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14 boaters rescued off Florida gulf coast in 1 week, Coast Guard says

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14 boaters rescued off Florida gulf coast in 1 week, Coast Guard says


It was a busy week for the U.S. Coast Guard in St. Petersburg.

Seventeen distress and marine safety calls led to the rescue of 14 boaters since April 12, Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg said in a news release Friday.

It started around 11 p.m. April 12, when Coast Guard watchstanders received a mayday call from three people reporting that their 47-foot commercial fishing boat was sinking 1 mile southwest of John’s Pass. The three people were found floating next to their boat, which was partially submerged and run aground, about 11:10 p.m. They were taken to John’s Pass Marina for care from emergency medical services.

The boaters worked with commercial salvage to coordinate the recovery of their vessel, and 605 gallons of diesel were pumped from the fuel tank Monday. The vessel was towed to Snug Harbor Boatworks on Tuesday, and no pollution was reported, the news release states.

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Also on Monday, watchstanders received a distress call from three people aboard a disabled 20-foot vessel about 22 miles west of Egmont Key around 3:30 p.m. A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Cortez found the vessel around 7:45 p.m. and towed it to Egmont Channel. A search-and-rescue boat crew from Eckerd College towed the vessel from Egmont Channel to the Fort De Soto Boat Ramp.

On Tuesday, dispatchers from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office reported a person aboard a “disabled personal watercraft” near the Courtney Campbell Causeway around 3:30 p.m. A boat crew from Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg retrieved the person and towed their vessel to the Courtney Campbell Boat Ramp.

On Thursday, Pinellas sheriff’s office dispatchers again contacted the Coast Guard — this time for three people whose boat ran out of fuel about 14 miles west of Egmont Key around 1:45 p.m. A Coast Guard crew from St. Petersburg found the three people aboard the 21-foot vessel around 3:15 p.m. and towed it to Egmont Channel. An Eckerd College search-and-rescue boat crew towed the vessel from Egmont Channel to Fort De Soto Boat Ramp.

Around 2 p.m. Thursday, Coast Guard watchstanders received an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon alert and mayday call from four people aboard a 30-foot vessel 30 miles west of Venice. An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater found the four people around 3 p.m. A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Cortez fixed the steering and escorted the vessel to Station Cortez.

No injuries were reported in any of the incidents, the Coast Guard said. In a statement, Capt. Michael P. Kahle, commander of Sector St. Petersburg, stressed the importance of having a communication device on your boat.

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“Having a working marine VHF radio, a well-charged cellphone in a waterproof case and a properly registered EPIRB and PLB, can and will help save your life in a time of distress,” Kahle said in the statement.



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South Florida faith leaders call for Miami mental health center to finally open

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South Florida faith leaders call for Miami mental health center to finally open


On Monday, more than 800 faith leaders and community activists from across South Florida, crowded into the Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Miami to demand the Miami Dade County Commission move forward with opening the Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery.

“Are we OK with being told to wait when lives are on the line?” said Quanda Dupree, of the St. Peters Missionary Baptist Church. “Or do we believe real accountability means keeping your word? Even when things aren’t guaranteed. We believe our communities deserve more than a delayed response. We deserve action.”

The center – which was promised to voters back in 2004 – would take mentally ill individuals out of the jail and move them into a place where they can receive comprehensive treatment and support. The county has spent more than $50 million renovating the building and two years ago, a pair of non-profit groups were selected to operate the facility while numerous local groups and agencies have pledged their support, including the Homeless Trust. Funding for the first two to three years of the center is already in place.

And yet, the center remains empty – not helping anyone.



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SNAP benefits will be changing in Florida starting Monday

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SNAP benefits will be changing in Florida starting Monday


New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.

What we know:

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These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.

Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.

Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.

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“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”

Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.

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“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”

The other side:

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This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”

What they’re saying:

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Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.

“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.

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This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.

“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”

The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.

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Big picture view:

The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.

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The Source:  Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.

Hillsborough CountyHealth



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GALLERY: Barrett-Jackson ‘Super Saturday’ takes over South Florida Fairgrounds

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GALLERY: Barrett-Jackson ‘Super Saturday’ takes over South Florida Fairgrounds


The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.

“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.

What to expect

  • 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
  • 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
  • 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
  • 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
  • Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.

For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.

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Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.

Other Friday highlights included:

  • 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
  • 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
  • 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
  • 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
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With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.



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