Latest news with #Guthrie
Politico
2 days ago
- Climate
- Politico
Kevin Guthrie's 3 hurricane prep tips
Good morning and welcome to June: the start of hurricane season. There's only one Gov. RON DESANTIS. But artificial intelligence can help him be in more than two places at once — at least when it comes to emergency management. Heading into this hurricane season, Florida is using a new system called BEACON, or Broadcast Emergency Alerts and Communication Operations Network. It uses AI to comb through press releases, text messages and other official government sources, then turns them into a broadcast using the voices of people that communities trust. For some, that'll be DeSantis. For others, it'll be a local sheriff or someone who speaks Spanish. Either way, it's intended to cut down on the manpower needed to get the word out so people can still get accurate information. BEACON is able to recognize which part of the state people live in to send them hyper-local, constant alerts about how they might be affected and what they need to do. It also tells them how to get resources that'll help after the storm. KEVIN GUTHRIE, executive director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, hopped on the phone to talk about BEACON and other hurricane prep tools with Playbook. Weather forecasters say this year's season is expected to be 'above average,' with anywhere from three to five major hurricanes expected in the Atlantic and Caribbean. BEACON is designed to work even when the power is out and when people don't have cellphone service. It's in several major markets now while it expands statewide, Guthrie said. Floridians will be able to hear its alerts over TV or radio broadcasts, as well as through an app. (Download it for Apple or Android.) Another tool Guthrie is drawing attention to is called Storm Armour, one that's extremely effective in preventing rain from coming in sideways through sliding glass doors and windows. Think of it as working like a sandbag, Guthrie explained. He emphasized that it'll be helpful not just with homes but with condos — where water that enters upper-level units would otherwise seep down to the bottom floors. 'It takes a handful of minutes to install,' Guthrie said. Officials hope that more people will buy the tools so that there's far less flood damage to properties. They retail at $585, but Guthrie said they have the potential to help people avoid tens of thousands of dollars in storm damage. Lastly, Guthrie is doubling down on a key message this hurricane season: Fill up your gas tank when it reaches the halfway mark. The emergency management division started with the campaign, dubbed 'Halfway Full, Halfway There,' last year and wants to double down on it this year so that, if a storm does hit, lines at gas stations won't be as long. Guthrie wants Floridians to get to a place where keeping tanks more full becomes not just best practice, but common practice. 'We're looking for more private-public partnerships to help us get those campaigns out and do some more stuff,' he said. WHERE'S RON? Gov. DeSantis is holding a press conference in Sarasota at 10 a.m. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@ Today's Playbook was written with help from Veronica Bianco. ICYMI: The Conversation kicked off with Dr. Oz In the premiere episode of The Conversation, Dasha Burns sat down with Dr. Mehmet Oz — now leading the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services — for a candid talk on drug prices, potential Medicaid cuts and why he's getting early morning calls from President Donald Trump. Plus, POLITICO's Jonathan Martin dished on the Ohio governor's race (featuring Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy and former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel), and Kyle Cheney unpacked Trump's legal battle over 'Liberation Day' tariffs. Watch the full episode on YouTube. And don't miss a moment — subscribe now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get new episodes when they drop. ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... BACK TO TALLAHASSEE TOMORROW — 'Florida legislative leaders said late Friday they have forged a budget deal that will guarantee $2.25 billion shifted into tax cuts and reserves while also establishing a path for legislators to avoid a potential shutdown of state government this summer,' reports POLITICO's Gary Fineout. 'The agreement does not include a permanent reduction in the overall sales tax rate … In a memo to senators, Albritton said the plan is for lawmakers to start budget conference meetings Tuesday, with the goal to work over the next two weeks and vote out the budget no later than June 16. … 'The agreement calls for the Legislature to reduce 'recurring revenue' by $2.25 billion including the elimination of sales tax charged on commercial leases and what is being billed as 'permanent sales tax exemptions targeted toward Florida families.' This was not explained further, but Albritton earlier in the year had proposed the permanent elimination of sales taxes on clothing and shoes valued at less than $75.' IN MEMORIAM — 'Former Florida State University President and state House Speaker John Thrasher died early Friday morning, according to a family spokesperson. He was 81,' reports POLITICO's Gary Fineout. 'Thrasher played a pivotal role in Florida's transition from a state long controlled by Democrats to one now dominated by Republicans. … Thrasher served as House speaker in 1999 and 2000, coinciding with then-Gov. Jeb Bush's first years in office and GOP control of both the governor's mansion and Legislature. Thrasher was instrumental in getting legislators to pass several major bills during Bush's first year in office, including his signature A+ education law that first brought private school vouchers in the state and subjected schools to annual grading based on test scores.' TEACHER TRAINING OVERHAUL — 'Legislation signed Friday by Gov. Ron DeSantis calls on the Florida Department of Education to rework key aspects of the teacher certification process by replacing longstanding tests educators needed to pass to earn certification with new measures developed by the state,' reports POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury. 'The new education law also doubles down on Florida's opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion by prohibiting educator training courses from 'distort[ing] significant historical events' or teaching 'identity politics' in language carried over from 'anti-woke' policies passed last year by state Republicans.' — 'DeSantis signs law restricting cellphones in schools,' reports News Service of Florida. PSC HEARINGS CONTINUE — The Public Service Commission this week will wrap up a series of customer service hearings around the state on Florida Power & Light Co.'s $2.5 billion rate hike request. Hearings will be held online Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by hearings Thursday in Pensacola and Friday in Panama City. Last week, 30 environmental and energy justice groups sent a letter to the PSC objecting to FPL's request. — Bruce Ritchie INSIDE THE LATEST COURT ABORTION DECISION — A Florida Appeals Court took an 'unusual legal step' this month when it ruled unconstitutional a law letting minors get abortions without parental consent, reports the Tampa Bay Times' Romy Ellenbogen. The court was initially considering whether to reverse a lower court's denial of a 17-year-old's petition for an abortion but instead decided to rule on the constitutionality of the law that allows minors to file petitions for care in the first place. Florida Attorney General JAMES UTHMEIER and other conservatives heralded the ruling as a win for parental rights and the anti-abortion movement, while abortion access advocates called it a misuse of judicial power. PRICE TRANSPARENCY PUSH — 'Attorney General James Uthmeier issued subpoenas Friday to Florida-based hospitals to ensure they comply with price transparency laws,' reports Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. 'Uthmeier said under Florida law, a hospital's failure to provide price disclosure may constitute an unfair and deceptive trade practice.' — 'A Florida Medicaid patient had a heart attack in South Dakota. He owed the hospital $77,574,' by Arielle Zionts of KFF Health News. PENINSULA AND BEYOND UNDER CONSIDERATION THIS WEEK — The State University's Board of Governors will vote this week on whether to confirm SANTA ONO as University of Florida president, reports Jay Waagmeester of the Florida Phoenix. The proposed contract suggests a compensation package of $3 million a year. MANATEE THREATS — 'An environmental group Friday filed a formal notice that is a step toward suing the federal government over protecting manatees in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge,' reports News Service of Florida. 'The Center for Biological Diversity alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act because of understaffing at the refuge, which the notice said serves as a winter habitat for about 20 percent of Florida's manatees drawn by warm-water springs and vegetation.' ...HURRICANE HOLE... DUST WAVE COMING — A massive plume of dust from the Sahara desert is on its way towards Florida and could be visible towards the middle of this week, CBS News' Sarah Lynch Baldwin reports. The National Weather Service said the dust can exacerbate allergies and cause some eye irritation. It's typical for dust to migrate across the Atlantic in the early summer each year. NOAA calls it the Saharan Air Layer, a mass of 'very dry, dusty air' that forms in the desert and floats west over the ocean. The National Hurricane Center's Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch said the dry air helps suppress storm development. INSURANCE COSTS STILL HIGH — 'The upward rise in costs for homeowner insurance in Florida resumed during the first quarter of 2025, with average premium costs edging higher after dipping slightly in late 2024, new data released by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation shows,' reports Ron Hurtibise of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. 'The average premium paid by owners of single-family homes in Florida increased by 0.3 percent — climbing from $3,646 to $3,658 — between the fourth quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, according to a South Florida Sun Sentinel comparison of figures released in the office's quarterly Residential Market Share Report.' MOVING AFTER THE STORM — Some Tampa Bay residents are leaving the hurricane-ridden area for places like Montana, the Midwest and even Australia, the Tampa Bay Times' Michaela Mulligan and Max Chesnes report. People who moved away said massive flooding during Hurricane Helene and widespread power outages during Milton were enough to finally bring them to leave the place that, for some, was home for decades. Others cited affordability, education policy, and more as motivation to leave the state in addition to environmental concerns. CAMPAIGN MODE PRIMARY AHEAD THIS MONTH — 'The Democratic primary to succeed outgoing state Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis will pit her current chief of staff, RaShon Young, against former state Rep. Travaris McCurdy,' reports Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel. 'The special election for District 40 in western Orange County, a heavily Democratic seat which includes parts of Orlando and Ocoee, is the latest domino effect following the death of state Sen. Geraldine Thompson in February.' — 'August Mangeney launches bid to flip HD 93 back to blue, promises 'people first' agenda,' Florida Politics' Jesse Scheckner reports. — 'Upton Fisher to file to succeed Michele Rayner in HD 62,' by Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics. TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP SCOTUS DECISION ON IMMIGRATION — 'The Supreme Court has given the Trump administration the go-ahead to begin deporting about a half-million immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela who entered the U.S. legally under 'humanitarian parole' programs implemented during the Biden administration,' reports POLITICO's Josh Gerstein. NEW NASA NOM AHEAD — 'The White House [withdrew] the nomination of Jared Isaacman to be the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration,' reports POLITICO's Ben Johansen. 'The sudden move [came] days before the Senate was slated to vote on his nomination to lead NASA.' WINTER WHITE HOUSE — 'The man who has led President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club for three decades is retiring,' reports Kristina Webb of the Palm Beach Daily News. 'Bernd Lembcke, Mar-a-Lago's executive vice president and managing director, announced his retirement in a letter to members dated May 30 and provided to Palm Beach Daily News by a club member.' ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN BIRTHDAYS: Former state Rep. Mike Hill … Political analyst and consultant Chris Ingram.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Guthrie Job Corps closing its doors due to federal budget cuts
GUTHRIE, Okla. (KFOR) — The Guthrie Job Corps is closing down with over 300 students enrolled. The U.S. Department of Labor announced a pause in contractor-operated job corps nationwide due to President Trump's proposed budget for fiscal year 2026. 'Forty percent of the students here are homeless, unhoused, they don't have anywhere to go,' said Taran Richardson, Chief Justice of the Guthrie Job Corp Student Government Association. Richardson said students were given only a few days to pack their belongings and leave campus. 'We had staff, team members trying to get their personal resources, take students and bring them to homeless shelters,' said Richardson. Lawmakers upset after Gov. Stitt brings family member into Friesen fallout In the Guthrie Job Corps, students have opportunities to learn different trade skills, get their driver's license and high school credits with job security after finishing. 'There are so many vulnerable kids out there right now and it's just going to get worse with all the funding cuts to these essential programs,' said Holly Jameson-Birden. Jameson-Birden's son has been enrolled at the Guthrie Job Corps for over nine months. She says the program has been life changing for her family. 'He was a child in crisis, making terrible choices, not on track to be a high school graduate, and there's a sense of hope now and a sense of independence and success,' Jameson-Birden said. With an uncertain future ahead, Jameson-Birden is calling on local leaders for help. 'I just really urge our lawmakers to know that this isn't about budget or policy shift. These are humans and these are humans that don't have another place to go and we need to look at the big picture down the road, and provide the resources that come with job corps and continue funding it,' she said. Jameson-Birden said employees at the Guthrie Job Corp don't know what's next and may be at risk of losing their jobs due to layoffs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
As Trump cuts FEMA, Florida says it will take care of residents
On the eve of hurricane season, Florida's top disaster official promised Floridians that they will see no changes to the state's hurricane response despite the turmoil at FEMA over staff cuts and proposed slashes to state disaster aid. Kevin Guthrie, the executive director of Florida's Division of Emergency Management, said it's not about money. Even if FEMA cuts the amount of cash it pays out to a state after a disaster, he stressed that state leaders 'have never, ever made decisions based on whether we're going to get reimbursed by the federal government.' 'You go out to protect life, safety. You go out to stabilize scenes. You go out to protect the environment. That is what we have been doing for decades inside Florida,' he said. 'That's what we're going to continue to do for the coming decades ahead.' READ MORE: Florida says it's ready for hurricane season, with or without FEMA's help Florida was smacked with two devastating storms last year, and forecasters say the upcoming hurricane season, which starts June 1, is set to be another active season. Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, raising global temperatures that in turn lead to stronger, wetter and more deadly hurricanes. At a press conference Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Guthrie said the state was fully prepared for the season — even if FEMA might not be. The agency is down more than 2,000 employees and a dozen senior leaders this year, as President Donald Trump pushes his new vision for the beleaguered agency. Part of that change involves shifting more responsibility — and costs — for disaster cleanup to the states. Already, FEMA has begun to act on that mission. Last week, the agency denied North Carolina's request to keep covering the entire tab for Hurricane Helene recovery. Instead, FEMA will continue helping with 75% of the costs, the bare minimum required. And yet, Guthrie said, Florida is prepared to accept the president's new vision for the agency, with the federal government still picking up the tab. It's unclear if Florida's annual budget includes more cash for storm recovery, as the legislature and governor have not yet agreed on one. Gov. Ron DeSantis asked Guthrie, as a member of the federal FEMA review council, to push FEMA to shift more of its state assistance to block grants that states like Florida can spend directly. Guthrie said the state is even considering preparing for the 'challenge' of directly giving cash to survivors after a disaster, a FEMA program known as individual assistance. 'We are already having these conversations about if the federal government allows us to run an individual assistance program, we're ready to get that done,' he said. 'We believe we can do it just as fast, if not faster than the federal government.'
Global News
4 days ago
- Business
- Global News
Guelph city council explores daytime shelters
Guelph will explore the idea of a daytime shelter to address the significant gaps in services for the homeless population. Mayor Cam Guthrie said council looked at how other cities are addressing the same issue, and that the need for a daytime hub has only increased since COVID-19. Councillors unanimously approved the idea to explore options for a daytime shelter at a council meeting on Tuesday. 'It hasn't dissipated at all. In fact, in some cases, it's a growing concern for individuals that need some sort of a daytime space,' Guthrie said. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Nighttime shelters in the city are open between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., and he said that leaves some unhoused people with nowhere to go during the day. Guthrie said resources such as information sharing, food and washrooms could be in the shelter either for housing stabilization or mental health and addictions counselling. Story continues below advertisement Council wants to ensure there are accountability measures to keep the community safe. 'If taxpayer money is going to be sent to these new daytime shelter hubs, we would have some sort of respect and good neighbour policies to make sure that things are being run appropriately,' he said. Council will next ask for proposals for the daytime shelter. Guthrie said the hub may not require any capital funding to build a facility because there are providers starting to do this work. 'If the city wants to provide for this, then we might need some capital, but really it's to find out what would the ongoing operating costs be for whoever a successful partner or partnerships might be and then we can evaluate when those proposals come in,' he said. The proposals will be brought back to council before the 2026 budget is tabled.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Binghamton recognized for achievement in railroad renovation
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Binghamton is being recognized by other cities and villages across New York for its success in compelling railroad companies to fix their deteriorating infrastructure. The city is receiving the 2025 Local Government Achievement Award from the New York Conference of Mayors. Its being recognized for its Railroad Bridge Improvement Project. For decades, underpasses and bridges owned by the railroads were neglected, becoming unsightly and unsafe. In 2023, Mayor Jared Kraham commissioned a $41,000 engineering report that documented widespread deterioration and safety concerns. Kraham then shared the 914 page report with federal regulators and Norfolk Southern agreed to do millions of dollars worth of repairs. Kraham accepted the award at NYCOM's annual meeting today in Bolton Landing. Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT: The EV Revolutionizer Guthrie Lourdes Health and Fitness turns three with free wellness event 52nd annual Greek Fest kicks off in Vestal Ribbon cutting held for $15 million project at Good Shepherd Village at Endwell New York Times agrees to license its material for Amazon's AI Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
