Aerial Photos Of Wash-overs On Chatham’s Barrier Beaches! – CapeCod.com News

These aerial photos show heavy surf hitting and washing over numerous sections of Chathams barrier beaches. Well see what changes develop in the weeks and months to come.

As a child, spending summers in North Truro, I thought Cape Cod began at the Wellfleet Drive-In and ended at Provincetown. As a photographer, I now know that all the Cape towns leading to the canal have their own unique beauty and charm.

Roughly 30 years ago, I had the good fortune to work with the legendary photographer Dick Kelsey and as owner of Kelsey-Kennard have specialized in aerial photography as well as landscape/scenic, portraits, weddings, and photographing events on the Cape, the Islands, and beyond.

Photographs from our Gallery in Chatham are displayed in homes and businesses locally and world-wide.

Besides photography I also enjoy boating/ fishing (fish are usually very safe when Im out there,) gardening and tennis. Cape Cod is a very special place and I look forward to sharing my images with you as I travel about.

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Aerial Photos Of Wash-overs On Chatham's Barrier Beaches! - CapeCod.com News

‘Poisonous Parsnips’ Are Washing Up on Beaches in Scotland … – Atlas Obscura

On Monday, the North Ayrshire Council, which represents some 136,000 people in southwest Scotland, issued a warning on their website: beware, they said, of poisonous parsnips at the local beaches.

The plants in question, known as Hemlock water dropworts, are not actually parsnips, they just look like parsnips. Theyve been spotted on beaches in Ayrshire, on the Scottish coast, around 25 miles from Glasgow.

The council is especially urging pet owners and parents to be vigilant. If consumed, the plants can be deadly for animals, while just touching them can produce severe burns for humans.

The Hemlock water dropwortcan often be found in shallow waters and is most toxic during late winter and early spring time, notes the Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team (Search and Rescueits what we do) on Facebook.

The plantshave been known to be poisonous for decades now, if not millennia. In fact, theymight have been responsible for what Homer called the risus sardonicus, or thesardonic grin,a bizarre distortion of ones face. In ancient Sardinia, the plant was fed to older residents who couldno longer care for themselves, Scientific American reported in 2009, thus giving them agrin before they wereceremonially killed.

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'Poisonous Parsnips' Are Washing Up on Beaches in Scotland ... - Atlas Obscura

Ketchikan testing local beaches for PSP toxins – Alaska Public Radio Network

(Photo: seator.org)

Last summer, Ketchikan Indian Community (KIC) began a phytoplankton and shellfish monitoring program in Ketchikan as part of the Southeast Alaska Tribal Toxins Program. KIC tests samples, and informs the public if dangerous levels of the toxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning arefound in local clams and mussels.

Listen now

Nicole Forbes is the environmental specialist at KIC in charge of collecting samples. She said its important for people to understand what paralytic shellfish poisoning is and how it is transmitted.

Basically there are tiny, microscopic plants in the ocean called phytoplankton, Forbes said. Most of them are not harmful. In fact, they produce 50 percent of our oxygen. But there are a few harmful species and one of those is Alexandrium and it produces something called saxitoxin. When the shellfish filter-feed, it gets collected in the shellfish, and when people eat it, thats what causes paralytic shellfish poisoning.

PSP toxins cannot be cooked or cleaned out of shellfish, and freezing does not destroy the toxin. Consumption of the toxin can cause paralysis and death. Commercial shellfish is tested and considered safe. The Tribal Toxins Program targets recreational beaches.

Forbes said KIC is testing samples at popular beaches in the Ketchikan area so people will know if clams, mussels, and cockles are safe to harvest. Currently, testing is being done at Settlers Cove and Whipple Creek. Forbes said they plan to add Seaport Beach in Saxman soon. She said the program is in the beginning stages and they are working to identify other sample sites.

Were trying to figure out where most people harvest, so that we can get those results, Fores said. The thing is, you have to get results for each beach. Because you could go two or three miles down and its going to be completely different down there.

Forbes said there are three steps to the collection process which starts with weekly phytoplankton samples.

Which involves me going out there with a phytoplankton net and wading in the water, and grabbing a sample, Forbes said. I bring that back to our local lab, and I put it under the microscope and look for those harmful phytoplankton species that I was talking about. If I see one, thats the first warning sign that we need to get a shellfish sample out as soon as possible, because its possible that saxitoxin is in the shellfish.

Forbes said suspect samples are sent to the Sitka Tribe of Alaskas lab in Sitka. She said the turnaround time for testing is fairly quick.

I send it out on Tuesday, gets there Wednesday, I get results Thursday or Friday, Forbes said.

Forbes said the third step of the process is filtration which involves taking a water sample, filtering it, and then sending the filter to the lab, where phytoplankton species and quantities are identified, along with concentration of toxins.

Tony Gallegos, the cultural and natural resources director for KIC, saidAlexandrium may be present, but not necessarily producing toxins.

The scientific literature hasnt come to clear conclusion on how you know whether theyre going to produce the toxins or not, what triggers that, Gallegos said. Thats still unclear. We can see the algae, but we need to actually do an analysis of those algae to see if they actually have toxins in them.

Forbes said phytoplankton arent as active in the winter because it is cold and dark, but she said no time of the year is safe to harvest without testing. She said they found high levels of toxins in butter clams at Whipple Creek this winter.

Actually butter clams hold onto the toxins longer, and then during the winter the shellfish slow down their filter feeding, so they can actually hold on to those toxins for the whole winter, Forbes said.

Forbes said she collects samples every two weeks, weather permitting, and if samples test positive, they are retested weekly. Results for all Southeast beaches being tested are posted in the data section of the Southeast Alaska Tribal Association Research website http://www.seator.org. Information is also sent to local media.

KIC is interested in identifying other local sites for sampling. If you have suggestions, you can contact Nicole Forbes at KIC. Forbes email is nforbes@kictribe.org. The phone number is 228-9365.

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Ketchikan testing local beaches for PSP toxins - Alaska Public Radio Network

Organic rice cakes are washing up on Cornwall’s beaches and posing a threat to wildlife – Cornwall Live

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Organic rice cakes are causing havoc for wildlife in Cornwall after a container ship lost 32 pallets of the plastic wrapped snacks.

A small container ship lost four large containers off the coast of Cornwall. One of the containers, which had rice cakes inside, broke, causing hundreds of them to wash up along the north coast.

The rice cakes are all individually wrapped in plastic which is causing concern among conservationists as to the adverse effects the latest pollution could have on wildlife.

Read more: Eden Project includes apprentices in long term future

Local group Surfers Against Sewage has already had a meeting with marine surveyors and now local residents are being called on to join the efforts to clean-up the worst hit beaches.

A Surfers Against Sewage spokesperson said: "A small container ship was hit by bad weather and four containers fell overboard. One contained Ikea furniture, one had power tools, one was filled with cases of wine and one was filled with 32 pallets of rice cakes. That container broke up and the rice cakes started washing ashore almost straight away.

"They have been washing up along the coast from Holywell Bay to Perranporth, with Perranporth being the worst hit beach."

Read more: Bomb squad heading to suspicious device on Maenporth beach near Falmouth - LIVE

The rice cakes belonged to Irish company Bunalun Organics who issued a statement apologising for the incident.

The company also arranged for a surveyor to visit the beach to organise the clean-up.

A spokesperson for Surfers Against Sewage added: "We have met with marine surveyors and we are now coordinating a clean-up, working with Clean Cornwall and Cornish Plastic Pollution Coalition.

"We had reps out over the weekend to start the clear-up. The problem is that each rice cake is individually wrapped in plastic wrappers, which is a big worry. The recent storms are breaking these wrappers up as well which is making it much worse for the wildlife.

"We will be organising volunteer beach cleans and these will be advertised on our website as soon as we have the dates."

Read more: Penzance man left mesmerized and privileged after incredible west Cornwall beach discovery

Kieran Dunne managing director of Bunalun Organics said: "As Managing Director of 'Bunalun Organic' I would like to express how sorry we are for the recent land spill on the beach at Perranporth.

"As an organic company we believe in promoting a healthy environment and in the 19 years we have been in business we have been very fortunate not to encounter an accident of this nature. As you may or may not be aware, one of our containers of 'Bunalun Organic' rice cakes was lost at sea on Friday, due to bad weather conditions, thankfully no persons were injured in the storm and the vessel arrived safetly home.

"We were made aware yesterday morning by the local people in Perranport that our products had washed up on to their beach. I would like to convey my thanks to each and every one of the persons involved in helping to commence with the clean-up and to thank them for responding so quickly.

"We are glad to inform you that a surveyor will be on the scene today and will arrange with the local authorities for a further clean up, to ensure the beach is restored to its former glory. As a company based in Co Kerry in Ireland, we are also surrounded by some beautiful beaches and we are aware of the importance of promoting a safe and environmental place for local people and visitors.

"We are confident that this was a rare incident and all measures will be put in place to try and avoid anything of this nature from happening again. We hope to learn from this situation and that all our shipments become smarter and safer in the future."

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Organic rice cakes are washing up on Cornwall's beaches and posing a threat to wildlife - Cornwall Live

Brunswick to take part in Peaches to Beaches Yard Sale next month – The News (subscription)

In response to overwhelming support of Brunswicks participation in the Peaches to the Beaches Yard Sale this year, the citys Downtown Development Authority voted in favor of participating in the event this year.

A lot had to do with my new position with the DDA, said Harvest Hale program manager with the Downtown Development Authority. I had the time to find out if it was something we could do. We surveyed the community and over 200 people participated in the survey. There was huge interest, so we decided to bring it back.

The DDA Board agreed Feb. 10, to participate in Peaches to the Beaches and is now running full swing trying to spread the word ahead of the March 10-11 event.

Its been five years since the last time Glynn County was an official participant in the massive yard sale stretching from Perry to Brunswick and put on by Golden Isles Parkway Association.

We eventually gave it off to other people to work with it, and they eventually stopped participating, Hale said of why Brunswick has not been involved recently.

Extending along U.S. Highway 341, Peaches to the Beaches is a large community-wide yard sale event with a wide variety of vendors and concessions in every town along the way. Locally, it will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., March 10-11 at Mary Ross Waterfront Park alongside the Elvis Festival.

The earliest set up time for vendors is 6 a.m. that Friday (March 10).

According to Hale, The Downtown Development Authority can only ensure vendor applications until March 3 but can accept them until noon the day before.

The success of this years event will likely determine future participation, Hale said.

I think wed want to continue to participate, she said. It depends on how successful we are and the communitys opinion.

In addition to the endless possibilities of what youll find along the roughly 170-mile sale, Hale said in her opinion, the draw of the yard sale, is that people like to have a good time.

Its very Georgia-focused, and it brings a certain level of love for your town, she added.

According to Hale, the DDA can accept only cash or check to rent space. The basic fee for space is $30, a yard sign is $30 and banners are $190. Availability of yard signs and banners is limited.

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Brunswick to take part in Peaches to Beaches Yard Sale next month - The News (subscription)

East Hampton Considers Annual Renewals For Beach Permits For First Time – 27east.com

By Michael Wright

East Hampton Town officials are weighing whether the town should require owners of four-wheel-drive vehicles to get new permits for driving on the ocean beaches each year, as a means of getting a handle on how many vehicles may actually be using local beaches in a given year.

The proposal, which will be the subject of a public hearing next month, does not call for any new fees to be attached to the beach driving stickers, only that they be renewed each year.

Nonetheless, some members of the East Hampton Town Trustees have questioned the move and whether it is necessary or advisable.

"I would like to get some information from our enforcement officers, how many violations are they encountering out there?" Trustee Diane McNally asked other Trustees on Monday night. "Why is this coming up now?"

For decades the town has allowed town residents to get a free sticker for the bumper of their 4x4 that gives them the right to ride the beaches for as long as they own the vehicle. In 2000 the town changed the color of the stickers from blue to red, though the old stickers were not invalidated and there was no requirement that a vehicle owner get a new one.

During last year's trial of a lawsuit brought against the town by homeowners in Amagansett over the use of the popular "Truck Beach" area of Napeague by 4x4s, one of the claims that the property owners made in support of their argument that vehicle use had reached unreasonable levels was that there are more than 30,000 vehicles with 4x4 permits in the town. Officials brushed off the statistic in court by noting that certainly most of those vehicles were no longer in existence or the stickers long ago faded away.

Most of the Trustees, seemingly, understood the Town Board's reasoning for making the permits annual.

"They want to understand how many are actually in play here," said Trustee Keith Grimes, who also noted that when a vehicle with a town sticker is sold, someone who is not a town resident could be getting free access to town beaches.

Ms. McNally worried, however, that re-issuing the stickers to everyone entitled to one each year might give new weight to the opponents of beach driving by putting a fine point on the actual number.

"If we start from square one, what is going to be the magical number when the anti-vehicle people say you've issued too many?" she asked, also hinting that the annual re-issuing would eventually lead to fees to help cover the costs of renewals and new stickers each year.

Trustee Tyler Armstrong noted that residents get new dump stickers each year, with very high fees attached, and that getting the beach sticker should be of little inconvenience.

The board relented to Ms. McNally's doubts, agreeing to inquire with the town Marine Patrol about their experiences with permit violations before weighing in on the proposal officially.

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East Hampton Considers Annual Renewals For Beach Permits For First Time - 27east.com

Mexico Beach ‘Leave No Trace’ referendum Feb. 21 – The News Herald

A year-long initiative from a group of Mexico Beach citizens is nearing its destination.

MEXICO BEACH A year-long initiative from a group of Mexico Beach citizens is nearing its destination.

The city of Mexico Beach will hold a special referendum Feb. 21, during which citizens will vote on a resolution that would become an ordinance on Leave No Trace right away if the measure passes.

After seeing a worsening situation of personal items being left on the beach over the past few years, a citizens group decided enough was enough and went door-to-door collecting signatures.

We went around and got over 300 signatures, which was more than enough for a ballet initiative, said Mary Lee Raulerson, the spokesperson for the group.

According to Raulerson, the ballot is just the latest step in curbing a problem.

The last couple years we tried Keep It Neat, and that just didnt work, she said. People were leaving things on the beach all night long. Some people were leaving things there for weeks at a time. Tents, chairs, flotation devices; all these things that the wind can blow into the water, if it gets bad, or back up into the dunes.

The beach was just a mess, and the last two summers it has just gotten worse.

If the referendum is approved, Mexico Beach would be following other local communities that have passed a Leave No Trace ordinance in the recent years. Panama City Beach passed an ordinance in 2012, and Gulf County passed one in 2015.

The proposed ordinance would prohibit any obstruction or personal property being left on the beach between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Raulerson isnt just worried about the appearance of the beach, though.

Its not just for the looks of the beach either its for our turtles, she said. The turtle patrol is behind this 100 percent. They go down every morning and see the turtle tracks.

They have gone down and seen where the turtles have gotten up to this stuff that is left and they just turn around and go back and they dont nest. Or they get tangled in it.

Raulerson wants the tourism industry to thrive in Mexico Beach and sees the proposed ordinance as a tool to achieve continued tourism activity in Mexico Beach.

It is real important to keep the beaches in good condition, in pristine condition, because that is what draws people here, she said.

Voting will take place at the Mexico Beach Civic Center between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT. No early voting will be allowed. Mexico Beach registered voters can request absentee ballots at bayvotes.org.

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Mexico Beach 'Leave No Trace' referendum Feb. 21 - The News Herald

Isis ‘recruiting Spanish fighters to attack beaches in Spain’ – Metro

People sunbathing in Benidorm, Spain (Picture: Getty)

Isis has reportedly made direct threats to attack beaches in Spain.

A report from the Spanish government is said to set out concerns that the terror group has started a campaign to hire translators, prompting concerns that the purpose is to attract Spanish fighters.

There has apparently been an increase in pro-Isis social media posts in Spanish, and of propaganda videos with Spanish subtitles.

The claims were reported in the Expressand expat paper the Olive Press, and have since been covered widely in the UK media.

According to the Express, the government document says: ISIS has been publishing in Spanish, which means an increase in the risk of its influence on radicals living in our country.

It said that the drive to hire Spanish translators suggests a growing interest in attracting Spanish-speaking foreign fighters.

The report is said to warn of directthreats issued to Spain over social media, over the countrys role in a global coalition targeting Isis in Iraq and Syria.

Metro has not been able to verify the document.

Isis claimed a 2015 massacre on a beach in Sousse, Tunisia, where 38 mainly British holidaymakers were gunned down by a man with aKalashnikov hidden in a parasol.

Another attack on tourists came on the promenade of Nice in the south of France in July last year, when 84 people were killed by a truck deliberately driven into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day.

There are fears that the group could try for a repeat this summer.

The FCO has not changed its advice on travelling to Spain: There is a general threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. The Spanish authorities take measures to protect visitors, but you should be vigilant and follow the instructions of the local authorities.

In 2015, Spanish police disrupted a number of groups suspected of recruiting individuals to travel to Syria and Iraq. Some of them expressed an intention to carry out attacks in Europe. Several further police operations have taken place in 2016. Spanish authorities believe that a number of Spanish nationals have successfully travelled to Syria and Iraq.

There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time.

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Isis 'recruiting Spanish fighters to attack beaches in Spain' - Metro

Rare pics show Hawaii locals carrying surfboards along pristine beaches 120 years ago in one of earliest EVER … – The Sun

The retro snaps were captured by Manchester-born photographer Herbert Smith

FASCINATING images taken 120-years-ago show native surfers in Hawaii carrying their boards along a sandy beach have been unearthed.

They provide a snapshot into life on the tropical paradise island and include intimate images of the native population.

Bonhams/BNPS

Bonhams/BNPS

Bonhams/BNPS

The photographs were taken by Herbert Smith, a draper from Manchester, who was living in Hawaii in the 1890s and have remained in the family since then.

But they have now decided to put the collection, which includes letters documenting his travels, up for auction and it is tipped to sell for 2,500.

Included in the collection are photographs of natives cutting up a turtle, Japanese and Portuguese female plantation labourers hard at work, a railway truck loaded with sugar cane and children eating sugar cane.

A picture of a family gathering outside a traditional home which shows four generations of Hawaiians, a Hilo-Chinese kindergarten school and girls fishing for small-fry also feature.

The stunning scenery is on display in many of the photographs with Hawaii famed for its beaches and volcanoes.

In one image you can see surf riders with their boards in Hilo Bay, while another shows an old Hawaiian fisherman with a throw net.

Surfing is believed to have been invented in the Polynesian islands in the 18th century.

Lieutenant James King was the first person to write about the art of surfing on Hawaii when he was completing the journals of Captain James Cook upon Cooks death in 1779.

When journalist Mark Twain visited Hawaii in 1866 he wrote: In one place we came upon a large company of naked natives, of both sexes and all ages, amusing themselves with the national pastime of surf-bathing.

Bonhams/BNPS

Bonhams/BNPS

Bonhams/BNPS

However, at the time these photographs were taken, surfing had yet to properly spread to the rest of the world. This would not occur until the 20th century.

As well as taking photographs, Smith documented his day-to-day experiences on the island in a series of letters to his family which also form part of the collection.

He sailed from Liverpool to the nearby island of Honolulu in 1893 and spent a year in Hawaii, birthplace of former US president Barack Obama.

Luke Batterham, book specialist at Bonhams who are auctioning off the photographs, said: These are quite nice early photographs which are particularly interesting because Hawaii was not as well visited at that time as some other places.

Bonhams/BNPS

Bonhams/BNPS

Bonhams/BNPS

Its nice that we have the story of Herbert Smith and its interesting to see the juxtaposition between modern and old Hawaii in the photographs.

The highlight is a really good surfing picture showing early surfers at Hilo Bay, a famous surf spot to this day.

Hawaii in the 1890s experienced a turbulent time with the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani in a coup dtat in 1893.

The island was annexed by the USA in 1898 and in 1959 became the 50th state to join the superpower.

In 1993, the US Congress passed a joint Apology Resolution regarding the overthrow which was signed by President Bill Clinton acknowledging that the United States had annexed Hawaii unlawfully.

The 62 strong photograph album is being sold on March 1.

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Rare pics show Hawaii locals carrying surfboards along pristine beaches 120 years ago in one of earliest EVER ... - The Sun

High bacteria levels at majority of local beaches – KEYT

High bacteria levels at majority of...

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - WARNING: High bacteria levels found at 15 Santa Barbara County beaches.

The Santa Barbara County Health Department is asking the public to please stay at least 50 yards away from creek mouths and storm drains at these area beaches: Arroyo Burro Beach, Butterfly Beach, Carpinteria State Beach, East Beach @ Mission Creek, East Beach @ Sycamore Creek, El Capitan State Beach, Gaviota State Beach, Goleta Beach, Guadalupe Dunes, Hammonds, Hope Ranch Beach, Leadbetter Beach, Refugio Beach, Sands Beach @ Coal Oil Plant, and Summerland Beach.

Jalama Beach is open.

In Ventura County the mass majority of beaches also have a warning, for not meeting state requirements and having a high level of bacteria. For details on Ventura County beaches bacteria levels, go to the Environmental Health Department's webpage.

The precautionary warnings are issued during significant storms. When rainfall is significant enough to result in runoff flow into storm drains, channels, creeks, and rivers that empty onto the beach of Ventura County. In general, 0.2 inches of rainfall may be enough to create significant runoff conditions.

The Ventura County Environmental Health Division says storm water runoff has the potential to carry disease causing bacteria to the beaches and into the ocean water. Contact with this runoff water will result in an increased risk to human health and should be avoided for at least 72 hours after all rainfall activity has ended. If contact occurs wash thoroughly with soap and water.

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High bacteria levels at majority of local beaches - KEYT

Ice-free Lake Erie takes toll on fishing, beaches – GoErie.com

With ice on less than 6 percent of Lake Erie, there will be consequences on local beaches, sports and weather.

Lake Erie is mostly open water this winter.

Ice covered just 5.6 percent of the lake surface and 12.5 percent of all of the Great Lakes Friday, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.And higher-than-normal temperatures this weekend will have chipped away at that.

There are and will be consequences.

Ice concentrations significantly below the 1973-2014 winter average of 52.4 percent have all but eliminated ice fishing this winter, will affect the weather through early spring and will increase erosion at Presque Isle State Park.

"With the warmer winters we've had the last two years, we're going to have more erosion and are going to have to do a lot more to make the beaches usable in certain sections of the park," Presque Isle State Park Operations Manager Matt Greene said.

Lake ice, and ice dunes, help protect the beaches and beach habitats. With no dunes and only surface ice close to the shore this winter, that ice, rather than protecting the beaches, can scour away areas where it's pushed by waves and wind, Greene said.

Areas of the park from Beach 6 to the Presque Isle Lighthouse are hardest hit by erosion because of prevailing winds from the west and northwest, and park officials are seeing that this winter, Greene said.

Wind and wave-buffeted Mill Road beaches "don't exist right now," he said. "We've moved all of the picnic tables back, and lost a few there."

Park officials added sand at Beach 8 and Mill Road this past fall to supplement a smaller-than-normal 2016 replacement project. The park put down between half and two-thirds the sand it normally does because of a lack of federal funding.

"If we hadn't done that in the fall, the (shoreline) would be into the road right now," Greene said.

Open waters have also taken a toll on ice fishing. The sport isdependent on ice that is thick enough to walk on, and there hasn't been a lot of that this season.

"There were a couple of days in January when the experienced guys who really know how to check the ice were out. But there hasn't been anything like a whole city of huts out there," said Laura Daniels, owner of Presque Isle Angler Bait and Tackle, on lower State Street on Erie's bayfront.

Daniels' business this winter has slowed accordingly.

"I always tell people that when you have a business like ours, it's like being a farmer, it's that dependent on the weather," Daniels said. "Some years with ice fishing we're so busy we can't even stand ourselves. Other years, like this, we have to sit back and look for alternative measures to unload our ice fishing stock and we have plenty in clearance sales or on the internet.There's got to be ice somewhere, in Minnesota maybe."

The winter of 2013-14 was the best for ice fishing in recent years, with consistently low temperatures, thick ice and a long season to drop lines for bluegill and crappie. Fishermen estimated that the ice on Misery Bay that winter was 2 feet thick.

Temperatures have not been consistently low this winter; thehigh Jan. 21 reached 65 degrees. Monthly temperature averages also have been above normal, according to the National Weather Service, resulting in mostly ice-free waters.

And with the lakes largely free of ice, lake-effect snow could be possible through early spring.Lake-effect snow occurs when cold air draws warmth and moisture from lake waters, forming clouds and heavy snow.

"It's more common in November and December and even into early January," said Karen Clark, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Cleveland. "But with little ice coverage on the lake, the potential for lake-effect snow is still there, especially at your end of the lake. East of the (Sandusky area) islands, the lake is largely ice-free."

Still, snow happens, and there will be more winters with more consistently low temperatures and ice.

"There are always going to be peaks and valleys," Presque Isle's Greene said.

Valerie Myers can be reached at 878-1913 or by email. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNmyers.

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Ice-free Lake Erie takes toll on fishing, beaches - GoErie.com

Main drag to Atlantic beaches getting widened – Gainesville Sun

Cindy Swirko @CindySwirko

The long awaited four-laning of State Road 20 from Hawthorne to Interlachen is set to begin this summer the time of the year when the road is used by many Alachua County residents to get to the Atlantic beaches.

Troy Roberts, of the Florida Department of Transportation Lake City district office, said the first leg, about 2 miles from Hawthorne to the Putnam County line, will likely start in the summer. The rest, from the county line about 9 miles to Interlachen, will follow.

Thats almost a $17 million project, Roberts said. It will probably be starting over the summer. As soon as they finish the one in Alachua, they will probably jump on the part in Putnam.

The stretch is the last two-lane gap of SR 20 between Gainesville and Interlachen. The drive can be frustrating because traffic is often slow on the hilly, curvy road, which has few opportunities for passing.

Yet the road is typically used by many Gainesville and southern Alachua County residents to get to Crescent Beach, St. Augustine and the Flagler County beaches.

The only other reasonably direct option and an alternative when construction is underway is taking State Road 26 through Melrose to State Road 100 and then on to Palatka.

Meanwhile, at the other end of Alachua County, an FDOT resurfacing project is about to get underway in High Springs that could affect commuters from neighboring counties.

The $2.6 million project involves three separate roads: U.S. 41 from Southeast Sixth Avenue to U.S. 441, U.S. 27 from Northwest Ninth Street to the Columbia County line and Northwest First Street from U.S. 441 to Northwest Ninth Street.

In addition to milling and resurfacing the roads, work will also include traffic signals, shoulder and curb work improvements, sidewalks, highway signing and other incidental construction.

An open house on the project will be today from 4 to 6 p.m. at the corner of Southeast Railroad Avenue and U.S. 27, next to the Christmas tree. Flyers and handouts will be available, and FDOT personnel will be there to answer questions.

Construction is scheduled to begin on Thursday and is expected to completed this summer.

Crews will work day and night, but lane closures will be only at night, Roberts said.

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Main drag to Atlantic beaches getting widened - Gainesville Sun

Battered Beaches: Restoring coastal erosion from Matthew could cost $50 million – Daytona Beach News-Journal

Dinah Voyles Pulver @DinahVPMatt Bruce @Matt_BruceDBNJ

PAINTERS HILL Four months after Hurricane Matthew pummeled coastal Volusia and Flagler counties, reminders linger nearly everywhere. Nowhere more than on battered local beaches.

Dead trees and bushes stand where the Atlantic Ocean ripped away dunes and rushed into communities and golf courses. Repairs continue on homes flooded by water and sand. Other homes hover on the brink of eroded dunes, at the mercy of the next hurricane or even a strong Noreaster.

Matthew eroded nearly two million cubic feet of sand and dunes in a matter of hours. Estimates pieced together over the past four months indicate repairing that damage replacing just the sand the hurricane eroded, not any previous critical erosioncould cost nearly $50 million.

Another $32 million may be spent to repair and protect State Road A1A north and south of Flagler Beach, not including an already planned federal project.

As many struggle to recover from Matthew's devastation and cope with its continuing economic impact, one question worries many along the coast, especially in Flagler County. Can the battered shoreline the only protection against the powerful ocean be replenished before another storm arrives and compounds the damage?

The next one, if it came similar or worse, (the water) would go clear across the island, said Paul Pershes, president of the Ocean Hammock Property Owners Association in northern Flagler. Theres nothing stopping it.

The storm's wrath

At the peak of Hurricane Matthew on Oct. 7, a storm surge of 5 to 7 feet swept ashore along Flagler County, topped by waves 15 feet or higher, the National Weather Service said. The large breakers ripped out 30 feet of dunes from the shoreline in some locations. In other spots, sand and water were pushed far inland, flooding entire neighborhoods, and overwhelming storm water and septic systems.

In Volusia County, 19.4 miles of beaches were considered critically eroded even before Matthew pummeled the shore, according to a Florida Department of Environmental Protection report last August.

In that same report, very little of Flagler County was considered critically eroded, said County Administrator Craig Coffey. The report listed 4.8 miles in the county. But now?

Theyre re-evaluating it, Coffey said. We lost 1.5 million cubic yards of sand.

Volusia County saw far less damage to its dunes. Some beaches on the south end of the county actually gained enough sand that a November survey estimated an overall net gain of about 240,000 cubic yards south of Ponce Inlet. North of the Inlet, the survey found a net loss of about 359,000 cubic yards of sand.

In the flurry of meetings and tours with state and federal officials since the storm, local officials have learned restoring the dunes will take patience, partnerships between government agencies as well as private property owners. It will also take lots of money. DEP has worked with local governments on a draft hurricane recovery plan and they are refining strategies and cost estimates to complete a final version to be delivered to state legislators.

In Flagler County, coastal neighborhoods north of Beverly Beach are considered at greatest risk from the next hurricane. County Commission Chairman Nate McLaughlin said the public health and safety aspects of the at-risk neighborhoods in the most northern end of the county are the "biggest concern."

When those dunes were breached, the ocean came in and flooded the whole basin, affecting 600 homes, and all of those had septic tanks, McLaughlin said. He also worries about tourism. The beach, he said, is "our No. 1 attraction.

Businesses around Hammock Beach Resort have suffered as a result of the hurricane damage, said Terry Bechtold, the resorts managing director. Many businesses relied on customers staying at the resort, part of which was flooded by surging seas. Resort officials estimate it could do $8-to-$10 million less business in 2017 as a result of Matthew.That also has an unknown impact on tourism bed tax and sales tax collections.

Harder to measure but also of concern for Bechtold is the loss of reputation Flagler County had for being safe from hurricanes.

For prospective businesses and homeowners considering relocating to the area, if the dunes could be replenished and strengthened, it would put investors and prospective property owners at ease, he said. Now there's a vulnerability "that everybody is aware of."

Without the dunes, theres nothing to prevent the ocean from rushing into the community and flooding the homes of more than 2,500 people.

If this werent going to be redone in the next 10 or 15 years, Id seriously consider selling my house, said Pershes, who lives a block from the ocean.

Lingering economic impact from damaged coastal properties also concern Flagler County officials. Nearly a third of the county's tax base is collected from its coastal properties, said Coffey, who has spent much of the past four months coordinating and juggling all the moving pieces of hurricane restoration.

Working with FEMA

Local and state officials are working to pull together money and sand, from state-approved sources, for dune restoration.

Flagler County is scraping money together to match a $5.65 million award for an emergency grant recently announced by Gov. Rick Scott.

Were trying to structure that in a way that our participation is minimized cash-wise, McLaughlin said. They hope, for example, that part of the countys required match could come from money the county already spent, or money that private communities are spending on dune restoration.

Meeting the required matches for federal and state money could delay other projects in the county, such as a new library or a new fire station. McLaughlin said the commission also isconsidering adding a penny to its tourism bed tax to raise the money needed to restore the beach.

Volusia and Flagler counties are relying on possible reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for shoring up the dunes.

The program provides no less than 75 percent of the eligible costs of an accepted restoration project, said FEMA spokesman Phil Wernisch.The counties have met with FEMA and are putting together documentation the agency requires before funding is approved.

The counties contracted with Jacksonville-based Taylor Engineering to help with that documentation. The firm will study images taken before and after the storm to calculate how much sand was lost and propose alternatives and designs for restoration.

Carefully meeting each specific requirement for FEMA is an important part of the process,said Jessica Winterwerp, Volusia Countys coastal division director.If we went ahead and placed sand on the beach we would step over a couple of steps of the FEMA process and they may not approve us.

Looking for money

Counties also are waiting to hear how much money if any state legislators approve during the spring legislative session.

The Governors proposed budget recommends $111 million for beach restoration and renourishment, including $61 million to help communities recover from damages during the 2016 hurricane season. McLaughlin saidFlagler County hopes for $10 million.

The counties also are waiting to hear if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gets funding for planned projects that would benefit dune restoration.

Flagler County officials hope to move quickly to "sturdy up the dunes" and close breaches that might allow water to flood into surrounding communities.

A few private homeowners already have obtained emergency permits and are doing their own dune restorations in Flagler County. At Hammock Dunes, the property owners association will begin a private restoration starting Monday. The county's Varn Park will be closed to make way for the line of dump trucks hauling sand to the beach.

In Volusia County, which doesnt have the life-threatening dune situation that Flagler County does, the approach is to wait and see what FEMA deems necessary. Winterwerp said some of the sand eroded off Volusia beaches is likely sitting in the ocean just offshore and could work its way back to the beaches this summer.

Volusia County Chair Ed Kelley said he hasnt heard from any constituents asking for beach renourishment.

If you hear anything, its people asking, Why are you going to do renourishment when its just going to wash away again, Kelley said.

Replacing sand on Florida beaches has long been controversial with some critics questioning the high cost and the environmental effects.

But Kelley supports making use of the FEMA grants, he said.I think we need to do what we can to protect the businesses and the homes."

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Battered Beaches: Restoring coastal erosion from Matthew could cost $50 million - Daytona Beach News-Journal

Volunteers in New Zealand Race to Save 17 Whales Stranded After 650 Beached – NBCNews.com

Volunteers and conservationists in New Zealand who endured frigid temperatures to help hundreds of beached pilot whales return to the water continue to have their work cut out for them.

A charity that helps protect marine mammals said Sunday that about 17 of the creatures were discovered stranded again near a roadside of South Island's Golden Bay after volunteers had spent Friday and Saturday trying to save 650 of them. Many of them were already dead, although about 240 whales refloated themselves.

"Our medics are attending to the 17 live whales," Project Jonah said on Facebook.

Nearly two dozen people were using buckets and cloths to help keep the beached whales wet, while a spotter plane was patrolling the area to see if there were any more whales heading inland toward the bay.

Pilot whales grow to about 25 feet and are common around New Zealand's waters.

The 17 whales came from a pod of 200 that were left stranded Saturday on Farewell Spit, a sand spit at the tip of the South Island, said Amanda Harvey, the Department of Conservation's biodiversity ranger.

Volunteers worked until late into the evening to help that pod return to the sea, with the humans having to jump out of the water when the high tide emerged, bringing the increased risk of stingrays.

"I was here first thing this morning and there was a small group of us," Kyle Mulinder, a volunteer with Project Jonah, told The Associated Press. "And essentially we went out and saw one of the biggest strandings I've ever seen."

Despite the new beachings, conservationists celebrated the successful refloating of about 180 whales, although they remained weary that they could strand themselves once again.

If the whales do rebeach themselves, Harvey said more volunteers will be needed.

Earlier, an initial group of 416 stranded whales were found early Friday, although many of them were dead.

A volunteer pours water on pilot whales at Farewell Spit on Saturday. MARTY MELVILLE / AFP - Getty Images

Department of Conservation Golden Bay Operations Manager Andrew Lamason said about 20 of the new group stranded Saturday were euthanized by conservation workers because they were in poor condition.

Lamason said about 100 surviving whales from the initial group on Friday were refloated, and dozens of volunteers had formed a human chain in the water to prevent them from beaching themselves again.

"I've never experienced death like this before," said volunteer Jonathan Jones. "You know, for such a majestic animal, it's really strange to see them doing this."

Experts have different theories as to why whales beach themselves, from chasing prey too far inshore to trying to protect a sick member of the group.

Farewell Spit has been described as a whale trap. It has a long protruding coastline and gently sloping beaches that make it difficult for whales to swim away once they get close. It has been the site of previous mass whale beachings.

Dead pilot whales line the shore at Farewell Spit, Saturday. MARTY MELVILLE / AFP - Getty Images

Officials will need to dispose of hundreds of carcasses soon.

Lamason said one option was to tether them to stakes in the shallow tidal waters and let them decompose. The problem with towing them out to sea or leaving them was that they could become gaseous and buoyant, and wind up floating into populated bays.

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of whale beachings in the world. Friday's beaching was the nation's third-biggest in history, the AP reported.

"So it's a very large one," said Rochelle Constantine, a marine biologist. "Logistically it's a massive undertaking."

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Volunteers in New Zealand Race to Save 17 Whales Stranded After 650 Beached - NBCNews.com

Ketchikan Indian Community checking Ketchikan beaches and shellfish for toxins – KTOO

Esther Kennedy of the Resource Protection Department collects water samples every week from Starrigavan. Along with six other tribes in Southeast, the group is working to create an early warning system to protect shellfish diggers from PSP. (Photo by Emily Kwong/KCAW)

Last summer, Ketchikan Indian Community began a phytoplankton and shellfish monitoring program in Ketchikan as part of the Southeast Alaska Tribal Toxins Program. KIC tests samples, and informs the public if dangerous levels of the toxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning arefound in local clams and mussels.

Nicole Forbes is the environmental specialist at KIC in charge of collecting samples. She says its important for people to understand what paralytic shellfish poisoning is and how it is transmitted.

Basically there are tiny, microscopic plants in the ocean called phytoplankton. Most of them are not harmful. In fact, they produce 50 percent of our oxygen. But there are a few harmful species and one of those isAlexandriumand it produces something called saxitoxin. When the shellfish filter-feed, it gets collected in the shellfish, and when people eat it, thats what causes paralytic shellfish poisoning.

PSP toxins cannot be cooked or cleaned out of shellfish, and freezing does not destroy the toxin. Consumption of the toxin can cause paralysis and death. Commercial shellfish is tested and considered safe. The Tribal Toxins Program targets recreational beaches.

Forbes says KIC is testing samples at popular beaches in the Ketchikan area so people will know if clams, mussels, and cockles are safe to harvest. Currently, testing is being done at Settlers Cove and Whipple Creek. Forbes says they plan to add Seaport Beach in Saxman soon. She says the program is in the beginning stages and they are working to identify other sample sites.

Were trying to figure out where most people harvest, so that we can get those results. The thing is you have to get results for each beach. Because you could go two or three miles down and its going to be completely different down there.

Forbes says there are three steps to the collection process, which starts with weekly phytoplankton samples.

Which involves me going out there with a phytoplankton net and wading in the water, and grabbing a sample. I bring that back to our local lab, and I put it under the microscope and look for those harmful phytoplankton species that I was talking about. If I see one, thats the first warning sign that we need to get a shellfish sample out as soon as possible, because its possible that saxitoxin is in the shellfish.

Forbes says suspect samples are sent to the Sitka Tribe of Alaskas lab in Sitka. She says the turnaround time for testing is fairly quick.

I send it out on Tuesday, gets there Wednesday, I get results Thursday or Friday.

She says the third step of the process is filtration, which involves taking a water sample, filtering it, and then sending the filter to the lab, where phytoplankton species and quantities are identified, along with concentration of toxins.

Tony Gallegos, the cultural and natural resources director for KIC, saysAlexandriummay be present, but not necessarily producing toxins.

The scientific literature hasnt come to clear conclusion on how you know whether theyre going to produce the toxins or not, what triggers that. Thats still unclear. We can see the algae, but we need to actually do an analysis of those algae to see if they actually have toxins in them.

Forbes says phytoplankton arent as active in the winter because it is cold and dark, but she says no time of the year is safe to harvest without testing. She says they found high levels of toxins in butter clams at Whipple Creek this winter.

Actually butter clams hold onto the toxins longer, and then during the winter the shellfish slow down their filter feeding, so they can actually hold on to those toxins for the whole winter.

Forbes says she collects samples every two weeks, weather permitting, and if samples test positive, they are retested weekly. Results for all Southeast beaches being tested are posted in the data section of the Southeast Alaska Tribal Association Research website http://www.seator.org.Information is also sent to local media.

KIC is interested in identifying other local sites for sampling.

If you have suggestions, you can contact Nicole Forbes at KIC. Forbes email is nforbes@kictribe.org. The phone number is 228-9365.

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Ketchikan Indian Community checking Ketchikan beaches and shellfish for toxins - KTOO

$62.4 million worth of cocaine wash up on two beaches in Norfolk – AOL News

Aris Folley, AOL.com

Feb 10th 2017 4:43PM

The National Crime Agency (NCA) says that around 794 pounds of cocaine with a potential street value of $62.4 million has washed up on two beaches in Norfolk, England.

NCA officials were called to Hopton Beach Thursday after a resident stumbled upon a number of holdalls packed to the brim with the Class A drug.

They also discovered a small number of packages separately at Caister Sea, almost 10 miles north of the beach, the following Friday.

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Matthew Rivers, a spokesperson for the NCA border investigation team, said: "We are now working with Border Force, the Coastguard Agency and Norfolk Police to try and establish how the bags ended up where they did; however, it is extremely unlikely that this was their intended destination."

"This is obviously a substantial seizure of class A drugs, and its loss will represent a major blow to the organized criminals involved," Rivers continued.

Both beaches are near Great Yarmouth -- a town in Norfolk that has become notorious as a 'dumping ground' for people who are on "low income and welfare claimants," according to an England-based media outlet.

SEE ALSO: Drug-smuggling women took 200 pounds of cocaine on exotic world cruise: Cops

Superintendent of Dave Buckley of Norfolk Police added in a statement: "We are assisting the National Crime Agency with their searches and while we believe we have recovered all the packages, should any member of the public find one they are urged to contact Norfolk Police immediately on 101."

"We will have extra officers in the area to monitor the situation."

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$62.4 million worth of cocaine wash up on two beaches in Norfolk - AOL News

Hundreds Of Whales Die Stranded On A Remote New Zealand Beach – NPR

Volunteers try to save about 100 pilot whales after more than 400 of them were stranded at Farewell Spit near Nelson, New Zealand, on Friday. Tim Cuff/AP hide caption

Volunteers try to save about 100 pilot whales after more than 400 of them were stranded at Farewell Spit near Nelson, New Zealand, on Friday.

Updated7:40 a.m. ET

By the time Ceree Morrison found hundreds of pilot whales washed ashore on a remote beach in New Zealand 250 to 300 of them were already dead. The rest remained alive on Farewell Spit, a long strip of land that hooks from the country's South Island into the sea.

The scene was devastating.

"You could hear the sounds of splashing, of blowholes being cleared, of sighing," Morrison told The Associated Press. "The young ones were the worst. Crying is the only way to describe it."

All told, about 416 pilot whales had stranded at Farewell Spit before they were found Thursday night, the New Zealand Department of Conservation said in a statement. Even in a country with one of the highest stranding rates in the world about 300 dolphins and whales a year beach themselves, according to marine conservation group Project Jonah the DOC says this is the third largest single stranding ever recorded in New Zealand.

Farewell Spit, in particular, is "sometimes described as a whale trap," the AP notes. "The spit's long coastline and gently sloping beaches seem to make it difficult for whales to navigate away from once they get close."

As the tide rolled in Friday, hundreds of volunteers in the region attempted to send the surviving whales back to sea, pushing them out as the water rose high enough to do so and forming a human chain to try to block them from returning to the beach.

Of the survivors, about 50 successfully swam back into the bay, while about 80 to 90 were restranded, the DOC says.

No single cause for strandings is known, Project Jonah says, though the group explains that some factors are thought to include navigational errors, injuries from sonar blasts or fishing nets, and strong social bonds that can draw whole pods to follow wayward individuals into danger.

The AP reports that volunteers were able to refloat about 100 whales on Saturday. The wire service notes that some whales that were refloated on Friday beached themselves again, but the Saturday morning tide may keep the latest group at sea.

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Hundreds Of Whales Die Stranded On A Remote New Zealand Beach - NPR

Californians Love the Beach, But Can We Afford It? – TheInertia.com

Ideally, kids from all over California can enjoy its beaches. Photo: Delphine Ducaruge

You love the beach, right? Of course you do! Well, so does the rest of California. According to a recent statewide survey, nine out of ten Californians say the coast is important to them personally. Even more, three out of four respondents say they visit the beach at least once a year, with many coming much more frequently. But even though a large share of Californians live in coastal metropolitan areas, few of them have easy access to the 1,011 public beaches and parks within Californias coastal zone. In Access for All, researchers Jon Christensen and Philip King offer some much-needed advice on how to increase equitable access to our beaches.

First thing first, a little history. In 1976, the state legislature adopted the California Coastal Act agreeing that the coast is a distinct and valuable natural resource belonging to all the people. Pushing things further, it stated that protecting our beaches is a paramount concern to present and future residents of the state and nation. Sure the beaches are crowded. But the California Constitution asserts that its our duty to provide maximum access for all people. Pretty democratic of us right? Well, as per usual, this has been easier said than done. Despite decades of efforts by the California Coastal Commission, the State Coastal Conservancy, and many local partners the reports findings arent so sunny. Heresare the stats:

62% of voters think access to the coast is a problem.

78% are frustrated by the lack of affordable parking.

68% dont have access to beach-bound public transportation.

And 75% cited a lack of affordable overnight accommodations, the majority of which were latino and families with children.

No matter how you look at it, it seems California has some serious beach barriers. So what are we doing about it? For one, transportation needs to change, and some cities are acting. Santa Monica Beach saw a surge of riders when the Metro Expo line opened in summer 2016. Get those folks to the surf! Non-profits like Oaklands Brown Girl Surf and San Diegos Outdoor Outreach offer young people from diverse communities a rare chance to get outdoors.

Four of the primary issues that make coastal access challenging for California residents. Image: UCLA.edu

The studys strength is in that it truly means access for ALL. While nearly all of us value our beaches, we dont necessarily enjoy them in the same ways. Families with children travel as groups, while most young people go to the beach alone. Certain beaches are more diverse than others. Equitable beaches are ones that can accommodate a diversity of people and a diversity of activities. In light of this, Access for All, asks us to acknowledge disparities in beach access and challenges us to do something about it. Of course, we could continue to hide these gems for our own enjoyment. Price out inlanders by jacking up parking costs. Vote down transportation development. And while no one is asking you to divulge secret spots youve been sworn protect, Access for All asks us to act on our better inclinations of citizenship and share the natural wealth a little. Technically, it belongs to all of us.

Christensen and King remind us that the California coast and beaches are among our states most important democratic spaces. In divisive times, it seems more important than ever to develop our sense of statehood, our sense of equitable identity. And to remember that according to our state constitution and the California Coastal Act, our beaches belong to all of us. We need to make sure they are accessible to everyone.

Data provided by UCLA

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Californians Love the Beach, But Can We Afford It? - TheInertia.com

Port San Luis looking at enforcement, partial ban to address dog complaints on beaches – The San Luis Obispo Tribune


The San Luis Obispo Tribune
Port San Luis looking at enforcement, partial ban to address dog complaints on beaches
The San Luis Obispo Tribune
Port San Luis Harbor District representatives are still pondering how to address complaints that some pet owners aren't cleaning up after their pooches or keeping aggressive dogs leashed on the beach. Among the options? More trash cans and signage, ...

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Port San Luis looking at enforcement, partial ban to address dog complaints on beaches - The San Luis Obispo Tribune

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea offers beaches, condos and cozy ambiance – Miami Herald


Miami Herald
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea offers beaches, condos and cozy ambiance
Miami Herald
Those looking for an antidote to South Florida's glitz find it in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, an oceanfront stretch in North Broward with sleepy beachfront appeal, says Realtor Billy Brown of One Sotheby's. It's a cute and quaint beach town with an ...

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Lauderdale-by-the-Sea offers beaches, condos and cozy ambiance - Miami Herald