Saturday, July 7, 2018

Maddie & Tae will headline this year's Seafood Festival

The Florida Seafood Festival has announced its headliner for this year’s festival.

Country Stars Maddie & Tae will perform some of their biggest hits at the festival this year including their #1 hit “Girl In A Country Song” for which they also won the  CMA Video of the Year.

The pair also swept the 2016 Radio Disney Music Awards, winning both Favorite Country Artist and Favorite Country Song for the song “Fly.” 

They also had hits with “Shut Up and Fish", and "Sierra".

Maddie & Tae will play the seafood festival main stage on Saturday, November the 3rd.


And as always there will a number of other local and regional bands playing at the festival this year – you can stay updated on Seafood festival news on-line at www.Floridaseafoodfestival.com.


http://live.oysterradio.com/

Friday, July 6, 2018

County commissioners have signed the federal grant that help fund our local emergency management office

County commissioners have signed the federal grant that help fund our local emergency management office.

On Tuesday the board approved a Federal Emergency Management Performance Grant of just over 53 thousand dollars to help fund the Emergency Management Office.

Emergency Management Coordinator Tress Dameron said the money helps pay their salaries as well as other necessary functions.


The Emergency Management Office is Franklin County’s central response and information command during emergencies including hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires. 


http://live.oysterradio.com/

Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce E-Newsletter for July 6th




http://live.oysterradio.com/

FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report June 15, 2018 through June 21, 2018

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.)
FWC
FWC logo and law enforcement badge 
Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report
June 15, 2018 through June 21, 2018

This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week;
however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.

Patrol, Protect, Preserve


NORTHWEST REGION

CASES

BAY COUNTY

Reserve Officer Cooper was conducting resource inspections of vessels returning from fishing in St. Andrews Bay prior to the beginning of the recreational red snapper season. During an inspection of one vessel, he found the vessel’s occupants to be in possession of undersized red snapper and undersized scamp. The captain of the vessel was issued a citation for possession of red snapper during closed season and warnings for undersized red snapper and undersized scamp.

Officer McMillion was contacted by Lt. Wass de Czege, who was off duty, about individuals at the Mexico Beach Canal that were in possession of gray triggerfish during the closed season. Officer McMillion located the individuals in possession of seven gray triggerfish during the closure. The captain of the vessel was issued a citation for the violation.

Officer McMillion was conducting resource inspections at the Mexico Beach Canal boat ramp when he saw a vessel with several individuals on board returning from a day of fishing. While he was conducting a resource inspection of the vessel the occupants stated that they had caught snapper and grouper. During the inspection, Officer McMillion located the snapper and grouper along with bags of ice. Once he moved the bags of ice, he located a gray triggerfish. The captain was issued a citation for possession of gray triggerfish during closed season.

Officer Basford was conducting resource inspections at the Mexico Beach Canal boat ramp when he saw a vessel with five people on board returning from fishing. He conducted a resource inspection of the vessel and found the individuals to be in possession of 14 red snapper; four fish over what they could legally possess. The captain of the vessel took responsibility for the violation and was issued a citation for over the bag limit of red snapper.

Officers Brady, Rice, Alsobrooks and Scott conducted an off-shore patrol in federal waters of the Madison-Swanson. The Madison-Swanson is closed to reef fishing. During their patrol, the officers located several vessels that were actively bottom fishing. The captain of each vessel was issued a federal citation for harvesting reef fish in the closed area. Additionally, during the inspections of the vessels, one vessel was found to be in possession of gray triggerfish. The captain of this vessel was also issued a citation for possession of gray triggerfish during closed season.

Reserve Officer Cooper was conducting resource inspections of vessels returning from fishing in St. Andrews Bay. During an inspection of one vessel, he located a bag containing two fish fillets. The fillets were determined to be from a gag grouper, possibly undersized. The captain of the vessel was issued a citation for failure to land reef fish in whole condition.

Officer Palmer was conducting resource inspections at St. Andrews State Park boat ramp of vessels returning from fishing. During a resource inspection of one vessel, he found the occupants to be in possession of an undersized gag grouper and an undersized red snapper. The captain of the vessel was issued a citation for possession of undersized gag grouper and a warning for possession of undersized red snapper.

Officer Basford and Reserve Officer Cooper responded to a single vessel boating accident in Upper Grand Lagoon on Panama City Beach. During the investigation, the officers noticed that the vessel operator was showing signs of impairment. The operator was put through standardized field sobriety tasks and placed under arrest for BUI. Once back at the Panama City Beach Field Office, the operator provided breath samples of .235 and .239 and was booked into the Bay County Jail for BUI.

Officer Basford and Reserve Officer Cooper conducted a resource inspection of a commercial charter vessel in Grand Lagoon. During the inspection they found five people on board: the captain of the vessel, a deck hand and three paying customers. While inspecting the catch, the officers found two whole gray triggerfish, four gray triggerfish fillets and seven red snapper. One of the red snapper was found to be undersized and with three paying customers they could only possess six red snapper. The captain of the vessel was issued citations for possession of gray triggerfish during closed season and possession of undersized red snapper. He was also issued warnings for failure to land gray triggerfish in whole condition and over the bag limit of red snapper.

CALHOUN COUNTY

Officers Hayes and Baber saw a vessel operating on the Apalachicola River at night without displaying navigational lights. When the vessel came to shore, the officers conducted a boating safety inspection. During the inspection, the officers noticed the operator’s speech was slurred and they smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage. Officer Hayes administered field sobriety tasks on the operator. Based on the results, the operator was placed under arrest for BUI. He refused to provide a breath sample.

Officer Baber was contacted by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department regarding a call they received from a boater on the Apalachicola River. The caller stated they believed they saw a suspect breaking into a houseboat moored on the river. Officer Baber responded by water and located a suspect on top of one of the houseboats matching the description provided by the caller. He determined the suspect had not broken into the houseboat but was camping on top of it. The suspect was in possession of a .22 caliber rifle and a records check showed that he was a convicted felon. The suspect was cited for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and trespassing.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officers Allgood and Manning conducted offshore saltwater fisheries patrol and issued several notice to appear citations for federal and state violations. The charges include undersized red snapper, undersized gag grouper, possession of trigger fish during a closed season and possession of stone crabs during a closed season.

Officer Allgood performed a fisheries inspection on an individual fishing quota (IFQ) vessel as it returned to the dock in Pensacola to offload their catch. One of the subjects on board had a warrant for driving while his license was suspended. Officer Allgood arrested and transported the subject to the Escambia County Jail.

FEDERAL WATERS

More than 20 officers participated in targeted enforcement of reef fish violations in Gulf waters south of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. Multiple vessels from FWC’s Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) program in conjunction with aviation support checked nearly 300 subjects in state and federal waters. The enforcement effort resulted in 17 federal citations, three state citations and 19 resource warnings. Charges included undersized red snapper, undersized cobia, undersized greater amberjack, possession of gray triggerfish during closed season, undersized vermillion snapper and other reef fish species, along with charter fishing without a federal reef fish permit.

JACKSON COUNTY

Officer Burkhead saw a car stopped in the middle of the road and noticed the brake lights were on but the car never moved. He approached the driver’s window and saw the driver slumped over the steering wheel with the car in drive while the driver’s foot was on the brake. He woke the driver and put the car in park. The driver showed signs of impairment. Officer Burkhead administered field sobriety tasks on the driver and arrested him for DUI. He refused to provide a breath sample.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Investigator Molnar and Officer Corbin conducted a vessel stop at Crab Island on a personal watercraft (PWC) for a passenger not wearing a PDF. While speaking with the operator, he was showing multiple signs of impairment and the officers detected an odor of cannabis coming from the PWC. The operator admitted to consuming alcohol throughout the day and smoking cannabis about 30 minutes prior to the vessel stop. A search of the PWC revealed approximately five grams of unburnt cannabis. The operator agreed to perform field sobriety tasks. After the tasks, Investigator Molnar arrested the operator for BUI. The operator provided a breath sample of .018 and .020 blood alcohol content which was not consistent with the observations of the officers. The officers requested the operator to submit to a urine sample since drug impairment was suspected and the operator refused. He was booked into the Okaloosa County Jail for BUI with normal faculties impaired and possession of cannabis less than 20 grams. Officer Corbin issued a notice to appear citation to the passenger aboard for possession of cannabis less than 20 grams.

Officers Pifer and Long were on water patrol when they stopped a vessel in violation of the idle speed/no wake zone around Crab Island. The operator did not have identification on board and provided the officers with a name and date of birth. FWC dispatch advised they could not find a record of the individual with the information provided. The subject then provided a different middle initial and date of birth. Dispatch again advised that they could not find a record of the individual. The subject was given a final opportunity to provide his true information. He did and it was determined the subject had active warrants for his arrest in Alabama. The subject was placed under arrest and booked into the Okaloosa County Jail without incident.

Officer Corbin was on patrol when he recognized a subject operating a vehicle who had a suspended driver’s license. He confirmed the license was still suspended and conducted a traffic stop. The subject was asked to roll down his rear windows due to the dark tint and he complied. The officer then looked through the back window and saw a handgun laying on the floorboard underneath the driver’s seat. The handgun was removed and secured in the patrol vehicle. The serial number for the handgun was run through FWC dispatch, who advised the handgun was reported stolen. The subject and passenger were detained and gave consent for the vehicle to be searched. During the search, two vape pens containing THC oil and a partially smoked cannabis cigarette were located. Post Miranda, the subject admitted to knowing the handgun was stolen. Officer Corbin arrested the subject and charged him with dealing in stolen property, possession of a controlled substance, possession of cannabis less than 20 grams, and knowingly driving with a suspended license.

Officer Corbin was on patrol conducting resource inspections late at night when he saw a vessel with four subjects on board returning to the boat ramp. A resource inspection was conducted and a total of five redfish were located on the vessel, four of which were undersized. After interviewing everyone onboard, the subjects who caught the redfish were issued notice to appear citations for possession of over the bag limit and possession of undersized redfish.

Officers Corbin and Pifer were on patrol when Officer Corbin saw a derelict sailboat dragging anchor in the channel near a bridge. The officers tied off to the vessel and saw two dogs inside the vessel without food or water. The vessel was hip-towed to a nearby public dock and an attempt was made to locate the owner of the vessel. Animal control was notified and the owner of the vessel was located shortly thereafter. The owner did not have a title to the vessel but did claim ownership of it. The vessel did not have a means of propulsion, any working electrical or bilge, and was barnacle laden. Officer Corbin issued the owner of the vessel a notice to appear citation for derelict vessel stored on state waters and a uniform boating citation for interference with navigation.

Officer Corbin and Investigator Molar were on water patrol at Crab Island when they saw a vessel in violation of the idle speed/no wake zone. A vessel stop was conducted and the operator exhibited signs of impairment. After conducting field sobriety tasks, Officer Corbin placed the subject under arrest for BUI. The operator was cited for operating a vessel while normal faculties impaired and violation of the idle speed/no wake zone. The subject was also assessed a civil penalty for refusing to provide a breath sample.

Officers Bartlett and Pifer were on water patrol at Crab Island when they stopped a vessel for violation of the idle speed/no wake zone. While speaking with the operator of the vessel, signs of impairment were observed and the individual was asked to perform field sobriety tasks. Upon conclusion the operator was placed under arrest for BUI. The subject provided a breath sample of 0.164 and 0.153 blood alcohol content. He was booked into the Okaloosa County Jail and cited for operating a vessel with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher and issued a boating infraction for violation of the idle speed/no wake zone.

Officers Pifer and Bartlett responded to a report of a boating accident with injuries that occurred near the East Jetties in Destin. When the officers arrived on scene they determined that two personal watercraft rented from a nearby livery collided. An occupant on one of the personal watercraft suffered a leg injury and was transported to a local hospital. A follow up at the hospital with the injured party revealed they had suffered a broken leg due to the accident. After conducting the accident investigation, Officer Pifer issued the operator of the striking vessel a citation for violation of navigation rules resulting in an accident.

Several complaints over the past few months have been received regarding human waste being deposited in state waters at a marina. Officer Wilkenson organized a targeted enforcement detail in response to the complaints. The detail focused on inspecting vessels at the marina and ensuring the vessel owners followed marina sanitation laws. The officers working the detail inspected seven vessels and contacted 15 individuals. Two citations and five written warnings were issued for various violations. The officers also educated the marina owners on marine sanitation requirements so they can inform individuals renting wet slips of the regulations to prevent future violations.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Ramos was conducting patrol in a designated shorebird nesting site in Navarre where a colony of black skimmers were nesting. Black skimmers are a species of special concern and one of several imperiled shorebird species in the area. He saw the birds become visibly disturbed and flushed from their hatchlings when a subject ducked under the ropes and entered the closed area. Although the area was roped off and posted with multiple signs, the subject ignored the barricades and went down to the seawall where she began to fish. She was issued a notice to appear citation for the violation.

FWC’s dispatch received a Wildlife Alert complaint that various waste materials were disposed of in the Yellow River Wildlife Management Area. The complaint included the license plate for the vehicle and trailer involved. Officer Ramos and Environmental Investigator Hughes located a pile of waste debris on the south side of the management area. Using the tag number in the complaint they located the suspect. During an interview with the suspect he admitted to disposing of the waste materials. Investigator Hughes issued the defendant a criminal citation for disposing of solid waste at a non-permitted location.


http://live.oysterradio.com/

Recently ended sea turtle lighting program was very successful

A four year program to help beachfront homeowners retrofit their homes with sea turtle friendly lighting recently ended and administrators say the program did a lot for our nesting turtles and their hatchlings.

The federal grant provided about about 65 thousand dollars a year to hire a part-time code enforcement officer to visit homes and businesses near nesting beaches and offer assistance in bringing their outdoor lighting into compliance with county sea turtle lighting rules

The grant ended last month and administrator Erik Lovestrand said it was very effective.

Overall, 136 homeowners on St. George Island pledged to switch to sea turtle safe lights and 117 properties actually went through with it.

That was an 86 percent success rate which was higher than the grant required.

The program also provided nearly 1,500 amber LED bulbs and 950 shielded lights to
replace the older lighting on many of the homes.

The bulbs are not only sea turtle friendly, they will also outlast traditional halogen or incandescent bulbs by 28 times and burn much less electricity.

Franklin County is still taking part in a a multi-county program to help retrofit lighting on beachfront property within 1,000 feet of existing conservation lands to expand the dark-sky area along important sea turtle nesting beaches.


That program will end in December.


http://live.oysterradio.com/

Get involved with the 2018 Lionfish challenge

 The 2018 Lionfish Challenge is going on now and there is still time to get involved and help rid Florida if this invasive species.

Lionfish are a nonnative, invasive species that threaten Florida’s native saltwater fish and wildlife.

They were introduced into Florida waters in the late 1980s but their population has boomed in recent years – and that is causing real problems for native species in Florida waters.

The Lionfish challenge rewards divers and fishermen with prizes for removing as many lionfish as they can.

This year’s Challenge will runs through September the 3rd.

It includes a tagged-lionfish component where fishermen who catch an FWC-tagged lionfish can win up to $5,000.

Participants can also win non-cash prizes like GoPro cameras, tumblers, puncture-resistant gloves customized towels and more.

One local fisherman has already made the winner's list – Grayson Sheperd of Apalachicola won 1000 dollars on June the 18th as part of the event.


If you would like to learn more about the 2018 Lionfish Challenge or to sign up - go online to MyFWC.com/Lionfish. 


http://live.oysterradio.com/

FRANKLIN COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY PET OF THE WEEK



JAMIE is a super sweet, happy, pretty little lady with beautiful manners. She is social, knows how to sit and walks well on a leash. She is a nice medium size, heartworm negative and will be spayed soon. If you have been waiting for a smart, easy to train dog to add to your family, you'll want to meet our Jamie!

We are always looking for people willing to bring one of our
animals into their home to be fostered for various needs. Any time you can spare would be greatly appreciated.

Call Karen at 670-8417 for more details or visit the Franklin County Humane Society at 244 State Road 65 in Eastpoint. You may logon to the website at www.forgottenpets.org to see more of our adoptable pets.



http://live.oysterradio.com/

The Franklin County road department is starting the process of building a new office at the road camp on Highway 65

The Franklin County road department is starting the process of building a new office at the road camp on Highway 65.

Public works director Howard Nabors said the office the department currently uses was originally built as a house about 80 years ago and the department really needs to replace it.

They have put out bids but don't yet have a clear picture of how much the new office will cost to build, though they estimate around 200 thousand dollars.

Nabors said he thinks the project can be done without increasing the road department budget as the department could pay for the construction over a number of years using money set aside to pay for new equipment.

That fund gets about 48 thousand dollars a year.


County commissioner Noah Lockley said to make sure the building is large enough to house not only the road department but also mosquito control which currently operates out of an old 12 by 12 building at the road camp.


http://live.oysterradio.com/

Thursday, July 5, 2018

Audubon Society to install educational kiosk signs at various boat ramps around Franklin County

 The Franklin County Commission has agreed to allow the Audubon Society to install educational kiosk signs at various boat ramps around the area to alert boaters to our nesting shorebirds.

The Audubon Society will now work with the county Parks department to decide which boat ramps would be good locations for the signs.

A variety of protected birds are currently nesting on Franklin County’s beaches and other sites, including terns, black skimmers, snowy plovers and Wilson’s plovers. 

Most of these species nest in the open and lay well-camouflaged eggs directly on the sand, making them nearly invisible to predators and to the untrained human eye. 

Just approaching a bird is enough to flush birds away from their nest. 
When birds are forced to fly off their eggs, it exposes the chicks to predators and to the impacts of the Sun.

Many beach nesting areas are marked to keep people away.

In Franklin County many birds also nest on the old St. George Island bridge causeway, and on the island near the big hump of the Apalachicola bridge.


Those area are only accessible by boat and are off limits to humans through August.


http://live.oysterradio.com/

New decals support Florida’s manatees, sea turtles

New decals support Florida’s manatees, sea turtles
manatee decalsea turtle decal
Caption: These waterproof decals help fund manatee and sea turtle conservation efforts. 
Florida’s waters and beaches are not only popular with people, but are also key habitats for manatees and sea turtles. More of these iconic species live here than in any other state. The manatee and sea turtle decals, created by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), are a fun way for people to support the research, rescue and management efforts that conserve these species.
Every July, the FWC introduces new manatee and sea turtle decals that are available with a $5 donation. The waterproof decals are designed to look good on a vehicle’s bumper or the side of a boat. Get them when registering or re-registering a vehicle or boat at local tax collector’s offices across the state.
“Florida provides critical habitats for manatees and sea turtles,” said Carol Knox, who leads the FWC’s Imperiled Species Management Section. “Public support is making a difference in helping us conserve these imperiled species. Please get these decals to show your support.”
Over 6,000 manatees swim in the state’s coastal waters, rivers and freshwater springs, and about 20,000 sea turtles nest each year on Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coast beaches. The decals help fund manatee and sea turtle conservation efforts. For example, when someone calls the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) to report an injured, entangled or sick manatee or sea turtle, FWC staff works with partners to respond and rescue the animal.
The decals also spotlight important conservation issues:
  • The “I’m making a difference” manatee decal shows several manatees, including a mother and calf. The back of the decal notes that the manatee is now classified as a threatened species, rather than an endangered species, under the federal Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced this change in early 2017, a signal that efforts to conserve the state’s marine mammal are succeeding.
  • The “Shield your lights for a sea turtle friendly night” sea turtle decal shows an adult female loggerhead on the beach against a background of darkened buildings. The back of the decal reports nearly 97,000 loggerhead nests were counted during the 2017 sea turtle nesting season. It reminds people to manage beachfront lights to protect nesting and hatchling sea turtles during nesting season, which continues through the end of October, and offers other tips on helping sea turtles.
Learn more about how to help conserve manatees and sea turtles at MyFWC.com/Manateeand MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle, where you also can click on “Decals” to order new or past editions of decals. Go to BuyaPlate.com to purchase a “Save the Manatee” or “Helping Sea Turtles Survive” license plate that also supports those species.


http://live.oysterradio.com/

Tallahassee Crews to Deploy to Eastpoint this weekend


July 05, 2018
City of Tallahassee crews will deploy to Franklin County to assist with recovery needs following the devastating fire that burned more than 950 acres in the neighboring community of Eastpoint on Sunday, June 24.
Crew members from the City’s Underground Utilities and Public Infrastructure will depart on Monday, July 9, bringing with them dump trucks, excavators and other equipment and supplies to assist with debris clean-up of the 36 homes that were destroyed during the fire.
Tallahassee is a community that cares,” Mayor Andrew Gillum said. “Our residents immediately began collecting donations and delivering supplies to our neighbors in Eastpoint and the City of Tallahassee offered a lending hand with recovery efforts. I am extremely proud of our crews for dedicating their time and energy to helping those in need, and of our entire city for lending a hand when it was needed most.”
In addition, crews will bring with them food, clothing and other items that have been donated by City employees.

For the latest City news, events and information, follow @COTNews on Facebook and Twitter.


http://live.oysterradio.com/

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

1 of 35 Don't forget to download the Gulf Red Snapper app before fishing this Fourth of July

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.)
Fourth of July week is a great time to be out on the water fishing for red snapper in Gulf state and federal waters, but before you go, make sure you’ve downloaded the iAngler Gulf Red Snapper app for private anglers or the iAngler Gulf Red Snapper Charter app if you are a charter operation. These new smartphone apps were designed specifically for voluntary reporting of red snapper catch information and is available via your phone’s app store.iAngler Gulf Red Snapper app

Remember, the season is open through July 20 for private recreational anglers, and you are required to have Gulf Reef Fish Angler on your license. You can get this printed on a license at no cost atGoOutdoorsFlorida.com or by visiting any location you can purchase a license.

For-hire operations that do not have a federal reef fish permit can also participate in this season but are limited to fishing for red snapper in state waters only and must have State Gulf Reef Fish Charter on their license.

The federal season for for-hire operations with federal reef fish permits is open through July 21, closing July 22.

To learn more about the 40-day recreational red snapper season in Gulf state and federal waters, including season size and bag limits, visit MyFWC.com/Snappers.

Federal fishery managers are expected to announce an Atlantic red snapper season for federal waters soon. Learn more at sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.



http://live.oysterradio.com/

Florida DEP permit activity for Wakulla County

DEP Logo
Florida Department of
Environmental Protection

Bob Martinez Center
2600 Blair Stone Road
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400
Rick Scott
Governor

Carlos Lopez-Cantera
Lt. Governor

Noah Valenstein
Secretary


Permitting Application Subscription Service


Subscriber email address: manager@oysterradio.com

  Profile Name: Oyster Radio

Permit: Water - ERP Noticed General Permit
Project Name: MCIVER FLOORING STORE
Location Id: 366226
Location Name: McIver Flooring Store
County: Wakulla
Application Number: 366226-001

For further information, please contact the Northwest District permitting office in Pensacola at (850) 595-8300



http://live.oysterradio.com/

It is now easier than ever to keep up with activities and news from the Franklin County school district

It is now easier than ever to keep up with activities and news from the Franklin County school district.

The School district has just released a new mobile app for smartphones and tablets Called Franklin County SD.

The app provides the latest news and information from the Franklin County School District including an updated feed of district news and events with photos and links to the district’s website as well as all social media posts.

Notifications can also include breaking news, updates about school closures, calendar changes, attendance alerts or even sports updates. 

Log-in credentials will be disbursed during Open House to allow parents to customize notifications they wish to receive. 

The school district said the app is designed to get parents more involved.

School superintendent Traci Moses said “Research has shown that students are more successful when parents and community members are actively engaged in their academic and extracurricular activities.”


Again the app is called Franklin County SD – and you can download it today at GooglePlay or at the Apple app store.


http://live.oysterradio.com/

Agenda for July 5th Carrabelle City Commission meeting

Carrabelle City Commission Meeting
Thursday
July 5, 2018
6:00 p.m. – sharp
Carrabelle City Complex
850-697-3618




http://live.oysterradio.com/

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Franklin County Commissioners Tuesday approved an emergency ordinance to help victims of the Eastpoint wildfire start rebuilding their lives

Franklin County Commissioners Tuesday approved an emergency ordinance to help victims of the Eastpoint wildfire get into temporary homes.

The wildfire tore through a residential area of Eastpoint on June the 24th destroying 36 homes and severely damaging 5 more.

Officials are still unsure exactly how many people were impacted by the fire – Duke Energy said 40 accounts were affected while the Red Cross said 279 people sought assistance after the fire.

The difficulty is that while 40 homes were damaged or destroyed there were also a number of other building, campers and sheds that had people living in them and they don't count toward the official damage total.

On Tuesday the county commission approved an emergency ordinance to start getting people into temporary housing until a permanent solution is found.

The ordinance allows the county to waive the fees for dumping demolition and construction debris from the affected area at the landfill.

That will make it easier to clear the affected lots.

A number of contractors have agreed to come in to clear the affected lots at no charge to the property owners – that work should begin by the beginning of next week.

It also waives the fees for development and building permits for the affected area so that the county can start moving temporary trailers and connecting them to power poles.

The county is working with the Capital Area Action Agency to procure FEMA trailers that were used in Monroe County during last year's storm season.

Under that agreement the Capital area action agency will buy 24 or 26 trailers to place on the affected lots to start getting people back in homes.

The county is also loosening the rules so that more than one trailer can be put on a residential lot if needed.

They realize there will not be enough trailers for everyone affected, but said this is a first step toward giving people some sense of normalcy.

The hope is that they can start transitioning people to permanent homes within 6 months – though it could take much longer than that.

The emergency ordinance will be in effect for two years.





http://live.oysterradio.com/