policies are not tied to this A&O cap Continue reading
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, S.2159, the bill to rename the VA Clinic in Middleburg, Florida after Andrew Kenneth Baker, was signed into law by President Biden at the White House.
After the bill passed the House and Senate earlier this fall, the president’s signature was the final step before the formal designation and name change ceremony in Middleburg.
“It’s an amazing day in Florida’s Third Congressional District,” said Cammack. “To have this bill across the finish line during my freshman term is a major accomplishment, and to do it in memory of Chief Baker and his service and sacrifice is truly an honor. I look forward to seeing the new name go up on the building in the new year, and to celebrate this project’s completion. Thank you to Senators Rubio and Scott and all of my Florida colleagues for your support of this effort.” Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today called on Apple and Google to take immediate action and correct the application store age ratings of TikTok by the end of the year. Attorney General Moody and 14 other state attorneys general state that the change will help parents protect their children from being exposed to harmful content online.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “While our investigation into TikTok continues, it is important that action is taken now to better protect children from harmful content they might encounter on this China-owned social media platform. If TikTok isn’t banned outright, app stores should at the very least increase the age rating on the TikTok app to ensure parents know that this social media platform is not appropriate for users under the age of 17.”
In a pair of letters to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, the coalition of attorneys general outlined the deceptive nature of the current ratings for the social media platform. The letters state that without taking the necessary steps to increase the age rating and change the accompanying age descriptions, the states reserve the right to take appropriate legal action against the companies. Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution charged a human trafficker with manslaughter and human trafficking causing great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement. The defendant, Daniel Rhodes, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Rhodes, who used several women’s drug addictions to coerce the victims into engaging in sexual activity for Rhode’s financial benefit. According to an FDLE investigation, Rhodes also injected one of the victims with a drug concoction that included fentanyl, resulting in the woman’s overdose death.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This monster injected his victims with drugs and coerced them to perform sex acts for his financial gain. An FDLE investigation also revealed that he caused the death of one woman, by injecting her with a fentanyl-laced drug mixture. My prosecutors will aggressively pursue this case to make sure this vile human trafficker pays for his crimes.” Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is issuing a Consumer Alert highlighting schemes associated with the holiday season. The National Retail Federation predicts that overall spending during the holidays is expected to total a record-breaking $950 million. Schemers know spending increases during the holidays and will craft ways to target consumers.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “It’s a busy time of year for shoppers, retailers and delivery companies as millions of gifts are sold, shipped and delivered. It’s also a busy season for scammers concocting schemes to exploit the holiday demand. Today, I am releasing the 12 Schemes of Christmas Consumer Alert to help Floridians identity and avoid scams they could encounter during this busy holiday shopping season.”
Attorney General Moody lists 12 schemes Floridians should be wary of during the holiday season and beyond:
Crostinis:
10.5-ounce baguette, sliced ½-inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
Bruschetta:
1-pound strawberries, trimmed and diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar
½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, ricotta or burrata
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
(NewsUSA) – As the sun rises in middle America, nature comes to life. Ducks, geese and other birds emerge from a marsh, taking flight into a golden sky, while prairie grasses whisper in the morning breeze and insects begin to hum.
The growing cacophony of honks, quacks, chirps and splashes is music to Jason Black’s ears. As public land manager of the McPherson Valley Wetlands in central Kansas, they are proof that this habitat is thriving.
“This is a special place,” says Black. “I get to watch it grow through the seasons, watch the birds come and go. Everything from our state bird, the meadowlark, to whooping cranes to a number of species of ducks and geese and shorebirds when water conditions and migration are lined up just right.”
These public wetlands were recently improved through a public-private partnership thanks in big part to one of the nation’s largest clean energy infrastructure companies, Williams. The company’s generous contribution allowed Ducks Unlimited to seek matching funds to restore several areas that are critical to waterfowl during spring and fall migrations. Continue reading
Stories for Kids with Wholesome Fun, Culture, Imagination and Learning
(NewsUSA) – Amanda Given, an author, speech language pathologist, yogi, mother, mental health advocate and child at heart, has given us a charming story with colorful and playful illustrations that will help any child, young or old, open up and learn to deal with their feelings, all by learning about Balloon Breath.
This obviously is an important topic for children and their parents or guardians. So much has been written about the difficulty of young children to understand and control their emotions, with strategies from learned scholars and therapists on how to cope. Yet sometimes, it’s the simplest of stories to which children can best connect, putting them in a position to learn and grow.
That’s why “BALLOON BREATH” does such an impressive job of helping children open up and deal with their feelings. The book, geared primarily to pre-schoolers in the 2-to-5 age range, is a simple tale in which Lonnie is frustrated with the behavior of his brother, Curly, who has taken his blanket, and dominated the channels on the TV set to his own liking and without consideration of his brother. Lonnie feels like he is going to explode with anger.
Fortunately, his favorite babysitter, Scarlett, comes over and tries to instill happiness into the atmosphere with fun activities, by eating, pretending to be lions, going to the upbeat sunroom — anything to create a cheerful mood. Finally, Scarlett explains what she does when she gets mad: “Sit criss-cross applesauce. Take a DEEP breath in. That’s it. Now exhale all the air out.” Continue reading
