On January 14, 2021, in News Releases, by Staff
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida received $85.8 million in CARES Act funding to address housing instability and homelessness across the state. The funds, which are being released in two separate disbursements ($20 million and $65 million), will be used to provide rental assistance, support emergency shelters, and conduct street outreach programs to connect unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness with local housing and other essential services.
“As Governor, I am committed to ensuring Floridians, no matter their circumstances, have the resources they need to succeed,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “This federal funding will ensure those experiencing homelessness have the necessary level of support and can access the wraparound services they need to get back on their feet and begin or continue on their journey to economic stability and independence.”
In March 2020, $2.96 billion was allocated to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through Emergency Solutions Grants to support individuals experiencing homelessness and those at risk of homelessness due to financial setbacks resulting from COVID-19. Florida’s Emergency Solutions Grant, which totals $85,896,094, will be administered by the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the single point of contact within state government for the 27 Continuums of Care (CoCs) and other agencies, organizations, and stakeholders serving the homeless population. Continue reading
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, as part of his ongoing efforts to put Florida’s Seniors First, Governor Ron DeSantis released the following statement regarding booster shots for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines:
Governor DeSantis said, “While there is talk at the federal level regarding how to distribute vaccine doses and whether booster shots should be ‘held back,’ Florida is committed to the two-dose regimen for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. One dose seems to provide some protection, but the 95 percent efficiency has only been shown to be attained by taking the booster shot. This means that while the manner of distribution may change, the necessity of the booster shot will not. Florida wants all seniors to receive booster shots at the appropriate time.”
Florida Leads the Nation in Vaccinating Seniors
On January 15, 2021, in News Releases, by Staff
Florida announces more than 500,000 seniors vaccinated to date
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis provided an update on Florida’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution progress, highlighting steps the state is taking to increase vaccination sites and put Florida’s Seniors First. Continue reading
The improvement of technology in today’s society has greatly benefited law enforcement and our society as a whole. However, improvements in technology have led to a serious threat on our roadways – distracted driving.
Dialing numbers on cell phones or typing text messages requires attention that should be paid to the task of driving. There are four main types of distraction: visual (taking your eyes off the road), auditory (hearing something not related to driving) manual (taking your hands off the wheel) and cognitive (taking your mind off what you are doing). While all distractions can endanger drivers’ and fellow motorists’ safety, texting while driving is the most alarming because it involves all three types of distraction. Shockingly, statistics show that texting while driving is just as dangerous as operating a motor vehicle while impaired.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it is estimated that 2,841 people were killed on our nation’s roadways and more than 400,000 were injured as a result of distracted driving in the year 2018.
Texting while driving has been proven dangerous beyond dispute. Taking one’s eyes off the road for the average 5-6 second text, is enough to travel the length of a football field at 55 MPH. It is clear that the dangers of texting while driving are serious. A life is more precious than taking a call or responding to a text message. It is imperative that we put the safety of others above our own need to access technology. If you feel the need to send that message, safely pull off the roadway first. Continue reading
Brooklyn Back Yard Restaurant. Interesting lunch Ocala Florida Silver Springs Blvd. We had a business lunch in the middle of the month. My business guest order a Calzone, said it was delicious. I had create a burger, no bun. Lettuce, Tomato, onion, pickles with mixed veggies and some really hot coffee! Enjoyed it and will go back soon. The restaurant is located close to Staples.
By TomL
I came down with COVID-19 Then my wife came down with COVID-19. Not a fun thing!
We had a nice small family Christmas day afternoon Dinner. About one AM I got very sick like a stomach Flu with plenty of pain. Terrible night. I thought it was something I ate did not agree with me. My energy level went to the bottom for days. Three days later my wife got sick, she slept about twenty hours. When she woke up the next day, we both went for the COVID-19 test. We tested positive! It was not a good experience but we took massive doses of vitamin CC, B-12, Iron, 500 mg Zinc, 500 mg D-3, ate soup when we could get something down and we got better. I ask if I was now ammune and I think the answer is temporary the new strains can reinfect us so get your shot when you are able!
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Who said Joe Biden was not religious, he raised thousands from the dead to vote for him…
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I wondered how long some of our Political leaders have been in power / Office and what they have accomplished??? Continue reading
The purpose of the CEP is to be the One-Stop Shop and Voice of the Business Community. We are the designated economic development organization for all of the Ocala Metro. While many focus on our Business Attraction successes (bringing in new major employers like Amazon, Dollar Tree, and FedEx) or our Business Services programs (such as Business After Hours, TuesdayTalks, and Leadership Ocala Marion), it is our Business Retention and Business Creation efforts that really have the ability to impact the business community. This is especially true as we continue to go through a difficult crisis such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Our Business Retention efforts are focused on assisting existing businesses throughout the community with a particular focus on primary employers (manufacturing, distribution, and large office). We work with approximately 200 businesses every year REGARDLESS of their partnership with the CEP. In other words, a business does not have to be a CEP partner to receive assistance. Much of this work is focused on removing barriers to their growth. Sometimes this means connecting them existing resources on the local, state, and federal level. Other times it means we are connecting them with other businesses to the benefit of both. Continue reading
Dear Friends,
Our first round of committee meetings in January are completed and we have begun our preparations for another three weeks in February. The 2021 Regular Session will convene on March 2nd, but much of the work happens in the weeks leading up to then. Per our state constitution, the Legislature’s only duty is to pass a balanced budget and we will have that completed by April 30th, unless a special session is called by the Senate President and Speaker of the House. We are grateful that we live in fiscally responsible state that understands that we cannot spend beyond our means. This year, due to the impact of COVID-19, Florida will have to make cuts to our budget to fulfill that responsibility and tough decisions will be made. My colleagues in the Senate, both Republican and Democrat, are united in this effort and in the past few years, the final vote on our budgets has been largely unanimous (note: there have been years with a single member “nay” vote). In 2021, our leader on the budget will be Senator Kelli Stargel and we are very confident in her ability to lead us through the coming changes. Continue reading
COVID19 – so many unanswered questions!
Does the ‘truth’ really matter?
Why do guilty people go free, while innocent people do not?
Many times a juror has said, “Yes, there was a lot of evidence, but I don’t think he did it?”
or, “He looked guilty from the first minute I saw him in court!”
Sounds to me like their decisions are based, not on what they think, (the ‘facts’) but, instead, on what they feel!
Does that apply to COVID?
After almost a year of worldwide death and suffering, can anyone still believe that this pandemic is fake news and a hoax? Continue reading
Detectives with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office have been investigating the thefts from gravesites at the Edgewood Cemetery since the incident occurred on December 6. At the time of the initial processing of the scene, crime scene investigators collected items (to include cigars) that were left and sent those items off for laboratory DNA testing.
Detectives recently received information that DNA samples had been obtained from the cigars and that the samples were being submitted into the database for comparison. One sample came back as a match to 43-year-old Brian Montalvo Tolentino, who resides at 115 Walpole Loop in Davenport.
On January 6, Lake detectives contacted The Polk County Sheriff’s Office, whose detectives obtained a search warrant for mouth swabs from Tolentino for a direct DNA comparison.
Lake detectives then met with and interviewed Tolentino, during which he confessed to going to the cemetery with another individual, 39-year-old Juan Burgos Lopez, of 5170 Timberlane Road in Lake Wales, and committing the crimes. Tolentino stated that Lopez used a crowbar to open the vaults and then removed the heads of the deceased. He stated they removed four heads from the four graves and then returned to Lopez’s residence. He stated the heads were taken for religious practices.
01/20/2021
Detectives with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a shooting that occurred at approximately 11:20 this morning at 51 Highland Avenue in Umatilla. The Umatilla Police Department requested the Sheriff’s Office to conduct the investigation.
The investigation has revealed that a black male suspect with shoulder-length dreadlocks shot the victim at the victim’s residence and fled the scene in a dark-colored passenger vehicle with tinted windows.
The victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition.
Detectives are asking for anyone with information concerning this incident to please call the Sheriff’s Office at 352-343-2101, or Central Florida CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS, where they could be eligible for a cash reward.
No further information is available at this time.
Released by John Herrell
www.lcso.org
