Mother Nature and I are having a battle these days.
And of course, I’m losing.
I have always prided myself on knowing that Mother Nature will always win the war, even though I may win a battle or two along the way.
The state Legislature may have put the brakes on Monroe County’s quest to get approval for a one-cent additional sales tax to help it fund several hundred million dollars in remaining wastewater upgrades, particularly for the northern Lower Keys section from Lower Sugarloaf to Big Pine Key.
Some county officials had pinned their hopes on a possible extra penny in sales tax to offset costs for the system, estimated at $194 million.
You know, sometimes it takes a little creative thinking to make the rules of any government agency work for you instead of against you.
I was listening to a couple of local folks talking about the FEMA downstairs enclosure and flood insurance fiasco we’re all currently embroiled in whether we like it or not.
They had probably had one cocktail too many, or not enough, but the conversation was fascinating to see how some minds operate.
Community members, local representatives of affected agencies and District Two County Commissioners George Neugent got together for a little summit on global climate change Tuesday night, with an emphasis on what is, and might be done, toward planning for the eventuality of rising sea levels.
Rising sea levels are a particularly worrisome issue for Monroe County. The highest point in the entire 106-mile length of the county is 13 feet above sea level, and that’s an old landfill. A lot of the county is less than three feet above sea level today, with some projections showing a worst-case scenario of almost that much sea level rise in the next 90 years.
Yep, we said 90 years.
I was taught early in my life that you never take a good thing for granted. And I have never taken one minute of the last 10 years for granted.
This edition begins our tenth year of publication.
And I’ve had a whole lot of fun.
Monroe County Board of County Commissioners Wednesday agreed to delay acting on a lobbyist registration ordinance until April.
That was probably a good move.
The measure has met with a great deal of controversy, although it seems very simple on its face. However, simplicity means nothing when our leadership is looking for a devil in the details.
The premise of this registration ordinance was simple—exceedingly simple.
Gentlemen.
Listen up.
There are only two days—count them—two days—until that most dreaded of all holidays called Valentine’s Day.
Yep. It’s here again.
And that should come as no surprise—get ready for this guys—because it comes at the same time every year. It’s always February 14. It doesn’t matter what day of the week it falls on, it doesn’t matter if it’s the first Tuesday following the first Monday, or if it’s the third Monday of the second month.
It’s always February 14.
Continue reading ‘Foolproof method to remember THE day…maybe’
Many of us from Summerland Key to Big Pine Key opened our mailboxes this week to find the annual donation letter from the Big Pine Volunteer Fire Department.
They are asking for our financial help, as they do every year, so they may be there when we need them.
I’ve been driving for a lot of years. More than I care to admit to most of the time.
I can’t say for sure how many miles I’ve logged on my backside, but I can safely say it’s well above average for a non-commercial driver, and probably just under normal for a commercial driver.
I’ve seen a lot of strange stuff across those miles. And I’ve been involved in a lot of strange situations.
I’ve been called out in the middle of the night to pull a law enforcement vehicle out of the sand on a beach with my Jeep because the officer was too embarrassed to call a tow truck. I’ve had trailer axles break and the tires race me down the highway.
I’ve had garages not tighten my lug nuts enough and have the rim fly off the car on the highway. I’ve had water hoses break, fuel pumps quit, tires go flat, points burn through, spark plugs break and all manner of other internal combustion engine chicanery.
But I’ve never seen before what I saw Tuesday night.
Continue reading ‘No matter how long I’ve been doing this…surprise’
In less than a year, the state Department of Transportation will begin a resurfacing project that will encompass nearly everything from the east end of Baypoint to the east end of Sugarloaf Key.
For those of us who drive that road on a regular basis, and particularly those who drive that road daily for work or other requirements, the word of a major resurfacing in that area comes as pleasant news.
And make no mistake that anyone who travels that road is appreciative that it will no longer ride like an old-fashioned washboard.
But there are also other issues at work here.
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