State lawmakers agreed Friday night to spend $50 million on a new courthouse in Pinellas County named after former State Attorney Bernie McCabe.

The new site of the 2nd District Court of Appeal would be called the Bernie McCabe Courthouse in honor of the late Pinellas-Pasco state attorney, who died in January after serving as the area’s top prosecutor for nearly three decades.

Both the location and the name of the courthouse were a top priority of House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, a former prosecutor who worked for McCabe. He spoke in support for a Pinellas courthouse named after his former boss a week after his passing.

But Sprowls’ priority clashed with that of another powerful Republican lawmaker: Senate Appropriations Chair Kelli Stargel, who wanted the new courthouse built in her hometown of Lakeland, the official headquarters for the court district. Stargel’s husband was appointed as a judge for the district by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year.

In a statement Saturday, Sprowls applauded Stargel and hinted that her hometown could still benefit from the plan.

“This is step one in a multi-year plan to address the unique needs of the area that now comprises the 2nd (District Court of Appeal),” Sprowls said, referring to Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Hardee, Highlands, Polk, DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Glades, Collier, Hendry and Lee counties. “Senator Stargel has always been a staunch advocate for Polk County, and her long-term vision for addressing the juridical needs of the area will be realized.”

The exact location of the Bernie McCabe Courthouse has yet to be determined. The agreement lawmakers reached on Friday requires the site to be on state or local land. If that isn’t available, the courts would work with the state to find another location in Pinellas County.

Lakeland is the official site in state law for the sprawling district, which handles trial court appeals from Pasco County to Naples and as far east as Lake Okeechobee.

However, the majority of the court’s cases, judges, employees and attorneys are from Tampa Bay, and studies have recommended the new courthouse be built in Hillsborough or Pinellas counties.

Stargel said last month she wanted the new courthouse built in Lakeland in part because her hometown’s legal community has been shrinking since 1980, when the 2nd District Court of Appeal started renting space in Tampa to handle the area’s growing caseload.

The court’s cases are now being held in rented classroom space near downtown Tampa, a site that doesn’t have bulletproof windows. The crumbling, mold-infested Lakeland courthouse has been uninhabitable since 2016.

Last year, lawmakers approved $21 million for a new courthouse in St. Petersburg, but Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed it along with $1 billion in other projects.

When Stargel allotted $50 million for a new courthouse in Lakeland last month, Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, objected. Requiring the majority of people who use the court to commute 35 miles east to Lakeland each day would be a “significant disruption,” he said.

Brandes said senators were placing the courthouse in Lakeland simply “because we can,” something that Stargel said gave her “great offense.”

“I’m not doing this just because I can,” Stargel said during a Senate committee meeting last month. “I think it’s appropriate for my community.”

McCabe was a giant in Tampa Bay’s legal and political community, where he was known as a mentor to young lawyers, a whip-smart litigator and an advocate for crime victims, police officers and children. He served for 20 years on the Pinellas County Juvenile Welfare Board and was one of the first state attorneys in Florida to start drug and veterans’ treatment courts.

After his death, Sprowls wrote to county commissioners asking they rename the Pinellas County Justice Center, where prosecutors and public defenders have offices, after McCabe.

McCabe “left an unrivaled legacy in the pantheon of Florida justice seekers,” Sprowls wrote.

To view the full news article, visit https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/04/24/state-lawmakers-agree-on-new-bernie-mccabe-courthouse-in-pinellas-county/.

As part of Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, JWB Community Planning Manager Yaridis Garcia was recently featured in a statewide podcast with Prevent Child Abuse Florida and the Ounce of Prevention, spotlighting the 2021 Child Abuse Prevention Conference, JWB’s Neighborhood Family Centers, and our work in the area of strengthening and supporting families to prevent child abuse and neglect.  To learn more about JWB’s work to prevent child abuse and neglect, and strengthen communities visit www.jwbpinellas.org.

Listen to the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1653430/8296601

Chan Heng was attending a flea market in Pinellas Park last week when he saw a booth advertising appointments for the coronavirus vaccine at the Lealman and Asian Neighborhood Family Center.

So the 54-year-old St. Petersburg resident signed up. It was so much easier than trying to do it online, he said.

He was one of about 300 people vaccinated at the center Saturday. It serves the Lealman area and many immigrant residents, like Heng, who moved to the United States from Cambodia in 1982. The staff even translated for patients.

“This is very convenient,” Heng said.

It is one of many clinics across the Tampa Bay region whose mission is getting vaccines to underserved communities. While the state is allowing all residents 16 and older to get vaccinated starting today, some Floridians still face obstacles. Low-income and migrant residents can lack transportation and face language barriers.

Florida’s residency requirement has raised concerns about vaccine access for migrant workers, the undocumented and those experiencing homelessness. Immigration advocates recently called for an end to the requirement, saying it excludes undocumented immigrants, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The Florida Department of Health says a state-issued ID is needed to receive a vaccine. Seasonal residents may present two forms of identification, such as a deed, mortgage or lease, a utility bill or mail from the government or a bank.

Florida Division of Emergency Management spokeswoman Samantha Bequer said health officials can also accept other proof of residency at their discretion, such as a letter from an employer or landlord, or a spouse’s proof of residency along with proof of marriage.

But for those who struggle with such documents and requirements, a patchwork vaccination effort has sprung up across the Tampa Bay region. Advocacy groups, health departments and vaccination sites started serving communities that otherwise might be excluded.

Redlands Christian Migrant Association health advocate Noe Bautista helped organize a clinic that distributed vaccines to migrant farm workers in Mulberry. The clinic received 400 doses of vaccines including both the first and second doses of Pfizer vaccines. The first round was administered March 20.

“The first barrier is the lack of vaccines,” Bautista said. “They don’t have access.”

The registration and identification process was simple, Bautista said. Organizers asked for workers’ names, date of birth, phone numbers and town where they live. Bautista also helped translate information into Mixtec, the language of the indigenous Mexican farmworkers he works with.

Clearwater’s Hispanic Outreach Center offered the first dose of coronavirus vaccines to community members at the end of February and the second doses were distributed at the end of March. In total, the staff fully vaccinated 244 people. CEO Jaclyn Boland said the next clinic, scheduled for April 10, is almost fully booked.

The center asks participants to bring a photo ID and proof of residency. But Boland said they’re also accepting items such as foreign passports for those who don’t have state-issued identification. For those who do not have their own bills or bank statements, proof of residency from someone they share a home with is acceptable, along with a statement from that person affirming they live together.

“Really, we haven’t found many people having an issue with that part,” Boland said.

Dr. Nichelle Threadgill, chief medical officer at Community Health Centers of Pinellas, Inc., said its clinics have tried to offer flexibility to patients and those who visit pop-up clinics, whose times are listed online. Threadgill said the site accepts any form of identification that the Department of Motor Vehicles would accept. Many patients often share homes with relatives, so proof of residency from someone with whom the patient lives is also acceptable.

“We try not to be restrictive at all,” Threadgill said.

Local groups are also working to ensure vaccine access for those experiencing homelessness across Tampa Bay. As of March 29, the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County said it had vaccinated 344 patients at local homeless shelters. Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas CEO Amy Foster said local sites serving the homeless have been accepting county blue cards — which give them access to the county health system — as a form of identification.

“We’re excited that eligibility has been expanded and we’ll be able to get more folks vaccinated shortly,” she said.

In Hillsborough County, emergency management has worked with community groups to ensure access for undocumented and homeless residents who might otherwise struggle to get vaccinated. Metropolitan Ministries and Feeding Tampa Bay have also hosted vaccination sites.

Tampa Bay Street Medicine has worked to distribute 93 vaccine doses to its patients, many of whom are experiencing homelessness. Most recently, it distributed the first dose of vaccines to patients at the beginning of March, said clinic co-director Jacob Wasserman.

The organization also administered doses of the Pfizer vaccine in February and 95 percent of patients returned for their second dose, he said.

“I think that the reason for that is the fact that we’ve cultivated a true relationship with our patients over the course of many years,” Wasserman said. “I just took it as a really cool sign.”

Read the full story by Tampa Bay Times at https://tampabaytimes-fl.newsmemory.com/?publink=113c2e5d6

Tampa Bay area children can once again receive free water safety and swim lessons at their local Y, starting during the local school districts’ Spring Break, March 15-18.

TheY’s Safety Around Water program is offered this year at 16 Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA and YMCA of the Suncoast locations. The program is free and open to all 3-12-year-old beginners and non-swimmers in the Tampa Bay community. The YMCA of the Suncoast is able to offer the program at no cost in Pinellas County thanks to the generosity of the Juvenile Welfare Board.

During the 4-day course, certified instructors teach kids a sequenced set of skills that will reduce the risk of drowning and give them confidence in and around water. Participants must be present on the first day of class and bring their own swimsuit and towel. A YMCA membership is NOT required; however, due to limited space, pre-registration is required at these participating Ys:

March 15-18: Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA (11 locations), Clearwater YMCA, Greater Palm Harbor YMCA, Greater Ridgecrest YMCA, James P. Gills Family YMCA, North Pinellas YMCA

At the Tampa Y, you can sign up online, in-person or by phone. At the Suncoast Y, you can sign up in-person or by phone. As with all YMCA programs and services, the Y follows guidance from the CDC and government officials to create a safer environment and ensure the highest standards of cleanliness and appropriate accommodations for social distancing. The Y will also offer the free Safety Around Water program in May and August of this year. Dates and times vary based on YMCA location.

To view the full news story by Bay News 9, visit https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2021/03/02/spring-break-kicks-off-free-safety-around-water-lessons-at-the-y

GULFPORT, FL — On Feb. 13, 2021, the Stetson University College of Law Board of Overseers unanimously passed resolutions to honor the service of Sammy Cacciatore, Rhea Law, Bernie McCabe and Bonnie Forman – all esteemed alumni with a legacy of helping elevate their alma mater and the legal field. The resolutions recognize their years of selfless devotion to both the College and the advancement of legal education.

Sammy Cacciatore

Sammy Cacciatore is a Double Hatter, earning a bachelor’s degree from Stetson University and his Juris Doctor in 1966. He began his career as an Assistant Public Defender and in 1967 joined the Law Office of James Nance, which would later be known as Nance & Cacciatore, where he continues to practice personal injury litigation.

In Jones v. Hoffman, Cacciatore pioneered efforts to establish comparative negligence as the standard in Florida. This ultimately resulted in the change to this standard throughout the country, transforming the way injured people are compensated.

He gives generously of his time and resources to many professional and nonprofit organizations, including: the International Academy of Trial Lawyers; Brevard County Bar Association; Vassar B. Carlton American Inn of Court; Florida Supreme Court’s Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Civil Cases; Florida Justice Association; Florida Bar Board of Governors; Coastal Conservation Association; Several Judicial Nominating Commissions, Florida State Courts; Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church; Coastal Conservation Association; and the Back Country Fly Fishing Association.Subscribe

Despite his many interests and obligations, Cacciatore has always maintained time for his alma mater, being appointed to the Board of Trustees of Stetson University in 2000 and serving as a member of the Board of Overseers since 1995.

Rhea Law

Law is a 1979 Stetson Law alumna who practiced in the areas of higher education, economic development, government, and land use law. During her career, she served as chief executive officer and chair of the board of Fowler White Boggs, PA and as chair of the Florida Offices of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, PC.

Her professional and nonprofit organizations are many and varied, including: the American Bar Association; American Bar Foundation; Enterprise Florida, Inc.; Leadership Council on Legal Diversity; Tampa Bay Technology Forum; Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce; Leadership Tampa; Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research; Tampa Bay Defense Alliance; Tampa Bay Partnership; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Multicultural Advisory Council; Health Professions Conferencing Corporation; H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute National Board of Advisors; MacDill Air Force Base Support Council; Tampa Bay Metro; Tampa Bay Partnership; Tampa Electric; Peoples Gas Board of Directors; Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation; The Florida Council of 100; United States Law Firm Group; University of South Florida Board of Trustees; and University of South Florida Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation.

Law was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Stetson University in 2019 and has served two terms as a member of the Board of Overseers, beginning in 2007 and then again beginning in 2013.

Bernie McCabe

McCabe was a Double Hatter, earning his bachelor’s in 1969 and Juris Doctor in 1972. He began his career as the Assistant State Attorney in the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Florida and went on to serve as the Division Director, Executive Assistant State Attorney, and Chief Assistant State Attorney before being elected as State Attorney for Pinellas and Pasco counties in 1992. He was continually reelected to the position and worked until his passing in 2020.

McCabe dedicated his life and career to many professional and nonprofit organizations aimed at protecting the rights of others, including: the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association; National District Attorneys Association; Pinellas County Juvenile Welfare Board; Pinellas County Substance Abuse Advisory Board; Suncoast Family YMCA; Pasco and Pinellas Public Safety Coordinating Councils; Florida Violent Crime and Drug Control Council; Pinellas County Health and Human Services Coordinating Council; Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Association; and Pinellas Police Standards Council.

He also was a steadfast presence at Stetson Law, being appointed to the Board of Overseers in 1994, supervising the Stetson Prosecution Clinic for 28 years, teaching young law students as an Adjunct Professor, serving as judge for various mock trial competitions at the law school, and hiring and mentoring many Stetson Law alumni.

Bonnie Forman

Foreman is a 1967 graduate of Stetson University who shared her love of learning by teaching elementary school in Pinellas County, Fla., for 34 years. Her late husband, Edward D. Foreman, was a 1967 graduate of Stetson University and a 1971 graduate of Stetson University College of Law. She established the Edward D. Foreman Most Distinguished Student Award in 2005 in his memory. The award is given each spring to the “best all-around student” who has demonstrated a passion for the legal profession and commitment to community service.

Foreman also established the Edward D. Foreman Scholarship and the Edward and Bonnie Foreman Biodiversity Lecture Series at Stetson Law. The lecture series features world renowned experts in the areas of environmental law and environmental science.

She has given generously of her time and resources and been associated with many nonprofit organizations, including: the SPCA Tampa Bay; Pace Center for Girls; Pinellas Education Foundation; and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Foreman was also appointed to the Board of Trustees of Stetson University and to the Board of Overseers of Stetson University College of Law in 2007.

Read the full news story on The Patch at https://patch.com/florida/gulfport/stetson-university-college-law-board-overseers-recognizes-revered-alumni

Preserve Vision Florida is offering free vision screenings for youth and their parents on Wednesday, February 24, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Safety Harbor Public Library. Appointments not required. Assistance for an eye exam and glasses may be provided for those that qualify. Masks are required and COVID social distancing measures enforced.

For more information, contact Miralee Berrios at 813-410-9967. Preserve Vision Florida is a non-profit organization offering 64 years of vision education and services to Florida’s children and adults focusing on promoting a lifetime of healthy vision care through advocacy, education, screening, and research. For more information visit www.pvfla.org. This program is funded in conjunction with Juvenile Welfare Board.

The Library is located at 101 2nd Street North, Safety Harbor, 34695.

Read the full news story on The Patch at https://patch.com/florida/safetyharbor/calendar/event/20210224/972397/free-vision-screenings-for-youth-and-parents-at-safety-harbor-lib

As the battle to end COVID-19 continues, local agencies partnered to protect young children from the virus in the Tampa Bay area.

On Saturday, the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County, Juvenile Welfare Board, and Florida Association of Infant Mental Health gave almost 10,000 clear and cloth face mask and 500 gallons of hand sanitizer to 447 child care providers in Pinellas County.

Their goal is for young children and early child care educators to have the best equipment for a safe and appropriate learning experience.

“Clear face masks allow parents to rest assure their child and the VPK and School Readiness child care educators are safe and have the tools necessary to learn and teach effectively,” said Lindsay Carson, CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas.

Masks will be distributed on Wednesday, January 27, 2021 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday, January 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Early Learning Coalition Centers in Clearwater and St. Petersburg.

Read the full article by WTSP-TV at https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/local-agencies-helps-child-care-providers-fight-covid-19-with-gift-of-masks/67-0c613bc9-1f89-41a4-86b9-19fa2969c7b1