by Jenn Hanson | Oct 2, 2022 | West Palm Beach Local News
The town of Palm Beach has made it clear that moving ahead, it will deal with any significant accumulation of seaweed on its beaches right away.
The Town Council decided to take into consideration additional raking services for beach areas from Angler Avenue north during its most recent meeting and instructed staff to pursue an hourly rate contract for special projects and beach cleanups.
Sargassum, a species of seaweed that floats in big masses on the ocean’s surface, would be taken out during beach cleanups. According to local officials, it may be hazardous to eggs and hatchlings of sea turtles that are nesting.
Since sargassum has been washing up on the town’s beaches more frequently and in greater quantities for several years, council members and town workers have been debating permanent and temporary solutions to get rid of it.
Lights out for sea turtle nesting season, which runs from Tuesday through October 31.
Options for Seaweek removal are being considered by Palm Beach, which will look into ways to get rid of sargassum from its beaches.
Removal of sargasum is prioritized:
New sea turtle nest protections are approved in Palm Beach, and mechanical beach cleanup will continue.
At the meeting on September 13, council member Bobbie Lindsay commented, “This may be a new normal.” “In the more than 20 years that I’ve been up here, I’ve never seen this much sargassum. I can assure you that this year was unlike any other I’ve ever witnessed.”
Sargassum was all over the beaches last month, and although it has started to recede (especially at beaches in the North End from Angler Avenue to the inlet jetty), the town anticipates a big regrowth of it next spring, which is when sea turtle breeding season begins.
According to Council President Maggie Zeidman, setting up a contract for special projects and beach cleanups would be a proactive measure that would enable the town to remove sargassum when the situation calls for it.
She stated that this has been going on since around 2011. “Sargassum is entering the area and accumulating. I think it would be a good idea to consider taking proactive, regular steps to get rid of it. We must keep an eye on it because we might not always need it.”
Seaweed removal would take place as part of a trial program run in conjunction with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission if it were necessary the following year.
A portion of the seaweed would be placed next to the jetty through the program and covered with a thin coating of sand.
Paul Brazil, director of public works, explained to the council that this would prevent sea turtle hatchlings from migrating toward the inlet and instead direct them toward the ocean.
On the beach, the remaining seaweed would be buried and covered with a layer of sand that was about two feet thick. According to Brazil, that quantity is required for sea turtles to construct a nest for their hatchlings.
In order to ascertain whether each action has an impact on nesting, both would be carried out and observed during the following nesting season.
According to a $50,000 agreement that is about to expire, the town already rakes Midtown Beach and Phipps Ocean Park.
Brazil stated that it would make sense for the town to include that region in a new beach raking contract because that area, which is in the shadow of the jetty, has the biggest seaweed issues starting from Angler Avenue north.
There is more seaweed there, according to Brazil.
Brazil estimated that a contract covering Angler Avenue north, or about three-quarters of a mile, would be worth about $100,000.
Brazil claimed that because the Citizens’ Association of Palm Beach pays to clean the majority of beaches south of Sloan’s Curve, the contract would not cover beach raking in the South End of the town.
by Jenn Hanson | Oct 2, 2022 | West Palm Beach Local News
On Tuesday, Democratic candidate Dave Kerner, who has won four elections in the largely Democratic Palm Beach County, enthusiastically endorsed Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.
Additionally, Kerner, a former police officer who is widely considered to have aspirations of one day holding the position of sheriff in Palm Beach County, reiterated the Republican claim that Charlie Crist, the Democratic candidate for governor, favors cutting money to the police.
Kerner and DeSantis praised one another during a gathering held at the PBC Police Benevolent Association specifically to make the endorsement announcement.
We are a state that is improving, and I give our governor a lot of credit for that, according to Kerner.
I have never been constrained by the rigid and erroneous boundaries of partisan politics, he said.
I had no trouble making this choice. As the expression goes, this was hardly the “lesser of two evils.” Governor DeSantis has demonstrated that he is more than capable of handling the modest duties of his job. He has done it with a level of decency, respect, and intent that is missing from the public debate of today.
Law enforcement, according to Kerner, is behind DeSantis. “Everyone agrees. You nevertheless carry it out. There are six total. You’ve got them covered, Kerner said. “That was never spoken to me by a governor while I was a police officer. But having it right now definitely is awesome.
In Alachua, Florida, Kerner worked as a police officer from 2004 until 2007. For much of that period, Republican Jeb Bush was governor, before he was succeeded by Crist in 2007.
According to Kerner, Crist is in favor of “reallocation, which to me, by the way, is code for taking resources away from the people that look out for us. It is a code phrase for cutting off police financing.
After looking into a Republican TV campaign against Crist that began airing the day after he secured the Democratic primary in August, the neutral fact-checking website Politifact came to the conclusion that Crist does not support a plan to “defund the cops.”
Terrie Rizzo, chairwoman of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party, said it wouldn’t matter “because Dems alredy know exactly who Ron DeSantis is. Dems are fully aware of his accomplishments. And Charlie will receive Dems support. Democrats in the ranks are reacting by saying that this is outrageous, from what I hear.”
“I am utterly and completely stunned by Dave Kerner,” Rizzo said. “I am tremendously unhappy — that’s not a strong enough term — that Kerner could endorse Gov. Ron DeSantis.”
Democrats, according to Rizzo, would not take a Kerner candidacy well.
A little over 40% of the county’s registered voters identify as Democrats, 31% as independents or minor parties, and 29% as Republicans.
A lawyer, Kerner was elected to the County Commission in 2016 after serving two terms in the Florida House of Representatives. He was re-elected to the commission in 2020, although he cannot run again in 2024 due to term restrictions.
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, who is in his sixth term, will retire, and Kerner, 39, has long been considered a potential contender to succeed him. The following sheriff’s race is scheduled for 2024.
This year, Bradshaw has struggled with his health. The Sheriff’s Office disclosed in May that he underwent a cardiac operation and missed a significant amount of time at work.
Bradshaw’s voice and a collage of old photos were featured in a video that the sheriff posted to the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page on July 18. In the video, the sheriff said, “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their prayers and thoughts during the past few weeks while I was dealing with a health issue. I am out of the hospital and recuperating at home despite all the rumors and false information about my health. I’m in fantastic health and am eager to get back to work.
Bradshaw’s successor would be chosen by the governor if he were to step down before the conclusion of his tenure.
Kerner, who was serving in the rotating office of Palm Beach County mayor in the early days of COVID-19, lauded DeSantis’ strong performance.
by Jenn Hanson | Sep 27, 2022 | West Palm Beach Local News
Precautions are being taken to keep families safe as this year’s hurricanes begin to pose a threat to the residents of the Palm Beach counties. In an effort to protect the pupils, schools are debating closing on Wednesday.
This choice was made right away and is in the best interests of the pupils who attend the schools in the counties that have received warnings about the potential dangers and intensity of storm Ian.
Due to Hurricane Ian’s potential impact, all public schools in the counties of Palm Beach, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee will be closed on Wednesday.
All district-operated schools, offices, and after-school events, including athletics, school meetings, and leasing, are closed on Wednesday, according to the School District of Palm Beach County.
Parents and staff will be informed if the decision to close the school on a day other than Wednesday is made.
All Palm Beach County public schools are open as usual on Tuesday, and aftercare services are available until six o’clock in the evening. All after-school programs, athletic events, nighttime rentals, and adult education sessions are postponed.
Before deciding to close schools, Superintendent Mike Burke said in a written statement to WPTV, “We have been closely monitoring Hurricane Ian.” “The National Hurricane Center’s probability cone does not currently encompass Palm Beach County, but hazardous conditions might develop there. I’ll keep collaborating closely with emergency management and taking prompt action to protect our workers and children.”
At this time, the district has no plans to start any shelters at schools.
The district offices and all public schools in St. Lucie County will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
On Wednesday, all public schools in Okeechobee County will be closed.
All schools in the Okeechobee County School District are open on Tuesday, according to assistant superintendent Dylan Tedders.
However, the district is closing schools on Wednesday out of an abundance of caution due to the tropical storm-force winds that are predicted for late Tuesday.
Before deciding whether or not there will be school on Thursday, school district officials will consider all relevant variables.
On Wednesday, all Broward County Public Schools will be closed. Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties’ school districts haven’t yet called off this week’s classes.
The South Florida Fairgrounds near West Palm Beach was to host a College and Career Fair on Wednesday, but the School District of Palm Beach County has cancelled it due to bad weather and challenging travel conditions.
The event has been moved to the Fairgrounds on November 1 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Additionally, the annual College Fair for St. Lucie Public Schools has been postponed. It was supposed to go on Tuesday night at the Fort Pierce Havert L. Fenn Center.
The event has not yet been postponed.
by Jenn Hanson | Sep 27, 2022 | West Palm Beach Local News
It’s that time of year, and the weather in Florida is already brewing a storm that is forcing residents to flee their homes and seek safety in nearby counties with family and friends.
Due of Hurricane Ian’s potential impact, Florida’s top disaster management official on Tuesday recommended residents along the state’s west coast to move to Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties.
Around 2.5 million Floridians are presently subject to some sort of evacuation order.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, Kevin Guthrie, recommended people of Southwest Florida to leave the state by traveling east.
Many residents of Southwest Florida will likely flee the entire state, Guthrie predicted. Just travel directly to Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach.
Guthrie added that west coast residents shouldn’t travel north because it would cause too much congestion on the highways.
“Never travel north. Travel directly over to Southeast Florida “Guthrie declared.
Tolls have been suspended across the state to assist with evacuations, and transportation officials have stated that emergency lanes will likely be opened on busy thoroughfares like Interstate 75 in the Tampa area, Interstate 4 in Central Florida, and Alligator Alley that runs the length of the state from Collier to Broward counties.
Once traffic is going at a sustained speed of less than 40 mph, “contraflow” entails opening the shoulder for emergency evacuations.
According to DeSantis, “They will open that up to be able to boost the flow.” “They will do it as soon as that under 40 happens.”
According to DeSantis, 2,000 National Guard members from other states and 5,000 members of the Florida National Guard have been activated and are prepared to assist in storm-related crises.
The state’s 28,000 FPL lineman and five urban search and rescue teams are ready to respond to any power outages that may occur.
DeSantis said: “I would simply caution all Floridians who are in its path that there will likely be interruptions in things like electricity, fuel, and possibly communications.” “Just be prepared for that; that is to be expected.”
School closings have been declared by 26 school districts, including the Okeechobee County School District.
Florida’s 67 counties are all presently under an emergency.
According to DeSantis, the most recent forecast models predict that Hurricane Ian will make landfall south of Tampa, most likely in the Venice area, at some point on Wednesday night around 8 p.m.
According to the governor, the system would deliver “catastrophic floods and life-threatening storm surge” to Florida’s west coast.
The potential for floods and storm surge is truly historic, according to DeSantis.
by Jenn Hanson | Sep 1, 2022 | West Palm Beach Local News
The West Palm Beach Police office said a man got away from a car shooting incident around 1 A.M.. He was a passenger in the car that fled the shooting, and the driver ultimately escaped in a third vehicle. This was reported to happen between the Olive and Narcissus Avenue, the man has been identified as Montrez Grinnon, a 26 year old male.
Grinnon was caught hiding underneath a car near a complex apartment in Deerfield Beach
According to the CBS12 News Grinnon was already arrested multiple times for crimes such as felonies in Beach County. His past charges include one in 2014 where he was arrested for obstruction of execution of a search warrant. This was when he was 18 years old.
In 2015 his charges were corruption by threat and possession of firearm by a convicted felon.
August 2021, he was arrested for cocaine trafficking and child neglect.
This February he was charged with trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, and driving with a suspended license.
Then in April, he was arrested for battery and strangulation, but the state did not file charges and he spent a total of 15 days in jail.
The shooting victim on Monday was a 24 yr old man, who had multiple shots on his body. He was reported in intensive care but expected to survive and recover.
The incident was not a random act, but it did not describe the relationship between Grinnon and the victim, according to the police.
He is being held on unrelated charges which include possession of a weapon by a career criminal and resisting an officer without violence.
