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News Archive Index
06-30-2005
Florida and several other states are closing their borders to citrus from South Africa. In this state, inspectors found evidence of a potentially harmful moth in shipments from that country. The false codling moth had never been seen in the US – until a number of live larvae recently turned up at a California inspection station. They were in a shipment of South African Clementine oranges. Florida Department of Agriculture spokesperson Denise Fiber says the California discovery prompted Florida’s ban.
“We have also completed an inspection of all wholesale and retail markets in the state of Florida and have discovered 12 dead larvae in the Clementine oranges from South Africa – no live larvae. Even so, we feel we need to continue the ban until we’re certain that South Africa is following the new protocols.”
Fiber describes the moth as a real threat to All produce in the US. If anyone who’s purchased citrus finds larvae – she urges them to contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services immediately.
06-30-2005
Sarasota County is offering tips to minimize the chances of being bitten by a shark in the Gulf of Mexico. Two teenagers were bitten recently in the Gulf off Panhandle beaches. One of them died; the other lost his leg. First and foremost, despite the recent incidents, the International Shark Attack file at the University of Florida reports a decline in Florida shark attacks from 30 in 2003 to 12 in 2004, none of which were fatal. Prior to Saturday’s death of a Louisiana girl at a beach near Destin, the last fatality from a shark attack in Florida was 2001. Experts say the chances of getting struck by lightning are much greater than the chances of being attacked by a shark. However, there are some tips to keep in mind. Number one, says Sarasota county’s supervisor for aquatic safety, Roy Routh, is don’t swim alone.
“Make sure you swim with a partner or with a group. I think it’s wise to swim in the guarded swim area because you have lifeguards that can view you from up on high. They have a vantage point and they can see if a predator entered the swim zone. If the water is very murky for example, it makes it difficult for us to tell whether there’s a shark in the water or not. If you’re out swimming in the water and you find yourself in a school of baitfish I would suggest moving away from the school of baitfish.”
Routh also suggests staying away from fishermen. If they land a fish, other predatory animals may follow it shore. Don’t swim at night, when sharks generally feed, and avoid jewelry and shiny bathing suits that sharks can mistake as injured or unhealthy fish. Also, if you have a cut or wound, stay out of the water. August and September are the peak months for shark attacks.
06-29-2005
Lee County Commissioners today approved $142,000 in emergency funding to replace bulletproof vests that may not adequately protect deputies. Sheriff Mike Scott asked for the money to buy 309 new bulletproof vests as replacements for defective ones. Commissioners unanimously approved the emergency expenditure – but questioned why a department with a budget of more than $100 million needed to tap the general fund. Commissioners also questioned how the department’s last administration – under Rod Shoap - had the money to give pay raises and promotions before Sheriff Scott took over. Commissioner John Albion says rising expenses are beginning to break the bank. But, he doesn’t question the need to replace defective bullet-proof vests.
“So there must be some happy medium here that we can work out that is going to really protect the public without having these skyrocketing situations. And this is obviously a drop in the bucket by comparison – and there’s no way any one of us want to see anything less than the best equipment to make sure these people are safe out there. Anything less would be a slap in the face to people who absolutely don’t deserve it.”
The company that made the old vests - Second Chance Body Armor - has declared bankruptcy. Sheriff Scott says his staff is looking at ways to recover money paid to that company.
06-29-2005
Code enforcers inspected a migrant camp in Lee County yesterday not long after they shut down another one just across the street. Teams found a number of violations at the Antonia Longoria camp on State Road 82. Fort Myers code enforcer Frank Cassidy spoke to WINK News about what he documented.
“Inadequate light ventilation, floors are in disrepair. Walls are in disrepair. Electric is in disrepair. It’s unsafe. No smoke alarms, no smoke detectors, things of that nature.”
Enforcers will decide at a meeting this afternoon whether to close the camp altogether. Cassidy says there were only about a dozen people at the camp… many others have gone to work fields up North. The team handed out a list of agencies that might provide assistance… including the Lee County Housing Authority and Salvation Army. The Antonia and neighboring Tomas Longoria migrant camps carry the names of their owners… who reportedly live in Charlotte County.
06-29-2005
If a category four or five hurricane were to threaten south Florida, plans could call for the reverse-laning of Interstate 75. The Florida Department of Transportation met today to discuss how to get information to motorists during such an event. Amy Tardif was there. (Audio)
06-28-2005
Low cost air carrier – Southwest Airlines – is coming to Southwest Florida International Airport – beginning in October. Company officials made the announcement Monday – saying they’ll lay out service and pricing details soon. Fort Myers will be the 6th city in Florida - and 61st in the nation – to open its runways to Southwest. The airline already operates in Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach. Lee County Port Authority Executive Director – Robert Ball – says his team has been aggressively courting Southwest for more than a decade…
“We didn’t give up in ‘96 when they opened Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale as their first markets in Florida. We didn’t give up when they chose Orlando as their next city later that same year. We didn’t give up in ’97 when they announced that Jacksonville would be their 50th city…we didn’t even give up in 2001 when they chose West Palm Beach over us.”
Based in Dallas – Southwest has been flying for more than 34 years – and currently operates more than 3,000 flights daily with service to 31 states. Southwest Airlines CEO - Gary Kelly – says the airport’s new terminal complex was the final puzzle piece that lured the airline to RSW.
“The reason that we are starting service now is because of the spectacular state of the art facility that’s going to open next month. When we enter a new market – I think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised…we’re going to add flights, fares are going to drop and traffic’s going to increase – and that’s what the U-S Dept of Transportation has coined as the famous Southwest Effect.”
The “southwest effect” refers to a 1993 study showing that after Southwest Airlines enters a new city – fares tend to drop, while demand for travel increases.
06-28-2005
Members of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council are likely to hear from recreational fishermen tonight at a meeting in Naples. The council will take public testimony on several proposals—including one aimed at reducing the recreational catch of red grouper. The quota for that catch in the Gulf is 1 and a quarter million pounds. But, according to federal officials, anglers caught more than 3 million pounds of red grouper in 2004. What’s under consideration are rules to lower bag limits and close the recreational, shallow-water grouper season in October, November, and December. That’s a busy time for fishing tourism. Stu Kennedy is a fisheries biologist with the Gulf Council.
“It certainly has drawn ire. Part of it is because people don’t believe that the recreational harvest numbers are as high as they were… and others because they believe that the commercial fishery takes more than they should be allowed to take. And therefore they shouldn’t get as much and they should get more. The recreational side doesn’t want these regulations. At least that’s the core of the argument.”
Last week, state officials dealt a blow to the federal proposals. Members of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission voted to oppose the three-month closed season. But, federal officials say—under something called the Magnuson act—they’re obligated to protect the red grouper population. The meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council starts tonight, 6 o’clock, at the Naples Hilton on Highway 41.
06-28-2005
Marine archaeologists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State of Florida are wrapping up a 10-day mission to document an unknown shipwreck -- possibly centuries old -- in shallow waters off Marathon in the Florida Keys. The team hopes to eventually identify the mysterious wreck and add a new chapter to maritime history. Archaeologists are mapping the ballast pile, exposed ship timbers and coral on the site—located about a mile-and-a-half south of Marathon in the Atlantic Ocean in only 18 feet of water. State underwater archaeologist for the division of historical resources, Dr. Roger Smith, says the ship is probably Spanish.
“But it represents an opportunity to look at how a colonial-period shipwreck has fared and how it's been incorporated into the environment in the Florida Keys. And you have a spectacular amount of coral growth on top of the shipwreck, which is on top of the original coral growth. And so we're looking at the integration of cultural and natural resources and how they exist together."
The team is taking small samples of wood from the remaining timbers and conducting some minor excavation. It will also survey the area seaward of the wreck to see if there are any more artifacts nearby. The expedition concludes today.
06-27-2005
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office recently connected to the Florida Law Enforcement Data Sharing Consortium. The Consortium is a statewide system that allows law enforcement to share information instantaneously. It’s used to track criminal activity and strengthen homeland security say’s John Cali, Director of Information and Technology at the Sheriff’s Office.
“If something is stolen, we have somebody that we capture in a burglary situation and we run his name and we find out that he, in another county had a couple of other accomplices, you know and are those accomplices now over here in our county, so it’s just a way of helping the detectives look at data and analyze data from other places to help them solve crime.”
The Data Sharing Consortium started when law enforcement agencies in two neighboring counties realized they had a suspect stealing property in one county and then selling it in the other. The program has been built and maintained through a partnership among Florida’s Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, the University of Central Florida, and state and local government.
06-27-2005
There’s a lot of money to be made on Everglades restoration – at least for construction contractors and vendors $1.5 billion for starters. More than 500 companies – and local employment offices—gathered in West Palm Beach Thursday for the first annual Accelerate Symposium and Exhibition. Accelerate is a $1.5 billion boost from the state for Everglades Restoration projects—set to get underway in the next few months. The event – hosted by the South Florida Water Management District – aimed to inform construction contractors, subcontractors, and vendors who want contracts. District Spokesman – Randy Smith – says the main goal is to ensure the bidding process is fair.
“To make sure that we get these projects completed requires lots of construction, engineering, design and labor work…which having symposiums with more than 500 potential vendors there – you can see there’s plenty of work, and plenty of companies – we just need to make sure everyone’s got an equal chance at getting part of the work.”
There are 8 projects under Accelerate – including the planned Caloosahatchee – or C-43 - Reservoir near Labelle. It will collect and store extra water. That project will begin sometime next year. Southern Golden Gate restoration is also on the list. Smith says there’ll be more symposiums like this one down the road.
06-24-2005
Four women’s health care centers and two physicians — along with the Center for Reproductive Rights and Planned Parenthood - today asked a federal court to strike down Florida’s new abortion notification law. They say it will endanger the health and lives of young women seeking abortions in Florida. In November, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment requiring parental notification -- though NOT consent -- for teenage abortions. The Legislature passed a bill to put it into effect July 1st. Florida's law provides an exception to protect the health of the mother. It allows doctors to give a pregnant minor an abortion in a medical emergency. But the plaintiffs say it imposes elaborate restrictions on physicians that could prevent them from caring for teens facing medical emergencies. Director of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida Wendy Grassi, says her organization has long opposed parental notification.
“We feel there just are some cases where a teen is unable to tell a parent and in those cases where there could be abuse or incest or family difficulties like that where it’s impossible for a teen to tell a parent. We must protect the teen. I’m a mother of a daughter and if my daughter were in trouble for whatever reason if she felt she couldn’t come to me I would want to know that she could go to a safe place where there was trained professionals to treat her.”
Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida is one of the women’s health centers filing suit. They’d rather see policies that prevent teen pregnancy, provide counseling and ensure teens have access to comprehensive sex education. Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court will review a New Hampshire notification law this fall that could determine whether Florida's restrictions are constitutional. Florida and 43 other states have parental notification or consent laws. The Florida Catholic Conference says on its website that parental notification laws have been shown to dramatically decrease both teen abortion rates and teen birth rates in states where these laws have been enacted.
06-24-2005
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is collecting public comment on the use of “population goals,” that define manatee recovery. The agency uses the “population goals” to determine and establish manatee-protection zones say’s the commission’s Henry Cabbage.
“Manatee recovery is more of a process then a stationary target. The conditions change out there. But full recovery would be when the manatee population is equal to what the habitat is capable of supporting. Bottom-line is if we can get them recovered well enough that they would no longer be an imperiled species, then that would be a resounding success.”
The public can make comments at: my FWC.com. Commissioners, also voted to re-establish state manatee protection zones in Lee County’s southern Matlacha Pass. They also re-established zones in other areas through out the county including Estero Bay, northern Matlacha Pass, Pine Island Sound, San Carlos Bay and the Caloosahatchee River. The state zones become effective in a few months.
06-22-2005
The Lee County Commission could make changes to a ban on roadside solicitation. Commissioners voted this morning to hold public hearings on the issue. Ryan Warner reports.
06-22-2005
Florida Gulf Coast University will offer 6 new degrees next year. Meanwhile, tuition is on the rise.
The Board of Trustees approved the changes at the last meeting of the current fiscal year.
By August – students can pursue degrees in chemistry, athletic training and anthropology…as well as civil, biomedical, and environmental engineering. That brings to 70 the number of majors available at FGCU.
All students will pay an extra 5 percent for tuition. The increase – actually mandated by the state legislature - will mean an extra $70 year for full time students.
University president – Dr. Bill Merwin – says tuition isn’t the only thing growing — so is the student body.
“We’re projecting enrollments next year of over 7,000 students, 4,000 of which will be full-time equivalents as we call them. We’re projecting another balanced budget – 5 more buildings in the coming year – raise $30 million increase the number of students of color, as well as faculty and staff.”
The amount of student housing is also on the rise – with nearly 2,000 available beds.
Trustees also reviewed last year’s budget – which wound up with about a $1 million surplus. They also outlined next year’s budget – which will exceed $100 million for the first time.
The board also unanimously endorsed President Merwin’s performance – saying it far exceeds expectations.
06-21-2005
Advocates want to make sure people with disabilities are accounted for this hurricane season. Members of the local Americans with Disabilities Act advisory board are encouraging folks to register with them… even if they DON’T require a special needs shelter.
Board members are putting out the call to 5 counties… Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades, and Hendry. Chairwoman Linda Carter says this includes people with service dogs, those in electric wheelchairs or scooters, and the hearing and visually impaired.
“Follow the evacuation orders to leave. But, if you decide to leave, we want to get you the right help if you need it. If you’re in a house with no power—confined to a wheelchair or power chair—you can’t get around. You’re locked. So, you need some type of assistance to get around.”
Carter says the board is working to create stations throughout southwest Florida where people can recharge their chairs and scooters. People may register on-line at adaboardswfl.org.
The ADA advisory board is hosting a hurricane seminar in North Fort Myers tomorrow two o’clock at the VIP center on Mariana Avenue.
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