An Unprecedented Plague Has Hit Oranges And Another Has Hit Bananas, & Pigs ...

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An Unprecedented Plague Has Hit Oranges And Another Has Hit Bananas Posted: 23 Apr 2014 04:39 PM PDT What is causing all of these plagues to hit our food supply?  Have you heard of citrus greening disease?  Probably not, but it has already gotten so bad that it is being projected that Florida’s orange harvest will be the smallest in 30 years.  Have you heard of TR4?  Probably not, but it has become such a nightmare that some analysts believe that it could eventually wipe out the entire global supply of the type of bananas that Americans eat.  In addition, another major plague is killing millions of our pigs, and a crippling drought that never seems to end is absolutely devastating agricultural production in the state of California.   Are we just having bad luck, or is there something else to all of this? Citrus greening disease has been a steadily growing problem that has reached epidemic levels this year.  Because of this disease, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is projecting that orange production in the U.S. this year will be down 18 percent compared to last year.  Here is more on this horrible plague from Yahoo News… A citrus disease spread by a tiny insect has devastated Florida’s orange crop, which is expected to be the worst in nearly 30 years, and sent juice prices soaring on New York markets. The culprit? The gnat-sized Asian citrus psyllid, which is infecting citrus trees across the Sunshine State with huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease, which causes fruit to taste bitter and fall from trees too soon. “It feels we are losing the fight,” said Ellis Hunt, the head of a family-run citrus farm spread over about 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares) in the central Florida town of Lake Wales. Another horrifying disease is threatening the global supply of bananas.  In fact, according to a recent CNBC article, the kind of bananas that we eat today could eventually be totally eliminated by the TR4 fungus… Banana lovers take note: The world’s supply of the fruit is under attack from a fungus strainthat could wipe out the popular variety that Americans eat. “It’s a very serious situation,” said Randy Ploetz, a professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida who in 1989 originally discovered a strain of Panama disease, called TR4, that may be growing into a serious threat to U.S. supplies of the fruit and Latin American producers. “There’s nothing at this point that really keeps the fungus from spreading,” he said in an interview with CNBC. While there are nearly 1,000 varieties of bananas, the most popular is the Cavendish, which accounts for 45 percent of the fruit’s global crop—and the one Americans mostly find in their supermarkets. Another plague that is affecting our food supply is a virus known as porcine epidemic diarrhea.  It has already spread to 27 different U.S. states and has already killed up to 6 million pigssince first being spotted in the U.S. last May. As a result of this virus, pork production is going to be down substantially this year, and it is being estimated that Americans could pay up to 20 percent more for pork by the end of the year. And of course perhaps the worst plague of all that we are experiencing at the moment is the nightmarish drought in California that never seems to end.  Conditions are so dry that it is being estimated that California farmers may leave up to 800,000 acres fallow this year.  In other words, they are not going to grow anything at all. Needless to say, this is going to result in much smaller overall harvests.  Just check out these numbers from the New York Times… A recent report on prospective planting from the federal Department of Agriculture forecast a 20 percent decline in California’s rice crop and a 35 percent decline in cotton this year from last year’s crop. And it isn’t just rice and cotton that we need to be concerned about.  In a previous article, I included the following information which shows how dependent the rest of the U.S. is on fruits and vegetables grown in the state of California… The state produces 99 percent of the artichokes grown in the US, 44 percent of asparagus, a fifth of cabbage, two-thirds of carrots, half of bell peppers, 89 percent of cauliflower, 94 percent of broccoli, and 95 percent of celery. Leafy greens? California’s got the market cornered: 90 percent of the leaf lettuce we consume, along with and 83 percent of Romaine lettuce and 83 percent of fresh spinach, come from the big state on the left side of the map. Cali also cranks a third of total fresh tomatoes consumed in the U.S.—and 95 percent of ones destined for cans and other processing purposes. As for fruit, I get that 86 percent of lemons and a quarter of oranges come from there; its sunny climate makes it perfect for citrus, and lemons store relatively well. Ninety percentof avocados? Fine. But 84 percent of peaches, 88 percent of fresh strawberries, and 97 percent of fresh plums? Come on. Surely the other 49 states can do better. The lack of fresh produce is already being felt in California.  Usually, fresh produce accounts for about half of the food handed out at food banks in the state, but these days fresh produce is in short supply… The effects of California’s drought could soon hit the state’s food banks, which serve 2 million of its poorest residents. Fresh produce accounts for more than half the handouts at Bay Area food banks, but with an estimated minimum of 500,000 acres to be fallowed in California, growers will have fewer fruits and vegetables to donate. With less local supply, food prices will spike, increasing as much as 34 percent for a head of lettuce and 18 percent for tomatoes, according to an Arizona State University study released last week. With fewer fields planted, there could be as many as 20,000 unemployed agricultural workers who will need more food handouts, especially in the Central Valley. By themselves, each one of these plagues is very serious. Taken together, they represent an emerging “perfect storm” which could have a dramatic impact on our food supply. So why is all of this happening? Why is our food supply being hit with so many plagues? Please feel free to share your thoughts by posting a comment below…

A white man’s account would be instantly criticized by the liberal media as pure racism. But, how can anyone scream Racist when an exacting description of the Obamas is penned by a well-known journalist of color?

 

"In the beginning of a change, the PATRIOT is a scarce man, and brave and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it cost nothing to be a PATRIOT." --Mark Twain 1904 The below summary of Barack and Michelle Obama’s 5 year reign in the White House is by far the best I've ever read as it squarely hits the nail on the head.  And it took a black reporter writing it to make it as effective as it is.  A white man’s account would be instantly criticized by the liberal media as pure racism.  But, how can anyone scream Racist when an exacting description of the Obamas is penned by a well-known journalist of color?   (Mychal Massie is a respected writer and talk show host in Los Angeles.)   The other evening on my twitter, a person asked me why I didn't like the Obama's.  Specifically I was asked:  "I have to ask, why do you hate the Obama's?  It seems personal, not policy related.  You even dissed (disrespect) their Christmas family picture." The truth is I do not like the Obamas, what they represent, their ideology, and I certainly do not like his policies and legislation.  I've made no secret of my contempt for the Obamas.  As I responded to the person who asked me the aforementioned question, I don't like them because they are committed to the fundamental change of my/our country into what can only be regarded as a Communist state. I don't hate them per definition, but I condemn them because they are the worst kind of racialists, they are elitist Leninists with contempt for traditional America.  They display disrespect for the sanctity of the office he holds, and for those who are willing to admit same, Michelle Obama's raw contempt for white America is transpicuous. I don't like them because they comport themselves as emperor and empress.  I expect, no I demand respect, for the Office of President, and a love of our country and her citizens, from the leader entrusted with the governance of same.  President and Mrs. Reagan displayed an unparalleled love for the country and her people.  The Reagan's made Americans feel good about themselves and about what we could accomplish. His arrogance by appointing 32 leftist czars and constantly bypassing congress is impeachable.  Eric Holder is probably the MOST incompetent and arrogant DOJ head to ever hold the job.  Could you envision President Reagan instructing his Justice Department to act like jack-booted thugs? Presidents are politicians and all politicians are known and pretty much expected to manipulate the truth, if not outright lie, but even using that low standard, the Obama's have taken lies, dishonesty, deceit, mendacity, subterfuge and obfuscation to new depths.  They are verbally abusive to the citizenry, and they display an animus for civility. I do not like them, because they both display bigotry overtly, as in the case of Harvard Professor Louis Gates, when he accused the Cambridge Police of acting stupidly, and her code speak pursuant to now being able to be proud of America.  I view that statement and that Mindset as an insult to those who died to provide a country where a Kenyan, his illegal alien relatives, and his alleged progeny, could come and not only live freely, but rise to the highest, most powerful, position in the world.  Michelle Obama is free to hate and disparage whites because Americans of every description paid with their blood to ensure her right to do that. I have a saying, that "the only reason a person hides things, is because they have something to hide."  No president in history has spent over a million dollars to keep his records and his past sealed. And what the two of them have shared has been proven to be lies.  He lied about when and how they met, he lied about his mother's death and problems with insurance, Michelle lied to a crowd pursuant to nearly $500,000 bank stocks they inherited from his family.  He has lied about his father's military service, about the civil rights movement, ad nausea.  He lied to the world about the Supreme Court in a State of the Union address.   He berated and publicly insulted a sitting Congressman.  He has surrounded himself with the most rabidly, radical, socialist academicians today.  He opposed rulings that protected women and children that even Planned Parenthood did not seek to support.  He is openly hostile to business and aggressively hostile to Israel. His wife treats being the First Lady as her personal American Express Black Card (arguably the most prestigious credit card in the world).  I condemn them because, as people are suffering, losing their homes, their jobs, their retirements, he and his family are arrogantly showing off their life of entitlement - as he goes about creating and fomenting class warfare. I don't like them, and I neither apologize nor retreat from my public condemnation of them and of his policies.  We should condemn them for the disrespect they show our people, for his willful and unconstitutional actions pursuant to obeying the Constitutional parameters he is bound by, and his willful disregard for Congressional authority. Dislike for them has nothing to do with the color of their skin; it has everything to do with their behavior, attitudes, and policies.  And I have open scorn for their constantly playing the race card. I could go on, but let me conclude with this.  I condemn in the strongest possible terms the media for refusing to investigate them, as they did President Bush and President Clinton, and for refusing to label them for what they truly are.  There is no scenario known to man, whereby a white president and his wife could ignore laws, flaunt their position, and lord over the people, as these two are permitted out of fear for their color.   As I wrote in a syndicated column titled, "Nero In The White House" - "Never in my life, inside or outside of politics, have I witnessed such dishonesty in a political leader. He is the most mendacious political figure I have ever witnessed.  Even by the low standards of his presidential predecessors, his narcissistic, contumacious arrogance is unequaled.  Using Obama as the bar, Nero would have to be elevated to sainthood. Many in America wanted to be proud when the first person of color was elected president, but instead, they have been witness to a congenital liar, a woman who has been ashamed of America her entire life, failed policies, intimidation, and a commonality hitherto not witnessed in political leaders.  He and his wife view their life at our expense as an entitlement - while America's people go homeless, hungry and unemployed.   America has to wake up!

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[Video] NRA Calls Out Michael Bloomberg in New Video Piers Morgan at it Again – Calls NRA Members “Assassins,” Says They Have to be Stopped Why I Carry: Oakland Man Charged For Raping and Beating Young Mother to Death...

Guns Save Lives

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• [Video] NRA Calls Out Michael Bloomberg in New Video
• Piers Morgan at it Again – Calls NRA Members “Assassins,” Says They Have to be Stopped
• Why I Carry: Oakland Man Charged For Raping and Beating Young Mother to Death
• AZ Governor Jan Brewer Signs Bill Making it Easier to Get Silencers, Short Barreled Rifles, AOWs

[Video] NRA Calls Out Michael Bloomberg in New Video Posted: 25 Apr 2014 12:19 PM PDT The NRA is taking on Bloomberg head one with a recent video starring the NRA News contributors. The theme of the video, Bloomberg is one man with millions, the NRA is millions with $25 (the cost of an NRA annual membership). The media, and Bloomberg, like to portray the NRA as being primarily funded by […]

Piers Morgan at it Again – Calls NRA Members “Assassins,” Says They Have to be Stopped Posted: 25 Apr 2014 10:31 AM PDT Well, Piers Morgan apparently isn’t using his current unemployment to catch up on his light reading and relax. No, everyone’s favorite anti-gunner is continuing to promote his anti-gun agenda. As the NRA Annual Meetings kick off in Indianapolis this weekend, Morgan took to Twitter so show his outrage over people who like guns meeting, or […]

Why I Carry: Oakland Man Charged For Raping and Beating Young Mother to Death Posted: 25 Apr 2014 10:17 AM PDT We mainly feature defensive gun uses here to highlight how citizens can protect themselves by being armed. However, sometimes we need to take a look at what happens when you’re not armed, and when your government prevents you from being armed. It’s nearly impossible to get a carry permit in most urban areas in California […]

AZ Governor Jan Brewer Signs Bill Making it Easier to Get Silencers, Short Barreled Rifles, AOWs Posted: 25 Apr 2014 08:24 AM PDT Just a day after vetoing two bills that many considered pro-gun, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law a bill that will make it easier for Arizona residents to obtain items that are regulated by the National Firearms Act. These items include silencers, automatic firearms, short barreled rifles/shotguns and firearms that are classified as “any […]

HE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY IS DEAD: LEGITIMATE CANDIDATE POLLING BEHIND SEX OFFENDER? Posted: 25 Apr 2014 06:20 PM PDT It appears that one of the most prominent candidates for the republican gubernatorial nomination in 2014 is polling behind a registered sex offender …

One Citizen Speaking...

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THE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY IS DEAD: LEGITIMATE CANDIDATE POLLING BEHIND SEX OFFENDER? Posted: 25 Apr 2014 06:20 PM PDT It appears that one of the most prominent candidates for the republican gubernatorial nomination in 2014 is polling behind a registered sex offender …     Republican gubernatorial candidate Neel Kashkari was already facing an uphill climb to unseat Gov. Jerry Brown this year, and now a new poll shows just how steep that hill is — he’s trailing a registered sex offender. The private poll shows the one-time federal bailout czar lagging behind not just Brown but also a field of Republicans that includes Glenn Champ, who was put on the state’s sex offender registry after he was convicted in 1993 of two counts of assault with intent to commit rape. Before his professed conversion to Christianity, Champ also killed a man while driving and was convicted of soliciting a prostitute. Kashkari is also trailing other Republicans running against Brown, including Assemblyman Tim Donnelly of Twin Peaks (San Bernardino County), Mayor Andrew Blount of the Orange County town of Laguna Hills, and a political unknown named Alma Marie Winston. Jerry Brown/Democrat/Governor of California 45.6 percent Tim Donnelly/Republican/California State Assemblyman 18.3 Glenn Champ/Republican/Business Owner/Engineer 7.3 Andrew Blount/Republican/ Mayor/Businessperson 5.4 Alma Marie Winston/Republican Project Funding CEO 4.1 Neel Kashkari/Republican Businessman 3.8 Robert Newman/No Party Preference Psychologist/Farmer 3.1 Akinyemi Agbede/Democratic Doctoral Student 2.8 Luis J. Rodriguez/Green Author/Community Organizer 2.6 Cindy L. Sheehan/Peace and Freedom Author/Non-Profit Director 2.3 Read more at:  Neel Kashkari trails registered sex offender in new governor poll - Politics Blog  Something must be seriously wrong in California, the land of progressive socialist democrats and granola advocates (fruits, flakes, and nuts), when the Republican Party allows a registered sex offender to run for office under the Republican banner … From Glenn Champ for Governor Web Site … GLENN CHAMP is a small contractor businessman that makes the crooked places straight and the rough places smooth. He builds roads, Highways, and freeways. A former G-man, welder, mechanic and contract firefighter.  Born in Clovis, California. Glenn Champ is a longtime resident of the state of California who lives in the mountains, in Tollhouse CA. He was also raised in the mountains where work starts at a young age. He graduated from Sierra High school, college poly science, and would not stand for the unbiblical, communist, socialist, curriculum brain washing in college. CHAMP 48, is of all American Christian heritage. After watching politics for 40 years and seeing lawyers make a mess of it and not lift a finger to resolve the problems they created. He came to a conclusion that we need a deliverer, well JESUS is on the throne; that leaves us with truck drivers and welders because mechanics are too busy trying to keep this mess running. GLENN CHAMP’S political philosophy is a T.E.A. (tax enough already) partier. He believes in Biblical rights, constitution of our founding fathers state rights, liberty and Justice to use your gun rights! Feeling that it’s time to bring a fighter to the Republican Party and move away from lawyer candidates. Einstein said, “That if you keep using the same ingredients and expect different results - that is the definition of insanity” , like we have in the land of fruits and nuts. CHAMP represents a new breed of Christian soldier moving forward in the army of the lord, on the highway of righteousness, stomping on the devil’s head, with a new song of righteousness’s in our hearts. Amen. As a man of God, he is going back to fix the crooked places that have led to our current catastrophe. There is a parallel to our spirituality and our nations prosperity. God has sent a deliverer, CHAMP to lead the way back to righteousness and prosperity. On the religious beliefs, "God honors the individuals soldier free will to sacrifice and stand fast for what is right and so do I." On California's economic issues, CHAMP favors large tax cuts for businesses and individual taxpayers. He supports the development of small businesses, due to his experience as a small businessman in California. CHAMP declared that, as governor he will remove "job-killing legislation". As a candidate, CHAMP declared that, as governor, he would "immediately turn the Central Valley farmers' water supply back on with my own wrench". And build water reserves, clean up our mismanaged forests, and utilize all our natural resources. The gubernatorial candidate opposed what he called, "job-killing legislation drafted by environmental terrorist extremists". CHAMP does not support same sex marriage but views them as misled people with past issues that have not been dealt with in a Biblical manner, nor does he support womb abortions 99.9% of the time. As a man of God and an Evangelical Christian believer, CHAMP's faith "compels me to support Biblical traditional family values". The gubernatorial candidate opposed what he called, " ungodly legislation drafted by demonic terrorist extremists own agenda", that refuse to follow the Biblical or constitution guide lines. This will involve a total overhaul of court house, school house, and church house! Q/A you may ask yourself why a man of God to be Governor of California? God has heard your cries and sent a deliverer, “Champ”. Men of God cannot be bought for money, because they have already been bought by the blood of Jesus the Christ. Also, been through the trials of life and the fire of intimidation coming out of the furnace as tempered steel. They know what their enemy agenda is, and how to stop it and turn it to the straight direction of righteousness. That is something a lawyer and an actor can’t do! CHAMP has named Jesus Christ, Einstein, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, and George Washington as individuals who have had a positive impact on his life and his philosophy. <Source> A disturbing background from the California State Attorney General’s Megan’s Law Sex Offender Database … Bottom line … I have no problem with crazy people, including religious zealots, running for public office. The media attention often highlights them and their foolish candidacy. But, I draw the line when the republicans say nothing about a registered sex offender running under the republican banner. Even worse, it appears that one of the most solid of republican candidates, with the type of financial experience that can help turn the tide of political corruption in California, polls lower than a registered sex offender. Something is wrong with the polling and clearly wrong with the republican party. It is time to remove progressive socialist democrats from feeding at the public trough and to curtail those who are destroying the state with their progressive socialist union advocacy and pandering to illegal aliens. It is also time to remove the republican party’s leadership and start rebuilding the party with Regan-style conservatives. This is a horrible situation here in the formerly Golden State of California, where high taxes and odoriferous rules and regulations are pushing productive individuals and corporations out of state. But, unless the public rallies against the corrupt, the criminals, and the crazies … we are doomed to be another de facto Mexico – ruled by billionaire oligarchs and corrupt politicians. We are so screwed! -- steve Related articles Neel Kashkari trails registered sex offender in new governor poll Former TARP head Neel Kashkari trails registered sex offender in CA governor poll CALIFORNIA: Wall Street Crony Trails Registered Sex Offender in New Governor Poll Calif. Gubernatorial Candidate Says a 'Tsunami' of Opposition to Common Core Is About to Hit Bank Bailout Czar Trailing Sex Offender in California Ex-TARP official trailing sex offender in race for guv Kashkari proposes to shake up California school system

IS GENERAL ELECTRIC'S BUSINESS MODEL OF SUPPORTING OBAMA IS FAILING? Posted: 25 Apr 2014 05:16 PM PDT It seems to me that no other American company supported Barack Obama like General Electric, headed by Jeffrey Immelt … It was almost as NBC/MSNBC, a General Electric subsidiary headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center and sold to Comcast in March, 2013, was the progressive propaganda arm of the Obama campaign and Administration. While it appeared that GE’s support of the Obama Administration was a strategic move to protect its numerous government contracts and financing of foreign and domestic purchases through GE Capital, the apparent damage that was done to the stockholders – and the nation – cannot be easily calculated. Ever a cheerleader, GE announced through the Wall Street Journal that is would purchase 12, 000 Chevrolet Volts made by “Government Motors” and the United Autoworkers Union. Who else would buy a so called over-priced  “fleet” vehicle that would travel 30 miles on a charge, with a full charge taking more than 12 hours; and, severely degraded battery performance in cold weather? General Motors used to be a car company that dealt with its unions, but appears to have become a union financing vehicle that incidentally makes cars. GE to Buy 25,000 Electric Vehicles -- Purchases, Through 2015, Will Convert Much of Company's Fleet to Green Cars The company will initially buy 12,000 Chevrolet Volts, made by General Motors Co., starting in 2011. GE said it will then add other electric vehicles to its fleet as other car makers expand their offerings. The company said it is in a "strong position to help its 65,000 global fleet customers convert and manage their fleets." GE plans to buy 1,000 Volts next year and 2,000 to 3,000 per year after that through 2015, GM said. The purchases will comprise a significant portion of GM's early Volt production. The car maker has said it plans to build 10,000 Volts in 2011. GM has said it will start delivering the Volt to retail customers by year's end. It is designed to travel 25 to 50 miles on an initial charge before a gasoline-powered generator kicks in and makes electricity to drive the wheels. The car has a total range of about 300 miles.<Source> And, the damage is continuing …  General Electric to investors: Obamacare is hurting our medical business General Electric is telling its investors that Obamacare is to blame for recent losses in the company’s healthcare division, The Daily Caller has learned. “Hospitals and clinics appear to be delaying purchases and responses to the ACA [Affordable Care Act],” stated GE senior vice president and CFO Jeffrey S. Bornstein in the company’s first-quarter earnings call. General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt, an outside economic adviser to President Obama, confirmed at a shareholder meeting Wednesday that the health sector is experiencing uncertainty. Asked at the meeting about Obamacare’s impact on the company’s earnings, Immelt responded, “I think there’s still a lot of uncertainty in health care and we’ll just have to see that over time.” The company’s health care unit, which produces medical and biopharmaceutical technologies and which grew in 2013, showed losses in revenues, segment profits, margins and orders in the first quarter of 2014. The Daily Caller has reported extensively on Obamacare’s damage to the medical device and technology industry. By February, the health-care law had already cost 33,000 jobs in the industry and 132,000 more were expected, according to a report from an industry trade group. Source: GE to investors: Obamacare to blame for losses | The Daily Caller GE Chairman Jeffrey Immelt – An Obama tool … The President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness (Jobs Council) was created to provide non-partisan advice to the President on continuing to strengthen the Nation's economy and ensure the competitiveness of the United States and on ways to create jobs, opportunity, and prosperity for the American people. The Jobs Council is made up of members appointed by the President from among distinguished citizens outside the Federal Government, including citizens chosen to serve as representatives of the various sectors of the economy to offer the diverse perspectives of the private sector, employers, and workers on how the Federal Government can best foster growth, competitiveness, innovation, and job creation. President Obama has named Jeffrey Immelt as the chair of The President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. Immelt is the ninth chairman of GE, a post he has held since September 7, 2001.  Why would Jeffrey Immelt accept the leadership of a board that includes mostly rich, self-serving progressive socialist/communist democrats? Richard Trumka, no stranger to corruption and violence This is the same council that failed to create jobs and turn around the country – if that is what they actually wanted. A council stocked by progressive socialist democrats and Richard L. Trumka, the thuggish union leader who sounds like a communist. In 1994, Trumka was honored at the annual Eugene Debs Award Banquet in Terre Haute, Indiana; The award was named after the man who founded the Socialist Party of America and ran for U.S. President five times on the Socialist Party ticket. During the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Trumka said: “There’s not a single good reason for any worker, especially any union member, to vote against Barack Obama.” By Trumka’s telling, whatever anti-Obama sentiment existed among American voters could be attributed largely to the racism of “right-wing race-haters” who “just can’t get past the idea that there’s something wrong with voting for a black man.” <Source> Bottom line … We are living in a time when corrupt progressive socialist democrats have taken over much of our government, our financial institutions, our labor force, and our means of production. To the detriment of America and Americans. These are the politicians who operate and profit from undisclosed insider information and the special interests who support the progressive socialist democrats to maintain their place at the public treasury’s feeding trough. There is only one way to turn America back to a safe and sane society, eliminate the progressive socialist democrats from high office and the burgeoning bureaucracy. Eliminate the corrupt and socialist unions from representing public employees and forming a corrupt power bond with politicians. Investigate and prosecute politicians and others who have engaged in corrupt practices and insider deals to disadvantage America and Americans. And, restore freedom to the press corps that often acts as the propaganda arm of the progressive socialist democrats. Remember what these progressive socialist democrats and their RINO (Republican In Name Only) cohorts have done to America and Americans when you stand in the voting box – possibly next to a number of dead Americans and illegal aliens who are encouraged to cast their votes in a progressive system that claims there is no voter fraud and that photo identification is a racist plot to disenfranchise minorities. Out country is sinking fast and there are few opportunities to right the foundering ship of state. Consider what Barack Hussein Obama and his cadre of progressive socialist democrats have wrought and vote accordingly. And, as for Jeffrey Immelt, it looks like his bet on Obama is going South and he needs to jump ship before he is swamped by a tidal wave of change. -- steve Related articles

This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Patrol, Protect, Preserve

FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

 

Weekly Report

April 18, 2014 - April 24, 2014

 

This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week;

however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.

 

Patrol, Protect, Preserve

 

 

 

NORTHWEST REGION

 

OKALOOSA COUNTY

 

Officers Maltais and Bartlett responded to a boating accident that occurred in Santa Rosa Sound. Once on scene, they discovered that a vessel had run aground on one of the spoil islands. The passenger of the vessel was ejected on impact and transported to the hospital where he was treated for a broken collar bone. During an interview with the operator of the vessel, he admitted his navigational lights stopped working while underway and leaving the helm to attempt to fix them without stopping the boat. The operator advised that while attempting to fix his navigational lights and while still under way, he looked up and saw that he was about to run hard aground. By the time the operator realized what was about to happen, it was too late to react.

 

Officers P. Rockwell and H. Rockwell were working the Destin Pass, Destin East Jetty area. The officers had received information that the pompano were biting and fishermen were catching their daily bag limit in just minutes. Given this information and previous knowledge of subjects taking advantage of this type of fishing activity, both officers planned to target possible over-the-bag limit violations. While observing multiple subjects for a short period of time, both officers observed one individual consistently catching pompano and then throwing them into a small bag hidden in the rocks. The officers observed the subject keep 12 pompano without throwing any back into the water. Instead, the subject continued to hide them in his bag hidden in the jetty rocks. When the subject attempted to leave the area with his fish, the officers followed the subject and later made contact with him. They advised him that they had observed the violation and knew that he was in possession of at least double the legal bag limit. During a fisheries inspection, the subject was found to have 12 pompano in his possession. The subject was then issued a misdemeanor citation for over the bag limit of pompano.

 

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

 

Investigator Hughes was contacted by Blackwater River State Park Ranger Hatfield regarding the Blackwater River State Park sign adjacent to the entrance of the park having been vandalized by graffiti. Upon arrival, Investigator Hughes observed that the park sign had been hit with white and light green paint.  Further investigation revealed two broken beer bottles with traces of green paint which appeared to have been thrown at the sign and busted upon impact.  The two sections of the broken bottles found on the ground underneath the sign had electrical tape around the top of the bottles. An attempt to take latent fingerprints from the partial pieces of broken bottles was conducted with no success. A possible suspect has been identified, but not located.

 

Officer Miller was on patrol at East River Boat Ramp when two subjects pulled up asking for help. One of the subjects had several medical issues and was lying in the bottom of the vessel. They had been fishing on East River when they both fell out the boat and over exerted themselves trying to get back into the vessel. Officer Miller called for EMS while assisting the subject up from the bottom of the vessel. The subject who was lying in the bottom of the vessel was taken by EMS to get a medical attention. Officer Miller then assisted with loading the vessel for the other subject.

 

 

NORTH CENTRAL REGION

 

DUVAL COUNTY

 

Resource Protection Services squad members were on water patrol working night activity in Northern Duval County when they spotted a small Jon boat operating with no navigation lights. During a vessel stop the operator showed signs of impairment and subsequent seated field sobriety tasks confirmed that impairment. The operator was arrested for BUI and a lawful test of his breath revealed a Blood Alcohol Level (BAL) of 0.14 two hours after his arrest.

 

Officer Griffis conducted a fisheries inspection on a subject fishing on the shoreline of the Trout River. The subject did not have a fishing license and was in possession of an undersized redfish. After further investigation and checking for wants and warrants, Officer Griffis discovered that the subject had two outstanding warrants issued by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for traffic related incidents. The subject was issued a written warning for the redfish violation and transported to the Duval County Pre-Trial Detention Center in compliance with the warrant.

 

Officer Troedson had two warrant arrests in one night. At the beginning of his shift, he arrested a subject who had an outstanding warrant for a traffic-related incident. Towards the middle of his shift, Officer Troedson arrested another subject for having an outstanding warrant for fraud. Both subjects were transported to the Duval County Pre-Trial Detention Center in compliance with the warrants.

 

Officer Hayes was on routine patrol in the vicinity of the Jacksonville-Baldwin Greenways and Trails when he observed a suspicious vehicle with broken headlamps and missing fender parked south of the trail. Officer Hayes made contact with the subject in the vehicle who spontaneously stated he had a warrant out of Duval County for violation of parole-driving under the influence. Officer Hayes arrested the subject, transported and booked the subject into the Duval County Jail.

 

Officers Hayes and Holleman were on water patrol on the Arlington River conducting vessel safety inspections when they observed a boat occupied by two subjects navigating the river with improperly displayed numbers. A vessel inspection revealed that the boat had no current registration and no personal floating devices (PFDs). The owner of the boat was cited for no PFDs and the passenger was arrested on a warrant out of Santa Rosa County for violation of probation.

 

HAMILTON COUNTY

 

Officers Nichols and Mobley were patrolling a private hunting lease when they checked on two subjects turkey hunting from a blind. Upon checking the area, the officers observed bait placed near a decoy and well within 100 yards of their hunting blind. Both hunters were issued citations for hunting turkey within 100 yards of a baited area.

 

COPS (Community Oriented Policing)

 

Officer McDonald conducted a boating safety presentation for the District Headquarters of the Department of Transportation (DOT) in Lake City. Officer McDonald spoke about general boating regulations and answered questions from the group. Approximately 50 DOT employees were in attendance.

 

 

NORTHEAST REGION

 

VOLUSIA COUNTY

 

While working in plain clothes, Officer Yetter observed a man harvesting oysters in a closed area of New Smyrna. When the man began to leave the area, Officer Yetter approached and identified himself. The man was cited for harvesting shellfish from a closed area.

 

Investigator Crews responded to a report of two suspects at Tomoka State Park keeping many undersized black drum, then leaving the area and returning a short time later to continue fishing. Officer Ward responded to assist by observing the fishermen from a concealed location. When they packed up to leave, Officer Ward alerted Investigator Crews, who approached and performed a resource inspection. The men were found to be in possession of eleven undersized sheepshead. Both men were cited for the violation.  

 

During routine blue crab trap inspections, Investigator Crews and Lieutenant Baer found numerous trap violations associated with one particular crabber, mostly dealing with improper or no escape rings and no degradable panel. Of the traps pulled, only about 15 percent of this particular fisherman’s traps were in compliance with FWC rules. A day prior to this, Lieutenant Baer talked to the fisherman who had several out of compliance traps on his boat in the boat ramp parking lot. The fisherman was told to make sure his traps were in compliance before fishing with them. Several days later, the fisherman launched at the same ramp in a different crab boat and began fishing his traps. Officers Bertolami and Ward arrived to assist. The fisherman was observed checking, re-baiting and re-setting approximately 80 traps. Based on previous inspections, the officers knew many of these traps were not in compliance with FWC rules. The fisherman made no attempt to make repairs to any of the traps before putting them back in the water with fresh bait. When the fisherman returned, Lieutenant Baer, along with Officers Ward and Bertolami performed an inspection of his catch and vessel at the ramp. The officers observed that the vessel he was fishing from displayed the wrong buoy color and the wrong blue crab number. The vessel also did not have a false bottom or bulkhead to prevent bilge water from contaminating his catch. The fisherman was cited for using traps without proper escape rings, using traps without degradable panels, commercial fishing from a vessel with no bulkhead or false bottom in place, and fishing from a vessel with improper blue crab markings visible.

 

ST. JOHNS COUNTY

 

Officers Miller and Hickman were on offshore Joint Enforcement Agreement (JEA) vessel patrol when they observed a deck light in the distance that appeared to be within three miles of the beach (state waters). Upon approaching the light, they observed that it was coming from a local shrimper who was trawling in state waters after the hours of darkness. Currently, it is unlawful to trawl for shrimp in state waters off of Florida’s east coast at night outside of the months of June, July and August of each year. Officer Hickman then boarded the vessel when it was approximately 1.85 miles east of Crescent Beach in south St. Johns County. The captain of the vessel admitted to Officer Hickman that he knew the current law and neglected to comply with it. Officer Hickman then issued the operator a notice to appear for the misdemeanor violation of trawling for shrimp at night in state waters of the Atlantic Ocean during the closed season.    

 

Officers Miller and Hickman were on vessel patrol in the Intracostal Waterway (ICW) of south St. Johns County when they observed two Putnam County males who were fishing an entangling net and stop-netting near the south entrance to the Summer Haven River. This was the second report in recent weeks of these fishermen unlawfully harvesting fish in south St. Johns County and area officers had been on the look-out for the two. As Officers Miller and Hickman maneuvered their patrol vessel toward shore to contact the suspects, both of them dumped the net and ran from the area. Officer Hickman then jumped from the boat and ran down one of the suspects who did not resist once he was caught. Upon seeing his fellow violator in custody, the second suspect returned to the scene where he was also placed in custody. Once St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on scene to secure the suspects, Officers Miller and Hickman retrieved what turned out to be a trammel net partially constructed of monofilament line. The net had been stretched out about 100 yards across the east and west banks of the Summer Haven River and contained a few croakers, a jack crevalle and a blue crab. Officers Miller and Hickman seized the net, booked the two suspects into the St. Johns County Jail, and charged them with the following violations: use of an entangling net (approx. 1,300 square feet) constructed of monofilament in state waters (3^rddegree felony), use of fishing gear to stop-net a waterway (2^nd degree misdemeanor) and resisting a law enforcement officer without violence/fleeing (1^st degree misdemeanor).

 

Officers Hickman and Miller were on park patrol during late-night hours at Guana State Park in north St. Johns County. Due to the unseasonable weather conditions, which often seem to increase the fish activity, the officers were targeting black drum fishermen in and around the dam structure on Lake Ponte Vedra. Officers Hickman and Miller were able to discreetly move into a concealed position within 15 yards of where they could observe anglers fishing the overflow of the dam.  At approximately midnight, Officers Hickman and Miller began conducting resource inspections of the fishermen. The officers subsequently discovered three individuals in violation of the “trophy-size” black drum daily bag limit of one per person. The three local men, who possessed 10 “trophy” black drum in total, all received citations for harvesting more than one black drum over 24 inches.  Officers Hickman and Miller also issued the men citations for remaining in the state park after hours.  The officers seized the 10 fish as evidence.

 

ORANGE COUNTY

 

Officers Cogburn and McDaniel ran in the Special Olympics Torch 5K run. There were about 200 law enforcement officers from throughout the area running.

 

SEMINOLE COUNTY

 

Following a two-month investigation, FWC environmental investigators arrested a Seminole County man on a warrant for five counts of felony Florida litter law and five counts of trespass. A capias warrant was issued for a second Seminole County resident for two misdemeanor violations for Florida litter law and trespass. The individuals are suspected of dumping close to 1,000 tires at a private residential location in Sanford. The home is vacant and the owner was grateful for the investigative efforts of FWC.

 

 

SOUTHWEST REGION

 

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

 

Officer Sumpter was patrolling the Babcock Webb WMA when he observed a vehicle enter after hours. He made contact with the subjects after they came to a stop. While interviewing the female driver, she lifted her ball cap and a plastic baggie containing marijuana fell to the ground. Even after several commands to not touch it, the female dropped her ball cap on top of the baggie and then picked them up together and placed them on the driver’s seat.  She was placed under arrest and charged with possession of cannabis under 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia.

 

Officer Ruggiero was patrolling the Babcock Webb WMA when she came across several trucks that had been off road. She issued a criminal citation for destruction of state land by motor vehicle to one operator that was stuck in a wetland area and an infraction for no day use permit to two others.

 

HERNANDO COUNTY

 

Officer Williams was called to assist the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol in looking for two subjects who had committed an armed burglary. They fled on foot from their vehicle located on I-75 and were deemed armed and dangerous.   As Officer Williams approached a piece of property adjacent to where the subjects were last scene, he observed two men matching the descriptions given, climbing over a barbed wire fence. Officer Williams gave verbal commands to the subjects and was able to apprehend the subjects without incident. The subjects were turned over to deputies where they were charged with armed burglary, aggravated assault with a firearm, and fleeing to elude.

 

HIGHLANDS COUNTY

 

Lieutenant Allen, Investigator Brooks and Officer Zimmerman conducted a detail to address traffic and security concerns at a concert at Highlands Hammock State Park. Several traffic warnings and a speeding citation were issued. One custodial arrest was made for driving without a license.

 

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

 

A subject willfully discharged approximately 300 gallons of raw untreated sewage into the right of way of a paved Hillsborough County road from a commercial vehicle.  The discharge area was documented as being 429 feet long and within 246 feet of the Little Manatee River.  A Mosaic Mines employee witnessed the incident and called it into the State Warning Point. The business was identified as United Site Services and the management and suspect employee subsequently met with Investigator Hough.  The defendant was interviewed, arrested and transported to the county jail and charged with a violation of the Florida Litter Law.

 

POLK COUNTY

 

Investigator Hough issued a resource citation to a male for maintaining solid waste at a non-permitted facility. The defendant was cleaning out foreclosed homes, burning the contents and scrapping out all metals at his residence.

 

 

SOUTH REGION A

 

BROWARD COUNTY

 

Officers Vacin and Albert and Lieutenant Laubenberger were on patrol in the Hillsboro Inlet early in the morning when they conducted a marine fisheries and boating safety inspection on a vessel inbound from the inlet.  With information gathered, Officer Vacin issued the operator a criminal citation for possession of a prohibited species of shark. One dead silky shark was taken as evidence.

 

A couple of weeks ago, Ft. Lauderdale Police Department asked for assistance from Officer Corteguera and Officer Vacin. They responded to the Port Everglades Inlet area. With information gathered, they placed the operator of a vessel under arrest for BUI. A packet of a white powdery substance was also found on the vessel and analyzed by the Broward Sheriff’s Office crime lab. When the substance turned out to be cocaine, Officer Corteguera filed additional charges for possession of cocaine.

 

Lieutenant Laubenberger participated in and commanded a colors detail by the Broward Police Honor Guard at Long Key Park, which was hosted by the Broward County Victim Advocates. He also participated in and commanded a colors detail by the Broward Police Honor Guard at Green Glades Ranch in Weston. This benefited “Top Cops,” a fundraising event for fallen police officers’ families.

 

Lieutenant Laubenberger and Officer Katie Wright participated in the honors funeral for Broward Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Schettino. They carried colors and commanded multi-agency members.

 

Investigator Teems was approached by a female at John Lloyd State Park advising her that someone may have drowned by parking lot #4 on the beach.  She followed the female to the Osprey Pavilion where she was motioned by several park patrons advising the subject was on the beach.  CPR was performed by a park patron and the father.  The subject was then rolled over onto his side spewing water from his mouth. The subject eventually regained consciousness and was able to speak.  Hollywood Fire Rescue arrived and immediately transported the subject to the hospital.  The father stated that his son was swimming in the ocean when he got caught up in an undertow and was raising his hands out of the water for help.  Several people jumped in the water to help pull him out.  The subject was under water for approximately 2-3 minutes.  Investigator Teems contacted the father two days later after the incident and the father advised his son was still in the hospital, but was in stable condition.    

 

GLADES COUNTY

 

One early morning, Lieutenant Brown, with the assistance of Deputy Ermeri and Sergeant Johnson from the Glades County Sheriff’s Office, found two subjects cleaning two does and two spotted fawns in a residence's yard.  Lieutenant Brown arrested both subjects because one was from out of state and said he was leaving for Alaska in a few days. The other subject had been caught with deer out of season less than a year prior.  Both were booked into jail on several charges of possession of dear out of season.

 

Investigator Douglas and Lieutenant Brown received information that one of the agency’s biologists had his side-by-side, off-road vehicle catch fire on the lake bottom of Lake Okeechobee.  Much of the lake bottom this time of the year is dry with long grass. The biologist was trying to walk 1.5 miles through the brush and stay ahead of the flames to get back to the levee.  Investigator Douglas and Lieutenant Brown arrived on the scene and took their patrol vehicles onto the lake bottom to locate the biologist.  The officers located the biologist and got him in the back of one of the trucks.  Lieutenant Brown's truck caught fire multiple times while on the lake bottom, but he was able to put it out with a fire extinguisher with no damage done to the vehicle.  The biologist had minor burns, but no other injuries.

 

OKEECHOBEE COUNTY

 

Investigator Douglas received a call about a land owner who had found someone trespassing and hunting turkeys on his property. When Investigator Douglas and Lieutenant Strenth arrived, they found one subject with the landowner and found out another subject had also been there. Lieutenant Strenth found the second subject several miles away leaving the area. When Lieutenant Strenth asked the subject if he was going to leave his partner, the subject just said he was driving around. Lieutenant Strenth asked the subject to return to where his partner was and the subject drove straight back to the private property, not where he had parked earlier at the public usage area. The second subject admitted to being on the property and had run when he spotted the owner coming in, and had texted his partner, “We had better haul butt,” his partner didn’t receive the text message. Both subjects were booked into the Okeechobee County Jail for armed trespassing.

 

ST. LUCIE COUNTY

 

Officer Pifer was on land patrol on South Hutchinson Island when he observed two subjects wade fishing. Officer Pifer then positioned himself in a location that he could observe the subjects. After about an hour, one of the subjects made his way back to shore and then to a vehicle located on the side of the road. Officer Pifer made contact with the subject and observed he was in possession of a stringer with an undersized snook. By this time, the other subject had also returned to shore, and he too was in possession of an undersized snook. Both subjects received citations for the violations. The fish were returned alive back to the water.

 

Officer Payne was on land patrol in western Fort Pierce when he observed a subject cast- netting from shore in one of the canals. He also observed a vehicle parked near the area with several subjects around it. Officer Payne made contact with the cast-netter and found that the fish he had caught were in the nearby vehicle. A resource inspection revealed no violations; however, Officer Payne discovered an additional bucket of fish in between the two front seats of the vehicle. The bucket contained blue gills. No fishing gear was observed except for the cast net. One subject was cited for harvest of game fish by an illegal method.

 

COPS (Community Oriented Policing)

 

Throughout the week Lieutenant Rogerson, Lieutenant Harris, Investigator Garzanitti and Officers Pifer, Williams and Payne participated in several public outreach events. The 55 and over communities, Savannas and Spanish Lakes, had requested that officers attend their Homeowners Association and Fishing Club meetings to address members regarding any rule changes and special enforcement efforts. The topics ranged from a brief history of the agency, to salt and fresh water fishing regulations, license requirements and feeding of wildlife, in particular that of raccoons and sand hill cranes.

 

 

SOUTH REGION B

 

COLLIER COUNTY

 

Officers Harris and Reith performed a Federal Fisheries detail focusing on educating recreational fisherman on the updated Federal fishing regulations.  During the detail, the officers issued warnings, uniform boating citations and six resource citations for possession of undersized red grouper, undersized mutton snapper and out of season gag grouper.

 

Officer Barringer organized the FWC Collier County Officers, Collier County Sheriff’s Officers and the Collier County Sheriff’s Volunteer Service Aids to conduct law enforcement patrols in Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park throughout the Easter holiday weekend.  A total of 73 warnings, which included traffic violations, park violations and boating safety related violations were given.  A total of 19 infractions were issued, which included traffic violations, consumption of alcohol, evasion of park fees, boating safety-related violations and Manatee Speed Zone violations.  Misdemeanors were also issued for BUI, driving while license suspended and possession of marijuana.

 

Officer Tidwell and Emergency Medical Services responded by vessel in rough seas to a medical call from a vessel in the waters adjacent to Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park.  The individual was brought in safely and was transported to the hospital for further treatment.

 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

 

A Miami area officer and investigator were on water patrol when they conducted a vessel stop with four subjects on board approximately one half mile north of the Rickenbacker Causeway.  A fisheries inspection revealed a total of 49 mangrove snappers, three undersized mutton snappers and several other species of regulated fish.  The captain of the vessel was issued citations for the over-the-bag limit and undersized violations.

 

A Miami area investigator was on water patrol at Haulover Marina when he conducted a boating safety and fisheries inspection of a vessel.  The subject on board stated that they had caught dolphin and that he had “eyeballed” their size.  Upon counting and measuring the fish, the investigator found the subject to be in possession of nine dolphins, six of which were undersized.  The subject was issued a citation for the violation. 

 

A Miami area officer and Investigator were on water patrol near Black Point Marina channel when they stopped a vessel to conduct a boating safety and fisheries inspection.  One subject on board was cited for being in possession of a black grouper during closed season.

 

Officer Padilla was on patrol in Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park when he conducted a fisheries inspection at fishing pier #8 on a subject who was fishing. The fisheries inspection revealed the subject to be in possession of one undersized gag grouper during a closed recreational season and was cited accordingly.

 

Officer Martin was dispatched to a home in Miami where a two-foot-long alligator was swimming in a backyard pool. Once on scene, Officer Martin located the alligator hiding in the swimming pool drain and carefully removed it. Needless to say, the report of an alligator in a pool in the City of Miami attracted several neighborhood children to the scene. Officer Martin took this opportunity to educate the children about the importance of not feeding alligators and offered some historical data about the alligator. Several of the children took photos with the alligator before it was returned to its natural habitat in the Everglades.

 

Officer Martin was conducting fisheries inspections at the Haulover Boat Ramp when she stopped a vessel returning from a day of fishing. Between the six men on board the vessel, there were four buckets packed with fish. An inspection of the catch revealed the men to be in possession of jacks, grunts, lane and yellowtail snappers, strawberry and red groupers, and pompano. The owner of the vessel admitted to catching the red grouper and the majority of the snapper. He was cited for possession of undersized and out-of-season red grouper, and the possession of undersized yellowtail snapper.

 

Officers Delgado and Martin were patrolling Sandspur Island when they saw two men in the water next to an overturned kayak. They retrieved the two men and four dogs from the water as well as the kayak. The men and pets were given a ride back Oleta River State Park and educated on the limitations of a kayak.  

 

MONROE COUNTY

 

Officers Mattson and Cox taught an eight-hour BUI transition course to FWC officers and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Deputies in Marathon.  Officers wanted to give the refresher course to the new officers before the summer boating season approaches.  The class received many compliments. 

Officer Dion, who is responsible for the Derelict Vessel Program in the Lower Keys, issued three misdemeanor citations to derelict vessel owners.  One owner was responsible for a 50-foot wooden shrimp vessel that failed to bring his vessel into compliance.  The other two citations were issued to an owner for anchoring his vessel in one of Monroe County’s ‘no anchor’ zones and leaving his vessel in a junked or dismantled condition on the waters of the state. 

Officers Costoya and Munkelt responded to a search-and-rescue call on the ocean side of Key Largo where a 6-year-old girl alone on a kayak was drifting away from shore due to the current.  The girl’s mother allowed the girl to use the kayak behind their home; however, soon after, the winds shifted and began pushing the girl out to sea.  The girl and her mother both started to panic causing the young girl to cry as she drifted further and further away from shore. The victim’s aunt jumped into the water and attempted to swim towards the kayak, but was unable to reach the little girl. Officers Costoya and Munkelt managed to locate and rescue both the little girl and the aunt and safely returned them back to shore.

 

 

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