News Update for 10/31/24
DCF has DSNAP Assistance available in response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Highlands County Residents will be able to pre-register starting Monday, November 11th through Friday, November 15th. The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or D-SNAP provides food assistance for individuals and families impacted by the storms, who are not currently receiving food assistance through the regular SNAP program. Pre-registration is required and can be found online at MyFLFamilies.com/DSNAP. In addition to pre-registration, applicants will also be required to complete a phone interview. In person DSNAP events and times for residents that cannot participate by phone will also be announced soon.
A FEMA disaster assistance registration POD will be set up Friday, November 1st, in Tropical Harbor Estates, from 9:00am to 4:00pm. The event is open to the public and is geared towards residents who have not previously registered for Disaster Assistance for damages from Hurricane Milton. Residents are not required to bring any documents. The POD will be located in the Tropical Harbor Estates Community Clubhouse at 27 Rickert Drive in Lake Placid.
If you or a loved one still need help signing up for the Operation Blue Roof program, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be at the Lake Placid Memorial Library THIS SATURDAY, November 2nd, to help residents sign up for the FREE service. Signups can be made from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 205 W. Interlake Blvd. in Lake Placid. The program was extended through Thursday, November 14th. Homeowners impacted by Hurricane Milton can also sign up for this FREE service at BlueRoof.gov or by calling toll free 1-888-ROOF-BLU (1-888-766-3258).
Florida lawmakers are part of a bipartisan effort to help the state’s farmers rebuild from the recent storms. Senator Marco Rubio announced yesterday he, Congressman Scott Franklin and other lawmakers from both parties sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. They’re asking him to declare a federal agriculture disaster from hurricanes Helene and Milton. The lawmakers estimate the total amount of crops and infrastructure lost in Florida could be as much as two-and-a-half billion dollars. In their letter to Vilsack, the lawmakers write it’s their responsibility to work with the USDA to best assist the producers who feed our nation.
A former Disney World employee is accused of hacking menu software to falsely show some items did not contain peanuts. Winter Garden’s Michael Scheuer was arrested last week after an FBI investigation. The agency alleges he hacked the menu creation software several times in about a three-month span. Prosecutors say he did more than just change the dietary info, though. Scheuer is also accused of changing the prices, adding swear words and changing QR codes to direct users to non-Disney websites. These alleged breaches happened after Disney fired him in June as menu production manager. His lawyer says no one was injured or harmed by any menu alterations, and he looks forward to vigorously presenting his client’s side of the story. Scheuer is due in federal court on Tuesday.
Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning Floridians about a new cyber scam. The so-called evil twin schemes are when hackers create a fake WiFi network that resembles the names of airports or businesses. The tactic is meant to try to trick users into connecting with the network, so scammers can steal their personal information. Moody says hackers are also creating fraudulent mobile apps designed to look like popular ones. She is urging residents to do their research before downloading anything onto their devices. Potential victims can file reports through the FDLE’s Computer Crime Center.