Beaches in Quincy, Braintree, Hull and Marshfield have been closed to swimming after testing showed elevated bacteria levels.

The Milton Street section of Wollaston Beach, Darcys and Newport beaches in Hull, Smiths Beach in Braintree and Green Harbor Beach in Marshfield are all over the limit recommended for swimming.

Milton Street was posted Wednesday and the others on Thursday.

Newport Avenue in Hull is four times over the limit and Smiths Beach is double. The other three are under twice the recommended maximum.

In most cases the culprit is rain that washed contamination into the water. The beaches are being retested and results are expected on Friday.

The other 60 salt-water beaches on the South Shore passed bacteria tests this week and are open for swimming.

See water quality test results for each community and for Cape Cod, the South Coast and North Shore.

For more on Quincy beaches, call 617-376-1288, or visit tpl-beaches. For more on Wollaston Beach, call 617-626-4972.

HOW BEACHES ARE TESTED

Sixy-five beaches on the South Shore are tested for intestinal bacteria found in humans and animals.

High levels indicate the possible presence of disease-causing microbes that are present in sewage but are more difficult to detect. Bacterial colonies are filtered from three ounces of water and placed on a gel infused with nutrients and chemicals designed to promote growth.

Left in an incubator, the single cells isolated on the filter grow explosively, forming colonies visible to the naked eye. After one day, the colonies are counted and if they exceed 104 colonies, the beach is closed to swimming.

If the past five samples have a mean exceeding 35 colonies, the beach must also be closed to swimming.

More:

Five South Shore beaches closed by contamination - The Patriot Ledger

As summer temps rise, Dane County is using new technology to keep beaches free from algae and harmful bacteria.

Goodland County Park is the second in the county to get the Clean Beach Corridor with a five-sided barrier swimming area where filters clean the water and pump it back in, removing algae-causing plants and E. coli.

There has been no beach closing where the $80,000 system has been used, county officials say. Lake Mendota County Park in Middleton was the first beach to get the system.

Goodland County Park beach was closed 18 times last year for problem-causing algae and bacteria.

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi including money for the Goodland County Park beach project in his 2017 budget, eager to give residents and visitors a place to go when Wisconsin summers get hot and humid.

This new Clean Beach Corridor means when a family packs up to head out to the beach, they know when they get here theyll be able to swim and have fun, Parisi said.

At beaches without filtering systems, public health officials suggest tips to swim safely. Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) monitors public beaches, pools and splash pad between Memorial Day and Labor Day for bacteria and toxic blue-green algae.

People and dogs should avoid water where algal blooms are present and can cause stomach upset, rashes and respiratory problems.

Theres also a problem with animal and human waste getting into the waterways.

Once they arrive at a beach, we advise the public to always take a look at water conditions before getting into the water, especially after a heavy waterfall. Thats when stormwater runoff containing things like goose and pet waste can cause E. coli bacteria levels to be higher, says PHMDC microbiologist Jennifer Lavender-Braun.

Problems can also pop up at public pools where Lavender-Braun says it only takes one person with diarrheal illness to contaminate a whole pool, no matter how well maintained the pool is.

Residents can stay informed about beach and lake conditions in Monona, Madison, Middleton and McFarland area by signing up for Lake-O-Grams or visiting http://www.lakeforecast.org.

The Public Health Madison and Dane County website, http://www.publichealthmdc.com also has beach closures/conditions.

View post:

Dane County commits to keeping beaches clean - hngnews.com

BBC News

Summer lifeguard patrols on 11 Northern Ireland beaches BBC News RNLI lifeguards will begin full-time summer patrolling on 11 beaches in Northern Ireland this weekend. They will be on eight beaches daily along the Causeway Coast and three in County Down. Last year, lifeguards in Northern Ireland responded to 235 ... and more »

Continued here:

Summer lifeguard patrols on 11 Northern Ireland beaches - BBC News

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WPMI)

When these vacationers planned trips to Gulf Shores, they didn't plan on an unwanted visitor named Cindy passing through. Double red flags are posted along the beach, meaning it is illegal to enter the water.

Heather Gilmore and her family came all the way from Arkansas.

"It's been an experience because we have 9 kids in one condo," said Gilmore.

She and others say they're making the best out of a soggy situation by spending time checking out local restaurants, shops and mother nature's strength. Tropical Storm Cindy was flexing her muscles Wednesday through powerful waves and wind gusts up to 40 mph.

"I've never seen anything like this. This looks so amazing," said one beach-goer.

Local 15 also ran into three sisters from Kentucky who came for relaxation and tan lines.

"It's going to be a sand blast line instead," said one of the women.

But nothing is putting a damper on their vacation. They say as long as they have each other, that's all that matters.

"We do this trip in honor of our mother and father and so our first gathering was to spread their ashes and we gather every year thereafter so we have five days off and Cindy is going to be visiting us in Gulf Shores," said one of the sisters, Nancy Kohsin-Kintigh.

Officials say they're keeping a close eye on the beaches to make sure no one gets in the water.

The rest is here:

Double flags at beaches aren't stopping vacationers from having fun ... - WPMI Local 15 News

WNCT Staff Published: June 22, 2017, 9:02 am Updated: June 22, 2017, 9:07 am

EMERALD ISLE, N.C. (WNCT) Officials have removed the red flags in place along Emerald Isle beach since Sunday.

The town said Thursday morning that beach conditions have improved and the ocean is now open for public use.

Yellow flags are now flying, which is the towns normal beach status. Yellow flags are indicative of moderate hazards and the public should continue to use caution when entering the ocean.

Lifeguards are stationed at the Eastern Ocean Regional Access, the Western Ocean Regional Access, and on 4 all-terrain vehicles patrolling the Towns 12 miles of ocean beach. Theyre on duty from 10 a.m. 5 p.m. daily and may be on duty earlier or later in the day as conditions warrant.

Due to recent and current threats, Emerald Isle has added an additional roving lifeguard to improve patrol coverage and response time.

WNCT-TV 9 On Your Side provides commenting to allow for constructive discussion on the stories we cover. In order to comment here, you acknowledge you have read and agreed to our Terms of Service. Commenters who violate these terms, including use of vulgar language or racial slurs, will be banned. Please be respectful of the opinions of others. If you see an inappropriate comment, please flag it for our moderators to review.

Read the original post:

Yellow flags now flying along Emerald Isle beaches - WNCT.com - WNCT

The Sun Herald

Baby brown pelican chicks washing up on Pass Christian, Waveland beaches The Sun Herald Tropical Storm Cindy has washed baby brown pelicans off their nests on the barrier islands and ashore in Pass Christian and Waveland. Alert people noticed the little guys on the beach and were holding them while wildlife rescue arrived on Thursday. and more »

Read more from the original source:

Baby brown pelican chicks washing up on Pass Christian, Waveland beaches - The Sun Herald

The beach in Bradley Beach (Bud McCormick)

TRENTON Advisories at 14 of fifteen ocean and bay beaches on the Jersey Shore under an advisory for higher than normal levels of bacteria have been lifted.

One beach on the list continued to test high and was closed per DEPpolicy while two were added to the list.

The likely culprit is Mondays heavy rain that picked up bacteria from geese or seagulls, resulting in testing by the state Department of Environmental Protection showing high levels of enterococci, a type of bacteria found in animal and human waste.

The beaches at Brown Ave South and York Avenue, both in Spring Lake Borough, are now under advisories.

Dan Zarrow's Shore Report

The water will be tested again on Thursday. If bacteria levels remain high, the beaches will be closed per DEPpolicy.

The earlier affected beaches:

Monmouth County:

Ocean County

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

More from New Jersey 101.5:

Subscribe to New Jersey 101.5 FM on

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UPDATE: Two Shore beaches under advisory, one closed - New Jersey 101.5 FM Radio

When you write newspaper columns each week, you hope people are reading them, or at least giving you the courtesy of a quick glance before heading off in search of todays Ask Amy letters.

And when people take the time to call or email in response to a column, thats even better. (Yes, even the people who tell me I hate you and everything you write! Luckily, that was only one woman; most of the comments are positive and thoughtful, even when they totally disagree with me.)

It wasnt a huge surprise that my June 15 column, about our local beaches, drew passionate responses.

If theres one thing people in Kenosha care about (besides where to find the best pizza), its Lake Michigan.

Every summer when I tour the beaches, the saddest sight is the beach house at Simmons Island beach, which is mostly boarded up and crumbling. Its a National Historic Landmark, built in 1934, and is in desperate need of saving.

The city does have a master plan for Simmons island that includes the beach house, which the plan (on the citys website, kenosha.org) calls the central core of the park, deserving the highest level of priority.

Amen to that.

The proposed improvements to the beach house include a concession area, a rental area for sports equipment and ADA accessible boardwalks stretching out into the sand. The overall plan, which will cost about $8 million, also includes the creation of an outdoor amphitheater.

In June of 2014, the first step of the Simmons Island overhaul the boardwalk that stretches past the water treatment plant was completed, along with the planting of native plants to help keep sand in place and help the water quality near the beach. At that time, the Kenosha News reported, A quarter of that $8 million will be spent on the Simmons Island beach house, but that work isnt slated to begin for at least a year.

Three years later, were still waiting. And hoping.

Anna Moldenhauer of Kenosha tried for three years, starting in 2007, to open a restaurant at the beach house.

She operated concessions there one summer, but the restaurant idea was ultimately thwarted by Department of Natural Resource restrictions. She would still love to see the beach house come back to life.

When the city has such a beautiful piece of lakefront property, it needs to be used, she said.

In addition to the many people who support the beach house project, we also heard from Greg Yance about my comment that the sand at Pennoyer Park Beach, 3601 Seventh Ave., could use a good grooming.

He works for the Parks Department and is the person responsible for the grooming of the beaches. I am on the beaches at 5 a.m. seven days a week. In this recent hot spell, it has been a real challenge to keep up with the people and the mess they leave behind.

He points out that I am referring to the rocks and small gravel on the beach, but beach grooming cannot help with that. Instead, the equipment is meant to aerate the sand and to pick up bottles, cans, sticks and other garbage that is left behind or washed up on shore.

Thanks for the clarification, Greg, and I do apologize if I sounded critical of our Parks Department workers. We truly appreciate all you do. (He adds that he is also a huge fan of restoring the beach houses. I grew up using them both as a youth, and hate to see the condition they have fallen into.)

Have a comment? Email Liz at esnyder@kenoshanews.com or call her at 262-656-6271.

View post:

Beaches followup: Still waiting for Simmons Island restoration - Kenosha News

A mild winter and a rainy spring dont make for a good summer swimming season, not in Madison.

Algae and unclean beaches are a perennial problem in Dane County. Last summer Goodland County Park beach closed 19 times due to unsafe swimming conditions, and many other beaches met a similar fate. The city made headlines in Chicago last weekend when a toxic algae bloom closed Union Pier, Tenney and James Madison beaches.

Unfortunately there are often a number of days every summer where different beaches close down because of some of the challenges we have with algae, says Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. We want to make sure our beaches are accessible to folks and we want to make sure people can count on them being open.

Dane County has multiple initiatives aimed at cleaning up the lakes, including a biodigester for cow manure and efforts to prevent farm runoff. But the benefits of these programs will take years to notice. In the meantime, Dane County, UW-Madison and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are experimenting to try to keep the beaches usable now.

Theyre calling it a clean beach corridor. The initiative isolates beaches with a floating plastic barrier around swimming areas, separating it from the rest of the lake. Once isolated, the water is pumped into a treatment facility housed inside a shed about 100 feet from the water for cleaning and back into the swim area at more than 80 gallons per minute. This creates a swimming area with significantly better water quality than the surrounding lake.

The county ran a pilot program at Mendota County Park beach last year. What we saw in Mendota Park in Middleton is that tons of people started using that beach, Parisi says. It was very popular.

Now the program will expand to include Warner Park beach and Goodland County Park beach, which opens this week. The City of Madison built an early, similar version of the clean beach corridor, at Bernies Beach in 2011. Since then the beach has never closed due to water conditions.

According to John Reimer, a storm water engineer with the countys Land and Water Resources Department, the treatment doesnt use any chemicals. Instead it relies on a sand filtration system to weed out the algae particles as well as a double round of UV light treatment to kill bacteria.

We have two reasons why beaches are closed. Public health tests for algae, which is more particulates stuff, and for e coli. says Reimer. This takes care of both. The filtration system is also self-cleaning, only requiring sand to be replaced at the end of the summer.

When the system identifies theres a bunch of material in there it runs a backwash. Water reverses through the system and removes all that material thats accumulated in there, and flushes it to the sanitary sewer, says Reimer, It allows it to run all by itself versus a cartridge where you take it out and replace it with a new one.

The plastic barrier runs about 75 to 100 feet out from shore, depending on the size and shape of the beach. Reimer describes it as a curtain in the water. They float on buoys at the surface of the lake and drape down to the water bed where they are anchored.

Its impermeable, says Reimer. The barrier prevents scum, algae, dead fish, or any other contaminants from coming into the beach area.

The plastic barriers are critical to the success of the clean beach system and currently only certain beaches are eligible, depending on how protected the beach is by a cove or nearby man-made surf break.

They wouldnt be designed for Lake Michigan-type environments, says Reimer. For beaches like James Madison Park, now youre getting more in the big lake environment, where youd need some offshore breakwater before they come in contact with the curtain. Weve designed them for bays and coves.

Warner Parks set-up will likely require a breakwater system such as a line of anchored buoys to help break up large waves or swells coming across Lake Mendota. The city and county hope to begin construction on the Warner Park site by spring 2018.

When we have programs like this its always dependent on the resources the city or county have, says Parisi. As funding becomes available wed like to do it as much as possible to keep more beaches open.

Each clean beach set-up costs about $80,000 to create and less than $6 a day to run from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year. According to Reimer, the system shouldnt adversely affect birds or fish.

Thats part of the process, getting a permit from the DNR to make sure everything environmentally is safe and sound, Reimer says.

The county says the filtration also removes nitrates, phosphorus and other fertilizer chemicals that run off into the lakes. But Parisi insists the clean beach program is not a replacement for other clean lake initiatives.

This in no way takes the place of our cleanup efforts, our efforts to reduce phosphorus in our lakes which is the main cause of the challenges we have, says Parisi, In the medium and long term we expect those efforts to pay off with cleaner lakes in general. But until then we want to make sure our lakes are accessible to as many people as possible so they can enjoy summer and not worry about beach closures.

More:

Beach cleaning - Isthmus

High tides were a big problem on North Padre Island beaches. Portions of the Bob Hall Pier parking lot were under water Wednesday. The water was reaching the dunes on the beach making many beach roads unusable.

Out on Beach Access Road 5, the water was reaching up to the end of the road. Beach operations staffers highly urge folks not to drive on conditions like that.

Beach visitor, Nathanial Ochoa, tried to drive on the beach anyway. Unfortunately, things didn't work out the way he thought they would. His truck got stuck.

Ochoa' struck has 4-wheel drive. It's supposed to be able to handle beach driving conditions. But every time the water came in, things just got worse.

"This tide just pulled it under. As soon as it pulled on, I tried reversing it and it just sunk. I put it in 4-wheel drive. Had someone else try to tow me out. It just sunk more," said Ochoa.

Ochoa called a wrecker to pull him out. He expected it was going to cost him about $400.

There are also offshore hazards. Red flags are up all across area beaches. They warn people of strong rip currents and dangerous swimming conditions. Right now, the suggestion is to stay out of the water altogether.

See the original post:

High tides hit Coastal beaches - KRISTV.com | Continuous News Coverage | Corpus Christi - KRIS Corpus Christi News

Thomas Becnel Staff Writer @thomasbecnel

My beach tour of Manasota Key came a week too late.

The south bridge to the island was closed for repairs for about 10 days, which made the key even more remote and charming, but now everything's back to normal at places like Englewood Beach.

Which is still pretty darned good.

I ran into Denis Matsukevich, a skimboarder from North Port. He's a beach connoisseur, like so many of us on the Gulf Coast.

"I like the variety," he said. "There's good surf here and at the North Jetty in Nokomis. Caspersen's all right. If you have people from out of town, you know, you take 'em to Siesta Beach.I'm probably at Sharky's in Venice more than any other beach. Just watching the sunset and there's always something to do."

After that take, Matsukevich asked me to take his phone and shoot a Snapchat video of him skimming along the beach. No problem. When it comes to summer beach reporting, this column works the beat.

Manasota shark teeth

My Saturday tour began at Manasota Beach, which is near the north end of the key.

This shore looks laid back, with a single lifeguard tower tucked into the sea grapes, but it has hard-core fans.

Freda and Christopher Pattillo of Shreveport, La., have traveled the Gulf Coast from Galveston, Texas, to Sanibel Island. Their favorite place to stay is the island of Venice. Their favorite beach is at the north end of Manasota Key.

"This is where we find the most shark teeth," Freda said.

Her husband sifted for fossilized teeth with a little screen they bought at a Venice market. Their three kids snorkeled and splashed around in the shallow water.

It's a 16-hour drive from Shreveport to Venice, but the family has made it the last four years in a row.

"All of our friends think we're crazy," Freda said, "but we don't care."

Middle or Blind Pass?

Manasota Key is a lot like Casey Key, with a winding canopy road, but it's not quite as rich.

Fewer mansions. More beach access.

Halfway down the key is Blind Pass Park, which lots of locals know as Middle Beach. For years, it was a remote party spot for local teens. It's still a quiet stretch of sand.

"It feels like a private beach, said Jeff Wagner of Englewood, "but it's not."

He prefers a thin shore and potholed parking lot to some of the more celebrated beaches on the Gulf Coast.

"I don't like the sand on Siesta," Wagner said. "It feels weird. It feels fake."

View original post here:

Play! Manasota Key beaches offer 'variety' - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

New Jersey's health department has issued a warning after finding bacteria normally found in human and animal wastes in the waters of these 15 beaches. (Published Wednesday, June 21, 2017)

Health officials are warning people not to swim at 15 beaches in New Jersey.

The state's Department of Health assesses water quality at about 180 ocean and 35 bay monitoring locations along the coast each week. They look for the presence of Enterocci, a type of bacteria found in human and animal waste that could indicate contamination of bathing waters.

The department issued advisories for 15 spots warning swimmers the water could be unhealthy. The beaches are not closed, but the advisories are issued out of an abundance of caution. The following places are affected (click here for the latest guidance from state health officials):

Top 10 Beaches in the US for 2017 Revealed

MONMOUTH COUNTY

Asbury Park City

Beach (Ocean): 7th Ave

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Beach (Ocean): 3rd

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Avon-by-the-sea Borough

Beach (Ocean): Sylvania

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Bradley Beach Borough

Beach (Ocean): Ocean Park

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Deal Borough

Beach (Ocean): Philips Ave

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Highlands Borough

Beach (Bay): Highlands Rec Center

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Beach (Bay): Miller Beach

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Long Branch City

Beach (Ocean): Atlantic Ave

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Beach (Ocean): North Bath

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Neptune Township

Beach (Ocean): Spray Ave.

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Sea Girt Borough

Beach (Ocean): Beacon Blvd

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Spring Lake Borough

Beach (Ocean): Essex Ave

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Beach (Ocean): Washington

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

OCEAN COUNTY

Brick Township

Beach (River): Windward Beach

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Toms River Township

Beach (Bay): Shelter Cove

Reason: Sample exceeded water quality standard.

Published at 9:56 AM EDT on Jun 21, 2017 | Updated at 2:38 PM EDT on Jun 21, 2017

Read this article:

Warning: You May Not Want to Swim at These 15 Beaches in New Jersey - NBC New York

HAMBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) Sunshine and crowds at beaches like Woodlawn Beach State Park are a sure sign of summer in Western New York.

I come here all the time. I come on the weekends, I come after work, said Karen Marker of West Seneca.

Woodlawn has been open for the season since the weekend before Memorial Day.

Theres fewer people, just handfuls. Its usually packed, its mobbed, said Marker.

Our numbers are low. Weve had a number of days that are rainy, windy, and due to those factors sometimes the water is closed or sometimes its just not a nice day to go to the beach, said Martin Denecke, Town of Hamburg Director of Youth, Recreation & Senior Services.

Martin Denecke says since the season started, the beach has been closed for swimming at least 50% of the time. He says the wet spring we had is mostly to blame.

The creeks that run in to the lake are flowing faster, some of the creeks are polluted so those pollutants get into the water and that affects the quality of the water, said Denecke.

Denecke says the water is tested on a regular basis, and scientists use a model to determine whether the water quality is safe or not. Today on the first day of summer, it was closed.

Theres a good couple groups of people you have to turn away from the water every day that its closed, said Owen Casey, Lifeguard.

Very unusual that weve been closed this many times but again due to the wind, rain, and other factors thats been the case, said Denecke.

But that doesnt stop some people from coming to the beach.

This is my third time out to the beach, always the same spot. The water has not been open for swimming but thats okay, said Maria Almasi of Orchard Park.

Denecke says Hamburg Town Beach has also been closed as much as Woodlawn has.

The closings have also impacted revenue. Admission costs $7 per car and though the numbers are down now, they hope to make that up in the next two and a half months.

For information about beaches closing, go to:

http://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=beach-info

https://ny.water.usgs.gov/maps/nowcast/

Read the rest here:

Lake Erie beaches closed for swimming more often due to wet spring - wivb.com

Photo Daniel Riley Credit Fred Woodward

FLY ME By Daniel Riley 392 pp. Little, Brown & Company. $27.

At first, the pace of Fly Me, Daniel Rileys debut novel, is as laid back as its setting, the LAX-adjacent beach town of Sela del Mar. Its 1972. We tour Sela atop the skateboard of Suzy Whitman, a recent transplant from upstate New York, one of the Vassar girls that last class to miss the liberation parade of a coed Yale. Suzy has shrugged off her academic promise to join her older, less brainy sister Grace as a stew for Grand Pacific Airlines.

Danger glimmers here and there as Suzy bombs toward the beach on her board, scoping out the tan, gently debauched Fourth of July scene, the toasted girls alight with their gumminess, the boys with their counterhandsome peeling noses and white eyelashes. She zips across an avenue on her skateboard, barrels through with a quick prayer to the intersection. The intoxicating view of Sela del Mar and the sea beyond threatens to bleach her judgment. At a beach volleyball tournament, keg buried in the sand nearby, Suzy meets Billy Zar, a local fixture with a surfers torso, swimmers shoulders the color of the grilled hot dogs on the Weber who rocks a leafy-green JanSport nice and bulky. But despite these portentous accessories, the most dramatic event in the first 50 pages of Fly Me occurs when Graces husband, Mike, a Columbia grad and wannabe novelist who cant seem to get on the West Coast wavelength, takes a borrowed beach cruiser on a beer run and crashes, gashing his leg, offstage.

Eventually, Suzy finds herself tangled up in Billys drug-smuggling operation and Riley is off to the races. Suzy raced cars as a kid, and her need for speed guides this plot through its otherwise improbable turns. Racing provides Riley an extended metaphor to explore and explicate Suzys thoughts on true freedom of choice, a gearheads feminist awakening. This metaphor threatens to become overdetermined she wants to be in the drivers seat, you dig? but scenes of Suzy racing or flying are written with undeniable zest. Riley skillfully fuels Suzys desire for self-determination with the indignities heaped upon her and her fellow stews weigh-ins, height requirements, makeup checks. Stewardesses are required to be single, so Grace and Mike have two phone lines installed, one for the airline and one for everyone else a historical detail that might have had more narrative consequence.

Theres a familiar bicoastal rivalry in these pages. Held against New York, Rileys California is a dumb pretty, a physical space with its back turned on the news, balmy and happening but also a provincial, apolitical la-la land where no one reads except Mike, who at his lowest moment quotes Gravitys Rainbow. While the regional binary feels familiar, Riley has a stylish grasp of setting as the axis of place and time, writing about the era with captivating authority, palpable texture and a sure-footed knack for rebuilding a moment out of its pop detritus. Enthusiasts of 70s music and literature will tumble into delightful pockets of nostalgia.

Celebrity cameos in fiction are often too winky for my taste, but they are striking and darkly resonant in Fly Me. A Manson Family member s house is the newest Sela landmark, disciples of Jim Jones proselytize on the glittering beach and the perfectly preened stews must perform their corporate femininity even during a hijacking. Ultimately, Rileys vividly realized setting and Suzys firecracker spirit collide in a surprising whiplash climax.

What do we do when we run out of continent? Fly Me hazards an answer to Joan Didions predicament: We take to the skies.

Claire Vaye Watkins is the author of a story collection, Battleborn, and a novel, Gold Fame Citrus.

A version of this review appears in print on June 25, 2017, on Page BR11 of the Sunday Book Review with the headline: Coast to Coast.

More here:

Skaters, Beaches and a Drug-Smuggling Stewardess in a Novel of the '70s - New York Times

June 20, 2017 6:48 PM

SEASIDE PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) Handicapped access is available at beaches up and down the Jersey Shore, but some special needs parents point out that it does not quite get you far enough.

As CBS2s Meg Baker reported, a push has been launched to change that.

Most New Jerseyans agree that the place to be in the summer is on the beach. But for some, it is not as easy breezy as it could be.

The thing for us we just want our kids to be able to do what every child does together, said Erica Cirillo.

Most towns down the shore have beaches that provide for those with disabilities, but some say most ramps stop short and leave people in the hottest part of the sand. Such a ramp is found in Seaside Park.

I think its a necessity, said Danielle Dapuzzo. We do not want to sit up by the dunes where its 100 degrees. Serafina loves water wind in her face.

For anybody thats got wheelchairs, walkers or kids that just cant walk with balance, theyre stuck here, said Robin Grayer. They cant go to up to the ocean over there and get to enjoy what we get to.

Jessica Krill, a mother of two special needs children who are mobile, has made it her mission to improve handicap access.

Id like to see mats that can go down closer to the water and actually can branch off like a T, so families dont all congregate at the end of the mat, she said.

A 20-foot beach mat costs about $2,000, and more than one is needed to reach the water.

Krill has started a fundraiser to raise awareness and money and it is not just for special needs children.

Even me, said Carol Natoli, who walks with a cane.

Natoli would like to cool off in the ocean.

It would be nice, like at Coney Island, they have a thing right from boardwalk right down to the water, where anybody with a baby carriage because like, I cant do sand! she said.

The moms said they are not reinventing the wheel with their Beach Days for All effort, just helping to keep the wheels spinning toward fun in the sun for everyone.

Some towns do offer special beach wheelchairs, and most offer lifeguard assistance.

See the rest here:

Seaside Park Moms Push For Better Handicapped Access At Beaches - CBS New York

The first brutal heat wave of the season owns just about all of Southern California, with heat advisories and warnings blanketing the region, save for the coastline.

Temperatures soared into triple digits across inland valleys and surpassed 120 in the lower desert.

In notoriously hot Death Valley National Park, the mercury was expected to hit 126.

In Long Beach, meanwhile, the temperature topped out at a comfortable 81 degrees.

Gonzalo Medina, chief of marine safety for the Long Beach Fire Department, said the citys seven miles of beaches have been packed this week.

Our lifeguards have been busy. And they have been making rescues, Medina said. This is what they live for. Youre not going to hear many lifeguards complain about a heat wave.

And the timing was near perfect. Medina said the city began staffing every tower on the waterfront with its 150 lifeguards last Saturday.

All along the coast, Tuesday was just another sunny day to go for a run at the beach or take a walk in the South Bay, where many residents dont have air conditioning.

The temperature in El Segundo, just south of Los Angeles International Airport, was a mere 69 degrees at 1:30 p.m.

El Segundo real estate agent Bill Ruane said he pulled over on Grand Avenue to send a text message and watched people walking in shorts and sun hats.

Its very breezy and very cool, he said. Ive had AC at my house for the last 11 years and probably can count 10 times Ive turned it on. That was probably to make sure it worked.

For many Southern Californians, however, there wasnt anything fun or exciting about the heat. And they scrambled to find ways to beat it.

Some flocked to beaches and pools. Others bounced between air-conditioned cars and buildings. Still others drove to dozens of cooling centers that agencies have opened across the region.

Fontana, for example, saw a sharp surge in the number of people seeking respite at the citys five cooling centers, said Martha Guzman-Hurtado, a city spokeswoman.

In Riverside, Danny Anguiano, a 29-year-old engineer, said air conditioning, pure and simple, is how he copes.

Headed for his car, Anguiano said he bounces from his air-conditioned home to his air-conditioned compact to his air-conditioned office. And when its time for fun, he makes a point of going to an air-conditioned restaurant or an air-conditioned movie theater.

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Its got to be cool, he said.

UC Riverside microbiology student Fabian Gonzalez cant do that. Hes taking summer school. And he walks to class.

So Gonzalez wears a T-shirt and shorts, and lugs around a 32-ounce sports drink.

Thats the most comfortable way of surviving the heat, he said.

Some people embrace the heat. Thats exactly what 49-year-old Myra Sorenson of Riverside and her children, along with a family friend, were doing Tuesday afternoon at Riversides University Village.

They gathered outside, though in the shade, to eat warm doughnuts with ice cream in the middle.

You roll with it, Sorenson said. You enjoy life. You deal with things as they come.

Sure, people complain about the heat.

But I find that some people complain no matter what, she said.

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Beaches offer relief from heat wave scorching inland valleys - Long Beach Press Telegram

U.S. Notes | Marine Wildlife

Daksha Rangan Digital Reporter

Tuesday, June 20, 2017, 11:42 - Abnormally hot sand on Florida beaches is heating up sea turtle nests, and biologists expect the problem to worsen.

During the warmest months of the year, female sea turtles come ashore and lay their eggs in little pits along the beach, nesting them until they hatch. But recently, abnormally hot sand has been overheating the nests, literally cooking the developing embryos before they hatch.

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"In some places the nests are getting so hot that theres no survival," marine biologist Kristin Mazzarellatold Washington, D.C.-based non-profit Oceana.

"The eggs don't hatch."

RELATED VIDEO: Sea turtles show why Canada's coast is so important

"Were seeing more dead eggs," sea turtle biologist Jeanette Wyneken, a marine biologist in Boca Raton, Fla., told Oceana. "And when we do get turtles hatching, theyre often heat stressed. They may hatch and crawl to the water, but then die."

The unusually hot sand only adds to the list of human-made tribulations that baby sea turtles encounter, including poachers, plastic, and fishing gear.

SUMMER IS HERE: With El Nio helping shape global patterns what will Americans expect from summer? Find out with The Weather Networks 2017 Summer Forecast | FORECAST & MAPS HERE

Sea turtle nests once thrived in Boca Raton. Wyneken told Oceana that between 78 and 81 per cent of loggerhead, green, and leatherback sea turtle eggs once hatched along its shores in the past.

Record high temperatures, however, destroyed nests over the past two years. Only 58 per cent of eggs hatched in 2015, Wyneken said a number that dwindled to just 38 per cent in 2016.

RELATED VIDEO: Sea turtle rescued from Florida Keys resident's pool, captured on camera. Watch below.

A recent study in the journal Nature Climate Change finds this pattern will place in in Costa Rica, too.

The study predicts that the eastern Pacific's severely endangered leatherback populations will decline by 7 per cent every decade, with 75 per cent of the population expected to disappear by 2100.

The biggest threat that leading to this decline is overheated nests.

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Scorching hot US beaches are frying baby sea turtles alive - The Weather Network

GULF SHORES, Alabama (WKRG) Monday afternoon waves were crashing at four to six feet but continued to build as the storm moved closer to landfall. While other storms have produced waves much larger, the danger remains the same, a strong west running current, an extremely high risk of rip currents.

Beach patrols continue to monitor conditions and make sure everyone stays out of the surf. If you dont, you could go to jail.

The water may be closed but the beaches are not and there are plenty of folks coming to check out the wave action like Ann Little who has only lived in Foley for a couple of years and has never seen a churned up Gulf of Mexico. I mean it is so peaceful. I know its a storm but its so peaceful at the same time and we love it.

Jeff Shoecraft couldnt stay away. Enjoy it, take the view of it. Embrace it because you may not never ever see it again in your life.

The surf is expected to continue to build overnight with high tide hitting mid-morning.

Read more here:

Gulf Waters Remain Closed Along Baldwin County Beaches - WKRG

JUPITER, Fla. - Closing the beaches due to high bacteria levels. It's happening a lot lately and you can blame the weather for that.

About two weeks ago, Palm Beach County's health department shut down four beaches in Palm Beach County: Jupiter Beach Park, Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and Phil Foster Park.

All of the heavy rain across the area over the last month is washing bacteria through our waterways.

But moms we talked to in Jupiter fear there's not enough testing and enforcement at one of the county's most popular swimming spots.

For the past several weeks, Kate Pittard has dealt with a bad infection on her baby son's arm.

"It ended up being some rare skin infection that you get from dirty soil that's under water," she said. "He wasn't outside digging in our yard. He definitely got it from here."

While she doesn't know for sure, she believes the water at Dubois Park in Jupiter is the culprit.

"He can't do anything but sit. So he was just splashing, picking up the sand," she said. "And the next day, he woke up with this bubble on his forearm."

After seeing a community Facebook group post on 'Moms of Jupiter,' she realized she wasn't alone. Dozens of other mothers in the area complained of similar issues ranging from rashes to ear and skin infections after visiting the park.

"They can test the water more...they can start charging per car to come in. They have ways of stopping the populations from getting too much because it clearly is. They have sand bags holding up the dunes," said Pittard.

The PBC Health Department said the recent rains are to blame for the issues that arise at Dubois Park.

"Usually it flushes itself very well with tidal flushing coming off the inlet. It's got a good flow. But when we have these heavy rains, because it's a little more inland and closed in, it has a tendency to capture a lot of the bacteria," said Tim O'Connor, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Health for Palm Beach County.

Currently, the department says all the beaches are safe, from Boca Raton to Jupiter. Boca Raton beaches had received poor results from water testing and were closed for a couple of days last week, but the beaches are now open.

O'Connor said analysts must collect samples from at least 18 inches of water and at least three feet into the waterway.

"And then they turn that into the lab for testing for enterococci -- which is a bacteria that primarily comes from the intestines of warm blooded animals," he said.

But they only test every other Monday, partly due to efficiency.

"We used to do it weekly, but the data showed us that it's just as effective to do twice a month," he said. "95 percent of the time, our beaches test in the good range."

He added testing on Monday, following usually busy weekends, is a good indicator of bacteria levels. It takes the health department 24 hours to get water sample results. If the levels are high, the beach is closed -- but lifeguards continue testing the water every day until the water comes back normal. Beach closures usually last about two days.

There are also other factors like watercraft and sewage spills that can contribute to unexpected bacteria levels at area beaches. Those instances are rare.

"A ship for example, has emptied its bilge...and then that gets carried in and we'll run into it that way," said O'Connor.

The changing tides can also affect the color of the water. On Tuesday, Dubois Park's water looked dark brown, a stark contrast to the deeper blue color.

"When it's going to low tide, it pulls along this trough here and goes back out to the ocean. And that's why we have a little bit of brown tint because it's coming from deeper in the Intracoastal and back in a lake here," said Hannah Forrest, a lifeguard at Dubois Park for Palm Beach County. "It's coming from deeper Intracoastal where the water is brackish water."

But Pittard says until stricter testing is done, she's staying clear from the water at Dubois Park.

"Put a limit on how many people are here. They have to test it more.," she said. "It's a beautiful area. I just wish it was better taken care of. You can't ever trust when it's safe or not. You can take your chances like I did and your kid ends up getting sick."

The health department posts the latest data on bacteria levels at every beach in the county. Click here to see the data.

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Heavy rains to blame for high bacteria at local beaches - wptv.com - WPTV.com

There are five popular Florida beaches on the East Coast within 75 minutes of Orlando and several more Florida Beaches on the Gulf Coast that are worth the drive.

1. Cocoa Beach, driving time: about 1 hour, 5 minutes. Read the guide.

2. Daytona Beach, driving time: about 1 hour, 7 minutes. Read the guide.

3. New Smyrna Beach, driving time: about 1 hour, 8 minutes. Read the guide.

4. Canaveral National Seashore, driving time: about 1 hour, 9 minutes. Read the guide.

5:Flagler Beach , driving time: about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Read the guide

BONUS: Melbourne Beach , driving time: about 1 hour, 24 minutes. Read the guide

BONUS: Sebastian Inlet , driving time: about 1 hour, 46 minutes. Read the guide

WEST COAST

For those interested in the Gulf Coast beaches from Orlando, here are popular choices within 2 1/2 hours drive.

1. Treasure Island (Near St. Petersburg) driving time: 1 hour 57 minutes. Read the guide

2. Clearwater Beach (Near Tampa ) driving time: 1 hour, 59 minutes. Read the guide

3. Fort De Soto Park (Near St. Petersburg) driving time: 2 hours, 3 minutes. Read the guide

4. Caladesi Island State Park (Near Tampa ) driving time: 2 hours, 7 minutes. Read the guide

5. Anna Maria Island (Near Bradenton) driving time: 2 hours, 17 minutes. Read the guide

6. Siesta Key (Near Sarasota) driving time: 2 hours, 20 minutes. Read the guide

7. Longboat Key, Lido Key and St. Armands Key (Near Sarasota) driving time: 2 hours, 21 minutes. Read the guide

MORE BEACHES

Click here to view other popular destination beaches in our Florida Beach Guide. and for those interested in taking a dip in Florida's other popular watery destination, check out our Florida Springs Guide.

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5 closest beaches to Orlando - Orlando Sentinel