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“Wednesday Gov. Rick Scott announced Florida’s disaster fund called “Neighbors to the Rescue” will start collecting donations to help the survivors and families of victims of the pileups.

“The governor says you can send a $10 donation with a text message to 20222 and type ‘FLFund.’ You’ll get a reply asking you to confirm the donation. Or go online to www.floridasfoundation.org and click on the GIVE button.

“It’s tragic what happened,” said Scott.  “One family lost every member of the family but a 15-year-old daughter so your heart goes out to everybody involved.  I know they found one more victim so I think it’s up to 11.  So I just hope people will contribute. You just hope it never happens again.”

Read more Click HERE to read the full story from ABC Action News

“A series of bills providing tax breaks to a wide range of business passed through the House Finance and Tax Committee Wednesday, including some tapped by Gov. Rick Scott as among his key economic priorities.The largest bill, a proposed committee bill (FTC 12-07), encompasses several tax bills proposed by individual lawmakers as well as Scott’s proposals.

“Provisions in the bill include:

• An increase in the corporate income tax exemption from $25,000 to $50,000, reducing business tax rolls by $9.9 million next year.

“Lawmakers on the panel, who passed the bill unanimously, say the tax cuts will aid small businesses, spurring job growth and economic activity.”

Click HERE to read the full article from the Florida Current

“Gov. Rick Scott said Tuesday that he’s ready to put the brakes on tuition hikes for college and university students across Florida. ‘I don’t believe in tuition hikes,’ Scott said. ‘We have to do what the private sector has done, what every family has done. We have to tighten our belts to see how we can save money….I want the cost of living in this state to be lower than other states.’”

Click HERE to read the full article on PostOnPolitics.com

“Florida teachers earned an overall grade of B — the highest in the nation — on the National Council on Teacher Quality’s 2011 State Teacher Policy Yearbook…This year’s biennial report measures Florida’s progress against a set of 36 policy goals focused on helping states put in place a comprehensive framework in support of preparing, retaining and rewarding effective teachers.”

Click HERE to read the full article on OrlandoBusinessJournal.com

Governor Rick Scott officially welcomed America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses to Florida during the company’s debut in Miami-Dade County today in Kendall. America’s Best plans to open 20 stores in Florida in 2012 and create more than 200 jobs this year statewide, with similar growth over the next three years with the creation of 200 jobs per year.

“As companies like America’s Best choose to grow and expand in our state, Florida’s position as the No. 1 place for business growth becomes more evident,” said Governor Scott.  “When companies prosper in our state, they create more jobs and give more Floridians the opportunity to get back to work.”

In addition to the new stores in Hollywood and Kendall, America’s Best will be opening multiple locations in Broward and Dade counties over the next few months, in areas including Miami, Margate, Homestead, North Miami, Oakland Park and Davie.

“We are very excited to expand into Florida, particularly the Miami area in Dade and Broward counties. We carefully selected this vibrant location in Kendall to make quality eyewear at low prices accessible for area residents,” said Bruce Steffey, chief operating officer of America’s Best, who attended the grand opening event. “We look forward to serving our new customers and becoming an integral part of the community.”

About America’s Best New Locations

In Kendall, America’s Best, located in The Palms at Town and Country, 8430 Mills Drive, is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Store manager Jorge Sobrino, a Florida Board Certified optician for over 20 years, leads the staff at the Kendall location. Eye exams are available through N. L Elgut, M.D. and Associates L.L.C., owned by Noel Elgut, M.D., who employs optometrist Melody Leon, O.D., at the Kendall location to provide eyecare. She is a native of Miami and 2007 graduate of Nova Southeastern University where she achieved top honors while earning her Doctor of Optometry degree.

America’s Best offers a full range of optical goods including eyeglasses, contact lenses and a selection of more than 1,500 frames. Customers can get two complete pairs of glasses – including single vision plastic lenses – from only $69.95, including a free eye exam (offered by N. L. Elgut, M.D. and Associates L.L.C.). There are over 500 frames included in this offer. For people who want designer frames, various brands are available, all at affordable pricing, including Ray-Ban, Coach, Vogue, Bebe and more. Contact lens wearers may opt for an EyeCare ClubSM membership for $99, which includes contact lens exams for three years – up to two per year – and contacts for as low as $9.95 a box during a grand opening special.

This month, America’s Best opened two locations in the Broward and Dade county area – one in Kendall and one in Hollywood, Fla. in the Sheridan Plaza at 5311 Sheridan Street.

About America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses

America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses is the nation’s fastest growing optical retailer with over 300 stores nationwide and is one of the major brands operated by National Vision Inc. The fourth largest optical retailer in the United States, National Vision Inc. operates nearly 700 optical stores in the nation. It has over 300 employees in Florida and pays over $10 million in wages annually in the state.

America’s Best is a leading provider of contact lenses, prescription glasses and other optical products. For more information, visit the America’s Best Web site at www.twopair.com. To get routed to the store nearest you, call            1-800-TWO-PAIR      .

“Governor Rick Scott rallied to reform Florida’s no-fault auto insurance law.  Often called PIP, for personal injury protection, it’s the mandatory $10,000 coverage each Florida driver must pay.”

“Rallying supporters for House Bill 119, called the Emergency Care Coverage Law, Scott urged, ‘You are sick and tired of a billion dollars a year of fraud.  You’re tired of it. You’re tired of scammers taking advantage of you. You’re tired of attorney’s taking advantage of you.  Enough is enough. A billion dollars a year. We need to change this.’”

“The proposed law would require accident victims to go to the emergency room or hospital within 72 hours in order to be eligible for the benefits.Supporters of the measure say it’s needed to curb fraud associated with PIP coverage, citing Office of Insurance Regulation data that PIP claims are up 28-percent since 2006 and costing insurers $2.3-billion in 2010″.

Click HERE to read the full story on ABC-7.com

With the support of Gov. Rick Scott, a plan requiring all victims injured in an auto accident be treated at emergency rooms continues to gain steam.

The proposed reform to the state’s no-fault auto insurance program has already been approved by two House committees and has the backing of the insurance and business industry. During a Wednesday news conference that sometimes resembled a pep rally, Scott encouraged Florida citizens to continue to put pressure on legislators.

“You’re tired of scammers taking advantage of you,” the governor said.

“You’re tired of attorneys taking advantage of you. One billion dollars a year. We need to change this.”

The news conference was hosted by a coalition of groups that support personal injury protection, or PIP, reform. Several of the roughly 100 people who crowded around to listen to the governor held signs supporting HB 119 and chanting, “Put the brakes on fraud.”

“Since December 2010, Only two states, California and Texas, added more jobs than Florida….Florida is now hiring above its potential, creating 7 percent of the country’s new jobs despite accounting for just 6 percent of the workforce among the 47 states with expanding employment…Ranking states by hiring versus hiring potential, Florida claims the No. 6 slot on the ETM scorecard, behind California, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Utah.”

“The unemployment rate still provides the best score for the labor market, but Florida’s hiring momentum appears to be building.”

“A Tallahassee reverend who organized a boycott that ended segregation on Tallahassee city buses is among three inductees in Florida’s inaugural Civil Rights Hall of Fame. Governor Rick Scott named the Rev. C.K. Steele as one of the first inductees. In 1956, Steele led a boycott of the city-run bus system. Tallahassee’s new bus terminal is named in his honor. Steele was also a founding member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He died in 1980.”

“Governor Rick Scott also named Mary McLeod Bethune and Claude Pepper to the hall on Monday. Bethune established the school now known as Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach.Pepper was best known as the nation’s foremost champion of the elderly.”

Click HERE to read the full article WTXL.com