| Mayfield Minute - November 10, 2024_To All Veterans, Thank You! |
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Transition
Thank you to the voters of Brevard County who made their voices heard by voting in this past week’s election. Thank you for your vote of confidence in me to represent you in the Florida House. I am immensely grateful to my family, friends and loyal supports who generously contributed their time and effort during this election year. I will continue my focus on affordable housing, stabilizing the insurance market to lower costs for homeowners and protecting the environment.
We are currently in a transitional period, so please be patient as we move from the State Senate District Office to the State House District Office. Our State House District Office will be closed until Tuesday, November 19th during this transitional period.
I consider it a great honor to represent House District 32. Please share this link with your friends and family so they too, can sign up for the Mayfield Minute.
If you or someone you know needs my assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my temporary office number at (321) 312-0124. My staff and I are here to serve you! |
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Remembering our Nation's Heroes on
Veterans Day |
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In 1921 an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This site overlooks the Potomac River and the city of Washington, D.C. and has become the focal point of reverence for America’s Veterans. Similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England and France where an unknown soldier was buried in each nation’s highest place of honor. These memorial gestures all took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I at 11:00 a.m. on November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month).
The day became known as Armistice Day and officially received its name in America in 1926 through a Congressional resolution. Twelve years later November 11th became a national holiday by a similar Congressional action. In 1954, Congress passed the bill that President Eisenhower signed proclaiming November 11th as Veterans Day for perpetuity.
In gratitude for America's heroes, past, present, and future, perhaps President George Washington said it best, "The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation." |
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| Celebrating the 249th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps |
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I would also like to congratulate the United States Marine Corps in the celebrations of their 249th birthday which takes place on Sunday, November 10th.
"Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world, but the Marines don't have that problem." —President Ronald Reagan
On these special days and every day, we appreciate the Marine Corps' and all branches of the United States Military for their service, honor, courage, commitment, and sacrifice for the safety and security of Americans at home and our allies abroad. |
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Amendments to the Florida Constitution
Of the six constitutional amendments that appeared on the ballot on November 5th, only two obtained the 60% threshold required to pass.
Amendment 2 – Right to Fish and Hunt
“RIGHT TO FISH AND HUNT. — Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to preserve forever fishing and hunting, including by the use of traditional methods, as a public right and preferred means of responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife. Specifies that the amendment does not limit the authority granted to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission under Section 9 of Article IV of the State Constitution.”
This amendment passed with approval from 67.37% of Floridians and went into effect immediately.
Amendment 5 – Homestead Annual Inflation Adjustment
“ANNUAL ADJUSTMENT TO HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION VALUE: Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to require an annual adjustment for inflation to the value of current or future homestead exemptions that apply solely to levies other than School district levies and for which every person who has legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the owner, or another person legally or naturally dependent upon the owner is eligible. This amendment takes effect January 1, 2025.”
This amendment passed with approval from 66.03% of Floridians and will go into effect on January 1, 2025.
Florida Leaders to Visit Italy
SelectFlorida is a state agency focused on international development and making Florida an attractive place for investors and businesses. SelectFlorida has arranged for a delegation of Florida’s governmental, educational, and business leaders to make a trip to several cities in Italy. The visit will focus on international trade and development, with the intention of developing mutually beneficial business and political relationships. Italy is Florida’s 14th largest trading partners on the global scale, and there is an estimated $4.4 billion in bilateral trade between the two each year. For more information, click here. |
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The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) works with local organizations and private providers to support people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in living, learning, and working in their communities. APD identifies the service needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and those individuals may receive social, medical, behavioral, residential, and/or therapeutic services.
APD provides the following services:
To determine eligibility, you must:
- Be a Florida resident
- Have one of 7 developmental and/or intellectual disabilities as defined by Florida Statute Section 393.063, which occurred prior to age 18 and constitutes a substantial handicap that can be reasonably expected to continue indefinitely:
- Intellectual disabilities (Full Scale IQ of 70 or below)
- Severe forms of autism
- Spina bifida cystica or myelomeningocele
- Cerebral palsy
- Prader-Willi syndrome
- Down syndrome
- Phelan-McDermid syndrome or
- Individuals between the ages of 3-5 at high risk for a developmental disability
- Have proof of disability. If you don’t have adequate documentation of your disability, APD is responsible for assisting applicants to obtain documentation, if it exists, or funding an appropriate evaluation to assess disabilities of applicants, at no cost to them.
- Proof of disability may include things like: school records, testing, or medical records.
If you have been found eligible to receive services, you will be placed on a waiting list based on your priority category, refer to the Waitlist Priority Categories located on the APD website.
To apply for services from APD, which includes participation in the iBudget Home and Community-Based Services Waiver or placement in an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (ICF/IID), submit an application to the APD office that serves your area, either by mail or by hand delivery. Faxed submissions will be returned for an original signature.
For the most up to date application, visit APD's Applying for Services webpage. Scroll to the bottom of the page where it says 'Application Download'. |
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Frank P. Catino
Our Constituent of the Week is Frank P. Catino, former Mayor of the City of Satellite Beach.
Over fifty years ago, his family moved to Satellite Beach. He not only fell in love with the beauty of it, but also the schools in the city and the sense of community. When he married his wonderful wife, Linda, they chose to stay because of the quality of life the city provides. Over the years, his city involvement has been quite extensive, with many years of participation with the Satellite Beach Little League as President, as a board member, and a coach. He was also the Satellite High School Assistant baseball coach, served on the City Council from 1993 to 1999 and from 2000 to 2006, served as Mayor from 2012 to 2020, served on the Fire Station Ad Hoc Committee in 2022, and since 2021 currently serves on the Sustainability Board.
Frank’s love for his city and its residents motivated him to diligently pursue excellence in making the City of Satellite Beach a thriving, productive place to live, worship, work and play. As Mayor, his priorities where to maintain the city services while keeping taxes as low as possible. The quality of life created by city services is the reason people live in Satellite Beach, whether they were raised there and chose to stay, whether they grew up there and have chosen to return, or whether they moved there from some other place. He also worked to find additional sources of revenue, created a business-friendly environment to attract new environmentally-clean businesses, made plans for funding and completing infrastructure maintenance and upgrades, and pursued grants to cover a large portion of those costs.
For over 45 years, Frank’s love for the environment played a role in becoming a fly fishing guide and fishing charter provider. He offers both local knowledge advantages as well as worldwide fishing experience to his customers. His mission is to create the perfect fishing adventure from start to finish by providing an unmatched, professional, and personalized experience for all of his clients.
On Friday, November 8, the City of Satellite Beach hosted a Naming Ceremony for the former Desoto Park located at 499 Desoto Parkway in Satellite Beach. The park was renamed as Frank P. Catino Park for his remarkable contributions and the profound impact he has had made to to the Satellite Beach community. His legacy of service, compassion, and leadership continues to inspire those who know him. The renaming of the park in his honor is a testament to the lasting impression he has in the city. Frank P. Catino Park has access to the Indian River Lagoon and Mayor Catino was a big part of the park’s renovation of the pond and exercise equipment. A new sign will be added along with an educational sign nearby, similar to the ones currently there providing some history of Mayor Frank P. Catino and why this park was selected for his dedication. Frank will always be a true pillar of the Satellite Beach community. |
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Brevard High Schools to Play in Football Playoffs
The Florida High School Athletic Association has released their playoff brackets for their various football conferences. Teams are grouped into 8 class divisions based on the size of their school and they exclusively compete with teams inside their class.
Heritage High School, Melbourne High School, Viera High School, Rockledge High School, Merritt Island High School, Eau Gallie High School, Titusville High School, Cocoa High School, and Melbourne Central Catholic High School will all play in playoffs this Friday night at 7:30 PM. Merritt Island and Titusville are facing off against each other in this week’s playoff.
Congratulations and good luck to all the players and their families! To view the full playoff bracket for each class, click here.
New Viera Fire Station Opens
Brevard County Fire Rescue held a grand opening yesterday for the new fire station #49, which is located at 8588 Bower Lane, Viera. The Viera Company worked in partnership with the county to plan and fund the new station. This will be the third station with a Viera address and is expected to improve the county’s ability to administer fire rescue services.
For more information on the other Brevard County Fire Rescue stations, click here. |
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Free Admission For Veterans at Brevard Zoo
Military members and veterans will receive free admission to Brevard Zoo located at 8225 N. Wickham Road in Melbourne. Monday, November 11th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
If a service member is deployed overseas, their spouse can visit for free. Family members also receive $5 off tickets purchased onsite. To claim, please show proof of military service at the gate.
For questions or more information, please call 321-254-9453 or visit brevardzoo.org.
Brevard Veterans Memorial Center
Celebrate and honor veterans with a ceremony at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center located at 400 S. Sykes Creek Pkwy, in Merritt Island on Monday, November 11th from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
The theme of this year’s event will be “Veterans Pride in America.” Many resources will be available for veterans and their families. After the ceremony, take a tour of the military museum.
Please call 321-453-1776 or visit veteransmemorialcenter.org for more information.
Veterans Council of Indian River County
The Veterans Council of Indian River County, which represents approximately 25 Veterans organizations throughout the county including the Vietnam Veterans of America in Vero Beach Chapter 1038 and the American Legion Post 189 in Sebastian, will hold its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Monday, November 11th at 9:00 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Island Sanctuary located at 100 Dahlia Lane in Vero Beach.
The event is free of charge, open to the public, and organizers encourage all attendees to bring a lawn as seating is very limited.
For more information, contact 772- 410-5820.
American Legion Flag Setting and Ceremony Post 81
The local American Legion Post 81 will be having a flag setting and ceremony at the Melbourne Cemetery located at 710 E. Hibiscus Blvd in Melbourne on Monday, November 11th from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
A ‘Tribute to Veterans’ Concert and Fundraiser
Unity Church of Merritt Island located at 210 N. Tropical Trail, will be hosting this event on Tuesday, November 12th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. including a speech by Don Pearsall, patriotic sing-along, refreshments, a silent auction and music by Steve Kirchner, the Joy Band and Art Edwards.
Proceeds will benefit organizations including Wreaths Across America and Space Coast Honor Flight. Donations are accepted, along with non-perishable food and new or gently used clothing.
Call 321-453-4253 or visit facebook.com/UnityOfMerrittIsland or unitymerrittisland.org for more information.
Military Officers Association of America Cape Canaveral Chapter
The Annual Military Officers Association of America Cape Canaveral Chapter (MOAACC) in partnership with the Good Deeds Foundation is hosting a Golf Tournament Fundraiser at the Indian River Colony Club from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 16th.
Contact Donn Weaver at 757-871-6576.
Sign up at moaacc.org. |
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Contact Information
Melbourne Office
900 East Strawbridge Avenue
Melbourne, FL 32901
Tallahassee Office
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
Staff:
Yvette Campbell
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