Blog - Nassau County Chamber

Wellness Revolution Training: Grand Opening Celebration and FREE Class!

6/5/2023

The dedicated, knowledgeable and certified team of fitness gurus at Wellness Revolution Training are ready to help you reach your goals with customized programs, compassion and lots of fun. Whether it's strength and functional training, sports performance, nutrition consultation, or body therapy, Wellness Revolution Training offers something for everyone and every level.

The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce is excited to celebrate the grand opening of this new business at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, July 15th. And in honor of the celebration, Wellness Revolution Training will offer a FREE grand opening class to any first time member.

The FREE grand opening class is:

Functional fitness class
Made for all levels
Designed to increase physical strength through weight-bearing and resistance exercises
Intended to provide a full body workout
Capped at 15 total participants
FREE for first time Wellness Revolution Training members!

PLEASE NOTE: In order for an individual to sign up, they must download the Wellness Revolution Training app and create a profile. CLICK HERE for a link to download the app on the Apple Store. CLICK HERE to download the app on the Google Store.

FIRST TIME MEMBERS: Enter code "WRTGO" in order for the class to be free upon registration.

To sign up for the free Grand-Opening Class at either 7:00 AM or 8:00 AM on Saturday, July 15th, click below. For questions or additional information, please contact the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce at (904) 261-3248 or info@NassauCountyFLChamber.com.

Grand-Opening Class Sign Up Link

City of Fernandina Beach Launches New Beach Safety Dashboard

6/5/2023

The City of Fernandina Beach recently created a new Beach Reports and Safety Dashboard where residents and visitors can easily locate real-time information on surf safety conditions including rip currents, water temperature and wave height. You can also see where manned lifeguard stands are located along the beach from the City beaches on the north end, all the way down to the County beaches on the south end.

For additional information and to check out the new safety dashboard, CLICK HERE.

U.S. Small Business Administration Now Accepting Applications for Small Business Lending Company License

6/2/2023

Expanding the number of Lenders to increase access to small, affordable loans for millions of small business owners

WASHINGTON – Today, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s 33 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, opened a window for new applications for Small Business Lending Company (SBLC) licenses for the first time in over 40 years. New applicants may apply between June 1, 2023, and July 31, 2023.

SBA approves Small Business Lending Company Licenses for selected non-depository lenders to increase responsible small business lending. An SBLC license allows the lending organization to utilize government guarantees when underwriting small business loans to reduce the level of risk to the lender and cost to the borrower. As a result, SBLCs are positioned to write higher volumes of loans to small businesses than possible without a government guarantee. There are currently 14 SBLC licenses in the marketplace today. An SBA rule finalized last month lifted the moratorium on additional licenses. SBA will issue up to three new licenses to qualified lenders based on a review of applications received during this application window.

“The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes that small businesses are the drivers of our economy and that to participate in the opportunities created by the President’s Investing in America agenda, they need capital,” said Administrator Guzman. “The expansion of SBA’s loan programs will help ensure more borrowers can get funded through a broader network of lenders so they can help build a strengthened American economy that innovates, manufactures, and provides the products and services that make our lives better.”

New Application Criteria and Considerations for Applicants
SBA will evaluate new SBLC applicants on a range of criteria, which include:

The lending policies of the proposed SBLC and their alignment with SBA’s mission;
Historical performance measures, such as default, purchase, and loss rate;
Whether the applicant is subject to any legal proceedings, enforcement action, order or agreement with a regulator or the presence of other related concerns;
Additional performance data associated with the applicant or its senior managers, along with other relevant information (such as SBA-observed gaps in small business lending not served by the existing 7(a) Lender population, including small-dollar lending and loans to underserved populations);
Affiliation with lenders or lender service providers previously sanctioned by SBA;
Adequate capital, fidelity insurance, and other regulatory requirements.

New SBLC applicants may find information on how to apply here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/05/22/2023-10310/small-business-lending-company-application-process.

This announcement builds on SBA’s modernization of its loan programs, to streamline credit criteria and cut red tape for all lenders, including the over 1,700 depository banks and credit unions that made SBA loans the last fiscal year.

The expansion of SBLC also complements SBA’s May 1 informational notice outlining steps for Community Advantage Pilot Program lenders to transition to a new, Community Advantage SBLC license.

Currently, over 100 non-depository lenders participate in SBA’s flagship 7(a) Loan Program under the Community Advantage Pilot Program but only have temporary status. These lenders have shown higher rates of lending to small, minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses. Providing permanent status to these lenders, which include many Certified Development Companies and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), promises to expand their impact in underserved markets.

Community Advantage Pilot Program lenders may learn how to transition to a permanent, Community Advantage SBLC License here: https://www.sba.gov/document/information-notice-5000-846918-community-advantage-small-business-lending-company.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Encourages Florida Businesses to Prepare for 2023 Hurricane Season

6/2/2023

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) is encouraging businesses across the state to prepare for the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which begins June 1. Effectively preparing for a disaster is the best way for business owners to get their businesses back up and running as quickly as possible following a storm.

Valuable resources are available to help business owners prepare for the upcoming hurricane season at FloridaDisaster.biz. Taking the steps to build a business disaster continuity plan, as well as encouraging employees to create a family emergency plan, can reduce the financial and physical impact that a disaster can have on businesses.

“Governor DeSantis’ leadership is unparalleled and he has demonstrated time and time again his commitment to helping Floridians, businesses and communities prepare, respond and recover from the impacts of disasters,” said DEO Acting Secretary Ivey. “We encourage business owners to utilize FloridaDisaster.biz as a one-stop resource before, during and after a storm, and to take advantage of the upcoming sales tax holidays.”

“FDEM relies heavily on our local business partners to help expedite the disaster recovery process and restore local communities,” said FDEM Executive Director Kevin Guthrie. “Proper planning for your business and employees before a hurricane threatens your area will rapidly increase your chances of reopening and returning to serve your local community.”

How to Prepare
Business owners are encouraged to complete the following steps to prepare their business for a hurricane:

Sign-up on FloridaDisaster.biz to receive emergency response and economic recovery updates before, during and after a storm makes landfall.
Prepare your business by maintaining an updated emergency response plan and a stocked emergency supply kit given in the event that the business closes for a period of time and sustains impacts to electricity, internet service, physical damage and business inventory, insurance changes and more. Business owners can complete the interactive Disaster Planning Toolkit to create a Business Disaster Plan that addresses the businesses’ physical space, suppliers, equipment, employees, customers and records.
Review available Business Preparedness Resources to know what resources are available to you and how you can access them if your business is impacted by a storm.

Should business owners need to evacuate, FloridaDisaster.biz also provides details on re-entry procedures ahead of time to provide guidance to businesses on getting back into the impacted area to provide essential commodities and services.

Upcoming Sales Tax Holidays
During the upcoming Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holidays, business owners can purchase equipment to prepare their businesses for a disaster tax-free, including batteries, tarps and generators. A full list of eligible tax-free items is available here. Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holidays will be held during the following dates:

Saturday, May 27 to Friday, June 10, 2023.
Saturday, August 26 to Friday, September 8, 2023.

Recent Response Efforts

Hurricanes Ian and Nicole
Under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, DEO worked closely with the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) and other state partners during the 2022 hurricane season to deploy a record response to Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. DEO, along with its partners, deployed 90 team members and seven mobile units, and assisted in the setup and staffing of eight Disaster Recovery Centers to assist Floridians and businesses impacted by Hurricane Ian.

To date, DEO has approved more than 16,300 Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) claims to assist Floridians impacted by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. DUA was made available to Florida businesses and residents in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster-declared counties whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole.
To date, the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program has loaned more than $37.5 million to assist 907 small businesses. On October 4, 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, making $50 million available – at least $10 million of which must go to assist agricultural businesses impacted by Hurricane Ian – to help businesses get back on their feet and retain their employees as they rebuild and recover following disasters.
To date, DEO Acting Secretary Meredith Ivey, and Director of DEO’s Office of Long-Term Resiliency, Justin Domer, along with representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation, have facilitated listening sessions in 23 of 24 counties impacted by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole . These listening sessions will inform Florida’s plan to use more than $910 million allocated to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for long-term recovery efforts.

Broward County Flooding
DEO acted quickly to assist Floridians and businesses impacted by the April 2023 significant flooding event in Brevard County. DEO and FDEM, in partnership with CareerSource Florida, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Florida Small Business Development Centers Network, operated a One-Stop Business Resource Site for local businesses impacted by flash flooding seeking recovery resources. Acting Secretary Meredith Ivey was Governor DeSantis’ boots on the ground in Broward County meeting with and learning about the impacts of the significant flooding event in Broward County.

To date, Florida’s Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program has loaned more than $2 million to assist 59 small businesses. On April 20, 2023, Governor DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, making $5 million available for businesses impacted by flooding in Southeast Florida to help businesses get back on their feet and retain their employees as they rebuild and recover following disasters.
To date, DEO has approved more than 150 DUA claims to assist Floridians impacted by the flooding event in Broward County. DUA was made available to Florida businesses and residents in Broward County whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of the significant flooding event.

DEO remains committed to helping Floridians, businesses and communities respond and recover from the impacts of storms. To find storm updates and important information during times of disaster, we encourage you to visit FloridaDisaster.org.

Understanding Grief Program - Nassau County

6/2/2023

Community Hospice & Palliative Care is offering an in-person support group in June for those that have lost a loved one.

Understanding Grief: A Program for The Newly Bereaved - Understanding Grief is designed to help people learn that healing is possible after the death of a loved one and there are effective ways to cope with grief and loss.

June 12, 2023, 2 to 3 p.m.
Council on Aging
1901 Island Walk Way, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

The 1-hour presentation will help attendees:

Identify normal responses to loss
Identify coping skills that may be helpful
Understand the importance of self-care in the grieving process

Understanding Grief is designed to be most helpful for those who have experienced a loss within the last 90 days, and are at least 18 years old. Register today by calling 904-407-7001 or visit www.communityhospice.com for more information.

FSCJ Professor Earns Distinguished Service Award

6/1/2023

Professor Beckham receiving award

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) Professor of Funeral Services Howard Beckham was selected for the prestigious W. Clyde Lankford Distinguished Service Award by the Independent Funeral Directors of Florida (IFDF).

This award is given to a recipient who exempliﬁes the essence of funeral service to families, their community, their colleagues and the residents of the state of Florida.

“Professor Beckham’s unwavering dedication and extraordinary passion for funeral services have earned him this well-deserved award,” said Dean of Health Sciences Dr. Neal Henning. “His relentless pursuit of knowledge and commitment to the industry has left an indelible mark on countless students, fostering a generation of future funeral service directors.”

The IFDF promotes, preserves and protects independent funeral home, crematory and cemetery firms throughout Florida. Howard Beckham, CFSP, is the current Funeral Services Program Director and Professor at FSCJ.

About FSCJ
Known as “the community’s college,” Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) exists to provide equitable, high quality, success-driven learning experiences for our diverse community of students. Serving more than 40,000 students and awarding close to 6,400 degrees and certificates on an annual basis, the College plays a significant role in supplying the region’s employers with a highly skilled, educated workforce.

It's Hurricane Season - Are You Ready?

6/1/2023

The Atlantic Hurricane Season begins June 1st – Are You Ready? Every Florida resident should have a plan for what they will do when a tropical cyclone threatens their home. The start of hurricane season is a good time to take digital photographs of all household belongings, important documents, and even prescription medication labels. It’s also a good idea to freeze a small cup of water and keep it in your freezer with a coin on top of the ice – that way you can tell if the power was out so long that perishable items defrosted, even if they re-freeze.

Nassau’s emergency management professionals work closely with meteorologists to gauge the potential impacts of weather systems and determine the need for evacuations. While most structures built in Florida’s coastal counties since 1998 can tolerate temporary hurricane winds, they cannot withstand storm surge and flooding – the adage to remember is, “shelter from wind but run from water.” Know Your Evacuation Zone – maps are published in the online at www.OneNassau.com and the Property Appraiser’s interactive mapping system. Evacuations are only ordered when lives are in danger and they are issued in time for everyone in the area to safely leave before the onset of tropical storm-force winds. When ordered, gather your family, pets, essential supplies and identification, and go to a safe place outside of the potential impact area.

Residents who might need evacuation transportation assistance or have special medical needs and plan to evacuate to a public shelter should enroll annually in the online Florida Special Needs Registry, preferably before hurricane season begins. Visit https://snr.flhealthresponse.com/.

Evacuation plans should designate a primary and back-up emergency shelter: a relative or friend’s site-built home, a suitable hotel, or as a last resort, a public shelter. Plan to relocate electronics that could be damaged by flood water and protect smaller items like flash-drives and documents in sealed plastic bags. Make a checklist so you don’t forget to take critical supplies: prescription and over-the-counter medications, toothbrush and personal hygiene items, spare eyeglasses, cell phone and charger, special-diet and pet foods, cash, a few changes of clothes, sturdy shoes, favorite pillow, blanket/sleeping bag, pet supplies, bug repellent, etc. Before leaving, turn refrigerators and freezers to their coldest settings in case the power goes out. Prepare to remain sheltered 3-5 days: the day prior to impact, the day of impact, and at least a day or more afterward.

Do not return to the evacuated area until emergency management officials announce that it is safe to re-enter. Infrastructure needs to be assessed for damage, roads need to be cleared and kept open for emergency responders, utility restoration, and debris removal. If you must go outdoors in the impacted area, wear appropriate shoes/boots and never drive through water covering the roadway. Remember that snakes, bugs, and unhappy animals may have moved into the area and standing water can hide physical hazards like sharp debris items or deep holes, harbor infectious bacteria, or might even be electrified if live power lines are down.

Even outside of the evacuation zone, many households could be without power or clean drinking water for days; turn off and unplug major appliances and other electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges when power is restored. If using a generator, make sure it is in a well ventilated area (NOT indoors) away from open doors and windows to avoid deadly carbon monoxide.

If local roads and businesses are closed it will be difficult to get fresh supplies. Each household should maintain an emergency supply of bottled drinking water, non-perishable food items, a manual can opener, hand sanitizer, first aid supplies, and household bleach. Plan for a fresh gallon of water for each human and pet to drink every day. If a “boil water” notice is issued and no heat source is available, sixteen drops of bleach in a gallon of water can make it safe to drink. Use one part bleach and nine parts clean water to make an excellent solution for sanitizing hard surfaces.

Preparing for the 2023 Hurricane Season

6/1/2023

Hurricane Season is June 1 through November 30

COMPLETE DISASTER SUPPLY KIT CHECKLIST

Living in Florida offers many benefits and advantages, but be sure to thoroughly prepare for the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season starting June 1. After assessing damages done from hurricanes in the past few years, Floridians are encouraged to have at least 7 days of supplies. These supplies include food, water, medicine, batteries, etc. Each family and business is advised to be adequately stocked and prepared to face this hurricane season.

During the past three years, four hurricanes have made landfall in Florida, including Hurricane Michael, the first hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. as a Category 5 since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. If you are unsure of what to do when disaster strikes, make a plan today.

If you are an owner of a business and want to ensure that you will be able to continue business after a disaster, visit floridadisaster.org/business/planning-for-businesses/ to get started on planning.

For information about planning for any disaster and for disaster preparedness tips, visit www.ready.gov/.

Governor DeSantis Signs Legislation to Streamline Economic Development in Florida

6/1/2023

Governor DeSantis also announced his intent to appoint J. Alex Kelly to lead the newly created Florida Department of Commerce

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 5, creating a singular Department of Commerce in Florida to streamline and modernize Florida’s economic development agencies to meet the needs of today’s businesses. The bill:

Consolidates the responsibilities and resources of Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) into the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), which the bill also renames as the Department of Commerce;
Creates a new direct-support organization (DSO) responsible for international economic development within the Department of Commerce;
Reconstitutes VISIT FLORIDA and the Florida Sports Foundation also as DSOs of the Department of Commerce; and
Repeals several underutilized and duplicative economic incentive programs that often create more confusion than answers for business and industry.

To lead the newly created Department of Commerce, Governor DeSantis has announced his intent to appoint J. Alex Kelly, who currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Governor.

“Florida continues to be the nation’s top destination for new businesses, workforce development, and tourism, and streamlining our economic development programs in the Florida Department of Commerce will further support Florida’s thriving economy,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.

“Floridians deserve a level playing field that empowers local entrepreneurs to thrive,” said House Speaker Paul Renner. “Governor DeSantis is championing good stewardship of taxpayer’s hard-earned money by eliminating wasteful entities like Enterprise Florida. By establishing the new Department of Commerce, we will embark on a revitalized mission to strategically pave the way towards an even brighter future.”

Florida’s economy continues to thrive under the leadership of Governor DeSantis. Earlier this month, Governor DeSantis announced that Florida has the lowest unemployment rate of the nation's 10 largest states, experienced record tourism in the first quarter of 2023, and outpaced nationwide job growth for the 25th consecutive month.

The Department of Commerce will continue to support Florida’s robust economic development and growth through performance-driven job creation and capital investment grant programs, infrastructure grants, rural county and small city grants, broadband grants, small business and rural loan programs, and other small business programs.

Moreover, the Department of Commerce will continue to support and collaborate with Florida’s family of economic development and workforce development partners, including Space Florida, CareerSource, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, VISIT FLORIDA, the Florida Sports Foundation, the Florida Defense Support Task Force, the REACH Office, the Florida Department of Education, and the State University System Board of Governors.

Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) Call to Artists | 2024

6/1/2023

The Jacksonville Aviation (JAA) Authority Arts & Culture Program (JAAACP) invites artists to apply for temporary exhibition at the Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) for the four quarters of 2024.

The JAAACP is committed to showing the work of professional and emerging artists from the sixteen-county service region of Northeast Florida including Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, and Union counties and Southeast Georgia including Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Clinch, Glynn and Ware counties.

MISSION: The intention of the JAAACP is to display works of art reflective of the unique character of Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia, and to thoughtfully enhance the JAX experience while respecting the sensitivities and functional needs of airport visitors.

For this open Call to Artists, the JAAACP will review all artwork submitted on or before September 30, 2023, during the period of October -November of 2023. Art selected will be displayed in one quarter of the calendar year 2024.

Based on the high quantity of artists who submit, it is possible artists not chosen for this display period will not be able to be contacted. If you are not contacted, please feel free to resubmit again for the following year’s curatorial plan beginning in June 2024 for the 2025 show season. Thank you.

Application Deadline: Submissions are accepted annually from June 1 –September 30, of the prior show year. Reviews are conducted between October 1 –November 30. Annual exhibition schedules are confirmed in early December. The new exhibition schedule begins January 1-4 of the show year.

Exhibition Period: Art exhibitions generally rotate quarterly with an average exhibition period of three months and may be scheduled up to one month to one year in advance.

Eligibility: This opportunity is offered only to individual artists from the service region of JAX; in Northeast Florida including Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, and Union counties and in Southeast Georgia including Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Clinch, Glynn, and Ware counties. Artists who have previously exhibited at JAX may re-apply if a new series is submitted. Preference will be given to artists who have not displayed their artwork at JAX within the previous three years.

Submission Requirements: To apply to exhibit your artwork at Jacksonville International Airport in 2024, please send the following criteria to Arts & Culture Program Manager, Jen Murray, via email by September 30, 2023, to jennifer.murray@flyjacksonville.com.

Your name, address, county of residence, phone, email, and website/social media handles
1-2 paragraph bio
1-2 paragraph artist statement
10 images consisting of recent work typical of artwork to be shown

There is no submission or review fee.

For additional information about the selection process and exhibition locations, CLICK HERE.

Please direct all submissions & questions:
Jen Murray, JAA Arts & Culture Program Manager
jennifer.murray@flyjacksonville.com
Cell: 904.206.0902
14201 Pecan Park Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32218

Visit our website at JAXAirportArts.com to learn more about the JAA Arts & Culture Program at JAX. Select the Exhibitions Opportunity tab to access the Call to Artist form.