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Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Get tickets to the hit musical, "Little Shop of Horrors" - May 8-11
May events and Spring outdoor fun along Florida's Forgotten Coast
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Sponsor the July 3rd event in Downtown Apalachicola
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Recreational harvest of Gulf greater amberjack remains closed during May
As a friendly reminder for anglers, recreational harvest of greater amberjack remains closed May 1-31 in Gulf state waters.
Last year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order that modified the greater amberjack 2024-25 open recreational season in Gulf state waters to be closed during the May season. This harvest closure is consistent with the closures in Gulf federal waters and is meant to reduce harvest and improve the stock.
Recreational harvest of greater amberjack in Gulf state waters will remain closed from June 1 to July 31, as previously scheduled under the current season closure.
For current recreational amberjack regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations,” “Reef Fish” and “Amberjack.”
2 local students competed in the district public speaking contest in Tallahassee this weekend, and represented Franklin County very well.
2 local
students competed in the district public speaking contest in Tallahassee this
weekend, and represented Franklin County very well.
The students, had to give a speech between 2 and 3 minutes long,
which were then rated by a panel of judges.
The competition included students who had won their county public
speaking contests from Franklin, Wakulla, Leon, Jefferson, and Gadsden Counties.
Joshue Allen, who competed in the 6th grade division,
came in second place with a speech entitled, “The Choice is Yours” which asked the question on what you would do if
you lived during the time of American slavery or the holocaust in Germany.
And
for full disclosure, Joshua is my son.
He got
a nice trophy for his win, and 200 dollars.
Tripp Sheridan, who attends the Franklin County School, was the
county winner in the 4th and 5th grade division, and
while his speech “What I learned from baseball” did not make the top 3, he
still got a nice plaque and he won a scholarship to 4-H camp this Summer for
winning at the county level.
Both of this year’s first place winners were from Leon County.
Franklin County has proved to be quite competitive in the public
speaking contest; last year Kami Poloronis from Eastpoint won in the 4th
and 5th grade division with her speech on Making the world a Better
Place.
An administrative law judge ruled Monday that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection should reject a permit allowing oil drilling in the Apalachicola River floodplain in Calhoun County
An administrative law judge ruled Monday that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection should reject a permit allowing oil drilling in the Apalachicola River floodplain in Calhoun County.
Judge Lawrence Stevenson issued a 53-page recommended order this week that found the state did not look closely enough at the potential damage oil drilling presents to the river.
The recommended order comes after a challenge filed by the Apalachicola Riverkeeper last year when state officials approved a draft permit for a company called Clearwater Land and Minerals to drill an exploratory well in Calhoun County.
The permit approval was met with opposition from counties and cities along the Apalachicola River, all of who rely on the river as a cornerstone of their economies.
Judge Stevenson wrote that DEP took an exceedingly narrow view of the scope of the project for purposes of environmental review, limiting it to the immediate location of the drilling pad on the site, adding that a spill would have catastrophic consequences due to the proximity of the well to nearby streams, wetlands and ponds.
Under administrative law, Stevenson’s recommended order will now go back to the Department of Environmental Protection for a final order.
The Apalachicola Riverkeeper said they remain hopeful that DEP will adopt the Recommended Order and make a final decision of permit denial.
They also pointed out that the order does not stop additional oil drilling permit applications within the Apalachicola River floodplain and are asking people to continue to urge elected officials to move forward legislatively to ban oil drilling near the Apalachicola River.
You can read the full order at https://www.doah.state.fl.us/ROS/2024/24002283.pdf
Judge Lawrence Stevenson issued a 53-page recommended order this week that found the state did not look closely enough at the potential damage oil drilling presents to the river.
The recommended order comes after a challenge filed by the Apalachicola Riverkeeper last year when state officials approved a draft permit for a company called Clearwater Land and Minerals to drill an exploratory well in Calhoun County.
The permit approval was met with opposition from counties and cities along the Apalachicola River, all of who rely on the river as a cornerstone of their economies.
Judge Stevenson wrote that DEP took an exceedingly narrow view of the scope of the project for purposes of environmental review, limiting it to the immediate location of the drilling pad on the site, adding that a spill would have catastrophic consequences due to the proximity of the well to nearby streams, wetlands and ponds.
Under administrative law, Stevenson’s recommended order will now go back to the Department of Environmental Protection for a final order.
The Apalachicola Riverkeeper said they remain hopeful that DEP will adopt the Recommended Order and make a final decision of permit denial.
They also pointed out that the order does not stop additional oil drilling permit applications within the Apalachicola River floodplain and are asking people to continue to urge elected officials to move forward legislatively to ban oil drilling near the Apalachicola River.
You can read the full order at https://www.doah.state.fl.us/ROS/2024/24002283.pdf
Recreational red Snapper Fishermen will get 126 days of fishing this year, the longest season since Florida assumed management of Gulf red snapper
Recreational red Snapper Fishermen will get 126 days of fishing this year, the longest season since Florida assumed management of Gulf red snapper.
It’s a full 3 weeks more than last year.
The expanded season includes additional summer and fall fishing days from 2024, offering anglers more opportunities to fish over major holidays such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving.
The summer season will begin over Memorial Day Weekend, from May 24th through the 26th, and then reopen June 1 through July 31.
The Fall season will include all weekends September through December, Friday through Sunday with longer fishing opportunities around holidays like Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving.
In case some of the weekends are ruined by rain, the state could add additional fishing opportunities at the end of the season.
This season applies to recreational fishermen fishing from private vessels in state and federal waters and to charter vessels that do not have a federal reef fish permit and are limited to fishing in state waters only.
For those interested in participating in this year’s Gulf red snapper season, don’t forget that red snapper fishermen must get the Gulf Reef Fish Angler designation on their license.
You can do that for free on-line at www.GoOutdoorsFlorida.com
It’s a full 3 weeks more than last year.
The expanded season includes additional summer and fall fishing days from 2024, offering anglers more opportunities to fish over major holidays such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving.
The summer season will begin over Memorial Day Weekend, from May 24th through the 26th, and then reopen June 1 through July 31.
The Fall season will include all weekends September through December, Friday through Sunday with longer fishing opportunities around holidays like Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving.
In case some of the weekends are ruined by rain, the state could add additional fishing opportunities at the end of the season.
This season applies to recreational fishermen fishing from private vessels in state and federal waters and to charter vessels that do not have a federal reef fish permit and are limited to fishing in state waters only.
For those interested in participating in this year’s Gulf red snapper season, don’t forget that red snapper fishermen must get the Gulf Reef Fish Angler designation on their license.
You can do that for free on-line at www.GoOutdoorsFlorida.com
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting for Vitality Wellness
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