Connect with us

Politics

Jeff Houck to lead Tampa Downtown Partnership Board for 2025-26 year

Published

on


Jeff Houck, Vice President of Marketing for the 1905 Family of Restaurants, has been selected to be the next Chair of the Tampa Downtown Partnership Board for the 2025-26 term.

Houck takes the lead as the Partnership enters into its newly launched five-year strategic plan and as it advances new planning initiatives such as the North End Vision Framework and the Franklin Street revitalization.

“Our new strategic plan is a declaration of purpose, built around service, impact, growth, and resilience,” Partnership President and CEO Kenyetta Hairston-Bridges said. “With the leadership of Jeff Houck and our dedicated Board of Directors, the Partnership will continue to champion a downtown that is energetic, inclusive, and welcoming — ensuring the heart of our city remains a place where people and businesses thrive.”

Houck leads marketing efforts for the 1905 Family of Restaurants, which includes the Columbia Restaurant, Ulele, Casa Santo Setfano and Cha Cha Coconuts. Before that, he served 25 years in print and multimedia journalism, including at the Tampa Tribune, and is the coauthor of the award-winning book “The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers.”

Besides the Tampa Downtown Partnership, Houck is also a board member for Friends of the Tampa Riverwalk, Friends of Tampa Union Station and the Ybor City Historical Society.

“I am honored to serve as Chairman at a time when Downtown Tampa is defining its next chapter,” Houck said. “The Partnership’s ability to connect people, ideas, and neighborhoods is unmatched, and I look forward to working with my fellow officers to ensure that Downtown continues to grow with character, creativity, and community at its core.”

In addition to selecting Houck as its next leader, the board also selected Rob Stern, a partner at Trenam Law, to serve as Vice Chair, alongside PNC Bank Relationship Manager Braxton Williams as Treasurer and ChappellRoberts CEO Christine Turner as Secretary. Stephn Panzarino, AECOM Vice President and Regional Director of Architecture, is the Immediate Past Chair.

The Partnership is closing its 39th year and heads into its fourth decade under a five-year plan that emphasizes sustaining excellence in special services, maximizing organizational impact, championing a vibrant and growing downtown and enhancing organizational infrastructure.

Additionally, the Partnership operates its Clean & Safe program, which uses ambassadors who ensure downtown is welcoming and well-maintained.

The Partnership is also in its second year hosting the DASH micro-transit service, which has connected more than 40,000 riders across all seven downtown area neighborhoods with zero-emission vehicles using the Partnership’s trusted Driver Ambassadors.

The Partnership’s signature events include the Winter Village holiday celebration, the River O’ Green St. Patrick’s Day event, Ashley’s Eggsploration celebrating Easter, and Rock the Park, which is celebrating its 15th year.


Post Views: 0



Source link

Continue Reading

Politics

Ashley Moody, Rick Scott diverge on rescheduling pot

Published

on


Florida’s U.S. Senators are split on President Donald Trump potentially rescheduling cannabis.

While Rick Scott signed a letter opposing the move with GOP colleagues, Ashley Moody did not.

“Rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III drug will undermine your strong efforts to Make America Great Again and to usher in America’s next economic Golden Age. The only winners from rescheduling will be bad actors such as Communist China, while Americans will be left paying the bill,” the letter claims.

The Senators argue that changing cannabis’ classification would harm America’s attempts to reindustrialize, would have health consequences, and would give a “massive tax break” to companies in the space.

“While supporters of rescheduling argue that extending tax benefits to marijuana businesses will create economic growth, the costs of workplace and vehicular accidents caused by increased marijuana usage far exceeds any perceived benefits—not to mention the moral costs of marijuana advertising that could reach kids.”

Scott has called marijuana a “gateway drug” and says his own brother died after a lifetime struggle with drugs that began with it, so his opposition to relaxed laws continues.

While Attorney General, Moody opposed legalization initiatives in Florida. However, rumors are that the White House is considering rescheduling to Schedule III, which would permit medical research but wouldn’t immediately make it more commercially available.

12.17.2025-Letter-on-Marijuana-Rescheduling-



Source link

Continue Reading

Politics

Florida military installations to divvy up nearly $1B in federal funding act

Published

on


10 military installations in the Sunshine State will get a cut of the funding approved by Congress.

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody is touting approval by Congress of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which will bring nearly a billion dollars in funding for several military installations in Florida.

The measure passed along bipartisan lines in the Senate and covers defense funding for the next fiscal year. It authorizes about $900 billion in total for defense spending across the U.S. The House signed off on the measure last week.

The act earmarks about $851 million for Florida installations. It will also fund expanded shipbuilding and prioritize development of the “Golden Dome” missile defense system.

“The passage of this year’s NDAA is a victory for the strengthening of our national security and Florida’s military bases. It is vital for the protection of our great nation that our military has the resources needed to deter evil and stay mission ready. Sadly, just this week we lost two National Guardsmen and an interpreter far too soon at the hands of an apparent ISIS attack in Syria. My heart breaks for their families’ unimaginable loss. It is a stark reminder that we must continue our efforts to secure peace through a robust national defense,” Moody said in a news release Wednesday.

“Florida is proud to be the home of three combatant commands, including SOUTHCOM, CENTCOM and SOCOM, as well as 21 military installations which all play a highly important role in the United States’ military strategy. I will always fight for their interests, because a strong military is essential for a strong nation.”

Ten different military installations in Florida will get a partial cut of the funding including, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Eglin Air Force Base, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Hurlburt Field, MacDill Air Force Base, Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island, Naval Air Station Key West, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Naval Air Station Whiting Field and Tyndall Air Force Base.

Florida is home to more than 90,000 active military personnel in the state, and about 1.5 million military veterans reside here.



Source link

Continue Reading

Politics

New College Foundation announces $1M gift for ‘Socratic Stage’ program

Published

on


The New College Foundation has announced a $1 million donation from Dr. Michael C. and Ling Z. Markovitz to establish a new campus program centered on debate, classical learning and public discourse.

The donation, made directly to the New College Foundation, will help the college establish the Markovitz Socratic Stage, a signature forum dedicated to revitalizing civil discourse, classical learning and the free exchange of ideas on campus.

“We believe deeply in the power of ideas — and the courage it takes to explore them openly,” Michael said in a statement. “New College is leading a movement to bring back real dialogue, real debate, and real education. We are honored to support this mission and help build a program where students learn to think for themselves, speak with conviction, and engage with the world in meaningful ways.”

The donation will support a series of debates, lectures and discussion-based events meant to bring together students, faculty, visiting scholars and community members for debates, dialogues, books discussions, lecture series, public forums, intellectual events open to the community, and student-centered opportunities.

The program will be integrated into New College’s Logos/Techne curriculum and is expected to launch as a recurring campus initiative open to the public.

College President Richard Corcoran called the gift a “defining moment” for the institution, saying it aligns with New College’s emphasis on classical education and intellectual freedom.

“Michael and Ling Markovitz have made a profound and visionary commitment to New College,” he said. “Their gift strengthens our mission to revive rigorous classical education and restore the humanities as a force for intellectual freedom. The Markovitz Socratic Stage will impact generations of students by giving them a place to think deeply, debate boldly, and seek truth fearlessly.”



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © Miami Select.