State Senator Debbie Mayfield – Mayfield Minutes 11/12/102

Nov 18 2023

State Senator Debbie Mayfield – Mayfield Minutes 11/12/102

Good Morning!

It was approximately one year ago when I recognized Retired United States Army Veteran and Gold Star father, CPT Donn Weaver as our Constituent of the Week. Since then, he and his lovely wife Jeanne of over 50 years, have visited the State Capitol and Washington, D.C. to share their family’s story.

Donn and Jeanne are the loving parents of Lieutenant Todd Weaver who lost his life in service to our nation during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2010. Together they continue to inspire Gold Star families, communities, Veterans, and military recruits.

I’m pleased to announce that CPT Weaver will be inducted into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame on Tuesday, November 14th in Tallahassee. The Weaver family has served as advocates, champions, and companions to Veterans, service members and Gold Star families throughout District 19 and beyond.

The Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame was established in 2013 to recognize and honor Veterans who have made a significant contribution to our State through their life of service or in the workplace.

Both CPT Weaver and Jeanne exceed that criteria. Jeanne is the author of “Losing Todd: A Mother’s Journey” and together, they continue to assist families experiencing the tragic loss of a son or daughter in defense of our nation.

I’m so proud to recognize and congratulate CPT Weaver and Jeanne Weaver as he is inducted into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame.

I consider it a great honor to represent District 19. 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 office. My staff and I are here to serve you!

Statewide Update

Governor DeSantis Applauds Florida Legislature for Swift Action to Sanction Iran and Support Floridians during Special Session

Last week, Governor DeSantis applauded the Florida Legislature for taking quick action to pass meaningful legislation sanctioning Iran and to protect Jewish Day Schools.

Additionally, the legislature passed bills to provide aid for Floridians impacted by Hurricane Idalia and to expand Florida’s Family Empowerment Scholarship for students with unique abilities. The Legislature also allocated $181.5 million to the My Safe Florida Home Program to help lower the costs of homeowners’ insurance for Floridians.

“I applaud the Legislature for their fast work during this special session,” said Governor DeSantis. “Divesting from any company that supports Iran and ensuring that students are able to attend Jewish Day Schools safely is of utmost importance. I am also thankful we have been able to provide relief for Floridians impacted by Hurricane Idalia, take steps to lower the costs of homeowners’ insurance and expand Florida’s nation leading school choice program to include any student with unique abilities. I look forward to signing this legislation.”

“Since the day he took office, Governor DeSantis has been steadfast in supporting Israel and making certain our state has the toughest possible sanctions against Iran and other regimes that support terrorism,” said Senate President Passidomo. “His continuous leadership makes it clear that Florida will not tolerate anti-Semitism or hatred of any kind and will provide security for our Jewish community. Unlike the dysfunction we so often see in Washington, when challenges come our way here in Florida, our Governor, Cabinet and Legislature work together.”

To read more about the combined efforts of the Florida Senate and Governor DeSantis to achieve the goals of the Special Session, click here.

Seven Brevard Schools Earn “Purple Star Schools of Distinction” Honors

Last week, Governor DeSantis announced that an additional 73 Florida schools have been awarded the Purple Star School of Distinction due to their extensive support for military families. There are now nearly 200 schools throughout the state that have earned a Purple Star Schools designation.

“Florida is proud to be the most military and veteran- friendly state in the nation,” said Governor DeSantis. “As a veteran, I understand firsthand the challenges that many military families face, including frequent relocations and changing schools. Florida will continue to work to ensure schools provide support and resources for military and veteran families.”

The purpose of the Purple Star School of Distinction Designation is to recognize schools that support the unique needs of military families, help military-connected students navigate critical challenges and provide resources for military-connected students when transitioning to a new school environment.

The following schools completed all requirements to earn the Purple Star School of Distinction designation for the 2023-24 school year through the 2025-26 school year:

Brevard County

Roosevelt Elementary School
Sea Park Elementary School
Space Coast Jr./Sr. High School

The following schools completed all requirements to earn the Purple Star School of Distinction Designation for the 2022-23 school year through the 2024-25 school year:

Brevard County

Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School
Holland Elementary School
Quest Elementary School

Designated Purple Star schools hold the distinction for three years before reapplying.

Florida Recognized as #1 in Education Freedom for Second Year by the Heritage Foundation

Florida was recognized by the Heritage Foundation as #1 in Education Freedom for the second year in a row. The Education Freedom Report Card, released annually by the Heritage Foundation, measures states across four categories – Education Choice, Teacher Freedom, Transparency and Return on Investment – and Florida was in the top five across all categories.

“By providing universal school choice, parental rights in education and curriculum transparency, we have ensured that parents are able to fully direct the upbringing of their children,” said Governor DeSantis. “Thank you to the Heritage Foundation for recognizing the importance of education freedom.”

To view the full rankings from the Heritage Foundation, click here.

Constituent of the Week

Lieutenant Colonel Brian Whalen

Retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Brian Whalen, President of the Military Officers of Association of America, Cape Canaveral Chapter (MOAACC), is our Constituent of the Week

Lieutenant Colonel Brian Whalen was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He moved to Lantana, Florida at the age of two, and moved again to Kingston, New York at the age of 12. After high school, he attended the State University of New York at Binghamton, and was commissioned in the United States Air Force (USAF) through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).

Lieutenant Colonel Whalen served in the USAF from November 1978 to January 2005 including initial assignments to Air Force Bases in Mississippi and Georgia. After retiring from active duty, he continued his employment as a contractor and a civil service employee until 2017.

Throughout his career, he was deployed to Egypt three times including Exercise Bright Star, a rapid deployment force exercise, and to the Cairo West Air Base. During his time at the Cairo West Air Base, an American C-141 jet crashed just after midnight tragically killing 13 U.S. military members, including three service members from the 2nd Combat Communications Group at Patrick Air Force Base, and he participated in recovering their remains.

Lieutenant Colonel Whalen was a student in the Marine Advanced Communications Officer Course at Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia, and upon graduation he was assigned to the 4th Combat Communications Squadron in Korea.

His military career continued to transcend the globe. He was assigned to a NATO Technical Evaluation Team in Turkey, served in Central Saudi Arabia in support of Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and was dispatched to the Canadian National Defence Headquarters as Chief of Radar, Navigation, and Landing Branch.

Lieutenant Colonel Whalen also served at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. It was during this assignment he met his future wife, Elizabeth.

Brian and Elizabeth Whalen returned to the United States, and today they reside in Indian River Colony Club (IRCC).

In addition to Lieutenant Colonel Whalen’s serving as the President of MOAACC, he also serves as a mentor coordinator for the Brevard County Veterans Treatment Court, and is on the IRCC Foundation. Elizabeth is a Cape Canaveral Lady and volunteers at the Viera Veterans Affairs (VA) Clinic weekly. She is active in the IRCC as an officer in the theater group and choir, and she is involved in many other local activities.

District 19 is fortunate to have so many retired military members in our community, like Brian and Elizabeth Whalen, who continue to support our Veterans and their families.

District Highlights

Fellsmere Wins Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) “Battle of the Lakes”

Fellsmere Reservoir (popularly known as Headwaters Lake) won the competition against Orange Lake with the highest total pounds of bass caught-and-released by anglers since the Trophy Catch competition started last fall.

The competition between participants in the Fellsmere Reservoir and Orange Lake, two of Florida’s premier trophy bass destinations, highlights fisheries, the preservation efforts of the largemouth bass responsible catch program, and generates enthusiasm for freshwater bass fishing.

Fellsmere anglers submitted 85 trophy bass totaling 759 pounds, 3 ounces and averaging 8.93 pounds. Orange Lake participants caught 64 trophy bass weighing 635 pounds, 8 ounces, with an average bass weight of 9.93 pounds.

The Fellsmere Reservoir and Orange Lake locations were selected for the competition by Bassmaster which annually evaluates the “Top 10 Best Bass Lakes” in Florida.

Congratulations to the participants representing the Fellsmere Reservoir! For more information on Florida’s most popular bass fishing waterways, visit FWC’s Freshwater Fishing Forecasts.

Eastern Florida State College Men’s and Women’s Soccer Teams Advance to the NJCAA Tournament

EFSC is one of only six colleges in the nation with both men’s and women’s soccer teams competing for the national title this week in Wichita, Kansas.

The Titans are the only school with both the men and women’s teams ranked in the top four and they are among the top seeds in their bracket at the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.

The men’s soccer team, completing a 15-1 season, is the No. 2 seed in the tournament and will compete against Murray State this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. The women’s soccer team is the No. 4 seed in the tournament after completing their season at 11-3-1. They will compete this evening at 6:30 p.m. against Barton Community College.

The next game for the Titan Men will be against Tyler Junior College on Tuesday, November 14th at 1:30 p.m. and the Titan Women will face Apache College also on Tuesday, November 14th at 6:30 p.m.

The games will be streamed live on the NJCAA Network for $12.00 per day or $20.00 for the championship pass which can be purchased here. EFSC will provide real time updates on their X (formerly Twitter) page at @EasternFlorida.

Upcoming Events

Veterans Day Honors Continue Wednesday, November 15th

The first inaugural Brevard No One Veteran Left Behind (BNOVLB)) Committal Service for the unclaimed remains of 20 veterans and spouses will take place at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery (5525 U.S. Highway 1, North) in Mims on Wednesday, November 15th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The ceremony will highlight Brevard County’s efforts to honor the final promise to all veterans – an honorable resting place and remembrance.

For more information, contact BNOVLB coordinator Donn Weaver at 757-871-6576 or send an email here to participate.

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

On Sunday, November 19th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization (SCTPO) will hold a “World Day of Remembrance” at Riverfront Park (401 Riveredge Boulevard) in Cocoa.

According to the SCTPO, between 2018 and 2022, more than 400 people were killed and 1,927 people were seriously injured in crashes on Brevard County roads. Many of these traffic tragedies were preventable.

The World Day of Remembrance event will honor lives lost and provide support to struggling families. The event serves as a platform for local leaders to demonstrate the importance of taking action to make Florida’s roads safer.

The event is free for all to attend. Registration in advance is required, please click here to confirm your attendance. If you or a loved one have been a victim of a traffic tragedy, the SCTPO is also seeking to learn more about your story. To share your experience, click here.

Brevard County Ocean Rescue Announced Tryouts for Future Lifeguards

Brevard County Ocean Rescue is seeking lifeguards for multiple open positions with full-time opportunities available immediately and seasonal positions beginning January through October.

Tryouts will take place at 1:00 p.m. at the Rockledge High School pool (616 Seminole Drive) in Rockledge on the following dates:

November 26th and 27th
December 2nd and 3rd
December 16th and 17th

No lifeguarding experience is necessary. Interested candidates must be 16 years or older and demonstrate strong swimming skills.

Additional requirements include:

Ability to swim 500 yards (20 lengths of the pool) in less than 10 minutes
Completion of a 2-mile run on a track in under 20 minutes
Completion of physical agility test that requires 30 push-ups

Advanced registration is not required, however late arrivals will not be permitted to try out.

If selected, completion of the hiring process is dependent on the candidate’s ability to pass a background check and successful completion of a paid training course. The hourly pay is $14.75.

For additional information email Brevard County Ocean Rescue at [email protected].

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