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USF expands cybersecurity program, adds free access for military veterans and first responders

The University of South Florida is expanding a certificate program designed to provide the skills needed to address critical shortages in cybersecurity professionals.

Under the expansion, an additional 400 military veterans, first responders and public-sector professionals will be able to access the InfoSec Governance, Risk and Compliance Analyst (GRC) program for free. It will remain available to others for a fee.

U.S. Rep. Greg Steube secured the initial $2 million investment. It has already provided intensive cybersecurity training to 250 employees statewide, a boost in trained workforce aimed at giving Florida a competitive edge in the technology sector.

Program graduates are helping implement security controls that reduce cyber risks and strengthen organizational resilience.

The six-week online program equips participants with advanced skills in cybersecurity risk management, regulatory compliance and incident prevention through USF’s Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education.

Corporate Income Tax Collections Dip

General tax revenue in Florida for September came in just below expectations of state economists due to “lower-than-expected corporate income tax collections.”

The Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research in a report Monday said Florida collected about $4.117 billion in net general revenue in September, $27.5 million less than the economists’ forecast.

The report noted that corporate income taxes for September totaled $813 million, coming in about $156.4 million below the forecast.

Another $12 million collected through beverage taxes fell $1.1 million below the projection for the month, while $8 million collected on tobacco taxes was just $100,000 under the forecast.

Meanwhile, sales-tax collections, which make up the largest source of funding, accounted for $2.797 billion for the month, about $93.2 million over the projection.

The sales-tax totals included revenue from tourism landing at about 2 percent higher than the monthly forecast and a 0.4 percent bump in auto sales over the September projection.

As ZooTampa expands, what will it take to save manatees? 

Manatees, it turns out, are fairly oblivious spuds. As a rule, they don’t notice when ZooTampa visitors press noses to panes and watch them chomp romaine.

The manatees are so laid-back that they haven’t seemed bothered by construction of a $35 million expansion, either. They didn’t care when a bunch of us journalists trounced by in hard hats Monday to peek at Florida Waters, a reimagined area linked to the existing manatee viewing zone.

If you’ve been to the zoo, you know the nook. It’s a tunnel of cool respite, a heavenly gift on a hot day. The expansion, the largest in the zoo’s history, will bring fan-favorite manatees face-to-face with the public again at the Straz Family Manatee Rescue. Florida Waters is slated to open in the spring. It’s designed like an underwater promenade with twisting banyan trees and homes for jellies, brackish fish and more.

Crucially and less glamorously, the project includes two additional rescue pools in the critical care center. The pools, where the worst-off manatees get medical attention, were a request from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

North Florida Land Trust gets defense grant to help protect land preserves around Camp Blanding

The Florida Defense Support Commission is giving a sizable grant to the North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) to  help block any development near Camp Blanding.

The NFLT has been acquiring thousands of acres of property near Camp Blanding in the past decade to preserve the land as much of that property is part of the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) wildlife corridor. The grant from the Defense Support Commission is for $550,000. It’s designed to aid the nonprofit environmental conservation organization in blocking any further development that is deemed “incompatible” near the Camp Blanding preserves near the Joint Training Center.

“This grant will assist us in continuing our work with Camp Blanding, ensuring these lands remain natural spaces, because it is now or never,” said Allison DeFoor, President and CEO of NFLT.

“Camp Blanding is a critical link in the O2O, and conserving the property surrounding the base is both essential for the military and for protecting essential wildlife and plant habitats. We have been able to protect thousands of acres in coordination with Camp Blanding and look forward to conserving even more.”