Here we call it “One Charlotte, One Water.” The County Commission approved the hiring of a water quality manager to develop a water quality monitoring plan and to coordinate cross-departmental efforts and public outreach. Earlier this year, the County convened a water quality summit to identify water quality drivers in Charlotte Harbor; share recent advances in harmful algal bloom detection, prediction and communication; highlight County activities and partnerships to monitor, improve and protect water quality and natural habitats; and provide opportunities for citizen education and action.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission FWC), cane toads are reddish-brown to grayish-brown, with a light-yellow or beige belly and can be uniform in color or have darker markings around the body. They have enlarged glands behind the eyes, which angle downward onto the shoulders. The glands secrete a potent milky-white toxin (bufotoxin) as defense against predators – including domestic pets. Cane toads generally range in size from six to nine inches in length. They can be confused with the native southern toad, however; adult cane toads are much larger than adult southern toads, which only grow to a maximum of approximately three or four inches. Cane toads do not have ridges across the head, as seen in the southern toad.

Another big item on the agenda was the replacement of the old tide charts on the Swing Bridge. According to Banson-Verrico, the old tide charts on the Swing Bridge fender system were suffering from barnacle corrosion and were replaced by the GIBA staff with new float system charts.  “The boat clearance heights are completely out of the water and very user friendly,” she said.

If you have been on the Bike Path recently, you may have noticed that compost has been added where washouts have created areas where there is a steep edge. This week a sod company will be on-site to add sod to these areas. This will create a smoother transition along the path. The completion of this project will be pleasing to the eye and create a more enjoyable experience for path users.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, there are 82 affected area codes across the country that have had to be changed, as they all have one thing in common: Their area codes are all similar to or too close to “988,” which is now the established national number for the crisis line. The 82 affected area codes have one thing in common: using 988 as a local exchange, a term that describes the middle digits of a 10-digit phone number (for example: 123-988-1234). Four of those area codes are in Florida: 321, in Brevard County; 352, in north-central Florida; 941, which covers an area from Bradenton to North Port; and 561, in Palm Beach County.