Southeast
Squatter pirates flushed from vacation spot as authorities crack down on ‘disgusting’ water pollution
Vagrants in South Florida this winter are increasingly moving aboard derelict boats sitting along the coast, in a new squatter “phenomenon” that only surfaced for the local sheriff’s office in the last year, Fox News Digital has learned.
“This is a 2023 epiphany. We have had homeless, vagrant population here in Martin County for quite some time. Not a large one, but we have had people that are transient moving through. And we’ve had the derelict vessel issue. These were two separate problems,” Chief Deputy John Budensiek told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview this week.
“But as our marine deputy started citing, tagging and removing these vessels, they learned last year that a lot of these vessels were inhabited by vagrants,” he continued.
Late last year, local media began reporting on the increases in vagrants moving into derelict boats and how the Martin County Sheriff’s Office was working to remove the boats and squatters, or bring some of the derelict boats up to code. Derelict boats are defined as vessels found in waterways with at least two violations, which can range from not having a motor to leaking fuel. Dumping derelict boats is a state crime that could lead to jail time or fines.
SQUATTER PIRATES IN FLORIDA SETTING UP HOMES ON ABANDONED BOATS
Martin County is located in South Florida on the state’s eastern coast, roughly 40 miles north of Palm Beach. Budensiek explained to Fox News Digital that the area is a hot spot for boaters, fisherman and tourists, with many sail boats traveling from the area to the Bahamas and back.
Beachgoers enjoy the weather on May 4, 2020 in Jensen Beach, Florida, located in Martin County. (Getty images )
“One of the byproducts of having a lot of vessels in our area, is some of these vessels tend to get rundown hard and become inoperable. And because they become an operable, some of these owners will abandon them or they’ll sell them to someone who doesn’t re-register the vessel. Those people in turn, stay on these boats or run these vessels until they are completely unusable. And they sink or they leak fuel, if they have the capacity to carry fuel, or they leak human waste and they become a real danger to us environmentally,” he said.
“Unfortunately with South Florida, vagrants come from the northern communities where it’s cold this time of year down here.”
Though derelict boats have long been an issue in the area, the deputy chief said that in the last year, the number of derelict boats has only increased. He said that as 2023 drew to a close, the sheriff’s office tallied at least 50 boats that were abandoned in the last year, all of them consequently cited by authorities. Twenty-nine of the 50 boats were removed and destroyed, while the remainder were brought into compliance.
FLORIDA POLICE DISMANTLE SQUATTERS’ BOOBY-TRAPPED ‘METH ISLAND’
A derelict boat is shown in this undated file photo beng removed by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Derelict boats have long been an issue in the area, officials say, but squatters and homeless people are increasingly moving into the vessels. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office )
Budensiek clarified that the individuals squatting on the boats are overwhelmingly not homeless people who are working to find jobs and get off the streets. Instead, they are described by the deputy chief as vagrants, who are often people addicted to drugs, who suffer from mental illness and are not making attempts to get out of squalor.
“The vagrant population as a whole seems to be transient. Unfortunately with South Florida, vagrants come from the northern communities where it’s cold this time of year down here. We get an influx of them and we do our best, but they have rights … to do certain things. So we want them to succeed, but we don’t want them to come and ruin the quality of life for people that are working hard and paying taxes and trying to keep, especially in this case, our waterways safe and clean,” he said.
Differentiating a rundown boat that is in compliance from a derelict boat inhabited by squatters, however, is a difficult task, Budensiek explained.
Martin County’s Jensen Beach, Florida. Aerial view of Jensen Beach Park and the Atlantic Ocean. (Jeffrey Greenberg/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“It’s hard to differentiate. There’s a lot of vessels that are functional that people living on, that you and I may not stay on, but they are inhabitable,” he said.
SQUATTERS TURNING FLORIDA NEIGHBORHOOD INTO ‘NIGHTMARE’ AS COPS LEFT ‘HANDCUFFED’: REPORT
The sheriff’s office is on a mission to dispose of the derelict boats, or bring them up to code, and works in conjunction with the U.S. Coast Guard to test boats anchored outside the area’s water channels to see if they are up to code.
Chief Deputy John Budensiek, of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, speaks to Fox News Digital. (Fox News Digital )
“We’re going around and testing these boats that are anchored to just outside of our channels, and testing means going and making sure that their lighting functions, so you can see them at night if you’re trying to move through our waterways,” he said.
One sure-fire tell if a boat is derelict, Budensiek said, is testing if a vessel is leaking sewage into the water.
SQUATTERS TURNING FLORIDA NEIGHBORHOOD INTO ‘NIGHTMARE’ AS COPS LEFT ‘HANDCUFFED’: REPORT
“Really what’s of concern us environmentally is most of them don’t have functional bathrooms. So what we find happening here in our county, we have these vagrants that are squatting on the boats, and using the facilities. And the facilities within the boat are just draining right into our estuaries, right into our ocean and our rivers here,” he said.
“Environmentally, it’s a disgusting problem that we’re dealing with, and we are doing everything we can to identify who these people are, which vessels they are, cite them, remove them and get them off of our beaches, off of our shores,” he said.
Authorities drop dye into suspected derelict boats’ toilets, to see if it leaks into the water, he explained.
“They’re also testing them with dye … They’re running this dye through the toilet system in the boats. And if the dye comes out in the water, then we know that that boat is not sound and is in fact leaking sewage into our estuary,” he said.
Reports of people squatting in homes across the U.S. have increased since the pandemic, including in Florida, though Budensiek said that issue has not affected his community as it has others. Instead, the office is dealing with boat squatters as well as people moving to Martin County in RVs.
SQUATTERS TAKE OVER FLORIDA ‘METH ISLAND,’ BUILD ELABORATE TREE HOUSE AND INSTALL TRAMPOLINE
“We have not, we’ve only had a few cases of that,” he said when asked if typical squatting issues on land have increased in recent months.”But what we have had here is individuals coming into our county with RVs. Again, it’s kind of the same thing we’re dealing with with these vessels, where they stay in the RV until the RV is not functional anymore. Then they leave it on the side of the road,” he said, adding that squatters taking over derelict boats is a “new phenomenon.”
Removing and destroying the derelict boats comes at a hefty price: anywhere between $7,000 and $40,000. The funds paying for the removals aren’t taken from the resident’s tax base, but from boater registration fees, Budensiek said. A portion of boater registration fees is set aside explicitly for the purpose of removing derelict boats “in order to make our waterways an appealing place for our residents and people that come here to enjoy our waterways,” he said.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office is cracking down on derelict boats. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office )
Budensiek said that his office is working with state agencies and the Coast Guard to identify and ensure derelict boats are removed or brought up to code, highlighting that local authorities are committed to making Martin County “a safer and more beautiful place to boat.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS
“They use our local ordinances to combat the issue that we’re having. We don’t do it alone. We do it with our state resources, DEP, the Department of Environmental protection, they help us with some of these environmental issues. The Coast Guard is always available to come beside us. So we’re working locally, on the state level, and then on the federal level to combat this issue and make our community a safer and more beautiful place to boat,” he said.
Read the full article from Here
FIRST ON FOX — Dozens of former Justice Department (DOJ) officials sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday urging confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, later this month— praising both her commitment to the rule of law and her track record as Florida’s former attorney general that they said makes her uniquely qualified for the role.
The letter, previewed exclusively to Fox News Digital, was signed by more than 110 senior Justice Department officials who served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, including former U.S. attorneys general John Ashcroft, Jeff Sessions, Bill Barr and Edwin Meese.
Former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, deputy attorneys general Rod Rosenstein and Jeffrey Rosen, and Randy Grossman, who served as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California under the Biden administration, are among the other notable signatories.
The DOJ alumni expressed their “strong and enthusiastic support” for Bondi, Florida’s former attorney general, who also spent 18 years as a prosecutor in the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s office.
“It is all too rare for senior Justice Department officials—much less Attorneys General—to have such a wealth of experience in the day-to-day work of keeping our communities safe,” they wrote.
TRUMP’S AG PICK HAS ‘HISTORY OF CONSENSUS BUILDING’
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a press conference outside former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Imagesetty)
“As a career prosecutor, Attorney General Bondi will be ready from the first day on the job to fight on behalf of the American people to reduce crime, tackle the opioid crisis, back the women and men in blue, and restore credibility to the Department of Justice,” they wrote in the letter sent to Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
The letter praised Bondi’s work as Florida’s attorney general, where she led an aggressive crackdown on opioid drugs and the many “pill mills” operating in the state when she took office. They also praised what they described as Bondi’s “national reputation” for her work to end human trafficking, and prosecuting violent crime in the state.
Officials also emphasized Bondi’s other achievements in Florida, where she secured consumer protection victories and economic relief on behalf of residents in the Sunshine State. After the 2008 financial crisis, her work leading the National Mortgage Settlement resulted in $56 billion in compensation to victims, the letter said — and in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Bondi’s lawsuit against BP and other companies responsible resulted in a $2 billion settlement in economic relief.
The letter also stressed Bondi’s commitment to the rule of law, and what the former officials touted as her track record of working across the aisle during the more than two decades she spent as a prosecutor.
‘UNLIKELY COALITION’: A CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ADVOCATE SEES OPPORTUNITIES IN A SECOND TRUMP TERM
Pam Bondi, former Florida attorney general, arrives to speak during the Republican National Convention at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Some of us have worked directly with Attorney General Bondi during her time in office and can personally attest to her integrity and devotion to the rule of law,” they wrote. “Many more of us know and admire her well-earned reputation from her long and accomplished career in government service in Florida, her litigation and advocacy on the national stage, and her demonstrated courage as a lawyer.”
“As former DOJ officials, we know firsthand the challenges she will face as Attorney General, and we also know she is up to the job.”
Those close to Bondi have praised her long record as a prosecutor, and her staunch loyalty to the president-elect, alongside whom she has worked since 2020—first, helping to represent him in his first impeachment trial, and, more recently, in her post as co-chair of the Center for Law and Justice at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) a think tank set up by former Trump staffers.
She also served in Trump’s first presidential term as a member of his Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission.
Bondi’s former colleagues have told Fox News Digital they expect her to bring the same playbook she used in Florida to Washington—this time with an eye to cracking down on drug trafficking, illicit fentanyl use, and the cartels responsible for smuggling the drugs across the border.
“We firmly believe the Justice Department and the Nation will benefit from Attorney General Bondi’s leadership,” the DOJ officials said in conclusion, adding: “We urge you in the strongest manner possible to confirm her as the next Attorney General of the United States.”
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
'No time to play': Senate must quickly confirm Noem as DHS chief in wake of terror attack, says Louisiana gov
Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is calling on Senate lawmakers, most notably Democrats, to confirm President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, in the wake of a terrorist attack that shook New Orleans.
“This is no time to play around. Which is why I am also calling on Senate Democrats on the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee to allow Kristi Noem to get to work on Day 1 as our Secretary of Homeland Security. There should be no gap in leadership. In the wake of the Bourbon Street and Las Vegas attacks, our nation’s security depends on her quick confirmation,” Landry said in a statement Monday.
Early on New Year’s Day, chaos broke out on Bourbon Street in New Orleans as revelers partied on the streets in celebration of the holiday. The suspect, later identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, is accused of ramming a truck into the crowd on the beloved and famed party street, killing at least 14 and injuring dozens of others. Jabbar, who was armed with a Glock and a .308 rifle, was killed after opening fire on police.
Landry’s office said the Republican governor is expected to meet with President Biden on Monday, when he will press the commander in chief to issue a Presidential Disaster Declaration following the attack.
NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST CHOSE BOURBON STREET FOR MAXIMUM CARNAGE: TIMELINE
From left to right, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, President Biden and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. (Getty Images)
“I look forward to speaking with President Biden today on quickly approving my request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration,” he continued.
Landry previously sent a letter to Biden detailing the need for the declaration as the city prepares to manage other massive public events this year, including the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras, following the terrorist attack.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VICTIMS OF NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST ATTACK
“This terrorist attack has caused significant harm to our visitors and residents, disrupted essential services, and overwhelmed local and state resources during a time when the city is host to several large-scale events, including the Sugar Bowl and related activities, as well as the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras in coming weeks. The Super Bowl and Mardi Gras will bring in tourists from around the world and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated Super Bowl LIX as a Special Event Planning Assessment (“SEAR”) Level 1,” Landry wrote in his letter to Biden on Jan. 2.
Military personnel walk down Bourbon Street on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Trump announced South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his pick to lead the DHS, which oversees key national security and law enforcement agencies, such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, last year after his win over Vice President Kamala Harris.
BOMBMAKING MATERIALS FOUND AT NEW ORLEANS AIRBNB POTENTIALLY TIED TO BOURBON STREET TERRORIST: REPORT
Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies work the scene on Bourbon Street after at least 14 people were killed when a person allegedly drove into the crowd in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day on Jan. 1, 2025 in New Orleans. (Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)
Landry urging Senate lawmakers to support Noem as DHS chief in the wake of the terrorist attack follows law enforcement groups and leaders from across the nation also throwing their support behind the Trump candidate, urging lawmakers to quickly confirm her to the role.
NOEM BOASTS OUTPOURING OF POLICE, BORDER UNION SUPPORT FOR DHS CHIEF: CURRENT LEADERS ‘BETRAYED US’
Former President Donald Trump greets South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem at the South Dakota Republican Party Monumental Leaders rally on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 in Rapid City, South Dakota. (AP Photo/Toby Brusseau)
At least eight police groups or unions have issued letters to Sen. Rand Paul, who sits on the committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, urging the Senate to confirm Noem in order to bolster national security, including to combat the immigration crisis along the southern border, as well as stem the flow of deadly narcotics coming across the border.
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
High school teacher arrested for selling THC, nicotine vape cartridges to students: police
A former Virginia high school teacher who allegedly sold vape cartridges containing THC and nicotine to students is now facing multiple charges.
Kaitlyn Crescent was taken into custody by the Fairfax County Police Department early last week following the alleged incidents at Falls Church High School.
“On October 24, Child Protective Services received a referral that a teacher was selling vape cartridges to students at school. Detectives were notified and assumed the investigation,” the department said in a statement.
“Detectives determined that between December 2023 and June 2024, Kaitlyn Cresent, 28, of Alexandria, sold vape cartridges containing nicotine and THC to four students,” the statement added.
VIRGINIA NURSE ARRESTED AFTER HOSPITAL CLOSES NICU DUE TO MYSTERY ATTACKS ON NEWBORNS
Kaitlyn Cresent, a former teacher at Falls Church High School in Virginia, is now facing multiple charges. (Fairfax County Police Department)
Police say Crescent was charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Distribution of a Controlled Substance on School Property and Distribution of Tobacco/Hemp to a Minor.
“She was placed on administrative leave and is no longer employed with Fairfax County Public Schools,” they added. “Cresent was held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center on a $4,000 bond.”
FBI FOUND 150 BOMBS AT VIRGINIA HOME IN DECEMBER, PROSECUTORS SAY
Kaitlyn Crescent allegedly sold vape cartridges containing THC and nicotine to multiple students, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. (iStock)
A Fairfax County Public Schools spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Monday that Crescent was hired by the district in August 2021 before being let go on Dec. 31, 2024.
A LinkedIn page purportedly belonging to Crescent identifies her as a learning disabilities teacher.
Falls Church High School is located outside of Washington, D.C. (Google Maps)
Investigators are looking to speak with anyone who may have information about the case.
Read the full article from Here
Man Charged in NYC Subway Burning Pleads Not Guilty and Says He Was Drunk
Palisades Fire threatens Southern California cultural touchstone
Detroit Red Wings, Patrick Kane top Ottawa Senators in overtime
San Francisco reports lowest crime rate in more than 20 years
Cotton Bowl Preparing for Dallas-Area Snowstorm Ahead of Ohio State-Texas Game
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Trump Again Hints at Jan. 6 Pardons, Including for Attacks on Police
Outgoing WH official calls for US to bolster cybersecurity workforce by hiring non-degree holders
Herbert Kickl invites ÖVP to hold coalition talks
Florida judge blocks release of special counsel report on Trump cases
Two Bodies Found in Plane’s Landing Gear at Fort Lauderdale Airport
-
Business7 days agoThese are the top 7 issues facing the struggling restaurant industry in 2025
-
Culture7 days agoThe 25 worst losses in college football history, including Baylor’s 2024 entry at Colorado
-
Sports6 days agoThe top out-of-contract players available as free transfers: Kimmich, De Bruyne, Van Dijk…
-
Politics5 days agoNew Orleans attacker had 'remote detonator' for explosives in French Quarter, Biden says
-
Politics5 days agoCarter's judicial picks reshaped the federal bench across the country
-
Politics3 days agoWho Are the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
-
Health2 days agoOzempic ‘microdosing’ is the new weight-loss trend: Should you try it?
-
World7 days agoIvory Coast says French troops to leave country after decades