Florida Poachers Nabbed - In Indiana

Stan Kirkland from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission passed this on to me today. Thought I'd pass it on to you ....



VEVAY - Operating on a complaint call from an alert citizen, Indiana conservation officers from the Department of Natural Resources apprehended two Florida men early Tuesday morning on deer poaching charges in Switzerland County.

Lee Hunter, 43, of Perry, Fla., and Bobby Futch, 41, of Steinhatchee, Fla., each were charged with four counts of illegally taking deer and one count of using a spotlight to illegally take deer. The violations are Class C misdemeanors.

Hunter and Futch entered guilty pleas Wednesday in Switzerland County Circuit Court and face fines and court costs, $500 reimbursement per deer and forfeiture of their firearm.

The citizen who contacted law enforcement officials by phone after hearing gunfire from a nearby highway provided a vehicle description, direction of travel and information that one of the suspects exited the vehicle on foot.

A short time later, officers from the Vevay Police Department and Switzerland County Sheriff's Department observed a spotlight being shined from the suspect vehicle. They stopped the vehicle and found the driver, Hunter, in possession of a .22 magnum rifle and spotlight.

While interviewing Hunter, officers learned his accomplice, Futch, was on foot to remove the head of a male white-tailed they had just shot.

Indiana Conservation Officer Cpl. Steve Kinne located a freshly killed headless deer carcass near the scene, as well as a saw and the removed deer head. With assistance from Switzerland County sheriffs and K-9 units, Kinne determined Futch's direction of travel. Futch, who had fled on foot, was contacted via Hunter's cell phone and convinced to surrender to law enforcement officers.

Further investigation revealed the two men illegally killed an additional six deer in Indiana during November.

"They weren't killing the deer for the meat or for profit but just for the antlers," Kinne said. "It was just so they could take the antlers back to Florida and brag about the big deer they shot. The meat was going to waste."

Kinne credited interagency cooperation for making "a world of difference" in the investigation. Units assisting Indiana Conservation Officers were the Vevay Police Department, Switzerland County Sheriff's Department, and Indiana State Police.

Citizens are encouraged to call the Turn-In-A-Poacher hotline if they suspect illegal fish and wildlife activity or polluting. The toll-free number is 1-800-TIP-IDNR (1-800-847-4367). Reports also can be made online at TIP.IN.gov.

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Franklin County on the web December 4th, 2009

*Bronson defends oyster stance at delegation hearing
*Live Like a Local on The Forgotten Coast of Florida
*Flood warnings continue for St. Marks, Aucilla, Apalachicola rivers
*"Noah Genda" Our Adventure


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County and water district continue disagreement over Eastpoint cemetery

Franklin County Commissioners say a disagreement they are having with the Eastpoint Water and Sewer District will not be cleared up as easily as they thought it would. The Franklin County commission said it is extremely concerned by a water and sewer district decision to not provide water to the Eastpoint cemetery.

The issue was initially brought up in late November after a water line to the cemetery broke and instead of repairing the break the water company shut off service because the cemetery is not a paying customer. County commissioners at the time called the move ridiculous and told their attorney to discuss the issue with the water district. On Tuesday the board said the water and sewer district has not changed its mind.

County commissioners say they will now take this a step further. They agreed this week to write an official letter to the Water district asking to change the policy. Commissioner Bevin Putnal said he will also attend the water district’s December 15th meeting to discuss the issue personally because the Eastpoint cemetery is in his district.

County Commissioners say the Eastpoint water and sewer district should provide free service to the cemetery if for no other reason that as thanks for all of the assistance it has received from the county commission. Commissioners have also pointed out that the City of Carrabelle provides water to its cemeteries as does the city of Apalachicola.

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Oystermen chafe at proposed rules for summer oyster harvesting

Local oystermen are not happy about some proposed new rules coming down the pike that will change the way they harvest oysters during the summer months. About 50 oyster harvesters and dealers turned out at a workshop Wednesday to learn more about the proposed rules which are designed to help protect oyster consumers from a naturally occurring bacterium called Vibrio Vulnificus.

The proposed changes include limiting the amount of time oystermen can be on the water from May through October from dawn till 10:45 in the morning – that rule is designed to keep harvested oysters out of the hot summer sun. Oystermen might be able to work longer if they can install some form of cooling system on their boats. That is unlikely because of the small size of local oysterboats.

Oyster processors are also looking at tighter restrictions including a requirement that they be able to cool oysters to 55 degrees or less within 8 hours – for many dealers that would require better cooling systems than they have now.

The Department of Agriculture, which oversees oyster harvesting in Florida, says the new rules are needed to meet a federal requirement of lowering the number of illnesses and deaths caused by Vibrio vulnificus by 60 percent. If that reduction is not met then the industry could be looking at even harsher restrictions. Currently about 30 people a year get sick from Vibrio and about 15 die nationwide. Its estimated only two people a year die from oysters harvested from the Apalachicola bay.

Oystermen say the rules are just too much and will likely keep them from making any money during the summer. One oysterman pointed out that as a single parent he could not be one bay from sunrise till 10:45 because he can’t even get his child on the school bus till almost 8 o’clock. Others pointed out that oystermen don’t generally work specific hours anyway but tend to wait for favorable tides.

Many who attended the workshop said they felt the proposed rules are so bad they would rather see a 6 week closure of the industry during the hottest portion of the summer if it means they could harvest longer hours for the rest of the summer season, especially if the workweek were expanded to 7 days during the open times.

It was also pointed out that if oystermen could work at night that oysters would remain cool and oystermen could work longer. Oystering at night is currently banned but state officials said if the oyster industry were to make an official request for night oystering the proposal could at least be considered.

The proposed rules are not yet set in stone. State workers said all of the comments made Wednesday night will be taken into account while the final rules are being created and people can still make comments and suggestions at least for the next month.


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Flood warning in effect for Apalachicola River

A flood warning is in effect for areas along the Apalachicola River including Franklin, Gulf, Calhoun and Liberty Counties. Heavy rains this week have caused river levels at Blountstown to rise above 17 feet today and the river is expected to crest at 18.3 feet on Saturday. Flood level for the Apalachicola is 15 feet. Because of the high water coming from the river, The conditionally approved winter west 2 area of the bay will close to oyster harvesting at sunset on Saturday. The conditionally approved winter west 1 area and the winter east area were closed on Wednesday.

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Water Management District approves rule to encourage shallow wells and protect aquifer

The Northwest Florida Water Management Governing Board this week approved a rule change to encourage people in Franklin and Gulf Counties to use shallow wells as a way to preserve water in the Floridan Aquifer for human consumption. Shallow wells are generally less than 30 feet deep. Currently if a homeowner wants to drill a shallow well he is required to go to the Northwest Florida Water Management District to get an individual water use permit and a well construction permit. Under the new rule that takes effect on January the 4th the individual water use permit will no longer be required though the well construction permit still will be. That’s to insure that when wells are dug they are placed properly; the water management district said that currently there are a number of wells in the two counties that were improperly placed too close to septic tanks. The Northwest Florida Water Management District said the rule change will hopefully encourage people to drill shallow wells for outdoor activities like watering lawns and washing cars and thereby protect water in the aquifer for household uses like drinking and cooking.

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Franklin County supports getting Florida rep on US House Natural Resources Committee

Franklin County commissioners are throwing their support behind a move to have a Florida representative on the US House Natural Resources Committee. The U.S. House Natural Resources Committee oversees all saltwater fisheries and wildlife issues for the U.S. House of Representatives. Forty-nine representatives out of the 435-member House serve on the committee. California has seven seats on it and all of the U.S. territories sit on it. But of the seven coastal states in the Southeast, Florida is one of four states that do not have a seat. The issue was raised last month by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission chairman Rodney Barreto who pointed out that as the only US state that borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida has a major stake in promoting wise management of fisheries in these regions. Recreational saltwater fishing alone has a $5.3 billion impact on Florida's economy, and 54,500 jobs depend on it. Commercial saltwater fishing contributes $1.2 billion to the economy and supports 12,900 jobs. Barreto said that with Florida being such a major player in the industry, it's critical for us to have a more direct voice in federal law that affects marine fisheries – an argument that county commissioners agree with. Franklin County commissioners agreed to try to help the process along by sending letters to our legislative delegation asking them to put pressure on the right people to get a Florida representative on that committee.

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Sacred Heart is looking for workers

Sacred Heart Health System is now accepting applications for more than 110 jobs for the new Sacred Heart Hospital in Port St. Joe. The jobs include clinical and non-clinical positions ranging from inpatient services and emergency services to food services and medical records. People interested in learning more about the jobs can go on-line or attend a job fair this Saturday at the Gulf/Franklin Center in Port St. Joe. To review available positions or apply online, visit www.sacredheartonthegulf.org. You can also attend Sacred Heart’s Career and Volunteer Fair on Saturday, December 5th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gulf Coast Community College in Port St. Joe. People who attend the job fair will have the opportunity to view job descriptions, learn about department-specific activities and requirements, and ultimately see where their skill sets best match current positions. A computer lab will be available for people to apply online during the event, and participants are highly encouraged to submit resumes as well.

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County wants carcass containers cleaned

County commissioners say the deer carcass containers that the county has placed near popular hunting areas have proved very successful – in fact they are asking that the county landfill empty the containers more often. Commissioners said there are two reasons for doing that, one is that the containers are being filled quickly but there is also the issue that animals are getting into the containers and scattering the deer parts. Commissioner Bevin Putnal said he doesn’t know who’s killing all the deer but they sure are killing a bunch of them. This is the second year that the county has placed containers so deer hunters can dispose of deer carcasses legally. There are four containers strategically located near popular hunting areas. The containers are near Airport and Brownville Road outside Apalachicola, at Bear Creek off State Road 65 in Eastpoint. They can also be found at Gully Branch off State Road 67 and Cypress Slough both outside of Carrabelle. The containers are there so that hunters will be less inclined to toss the carcasses off the side of the road or in local waterways. The carcasses that are collected are either incinerated or used in the county’s composting project.



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Franklin County on the web December 3rd, 2009

*Grouper Throats
*December 2, Day 172 – In Port St. Joe
*Blue Heron Adventure
*Rain, but little damage, as storms move out
*Sunny Florida ? What Happened?
*Go to the Forgotten Coast with Matt for a weekend.




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Franklin County pic of the day

A peaceful swim in the bay..




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Shellfish regulators to meet with Franklin County oyster harvesters and dealers today

State shellfish regulators from the Department of Agriculture will hold a public workshop in Franklin County this afternoon to meet with oyster harvesters and dealers to discuss possible changes to the summer oyster harvesting season. The department of Agriculture is proposing new regulations that could take effect next May designed to lower the number of illnesses caused by Vibrio Vulnificus. Some of the proposed changes include a requirement that oyster harvesting begin at sunrise during the summer months and that all product be at a licensed dealer by 10:45 in the morning. They are also considering requirements for processors to cool all oysters harvested in the summer months to 55 degrees or less within 8 hours of receiving the product. There will also be discussion about on-board cooling systems and other steps that can be taken to make warm water oysters safer for consumers. The rules have not been adopted yet and input from oyster harvesters and dealers could help the state come up with rules that are more effective and less onerous to the industry which is why they are holding the workshop today. The workshop will begin at 4 o’clock this afternoon – it will be held at the Franklin County Courthouse annex in Apalachicola.

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Legislators hear from Franklin County

Two of Franklin County’s three legislators were in Franklin County on Monday evening to hear the concerns of residents and local political leaders. State representative Leonard Bembry and Jimmy Patronis held their annual legislative delegation meeting at the courthouse annex. State Senator Al Lawson did not make the hearing because he was busy preparing for a special legislative session scheduled to begin this week. Normally the legislative delegation hearings are a way for local groups to request state money for important projects – but this year did not work out like that mainly because the state doesn’t have any money to spend on local projects. Representative Patronis said he expects next year’s state budget to be “tragically worse than last year”. But even through there weren’t a lot of requests for money, there were a number of issues that Franklin County would like its legislators to keep in mind when the legislative session begins next March. The county commission had a list of five requests that included protecting state money earmarked for a new work camp at the Franklin Correctional Institution, protecting water from the Apalachicola River system from interests in central and south Florida and continuing to fight the FDA to protect the Gulf Coast Oyster industry. The county also asked that the legislative delegation work to provide more local control over its cable franchise and to try to find some money to help fund local volunteer fire departments which are suffering under a slew of unfunded state and federal mandates. Local Supervisor of Elections Ida Elliot asked that the legislature approve an extension for the requirement of implementing upgrades to touch screen voting from 2010 to 2016. Clerk of the court Marcia Johnson asked that cuts in Clerks budgets approved during the last session be rescinded next year and school Superintendent Nina Marks asked for continued support for two local projects including a Junior ROTC program and The Take Stock in Children Program. She also asked that the legislative delegation support a plan to build a science lab on the bay across from the consolidated school. There were also requests made to protect funding for public libraries, to try to bring more federal stimulus money to Franklin County and to make sure that a plan to re-route Highway 98 in Franklin County does not come to fruition.

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Franklin County under flood watch; voluntary evacuation in effect for Alligator Point

Franklin County is under a coastal flood warning and high surf warning through 6 AM Thursday we are also under a gale warning today. High surf and strong winds are being caused by a cold front moving across north Florida. Strong southerly winds are expected through the day which will push water into the coastline. These strong onshore winds will likely coincide with the time of high tide this afternoon, especially from Apalachicola eastward to the Suwannee River Entrance. High tide at the Bob Sikes Cut is at 5:30 this afternoon at 6 o’clock at West Pass and at 2:30 at Alligator Point. Storm surge of 2 to 4 feet are expected from Apalachicola eastward to Destin and surge heights up to 2 feet are possible west of Apalachicola. In addition to the potential for coastal flooding, high surf will likely impact the beaches of the Florida Panhandle from Destin to Saint George Island through the day. The Franklin County Emergency Management Office has issued a VOLUNTARY EVACUATION NOTICE for residents living at Alligator Point, and for all low-lying areas subject to tidal and coastal flooding. The voluntary evacuation notice took effect starting with first light this morning. It is a precautionary notice, it is NOT mandatory. It was issued because f concerns over the vulnerability of Alligator Point road and the amount of high surf predicted. Residents along Franklin County’s coast should also take all precautionary measures to secure boats and personal property.

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Franklin County on the web November 2nd, 2009

*11/23 - 11/24 - Carrabelle Beach Anchorage to Clearwater, Florida (Big Bend Crossing)
*Tracy Lawrence Concert in Apalachicola!
*ONBOARD ODDYSEA
*Day 80. Apalachicola, FL
*Kith and Kin opens in Lincoln Park
*Data, Zombies, and Taking Control
*Day 79, Apalachicola, FL


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Franklin County pic of the day

The Apalachicola Bay after a storm...




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Franklin County schools closed on Wednesday, December the 2nd

The Franklin County School in Eastpoint and the Apalachicola Bay Charter School will be closed on Wednesday, December the 2nd. The School decided to close because of expected severe weather in our area. Both schools will reopen on Thursday morning.

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Franklin County gets the go-ahead to design Carrabelle Beach bike path

Franklin County has received the notice to proceed on the design phase of a new multi-use path that would reach from Carrabelle beach to the Crooked River lighthouse. The Department of Transportation gave the go ahead last week. The county will get 44 thousand dollars to design the path which will allow people to safely walk or bike between the beach and the lighthouse. The design work will be done by the Prebble Rish engineering firm out of Port St. Joe. It will still be a few years before money is available to actually build the path. The design work will have to be completed by the end of 2011. The state will then provide 442 thousand dollars for construction in 2012.

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Franklin County seeks to expand clam aquaculture

County commissioners have agreed to set up a meeting with state aquaculture officials to look at the possibility of expanding clam aquaculture in Franklin County. Currently clam farming is allowed in Alligator harbor near Alligator Point, but commissioners say the work is proving to be so successful that other people would like to become involved. The commission has a few areas it says it might good locations for clam farming and they would like the state to begin monitoring the waters to see if they meet the criteria for clam farms. The Division of Aquaculture said clam farming is the largest marine aquaculture business in the state and Franklin County’s clam farmers play a significant role in that. Right now cedar Key is the largest clam farming area in the state, but Franklin County could hold that title if a few more areas were opened up. The commission also wants the state to look at currently unused leases in Alligator Harbor to see if those leases can be offered to people who will use them. There are currently 46 clam leases in Alligator Harbor; many of them are being actively farmed but commissioners say that there are a few that are sitting unused.

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Coastal Foot and Ankle Clinic is holding their 9th annual shoe drive

Coastal Foot and Ankle Clinic is holding their 9th annual shoe drive this month. Dr. Tamara Marsh says that people can drop off shoes that are in reasonable condition at their office 221 Avenue E in Apalachicola. They have a bin in the lobby and outside if the office is closed. You can drop off shoes anytime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The shoes will be given to Franklin’s Promise who will then distribute them to people who need them. For more information on the 9th annual shoe drive, you can contact Coastal Foot and Ankle Clinic at (850) 653-3338.

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Bembry appointed Democratic Ranking Member for the Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Committee

State Representative Leonard Bembry who represents much of Franklin County in the state legislature has been appointed Democratic Ranking Member for the Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Committee for the 2010 Legislative Session. As Ranking Member Representative Bembry will inform fellow Democrat members about issues and legislation pertinent to natural resources and agriculture and work with House Democratic Leadership to get member bills on the agenda for discussion in the Committee and the House Floor. In addition to being Ranking Member for the Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Committee, Representative Bembry is a member of Natural Resources Appropriations Committee and the Economic Development Policy Committee. Florida House Committees meet once a month until the start of the Legislative Session in March 2010. Bembry said he is honored to be appointed to a position that allows him to have a positive impact on agriculture and natural resources in the State of Florida and District 10 in particular”.

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2009 Hurricane season is over

Hurricane Season is officially over. The 2009 Atlantic hurricane season ended Monday – it was one of the milder seasons in recent years. There were nine named storms during the six-month season that began in June. That included three hurricanes, two of which were considered major, with winds at more than 110 mph. Five named storms dissipated over the open ocean this year causing no damage to land. Forecasters say hurricane activity this year was reduced largely due to a moderate El Nino event that generated significantly stronger-than-average vertical wind shear, especially in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.

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Franklin County Emergency Management Office issues voluntary evacuation notice for Alligator Point

Evacuation Notice

Franklin County has issued a VOLUNTARY EVACUATION NOTICE for: Residents living at Alligator Point, and all low-lying areas subject to tidal and coastal flooding starting first light Wednesday morning Dec 02, 2009.



This is a precautionary notice, and is NOT mandatory. However, the evacuation is strongly advised do to vulnerability of Alligator Point road and the amount of high surf predicted. Residents should take precautionary measure to secure boats and personal property.



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Franklin County pic of the day

Some bigwigs were in Franklin County today for the annual legislative session. The bottom picture is of Leonard Bembry and Jimmy Patronis who represent Franklin County in the state legislature. Senator Al Lawson was not at the meeting because he is preparing for a special session of the legislature where lawmakers will discuss building a high speed train in central Florida. The top picture is of Charles Bronson who heads up the Florida Department of Agriculture. They were in town today to listen to local government officials and find out whats on the minds of Franklin County residents before the legislative session begins in March. I'll write a story about the meeting tomorrow.




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Franklin County seeks money to protect Alligator Point Road

County Commissioners are looking at ways to protect about 1200 feet of Alligator Point Road that is prone to flooding and erosion. The road was partially washed out during Tropical storm Ida; the county feels that much of the problem is that the rock revetment along the road is no longer effective. The county does have 650 thousand dollars from FEMA to repair the revetment but say that many Alligator Point residents oppose placing more rock along the road. Instead the county would like to install sheet piling along that portion of Alligator Point road as was done along Highway 98 between Eastpoint and Carrabelle. They feel that would provide more protection from storms. It would also be much more expensive. The county estimates that project would cost closer to 1.3 million dollars to complete and the county doesn’t have that kind of money. They are going to see if the FEMA money can be used for a project other than a rock revetment and they want to see if a 250 thousand dollar CDBG grant the county is eligible for could also be used to protect the road. County Commissioners said they will also contact Congressman Alan Boyd to see if he can help find more funding for the project.

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Franklin County lowers speed limit at St. George Island State Park entrance

Next time you are heading to the State park on St. George Island make sure to watch your speed. The County commission has agreed to lower the speed limit in that area so that by the time people are driving through the front gates they are only going 15 miles an hour. The board has agreed to start a 15 mile and hour zone for 600 feet in front of the entrance. The speed limit will be 25 miles an hour 600 feet before that. And 600 ft before that you’ll see a big sign warning you to reduce speed ahead. The new signs should be installed within the next few weeks.

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Local fire departments face big budget deficits in 2010

Local fire departments are strapped for cash and county commissioners say the amount the departments need is more than the county can provide. Most fire departments actually bring in enough through fund-raising and MSBU assessments to pay for day to day operations like their fuel, mortgage payments and electric bills but state and federal requirements are forcing the departments to come up with even more money every year. In total our five volunteer fire departments, not including the departments in Apalachicola and Carrabelle, say they are facing a 1.1 million dollar budget deficit next year. Alligator Point alone says it needs 650 thousand dollars because it is required to purchase a ladder truck and build a new fire station to house it. The ladder truck is required because of the number of tall homes which have been built in their district. Eastpoint’s deficit is 102 thousand dollars because it needs to replace a fire truck and even Dog Island needs an extra 82 thousand dollars for a brush truck. And all of the departments are facing higher costs for increased training, insurance, protective equipment, safety inspections and communications costs. County commissioners did help the situation somewhat this year by increasing MSBU assessments on property owners, but those assessments can’t keep up with the ever increasing requirements being put on fire departments. Fire fighters last week asked that the county and fire departments begin meeting to consider ways to address the financial problems. Commissioners, however, said they are basically powerless to help. The county had to cut its own budget substantially this year and doesn’t have excess funds to give to fire departments, certainly not over a million dollars. The commission said that most of the fire departments troubles are because of unfunded mandates from the state and federal governments and since they mandated it they should help pay for it. The board said the first step should be for the fire departments to attend the legislative delegation hearing in Apalachicola on November the 30th and talk to our legislators face to face. The legislature has already said it is not taking local budget requests this year but commissioners said it can’t hurt to ask. They also said the fire departments are going to have to look for more state and federal grants to help pay for some of these new mandates.

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Franklin County provides emergency funds to Lanark Village fire department

The Franklin County Commission has agreed to provide some emergency funding to the Lanark Village/ St. James Fire Department to make sure it can keep operating through the rest of this year. Earlier this month the county commission agreed to provide the fire department with 5000 dollars so the department could continue to operate through the end of the year. Last week they increased that to 8895 dollars. Fire fighters said the cash is needed to help the fire department make its monthly mortgage payments and still keep enough in the bank to meet the requirements of its mortgage holder. They also need cash to pay for required equipment testing. All of Franklin County’s volunteer fire departments are facing tight budgets, but the Lanark Village is suffering the most. The department this year spent 7000 dollars more than it brought in and that included taking 5000 dollars out of savings. Earlier this year county commissioners increased the amount local homeowners pay to support fire and first responders units and they hoe that they will get their money back when the Fire departments receive their first MSBU payments in January. But they did recognize that might not happen. One of the reasons the Lanark Village Fire department is facing these financial problems is because some homeowners don’t pay their MSBU assessments which fund the fire departments. County commissioners pointed out that not paying the MSBU is a self defeating practice, because if the fire department were to shut down, those same homeowners could see their fire insurance rates double and that would cost much more than the annual MSBU.

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Local unemployment increases in October

Franklin County’s unemployment rate increased between September and October. The local unemployment rate was 7.8 percent last month up from 7.1 percent in September. 357 Franklin County residents were looking for work last month, 24 more than the month before. Even at 7.8 percent Franklin County has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Florida. 10 Florida counties had unemployment rates lower than ours. The average unemployment rate in Florida was 11.2 percent in October. 40 of Florida’s 67 counties had unemployment rates above 10 percent with the highest unemployment in the state in Flagler county at 16.1 percent. Gulf County saw a slight increase in unemployment last month from 9.8 to 9.9 percent. 619 people were jobless there in October. Wakulla County’s unemployment rose from 7.2 percent to 7.7 percent – there are nearly 1200 people looking for work there and Liberty County continues to have the lowest unemployment rate in Florida at 5.4 percent.

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