The Real Florida℠ Connection - Make Lasting Summer Memories at a State Park

MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR Recently, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service had the privilege of being selected as a finalist for the National Gold Medal. The award is presented by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association. The Florida Park Service is the only three-time winner of the Gold Medal, and we are working to win a fourth. Being selected as a finalist recognizes the terrific work of our staff, volunteers and partners. Together, we make sure visitors can have transformative experiences, even as we protect the best of Florida’s natural and cultural resources. With over 800,000 acres, including 100 miles of beaches, the Florida Park Service has a proud legacy of leading conservation and recreation in Florida. This legacy is built on the way the Park Service connects with people, engages with communities and adapts to emerging needs. You can watch our new video to see some of the great things happening in Florida State Parks. Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the United States for excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism and environmental stewardship. The awards are separated into five classes based on population, one class for armed forces recreation, and one class for state park systems that is awarded on odd numbered years Nationally, we are happy to congratulate our fellow finalists, Tennessee State Parks, Maryland State Parks and Washington State Parks. In Florida, we congratulate the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department and Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton. They are competing in the 150,000 to 400,000 population class and the armed forces recreation class, respectively. We thank our visitors, staff, volunteers and partners for helping to make Florida State Parks one of the best park systems in the country.   Eric Draper FEATURED STORIES Taking on Earleaf Acacia Amid the open pine flatwoods at Savannas Preserve State Park stood a dense thicket of earleaf acacia, an invasive species introduced from the islands of Oceania as a landscape plant. Turtle Nesting Season Begins The Florida Park Service takes an active role in protecting sea turtle nests and nesting habitat. As nesting season gets into full swing, park staff, volunteers and biologists are prepared to monitor nests and keep them safe. What is Prescribed Fire?  Prescribed fire is one of the most important tools the Florida Park Service uses to help preserve and restore our natural environment. Great State Parks for Fishing Florida fishing is heating up! We created this list of top summer fishing spots for saltwater and freshwater anglers.   EVENTS World Oceans Day Celebration June 8, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park  Discover new ways to help protect and preserve one of our most important natural resources. There will be activities, educational programs and a documentary premiere. Learn more Kids' Fishing Workshop June 15, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park  Kids and parents can learn about fish, different ways to catch them, places to fish and how to fish responsibly. The first 200 kids to check in will receive their own mini tackle set. Learn more Nature Walks & Ranger Talks June 22, Little Manatee River State Park Have you ever wandered through the park and wondered "was there a fire here?" or "what animal makes that sound?" Join a park ranger for the inside scoop on the most interesting features of the park. Learn more Sea Turtle Walk June 28, Sebastian Inlet State Park Did you know sea turtles have nested on Florida's beaches for millions of years? Walk the beach at night with a park ranger for the chance to see a nesting loggerhead. Learn more Find more Florida State Park events You are currently subscribed to the Real Florida Connection. SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Manage Preferences | Delete Profile | Help

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Vista previa del vídeo Florida State Parks - Going for Gold de YouTube

Florida State Parks - Going for Gold

Making Summer Safer with G.O. Bond Securities

Making Summer Safer with G.O. Bond Securities Three Public Safety Projects are Officially Underway

As the nation reflects on yet another mass shooting from last week, it is consoling to know that the City of Miami Beach has three separate public safety G.O. Bond projects that are officially in-the-works, including: License Plate Readers (LPRs) Public Safety Radio System Security in Public Spaces License Plate Readers (LPRs) use advanced software recognition technology to capture license plate tags and run them against nationwide law enforcement databases that register stolen vehicles, wanted persons, missing subjects and other criminal activities. LPRs have proven to be effective criminal-catching tools for law enforcement agencies across the country as more and more municipalities are using both mobile and stationary versions. This past Memorial Day weekend, the City of Miami Beach had three fixed LPR locations activated at major city entrance points and the results were remarkable. Of the 36,793 license plates that were read, 303 criminal tickets were issued, 13 felony and 11 misdemeanor arrests were made; five firearms were impounded, and two stolen vehicles were found. As part of the G.O. Bond program, 26 new strategic LPR locations will be added. Installations start this month on the MacArthur Causeway, with the Julia Tuttle and 71 Street causeways to follow. New LPRs will be up and running by fall 2019.   The Miami Beach Public Safety Radio System is already in the process of upgrading its critical communications network as various tests are being conducted. As the city transitions away from the current Motorola analog system, it will be joining a large group of local municipalities — including Miami-Dade County, City of Miami, Coral Gables and Aventura, among others — that are already part of the modern Harris Corporation digital P25 network. With high tech functions such as seamless interoperability, encrypted data technology and unified voice, data and application features, the city's 1,000 plus first responders will have a fully operational, best-in-class public safety radio system by the end of the year.   The Security in Public Spaces project involves the purchasing and installation of hundreds of decorative bollards and hostile vehicle barriers that are used to protect pedestrians and bystanders from potential public safety hazards, including vehicle truck attacks, stampedes, fights, road closures, etc. In Miami Beach, this equipment has been used successfully to control crowds during high impact weekends and densely populated events. Since most of the structures are portable and movable, they will be stored in a warehouse and brought out as-needed. The public spaces that are receiving this equipment include heavy traffic areas by the Miami Beach Convention Center, SoundScape Park and South Pointe Park. The new security buffers will be ready and available to use by the end of next month.   Overall, the Miami Beach G.O. Bond Program has $72 million dedicated to police, fire and public safety improvement projects specifically. Check back often for more information as two separate security camera projects are expected to break ground by fall.

Xavier Suarez: Once Again in County Budget Season The story of the county’s budget season begins again; it is so repetitive, so predictable, so trite and worn out that it’s almost boring. But, quantitatively, in terms of dollars and cents, there is nothing boring about it. Here are the rough numbers... Read More June 1s​t Estimates of Taxable Values for Miami-Dade County Released The Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser Pedro J. Garcia has released the 2019 June 1st Estimates of Taxable Values to the taxing authorities, which continue to show growth in the real estate market. The countywide estimated taxable value for 2019 is $307,213,000,000, a 5.9% increase as compared to 2018... Read More Share your thoughts You are invited to a community conversation where you can share your thoughts with the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County President and CEO Johann Zietsman. Wednesday, June 5  6 - 7:30pm North Dade Regional Library  24565 NW 183 Street Miami Gardens, FL 33056 Thursday, June 6; 5 – 6:30pm Ziff Ballet Opera House Next Generation Green Room 1300 Biscayne Boulevard Miami, FL 33132 Light Refreshments Will Be Served We’re excited for everyone to play a role in shaping our city’s cultural identity. Please join us. We look forward to seeing you!  Why mammograms are a gift For years, when speaking to parents of autistic children, I have focused on how, post diagnosis, our greatest challenge as parents is coping with the realization that our children will live in a world without us. As a former school board member, an attorney and a mom, my focus has been... Read More

Five alternatives to consider before ‘surrendering’ your pet It’s not an easy decision to make when you are thinking of turning in — or “surrendering” in animal shelter jargon — your pet to the local shelter, but one many people struggle with every day... Read More FIU Alumnus Released Book Same Day of Graduation with a Masters In Jefferson Noël's empowering/educational book, GO: How to Cross the Starting Line, he takes the reader on a riveting journey to the intersection of their purpose and their will. Preorder right now on jeffersonnoel.com/shop or Amazon.  East Ridge resident Jackie Smith tells of her Airstream Caravan adventures Longtime East Ridge resident Jackie Smith had a special visit from officials from the iconic Airstream Trailer Company who wanted to interview her and her children and record their oral history. Jackie is the last surviving adult who went on the historic first Airstream trailer world caravan... Read More Sunstate Bank sponsors Deering Estate’s field study program for school children Continuing its annual tradition, Sunstate Bank presented a check to the Deering Estate Foundation on May 1, to again sponsor a portion of the Deering Estate Field Study Scholarship Program for school children... Read More Frames USA & Art Gallery Will Host a Networking Happy Hour & Book Signing Frames USA & Art Gallery will be hosting a Networking Happy Hour and Book Signing on Monday, June 24, 2019 at 6 pm from 8:30 pm. Since the success of two previous happy hours in their twenty-six year establishment, Frames USA is giving it another go. This time... Read More BizHack Academy to hold three Facebook advertising workshops in Fort Lauderdale BizHack Academy is partnering with Broward College to hold three Facebook advertising workshops this June in Fort Lauderdale. Facebook Audience Insights Workshop - June 6 from 7-9 pm Facebook Audience Insights Workshop (repeat) - June 18 from 7-9 pm Launch Your Facebook Ad in a Day Bootcamp + Results Lab - June 22 from 8 am-5 pm Find out more HERE. MDX traffic Advisory for Sunday, June 2 through Sunday, June 9, 2019 SR 836/Dolphin Expressway­­­ Note: SR 836 is being reconstructed to add a new lane in the most congested areas and to make room for future express bus service. Drivers should look for guidance and detour signage along their routes. To learn more about the modernization of SR 836 visit... Read More Mayor? Feliu, Lago, or Liebman Inquiring minds want to know  who is going to be the next mayor of South Miami, now that the current mayor, Phil Stoddard is termed out. So, lets take a look at what’s going on right now... Read More Rogers Behavioral Health fills need for bilingual care at new Blue Lagoon facility Rogers Behavioral Health, a leading nationwide, provider of behavioral health services, has expanding its presence in the state of Florida with a new clinic in Miami’s Blue Lagoon corporate park... Read More FrandMe hosts Student-Run Breakfast Meeting It’s almost a rite of passage…the annual Student-Run Breakfast Meeting that the Aventura Marketing Council/Chamber of Commerce (AMC) holds every year, and features Miami-Dade School Supt. Alberto Carvalho as the keynote speaker... Read More Do you use protection? Here’s why you need to practice safe sun Sunshine. It’s why many of us choose to live in Florida, the Sunshine State. But too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, and that’s certainly true about getting too much sun, which can lead to skin cancer... Read More Tallahassee Bill 21 fuels speculation about future growth of hospitals A bill passed by the House and Senate April 29 is heading to the Governor’s office for his signature and will help pave the way for hospitals to get built and start providing care to patients a whole faster... Read More