Tuesday, December 5, 2023

St. Joseph Bay Humane Society Pet of the Week




Hi, I'm Benjamin! I am a 5- to 6-year-old hound. I have a very calm demeanor and love affection. My favorite things are sniffing around and getting treats. I am dog friendly and seem to do fine around cats as well.  I would make a wonderful addition to any home. Come by the shelter to meet me and all my friends!   


You'll find the Humane Society at 1007 10th street in Port St. Joe

Call: 850-227-1103

info@sjbhumanesociety.org



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The Duke Energy Foundation is providing an additional $100,000 in financial assistance to Florida customers to help pay their energy bills this holiday season

The Duke Energy Foundation is providing an additional $100,000 in financial assistance to Florida customers to help pay their energy bills this holiday season.

The funding is made possible through the company’s Share the Light Fund®, which helps individuals and families in need.

The Share the Light Fund is a customer assistance program to help Florida residents pay for utility expenses, such as electric, natural gas, oil or wood.

Employees, retirees, customers and Duke Energy shareholders contribute to these funds.

Donations are then matched dollar for dollar, up to $500,000, by the Duke Energy Foundation.

So far this year, approximately $1.1 million in energy bill assistance was distributed to qualifying Florida customers through the company’s Share the Light Fund.

Customers in Franklin and Wakulla Counties who need assistance with their home energy bills can contact the Franklin’s Promise Coalition which is the local partner organization.

You can reach them at 850.653.3930.

Gulf County residents can contact the Gulf County Senior Citizens Association at 850-229-8466.

https://www.duke-energy.com/home/billing/special-assistance/share-the-light



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The Franklin County Emergency Management Office now has a mobile command center that should give the office more flexibility and adaptability when dealing with local emergencies

The Franklin County Emergency Management Office now has a mobile command center that should give the office more flexibility and adaptability when dealing with local emergencies.

The command center is a 37-foot long 2019 Prowler travel trailer that was purchased from Gulf County.

The mobile command will house equipment including a generator for electricity, radio equipment, Wi-Fi capability, as well as a small conference room to enable command staff to plan and organize responses to various incidents.

It can be used as a command center for search and rescue and other emergency operations, providing amenities for emergency responders like a bathroom and an outdoor kitchen when they are needed.

EOC staff plans to meet with other emergency responders in the county to understand and accommodate their needs, so they can increase the effectiveness and versatility of the new mobile command center.



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The Gulf County Sheriff’s Office is now accepting donations for their annual Christmas Toy Drive

The Gulf County Sheriff’s Office is now accepting donations for their annual Christmas Toy Drive.

 

Through this Friday, December 8th you can donate toys or cash to insure that local children have a merry Christmas.

 

They are looking for toys for children from toddlers to pre-teens with a focus on the elementary school aged children.

 

This year, they have well over 300 kids who need toys.

 

You can take your donations to the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office between 9 Am and 5 PM.

 

The sheriff’s office is located at 418 Cecil G. Costin Sr. Blvd. in Port St. Joe.

 



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The City of Apalachicola is looking for business members to take part in a business license study committee

The City of Apalachicola is looking for business members to take part in a business license study committee.

 

This is a temporary committee composed of seven local business members.

 

The task of the committee is to recommend a revised occupational classification system and rate structure for the city’s annual Business License Tax.

 

The City is looking for applicants representing restaurants, Retail Shops, Hotels/Vacation Rentals, Bars, Trades and Building, Non-Profits and Business Professionals.

 

You do not need to be a business owner or property owner. But you do need to be work in one of the business classifications.

 

The city is accepting applications until December 15th.

 

The committee will begin work in January and will continue until the committee has developed a proposal and submitted it to the City Commission.

 

It is expected to take 4-9 months.

 

To apply for the Business License Study committee, please download the Candidate Application Form from www.cityofapalachicola.com 




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Monday, December 4, 2023

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will cut the commercial greater amberjack annual catch limit and catch target for 2024

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will cut the commercial greater amberjack annual catch limit and catch target for 2024.

 

They are taking the action because too many greater amberjacks were caught this year and the action is needed to protect the greater amberjack population. 

 

The greater amberjack population is currently considered overfished, which means the population size is too low, and it is undergoing overfishing which means too many fish are being harvested.

 

The latest report for 2023 Gulf of Mexico greater amberjack commercial landings indicates over 136 thousand pounds were harvested this year, which is over 35 thousand pounds more than was allowed.

 

As a result, the 2024 annual catch limit is reduced from 101,000 pounds to just under 66 thousand pounds and the annual catch target is reduced from about 94 thousand pounds to just under 59 thousand pounds.

 

The harvest reduction is effective for the 2024 commercial greater amberjack fishing season, which opens on January 1st.




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Franklin County provided over 128 pounds of peanut butter to local food banks through this year’s Peanut Butter Challenge

Franklin County provided over 128 pounds of peanut butter to local food banks through this year’s Peanut Butter Challenge.

           

Each year University of Florida/IFAS faculty from across Florida, in concert with the North Florida Peanut Producer’s Association, conduct the Peanut Butter Challenge where they collect peanut butter which is then given to food pantries across the state.

 

Collection sites are set up around the county; donation sites this year included the local libraries, schools and businesses.

 

Last year, Franklin County collected over a thousand pounds of peanut butter, mainly because of a strong effort by kids at the Franklin County School, which didn’t happen this year.

 

Statewide, the effort collected nearly 14 tons of peanut butter, Santa Rosa County was the biggest collector with nearly a ton of peanut butter.

 

Gulf County collected about 400 pounds of peanut butter, while Wakulla County collected over 1600 pounds.

 

The food donations are very useful, especially this time of year.

 

Franklin County ranks above the State average in the percent of residents experiencing food insecurity and households with an income below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.



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If you have not yet gotten a flu shot– don’t forget the immunizations are available at the local health departments, doctors’ offices and at local pharmacies

If you have not yet gotten a flu shot– don’t forget the immunizations are available at the local health departments, doctors’ offices and at local pharmacies.

 

The peak flu season runs from January to March, but some states, including Florida, are already seeing high flu rates.

 

Health professionals recommend that everyone get a flu shot every year- especially people with weakened immune systems or long-term health problems, as well as pregnant women and residents of nursing homes or other chronic care facilities.

 

Flu shots are also strongly recommended for children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years.

 

If you’d like more information about the flu vaccinations, stop by your local health department or talk to your primary care physician.

 

You can also call the health department in Apalachicola at 653 -2111 or in Port St. Joe at 227 1202. 




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Gulf Currents Digest - A recap of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Blog Posts

Navigating Fishing Regulations


Federal fishing regulations can be complicated and challenging to navigate. To make it easy, we use Fish Rules mobile apps to host both recreational and commercial fishing regulationsWe’ve also published a number of different articles to help demystify some of the more complicated aspects of our regulations to help you maximize your fishing experience and avoid breaking the law. You’re also welcome to contact us anytime if you have any questions or concerns. 


Eating Fish at Sea: A Recipe for Success


Consuming Fish Onboard

Fish harvested in Gulf of Mexico federal waters must be maintained with head and fins intact until they are landed. However, it is legal to eat some fish during your fishing trip. This article will explain how both things can be true at the same time, and give you the information you need to legally consume fish onboard your vessel...

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Photo Credit: Emily Muehlstein


Am I Using Legal Bait or Should I Switch?


Photo Credit: Emily Muehlstein

The Proper Use of Bait

There are quite a few regulations that dictate what you can and cannot use as bait while fishing in federal waters or with federally managed species. Many of the regulations aren’t directly related to guidance on the use of species as bait, but do dictate harvest or possession specifications and control how species are treated once they’re on board. The following is a list of commonly asked questions related to the proper use of bait...

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Clarifying Common Misunderstandings: Aggregate Bag Limits

Photo Credit: Gulf Council

Discovering 'Aggregates'

Federal fishing regulations aren’t always easy to figure out, especially when you start to dig deeper than size, season, and bag limits. In this series of articles, we hope to clarify some commonly misunderstood regulations and possibly even shed some light on things you didn’t know you were allowed to do. Today, we’ll focus on recreational aggregate bag limits...

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Emily Muehlstein, Public Information Officer | 888-833-1844 ext.2380 | Contact Us




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Franklin County Emergency Management Weekly Newsletter








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Friday, December 1, 2023

Living shorelines protect during hurricanes, Florida blueberries might grow off-season, and more UF/IFAS News

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For the week beginning Nov. 27, 2023

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.

Three living shorelines projects out of the Cedar Key-based UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station (NCBS) were installed after Hurricane Hermine brought a then-record storm surge to the coastal town in 2016.

Fall is not normally when you find Florida-grown blueberries at the grocery store. But that may change, thanks to University of Florida researchers.

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For the second straight year, the winner of the statewide Peanut Butter Challenge is… Santa Rosa County, with a whopping 1,970 jars for a total of 2,485 pounds collected.

As recently as five years ago, Florida citrus growers did not routinely put protective covers on their trees as part of their grove management. Now, the mesh covers at least 1 million trees on about 17,000 acres, mostly thanks to successful experimentation by a University of Florida scientist.

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Food waste is one of the drivers of climate change. People have begun their holiday grocery shopping, and as food enters the picture, why not keep food waste to a minimum. Make this holiday season the start of your composting practices and the gift that keeps on giving.

Interested in jumpstarting your holidays with a crafty exercise that doubles as a fundraiser for Broward County 4-H youth programming?

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News from around UF/IFAS

Timely blogs from across the UF/IFAS network. For more information, contact us.

Making healthy holiday swaps can help you enjoy the festive season while maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet. We have swaps you can consider!

Individuals with Type 1 diabetes have an insulin production problem. They no longer produce insulin. However, individuals with type 2 diabetes have an insulin resistance problem. They produce insulin or some insulin, but their body resists its “commands or effects.”

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Holiday travel can be both exciting and stressful. Whether you plan to fly or drive, there are some excellent tips to make it less stressful.

Best of the rest.

Alternative story formats created or supported by UF/IFAS Communications.

Tips to care for this festive winter plant, both indoors and out.

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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