The Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office has created a dedicated Child Custody Exchange Safe Zone at the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office

The Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office has created a dedicated Child Custody Exchange Safe Zone at the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office.

 

This safe zone provides a secure, neutral location for parents sharing custody to safely transfer their children.

 

Child Custody Exchange Safe Zones were established in response to House Bill 385 which was signed into law earlier this year.

 

The new law is called the “Cassie Carli Law” and aims to protect the parents and children during custody exchanges.

 

The Safe zone consists of two designated parking spots located in the main parking lot of the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office at 15 Oak Street in Crawfordville.

 

The spaces can also be used as an E-Commerce Safe Zone to exchange items purchased on Facebook or other online sites from private sellers.

 

The site is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is well-lit and is under 24-hour video surveillance.

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NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation awarded The Nature Conservancy $12 million to fund the GulfCorps program for the next 3 years

NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation awarded The Nature Conservancy $12 million to fund the GulfCorps program for the next 3 years.

That will benefit dozens of local people who take part in the program through the Franklin’s Promise Coalition in Apalachicola, Panama City, and Pensacola.

The Nature Conservancy and NOAA created GulfCorps in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The 2010 disaster damaged the already storm-battered coastal ecosystems of the Gulf and severely impacted employment and the overall economy of coastal communities.

Corps members have since restored and enhanced almost 30,000 acres of shoreline, marsh, wetland, and forest habitat.

Their tasks range from building oyster reefs to rejuvenating coastal forests through prescribed burns.

Since 2017, GulfCorps has engaged more than 500 young people in hundreds of coastal restoration and conservation projects across the five Gulf Coast states.

With the new funding, the program aims to complete 100 individual nature-based habitat restoration and conservation projects as well as restore, enhance, and monitor 5,000 acres of coastal and upland habitat.

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Holiday Fresh Market this Saturday

Holiday Fresh Market this Saturday Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce 17 Ave E Apalachicola, Fl 32320 www.apalachicolabay.org 850-653-9419

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The Center for Biological Diversity is seeking Endangered Species Act protections for two exceedingly rare flowers found only in Florida, including one found only in Franklin County

The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeking Endangered Species Act protections for two exceedingly rare, ornate and fragrant flowers found only in Florida, including one found only in Franklin County.

Protections are being sought for the Jobé bluecurls, found only in Martin County in southeast Florida, and the hidden bluecurls found only in Franklin County.

These closely related flowers were only recently described as distinct species.

The Jobe’ Bluecurls are known from fewer than two dozen observations.

Many of these were directly in the proposed footprint of a controversial golf course in Jonathan Dickinson State Park, part of broader plans to develop hotels, pickle ball courts and more in Florida’s state parks.

Hidden bluecurls, found only in Franklin County in the Florida panhandle, are known from only four observations, one of which is along a roadside.

Both species are inherently vulnerable to extinction because of their small ranges.

Both are also threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, pollinator declines, climate change and inadequate laws to address these threats.

Biologist Kevan McClelland, who identified and described the species said “Without them, bees, butterflies and other pollinators would lose an important food source, potentially leading to a decline in not only these pollinators, but also the other animals, such as birds, that rely on them for food.”

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UF/IFAS News, Week of Dec. 2, 2024: UF/IFAS leads food safety education program; Drastic water savings; Space-focused 4-H

For the week beginning December 2, 2024

TIMELY NEWS With the holidays upon us, people may gift or receive festive plants. Here's something nifty about Florida: These plants can grow well beyond December. We have an expert who can tell you about five commonly gifted plants and how to grow them year-round in the Sunshine State. Need an expert? Contact us.

Recent research, programs, events and more. We can help you cover and localize news to your area; just use the contact links below or reply to this email.

USDA selects UF/IFAS to lead food safety education program Under a new grant, UF/IFAS will continue to serve as the Lead Regional Coordination Center for training, working from the Southern Center for Food Safety Modernization Act Training, a role it has filled since 2015.  Contact >

Intermittent irrigation can save strawberry growers as much as 67% on water New University of Florida research shows that growers can save as much as 67% — or up to half a million gallons per acre per season by alternating sprinkler cycles on and off — and get the same yield. Contact >

Florida 4-H aims for the stars with space-focused career advancement programs Educators across Florida 4-H have incorporated space science into their STEM lessons, with youth learning about how agriculture collides with engineering in this innovative industry. The goal is to inspire youth to pursue space-based careers. Contact >

Survey ranks UF as top university for ag research investment For the sixth consecutive year, the University of Florida led the nation in agricultural sciences and natural resources conservation research, according to a new report from the National Science Foundation. Contact >

Dig into the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticluture Management Certificate Program If you are looking to grow that green thumb, the University of Florida’s Environmental Horticulture Management Certificate is blooming with possibilities for anyone eager to learn more about growing plants without the commitment of a bachelor’s degree. Contact>

Nuevo contenido en español para esta semana. Tenemos una variedad de publicaciones de UF/IFAS que ahora se traducen al español para darle un mejor servicio a nuestras comunidades de habla hispana. A continuación encontrarás nuestras publicaciones e infográficos más recientes.

Economistas de UF estiman que las pérdidas en producción agrícola por el huracán Helene en Florida superan los $40 millones Las pérdidas de producción agrícola que sufrió Florida debido al huracán Helene tienen un valor estimado de entre $40,3 millones y $162,2 millones, según un informe preliminar del Programa de Análisis de Impacto Económico de UF/IFAS. Contacto >

From Around IFAS News from across the UF/IFAS network.

Marine creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico -- Amoeboid Protozoans These small, microscopic amoeba-like animals play an important role in moving food and energy through the Gulf.  Their discovery on the seafloor helped marine geologists better understand how our oceans formed and how they have changed over time.  Contact >

Understanding USDA plant hardiness zones Are you ready to start you’re a gardening journey, but don’t know where to begin? Have you considered which USDA Plant Hardiness Zone you live in? If not, it may be part of the answer to your gardening struggles. Contact >

Here are the EDIS/Ask IFAS Top 100 publications for 2024 Drumroll, please! Announcing the top 100 Ask IFAS publications for 2024 and the top 20 Spanish publications. Many publications with improved rankings were revised in 2024. An easy way to keep your publications “fresh” is to check your link reports. Contact >

Best of the rest. Alternative story formats created or supported by UF/IFAS Communications.

Video stories: Sowing Sustainability Dylan Furness enjoys a wonderful working relationship with Jonael Bosques, director of UF/IFAS Extension Hardee County. With Bosques' help, Furness is preserving water quality and the overall ecosystem of his farm.

RELATED ARTICLE: ‘Cutting-edge science’ from UF/IFAS Extension helps farmer preserve water, other parts of his ecosystem. Contact >

Visual learning: Tips for holiday money management Write a menu for holiday meals. Develop a gift-exchange strategy with family and friends, complete with dollar amounts. Inventory decorations you already have before you buy more. We've got great suggestions to keep your holiday spending manageable.         Contact >

Visit the UF/IFAS Newsroom Find B-roll, photos and more for your coverage needs at ifas.ufl.edu/newsroom.

UF/IFAS Communications News and Media Relations Team

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