Distracted driving has become a problem of national proportions, prompting legislation and increased education. Concern has been raised in particular about distracted driving caused by texting – in fact, a study by the Virginia Tech Driving Institute revealed that those who text while drive are 23 times more likely to have an accident.

This issue hit home in Polk County during a recent highway dedication ceremony in Davenport, where local policymakers and families were brought together by a tragedy involving a texting driver.

In effort to support a public awareness campaign about distracted driving, Polk County Government Television (PGTV) has partnered with Dr. Ronald Tarr, program director and principal investigator at the UCF Institute of Simulation & Training, along with Jason Neufeld, attorney with Neufeld, Kleinberg  Pinkiert, and Dave Walters, Polk County legislative liaison, to conduct an interactive webcast on Tuesday, Feb. 22, from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

The live video online program allows subject matter experts to answer instant-message questions and comments from anyone interested in addressing this problem. Participation in the online chat is easy, free, and requires no pre-registration.  For updated details on the program, visit polk-county.net or call PGTV at (863) 534-5090.

According to distraction.gov, research on distracted driving reveals some surprising facts:

• 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving. (NHTSA).
• Of those killed in distracted-driving-related crashed, 995 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction (18% of fatalities in distraction-related crashes). (NHTSA)
• In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving. (FARS and GES)
• The age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the under-20 age group – 16 percent of all drivers younger than 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving. (NHTSA)
• Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• Using a cell phone use while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah)

WHAT: More than 16,000 acres of formerly-mined phosphate land in Polk County, Fla., are being transformed into a resort and conference center by The Mosaic Company, the world’s leading producer and marketer of phosphate-based crop nutrients. During this news event, the resort name, design, amenities and other planned details will be announced.

One of Central Florida’s largest land owners, with approximately 250,000 acres under direct ownership, Mosaic is launching its first-ever venture into real-estate development on land located between Tampa and Orlando. Many of its former mining areas have been reclaimed for public recreational or environmental uses. Now the company plans to extend its land stewardship experience to building a destination resort that showcases the environmental beauty and commercial viability of reclaimed land.

WHO: Representatives from Mosaic, the resort architect, world-renowned golf course architects and local economic development officials will be available for interviews.

WHEN: Wednesday, November 17 | 10 a.m.

WHERE: Lake Myrtle Sports Complex | 2701 Lake Myrtle Park Road | Auburndale, Fla. 33823

Webber International University has partnered with Polk Government Television (PGTV) to develop a live election night interactive webcast. Students from WIU Political Sciences, under the direction of Deming Cowles, have developed an internet-based community discussion on government and politics. Torrie McRiff and Barbara Mendes will host the live studio conversation, and Christopher Durham will moderate the live online chat to create a truly interactive experience.

“This is a great opportunity for people to stay home and watch political coverage on their favorite news channels, and at the same time, they can get on their computers and interact with youth, maybe even be influential about government involvement,” said Cowles, who has participated on local committees and serves as an adjunct instructor at WIU. “You can definitely gain a better understanding of how our youth really feel about such issues as government trust and connection.”

The program takes place on Tuesday, November 2, from 7:00-8:30 p.m., and will include Polk County election results directly from the Supervisor of Elections office.

Participation in the online chat is easy, free, and requires no pre-registration. Cable television viewers can watch the program on Bright House 622, Verizon 20 and Comcast 5.

Additional information about PGTV and the county’s sponsored interactive webcasts is available at polk-county.net.

Healthcare options are available in Polk County, but knowing what resources to turn to can be confusing. If you are looking for answers to questions about medicare/medicaid, elderly services, low-income insurance or healthcare, mental illness support, caregiver support, and more, join us for this interactive webcast. On Saturday, Sept. 25, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., healthcare experts from the Polk County Health Department, Polk Healthcare Plan, West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging, NAMI, and other organizations will provide information about available services and educational programs. Watch them live online and submit your questions via instant message to be answered. Resources abound, once you know how to find them!

Polk County’s new trash pickup service is getting underway, and Waste Resource Management wants to answer questions and address concerns of residents in the unincorporated areas of Polk. Representatives from WRM and Republic Services will provide details about the new pickup schedules, carts, recycling, automated collection, allowable pickup items, holiday pickup schedules, and other relevant topics. The discussion takes place on Thursday, Sept. 23, at 7:00 p.m. live on PGTV and on the internet. Interested residents can watch the program on television through Bright House 622, Comcast 5 or Verizon 20, and/or participate in an interactive webcast by viewing the live video online and submitting questions via instant message to be answered during the discussion.