All eyes were on the tropics this week as a tropical depression in the Atlantic became a storm named Fay, when wind speeds hit 39 mph.
As Fay crossed the Dominican Republic and Haiti, forecasters correctly predicted a turn to the NW and over Cuba. With no sign of weakening over land, Fay headed toward Florida’s SW coastline, maintaining 60mph winds, and leaving a wake of flooding rains as it made its first US landfall over Key West.
The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage, F.I.S.H., will hold the first ever “Mullet Invitational Fishing Contest” in Cortez, Florida.
The event will be held Friday and Saturday September 5-6, 2008. The contest will be a tribute to Ben Gullett of “Gullett’s Smoked Mullet” fame and proceeds will be to the benefit of F.I.S.H.
Low speed vehicles, golf carts
Holmes Beach has allowed limited on road use of LSV and golf carts for the last year over city streets. The limitation is at the intersection of State-controlled Manatee Ave SH64, and Gulf Drive where Department of Highways prohibits their use. Officials are in the process of finding ways to allow passage to the Publix supermarket on East Bay Drive.
Bradenton Beach will discuss the use of LSV in its meeting Thursday, July 17, 2008, for transporting people from Coquina Beach to the Bridge Street historic commercial district. Previously the city rejected extending the trolley bus service to include Bridge Street.
Holmes Beach tried to enforce the ban on fireworks for this holiday weekend. Well not all, just illegal fireworks. So what is the difference?
Florida State law allows only hand-held and ground-based sparkler fireworks. It is illegal to set off fireworks that explode or are propelled into the air.
Many fireworks are brought in illicitly from neighboring states. The result is that a lot of illegal fireworks are lit, especially for July 4th weekend.
Enforcement of the law has been lax and many people flaunt it.
Even with recent thunderstorms and measurable rainfall, watering restrictions have been extended for the 16 counties monitored by Southwest Florida Water Management District (Swiftmud).
Swiftmud said that the area received 5 inches average of rain in June, which is about two thirds normal. The current rainfall deficit is 17.2″ over the last two years of drought conditions, with below normal ground water levels.
Watering restrictions apply to all sources of public and private water supplies including wells and ponds.
