PORT EVERGLADES DREDGING The U.S. District Court in Miami is the scene for a lawsuit filed by environmentalists and recreational divers who are challenging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision to dredge Port Everglades. The suit alleges the decision was made without the required review of the health of the coral reefs within the Read more about Legal Updates[…]
WHITE FLIES A rare strain of white fly, called the Q-biotype, poses a threat to the $500 million tomato industry in Florida. The fly, which researchers say is resistant to the insecticides that farmers have used to kill the common whiteflies for decades, has been showing up in nurseries and greenhouses. The Florida Department of Agriculture Read more about Issues of Interest[…]
BLOOD ALCOHOL TESTS The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in a case which effects Florida drivers. The Court ruled that prior to administering a blood alcohol test to a suspected drunk driver, law enforcement officers must obtain a search warrant. A warrant is not required to conduct a breath test. The ruling effectively overrides Read more about Legal Update[…]
BLACK BEARS The U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Tennessee studied data collected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in 2015 and estimated there are 4,030 bears in Florida, which is lower than the estimate of 4,350 originally reported in March. FWC Executive Director Nick Wiley says that the black bears have rebounded Read more about Issues of Interest[…]
ZIKA VIRUS With 1,051 cases of the Zika virus in Florida as of October 24th, 82 percent of which are attributed to travel, Florida is aggressively working to manage the outbreak. Zika can cause microcephaly and other severe birth defects. Governor Scott has allocated over $61 million of state funding for mosquito control, research for a Read more about Issues of Interest[…]