Politics

UF recommits to outreach medical programs amid decreasing access to health assistance

Published

15 hours ago

February 9, 2025

With more financial challenges facing Floridians, the University of Florida (UF) health care professionals are offering more services to help residents deal with the rising costs of staying healthy.

UF officials point out that recent studies found that 46% of all Florida households have trouble paying for necessities such as food, transportation, and rent. Health care is often put on the back burner. The United Way ALICE report — Asset-Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed — included that data.

Given that health care sometimes takes a back seat, UF is committing to highlighting its services. Most notably, the UF Health Cancer Center uses its mobile cancer screening bus to visit places in Florida that may be off the beaten path or farther from hospitals. The traveling screening vehicle will expand access to cancer detection and other health care services, including three-dimensional mammograms and colon, prostate, and cervical cancer.

“The Mobile Cancer Screening Connector” is a first-of-its-kind service that traverses more remote areas in North Central Florida. The vehicle targets residents of rural areas where many Floridians lack access to screenings.

The mobile services help increase cancer services in underserved communities. In 15 out of 23 counties, mammogram rates are below the state average.

“By offering several types of cancer screening services in one place, we will use the Connector to reach more people, encouraging community members to get multiple cancer screenings closer to where they live and to bring their friends and family to get screened, too,” said Ramzi Salloum, Ph.D., the Cancer Center’s associate director for community outreach and engagement.

Beyond the cancer screening outreach, UF medical experts are increasing efforts to make statewide pharmacy care more accessible. They are doing this by using UF pharmacy students.

“Our hope is that our students recognize the important role that a pharmacist can have in the lives of these patient populations,” said Stacey Curtis, a clinical associate professor and the assistant dean for experiential education in the College of Pharmacy. “For those who have limited access to primary health care, pharmacists are readily available in those areas to help provide that care.”

Meanwhile, UF is also increasing dental care for the underserved by utilizing the Saving Smiles Program to promote children’s oral health. The program also uses the Mobile Dental Outreach program at Arc of Alachua County. That program provides dental screenings for people with intellectual, developmental or acquired disabilities.

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Politics

Mike Waltz says many Canadians want to be Americans

Published

12 minutes ago

February 10, 2025

May Greene

Waltz says he has Canadian neighbors who confirm his read.

President Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser says the administration is not bluffing when it comes to potentially annexing the United States’ neighbor to the north.

While there is no chance that the U.S. makes moves to “invade Canada,” U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz said a lot of people from the country would like to be American citizens.

“I think that the Canadian people, many of them, would love to join the United States with no tariffs, with lower taxes. And I have all kinds of neighbors down in Florida that are Canadians that are escaping many of the liberal policies and have moved in,” Waltz said on “Meet the Press.”

“There is a lot of people that like what we have in the United States and do not like the last 10 years of liberal progressive governance in (Justin) Trudeau.”

Waltz framed the proposed annexation as part of a “reassertion of American leadership in the Western Hemisphere from the Arctic all the way down to the Panama Canal.”

“America has avoided our own hemisphere where we have the energy, the food and the critical minerals for way too long, and you’re seeing a reassertion of President Trump’s leadership,” he continued.

During an interview that aired ahead of the Super Bowl, Trump said the desire to annex Canada was serious when asked about Trudeau’s comments that the proposal was a “real thing.”

“I think Canada would be much better off being the 51st state because we lose $200 billion a year with Canada. And I’m not going to let that happen. It’s too much,” he said. “Why are we paying $200 billion a year, essentially a subsidy, to Canada? Now if they’re a 51st state, I don’t mind doing it.”

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Donald Trump says he will announce 25% steel and aluminum tariffs

Published

2 hours ago

February 10, 2025

May Greene

President Donald Trump said he will announce on Monday that the United States will impose 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, including from Canada and Mexico, as well as other import duties later in the week.

“Any steel coming into the United States is going to have a 25% tariff,” he told reporters Sunday on Air Force One as he flew from Florida to New Orleans to attend the Super Bowl. When asked about aluminum, he responded, “aluminum, too” will be subject to the trade penalties.

Trump also reaffirmed that he would announce “reciprocal tariffs” — “probably Tuesday or Wednesday” — meaning that the U.S. would impose import duties on products in cases where another country has levied duties on U.S. goods.

“If they are charging us 130% and we’re charging them nothing, it’s not going to stay that way,” he told reporters.

Trump’s comments are the latest example of his willingness to threaten and in some cases to impose, import taxes. Tariffs are coming much earlier in his presidency than during his previous four years in the White House, when he prioritized tax cuts and deregulation. Trump has alternately said he sees import taxes as tools to force concessions on issues such as immigration, but also as a source of revenue to help close the government’s budget deficit.

Financial markets fell on Friday after Trump first said he would impose the reciprocal tariffs. Stock prices also dropped after a measure of consumer sentiment declined on Friday, largely because many respondents cited tariffs as a growing worry. The survey also found that Americans are expecting inflation to tick up in the coming months because of the duties.

Trump on Sunday did not offer any details about the steel and aluminum duties, or the reciprocal tariffs. Trump previously threatened 25% import taxes on all goods from Canada and Mexico, though he paused them for 30 days barely a week ago. At the same time, he proceeded to add 10% duties on imports from China.

Yet on Friday, he said he would also delay the tariffs on the millions of small packages — often from fast-fashion firms such as Temu and Shein — until customs officials can figure out ways to impose them. The small packages have previously been exempt from tariffs.

Trump’s latest remarks stirred immediate worry from some global trading partners.

South Korea’s acting President, Choi Sang-mok, called a meeting with the country’s top foreign policy and trade officials on Monday to examine how Trump’s proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum would affect its industries.

The office of Choi, who also serves as the country’s finance minister, said officials discussed the potential impact and Seoul’s possible responses, but specific details of the meeting were not disclosed. The stock prices of major South Korean steelmakers, including POSCO and Hyundai Steel, dropped as the market opened on Monday. South Korea shipped about $4.8 billion worth of steel to the United States from January to November last year, which accounted for 14% of its global exports of the products during the period.

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.

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Monique Miller latest lawmaker to back ‘America First’ Terry Cronin in HD 32 Special Election

Published

4 hours ago

February 10, 2025

May Greene

The support comes ahead of an April 1 Primary.

State Rep. Monique Miller knows which Space Coast candidate she wants joining her in the Florida House.

The Palm Bay Republican endorsed Terry Cronin, a dermatologist and owner of the Cronin Skin Cancer Center and one of three Republicans in a Special Election in House District 32. She said Cronin will bring President Donald Trump’s agenda to the Florida House.

“Terry Cronin is the only choice for Trump Republicans who want to see the America First Agenda implemented here in Florida,” Miller said. “As a 52-year resident of Melbourne, no one will fight harder for our Brevard Conservative values than Dr. Terry Cronin. He has my full endorsement.”

Cronin embraced the support.

“I look forward to joining fellow America First Rep. Miller in the Florida House to work on behalf of Brevard County and all Floridians to stand up to special interests and insurance companies, stop the WOKE mob from taking over our schools, and restoring and preserving the health of the Indian River Lagoon.”

The endorsement follows one from state Sen. Randy Fine, a Palm Bay Republican who announced his support of Cronin last week.

The House District 32 seat is up for Special Election due to the resignation of state Rep. Debbie Mayfield, who is vacating her seat to run for Fine’s Senate District 19 post. Fine is leaving the Senate to run for Congress. While Mayfield was disqualified from the race by the State Department, her resignation from the House seat is not revocable.

Cronin is the immediate past president of the American Academy of Dermatology and has lobbied on policy in the field in Washington. He was recently named as an Ambassador to the 26th World Congress of Dermatology.

He also co-founded the Melbourne Independent Filmmakers Festival in 1999 and remains program chair. The event supports the No Limits Academy.

A Republican Primary in HD 32 will be held on April 1. The winner will advance to a June 10 Special General Election.