Public Affairs

Heading toward the Nov. 6 general elections, voters will be bombarded with messages for, and against, those who have offered themselves up for public service. Here’s who will run statewide:

CBS’ Steve Hartman goes On the Road with Kayla McKeon, Manager of Grassroots Advocacy for the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and the first registered lobbyist with Down syndrome. Kayla lobbies U.S. Congress advocating for the passage of laws that would give individuals with disabilities the opportunity to earn fair and equal wages.

What is happening at your child’s school? Property taxes going up? New restaurant coming to town? Is that nursing home safe for mom?

Four out of every 10 honey bee colonies in the United States died last year. That is not good.

One thing not trending this June? “Dad bods.” June is National Men’s Health Month, and because it’s never too early to be proactive about your health, here are some ways you can take charge:

In November, Florida residents will have the chance to vote on 13 constitutional amendments – eight proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission.

You have probably walked past it a million times in the Capitol. A wall with the pictures of women who have been inducted into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame.

The sun is shining once again after Hurricane Irma devastated the state, and Florida’s tourism industry stands together to ensure Florida’s future remains bright, even after the storm, through the power of travel promotion.

In one of the country’s largest evacuations, northbound roads in Florida were clogged with millions evacuating Hurricane Irma. Southbound roads saw a different scene; law enforcement and bucket trucks from all over the country racing to join those who stayed behind, our brave first responders.

The Vinoy is an important piece of St. Petersburg’s history, with guests ranging from celebrities in its ’20s heyday to the homeless in the ‘80s, when the hotel sat vacant.

St. Petersburg, with its 60-mile coastline, is considered highly vulnerable to severe storms and rising sea levels. With this in mind, an Urban Land Institute Tampa Bay panel released recommendations for how the city can improve its resilience, which is its ability to withstand and recover from climate change effects and significant weather events. Among the recommendations:

The Pew Charitable Trusts’ parks campaign, Restore America’s Parks, aims to raise awareness about the National Park System’s deferred maintenance backlog and to secure permanent funding with the National Park Service Legacy Act to address park maintenance needs and ensure that the park service is equipped for success as it heads into its second century.

Inviting elected officials and board members to your organization’s events is a great way to build relationships and ensure that they understand what matters to your group.

Voters had high expectations after the 2016 elections when Floridians approved the legalization of medical marijuana by 71 percent. In late June, Gov. Scott signed SB 8A, laying the framework for Florida’s medical marijuana regulations.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has been successfully combatting identity theft-based fraud in Florida’s Reemployment Assistance program since 2013. This program provides financial benefits and helps job seekers quickly get back to work after losing their jobs.

Hurricane season started on June 1, and thanks to sound decisions from our elected officials, your property insurance rates will remain steady.

In the final episode of our video series, Democrat and Republican wax optimistic.

“Social media has given rise to the ability of individuals to say anything they want to say irrespective of what the facts are. People make things up,” Republican Saxby Chambliss.

First, it was Boeing’s Air Force One program. Then, Lockheed’s F-35 program, when the company’s valuation fell by nearly $4 billion – after a single tweet.

“One of the serious questions is where any person gets their information and how they verify, when anyone and everybody through their Facebook page, through their blogs, can put any kind of conspiracy theory out there.”

When Democrat Ted Kennedy compromised with Republican Saxby Chambliss on immigration, both found themselves under siege.

Over the next two years, my top priorities are making Florida’s good universities great and stopping harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee.

First-term US Senator Saxby Chambliss was on the Senate floor two days after being sworn in when Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy introduced himself.

Former US Senators Saxby Chambliss and Wyche Fowler agree there’s too much money in politics in our third episode of Across the Aisle.

When municipalities start planning new projects, they often talk about how the public will help guide the process.

Former US Senator Wyche Fowler offers three solutions to the partisanship strangling America in the second of our eight-episode video conversation with him and former US Senator Saxby Chambliss.