|
Crist sets a new course on big lake and rivers
The message was the same: Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers are in deep trouble, and Florida must provide more money for cleanup and restoration. But the contrast between Gov. Bush's visit to the lake toward the end of his second term and Gov. Crist's river tour in Stuart last week, barely two months after he took office, is striking. Folding chairs under a tent canopy pitched beside the lake, fancy refreshments and dozens of politicians greeted a perfectly dressed Gov. Bush, who finally acknowledged pollution problems with the lake but said little about the rivers that so often must accept the lake's fouled, excess water. Gov. Crist wore faded jeans on his pontoon boat trip, and it was a no-frills event. Refreshments? Bottled water. .
Venice: Down by the river
State parks are our usual destination when we head out across Florida in our RV, but the one exception, where we return time and again, is Camp Venice along the wild and scenic Myakka River.
The tree canopy is so complete, you would actually think it is a state park!
The tent area is nestled among live oaks, elegantly draped with Spanish Moss, and separated from the RV section by water. The RV sites are spacious and well-shaded by another old-growth oak hammock interspersed with hundreds of sabal palms.
The big attraction here is the scenic Myakka River, which has coursed through 50 miles of wilderness by the time it reaches the campground. A short hiking trail takes you out to the main part of the river, or you can venture forth from your campsite in a canoe or kayak to miles and miles of undisturbed, uncluttered waterway, north and south of the camp.
Exterminators Fumigate Waikiki Shell For Termites
HONOLULU -- Exterminators have had to use some of their biggest tarps to tent the Waikiki Shell to deal with an infestation of termites. Several large hydraulic lifts were brought in because of the scope of the job. Kama'aina Termite and Pest Control workers installed the canopy. .
Jesus: Dead Or Alive?
In fact, as I write this column, workers with CNN International are setting up a big blue tent (I kid you not) just across the street from my apartment building, preparing to broadcast a report by correspondent Ben Weideman from underneath the protective canopy on a stormy March afternoon. I should mention that the view from my central Jerusalem street is usually worth filming whatever the weather, especially facing north toward Mount Zion and the biblical Temple Mount. That was not the case with my former home in the East Talpiot neighborhood. While the view from my top floor flat was not all that bad, it was hardly noteworthy. I mainly looked out at dozens of other tall apartment buildings that dominate the southeast Jerusalem suburb. But something allegedly quite historic was lurking in the shadows of the stone-faced apartment building located just next to mine: The burial tomb of Jesus, his wife Mary Magdalene and their son Judah, not to mention his Jewish mother and other family members! Ben Weideman was among hundreds of Israeli and international journalists that recently filmed stirring reports near an innocuous cement slab located in East Talpiot.
Arborist tends Carroll’s trees
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Most people don't know he exists, but Brian Adams can rattle off countless species of trees, enthusiastically describe the role of ladybugs as helpful insect predators — and do it all without taking a breath. As Westminster's municipal arborist, Adams is a doctor-detective who can examine a tree's canopy and cankers to diagnose if tent caterpillars or improper pruning are killing it. “After residents complain to City Hall and I show up, I'd say 98 percent of the time, people don't think the city had an arborist," he said. Adams isn't alone in the science of arboriculture. Thousands of licensed arborists work in Maryland, some for private companies and some for local governments, according to the Maryland Arborist Association, and most Baltimore-area counties have urban forestry experts.
| 