August 27, 2023 - Mayfield Minute_Fentanyl and Drug Overdose Awareness Days

Mayfield Minute - August 27, 2023 - Fentanyl and Drug Overdose Awareness

Good Morning!

August 21st marked National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day. More than 110,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year—mainly due to illicit Fentanyl. The deadly substance is also the number one killer of adults aged 18 to 45. A study conducted by Families Against Fentanyl found that children under the age of 14 are dying of Fentanyl poisoning at a faster rate than any other age group. Just two milligrams of Fentanyl is a lethal dose.

This Thursday, August 31st, the nation will also recognize International Overdose Awareness Day, the world’s largest annual campaign to bring awareness to this growing epidemic, and to support families grieving the loss of a loved one due to drugs.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, in 2021 Brevard County recorded 304 drug overdose deaths. Local law enforcement is working aggressively to protect our children and families. Last month, City of West Melbourne police officers seized 'enough Fentanyl to kill 302,500 people' which is roughly equivalent to half of Brevard County's total population. A Micco resident was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison for possession and intent to distribute Fentanyl and methamphetamine in Indian River County.

Florida's Attorney General, Ashley Moody, developed the "One Pill Can Kill" and "Dose of Reality" programs for Floridians to learn more about the dangers of illicit drugs, and to access support, treatment, and recovery resources. To learn more about state programs, click here.

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

Florida Tool Time Sales Tax Holiday

Florida's Tool Time Sales Tax Holiday begins Saturday, September 2nd and ends Friday, September 8th. Passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Governor DeSantis, the Tool Time Tax Holiday provides consumers, skilled workers, and small business owners the opportunity to purchase qualifying tools and equipment exempt from sales tax.

Some of the eligible items include:

$25 or less--work gloves
$30 or less--high visibility safety vests
$50 or less--hand tools and safety glasses, protective coveralls, LED flashlights, shovels and rakes
$75 or less--tool boxes and hearing protection items
$100 or less--tool belts, electrical voltage and testing equipment, shop lights, hard hats
$125 or less--industry textbooks and code books
$150 or less--power tool batteries, handheld pipe cutters, plumbing inspection equipment
$175 or less--work boots
$300 or less--power tools, tool boxes for vehicles

For more information on all qualifying items, click here.

Florida Department of Education (FL DOE) and Volunteer Florida (VF) Encourage Students to Participate in 2023 Hispanic Heritage Month Contests

FL DOE and VF are encouraging students to participate in Hispanic Heritage Month student contests with the theme “Celebrating Florida’s Hispanic Heroes and their Contributions to Freedom.” Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized and celebrated in the United States from September 15th to October 15th.

Students in kindergarten thru third grade are invited to participate in an art contest, while students in grades fourth thru twelfth are invited to participate in an essay contest. Additionally, students, parents, teachers, and principals can nominate full-time educators for the Hispanic Heritage Month Excellence in Education Award.

For the K-3 art contest, each student will submit original, two-dimensional artwork. Four statewide winners will each receive a $100 gift card for school supplies and a one-year pass to Florida State Parks.

For the grades 4th thru 12th essay contest, each student will submit an original essay up to 500 words. Six winners will be selected: two elementary school students (grades 4-5), two middle school students (grades 6-8), and two high school students (grades 9-12). Each winner will receive a two-year Florida College Plan scholarship and a $100 gift card for school supplies.

To view all contest criteria for students and for those seeking to nominate a Florida educator for the Hispanic Heritage Month Excellence in Education Award, click here. All entries must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 18th.

Constituent of the Week

Ms. Suzy Pereira

Our Constituent of the Week is Suzy Pereira, Founder and Chairman of the Blue Plaid Society.

Ms. Pereira founded The Blue Plaid Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to Fentanyl education and drug poisoning prevention, after she lost her son and only child, Tristan, to the Fentanyl epidemic in November 2021. She named the organization after her son's iconic style of wearing blue plaid shirts.

Ms. Pereira is also the organizer of the Central Florida Fentanyl Summit, which brings community experts together to support the mission of educating the public about illicit drugs and saving lives.

After being selected as a candidate and completing training, Ms. Pereira became a Special Ambassador for the Drug Enforcement Agency in March 2023. Her story has been seen on FOX and Spectrum news stations. She is also a public speaker providing education about the modern drug paradigm, and warning of the dangers of illicit Fentanyl and other synthetic drugs targeted to our youth.

Ms. Pereira is passionate about lifting the stigma of addiction and changing the national conversation from overdose to poisoning concerning Fentanyl death. The Blue Plaid Society provides free Narcan® and training, collaborates with other drug prevention agencies, and advocates for mass communication about drug poisoning.

"Our mission is truly to make everyone aware of the danger of synthetic drug poisoning," said Ms. Pereira. "One pill, one line, one shot should not be interpreted as a drug overdose. Putting a lethal chemical in a loose powder drug or pressing it into a pill made to look like prescription medication, creating deceit, and leading to harm and death, is why we call it poisoning," she added.

There is no greater loss than the loss of a child. District 19 recognizes the exemplary work of Ms. Pereira as she has suffered an unthinkable tragedy, and still has the courage and compassion to help in preventing other families from a similar devastation.

For more information about the Blue Plaid Society, their services, and how you can help through donations or volunteerism, please visit www.blueplaid.org.

Remembering Robert Dale Patchett

April 21, 1950 - August 20, 2023

Sadly, Robert Dale Patchett passed away on August 20, 2023 at the age of 73. He was born in Illinois on April 21, 1950 and moved to Florida in 1973.

Representative Patchett served in the Florida House of Representatives district from 1976 to 1990 as a Republican. Throughout his 24 years in the state legislature he represented Indian River, Brevard and parts of Okeechobee, and Osceola Counties, and served as the Florida House Republican (Minority) Leader from 1984 to 1990. He is often credited for laying the groundwork for Republicans to take the majority in the Florida House in 1996. Representative Patchett was recognized by President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush for leading the effort.

After his legislative career, he served as the Deputy Secretary of the former Department of Natural Resources, and was a small business owner, real estate broker, and an environmental consultant.

Robert Dale Patchett was a resident of Palm Harbor, Florida and is survived by his beloved wife, Candy, daughter Katie, and son-in-law Chase. A service will be held on Saturday, September 23rd at Celebration Baptist Church in Tallahassee.

To provide a message of support or condolence for Mr. Patchett's family, please click here.

District Highlights

Space Coast Health Foundation’s Lifetime Counseling Center Announces New Mental Health Initiative for Brevard County

This past week, Representative Sorois joined me in presenting a $625,000.00 legislative appropriation check to the Space Coast Health Foundation's (SCHF) Lifetime Counseling Center (LCC) for their mental health pilot program, “Thrive Within: A Journey to Resilience.”

The purpose of the funding is to address the accelerating rate of individuals and families on the Space Coast experiencing behavioral crises, and to increase access to support services for those suffering.

LCC is a program of the Space Coast Health Foundation and offers professional, confidential counseling to children, adolescents, and adults, in person at their Cocoa and Melbourne offices, or virtually. Experienced clinicians address mental and behavioral concerns including anxiety, depression, grief/loss, eating disorders, behavior problems, substance abuse, and relationship difficulties.

According to the Community Health Needs Assessment – a study commissioned by SCHF every three years – showed in 2019, 13 percent of Space Coast residents said they were receiving mental health treatment. Last year, in 2022, the figure jumped to nearly 24 percent.

If you or a loved one are in need of treatment or support services, click here.

Space Perspective Celebrates Balloon Manufacturing Facility Supporting Space Tourism Missions

Last Tuesday, I had the opportunity to participate in the ribbon cutting for Space Perspective's opening of their new manufacturing site, the Seely Space Balloon Factory, in Titusville. Space Perspective plans to offer balloon-based flight for customers beginning in 2024.

“At Space Perspective, we are opening space to unprecedented numbers of people through our carbon-neutral Spaceship Neptune that carries eight explorers and a captain on a six-hour, gentle and astounding journey to space,” said company founder and co-CEO Jane Poynter.

According to Space Perspective, a passenger flight customer will launch from land or aboard Space Perspective’s Voyager ship to begin their six-hour flight. Eight passengers aboard the Spaceship Neptune capsule will ascend at a rate of 12 miles per hour until apogee at about 100,000 feet is reached.

Thanks to Lynda Weatherman, President and CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast, and Frank DiBello, CEO of Space Florida, the Space Coast continues to be the global leader in attracting the latest in innovation, science, and manufacturing to supporting the space exploration and space tourism industries.

For more information about Space Perspective's Seely Space Balloon Factory, click here.

Brevard County Elections Support Center

On Wednesday, I met with Brevard County's Supervisor of Elections, Tim Bobanic and toured the Election Support Center (ESC) located at 525 John Rodes Boulevard in Melbourne. I observed the secure measures in place to ensure that the County is conducting fair, efficient, and accurate elections with the highest level of transparency. Mr. Bobanic and his team are committed to election integrity and accountability.

The ESC houses all election tabulation equipment which is then deployed to Brevard‘s early voting sites and Election Day polling locations. The mail ballot equipment which manages the inbound and outbound process of mail ballots is also located at the ESC.

Additionally, all public meetings are held at this location for each election.

Mr. Bobanic and his team remain committed to election integrity and accountability. For more information about the Supervisor of Elections and the Election Support Center, click here.

Brevard County Sheriff's Office Welcomes 12 New K-9 Deputies

Earlier this month, K-9 Daisy II delivered 12 new bloodhound puppies for the Brevard County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) long established K-9 program. BCSO is well known for their utilization of bloodhounds trained to search and rescue missing children and seniors suffering with Dementia or Alzheimer's disease. The bloodhounds also serve as comfort and therapy dogs in schools, and assist other non-profits throughout the country, free of charge, such as the Jimmy Ryce Foundation to support efforts in locating missing persons.

Sheriff Wayne Ivey said Daisy II was bred with Big Ben, a retired BCSO bloodhound, and she and her large litter are being well cared for by the Veterinarian team at the Animal Care Center.

Ivey said, "As Sheriff, and someone who travels each and ever day with America's Top Police Dog, Junny, I could not be more excited for Daisy II and her puppies as they become amazing crime fighters in our community."

Upcoming Events

Green Gables to Hold September Open Houses and Annual Harvest Festival

Vendor Opportunities to Promote Local Talent are Available

The Green Gables at Historic Riverview Village, Inc., a living history museum and education center, is holding Open House events in September on the 2nd, 7th, and 16th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Visitors will experience a 'step back in time' and learn more about the life in early Melbourne via interactive exhibits throughout the property's natural preserve. The cost of admission is $10.00 and children 12 and under are free.

Green Gables is also seeking food and arts and craft vendors for the 6th Annual Harvest Festival which will take place on Saturday, September 23rd from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event is free of charge, includes children's activities, food and beverages available for purchase, tours of the historic village, and an opportunity for local vendors to promote their artistic and culinary talents.

The Green Gables home was originally built in 1896 in a beautiful Queen Anne style architectural design and is located on the Indian River at 1501 South Harbor City Boulevard in Melbourne. It was built by William and Nora Wells and served as their winter home until they chose to permanently retire here. The original home is believed to be one of the first houses in Melbourne to have electricity and its original site consisted of 150 acres of land that extended to Wells Park and the Fee Avenue Library.

For more information about Green Gables click here, and if you are interested in being a Harvest Festival vendor, click here.

Skyborne Airline Academy Schedules Two Open House Events for Perspective Student Pilots

Skyborne Airline Academy will be holding two free of charge Open House events on Thursday, September 14th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for perspective student pilots. The event takes place at the Skyborne Airline Academy of Vero Beach (2805 Airport Drive) in Vero Beach.

Attendees will have an opportunity to tour the academy, meet flight instructors and current students, view the courses and training offered, and learn 'what it takes to become a professional pilot.' Skyborne's fleet of Piper aircraft and Redbird simulators will be on display. All presentations will begin promptly after the 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. start times.

Interested participants are asked to RSVP here according to the time you would like to attend as space is limited.