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<\/a>Ron DeSantis announces Nassau County Rural Area of Opportunity designation and infrastructure, workforce investments with J. Alex Kelly..<\/p>\nFlorida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly said that by \u201cinvesting in CDL training, Florida is increasing the shipping and logistics capacity of the state, bringing more jobs for Floridians with technical training and the ability to support moving Florida-made products.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLikewise, the development of industrial infrastructure in Nassau County will create a critical job creation hub at the 301\/I-10 interchange \u2014 attracting job creators to grow their businesses in our communities, creating new jobs for our workforce and promoting long-term economic success.\u201d<\/p>\n
Helping hand<\/p>\n
A former Governor turned U.S. Senator is also doing his part for Nassau this week.<\/p>\n
Rick Scott\u2019s staff will hold office hours on Thursday at Nassau County Public Services in Yulee between 10 a.m. and noon.<\/p>\n
.<\/p>\n The goal of the visit: to help locals start casework or answer other questions.<\/p>\n Can\u2019t make it?<\/p>\n No worries.<\/p>\n You can also ask for help online<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tweet, tweet <\/p>\n Bye for now<\/p>\n House Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan<\/a> said goodbye to his colleagues Thursday. But as is his wont, he spent most of his time acknowledging others rather than talking about himself, in a speech that referred to the Bible, Shakespeare and other cultural and literary antecedents.<\/p>\n Duggan, elected in 2018 from Duval County<\/a>, offered fulsome praise for House Speaker Daniel Perez<\/a>, saying the Miami Republican set the standard for principled leadership.<\/p>\n \u201cMr. Speaker, thank you for your friendship. But more importantly, thank you for your absolutely selfless and sacrificial devotion to this institution and its members,\u201d Duggan said.<\/p>\n \u201cIn an era when people sit at the top of an org chart, and try to govern by poll-tested positions and focus group talking points, or cling to power when their moment has passed, or don\u2019t have the fortitude to make any decision at all, you have been resolute, fearless, bold. You have made membership in this House not just a position, but a fellowship.\u201d<\/p>\n Duggan also thanked his constituents \u201cfor their trust and confidence,\u201d his parents for their \u201clove, guidance and self-sacrifice,\u201d his wife, his children and his legislative assistant.<\/p>\n \u201cTo Tim Baker and Lenny Curry<\/a>, thank you for being there with me from Day One,\u201d he said, referring to the political consultant and the former Jacksonville Mayor, respectively.<\/p>\n Baker is deployed in the Middle East. Duggan urged him to \u201ccome home safely.\u201d<\/p>\n From there, Duggan thanked various House staffers, whose names are largely unheralded, but whose efforts keep the institution running.<\/p>\n \u201cMembers, one of the most wonderfully surprising aspects of this service, for me, has been making a large new family of friends at a point in life where that kind of dynamic is over,\u201d Duggan said.<\/p>\n The Jacksonville Republican closed with a reference to \u201cFerris Bueller\u2019s Day Off<\/a>\u201d and why a sequel to the 1980s classic couldn\u2019t be made, noting the movie is a \u201clightning flash\u201d that didn\u2019t need a follow-up.<\/p>\n As he said farewell to a consequential eight years in Tallahassee, it was clear no immediate sequel, at least in Tallahassee politics, was needed to finish the story arc of his time in the Legislature.<\/p>\n \u201cMembers, never forget, no matter what else happens, you will always have been members of the world\u2019s greatest deliberative body, the Florida House,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Brannan exits<\/p>\n Rep. Chuck Brannan is wrapping eight years in Tallahassee representing Florida\u2019s 10th House district, which includes Baker, Columbia, Hamilton, Suwannee and part of Alachua County.<\/p>\n Tuesday\u2019s House Session found the \u201cson of a state trooper\u201d who himself became a member of law enforcement telling stories of his time before the Legislature and in Tallahassee in his familiar cadence.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m the first legislator for my county in over half a century. And you believe that. In over 50 years, there had been no one from Baker County. But here I am, and how did I get here?\u201d Brannan asked rhetorically.<\/p>\n He went on to explain just that \u2026.<\/p>\n Read the whole thing<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hope floats<\/p>\n The House has passed the Senate version of legislation that would give more children a chance at swimming lessons, a bill that brought together two concepts for a more complete package.<\/p>\n SB 428<\/a>, sponsored by Jacksonville Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough<\/a>, would change eligibility for swimming vouchers to children ages 1 to 7 from 0 to 4. In doing so, the bill aligns with recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Senate added language from a Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith drowning prevention education bill (SB 606<\/a>), which includes safe bathing practices in postpartum education. As a result, SB 428 will require the Department of Health to provide educational materials on bathtub and pool safety and encourage swimming lessons.<\/p>\n In the House, Rep. Kim Kendall<\/a> carried the swimming lessons bill, and Rep. Anna Eskamani<\/a> sponsored the drowning prevention bill, which was incorporated into the final product during the Senate Committee process.<\/p>\n Ahead of the unanimous vote in favor of the bill, Kendall said it was inspired by Will Moffatt, a volunteer swim instructor in St. Augustine, \u201cwho is very passionate about making sure as many children can be saved from drowning\u201d as possible.<\/p>\n DEI dunked<\/p>\n The House has passed the Senate version of a bill that would end local diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, fulfilling a priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis.<\/p>\n The measure fromYarborough (SB 1134<\/a>) was taken up by the House sponsor, Dean Black, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cFor more than a decade, we have seen the philosophy, popularly known as diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, used to divide our society into competing factions. Not only have millions and millions of taxpayer dollars been wasted in the name of DEI, this philosophy has fostered resentment instead of goodwill. Mediocrity instead of merit. And it has divided our society against itself,\u201d Black said.<\/p>\n It aims to block local governments from passing DEI initiatives and to make ones already in law illegal, effective Jan. 1, 2027. The bill also creates a cause of action for citizens to file civil suits against local governments if they feel DEI laws have discriminated against them.<\/p>\n Democrats filed 10 amendments to alter the Senate product, all of which failed, but not before hours of enthusiastic discussion of the proposed changes among half a dozen of them.<\/p>\n Black rebuffed every proposal to change the language.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, this bill just does three things. It says, we\u2019re going to hire the best person for the job without regard to what color you are and what sex you are and so on. And we\u2019re going to give the contract to the person who provides the best value to taxpayers, and we\u2019re going to have events that don\u2019t divide Americans and instead bring us together. That\u2019s it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Democratic denunciations of the bill abounded anyway.<\/p>\n \u201cThis bill is an insult, and it\u2019s not about stopping hate,\u201d said Rep. Angie Nixon.<\/p>\n In his closing, Black thanked Speaker Perez, a \u201cconservative lion and a champion for common sense,\u201d for \u201centrusting\u201d him with this legislation.<\/p>\n Belt tightening<\/p>\n Jacksonville would have tough choices to make if homestead property taxes were eliminated, with $375 million in annual revenue lost.<\/p>\n \u201cMembers of Jacksonville\u2019s Finance Committee expressed concern that the city could be unprepared to take that revenue hit in the next budget,\u201d reports the Jacksonville Daily Record<\/a>.<\/p>\n While the House bill, which starts a phased reduction in the levy, has no path in the Senate, legislators are expected to return to Tallahassee this Spring to approve ballot language for a November vote.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it\u2019s $375 million, we can get rid of nonprofit (spending), everything we give to UF Health, every cash incentive can go away. And we\u2019re about halfway there,\u201d Council member Will Lahnen said.<\/p>\n Uncertainty is the word of the day, though.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s way too early to make budget adjustments based on what may or may not pass,\u201d said a spokesperson for the Mayor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n Tweet, tweet<\/p>\n H2o haul<\/p>\n JEA, Jacksonville\u2019s public utility, is getting up to $3 million in Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant funds to offset costs for JEA\u2019s water conservation programs, including customer incentives for WaterSense products, via the Protecting Florida Together, Alternative Water Supply Grant program.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are grateful to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for helping us invest in our water future,\u201d JEA Managing Director and CEO Vickie Cavey said. \u201cThis grant will allow JEA to continue our commitment to water conservation and sustainability in Northeast Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n Residential customers\u2019 covered products include water conservation kits, smart irrigation controllers, rotating irrigation nozzles, toilets, showerheads and clothes washers. Ice machines, cooling towers, toilets, urinals and kitchen equipment are eligible for commercial subsidies.<\/p>\n Drought downer<\/p>\n Growing drought conditions have state officials issuing a severe water shortage declaration and \u201cPhase II\u201d for most of North Florida and other areas.<\/p>\n The St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) issued the declaration<\/a> for Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties. The move is an indicator of the increasingly dry conditions following a cold Winter and frosts that damaged vegetation with little rain.<\/p>\n The Phase II declaration from the SJRWMD means residential landscape irrigation remains limited to one day per week until further notice. It\u2019s designed to reduce demand and help stabilize water resources in the region during the drought.<\/p>\n \u201cWater conservation plays an important role in protecting our aquifer and maintaining reliable service for our community,\u201d said Neal Shinkre, Director of the St. Johns County Utilities Department. \u201cSmall actions like adjusting irrigation schedules, checking irrigation systems for leaks, and watering only when necessary can make a meaningful difference during dry periods.\u201d<\/p>\n An \u201cexceptional drought<\/a>\u201d condition has been declared for every county in North Florida except for a few in the Panhandle, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Those conditions stretch well into southern Georgia. Areas from the Treasure Coast stretching across the state into the Southwest Florida region are also under the same conditions.<\/p>\n \u201cConsistent with a La Nina Winter, drought has worsened the past few months with more than two-thirds of the Sunshine State designated with extreme drought,\u201d stated the Drought Monitor report, adding wildfires remain a serious threat.<\/p>\n Terrific traffic timing<\/p>\n Motorists in St. Johns County can get a little more help navigating traffic signals now that the local government is providing video assistance.<\/p>\n The St. Johns County Office of Public Affairs has made available an educational video<\/a> that explains how to approach intersections best and handle interactions with stop lights and other traffic control devices. The online media provision explains features provided by the county\u2019s Public Works Traffic and Transportation Division.<\/p>\n \u201cTraffic signal optimization allows us to improve traffic flow, enhance safety, and make the most of our existing transportation infrastructure,\u201d said Michael Likley, Public Works project manager for the Traffic and Transportation Division.<\/p>\n Drivers can help signals operate as intended by pulling forward to the stop bar when approaching an intersection and remaining attentive, so their vehicle stays within the detection zone. Minimizing distractions helps ensure signals recognize waiting vehicles and continue moving traffic efficiently.<\/p>\n The video also explains how motorists can use the county\u2019s mobile application, SJC Connect app<\/a>, to request updates and file different complaints and alert county officials where timing adjustments may be needed at traffic lights and operational improvements at intersections.<\/p>\n To watch the video, please click the image below<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Tweet, tweet<\/p>\n<\/a>Rick Scott staff host Nassau County office hours to help residents with federal casework<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Wyman Duggan delivers farewell remarks to Florida House colleagues, praising Daniel Perez and thanking supporters.<\/p>\n<\/a>Chuck Brannan reflects on eight years representing Florida House District 10 in Tallahassee..<\/p>\n<\/a>Clay Yarborough\u2019s swimming safety bill to expand child swim lessons passes the House.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Dean Black advances Clay Yarborough DEI bill after Florida House passes Senate version..<\/p>\n<\/a>Will Lahnen warns Jacksonville could lose $375 million if homestead taxes disappear.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Vickie Cavey announces $3 million state grant supporting JEA water conservation programs.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Neal Shinkre urges conservation as the St. Johns district issues North Florida drought restrictions.<\/p>\n