Florida State Wide
“A Hero in World War II”
Carl was the youngest of twelve (12) children in his family. When Carl was eight years old the family still had a total of seven children, Carl being the youngest. The family moved to Waterloo, Iowa. Carl became an excellent athletic in both football and baseball in school. Carl Letney called Buck left his high school in his senior year to join the Army. He was trained to be an Assault Ranger and was sent to the Battle of the Rapido River where he fought for two days trying to cross the Rapido River (north of Naples, Italy) and reach the winter line. Buck Letney lost his life on the second day of fighting on the Rapido River. No gains had been made in the capture of the Rapido or Gari Rivers and they became one of the big defeats suffered by the US Army in World War II. The AMVETS Post 31 was dedicated to Carl’s memory and it is in Evansdale Iowa a small suburb of Waterloo where his statue and monument stands. Carls brother Jerry lives in the Villages.
OCALA, Fla.—The Florida Department of Health in Marion County wants Micanopy area residents to be aware that a bat in their area has tested positive for rabies. People who live or work in the area should maintain a heightened awareness that rabies is active in the area.
Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:
– Avoid all contact with wildlife, particularly raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes. Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
Never handle unfamiliar animals (wild or domestic), even if they appear friendly.
– Do not feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or trash.
– Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets.
– Keep pets under direct supervision so they do not come into contact with wild animals.
– Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas where they might encounter people and pets. Continue reading
The Florida Department of Health in Marion County is involved in several key aspects of COVID-19 response. Primarily, the department is focused on:
Testing
Protecting the elderly and vulnerable
Preparing for medical surge
Educating the public on ways to prevent the spread of the virus
DOH-Marion tests for COVID-19 throughout the week, primarily on-site at the department’s Ocala office. DOH-Marion staff also perform case investigations when someone tests positive for the virus. During the investigations, staff identify and speak with contacts of people who tested positive (contact tracing) so that those individuals can watch for symptoms and get tested as needed. This also ensures that both contacts and people who test positive can take extra precautions to prevent the possible spread of the illness further.
For the latest information on COVID-19 in Florida, visit https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/.
You can be tested for COVID-19 at various places within Marion County: Continue reading
The first African American to receive the Medal of Honor in the Civil War. Despite the fact that he had been shot many times he would not let the American Flag touch the ground. A true American, what would he say if he was still alive?
Biography
William Harvey Carney was born as a slave in Norfolk, Virginia, on February 29, 1840. How he made his way to freedom is not certain. According to most accounts, he escaped through the Underground Railroad, and joined his father in Massachusetts. Other members of their family were freed by purchase or by the death of their master.
Civil War
Carney joined the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry in March 1863 as a sergeant. He took part in the July 18, 1863, assault on Fort Wagner in Charleston, South Carolina. His actions there ultimately earned him the Medal of Honor. When the color guard was killed, Carney retrieved the U.S. flag and marched forward with it, despite serious wounds. When the Union troops were forced to retreat under fire, he struggled back across the battlefield, eventually returning to his own lines and turning over the colors to another survivor of the 54th, saying, “Boys, I only did my duty; the old flag never touched the ground!” He received an honorable discharge due to disability from his wounds in June 1864.
Dear Friends,
Another election season is almost here and your involvement is critical. It seems that we say that every election year and it is just as true today as it ever was. The socialist left is trying to tear down American culture and values. Things that once were the bedrock of our society are shouted down as evil or outdated. Things like, faith, family, freedom, opportunity and life itself are all under attack by a mob that seeks to reshape our country into a CHAZ, (Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone – Seattle, Washington) where lawlessness, degradation and oppression are celebrated instead. We cannot let them win and we cannot sit at home in 2020.
The COVID situation has caused quite a bit of uncertainty surrounding the upcoming election. Talks of moving elections to an all-mail-in-ballot system have concerned many people that the other side may be trying to cheat. In Florida in 2018, we saw that two inept Supervisor of Elections in Broward and Palm Beach counties almost throw an entire gubernatorial election because of their incompetence. That following year the Florida Legislature investigated and made a number of changes to ensure that our election process remain safe and secure. As Chair of the Committee on Ethics and Elections in the Florida Senate, your Senator is committed to making sure that it is easy to vote, and very hard to cheat. Continue reading
On July 10, 2020, in News Releases, by Staff
$8.6 million investment will protect air quality and expand state’s charging stations by 50 percent along most traveled corridors
Orlando, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced $8.6 million in funding to strengthen Florida’s electric vehicle infrastructure. This investment marks another step in the state’s efforts to provide accessible electric vehicle infrastructure while also protecting air quality and expanding the state’s charging stations by 50 percent along most traveled corridors.
“This long-term investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure is a win for our state on multiple levels,” said Governor DeSantis. “Not only will these charging stations promote reduced emissions and better air quality, they will also improve mobility and safety for the ever-increasing number of Floridians that drive electric cars. I look forward to building on this investment and continuing our work to improve Florida’s environment and transportation infrastructure.” Continue reading
On July 16, 2020, in News Releases, by Staff
Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced $900,000 in funding for infrastructure projects in two rural communities in Northeast Florida. Administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF) provides funding to local governments for infrastructure projects in rural communities to encourage job creation and business investment and to strengthen and diversify rural economies.
“Rural communities are vital to the development and growth of Florida’s economy and I’m committed to helping them thrive,” said Governor DeSantis. “Infrastructure improvements made available through the Rural Infrastructure Fund will help rural communities be able to attract businesses and provide more resilient infrastructure for the future of their local economy.”
The rural communities receiving funds include:
Columbia County – ($500,000) to assist in funding the construction of a natural gas main loop that will serve existing and new businesses along the Bell Road Corridor. This project will provide necessary infrastructure to the existing distribution center and allow for expansion of the transportation logistics industry in this vital development area. The project is expected to attract more than $1 million in capital investment in Columbia County and create an estimated 43 new jobs.
Town of White Springs – ($400,000) to help fund construction, engineering and inspection services to improve sewer system transmission capabilities and correct issues that caused overflows during Hurricane Irma to the Town of White Spring’s more than 40-year-old core sewer system.
For more information, visit FloridaJobs.org/RIF.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today issued a Consumer Alert to urge victims of several tech support scams to claim millions of dollars made available for restitution. The multimillion dollar claims process currently underway is the result of action taken by the Florida Attorney General’s Office to shut down several companies operating tech support scams. The deadline to file a claim is August 30. Thousands are eligible, but so far, only hundreds have successfully filed claims.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Our Consumer Protection Division has worked hard to secure restitution for victims of tech support scams and they continue to diligently reach out to eligible consumers. We need your help to make sure victims know restitution is still available. If you or someone you know was the victim of a tech support scam, please file a claim before the August 30 deadline.”
For more information on the claims process, visit FloridaAGReimbursement.com. Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody and the Federal Trade Commission announced more than $16 million is now being distributed to victims of a debt relief scam. The scam targeted thousands of consumers facing financial difficulty in Florida and across the nation. The millions in restitution culminates from a joint lawsuit brought by Attorney General Moody’s Consumer Protection Division and the FTC against a group of defendants known as Helping America Group for allegedly convincing victims to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars a month by falsely promising to pay, settle or obtain dismissal of debts and improve payors’ credit scores. Instead, victims discovered debts unpaid, accounts in default and credit scores severely damaged—some were sued by creditors, and others were forced into bankruptcy.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “It infuriates me that anyone would take advantage of people trying to pay off their debts and improve their financial situations. Thankfully, our office, working together with the FTC, has now recovered millions to be returned to the victims of this appalling scam.”
More than 27,000 refund checks will be sent to victims of the scam. Additional money is expected to be collected in this case, and a second round of checks will be planned once additional money is secured.
Recipients should deposit or cash their checks within 90 days. The FTC never requires people to pay money or provide account information to cash a refund check. If recipients have questions about the refunds, they should contact the FTC’s refund administrator, JND Legal Administration, at 1(833) 928-2567. Refund data can also be viewed on the FTC’s interactive dashboards for refund data.
Consumers suspicious of a scam or deceptive behavior can report it to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or file a complaint online at MyFloridaLegal.com.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with the assistance of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, today arrested a Medicaid provider on charges related to $50,000 in fraud. The arrest follows an MFCU investigation that revealed Rodney Burt, 57, billed the Florida Medicaid Program for services not rendered from May 2016 through November 2019.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Participation in Florida’s Medicaid Program is increasing during this health crisis, and we will do everything in our power to protect taxpayer funds from fraud. That is why my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit attorneys and investigators aggressively chase down leads and uncover abuses in this taxpayer funded health care program to ensure those who would aim to rip off taxpayers are stopped and brought to justice.”
Additionally, the investigation uncovered that Burt, owner of No Place Like Home, a Home and Community Based Service Provider, assigned inaccurate billing codes to claims submitted to the Florida Medicaid Program in order to increase reimbursements—a fraudulent billing practice known as upcoding.
To view the Probable Cause Affidavit, go to www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases
Burt is charged with one count of Medicaid provider fraud $50,000 or more, a first-degree felony. If convicted, Burt faces up to 30 years in prison and more than $300,000 in fines and restitution.
The Attorney General’s MFCU will prosecute the case through an agreement with the State Attorney’s Office in the Second Judicial Circuit.
