Are You Interested in Serving on the Wakulla County Code Enforcement Board?

Are You Interested in Serving on the Wakulla County Code Enforcement Board?

Wakulla County is currently seeking three (3) citizens who have a willingness to serve as members on the Code Enforcement Board to fill three (3) vacant positions. These positions will be for one (1) regular member and two (2) alternate members. The membership of the Code Enforcement Board shall be residents of the County; and whenever possible, consist of an architect, a business person, an engineer, a general contractor, a subcontractor, a realtor, and another citizen. These positions are on a volunteer basis only and the alternate member would have the responsibility of being present, when called upon, at Code Enforcement Meetings beginning in May 27, 2025. These meetings typically occur on the fourth Tuesday of every other month at 5:30 p.m. Citizens wishing to serve as a member should submit a cover letter explaining their interest in serving on the Code Enforcement Board and provide a resume or other statement of relevant experience which includes the person’s name, address, telephone number, and email address no later than Monday, April 28, 2025. Please email your information to Lynda Brahier at Lbrahier@mywakulla.com or by fax to 850-926-8086.

Kinsey Miller | Public Information Officer | kmiller@mywakulla.com

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NOAA Fisheries FishNews—April 3rd

APRIL 3, 2025 Highlights Diving into Creatures of the Deep Ever wonder what lurks deep down in the ocean? Dive in and learn about creatures of the deep and the mysterious species that live way below the surface. Marsh Madness While players duel it out on the basketball court, we’re keeping score of all the ways marsh habitat plays an important role in the protection and restoration work we do for communities, fish, and wildlife. Alaska Dive into Alaska Aquaculture Marine aquaculture is a promising and emerging industry in Alaska. For those interested in learning about Alaska’s aquaculture industry or teaching others, we have launched a new resource page. Alaskan Communities Use Flexibility in Snow Crab Fishery Regulations for Economic Relief The Alaska Bering Sea snow crab fishery is open for the first time in 2 years after a sharp decline in the crab population caused closures. Participants have banded together with NOAA Fisheries to use regulatory flexibilities to help the fishery operate smoothly. Science Blog: A Voyage Through the Arctic Post #12 Learn about the 2025 Alaska Fisheries Science Center Field Season and Program Updates website, which provides a comprehensive overview of the science center’s planned research in 2025 and some key achievements from 2024. West Coast Early Bloom of Toxic Algae off Southern California Sickens Hundreds of Sea Lions and Dolphins Harmful algae blooming off the coast of Southern California has poisoned scores of California sea lions and common dolphins that are stranding in large numbers on area beaches. Rescue teams face hard decisions over which animals to save. Pacific Islands Podcast: Reducing Waste and Feeding Communities in Hawaiʻi with a Whole Fish Approach A program in Hawai‘i is trying to increase food security and reduce food waste by using every part of the fish, from bone marrow to blood lines—even making the skin into leather! Southeast Meet Research Fishery Biologist, Ron Hill Dr. Ron Hill shares how he got his start at NOAA and his favorite parts of the job in this edition of Faces of the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. New England/Mid-Atlantic Clam Survey Dredges Up Ice Age Find Scientists on the 2024 Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Survey dredged up a mysterious object. A Smithsonian expert solved the mystery, identifying it as a likely extinct Ice Age walrus jawbone—a once-in-a-lifetime find! Celebrating 15 Years of Surveying Protected Species in the Northwest Atlantic This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species. Scientists take to the sky and sea to collect data used to conserve several marine species in the region. Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Project Restoring Wetlands and Fish Passage for River Herring A NOAA-funded project on the Upper Coonamessett River in Falmouth, Massachusetts, will remove fish passage barriers and restore wetlands on a former cranberry bog. This work complements earlier NOAA-funded work on the lower part of the river. Upcoming Deadlines April 16: Proposals due for Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants April 18: Applications due for the NOAA Delaware Bay Watershed Education and Training Program April 21: Responses due for Sources Sought Notice for domestically produced tuna for USDA Food Programs April 30: Nominations due for National Fish Habitat Board seat representing the commercial fishing industry May 5: Comments due on the Makah Tribe’s permit application for a limited hunt for gray whales May 12: Proposals due for Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities View more news and announcements Upcoming Events April 7–10: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Meeting April 8–10: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting April 9–15: Pacific Fishery Management Council Meeting April 14–17: New England Fishery Management Council Meeting View more events Federal Register Actions Visit NOAA Fisheries' Rules & Regulations web page to learn more about recently proposed and finalized regulations in your region.  Questions? Visit our website for national and regional contact information

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Chamber Business After Hours & Taylor's Building Supply 55th Anniversary Weekend

Chamber Business After Hours TONIGHT!! Thursday, April 3rd 05:30pm Taylor's Building Supply 268 Hwy 98 Eastpoint

Also, celebrate 55 years of Taylor's Bulilding Supply as a Franklin County Business Community Member. On Friday, April 4th, starting at 11:00 a.m., there will be amazing deals, giveaways, and a free lunch. (Fish, Coleslaw, Baked Beans, Hush Puppies, Cheese Grits, and Drinks.) Saturday, April 5th, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm: fun for the kids, including face painting and crafts. Lunch hotdogs, chips, and a drink. Come on out to Taylors Building Supply Friday & Saturday and help them celebrate their 55th Anniversary. We hope to see everyone here.

Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce 17 Ave E Apalachicola, Fl 32320 www.apalachicolabay.org 850-653-9419

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Springtime is an active time of year for Florida’s black bears

Springtime is an active time of year for Florida’s black bears.

During this time of year, the bears are searching for a variety of berries and other seasonal foods that grow throughout their range.
It is also the time that female bears are teaching their cubs where to look for food.

Juvenile bears between the ages of 1½ -2½ years, also travel across a wide range of areas in search of a new location to settle down.

The woods provide bears with all the food they need, but as most locals know – bears will also eat food from dog bowls, garbage cans and anything else that is easy pickings.

To minimize the chances of black bears wandering into your yard the best thing to do is remove or secure anything that might attract animals, such as garbage cans, pet food, birdseed, outdoor grills and compost bins.

If a bear continues to come into an area after all attractants have been removed then its time to call the FWC to trap the bear.

You can do that by calling the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.

Florida’s Black bears do not generally pose a danger to people, but they are wild animals so if you do encounter a black bear at close range, the FWC recommends that you remain standing straight up; back up slowly; speak in a calm, assertive voice; do not run or play dead; and leave the bear a clear escape route.

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An Eastpoint man is one of five people named recently to the Board of Directors of the American Horticultural Society

            An Eastpoint man is one of five people named recently to the Board of Directors of the American Horticultural Society.

James Folsom of Eastpoint is retired after 36 years as director of the botanical gardens at The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California.

During his tenure, Folsom significantly expanded the gardens.

He oversaw the creation of the 15-acre Chinese garden; he also spearheaded educational programs, research initiatives and conservation efforts.

Folsom received the 2020 Liberty Hyde Bailey Award, The American Horticultural Society’s highest honor.

The American Horticultural Society is one of the oldest national horticultural nonprofit organizations in North America.

It boasts more than 22,000 members, from beginners to horticultural professionals and fosters a diverse community committed to advancing gardening knowledge and practices.

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April is National Safe Digging Month and the Florida Public Service Commission is reminding people to call 811 before you dig

April is National Safe Digging Month and the Florida Public Service Commission is reminding people to call 811 before you dig.

 

Spring tends to be the time for more home improvement projects for many Floridians.

 

An 811 call, which is the federally designated call-before-you-dig number, notifies affected utility companies to dispatch crews to mark the location of underground utility lines. 

 

Utility markings show those who dig the approximate location of underground lines to help prevent damage to utility lines.

 

In Florida, 811 accepts calls from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and is managed by the Sunshine State One Call Center, a nonprofit corporation.

 

You can also go on-line to www.call811.com

 

It’s recommended that residents call 811 three full business days before beginning their digging project.

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Distracted Driving: A Triple Threat ~ If it takes your hands off the wheel, your eyes off the road or your mind off driving, it’s a distraction. ~ TALLAHASSEE, Fla.- The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), its division of the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), and its public safety partners remind drivers to stay distraction-free while behind the wheel. April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and both drivers and passengers alike have a duty to refrain from engaging in or fostering distraction. The act of driving requires keen concentration as drivers must constantly be in tune with factors such as their speed, surroundings, other drivers, roadway conditions and more. Throw distractions into the mix such as texting or talking on the phone, and this act becomes harder to do safely. Preliminary data for 2024 shows that in Florida, nearly 300 people died and over 2,200 people suffered serious bodily injuries due to a distracted driver. A distraction is anything that takes your hands off the wheel, your eyes off the road, or your mind off the act of driving. While you may not think you are a distracted driver because you do not engage in more well-known distractions such as texting, you may be engaging in other distractions that put you, your passengers and others on the roadway at risk. This might include, but is not limited to, listening to loud music, eating, engaging with passengers or adjusting your vehicle’s entertainment or navigation system. Just like the driver, passengers have a duty and responsibility to cultivate a safe driving environment. As a passenger, refrain from distracting behaviors such as, but not limited to, playing music loudly, shouting or talking loudly or unnecessarily directing the driver’s attention to objects or events taking place outside the vehicle. If the driver is engaging in distraction, you as a passenger have the right to speak up and inform them their actions are dangerous. To remedy, offer to send a text, help with navigation or make needed in-vehicle adjustments for them. Every day, Florida’s law enforcement officers, first responders, service workers, citizens and visitors find themselves along the side of the roadway. Whether they are doing their job, providing or receiving assistance, or attending to a personal need, it is the duty of all other motorists to obey the Florida Move Over Law and move over a lane or slow down if moving over is not possible. If you are driving distracted, it is difficult for you to perceive if something happening ahead of you along the roadway requires moving over, slowing down or coming to a stop. Eliminate distraction so you can protect those who protect you. “When you engage in a distraction while behind the wheel, even briefly, you put your life and others’ on the roadway in danger,” said FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner. “No matter how important a text, call or other distraction may be, it can wait. Your primary focus should be ensuring you and your passengers arrive to your destination safely.” “Steering clear from distractions while driving prevents tragedies,” said FHP Colonel Gary Howze II. “It is your duty and responsibility to stay alert and operate your vehicle in a vigilant manner each time you drive. Distractions can wait, but the safety of you and those around you cannot.” In Florida, texting and driving is a primary offense under Florida’s Wireless Communications While Driving Law, however, due to the nature of distracted driving as an offense, citations can fall under various other statutes including Careless Driving, Failure to Maintain a Single Lane and Aggressive Careless Driving. As a result, distracted driving is often underreported. Even still, a crash occurs every 44 seconds in Florida, and one in seven of those crashes is the result of a distracted driver.  Drivers who receive one of the above citations due to distracted driving can incur points on their driver license, fines and court fees or worse. Don’t let your decision to drive distracted be the reason someone does not arrive alive. “We all play a role in creating safer roadways and that starts with the choice to make responsible driving decisions, such as putting away distractions, while behind the wheel,” said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E. “Small actions can lead to major strides in achieving our goal of eliminating serious injuries and fatalities across Florida’s roadways.” "Distracted Driving is anything that takes your attention away from safe driving. Florida’s sheriffs are committed to enforcing distracted driving laws to protect the public. We ask you to take steps to eliminate distractions that could lead to crashes. As President of the Florida Sheriffs Association, I fully support the ‘Put It Down’ campaign by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles,” stated Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, President of the Florida Sheriffs Association. “This Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the Florida Police Chiefs Association (FPCA) urges drivers to be "hands free" by connecting their devices to Bluetooth in their vehicles and concentrating on the road,” said FPCA President Charlie Vazquez, Chief of Police Tampa International Airport “No call or text, no alert from your social media accounts, is worth your life. Please make the roads safer for everyone by choosing to focus fully on driving." Next time you get behind the wheel, remember the importance of driving distraction-free. For more information on distracted driving, visit FLHSMV’s distracted driving webpage.

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