Orlando

Rep. Demings on Venezuela Oil Overtures

Published

3 years ago

March 7, 2022

Orlando, FL: Today Rep. Val Demings said the following after news that Maduro’s regime in Venezuela is seeking to sell oil to the U.S. during Putin’s war.

Said Rep. Demings, “I am deeply skeptical of the new talks in Venezuela. Any talks need to be specifically focused on two goals: first, freeing the Americans imprisoned in Venezuela, including the Citgo 6; and second, empowering the Venezuelan people in their struggle for freedom and democracy. And Maduro and his corrupt cronies must not personally profit from any deal.

“Putin’s war in Ukraine is a test of America’s principles and I have faith that we will rise to meet the moment. We must ensure that Florida families can afford gas and ensure that no dictators can profit from this crisis. Rising gas prices due to Putin’s war and corporate price gouging are a critical challenge for Florida families. But we have multiple strong actions that we can take right now to bring down costs without enriching corrupt and murderous dictators like Nicolás Maduro.

“To bring down gas prices in Florida, there is a clear alternative: restrict the export of American-made gasoline which is currently being exported for sale in foreign markets. Gasoline produced in America should be consumed in America, bringing down costs for working families right away.

“This is a change that can be made today, even as we continue to develop alternative power. Freeing ourselves from the tyranny of oil means that corrupt dictators like Putin and Maduro lose all of their leverage. It’s long past time to defang these regimes, create new American jobs, and bring down energy costs here at home.”

“La guerra de Putin en Ucrania es una prueba de los principios de Estados Unidos y tengo fe en que estaremos a la altura del momento. Debemos asegurarnos de que las familias de Florida puedan pagar la gasolina y garantizar que ningún dictador pueda beneficiarse de esta crisis. El aumento de los precios de la gasolina debido a la guerra de Putin y el aumento de los precios corporativos son un desafío crítico para las familias de Florida. Pero tenemos múltiples acciones fuertes que podemos tomar ahora mismo para reducir los costos sin enriquecer a líderes corruptos y asesinos como Nicolás Maduro.

“Estoy profundamente escéptica de las nuevas conversaciones en Venezuela. Cualquier conversación debe centrarse específicamente en dos objetivos: primero, liberar a los Estadounidenses encarcelados en Venezuela, incluido el Citigo 6; y segundo, empoderando al pueblo Venezolano en su lucha por la libertad y la democracia. Maduro y sus cómplices corruptos no deben beneficiarse personalmente de ningún acuerdo.

“Para bajar los precios de la gasolina en Florida, existe una alternativa clara: restringir la exportación de gasolina de fabricación Estadounidense que actualmente se exporta para su venta en mercados extranjeros. La gasolina producida en los Estados Unidos debe consumirse en los Estados Unidos, reduciendo los costos para las familias trabajadoras de inmediato.

“Este es un cambio que se puede hacer hoy, incluso mientras continuamos desarrollando energías alternativa. Liberarnos de la tiranía del petróleo significa que dictadores corruptos como Putin y Maduro pierden toda su influencia. Ya es hora de acabar con estos regímenes, crear nuevos empleos Estadounidenses y reducir los costos de energía aquí en casa.”

Background

Rep. Demings previously led a call for a hearing on illegal practices in the oil and gas market. Additionally, she called on the Administration to “exercise all options available to bring down the cost of gasoline now,” specifically citing a release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a restriction on gasoline exports, and efforts to address illegal price manipulations. After the Administration took some of these actions, Rep. Demings followed up to re-raise the issue and call for further action.

Rep. Demings has also led calls to target Putin and his oligarchs with additional sanctions and seize their assets in Florida and overseas, building from her previous work to successfully pass into law legislation to investigate and expose Putin’s illicit financial networks.

Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

1 month ago

March 9, 2025

Mike Brodsky

Russell Henley wins the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Russell Henley wins his first red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. This is Henley’s fifth win on the PGA Tour.

Russell Henley is greeted by his family on the 18th green after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Henley finished at 11 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 70 today. Collin Morikawa finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, finished today at 4 under par, tied for 11th place.

Scottie Scheffler tees off at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo Credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

NFL

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Published

6 months ago

October 30, 2024

Mike Brodsky

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Former UCF football players Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant have partnered with GMTM to launch their Search for Greatness Combine at UCF on Saturday, November 9th. They’re giving local athletes a chance to showcase their talents and explore new sports opportunities. Griffin will be inducted into the UCF Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 2nd, during halftime of the Arizona vs. UCF football game. He is remembered for his tenacity, setting an NFL Combine record with the fastest 40-yard dash by a linebacker, and playing four seasons in the NFL, overcoming the challenge of only having one hand. He is now training to make the USA Paralympic Track and Field Team and hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Joey Grant, the co-founder and CEO of GMTM, is a former UCF team captain, playing mostly Center for the Knights from 2011-2015.

Participation at the upcoming combine is free and invite-only, targeting athletes over the age of 18. To be considered, athletes must submit a highlight video via GMTM’s platform, showcasing their athleticism. GMTM will evaluate submissions and invite the most promising athletes to participate in the combine. The goal for this year’s event is to get 1,000 athletes to submit videos and be part of the combine process. Athletes chosen will receive personalized invites with further instructions, including event time slots and details. The athletes will be evaluated for their key athletic traits, to identify opportunities for them across multiple Olympic sports or professional sports programs. To learn more, or to apply for the combine, visit: https://gmtm.com/articles/the-search-for-greatness-at-ucf-with-shaquem-griffin-what-you-need-to-know.

Florida National News spoke with Shaquem and Joey about the combine, college football in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, and Griffin’s hall of fame induction. You can watch the full interview here:

Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant interview

Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com and www.FloridaSportsChannel.com for more.

Florida

Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

1 year ago

March 10, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.