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2016-12 Lake Okeechobee Regional CompactRESOLUTION NO. 2016-12 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA; AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING THE PARTICIPATION BY THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE INTO THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGIONAL COMPACT; SAID AGREEMENT BEING A JOINT EFFORT BY OFFICIALS IN A NINETEEN COUNTY AREA ENCOMPASSING THE NORTHERN EVERGLADES AND THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE WATERSHED TO WORK TOGETHER ACROSS JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES TO CREATE, SUPPORT, AND ADVANCE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH DISCHARGES FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE, AND TO DEVELOP A JOINT STRATEGIC PLAN TO SUCCESSFULLY MEET THOSE CHALLENGES; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, each of the 164 municipalities and 19 counties located within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program study area in Central and South Florida have substantial water quality challenges that critically impact the sustainability, economic vitality, and growth of each of their communities (hereinafter the "Lake Okeechobee Regional Community "); and WHEREAS, since the start of construction of the Herbert Hoover Dike in 1932, the flood control and water delivery system that serves Florida's urban and agricultural interests has substantially impacted the natural ecosystem and threatened essential wildlife habitats; and WHEREAS, the Central and Southern Florida Project significantly altered the landscape of the Kissimmee, Lake Okeechobee, St. Lucie, and Caloosahatchee watersheds, and forever changed the way water is managed throughout Central and South Florida; and WHEREAS, the Lake Okeechobee Watershed, the Florida Everglades and its coastal estuaries are an internationally unique ecosystem, a national treasure, and a critical component of Florida's economy; and WHEREAS, restoration of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed, the Everglades ecosystem, and coastal estuaries are vital to Florida's future by protecting Florida's environment, economy, and water supplies; and WHEREAS, each of the effected local governments face both unique and analogous water challenges requiring regional cooperation as a consequence of environmental, ecological, and economic interdependence; and WHEREAS, the 164 cities and 19 counties located within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program study area play a major role in protecting local water quality and reducing stormwater runoff; and WHEREAS, only together can the Lake Okeechobee Regional Community effectively address the myriad of longstanding water issues shared by their local governments; and WHEREAS, the Lake Okeechobee Regional Community is wholly resolved to improving regional water conditions and mitigating future impacts to water quality through abiding local initiatives and indelible collaborative planning; NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved before the City Council for the City of Okeechobee, Florida; presented at a duly advertised public meeting; and passed by majority vote of the City Council; and properly executed by the Mayor or designee, as Chief Presiding Officer for the City: SECTION 1: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact to develop a strategic plan utilizing the best available science, emphasizing regional sustainability and vitality, remaining sensitive to the limitations of local resources, and acknowledging the diverse economic, ecological, and environmental challenges each community faces. SECTION 2: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact to develop a joint policy position urging the United States Congress and the Florida Legislature to take special actions, including passing legislation that recognizes the unique vulnerabilities of Lake Okeechobee and the surrounding Everglades and estuarine systems, and to further a joint policy position that includes specific recommendations regarding the allocation of federal and /or state funding. RESOLUTION NO. 2016 -12 PAGE 1 OF 2 SECTION 3: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact in developing joint position statements on proposed State legislation including but not limited to: land management, stormwater runoff, septic to sewer programs, and allocation of state and federal resources. SECTION 4: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact in drafting conceptual state and federal legislation for maintaining infrastructure, mitigating runoff from urban and agricultural lands, and improving water quality of and water flows through Lake Okeechobee, Everglades and coastal estuaries. SECTION 5: That each local government shall commit appropriate staff resources and expertise within budget constraints as part of a Regional Planning Team with other parties to this compact. Staff resources shall be dedicated towards developing and implementing a Regional Action Plan, understanding therefore no local government will work ex parte or contra to the mutually adopted resolution of all parties to this compact. This does not limit local governments to advocating for projects or policies that are only mutually agreed upon by all parties. SECTION 6: That the adopted Regional Action Plan shall, at a minimum, include the following components: (a) A list of those local and regional projects and programs all parties to this compact mutually agree are critical to Everglades restoration, protection and improvement of local water supplies and water quality, enhancement of natural area and the economic vitality of our communities. (b) Local Projects /Programs: Septic maintenance and septic to central sewer programs; local fertilizer ordinances and fertilizer education programs; stormwater best management practices (BMPs); agricultural BMPs; golf course BMPs. (c) Current Regional Projects: The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and the projects identified on Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS) including, but not limited to, Rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike; Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP); C- 43 West Basin Reservoir; C -44 Reservoir; Tamiami Trail Bridging Project; Lake Okeechobee Watershed Planning Project; and the Kissimmee River Restoration Project. SECTION 7: That each local government shall commit to participating in an annual regional summit, including the opportunity to host a congress with other parties to this compact in furtherance of the resolutions stated herein and for so long as the parties to this compact are resolved to its purpose. SECTION 8: Conflict. All Resolution or parts of Resolutions in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. SECTION 9: Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this Resolution, or application hereof, is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such portion or provision and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions or applications here. SECTION 10: Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption. INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED in Regular Session this 13th day of December, 2016. ATTEST: t i k.4, Lane Gamiotea, CM& City Clerk REVIEWED FOR LEGAL SUFFICIENCY: ■ John R. Cook, City Attorney RESOLUTION No. 2016 -12 PAGE 2 OF 2 James E. Kirk, Mayor A: Main Dry winter means clean St. Lucie River, lagoon Dry OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Conditions contrast from this time in 2016 TYLER TREADWAY t TT,E I .YJ (9 T L f P,i1 1 psi What a difference a year and a lot of rain — make. On Feb. 14, 2016, more than 3.4 billion gallons of Lake Okeechobee water gushed from the C -44 Canal into the St. Lucie River. For the past several days, water has been flowing 'backward' from the canal into Lake O. Last year, the lake elevation swelled above 16 feet during the rainiest winter on record. This year, the lake already has dropped below 14 feet as South Florida received less than half its average rainfall from November to mid - February. By this time last year, two weeks of Lake 0 discharges already had dumped nearly 30 billion gallons of contaminated water into the river's estuary, an onslaught that wouldn't end until Nov. 4 and more than 220 billion gallons of lake water had wreaked environmental havoc. This year, the National Weather Service predicts the unusually dry weather will continue until May to early June, which virtually would eliminate the possibility of springtime discharges. The Weather Service isn't throwing around the word 'drought' just yet, but stay tuned. 'Right now we're calling conditions abnormally dry, meaning dry even for the dry season,' said Will Ulrich, a meteorologist at the Weather Service station in Melbourne. 'But if conditions continue like they're supposed to, or even intensify like they could, we could be talking about drought conditions in March or in April.' See DRY, Page 10A Continued from Page l A LAKE LEVEL Lake 0 is dropping about 6 inches a month, 'which is ideal,' Terrie Bates, water resources director for the South Florida Water Management District, told the district's board members at their Feb. 9 meeting. The Army Corps of Engineers wants the lake to drop to 12 1 /2 feet by June 1 so there's capacity to take on water during the summer rainy season. 'Last year, we were doing everything we could to get the lake down,' said Corps spokesman John Campbell. 'This year, I don't anticipate we'll have any difficulty getting it to 12.5 feet or below.' Page 1 of 2 2J)14/I7 Ed 2/14/2017 A: Main Rather than trying to get rid of as much Lake 0 water as possible, the district is calling on South Florida residents to conserve as much water as possible. 'I wouldn't say we're in a drought,' district spokesman Randy Smith said. 'We haven't implemented any watering restrictions other than the year -round restrictions that have been in place for several years.' The St. Lucie River's ecosystem is slowly recovering from last year's devastation, said Mark Perry, executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart. 'It will take a couple of years for the oysters and the sea grasses to recover,' Perry said. 'The longer we don't have discharges, the better. It's important that we don't forget what was happening in the river a year ago. The way the river looks now, that's the way it's always supposed to look.' Thursday. 01/26/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 2 of 2 2/14/2017 A: Main Bill calling for reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee filed in state House TYLER TREADWAY LEA _T: •I_ r'!.,r h'L;, -_fit I7I The proposal to build a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to curb disastrous discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers is now officially before the Florida House of Representatives. State Rep. Thad Altman, a Rockledge Republican who formerly represented part of the Treasure Coast in the Senate, filed House Bill 761 on Friday. The legislation is identical to Senate Bill 10 filed in late January by state Sen. Rob Bradley, a Republican from Fleming Island. Both outline Senate President Joe Negron's proposal for the state and the federal government to equally share the $2.4 billion cost of buying up to 60,000 acres south of Lake 0 and building a 120 billion- gallon reservoir. Even before the House version was filed, the plan has met with opposition from that chamber's leadership. House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a Republican from Land 0' Lakes, has said he doesn't think Negron's reservoir would curtail the discharges and doesn't want to borrow money by issuing government bonds to pay the state's share. Both bills direct the South Florida Water Management District to find willing sellers for land in the Everglades Agricultural Area south of the lake by the end of the year. Barring that, the state would have until 2018 to hold U.S. Sugar Corp. to a 2010 agreement to sell its land. As a last resort, the bill requires the Legislature give an extra $50 million a year for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, a suite of 68 projects including a reservoir south of the lake approved 17 years ago to replenish the flow of clean water to Everglades National Park and stop the discharges. Farmers and residents from south of the lake railed against Negron's plan, claiming it won't stop discharges but would ruin the area's agriculture -based economy. Still, the Senate bill cleared its first legislative hurdle Tuesday when it was approved by the Senate's Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee. Members said the bill would contain provisions for economic aid to affected communities by the time it is considered by the full Senate. Our indian river lagoon "Thursday, 01/26/2017 Pag.A02 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 1 of 1 2) 11111 Edltlf 2/14/2017 A: Main Senate panel approves Negron's reservoir plan Plan Committee: Expect some changes before bill reaches full legislature TYLER TREADWAY F L 1'_F'Lf�l A Florida Senate committee approved legislation Tuesday for a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to stop discharges to the St. Lucie River. But several members of the Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee said to expect changes to Senate Bill 10 before it reaches the full Florida Legislature. Responding to numerous residents south of the lake who testified at the hearing that the reservoir would ruin the local economy, Committee Chairman Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, promised the bill 'will have an economic development component. If we're going to hurt jobs in one direction, we need to help jobs in another direction.' The bill represents Senate President Joe Negron's proposal for a $2.4 billion federal /state project to buy about 60,000 acres south of Lake 0 and build a 120 billion - gallon reservoir to curb harmful discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. On Monday, 14 landowners in the Everglades Agricultural Area, including U.S. Sugar Corp. and Florida Crystals, announced they aren't willing to sell land for a reservoir, saying taking that much land out of production would result in lost jobs for farm workers, mill workers and the web of businesses that support and are supported by farming. The communities south of the lake already have the highest unemployment in South Florida, Pahokee City Manager Chandler Williamson told committee See PLAN, Page 11A State Senate President Joe Negron is proposing to buy land south of Lake 0 and build a reservoir to curb harmful discharges. HOBIE HILER/ SPECIAL TO TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Our indian river lagoon Page 1 of 2 2 -19111 £tJ o7 2/14/2017 A: Main Continued from Page lA members Tuesday, and taking land out of farming 'will make a distressed situation grow larger.' 'DEVASTATING IMPLICATIONS' I Iilary Hyslope, executive director of the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce, said 'businesses will cease to exist. ... This bill will have devastating implications for our community.' Countering that was Rochelle Neumann, who owned Coastal Paddleboarding in Port Salerno with her husband, Dan, before the Lake Okeechobee discharges polluted water in the Manatee Pocket and forced them to close their business. 'I'm the human face of people who already have lost jobs, lost businesses,' Neumann said. Neumann also asked that the bill include economic help for communities south of Lake O. 'I care deeply about the people in the Glades,' she said. 'They shouldn't have to lose their jobs and businesses like I did.' Belle Glade Mayor Steve B. Wilson spoke against the bill, but said including economic help to the affected communities 'would make it a win -win.' State Sen. David Simmons, a Republican from Longwood, said he planned to add an amendment to the bill calling for the South Florida Water Management District and the Army Corps of Engineers to repair the Herbert Hoover Dike around the lake in three years so it could hold enough water to prevent discharges. Acquiring land and building the reservoir could take 15 to 25 years, Simmons said, but fixing the dike would be 'an immediate solution.' The corps has spent more than $870 million on strengthening the dike since 2001. The estimated cost of the remaining work is about $830 million, bringing total costs for the rehab to about $1.7 billion. Corps officials said the lake can't hold more water until work on the south side of the dike is completed, which is scheduled for 2025. The corps tries to keep Lake 0 elevations between 12 feet, 6 inches and 15 feet, 6 inches to prevent breaches in the dike that could threaten communities to the south. The corps plans to start looking at adjusting that in 2022 so any changes that would allow holding more water in the lake can be put in place as soon as the repairs are complete. Simmons said he wants lake elevation to go as high as 19 feet. If the Legislature passes the bill during its March -to -May session, Congress would have to authorize the reservoir and allocate at least half of the estimated $2.4 billion cost of the project. "Thursday, 01/26/2017 Pag.AOI Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 2 of 2 2/14/2017 A: Main 14 farmers refusing to sell land for Lake 0 discharges proposal Farmers ISADORA RANGEL A bill to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges hit a roadblock the day before its first hearing as 14 landowners announced Monday they aren't willing to sell land for a reservoir. Sugar giants U.S. Sugar Corp. and Florida Crystals, as well as smaller farmers who own at least 2,500 acres each south of the lake, signed a letter to the Legislature that states buying their land won't reduce polluted Lake 0 discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. U.S. Sugar's inclusion in the letter sends a strong message. A bill filed last month requires the state, if it cannot find willing sellers, to execute a 2010 contract it signed with U.S. Sugar to buy 153,000 acres. The company could look for loopholes in the agreement not to sell the land. Landowners who signed the letter also said taking land out of production could shut down at least two vegetable packinghouses and a sugar mill. Three sugar mills already have closed since the 1990s as the state bought land for Everglades restoration, the letter states. 'This is not a plan in the best interest of the families in Florida and across the nation who rely on steady food supplies from American farmers they can trust,' Keith Wedgworth of Wedgworth Farms wrote in a news release. 'Sadly, this is just another anti - farmer, anti jobs bill." The lack of willing sellers could jeopardize Florida Senate President Joe Negron's push to build a reservoir to hold about 120 billion gallons of water that today gets discharged to coastal communities. Last week he said he's open to using land the state already owns, but would need to buy additional acreage. Negron wasn't available to comment Monday afternoon, spokeswoman Katie Betta said. Some landowners will travel to Tallahassee for a Tuesday hearing of the bill to execute Negron's proposal, said Danielle Alvarez, spokeswoman for the group EAA Farmers Inc., a coalition of farmers created in January to oppose the plan. The Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee is scheduled to hear Senate Bill 10 at 2 p.m. U.S. Sugar and Florida Crystals own about 342,000 acres combined, with most of it in the 700,000 - acre Everglades Agricultural Area south of Lake Okeechobee. It's unclear how much the other 12 letter- signers own combined. The other signers include Roth Farms, which grows sugar and vegetables on 5,000 acres and is owned by Republican state Rep. Rick Roth, as well SBG Farms, an affiliate of U.S. Sugar that owns 8,500 acres. See FARMERS, Page 11A Our indian river lagoon Page 1 of 3 41111 th i 2/14/2017 A: Main "This is not a plan in the best interest of the families in Florida and across the nation who rely on steady food supplies from American farmers they can trust." KEITH WEDGWORTH WEDGWORTH FARMS Continued from Page 1 A FACT CHECK The letter makes several claims to dispute the need for a reservoir south of the lake, some of which don't tell the whole story: CLAIM: 'Studies have determined that nutrients from local sources, including aging septic systems ... are the primary cause of harmful algae blooms in the Indian River Lagoon.' FACT: That's missing the point because the issue is algae blooms in the St. Lucie River. Even Brian LaPointe, a prominent septic tank researcher at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, said lake discharges are the biggest single source of blooms in the St. Lucie River estuary. CLAIM:' The Everglades Agricultural Area is not the cause of algae blooms ... in South Florida estuaries.' FACT: That's true, but, again, that's not the issue. Farms and towns stand in the way of Lake Okeechobee water flowing south into the Everglades as naturally intended and Negron wants to buy their land to recreate some of that flow. CLAIM: 'No local, state or federal agency ... is calling for the purchase ... of land as part of any strategies for solving our region's water challenges.' FACT: The South Florida Water Management District has said the state already owns enough land, but commissioners in Martin County, which is directly impacted by discharges, has called for the land buy. CLAIM: Even with a reservoir, 93 percent of last year's discharges still would have happened, the letter states. FACT: During the wet season, the reservoir would become full with no way for water to go south into the Everglades. The letter doesn't take into consideration the reservoir would continuously send water south through man -made and natural marshes during dry conditions, allowing more water to be stored during the wet season, its proponents say. CLAIM: Farmers have supported funding for the Everglades Forever Act and the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, a multi - project blueprint Congress passed in 2000, the letter states. FACT: Known as CERP, the plan calls for a reservoir south of the lake. Page 2 of 3 2/14/2017 A: Main CLAIM: Farmers have adopted practices to reduce nutrient pollution flowing into the Everglades to achieve a 'stringent' standard of 10 parts per billion standard for phosphorus, the letter states. FACT: Taxpayers are helping farmers achieve that standard by helping pay for stormwater treatment areas to clean the water. That's also a red herring because water flowing off farms goes into the Everglades and not the areas impacted by discharges. ANALYSIS Sugar fields, south of Lake Okeechobee, are pictured. ERIC HASERT /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Thursday, 01/26/20I7 Pag.A0l Copyright J 2017 Journal Media Group Page 3 of 3 2/14/2017 Sen. Negron: Reservoir south of Lake 0 is 'indispensable' TYLER TREADWAY TYLER.TREADWAY@TCPALM.COM North vs. South. It's the sometimes not -so -civil war over whether a reservoir north or south of Lake Okeechobee would best improve the South Florida plumbing system. In the latest salvos: » Legislation was filed Jan. 26 to enact Florida Senate President Joe Negron's proposal that state and federal governments split the $2.4 billion cost of buying 60,000 acres from farmers south of the lake for a project to send excess Lake 0 water south. Negron, a Stuart Republican, said Wednesday the project was 'indispensable.' 'I'm going to give it everything I have to make sure that we go forward with increased southern storage now,' Negron said, 'because that's the best solution to stopping the discharges.' » On Thursday, the South Florida Water Management District rolled out preliminary data from its plan for north of the lake — a combination of one or more reservoirs plus 1,000- and 3,000- foot -deep wells. 'Multi- faceted storage north of Lake Okeechobee provides a cost - effective, flexible strategy to meet environmental and water supply goals in the South Florida,' Jim Moran, chairman of the district's Water Resources Advisory Commission, said after the presentation. So, which would best help stop the Lake 0 discharges? South Where would it be? Farmland in the Everglades Agricultural Area south of Lake 0 sells for $11,000 to $13,000 an acre, water district Executive Director Peter Antonacci told a Florida Senate panel Jan. 11. That puts the land cost between $726 million to $780 million, and leaves more than $1.6 billion for construction. Antonacci also said the state already owns enough land for the project on a site where a similar reservoir was proposed in 2000. The land's availability is uncertain: Half the site is now a shallow reservoir used to clean water coming off farmland; the other half is earmarked to be a similar structure. A 2015 report by the University of Florida Water Institute commissioned by the Senate suggests the state 'reconsider' using the site for a deep reservoir rather than shallow ones. Both 'could be modified' into deeper reservoirs, said Matt Morrison, district's bureau chief for Everglades policy and coordination. Page 1 of 3 1I5I11 -an 2/14/2017 A: Main How would it work? The proposed reservoir would be able to hold up to 120 billion gallons. Opponents of the plan say that's a figurative drop in the bucket compared to the 740 billion of gallons of Lake 0 water sent to the estuaries in 2016. True, but proponents of the plan stress the project would provide 'dynamic' rather than 'static' storage: The reservoir would not just hold water, it would continuously send water south toward the Everglades. Over the course of a year, the reservoir would 'turn over' three to four times, sending 360 billion to 480 billion gallons of water to the Everglades, said Mark Perry, executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart. That gets a lot closer to the 2016 discharge total and in the range of the 450 billion gallons of Lake 0 discharges during the 'Lost Summer' of 2013. Water released from the reservoir would be sent through an existing system of man-made marshes known as stormwater treatment areas (or STAB) and huge natural marshes known as water conservation areas (or WCAs). Both clean water before it reaches Everglades National Park. Sugar industry officials, in a Jan. 6 ad in Treasure Coast Newspapers, said there's no room for additional water in the system when Lake Okeechobee is discharging. True again, Perry said; but because the reservoir will be sending water south throughout the dry season, Lake 0 will be low by the time discharges start and have more room to hold water rather than send it to the estuaries. The Army Corps of Engineers tries to keep Lake O's elevation between a low of 12.5 feet, so there's water available if needed, and a high of 15.5 feet, to avoid threatening the integrity of the Herbert Hoover Dike. The southern reservoir would allow the corps to bring down the lake's lower limit by providing a 120 billion- gallon backup if water is needed for irrigating the EAA. North Where would it be? The South Florida Water Management District owns about 20,000 acres in numerous parcels in the Lake 0 watershed that could be used for the project, said spokesman Randy Smith. The reservoir and wells could be placed along the Kissimmee River, the lake's largest water supplier, and the numerous creeks, streams and canals that enter the lake, Morrison said. The reservoir and wells also could take water directly from the lake. 'All the tributaries north of the lake are being looked at as possible sites,' said Morrison. How would it work? The larger the reservoir, the fewer wells would be needed, Morrison said. Conversely, a small reservoir would require more wells. The shallower wells would store water in the upper Floridan aquifer and would be able to bring it back to the surface when needed; water in the deeper wells would not be recoverable. Page 2 of 3 2/14/2017 A: Main At Thursday's water advisory committee meeting, Morrison rolled out several options ranging from a 48 billion - gallon reservoir that would reduce discharges by 36 percent and cost $1.14 billion to a combination of an 81.5 billion - gallon reservoir, 150 deep wells and 80 shallower store - and - retrieve wells that would reduce discharges by 82 percent and cost $3.7 billion. The reliance on the store - and - recover wells raises a couple of red flags, Perry said. 'It's not a proven technology, especially on such a large scale,' he said, adding the wells can't pump water underground fast enough to keep up with, or surpass, discharges. Plus, there are concerns about pumping polluted water into the aquifer and have it resurface in a farmer's artesian well far away. Storage north of the lake would be more 'flexible' than a reservoir to the south, Morrison said. Stored water could be moved to Lake 0 when drought dries out the western marshes, to the Caloosahatchee when saltwater is moving up from the Gulf of Mexico and to the Everglades and Florida Bay when they need freshwater. That's true, said Perry, but once the reservoir and wells fill up, the only place to send excess water is to Lake 0; and once the lake fills up, the only place to send the water is to the estuaries. It's a common refrain among Treasure Coast environmentalists: Until water is well south of Lake Okeechobee, it can still be sent to the St. Lucie River. carnwDVrta PISMO Aloe blooms turned blue Friday behind Janet MscNIunhtoaY house in Palm Qtv. Algae blooms turned blue Friday behind Janet MacNaughton's house in Palm City. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Sunday, 02/05/2017 Pag.A17 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 3 of 3 2/14/2017 613: Opinion Seize opportunity on Lake 0 land purchase Lake 0 OUR VIEW Legislature has historic chance to remedy a decades -old problem EDITORIAL BOARD TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS You can judge a man by the quality of his enemies, wrote author Oscar Wilde. On that basis, state Senate President Joe Negron is standing 10 feet tall right about now. Throughout the fall, as Negron talked about the need to buy land south of Lake Okeechobee to curb the discharges that wreaked such havoc on the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, there always was a chance that his words were mere campaign promises. Perhaps he simply was saying what constituents wanted to hear, and never really planned on expending the political capital necessary to take on the powerful interests sure to oppose any land buy: the sugar industry, farmers south of the lake, even other legislators dubious of spending billions on projects that might not help their own constituencies. Now we know Negron was serious. And the real battle has begun. Late last month Sen. Rob Bradley, chairman of the Senate Environmental and Natural Resources Appropriations Committee, introduced his bill to advance Negron's proposal, a $2.4 billion plan to buy 60,000 acres for water storage south of the lake. Those powerful interests are lined up to strangle the proposal in its infancy. South Florida Water Management District officials said there's no need for more land south of the lake. Sugar farmers have unleashed an army of lobbyists to kneecap the proposal. Senate Bill 10 is 'not supported by the science' and is the 'most expensive and least effective idea,' U.S. Sugar spokeswoman Judy Sanchez said. And even if the bill sailed unmolested through the Senate, there still is the matter of the Florida House, where Speaker Richard Corcoran has said that, despite his support for efforts to clean state waters, Florida has a 'spending problem' — and the House is not prepared to bond tax money to buy land. Then there's Gov. Rick Scott, who released his proposed 2017 -2018 budget Tuesday, which doesn't include funding for Negron's land buy. No one said this was going to be easy. But it remains vital. Water storage south of Lake Okeechobee is a key component to solving the long- term problem of discharges and the toxic algae carried in the flow. Senate Bill 10 is a win for the Treasure Coast and far beyond. We wholeheartedly endorse the measure, and hope to see Negron, Bradley and other backers fight hard to push it through the Legislature. Page 1 of 4 216111 EtVA) 2/14/2017 B: Opinion There certainly will be quite a bit of horse trading involved. House budget chairman Carlos Trujillo, a Miami Republican, has said Negron could find allies in the House if he gives members some of their priorities, like health care and education reform. See LAKE 0, Page 4B South sugar fields, south of Lake Okeechobee,as seen on Jan. 21, 2015, near Clewiston. ERIC HASERT /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Florida Sen. Joe Negron speaks during 'Protest Lake 0 Discharge' hosted by the Rivers Coalition and the River Kidz at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam in Stuart on Thursday Oct. 25, 2012. 'I think the public's voice will be heard on this issue,' said Senator Negron. 'My plan is to work to replace the Army Corp of Engineers with Florida's best and brightest scientist.' HOBIE HILER/SPECIAL TO TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Page 2 of 4 2/14/2017 'B: Opinion • Continued from Page 1B And the sugar industry obviously needs to be at the table, though the initial response from the industry has been chilly, even hostile. Industry representatives declined invitations to participate in a Facebook Live forum hosted by TCPa1m and featuring Negron on Wednesday. The animosity could be driven, in part, by a provision in the bill that would give state water officials until Dec. 31 to find landowners willing to sell the necessary acreage. If they can't, the state would force U.S. Sugar to live up to a 2010 agreement which gave the state an option to buy 153,000 acres south of the lake. We fail to see anything improper in the state demanding that the company honor its agreement, if it comes to that. Nor is there anything improper about the state honoring Amendment 1, which 75 percent of voters approved in 2014, and which specifically allows issuing bonds for this purpose. And hint, hint it need not come to that if U.S. Sugar and other agricultural interests come to the negotiating table before then. The interests aligned against the land -buy proposal say they're for cleaner water, but mostly they appear to favor the status quo. Yes, when pressed, they'll acknowledge that something should be done. Storing water north of the lake, we're told, can be as effective as storage to the south. And what about those septic tanks contributing to the algal blooms? To be sure, additional storage to the north, east and west are critical components of any long -term fix, as is the conversion of septic systems to sewer. But there's a broad scientific consensus that significant amounts of storage south of Lake Okeechobee is crucial. That critics now attack this consensus as 'fake science' gives us an idea of where their loyalties lie. In their feigned concern for the Treasure Coast, they would consign us to more summers of green waves, closed beaches, shuttered businesses and indeterminate health issues. Enough. Our region has suffered too much for too long. The Legislature has a historic opportunity to remedy this decades -old problem. It's a fix citizens want and environmentalists and scientists say we need. Negron has done the right thing in making this a priority. Here's hoping the rest of the Legislature will do the same. Editorials of Treasure Coast Newspapers/ TCPa1m are decided collectively by its Editorial Board. To respond to this editorial in a letter to the editor, email up to 300 words to TCNLetters@ TCPalm.com. Page 3 of 4 2/14/2017 B: Opinion Senator Joe Negron asks questions during the Senate Select Committee on Indian River Lagoon and Lake Okeechobee Basin hearing at the Kane Center on Aug. 22, 2013, in Stuart. ERIC HASERT /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Sunday, 02 /05/2017 Pag.B01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 4 of 4 2/14/2017 A: Main Water lettuce could spur algae bloom in lagoon Lettuce OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON TYLER TREADWAY TYLER. TREAD WAY@TCPALM. C OM FORT PIERCE City staffers and volunteers plan to harvest lettuce, but not the kind you put on a BLT, out of Moore's Creek before it can reach the Indian River Lagoon. Over the past three weeks, a section of the creek between 10th and 12th streets has become overrun with water lettuce, an invasive flowering plant originally from Africa that looks like Bibb lettuce and floats on top of the water. The creek empties into the lagoon at the Manatee Observation and Education Center in downtown Fort Pierce. So far, the low -water dam across the creek at See LETTUCE, Page 11A Continued from Page 1A 10th Street has kept most of the lettuce from flowing to the lagoon. But the lettuce - choked water is nearly to the top of the dam, said James B. 'Jim' Oppenborn, St. Lucie County coastal resources supervisor, 'so a good -sized rain could push it over the top and send the lettuce toward the lagoon.' If a lot of lettuce gets to the lagoon, it could cause problems, said Edie Widder, founder and lead scientist at the Ocean Research and Conservation Association in Fort Pierce. MORE MUCK The lettuce will form muck when it dies and sink to the bottom. It also will release nutrients, mostly nitrogen and phosphorus, and that could cause bluegreen algae blooms. In fact, one of ORCA's remote - control water sensors at the mouth of Moore's Creek is showing 'a significant concentration of blue -green algae,' Widder said. 'It started Jan. 20, and it's increasing.' The city's public works department will bring in heavy equipment to scoop up the lettuce, said City Commissioner Jeremiah Johnson. 'But they can only dip and scoop so much,' he added. 'They're going to need volunteers to help push the lettuce toward the equipment.' Volunteers probably will use a combination of seines and yard rakes to get as much of the lettuce as possible into the scoopers and out of the creek. Page 1 of 2 *<<1 utl tizm 2/14/2017 A: Main 'Water lettuce floats on top of the water; it isn't fixed to the bottom,' Johnson said. 'So it should be relatively easy to, what I call, 'feed the machine." Pistia (water lettuce) is an invasive vascular, flowering plant (not an algae) that has proliferated rapidly in Moore's Creek as seen on Monday in Fort Pierce. The water lettuce could spur an algae bloom in the Indian River Lagoon. City staffers and volunteers plan to harvest the lettuce. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO FROM JIM OPPENBORN Sunday, 02 /05/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 2 of 2 2/14/2017 A: Main Negron pushes land -buy Negron Senate leader says he'll work with landowners ISADORA RANGEL ISADORARANGEL @TCPALMCOM AND TYLER TREADWAY TYLERTREADWAY@TCPALMCOM Senate President Joe Negron said Wednesday his plan to buy land to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges isn't a death knell to agricultural communities and he's also looking to use land the state already owns. Negron, R- Stuart, said he believes his proposal to build a reservoir on about 60,000 acres south of the lake wouldn't put a Belle Glade sugar mill out of business, as opponents have claimed. He's not looking to buy land that's heavily farmed, and 'we can work with landowners' to minimize potential impacts to jobs and production, he said. He didn't have any specifics on what that would en- tail. 'I think there's a way we can structure this in a way that will have minimum im- pact on production and not to the extent you would be shutting down a factory or any kind of production,' Negron said. In an exclusive interview with TCPa1m, Negron tried to allay concerns from residents of Pahokee, Belle Glade, Clewiston and other rural communities that rely heavily on the sugar industry, the largest owner of acreage south of the lake. Those communities have organized groups to condemn a bill filed last week as a jobs killer. Negron's interview was broadcast live on TCPa1m's Facebook page, where readers commented and asked questions about his plan. Here are the main takeaways from his discussion. SOUTHERN RESERVOIR 'INDISPENSABLE' Negron said he's 'fine with' proposals for increased storage north of Lake 0, but a reservoir south of the lake plays a larger role in reducing discharges. When the lake starts to rise with summer rains, he said, 'you can't send See NEGRON, Page 8A Our indian river lagoon EXCLUSIVE Page 1 of 3 241 R1 1 116) 2/14/2017 A: Main Negon Continued from Page 1A the water north.' A 2015 University of Florida study found the state needs storage north, south, east and west to curb discharges. He also argued his opponents are using the need for northern storage to discredit his plan. 'Because there's such a strong consensus for southern storage, opponents continue to bring up other issues and act as if they replace the need for that,' Negron said. CRITICISM FROM OTHER LAWMAKERS Several state officials and lawmakers have questioned Negron's push for a reservoir south of the lake instead of a northern one the state and federal governments already are planning. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said Tuesday there are better ways to spend the $2.4 billion Negron's proposal would cost in state and federal dollars. Negron's response? Putnam would think differently if algae blooms were happening in his hometown of Bartow. "If there was ooze and poisonous fluids flowing down the center of Bartow and Polk County, we wouldn't be talking about an abstract schedule or making comments that somehow this is a political effort,' Negron said. 'As a member of the Cabinet, he has a responsibility to look after the environmental condition of every part of Florida." PUSHING U.S. SUGAR U.S. Sugar Corp. agreed six years ago to sell more than 150,000 acres south of the lake to the state for Everglades restoration. Company officials have changed their minds, but the state still has a right to buy the land at market value. Negron's plan calls for the state to exercise that option if 60,000 acres can't be found. Negron said that doesn't infringe on the company's property rights. 'It was a voluntary option entered into by a willing property owner. ... The goal of this legislation is to have all the options on the table.' 7 OUT OF 10 CHANCE Negron gave his plan a 70 percent chance of clearing the Legislature this year. He still needs to convince Gov. Rick Scott and the House, which has raised concerns about borrowing $1.2 billion for the plan. Yet Negron said he and bill sponsor Sen. Rob Bradley have made more progress than he expected because many experts agree southern storage is a must. Page 2 of 3 2/14/2017 . A: Main 'Because of how big the issue is and because of the amount of money it takes to address it in a comprehensive way, that's what makes it difficult,' he said. DISCHARGES CAUSE BLOOMS, PERIOD Negron said it was 'ridiculous' to argue that algae blooms are caused by septic tanks and not Lake Okeechobee discharges. The blooms that blanketed the St. Lucie River around Stuart last summer 'were 100 percent caused by the discharges,' Negron said, 'and when the discharges stopped, the conditions improved.' That jibes with the opinion of a majority of scientists. 'There's no challenging the fact that the algae is coming from Lake Okeechobee,' Brian Lapointe, a research professor at Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce, told Treasure Coast Newspapers in July. The lake is the biggest single source of the blue -green algae bloom in the St. Lucie River estuary.' STATE DEBT Negron faces many fiscal conservatives who don't want the state to borrow more money, including Gov. Scott. He said his plan to finance the land buy and reservoir over the next 20 years with $100 million annual payments won't hurt Florida's credit ratings. 'We'll still have AAA bond ratings,' he said. 'We'll still be well within the metrics that are used for us to stay under. I'd never support any sort of bonding that wasn't fiscally supportive.' Sunday, 02/05/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 3 of 3 2/14/2017 A: Main No funds for Lake 0 land in budget Budget Gov. Rick Scott's proposal focuses on septic tanks, algae blooms ISADORA RANGEL ISADORA.RANGEL @TCPALM.COM Gov. Rick Scott's proposed state budget doesn't include money to build a reservoir to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges, and instead focuses on eliminating septic tanks to address toxic algae blooms that plague both coasts. Scott's priorities, unveiled Tuesday, don't include buying 60,000 acres for the reservoir to store excess lake water that currently gets discharged east and west — a priority of Republican Senate President Joe Negron of Stuart. Negron and supporters of the land purchase said they aren't sweating it. Governors propose budgets and have veto power over them. But the Legislature writes and passes them, dropping or adding new items. So it will be up to lawmakers to square it off. Negron pointed out Scott signed a law last year that gives priority to Everglades restoration projects that reduce See BUDGET, Page 11A Our indian river lagoon Continued from Page 1A discharges and declared a state of emergency because of last summer's algae blooms. 'I don't expect the governor to put the priorities of the House and Senate in his initial budget,' Negron said. 'I have the burden of proof to convince him and to convince my colleagues.' Scott's office said he's focusing on $215 million to complete storage projects already on the books, according to a Q& A budget proposal sheet. Those planned and in- progress projects include the ongoing construction of the C -44 Canal reservoir to clean and store runoff that flows into the St. Lucie River. ESTUARIES FARE WELL Audubon Florida Executive Director Eric Draper noted the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers still fared well in Scott's proposal, mainly $40 million toward a 50/50 matching grant for local communities affected by algae blooms to connect to sewer lines. Page 1 of 2 211111 F..dth rr1 2/14/2017 A: Main Septic tanks, whether leaky or fully functioning, have been found to be a major cause of pollution in the St. Lucie River, according to a Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute study Martin County commissioned last year. That's because Florida's underground water is very close to the surface where the tanks are located. Advocates of the land buy say waste from septic tanks should be addressed, but they point out last summer's algae blooms started in Lake Okeechobee and flowed into the St. Lucie River with discharges. Scott also proposed these solutions to algae blooms: • Removing muck from the Indian River Lagoon and Caloosahatchee River; • Finishing existing Everglades restoration projects with $250 million allocated for various projects; • Buying land needed for reservoirs for the C -23 and C -24 canals, which flow into the North Fork of the St. Lucie River. OBSTACLES Scott hasn't publicly opposed or supported Negron's push to buy land south of Lake Okeechobee, but his appointees at the South Florida Water Management District have said the state already owns enough land. Scott's proposed budget is another obstacle to a bill Negron is pushing that mandates the district to look for willing sellers and the Legislature to borrow half of the $2.4 billion cost of the reservoir. The federal government would foot the other half. The House isn't 'ready' to borrow money when Florida is losing revenue and dealing with soaring Medicaid and education costs, GOP Speaker Richard Corcoran said hours after the bill was filed Thursday. Another point of contention in previous legislative sessions has been how much land the state should buy for preservation under the Florida Forever program. Scott proposed $25.5 million for the program this year, with just less than half of it going into land for parks. He didn't recommend any money to pay agricultural landowners not to develop their land, a program that received $35 million last year. Draper said he wishes Scott had asked for more for land purchases. The Legislature has been reluctant to buy more land because it costs money to manage it. 'There's a lot of good things in the budget,' Draper said, 'but land acquisition is where we wish (Scott) had done a little bit more.' Sunday, 02/05/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 2 of 2 2/14/2017 A: Main Sen. Negron resigns from Gunster Resigns Lake 0 land -buy conflict cited ISADORA RANGEL ISADORA.RANGEL@TCPALM.COM TCPALM.COM Florida Senate President Joe Negron resigned from his job Monday to avoid the 'perception' of a conflict of interest with his proposal to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges, his office said. Negron, R- Stuart, will leave his post as a civil litigation lawyer at Gunster Law, which, according to its website, represents a sugar company targeted in a bill to buy land south of Lake 0 for a reservoir. The bill directs the state, if it cannot find a willing seller, to execute a 2010 contract Gunster helped negotiate with U.S. Sugar Corp. That contract gives the state until 2020 to purchase 153,000 acres for Everglades restoration. Finding land and money to build a reservoir for excess lake water is a top priority for Negron in the March legislative session. That water currently gets discharged during wet periods into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers, where it causes environmental havoc, such as a toxic algae bloom that plagued his Treasure Coast district last summer. "For the first time, I have reached a crossroads where my firmly held conviction to promote legislation that would benefit my constituents, community and state has the potential to result in a possible perception of a conflict with my professional employment,' Negron said in a See RESIGNS, Page 9A Our indian river lagoon Negron Continued from Page 1A statement. Since 2010, U.S. Sugar has become reluctant to sell its land and has opposed the land buy. Negron and GOP bill sponsor Sen. Rob Bradley of Fleming Island didn't consult the company about including the contract in the legislation, company spokeswoman Judy Sanchez said Friday. Page 1 of 2 1131111 Eth hol 2/14/2017 A: Main Gunster paid Negron $226,000 in 2015, his financial disclosure form shows, and he's worked there since 2010. The firm has offices in Stuart and across the state and is registered to lobby the Legislature on behalf of several companies. Negron won't practice law during the March -to -May legislative session to focus on his duties as president, but wants to return to the field afterward, his spokeswoman Katie Betta said. He plans to work for another firm or independently, she said. Negron will serve as Senate president until the end of 2018. Sunday, 02/05/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 2 of 2 2/14/2017 f t A: Main Land -buy backers face big industry Backers ISADORA RANGEL ISADORA.RANGEL@TCPALM.COM Legislation to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges pits Florida Senate President Joe Negron and the bill's supporters against powerful detractors: the sugar and agricultural industries. The bill filed at Negron's request Thursday pressures landowners south of the lake to sell 60,000 acres for a reservoir. That's something they don't want to do, and which they claim won't stop the environmental havoc the discharges cause in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. While Negron has said he's responding to the needs of his constituents, many in the communities south of the lake accuse land -buy advocates of vilifying farmers with no regard for the impact taking land out of production will have on rural communities. Florida's sugarcane industry was the largest in the nation in 2015, representing 54 percent of national production and yielding $515 million, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Services. BIG MONEY Sugar growers, mainly U.S. Sugar Corp. and Florida Crystals and their subsidiaries, gave more than $15 million to candidates and political committees in the 2014 and 2016 elections. They gave to Republicans and Democrats across the state, including areas impacted by dis- See BACKERS, Page 10A Continued from Page 1 A charges. 'Contributions from our company are in line with or below what other Florida companies contribute to political campaigns and organizations,' U.S. Sugar spokeswoman Judy Sanchez said last month. The lion's share of sugar contributions, more than $7 million, went to the Republican Party of Florida — the GOP controls both legislative chambers, the governor's office and the Florida Cabinet — as well as political committees associated with business lobbying groups such as the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Sugar's favorite elected official was Gov. Rick Scott, who received almost $475,000 through his campaign and his Let's Get to Work political committee, which raised money for his 2014 re- election. Scott will have final say on the bill to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges and he hasn't said whether he supports the proposal. The South Florida Water Management District, whose leadership Scott Page 1 of 3 II2goI11 ailhbr► 2/14/2017 A: Main selects, opposes buying more land south of the lake. The state already owns enough land, Executive Director Peter Antonacci, a former Scott lawyer, told a Senate committee earlier this month. Sugar companies gave smaller contributions to key lawmakers. House Speaker Richard Corcoran, RLand 0' Lakes, and his political committee received more than $55,000. House budget chairman Carlos Trujillo, R- Miami, and his committee got $22,000. Both have raised concerns about how the proposal of borrowing $1.2 billion to buy land and build a reservoir would affect the state debt and whether the state has money for it. Treasure Coast Sen. Debbie Mayfield, who represents Indian River County and is on the committee that helped draft the bill, received $6,500 since 2013, records show. She didn't return a request for comment, but said in December she neither supported nor opposed Negron's proposal until she saw a bill. Reps. MaryLynn Magar of Tequesta and Larry Lee Jr. of Port St. Lucie received sugar donations in 2013 and 2014 but returned them. Fort Myers Rep. Matthew Caldwell, who received $11,000, has questioned whether a reservoir south of the lake should be a priority this year when northern storage also is necessary. Caldwell, who represents an area impacted by discharges into the Caloosahatchee River, was one of the Republican lawmakers who went on a series of hunting trips in Texas paid for, in part, by U.S. Sugar. Scott and Corcoran also were in attendance. TOUGH SELL Rep. Gayle Harrell, a Stuart Republican who supports the lake plan, said sugar's power won't influence whether the Legislature passes the bill. She acknowledged she and Negron face an uphill battle but that's mostly because of declining state revenue and rising Medicaid and education costs. 'We have to sell this on its merits,' Harrell said. 'It's going to be difficult in that our resources are limited. We don't have the same infusion of money that perhaps we had last year or the year before.' Senate Bill 10, filed by Republican Sen. Rob Bradley, is an ultimatum to the state and landowners. It directs the South Florida Water Management District to seek willing sellers for 60,000 acres south of the lake for a reservoir. If there are no sellers by Dec. 31, the state would hold U.S. Sugar to a 2010 contract it signed with then -Gov. Charlie Crist's administration to sell 153,000 acres for Everglades restoration. The company since has become unwilling to sell despite being bound by the contract. OPPOSITION Business and other agricultural groups also oppose SB 10, saying there's no scientific science that buying land and building a reservoir will alleviate the harmful discharges caused in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. A better solution, they say, is to store water before it enters the lake from the Kissimmee River basin. Despite opposition, Negron has pushed through, saying if the Legislature allocates the money, willing sellers will appear. Gary Ritter with the Florida Farm Bureau Federation said buying land will take it off the tax rolls and harm a revenue source for small agricultural communities. He said he doesn't think Negron will Page 2 of 3 2/14/2017 A: Main alienate the agricultural industry with his proposal and he's responding to the rallying cries of his Treasure Coast constituents who want fewer lake discharges and the state to buy more land. 'I sense that the coastal folks and the non - governmental organizations are the ones that are being the bully and many of those folks and many of those organizations, they are Sen. Negron's constituents.' Saturday. 01/28/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright 2017 Journal Media Group Page 3 of 3 2/14/2017 - A: Main Ultimatum on land Land Negron: Sugar can sell or state will force sale ISADORA RANGEL ISADORA.RANGEL @TCPALM.COM Florida Senate President Joe Negron sent an ultimatum to state water officials: Buy land to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges or we will. A bill filed Thursday directs the South Florida Water Management District to secure willing sellers of 60,000 acres south of the lake to build a reservoir to store excess lake water. The state would borrow $1.2 billion to pay for the purchase and the project. If the district cannot find willing sellers by Dec. 31, the state would have until 2018 to hold U.S. Sugar Corp. to a 2010 agreement to sell its land. The state and the company could negotiate to buy less than the 153,000 acres, but the company would have to sell unless it finds a loophole in the contract it signed with former Gov. Charlie Crist's administration, Everglades Foundation lawyer Anna Upton said. The company agreed to sell the land for Everglades restoration but See LAND, Page 9A OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Negron Continued from Page 1A most of the deal fell through in the aftermath of the Great Recession. "It's a very strategic approach to getting sugar to the table," Audubon Florida Executive Director Eric Draper said. If the U.S. Sugar deal doesn't work, the bill's last resort is to mandate the Legislature give an additional $50 million per year for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, a 68- project restoration blueprint that includes a reservoir south of the lake as a key component. GROUPS OPPOSE Despite its contract with the state, U.S. Sugar opposed selling part of that land in 2015, when Negron tried unsuccessfully to have the Legislature allocate money for it. The company, which has pushed the Page 1 of 3 4I27111 Ell Nil 2/14/2017 A: Main state to look at storage north of the lake instead, said Thursday that Senate Bill 10 is "not supported by the science" and is the "most expensive and least effective idea." Farmers and residents from agricultural communities such as Pahokee, Belle Glades and Clewiston have rallied against the bill. It would take land out of production and put a Belle Glade sugar mill that employs about 600 workers out of business, they say. Several groups have formed to oppose the plan and many say the state should look for storage north of the lake instead. "Taking more farmland south of Lake Okeechobee will not solve problems in the coastal estuaries, will waste billions of taxpayer dollars and will harm the small, rural communities of the (Everglades Agricultural Area) and family fanners who have cared for this land for generations," said Danielle Alvarez, a spokeswoman for EAA Farmers Inc. HOUSE QUESTIONS PLAN Senate Bill 10 is a priority for Negron, R- Stuart, but his House counterpart, Speaker Richard Corcoran, threw a monkey wrench into the proposal Thursday. Corcoran said he isn't convinced buying land is the solution to the discharges that wreak environmental havoc in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. He also said the Legislature has a "spending problem" and he doesn't want to borrow money through the issuance of government bonds. "As it stands right now, the House is not prepared to bond at all," Corcoran, R -Land 0' Lakes, said. THE PLAN The bill, filed by Fleming Island GOP Sen. Rob Bradley, would pay for a reservoir expected to hold 120 billion gallons of water, approximately as much as was discharged from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie Estuary between January and May 2016. Those discharges caused toxic algae blooms that plagued the Treasure Coast last summer and prompted Gov. Rick Scott to declare a state of emergency in Martin, St. Lucie, Palm Beach and Lee counties. The reservoir was envisioned in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, which Congress approved in 2000. The bill would move planning for the reservoir from 2021 to March 1, 2018, if the South Florida Water Management District finds a willing seller, and Oct. 1, 2019, if it has to go with the U.S. Sugar option. Land in the Everglades Agricultural Area, the agricultural hub south of Lake Okeechobee, is selling for $11,000 to $13,000 an acre, water district chief Peter Antonacci said at the Jan. 11 meeting of the Florida Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Reserves. Buying all 153,000 acres of U.S. Sugar would cost nearly $1.7 billion to nearly $2 billion. If the Legislature passes the bill during its March -to -May session, Congress would have to authorize the reservoir and allocate at least half of the estimated $2.4 billion cost of the project. Staff writer Tyler Treadway contributed to this report. Page 2 of 3 2/14/2017 Murky water discharged from Lake Okeechobee stains the St. Lucie River on Feb. 11, near Palm City and Stuart. LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Friday, 01/27/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 3 of 3 2/14/2017 Lake 0 discharges bill to be filed Thursday Hearing Landowners, environmental groups using different scientific data to argue disparate points ISADORA RANGEL ISADORA.RANGEL a,TCPALM.COM A bill to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges is expected to be filed Thursday, but large landowners and environmental groups continue to clash over whose science is best to achieve that goal. The bill, a priority of Senate President Joe Negron, will propose storing water in a reservoir south of the lake, said his spokeswoman, Katie Betta. That's despite the sugar industry and large landowners arguing up to the last minute that storage north of the lake will yield more results. That clash of ideas was evident during a Wednesday state Senate hearing on the issue. Negron, R- Stuart, said last year he wanted the state and federal government to go 50/50 to buy 60,000 acres south of the lake, build a reservoir for $2.4 billion and send the water south. A southern reservoir was part of a plan Congress passed in 2000, and Negron wants to move the planning for it from 2021 but the South Florida Water Management District has been reluctant to do so. Buy the land Tom Van Lent of the Everglades Foundation, the main group pushing Negron's proposal, said the answer to alleviate the impact discharges have on the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers is clear. "There's broad scientific consensus that storage south of the lake is critical," said Van Lent, a civil engineer who holds a doctorate and has been working on South Florida water issues for 35 years. Van Lent said a reservoir south of Lake 0 also would reduce discharges by 50 percent versus 6 percent from a northern reservoir while directing See HEARING, Page 9A OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Continued from Page 1A much - needed water south into Florida Bay. His research is at the epicenter of a feud between the Everglades Foundation and the South Florida Water Management District, which wrote a letter saying he's using "irresponsible science" to make the case to send water south. Van Lent said he stands by his research, which looked at southern and northern reservoirs in planned restoration projects and used scientific simulations to see which one would work best. Page 1 of 3 112.611 11 Eth l611 2/14/2017 A: Main Don't buy the land Van Lent's science clashed with the Florida Land Council, which represents 19 landowners across the state, many of whom are south of the lake and have been reluctant to sell land. Executive Director Ernie Barnett said 98 percent of pollution enters the lake from the north, mostly through the Kissimmee River basin. The best solution is to build a reservoir north on land the state already owns. Once a southern reservoir is filled, the water needs to get to the Everglades and subsequently Florida Bay via a system of canals and man-made marshes. That system will be filled with rainwater during the wet season, and the water from the reservoir will have nowhere to go, Barnett said. Supporters of the southern reservoir, however, say the solution is to feed the reservoir with lake water during the dry season and send water south before the draining system gets full during the wet season. "Any reservoir would only store the volume of water it can hold," Barnett said. "You'd be simply building a parking lot." Barnett is a former South Florida Water Management District executive director who's worked on Everglades restoration since the late 1980s. He has a University of Florida master's degree in environmental engineering. South versus North Van Lent said a northern reservoir would face a similar issue as the one Barnett described for the southern reservoir. Once it's full, the water would have only one place to go. "The only outlet is Lake Okeechobee," Van Lent said. Barnett agrees southern storage is part of the solution but said the state should use land it already owns instead of buying it — an argument the water district made in a hearing last week. Land -buy supporters, however, say state -owned land already is used or is being planned for other projects. Barnett said sending too much water south could harm Florida Bay. He also said septic tanks are a significant source of pollution in the St. Lucie River. Septic tanks contributed 27 percent to 41 percent of nitrogen pollution in the river from 1997 to 2015, said Brian Lapointe, a Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute researcher who conducted a study on septic systems in Martin County. Lapointe recognized simply converting more tanks into sewer lines won't solve pollution in the estuary. The algae that plagued the St. Lucie last summer came from the lake. "Lake Okeechobee discharges have to be dealt with, totally reduced or either minimized," he said. Page 2 of 3 2/14/2017 A: Main A bill to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges is expected to be filed Thursday. The action has been a priority of state Senate President Joe Negron. FILE PHOTO Thursday, 01/26/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright 0 2017 Journal Media Group Page 3 of 3 2/14/2017 A: Main ORCA: Lagoon's problem is people ORCA OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON No `silver bullet' for source of pollution TYLER TREADWAY TYLER. TREAD WAYA TCPALM. C OM FORT PIERCE - Researchers at the Ocean Research & Conservation Association announced Wednesday evening they have discovered the primary source of pollution in the Indian River Lagoon. "The problem is us," Edith "Edie" Widder, ORCA's founder and lead scientist, told a gathering at Pelican Yacht Club. "There's just too many of us living along the lagoon, and we're putting a lot of stress on the environment." The Fort Pierce -based marine research group presented its findings from several years of research in and around the lagoon, including a study paid for by a $625,000 grant from Scotts Miracle -Gro, the world's largest lawn fertilizer dealer, designed to find the source of pollution coming from canals into the St. Lucie River and lagoon. Jim Hagedorn, Scotts chairman and chief executive officer, owns a home on the St. Lucie River in Stuart. ORCA focused on the C -24 Canal because the upper half stretches into agricultural land, a mix of citrus groves and cattle ranches, while the lower half flows through suburban Port St. Lucie. Researchers found high levels of nutrients and toxins along the full length of the canal. "We had hoped we would be able to See ORCA, Page 9A Continued from Page 1A pinpoint the source of pollution," Widder said before the presentation, "that we would be able to say, `Agriculture is the problem,' or, `Lawns are the problem.' But there isn't a silver bullet that you can point to and say, `If you get rid of this, you'll clean up the lagoon.' It's all of us." The most dramatic finding, Widder said, was high levels of toxic blue -green algae throughout the canal fed by ammonia in addition to nitrogen and phosphorus, the nutrients usually cited for spurring algae blooms. `Cryptic' algae Page 1 of 3 112 (Diii ethh ) 2/14/2017 A: Main Canals have what Widder calls "cryptic" algae blooms because they hide in the water rather than form the mats of green goo that covered much of the St. Lucie River last summer. What's scary, Widder said, is that vegetable farms are being irrigated with the toxic water — not just from the C -24 Canal, but probably from algae - filled canals throughout the state. Widder said ammonia "is like fast food" for blue -green algae blooms. The ammonia comes from several sources, including fertilizers using a synthetic form of urea, a chemical naturally found in urine. Enzymes in the soil convert the urea into ammonia. Urea is the primary ingredient in Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Fertilizer, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Household Products Database. When the Scotts - funded research was announced in February 2014, Mark Slavens, the company's vice president of environmental affairs, said the firm wanted "to know what impact our industry has. If we need to make changes, we'll make changes, whether it's in product formulation or in improving ways consumers use our products." Asked if the study's findings would prompt Scotts to change the makeup of its fertilizer, Jim King, the company's vice president for communications, said he'd delay comment until after the Wednesday presentation. But he noted urea is a key ingredient in most agricultural and lawn fertilizers, and "do -it- yourself home fertilizers" such as Scotts make up just 2 percent to 3 percent of the fertilizer used nationwide. Scotts already has adjusted its fertilizers sold in Florida because of environmental concerns, King said: removing phosphorus in 2011 and increasing the amount of slowrelease nitrogen to 50 percent last fall. Scotts has been "a great partner," Widder said. "They didn't try to interfere with what we were doing at all." ORCA plans to ask the Florida Legislature for $655,000 this year, enough to equip 15 of its 25 Kilroy remote - controlled water monitors in the lagoon and its tributaries with sensors to measure ammonia. Other findings: » Nutrient pollution in canals leading to the lagoon probably will get worse as some citrus groves left fallow because of disease are converted to vegetable crops. "Row crops are a more intense, more fertilized kind of agriculture," Widder said. "But all of us want to eat vegetables, so I don't know what the answer is." » Researchers found mammal fecal matter "the entire length of the canal," Widder said, from cattle in the upper end and from septic tanks in the southern end. » Tests showed "staggering" amounts of muck in the canal, Widder said, as much as 20 inches deep in some places. Muck holds nutrients and toxins that can be released into the water when stirred up. Page 2 of 3 2/14/2017 A: Main "We need to stop pointing fingers at people as the problem when it come to pollution," Widder said. "It doesn't do us any good." Projecting a photo of a child onto the screen behind her, Widder added, "They're going to be pointing a finger at us." Ocean Research & Conservation Association researchers look into problem areas in the C -24 Canal in Port St. Lucie on Sept. 29. The Fort Pierce -based marine research group presented its findings from several years of research in and around the lagoon Wednesday, including a study paid for by a $625,000 grant from Scotts Miracle -Gro. LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Sunday, 02 /05/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 3 of 3 2/14/2017 A: Main Negron's Lake 0 plan bad, his constituents say ISADORA RANGEL ISADORA.RANGEL@TCPALM.COM Florida Senate President Joe Negron's blueprint to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges turned him into a hero among environmentalists and coastal communities, but it also pits him against his rural constituents. Negron, who represents the Treasure Coast and the areas that are most affected by discharges, became the senator for Pahokee and areas that abut the southwestern side of the lake in November. That's thanks to the court- mandated redrawing of Senate maps last year that pushed his former coastal district inland. The redrawing stemmed from a lawsuit that challenged Florida's Senate districts for being drawn to benefit the Republican majority or protect incumbents. Pahokee residents are speaking out against Negron's plan during a state Senate hearing Wednesday in Tallahassee. Residents and community leaders from Pahokee, Belle Glade and South Bay have formed a group called Guardians of the Glades to protest the plan. The group says Negron's push to buy 60,000 acres south of the lake could take agricultural land out of production and kill jobs that are vital in impoverished Glades communities. Without that land, a sugar cane mill that employs about 600 workers and is operated by the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida could shut down, said Robert Rease, a Belle Glade pastor and one of the founders of Guardians of the Glades. Rease said the state should focus on water entering Lake 0 from the north and use land the state already owns to create more storage south. Environmentalists say state -owned land already is used or is planned for other water projects. We are responding to the fact that so many people are pushing to put this land out of production,' Rease said. 'It's going to have an impact on our community.' Negron wants the state and the federal government to go 50 -50 on a $2.4 billion project that includes buying the land and building a reservoir to send excess Lake Okeechobee water south. That water today gets diverted into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers, where it causes environmental havoc, such as the algae blooms that plagued Negron's district last summer. A University of Florida study found storage is needed south, north, east and west of the lake. The Legislature will hear the plan during its March session. Negron didn't return calls for comment. When Negron unveiled his plan in his hometown of Stuart last year, he showed a map with two circles around Palm Beach County parcels he was considering for purchase. Kings Ranch, one of the largest agriculture companies in the state, owns about 30 percent of the land in one of those circles, Negron said. Yet small and familyowned farmers actually farm that land for the company, said Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay, who represents those communities. Florida Crystals owns about 60 percent of the land in each each of the circles, but farms some of it on behalf of the Sugar Cane Cooperative, made up of 45 small and mediumsize farmers, McKinlay said. Page 1 of 2 11211 11 211 116Y1 2/14/2017 A: Main If that land goes out of production other small businesses that rely on agriculture also will suffer, from tractor companies to shops that cater to workers, she said. McKinlay said Negron visited Pahokee and assured leaders those two circles are just suggestions. 'We just recognize that if we continue to take land out of agricultural production it's going to have a devastating impact on the Glades communities,' McKinlay said. Her county commission district covers Pahokee, Belle Glades and South Bay, as well as smaller unincorporated communities such as Canal Point. Our indian river lagoon Sunday, 02 /05/2017 Pag.A02 Page 2 of 2 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group 2/14/2017 A: Main Court panel OKs back pumping into Lake Okeechobee Water TYLER TREADWAY TYLER. TREAD WAY @TCPALM. C OM An appeals court ruled Wednesday the South Florida Water Management District doesn't need a federal permit to "back pump" water into Lake Okeechobee. The 2 -1 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals in New York counters a May 2014 ruling by a district court judge that moving water from one body of water to another, which includes back pumping, without a federal permit violates the federal Clean Water Act. The district has continued back pumping under a state Department of Environmental Protection permit while the case was being appealed. Most recently, the district pumped several billion gallons of water into Lake 0 from canals south of the lake in late January and early February 2016 — just as Lake 0 discharges to the St. Lucie River began. Rising water from heavy rain in the Belle Glade, Pahokee, South Bay and Canal Point communities south of the lake "necessitated the rare pumping event," according to a water district news release issued as the pumping began. The appeals court ruling will save taxpayers money and allow the district to "continue its crucial work without the burdens of additional federal regulation," said board Chairman Dan O'Keefe. It's hardly a victory for anyone in Florida, said Tania Galloni, managing attorney for the Florida office of Earthjustice, the nonprofit environmental law firm that represented the Florida See WATER, Page 10A Continued from Page 1 A Wildlife Federation, Friends of the Everglades and Sierra Club in the multiplestate case. "This ruling allows polluted water to flow, unregulated, into Lake Okeechobee, where it contributes to toxic algae outbreaks." Full -page ads by U.S. Sugar Corp. have pointed out that back pumping typically accounts for only 3 to 5 percent of the water entering Lake O. The amount isn't the issue, countered Earthjustice attorney Alisa Coe. "It's not OK to dump a bag of trash on your next -door neighbor's yard just because the guy across the street dumped 10," Coe said. Page 1 of 2 I I2JI 1 Edthuii 2/14/2017 A: Main Fallow land and fields of green sugar cane are part of the Everglades Agricultural Area. TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS FILE PHOTO Friday, 01/20/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 2 of 2 2/14/2017 A: Main Mast talks Lake 0 issues with Trump Mast OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Congressman brings up water, algae woes ISADORA RANGEL I SADORA. RANGEL @ TCPALM. COM STUART — The Treasure Coast's newly elected congressman has been educating fellow Republicans, including President -elect Donald Trump, about the impacts of Lake Okeechobee discharges. U.S. Rep. Brian Mast said he talked to Trump during a visit to Mar -a -Lago about three weeks ago about the algae blooms that plagued the St. Lucie River last summer. Mast said he tried to bring the issue home for Trump by mentioning the blooms expanded into the Lake Worth lagoon nearTrump's estate in Palm Beach. Mast, who got elected in November, said he will continue to bring up the issue with Trump if he meets with him again. 'I ... made the point that this summer, we were at the peak of our algae bloom right at the Fourth of July,' Mast said. 'They were looking to close Peanut Island.....Peanut Island is what, 6 miles up See MAST, Page 11A Continued from Page 1 A the river from (Trump's) backyard, Mara- Lago.' ST. LUCIE TOUR Mast successfully lobbied GOP congressional leadership to appoint him to the House committee that oversees the Army Corps of Engineers, the agency responsible for the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee and for restoration projects. Mast took the chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Bill Shuster, on an aerial tour of the St. Lucie River on Tuesday. Getting influential politicians such as Shuster, of Pennsylvania, to pay attention to the issue is crucial to push Congress to allocate money and approve restoration projects, Mast said. 'Having a relationship with chairman (Shuster), being able to bring him down here, show him the issues is incredibly instrumental in this,' Mast said. LAND BUY Page 1 oft IImin ldt11'DY) 2/14/2017 A: Main Shuster said he's not very familiar with a plan Florida Senate President Joe Negron is pushing through the Legislature to buy land south of the lake and build a reservoir to store excess water that today is discharged into the St. Lucie and Calooshatchee rivers. If the Legislature approves $1.2 billion for the plan during its March session, Congress will have to allocate the same amount under the proposal. The reservoir would probably need authorization from Shuster's committee before Congress funds it. 'I'm not familiar with (Negron's) plan, but certainly Congressman Mast will tune into my ear,' Shuster said. Mast organized what he called a 'historic' Monday meeting with representatives of the sugar industry, activists, the South Florida Water Management District and the Army Corps to discuss discharges. He said Negron's land -buy plan, which has pitted environmentalists against the sugar industry, came up. 'The conversation was very, very awkward at times because we had a lot of people that had never gotten in the same room with each other,' Mast said. That was one of the reasons I tried to bring everybody together.' Mast said he also wants to look into why there are no water - quality standards for Lake 0 discharges as there are for water that flows south into the Everglades, and what the potential human health impacts of the recent algae blooms might be. 'I'm always a firm believer the squeakier wheel gets the grease,' Mast said. 'And that's what I'm going to do. I'll be the squeakiest wheel in Washington, D.C.' Congressman Brian Mast (left), a new member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, invited committee Chairman Bill Shuster for an aerial tour of Central and South Florida waterways and a news conference Tuesday in Stuart. The pair took questions from local media and attendees before heading back to the helicopter to continue their tour. To see more photos, go to TCPalm.com. LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Wednesday, 01/18/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 2 of 2 2/14/2017 ' A: Main Ad blasts Lake 0 reservoir proposal Proposal OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Sugar growers call land plan a `scam' TYLER TREADWAY TYLER. TREAD WAY@TCPALM. COM "Buy the land' is a scam,' a sugargrowing cooperative claims in a Jan. 6 full -page ad in Treasure Coast Newspapers. Attributed to the 'Florida Sugarcane Farmers,' a consortium of U.S. Sugar Corp., Florida Crystals and the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, the ad argues against Senate President Joe Negron's proposal to buy 60,000 acres in the Everglades Agricultural Area and build a reservoir there to help stop Lake Okeechobee discharges that pollute the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon. The nearly 500,000 -acre EAA consists mostly of sugar cane farms, as well as other crops such as corn, lettuce and celery. The ad ran the same day environmentalists from throughout the state gathered in Fort Myers for the 32nd annual Everglades Coalition Conference. The ad twists the conference's "Three Estuaries, One Solution" theme into "Three estuaries, one solution' is NO SOLUTION.' The ad doesn't mention Negron, a Stuart Republican, but says 'the facts and science don't support' his proposal. The ad was run because the reservoir threatens farming south of Lake 0, said farmers such as state Rep. Rick Roth, RWellington, owner of Roth Farms in Belle Glade and a member of the cooperative board. 'We can grow food south of the lake and we can save the estuaries from algae blooms, but moving water south isn't the way to do either,' Roth said. FILL UP VS. MOVE OUT The crux of the ad's argument is the $2.4 billion joint state - federal project will not stop the discharges because the See PROPOSAL, Page 11A ANALYSIS Page 1 of 4 Illl In Malta) 2/14/2017 A: Main Mark Perry, executive director of Florida Oceanographic Society, speaks to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (not pictured) on Feb. 19, 2016. LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Continued from Page 1 A proposed reservoir 'would quickly fill and prevent only a few days out of nearly a year of discharges.' At first blush, it's a strong claim: The reservoir would hold about120 billion gallons of water, less than 20 percent of the total 738 billion gallons discharged east to the St. Lucie River and west to the Caloosahatchee River in 2016. But proponents of Negron's plan counter the reservoir would be the centerpiece of a series of projects that not only hold water but constantly send water south to the Everglades and Florida Bay, both of which need clean freshwater. Because water would be flowing through the system constantly, over the course of a year it could move about 360 billion to 480 billion gallons of water a year from Lake 0 to the Everglades, said Mark Perry, executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart. The high end of that would have been enough to handle the 450 billion gallons of Lake 0 discharges that went east and west in the 'Lost Summer' of 2013. It's about 50 percent to 65 percent of the capacity needed to handle the 2016 discharges. 'Yeah, last year we would have still gotten some discharges, but nothing nearly as bad as we got,' Perry said. 'With such a wet winter, 2016 was an extreme year.' In fact, the 2015 -16 South Florida dry season leading into the 2016 discharges was the wettest November through May since1957 -58 and the second wettest since record keeping began in 1932. Astudy by the Everglades Foundation states the proposed reservoir would cut discharges in half and increase flow to Everglades National Park by 26 percent. The South Florida Water Management District's reply states the foundation's findings are exaggerated and 'based on irresponsible science.' CLAIMS, COUNTERCLAIMS Here are some of the specific claims made in the ad and some responses. The ad states:' The Everglades are flooded and can't take additional water during discharge events.' Our analysis: A key phrase in the ad's claim is 'during discharge events.' True, there's a lot of water in the system of water - cleaning wetlands between the lake and Everglades National Park during discharges otherwise, discharges wouldn't be necessary. But a key component of the proposed Page 2 of 4 2/14/2017 ' A: Main reservoir is it would be able to send Lake 0 water south during the dry season, when there's capacity for it in the system and when it's needed most in the Everglades and Florida Bay. Keeping water moving south throughout the year would mean the system could take more water during the rainy season. And, by the way: Why are the Everglades flooded? While about 65 billion gallons of the water comes from Lake 0, 391 billion gallons of it drains off the farms — mostly sugar cane — south of Lake O. The ad states: 'Florida Bay can take only 30 -40 billion gallons (a) year, and water discharges have been in the trillions of gallons.' Our analysis: True, the bay can take a limited amount of water during the wet season, but numerous studies have shown the bay is too salty during the dry season and needs more freshwater. In fact, the South Florida Water Management District board approved a project Thursday to send billions more gallons of freshwater each year into Taylor Slough and on to Florida Bay to help lower salinity levels and 'protect sea grasses that are repeatedly damaged by localized droughts.' The proposed reservoir also could deliver freshwater to the bay during the dry season. The ad states: 'There is no direct connection between the proposed reservoir and Florida Bay.' A map on the ad shows most water from the reservoir going through Shark River Slough into the Gulf of Mexico, where it's not needed, rather than into Taylor Slough to the east and into Florida Bay. Our analysis: Florida Bay is fed by both Taylor and Shark River sloughs. Hydrology charts show water from Shark River Slough, once it gets in the gulf, flows around Cape Sable and into Florida Bay. Murky water discharged from Lake Okeechobee stains the St. Lucie River on Feb. 11, near Palm City and Stuart. LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Page 3 of 4 2/14/2017 A: Main Fallow land and green sugar cane are divided into rectangular fields in the Everglades Agricultural Area in Lake Okeechobee. TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS FILE PHOTO Friday, 01/20/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 4 of 4 2/14/2017 .1 . A: Main District disputes land -buy necessity Water Water agency pans Negron plan ISADORA RANGEL I SADORA.RANGEL A TCPALM. COM TALLAHASSEE — Senate President Joe Negron and the state's largest water management district are at odds over a crucial component of his plan to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges: whether the state needs to buy land. Florida doesn't need to buy more acres for a reservoir to store excess lake water and should use land it already owns, said South Florida Water Management District Executive Director Peter Antonacci on Wednesday. That's despite Negron's plan calling for the purchase of roughly 60,000 acres. Antonacci said the process of buying more land can be cumbersome and delay restoration efforts. He used as an example the Kissimmee River restoration, saying the state began buying land for it in 1992, but hasn't closed the deal on two remaining parcels for the project's completion. Antonacci was one of the speakers at a Senate committee hearing Wednesday to discuss Lake Okeechobee discharges and how to curb them. The water district's reluctance to get on board with Negron's plan is of particular relevance as Gov. Rick Scott, who will have final say on Negron's proposal, See WATER, Page 11A OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Continued from Page 1 A appointed Antonacci and the district's board of governors. Negron wants the state and federal governments to spend $2.4 billion to buy land and build a reservoir to hold Lake 0 water and redirect it to the Everglades instead of discharging it into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. Antonacci said he agrees more storage is needed south of the lake, yet he cautioned the state should finish projects already in the works. "(The water district) has had a lot of experiences with starts and stops," Antonacci said. "Gov. (Jeb) Bush comes along and he says one thing. It blows up. New administration comes in, it blows up. In both of those occasions, it was land deals that throw things off the rails." SUGAR INFLUENCE Page 1 of 3 II121n Ed lthir) 2/14/2017 A: Main Although the state already owns land south of the lake, most of it is expected to be used for other restoration projects, Everglades Foundation CEO Eric Eikenberg said. The sugar industry owns most of the land Negron has identified and has been reluctant to sell it, arguing the state instead should focus on storing water north of the lake. "The (sugar) industry doesn't want to sell land so the (water) district is taking that position," Eikenberg said. Florida needs to buy more land to get to 360,000 acre feet of storage in a reservoir south of the lake envisioned in a plan Congress passed in 2000 called the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, Eikenberg said. The state bought land for that reservoir, but instead used it for projects to clean instead of storing water. Among the land the state owns are 14,000 acres currently leased to sugar giant Florida Crystals, Antonacci said. That lease is up in mid 2018 and the state will terminate the lease, but Eikenberg said that land is being considered for another restoration project. Wednesday's hearing happened two days after the water district wrote a letter refuting an Everglades Foundation article that concluded storage south of the lake instead of north is more effective at reducing discharges. The water district claimed the foundation, the main group pushing to buy land, used "irresponsible science" to make the case for a reservoir south of the lake. STORAGE IS NEEDED Regardless of whether the state needs to buy or use land it already owns, speakers at the Wednesday hearing agreed more storage of excess Lake Okeechobee water is necessary to reduce discharges and rehydrate the Everglades, which is a source of drinking water for South Florida communities. That includes 1 million acre feet of storage north and south of the lake, of which 172,000 acre feet already are under construction or planned, as well as east and west storage, said Wendy Graham, an environmental engineer who led a University of Florida study on Lake Okeechobee discharges. An "acre foot" means every acre is filled with one foot of water, she said. She also suggested injecting water into disposal wells deeper than the aquifer as an emergency measure for when lake levels get too high. One recommendation of the OF study is that the Army Corps of Engineers review its decision making on discharges to reflect repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee and consider holding more water. The federal agency will begin a study in 2022 to review the formula it uses to decide when to discharge water and expects to finish dike repairs in 2025. Yet Lt. Col. Jennifer Reynolds cautioned the intent of strengthening the dike is to protect communities that surround it and not to hold more water necessarily. "The corps is repairing it because it's a dam safety risk for the people around the lake and it's our responsibility to repair it," Reynolds said. "Whether we hold more water in Lake Okeechobee... is a separate issue." Page 2 of 3 2/14/2017 A: Main Spectators pack a Senate committee hearing Wednesday to discuss Lake Okeechobee discharges and how to curb them. ISADORA RANGEL /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Thursday, 01/12/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group Page 3 of 3 2/14/2017 A: Main Congress clears water bill Bill Plan will move Lake 0 discharges south, but not for a while TYLER TREADWAY TYLER.TREAD WAY(a,TCPALM. COM Congress finally approved the Water Resources Development Act early Saturday — after much ado. That means the Central Everglades Planning Project is a go, but don't look for water to start flowing south any time soon. CEPP, which was envisioned as a way to fast -track sending some excess Lake Okeechobee water south instead of to the St. Lucie River and Caloosahatchee River estuaries by building a project on land already in public hands, won't be finished until at least 2030. And its effect on Lake 0 discharges will be limited. CEPP is designed to store, treat and send south about 65.2 billion gallons of water. More than 720 billion gallons of Lake 0 water was discharged this year: 220 east to the St. Lucie and 500 -plus west to the Caloosahatchee. Construction on the joint project by the South Florida Water Management District and Army Corps of Engineers probably won't begin until 'the 2020 -2021 time frame,' said Howard Gonzales, chief of the corps' ecosystem branch in Florida. NO CASH IN HAND Congress' approval of the water development act authorizes CEPP, but it doesn't appropriate the money to pay for it. 'Basically, what Congress did was say, 'We think (CEPP) is something worth spending money on," said Ernie Marks, the district's director of Everglades policy. 'They still have to actually give the corps the money.' Ideally, Congress will make annual appropriations to the corps to pay for each step of the work. Meanwhile, the water district will be asking the state Legislature to pay the state share. See BILL, Page 12A Continued from Page 1 A Getting money through the federal pipeline usually takes about two years, Marks said. Getting state money takes about a year. The first step, Gonzales said, will be a 'validation study to more specifically define CEPP's scope and cost.' That should take place in fiscal year 2018. Designing and engineering the project will take a couple more years. Page 1 of 2 1112 -11I EdItipn 2/14/2017 A: Main Construction will begin in the south with removing obstacles to water flow such as old levees and roadways just north of Everglades National Park. 'If we're going to send more water from the north,' Marks said, 'we have to open up the southern part of the system to let it through.' The final phase will be building a shallow reservoir to hold water before sending it to the park. Monday, 12/12/2016 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2016 Journal Media Group Page 2 of 2 2/14/2017 Okeechobee News February 10, 2017 oes SFWMD have enough public land for restoration?. naasen rkeechnbee News Does the state need to buy more land for Everglades restoration? Senator Joe Negron's plan for the state to buy another 60,000 acres south of Lake Okeechobee for more water storage contin- ues to draw opposition from area officials who say the state already owns plenty of land, and they don't want more property taken off their tax rolls. The bill specifies: "requiring the South Florida Water Management District to seek proposals from willing sellers of property within the Everglades Agricultural Area for Land that is suitable for the reservoir proj- ect" "There are better ways to spend 62.5 bil- lion for water policy in the state of Florida and Everglades restoration. One of the prob- lems with the history of restoration over the past several decades has been that ev- ery time there is a new president or a new election of most anyone, everybody wants to change up the plan of work because they want credit for the ground breaking instead of the ribbon cutting," stated Commissioner o€ Agriculture Adam Putnam. The $2.4 billion "buy the land" plan, pro- moted by the Everglades Foundation and en- dorsed by Florida Audubon, has also drawn criticism from other state officials. "My great concern is that North Florida and North Central Florida are already derelict in receiving funds that is shared by the state for the environment. The notion of sending billions of dollars 10 all unproven land -grab in South Florida, for potential dubious re- sults, continues to leave the rest of Florida alone," commented Representative Jay Pant (R Jacksonville). "1 think we need to look at the dikes. we also need to look at a solution north of the lake. That's where we have to pay attention right now. We have Speaker (Richard) Corc- oran who says no bonding. We have to look at that in a fiscally responsible perspective," said House Minority Leader Janet Cruz (D- Tanrpa). Instead of buying more land, South Florida Water Management director Peter Antonacci has encouraged the state to use \ available funds to build water storage and .water treatment projects on land the district already controls north and south of the lake. SFWMD owns nearly 1.5 million acres in South Florida. Many water storage and treatment proj- ects are already planned and are waiting for funding. The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, approved in 2000, was originally envisioned as a 30-year plan com- prising 68 projects, funded 50 -50 by a state and federal partnership. But more than half- way into that original time line, less than 20 percent of the funding has been allocated. At the Jan. 25 Florida Senate Appropria- tions sub - committee hearing, Tammy Jack- son Moire, of Guardians of the Glades, said Senator Negron's plan for the state to buy another 60,000 acres of EAA land would mean the closure of another sugar mill, which would be devastating to the economy of the small towns in the EAA. "Over the past 20 years, the Glades has given up 100,000 acres (of farm land in the EAA) and in doing so have dosed three sug- ar mills," she said How much land is in the EAA? The Everglades Agricultural Area is South of Lake Okeechobee and includes about 27 percent of the historic Florida Everglades. The EAA is just north of Water Conservation Area 3. The eastern boundary is the L -8 Ca- naL The western boundary is along the L -1, L -2 and L -3 levees. Close to the lake there are towns such as Belle Glade, South Bay and Pahokee within the EAA. The EAA was designated for agricultural use by the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project in 1948. That same flood protection and drainage project set aside about 16 percent of the historic Ever- glades for urban development on the east coast. A levee running down the length of the coastal area from Lake Okeechobee past Miami was included in the C&SF plan to pro- tect the dies on the east coast from flooding from the remainder of the Everglades. Land in public ownership About a fourth of the land in the EAA is already in public ownership, • The South Florida Management District owns 97,223 acres. • The 11S. Government owns 5,179 acres. • The City of South Bay owns 130 acres. • The City of Belle Glade owns 338 acres. • The Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority owns 1,626 acres. • The State of Florida Trustees of the In- ternal Improvement Fund has 79,710 acres. • Palm Beach County owns 697 acres. • Palm Beach County School Board owns 396 acres. Agriculture and Both Hendry and Palm Beach Counties have agricultural land inside the EAA as well as agricultural land that is not part of the EAA. Gene McAvoy, of the Hendry County Extension Office, said most of the Hendry County farms are not in the EAA. Most of the EAA is in Palm Beach County (as evi- denced on the map below. ) According to the most recent t1.S.DA. Agricultural Census (2012), Hendry County has 79,624 acres in sugar cane and 11,234 acres in vegetable farms. Palm Beach County has 299,016 acres in sugar cane, 60,762 acres in vegetables; 22,918 acres In sweet corn; and 1 5,007 acres in sod farms, according to USDA, Since crop rotation is used to benefit the soil, there is some variety in the land use over a period of years. What is grown on a particular field may change. For example, after harvesting, a field that was used for sugar cane might be flooded and planted with rice. 0 ke lrvbee Hendry Palm fiaa�.:h a,.co Aver t STA1W- Emeoram FES SA - STA1E Special to the Okeechobee News,SFWMO This graphic shows the public lands within the Everglades Agricultural Area Including land held by the South Florida Wa- ter Management District, Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, the U.S. Government, City of South Bay, City of Belie Glade, Solid Waste Authority, Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach County School Board. The EAA covers about 27 percent of the historic Florida Everglades. ebruary 1, 2017 Okeechobee News 3 Lake water storage, north or south? Both, say experts By Katrina Elsken Okeechobee News Florida Senate President Joe Negron promotes a plan for the state to spend $2.4 million to buy 60,000 acres south of Lake Okeechobee for a reservoir to hold excess water from Lake Okeechobee. The University of Florida Water Institute study indicates storage is needed both north and south of the lake. The South Florida Water Management District also promotes the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) which calls for storage both north and south of the Big 0. But when asked to compare the benefits of storage north and storage south, SFWMD officials found storage options had some benefits in common and some unique to each side.of the lake.. • Storing water north allows for treatment of water before it enters the lake. Reducing the phosphorus load into the lake is key to eventually reducing the phosphorus levels in the lake, according to Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. Water stored south of the lake will not help reduce the phosphorus levels in the lake. Cleaning wa- ter before it goes into the lake means cleaner water throughout the system. • Storage north or south will resuk in a reduction of discharges from Lake Okeecho- bee to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee es- tuaries. • On the north side, there is limited infra- structure in place. On the south side, water storage projects can take advantage of exist- ing infrastructure such as storm water treat- ment areas and canals. • On the north side, the district owns about 20,000 acres that is available for use or to swap for other land that can be used for storage. On the south side, most state- owned land is committed to other CERP purposes; however, about 15,000 acres of the former Talisman property has been iden- BHR Community Association meets with sheriff Special to the Okeechobee News At the first 2017 meeting of the Buckhead Ridge (BHR) Community Association, on Thursday, Jan. 26, Glades County Sheriff Dave Hardin announced new initiatives for law en- forcement. He introduced two officers, Victor Alvarez and Talon Youngman, who will be stationed, during January, to serve 'both the Lakeport and BHR communities. Each month two different deputies will be rotated into this service, giving both the offi- cers and the communities the opportunity to get Better acquainted. Other new law offerings include a "Refuse to Be a Victim" program which teaches citi- zens how to be aware of their surroundings and circumstances to better more safely live in today's environment This will also include . ways' to prepare your house for your safety. They will continue and enhance the 'Are You "Always on Top of the lob" m IIMYEEPIO OlJ MMA Re- Roofing Specialists • Metal & Shingle Roofs • Flats & Leaks Repair FREE ESTIMATES State Uc. #CCC1327333 863-357-3838 OK ?" program which encourages those living alone to request a daily checkup phone call. In other news of the association; it was reported that 29 citizens participated in a con- cealed weapons class; a yard sale/pancake breakfast is scheduled for March 4; and an on- line anonymous site has been created for the reporting of code enforcement violations. It was reported that for the second year in a row, Glades County was recognized as the Safest County in the state per capita. It was also reported that the BHR cell tower is now being readied for service. All those living in BHR are eligible to be part of the association and participate in the monthly gatherings for a pot luck dinner and community meeting the last Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Center behind the Fire Station. For more information, contact Association President Ron Main at 812 -571 -1919. tified as a possible water storage site. • If the state has to buy land or add to ex- isting state -owned property, the land north of the lake — mostly pasture - would be less expensive than land south of the lake that is currently used for sugarcane farming. • Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) pi- lot projects show the geological conditions of land north of the lake is more suitable for ASR than is land south of the lake. • Storing water north allows for greater operational fexibility. Water flows down- hill. Water stored north can be released to flow into the lake and then south or west as needed. Water stored south can only go fur- ther south. On Jan. 11, Dr. Graham of the University of Florida Water Institute, told the Senate Appropriations Committee said water stor- age is needed north, south, east and west. When pinned down on the benefits of north vs. south, Dr. Graham said if measuring the projects only for the ability to reduce dis- charges to the coastal estuaries and provid- ing water supply for the Everglades, then a variety of combinations of north and south storage work. All of those scenarios indude some storage north of the Big 0. In 2014, Florida voters in approved Amendment 1 to the Florida Constitution to dedicate 33 percent of the state's take in real estate taxes to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund. According to the Florida Secre- tary of State website, "the Land Acquisition Trust Fund was developed to acquire and improve conservation easements, wildlife management areas, wetlands, forests, fish and wildlife habitats, beaches and shores, recreational trails and parks, urban open space, rural landscapes, working farms and ranches, historical and geological sites, lands protecting water and drinking water resources and lands in the Everglades Agri- cultural Areas and the Everglades Protection Area. The fund was designed to manage and restore natural systems and to enhance pub- lic access and recreational use of conserva- tion lands." Senator Negron's plan would require a 50 -50 match with the federal government. It remains to be seen if or when the federal government would provide the matching funds. Senator Negron's proposal has drawn Available 24/7 http: / /speciatsections. newszap. comI SS/Tiles2.aspx ?sortby= type&type= Florida View all our online sections in the comfort of your own home or on the got criticism from representatives of northern Florida counties, who say part of the Amend- ment 1 money should be used to address water issues in their areas. It is also opposed by officials south of the lake who say taking 60,000 acres out of agricultural production will mean the loss of about 1,000 jobs. In a Jan. 23 interview, EarthJustice At- torney Alisa Coe said EarthJustice supports fighting to stop pollution in the lake, but stopped short of endorsing plans to store water north of the lake in order to clean it before it enters the Big 0. She said EarthJus- tice only supports the water storage projects ,r south of.Lake Okeechobee. a�!'/ Roofing with the name you trust! ROOFING `REP IRS Residential Commercial Commercial Licensed and Insured St. Lie. CCC046939 Don't make a Mistake! Call Big Lake 863- 763 -ROOF (7663) Oakview Baptist Church presents: the HOPPERS February 2 @ 6:30pm For more information. contac Oakview Baptist Church's office Monday — Thursday 8:00 am — 5:00 pm 677 SW 32id Street Church: (863)763 -1699 or (863) 763 -7113 www.oakviewbaptist.org "No ticket required. A love offering will be received 4 OPINION Okeechobee News February 1, 2017 Letters to the editor Okeechobee County kicks off its Centennial celebration! Okeechobee County Centennial Commit- tee kicked off the Centennial year on Satur- day, Jan. 21, with a "dancing in the streets" event. The Kick-Off Celebration was an eve- ning event that hosted a variety of activities for all age groups and interests. The Kick -Off event venue was the 1926 Historic County Courthouse which is the subject of the Centennial logo that was de- signed by local Artist Bridgette Waldau. The block in front of the courthouse as well as a lot directly opposite the courthouse entrance were blocked to traffic to allow for foot traf- fic to move freely from place to place and allow plenty of space to dance and celebrate the beginning of this celebratory year. The Okeechobee County Centennial Committee partnered with the Historical So- ciety to sell Centennial Speaker Series tick- ets, commemorative rifle tickets, Centennial tumblers, lapel pins, historical prints, books and more. The event had a number of food choices that not only supported local nonprofits that participated but also catered to a variety of tastes The. music was a mix of pop, rock, country and more that brought some enthu- siastic dancers out into the street. The BRAT Club and Frank DeCarlo had games and a dunk tank that kept the youngsters busy throughout the evening. A fun photo booth was open to individuals and groups. Local groups were encouraged to come out to the event and provide information on their ser- vices and the Girl Scouts were out in droves selling their famous cookies. The County Fire Department was on site showing off not only its emergency vehicles but also some pretty fancy dance moves. The Centennial was on the minds of the public that moved up the courthouse walkway to read and reminisce over the timeline banners which included those from the City of Okeechobee and new additions from the County of Okeechobee. The banners lead guests into the Historic County Courthouse which through the end of January is the venue for the Smithsonian WaterWay exhibit featuring Guy Harvey art- work. The Okeechobee County Centennial Committee would like to thank a number of sponsors, special guests, local businesses and organizations that made this event pos- sible. Legacy Sponsors: Law Office of Cas- sels & McCall, Okeechobee News, Waste Management. Gold Sponsors: Larson Dairy, Everglades Pediatric Dentistry, Florida Com- munity Health Centers, Century 21 Hazel - lief & Prevatt, Commissioners and Mrs. Public Forum /Speak Out Speak Out comments can be shared which would waste billions of dollars of tax in several ways. Comments on local money on a reservoir that will only reduce issues are welcome on the Okeecho- the releases to the estuaries by about 15 per - bee News Facebook page. You can cent, and at the same time destroy the econ- also leave your opinions in the corn- omy of the poor, rural areas south of the ment box found under each story at lake. This is bad legislation, and the people okeechobeenews.net. We also accept on the coast are being fooled into believing comments via email to okeenews@ it will save their estuaries. • newszap.com or via U.S. Mail at the I don't understand why the Florida Okeechobee address below. Thanks Senate would ignore the extensive research In- for participating! done by the University of Florida Water In- stitute and instead follow the recommenda- tions Okeechobee lions of a computer model done by a civil engineer who works for a private founda- • 1 want to applaud the Okeechobee lion. Somebody has an agenda. News ,articles regarding the issues of water • Ironically, if the Everglades Foundation quality in our Lake Okeechobee area. These and Charlie Crist had just let Jeb Bush's Ac- reports are well written, informative and un- celer8 program continue as planned, the biased. I look forward to more on this sub- EAA reservoir would have been built years ject and hope our lawmakers read these ar- ago. The state had the 60,000 acres and they tides so they will make informed decisions. were going to build the reservoir. But Gov. • 1 am very disappointed in the Florida Crist scrapped p 8 munities and economically destroy Hendry power. Senate for even considering Senate Bill 10, he had a better idea. And then he left office and Gov Scott scrapped Crist's plan. \ County. Thankfully, Negron's plan has little D.L. Green that Ian because he thou ht Burroughs, Glades Air Conditioning. Silver chance of succeeding for the following rea- Sponsors: Domer's, Inc., Gilbert Family of sons: Companies, Gretchen Robertson State Farm, 1. U.S. Sugar's land would cost almost $3 Okeechobee Livestock Market, Okeechobee billion. Historical Society, Heartland Discount Phar- 2. There are no funds like that even re- macy, Mayor & Mrs. Watford. Friends of the motely available in a tough budget year. Centennial: Okeechobee Utility Authority, 3. The state environmental agencies are Syfrett Feed, Gourmet Food Truck Expo, So- against buying the land. cred Heart Catholic Church, Diane Hagan, 4. The science clearly says that it's the Supervisor of Elections and WOKC. Spe- wrong thing to do. cial guests- included: Sheriff Noel Stephen, While Senator Negron claims the title of County Administrator Robbie Chartier and Republican, in truth he is doing the bidding County Judge Jerry Bryant, Noel Chandler, of the most liberal environmental organize- City Council of Okeechobee, Mayor Dowling lion in the state in a very liberal way. His bill Watford, County Commissioner Terry Bur- has a long way to go before it is passed by roughs, County Commissioner Kelly Owens, the full Senate. If it were to pass the Senate, County Commissioner Brad Goodbread, it would still have a very steep limb in the County Commissioner David Hazellief, and truly conservative House and have to escape County Commissioners Bryant Culpepper. the veto pen of Governor Scott, who has Special thanks to the vendors at the event: been against this massive, unneeded land 1 Stop Party Shop, DP Productions, Dela- buy from the beginning. However, there are galls, Elks, Gourmet Food Truck Expo, City never any guarantees, so we have to be dili- of Okeechobee Public Works, Okeechobee gent and make sure that everyone is aware Historical Society and Okeechobee County of what Negron is proposing. Please feel free staff. to share this information with your friends Sponsorship opportunities are still avail- and neighbors. able. For more information or to become We will keep you updated as to the prop - involved in future Centennial events, contact ress of this bill in the upcoming Florida Leg - Sharie Turgeon at 863 -763 -3959. islative Session. Okeechobee Centennial Robert H. Biker, Jr. Celebration Committee president and CEO 4B10 would destroy ♦ us. sugar / Hendry County Prayer House — Being led by State Senator Joe Negron (R) from Stu- the spirit of God ate that mandates the purchase of 60,000 Joseph and Mary were led by the spirit acres of land in the Everglades Agricultural of God. Area. He parrots the claims of the Everglades Then Jesus was led by the spirit of His Fa- Foundation that such a reservoir would ther that sent Him. God the Father sent Him greatly reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges to live the plan of salvation before us, so we to the coastal estuaries. The science dearly would know how to live it. says it would not. In fact, the state environ- He took our sins on Himself for us and mental agencies say they do not need this went to the cross and died for us. Then He land and that the Everglades Foundation was resurrected for us. actually faked the science that Negron says He had to make the way for us. That is supports the reservoir. why He said, 1 am the way. There is no oth- Language in Negron's bill states that if er way but by me." there are no willing sellers — and we know Jesus is the way. That is why we are to of none — the state must then purchase embrace the sound doctrine of the Lord Je- 153,000 acres of U.S. Sugar's property. This sus Christ, and not man's doctrine. There are is exactly what the Everglades Foundation lots of tests in a Christian life. has been working towards for years. But God sent a comforter which is a gift Negron's plan would devastate our com- of the Holy Ghost and with fire, and it has art just introduced a bill in the Florida Sen- KEECHOBEE NEWS To Reach Us 11.7100es5: 107 S.W. 171h Street, Suite 0 Okeechobee. FL 34974 rieh5110: koridenewszap com To Submit News The Okeechobee News welcomes submissions from cis readers ()pintoes, calendar items, stories ideas and photographs are welcome. call (863) 763 -3134 to reach our newsroom. dams may be mailed, faxed or emoted. E -Mail: okeenevrs@newszapcom To Place A Display All Ph1ae:063- 763 -3134 F -Mal1: okeeedsales@newsrapcom To Place B Classified Ad Core 877- 353 -Z424 W place a classified advertise- t from hone Fut877- 3542424 1-Mali; classads@newszap mm Billing Department 141811: billteem@newszap con, To Start or Stop A Paper Mlane 16001282 -8586 Fillae readerservices@newszapcom The Okeechobee News is available 4ee times a week via home delivery and 0 an sale at rack and lore locations throughout Okeechobee County. CM the office to find out your home is w811in our rtes. ent home-distribution boundaries. Call 800- 282-8586 W report a missed newspaper or pod delivery. Ad1tmal copies of the newspaper are evalade for 50 cents Wednesday and Friday and 75 cents for Sunday at the office . Home deavery subscriptions are available at $1800 for three months. Okeechobee News USPs 406-160 Pi cashed 3 Imes a week: Sunday, Wednesday and Friday by kbependetNewspapers, Inc. 107 S.W. 1711Sosa Sots D • Okeechobee, FL 34974 Periodicals Postage Paid at Okeednbee, FL 34974 POSTMASTER Send address changes b Okeechobee News Ckoaatbn Administration 110 Galaxy Road • Dover. DE 19901 Staff Publisher/Editor. Katrina Elsken Circul:Mon Manager: Cindy Eckert Our Purpose_ The Okeechobee News Is published by Independent NewsMedie Inc, USA. Independent is owned by a unique tmet that enables this newspaper to pursue mission of journalistic service to the citizens of the community. Since no dividends are paid, the company is able to thrive on profit margins below industry standards. All after- tax surpluses are reinvested in Independent's mission of journalistic service. commitment W the ideals of the First Amendment of the U.S Constitution, and support of the community's deliberation of public issues. We Pledge_ • To operate this newspaper es a public gust • To help our community become a better place W live and work. through our dedication W conscientious iaxnalism. • To provide the information dims reed b make their own intelligent decisions about pudic issues, • To report the news with honesty, accuracy. purposeful neutrality, 10800se, objectivity. 0adessness and compassion. • To use our opinion pages to facilitate community debate, not to dominate Rwith ow own opinions. • To disclose our own conflicts of interest or potential conflicts Wow readers. • To cared our errors and 80 give each correction be p,00400 ce it deserves. • To provide tight lo reply 90 those we wee about • Toaedipagkwth courtesy, rspa3admopssm. MEMBER - OF: 4ti f 1 Vol. 108 No. 13 EECHOBEE Miss Legion pageant planned ... Page 2 Inspiring Okeechobee ... Page 3 Yogachobee to return ... Page 8 Thieves hit gated community ... Page 9 2 year old found on busy street ... Page 11 Lake Levels 13.92 feet Last Year: 15.34 feet Sponsored By: Fogey's Family Restaurant 1759 S. Parrott Ave. 763 -7222 Source: South Florida Water Management District. Depth given in feet above sea level Sunday, January 29, 2017 . EWS 754 plus tax $2.4 10 calls f o r billion reservoir\ By Katrina Elsken Okeechobee News On Thursday, Jan. 26, Senator Rob Bradley (R- Fleming Island), Chair of the Senate Appro- priations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources, filed Senate Bill 10, Water Resources. The legislation authorizes bonding a portion of proceeds from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund, set aside by the voter- approved Water and Land Conservation Amendment (Amend- ment 1, 2014), to purchase land and construct a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee. Former Hendry County Commissioner Ja- net Taylor, one of the founders of Glades Lives Matter, was quick to respond to the proposed c legislation. L� "Senate Bill 10 is an outrage and a betrayal c� to the people who live and work in the com- munities south of Lake 0 - .. ee " she said. ee LAND — 'age Special to the Okeechobee News OHS Drama Club helps with SWAT Training The Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office conducted a mock hostage scenario at the Chobee Play Skate N" Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 26, with the help of the OHS Drama Club- Thespian Troupe 7319. OCSO provided transportation to give the drama students a chance to prepare for their roles as hostages and terrorists. See page 4 for information abou I ow to contact this newspaper. okeechobeenews.net Rube ck F ems u Bubba Fludd Bubba Fludd named all -state By Charles M. Murphy Okeechobee News Bubba Fludd was named first team defense a snse as a utility player for the Class 6A All-.State Football team this month. Fluddfinished a fantastic four -year career at OHS as he led the Brahmans to their first regional playoff appear- ance in six years. Okeechobee finished 8 -2. Fludd will Ao down as one of the reatest .uarterbacks 'reat -r- . ac and greatest impactlayers in the hj-$14trypf the school, This year alone he had 1,431 yards in total offense with 690 yards passing with eight touchdown passes, and 729 yards rushing with 10 touchdowns. On defense Fludd had 17 tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. "1'm ecstatic for him," Brahman coach Chris Branham said. "1'm very happy for the team's achievements this year and the all -state recognition is well deserved." Fludd said he wasn't expecting to be rewarded for defense. Before this year, Fludd was an impact player on defense, mostly by necessity as the See FLUDD Page 467 -1 545 "Our Fouts Is.lo_11afeion tourfartahle" uary 29, 2017 - -D Continued From Pa Okeechobee News 5 "It's a plan based on fake science that will not even solve the discharge problems on the coasts. This was pushed by some very wealthy outsiders who view Florida as their playground and Floridians as their servants. if passed it will destroy agriculture, punish farmers, disrupt communities and displace people south of Lake Okeechobee. This is a sad day for the people in the Glades commu- nities. Our voices were not heard nor were our communities respected on this day, but we will continue to fight this misguided plan." "Despite the sincere efforts of our state and federal government to plan and fund long -term solutions to address rising water levels and pollution in Lake Okeechobee, year after year as the Lake levels rise, the so- lution is to flood my community and many others across our state with billions of gal- lons of polluted water that destroys our estu- aries and harms our local economies," said Senate President Joe Negron (R- Stuart) in a press release issued Jan. 26. Record rainfall this past year resulted in unseasonably high water levels in Lake Okeechobee, which threatened the integrity of the Herbert Hoover Dike. To maintain safe water levels, the Army Corps of Engineers authorized the release of billions of gallons of water from the Lake to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers. Such freshwater dis- charges lower the salinity levels of the estu- aries. According to testimony at the Senate Appropriations sub-committee hearings, algae in these freshwater releases seeded algae growth which fed on nutrients already present in the watershed, exploding into a massive algal bloom. "These algal blooms have occurred be- fore and will occur again unless high vol- ume discharges from Lake Okeechobee are stopped," said Senator Bradley. "Algal blooms are not simply an unsightly nui- sance for residents and tourists, they bring real health risks to humans and wildlife and result in severe economic damage to local businesses." The extent and severity of the blooms re- sulted in Governor Scott declaring a state of emergency in four Florida counties. "For nearly two decades, there has been scientific consensus and recognition by state leaders that additional water storage south of Lake Okeechobee is necessary to stop this ongoing problem; from Governor Jeb Bush's historic support of the bipartisan Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan in 2000; to the recent University of Florida Water Institute study commissioned by the Senate and completed in 2015," continued President Negron. "This legislation provides a clear plan to address this plague on our communities in a manner that respects the interests of the agricultural community and private land owners." "The projects planned and under way are absolutely necessary and must be con - tinued. Unfortunately, current projects fail to include one significant component that the majority of scientists and experts uniformly agree on — a long -term solution requires additional land and storage south of Lake Okeechobee," continued Senator Bradley. "This legislation implements the constitu- tion by using Amendment 1 funds, funds Florida voters dedicated to improving our environment, to address a critical and ongo- ing problem that impacts our residents, visi- tors, business, economy and quality of life." Senate Bill 10 authorizes the issuance of bonds to raise over a billion dollars to ac- quire 60,000 acres of land and build a reser- voir south of Lake Okeechobee. Does the math add up? According to Sen. Bradley's press re- lease, the reservoir is "expected to hold 120 billion gallons of water, approximately as much water as was discharged from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie Estuary be- tween January and May of 2016." While that statement is accurate, it might also be a little misleading, as the wet season traditionally runs June- November. At the Wednesday, Jan. 25 Senate ap- propriations sub-committee hearing, former SFWMD director, Ernie Barnett, now repre- senting the Florida Land Council, said the proposed reservoir would hold only about 15 percent of the water released to the Ca- loosahatchee and St. Lucie in 2016. He said due to the extremely wet summer, in 2016 about 2.9 million acre feet of water drained into Lake Okeechobee, primarily from the north. An acre foot is the amount of water to cover one acre, one foot deep. Mr. Barrett said at the same time water was being sent east and west from the lake, over 5 million acre feet of water flowed into the Everglades, much of it from rainfall south of the lake. For reference, 1.2 billion gallons is about 368,266 acre feet. One reason for difference in cakulatio "We will no longer sit in silence as environmental elitists seek to - destroy oUr embattled farmers and to seizevaluable and irreplaceable farmlands that will devastate entire generations of families. These manipulating measures have tossed our communities to and fro one time too many." — Clewiston Ministerial Association Decree, Jan. 23, 2017 LUDD Continuedt om team lacked depth. This year he focused more time on the offensive side of the ball. "I really consider myself an offensive all - state player," Fludd noted. Fludd said he was ecstatic to receive the award and thanked God for the gifts he has given him. "It is a blessing to be a part of that lega- cy. Not many have done the things that I've done. It is just a blessing to be able to keep doing it," he noted. Fludd plans to sign with the University of Southern Mississippi on national signing day, Feb. 1. He visited the Hattiesburg, Miss., campus on Jan. 27. Fludd plans to run track this year so ti can work on his speed and agility. He also does individual workouts with cones and sprints, and continues to lift weights. "1 am working to explode at the next lev- el. In high school all the teams keyed on me. In college they can't do that and 1 can show that I can play. 1 will be seen in college," he noted. Fludd thanked his Brahman teammates for helping him succeed. He said nothing he has accomplished was done single-handed- "We had the same team in youth ball the Okeechobee Youth Football League. We just got older, we got stronger and we did everything it takes to win games. We lost a few, but we worked together, and bough' into the brother hood, " Fludd noted. / is that while Senator Bradley's statement only considers the water sent east to the St. h Lucie during the first five months of the year, Mr. Barnett referred to the total freshwater from Lake Okeechobee that flowed to the e both the St. Lucie and to the Calooshatchee i Rivers during the entire year. According to the South Florida Water Management District data, from Jan. 1, 2016 to May 31, 2016, 277.2 billion gallons was released to the Caloosahatchee and 122.3 billion gallons was released from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie for a total of 399.5 billion gallons during that five -month period. So while a 120 billion gallon reservoir would hold nearly all of the water released from the lake to the St. Lucie during the first five months of the year; it would only hold about 30 percent of the freshwater re- leased from the lake to both coastal estuar- ies during that same time frame. That same reservoir would only hold about 15 percent of the freshwater released from the lake to the coastal estuaries from Jan. 1 to Nov. 20, 2016. this important component of the Compre- ensive Everglades Restoration Plan now. Nearly half way through the original timeline of CERP, less than 20 percent of the estimat- _ d total cost has been funded. It is time to nest in additional projects needed to com- plete the plan and that is exactly what the voters have been trying to tell us in passing Amendment 1." If the state is ultimately unable to pur- chase land for the reservoir by Nov. 30, 2018, the legislation increases the ongoing Legacy Florida appropriation by an additional $50 million for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, which includes a reservoir in the Everglades Agricultural Area as a key component. This is in addition to Legacy Florida's existing commitment of $200 mil- lion. Legacy Florida also requires preference among these projects to be given to projects that reduce the harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloo- sahatchee Estuaries. In a statement issued Friday, the South Florida Water Management District respond- ed to the legislation: "Everglades restoration is progressing. Guided by science, public participation, and with policy direction from the Governor and Florida Legislature, the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board is committed to attaining restoration goals. The board is implement- ing the current project schedule, but will ad- just that schedule as the Governor and the Legislature direct." Ministers respond Emotion runs high south of Lake Okeechobee when someone suggests tak- ing more farm land out of production. At the Jan. 25 Florida Senate hearing, Guardians of the Glades representative Tammy Jackson - Moore said the Everglades Agricultural Area has already lost 100,000 acres of farm land, which caused three sugar mills to dose. She said taking another 60,000 acres out of pro- duction would be devastating to the Glades communities. The Clewiston Ministerial Association is- sued a decree last week asking for a "spiri- tual decree of blessings and economic prosperity over our Sweet Land of Liberty in Canal Point, Belle Glades, South Bay, Lake Harbor, Clewiston and Moore Haven. "We will no longer sit in silence as en- vironmental elitists seek to destroy our embattled farmers and seize valuable and irreplaceable farmlands that will devastate entire generations of families," the Ministe- rial Association decree states. "These manipulating measures have tossed our communities to and fro one time 100 many. "We say enough. It is time for us to stand together against those who wish to flood our towns and way of life and render what we value as a desolate place." $2.4 billion price tag According to Senator Bradley's press release, the estimated cost of a reservoir on 60,000 acres of land providing 120 bil- lion gallons of storage in the area south of Lake Okeechobee is roughly $2.4 billion. If the federal government pays at least half of the cost of such a reservoir, the state's com- mitment would be $1.2 billion. The bill au- thorizes the use of approximately $100 mil- lion of documentary stamp tax revenue set aside by the Water and Land Conversation Amendment (Amendment 1, 2014) annually over the next 20 years to finance land acqui- sition and construction of the reservoir. The bill directs the South Florida Water Management District ( SFWMD) to begin the formal process of purchasing land from willing sellers. The project is subject to Con- gressional approval to secure the 50/50 cost sharing agreement authorized for other Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects. What if there are no willing sellers? If the SFWMD is unable to identify sellers of land appropriate for a reservoir through an open solicitation by the end of CY 2017, the legislation authorizes the Board of Trust- ees to exercise the option with U.S. Sugar entered into in 2010 to buy 153,000 acres of land in the Everglades Agricultural Area. The 2010 agreement gave the state a 10- year option on the 153,000 acres. at "My goal in filing this legislation is to explore all available options for the volun- tary purchase of land to deliver this much needed and long anticipated storage south of Lake Okeechobee" said Senator Bradley. "1 am willing to explore all ideas for adding Vol. 108 No. 12 Couple face felony drug charges & more ... Page 7 OHS wrestling team honors its seniors ... Page 12 Big 0 plays host to FLW bass tournament ... Page 14 Lake Levels 13.93 feet Last Year: 15.32 feet S r on ored By: s Fareily 9 S. Parrott Ave. 763 -7222 Source: South Florida Water Management District. Depth given in feet above sea level See page 4 for information abou how to contact this newspaper. okeechoheenews.nei Free 555 oh Flee AAs CHOBEE NEWS Friday, January 27, 2017 500 plus tax peas to the • keechobee ews Superintendent of schools Ken Kenworthy (center) is flanked by School Related Employee of the Year Vanesa Huerta (left) and Teacher of the Year Jenny Santangelo. (right). Santangelo named Teacher of the Year By Charles M. Murphy award Jan. 20 at the Night of the Stars Okeechobee News Banquet at the KOA Convention Center. Yearling Middle School teacher Jenny Mid Florida Credit Union presented Ms. Santangelo won the teacher of the year See TEACHER — Page 2 Lake releases just one part of algae problem By Katrina Elsken Okeechobee News The algal bloom that hit the Treasure Coast in 2016 was due to a combination of factors, Dr. Brian LaPointe of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute told the Florida Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources at their Jan. 25 meeting. Heavy rainfall throughout the watershed sent fresh- water into the estuaries. This was compounded when billions of gallons of freshwater were released east and west from Lake Okeechobee to prevent the lake's rapid rise from threatening the integrity of the Herbert Hoover Dike. The heavy freshwater flow lowered the salinity levels in the estuaries. Some of the lake water likely carried with it algae, which seeded an algae bloom on the Treasure Coast, he said. Without the high salinity levels to keep algae growth in check, the nutrient load already present in the estuary turned this into a massive algal bloom, he explained. Most of the nitrogen and phosphorus that fed that algae bloom came from the St. Lucie's own water- shed, he said, adding that septic tanks are a big part of the problem. "We have a lot of septic tanks in Florida," Dr. Mark Saunders convicted; could get life By Eric Kopp Okeechobee News After being found guilty on eight felony charges Wednesday afternoon, Mark Saunders could now spend the rest of his life in prison. A six- member jury spent just over 40 min- utes to find Saunders, 35, guilty of home inva- sion robbery with a firearm, grand theft -auto, fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, v,>d 43 CaII 357 -5800 HoskLaw.com aggravated battery on a law enforcement offi- cer, unlawful possession of a bulletproof vest, burglary of a dwelling while armed and grand theft. Once the jury had finished their delibera- tion, they were told they still had one more de- cision to make. Because Florida law will not allow pros- ecutors to mention the fact that Saunders has a long history of felony convictions, the state asked the jury to find him guilty on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted fel- on. Before the jury started their deliberation, as- sistant state attorney Don Richardson put Jack- ie Moore on the witness stand. Mrs. Moore, a crime scene technician and fingerprint expert at the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office See SAUNDERS — Page 5 • Proven Experience in Okeechobee • Immediate Appointments Available Steve • Fully Staffed Office on Parrott Ave. • Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney • Over 34 Years Experience oskin INJURYAT1O Office: Okeechobee /tnuarY 27, 2017 ENATE News 5 ontinued From Pape LaPointe said. On average about 30 percent of the households in the state are on septic tanks. He said septic tanks are one of the top sources of excess nitrogen and phosphorus entering the watershed. "Septic is also a source of bacteria," he added. He said one of the reasons septic tanks don't work well in parts of Florida has to do with the high water table. "This is why they aren't working and why we are seeing a lot of nitrogen going into the surface water," he said. Dr. LaPointe said in addition to nitrogen and phosphorus, his research team found fecal bacteria and sucralose, an artificial sweetener, in the wa- ter, indicating the contamination came from - humans. Dr. LaPointe said water in the south fork of the St. Lucie which received water from Lake Okeechobee had much lower nutrient Fels than water in the north fork of the St Lucie, which does not receive flow from the lake. In 2015, Harbor Branch researchers put monitor wells in two sites that have a lot of septic tanks, he explained. In that study, they found the contamination from the septic tanks went all the way out the inlet to Bath- tub Reef. "We have two problems," he said. The lake discharges need to -be dealt with because they contribute to the disruption of the salinity levels, Dr. LaPointe explained. The problem of wastewater entering the estuary must also be dealt with, he said. "The north fork (of the river) has 600 per- cent higher phosphorus than the water from Lake Okeechobee," he said. "Virtually none of the Lake Okeechobee water gets north." The algae blooms to the north had noth- ing to do with the lake water, he said. Fecal bacteria pollution is becoming a chronic problem in the north fork of the St. Lucie River, he added. Dr. LaPointe said the solution is to put the Treasure Coast on the same type of sewer system now used in the Florida Keys. He added the obstacle is the cost. He said while the nutrient load in Lake Okeechobee is lower than the coastal ba- sins, it should be addressed for the sake of the environmental health of the lake. Ex- cess nutrient loading into Lake Okeechobee should be addressed by finding the sources of the excess phosphorus and cleaning the water before it goes into the lake, he added. Dr. LaPointe also addressed the issues of water quality in Florida Bay. "I know one of the solutions being talked about is sending the water south, that Flori- da Bay needs more water," he said. He said the problem in Florida Bay which caused the sea grass to die is low dissolved oxygen, not the salinity. "It will take local investment to reduce local pollution," Drew Bartlett, Deputy Sec- retary for Ecosystem Restoration for the Florida Department of Environmental Regu- lation, told the subcommittee. Mr. Bartlett said a big part of the problem in Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie watersheds comes from septic tanks. That's why the governor last year pro- ' posed a 50-50 cost share to work with lo- cal government to convert areas with septic eta \rrks to sewer systems, he said. Mr. Barlett, who has been with FDEP for 9 years and previously worked for 17 years with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said a lot of Everglades Restoration projects are currently being implemented or waiting on federal funding. State assisted construction in the budget for the 2016 -2017 fiscal year include: • C-44 - 60,000 acre -feet of storage and nutrient removal in the St. Lucie watershed ($60 million); • C-43 - 170,000 acre -feet of storage art nutrient removal in the Caloosahatchee wa- tershed ($27 million); • Dispersed water management provid- ing 405,944 acre -feet of water storage, 552.8 million; • Picayune Strand water quality improve- ments to downstream estuaries and 55,000 acres of wetland restoration (55 million); • Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands - im- prove timing and distribution of water flow to Biscayne Bay; 1,750 acres of wetland res- toration ($28.2 million); • Lakeside Ranch Phase 2 stormwater treatment area to remove nutrients from Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough (59 million); • Lake Hicpochee Phase 1 - Caloosa- hatchee River watershed restoration proj- ect, 1,300 acre -feet of storage and nutrient removal (16.9 million). All of those projects will require addi- tional funding in the future. The state also continues to pay an Everglades debt service of $25 million a year to pay off the land pur- chased in 2000 for Central Everglades Resto- ration Plan (CERP) projects. Water storage and treatment is needed north, south, east and west of Lake Okeecho- bee, he told the committee. He said they also need more water treat- ment to remove excess phosphorus and nitrogen before it goes into the lake. South of the lake, FDEP supports the Central Ev- erglades Planning Project, which was ap- proved by Congress in 2016. He said CEPP will move more water into Everglades Na- tional Park. "We need to restore sheet flow," he said, pointing out that the Tamiami Trail creates a hydrological barrier. He said they need to build bridges to allow water to flow under the Tamiami Trail. Some projects have been slowed by decades of litigation, Mr. Bartlett said. He said $880 million has been invested to treat the water before it gets to the Ever- glades, and these projects have worked. Right now, throughout the Everglades, 90 percent of the areas exceed the water qual- ity standards, he said. Thomas Van Lent of Everglades Founda- tion spoke in favor of Senator Joe Negron's plan to buy an additional 60,000 acres in the Everglades Agricultural Area for a reservoir. Mr. Van Lant, who is a civil engineer, said he spent most of his career working for the South Florida Water Management District. For the past ten years he has been an em- ployee of the Everglades Foundation. He said computer models of South Flor- ida show "what we have here is a problem which is two -fold: too much water going to Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie, too little wa- ter going out into Florida Keys. We need storage, a lot of it in a lot of dif- ferent places, and storage south of the lake is essential, he said. He argued that a reservoir south of the lake would better reduce the flows to the estuaries, compared to a northern reservoir, because water from a southern reservoi can be sent south into the Everglades, cr ating new capacity in the reservoir to move more water from the lake. "1 know the SFWMD has written a letter that attacked that methodology," he added. He said he still believes his computer model is correct. NOTE: In a Jan. 9, 2017 letter to the Ev- erglades Foundation, South Florida Water Management District Bureau Chief — Hy- drology and Hydraulics Akintunde Owosina questioned the bias in the Oct. 26, 2016 ar- ticle A Comparison of the Benefits of North- ern and Southern Everglades Storage," by Mr. Van Lent and R. Paudel, both of the Ev- erglades Foundation. Mr. Owsina stated the Everglades Foundation model ignores water quality standards required before water can be released into the Everglades, and also ig- nores requirements of the endangered spe- cies act. SAUNDERS• Continued From Page 1 (OCSO), was called on to verify that she had taken Saunders' fingerprints Tuesday. She was then asked to testify that those prints matched the prints attached to certi- fied copies of Saunders' felony convictions in Leon, Okeechobee and Wakulla coun- ties. After hearing Mrs. Moore's testimony, it took the jury less than five minutes to find Saunders on that eighth count. Saunders has felony convictions on such charges as grand theft, dealing in stolen property, fraudulent use of a credit card, grand theft- firearm, felony battery, giving false information to a pawnbroker and pos- session of a firearm by a convicted felon. Assistant state attorney Ashley Albright pointed out Saunders was last sent to prison in 2008 when he was convicted in Okeecho- bee County on charges of grand theft -fire- arm, grand theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was sentenced to a term of eight years on March 7, 2008. He was then released from prison Sept. 16, 2014. On May 12, 2015, Saunders burglarized the home of a former OCSO deputy and stole a bulletproof vest, an OCSO polo shirt and hat, and some of the deputy's credit cards. That deputy currently works for the Martin County Sheriff's Office. During his testimony Thursday morning, the deputy told Mr. Albright that when he came home he found his whole house had been ransacked. Also, there were several guns lying on a love seat that Saunders was apparently going to come back and steal, along with a box full of other items. When Saunders realized he couldn'tcarry everything, he saw an F -250 pickup parked across the street, pointed out Mr. Albright. "He gathered up what he wanted and put them by the door to steal," said the prosecu- tor to the jury during his dosing argument. "He saw the F -250 across the street and said 'Here's my opportunity.' He planned on go- ing back to take the other things from the (deputy's) house. "But, when he encountered resistance he ran," added Mr. Albright. Testimony in the two -day trial described how Saunders walked into the home of Al- bert and Shannon Davis, put his 9mm hand- gun to the head of Mr. Davis and demanded the ignition keys to the blue 2008 F -250 parked in the driveway. That truck was owned by Frank DeCarlo III who was visiting the Davis home. Now, Saunders had to change his plans. As he sped away in the pickup, Mr. DeCarlo grabbed the keys to his girlfriend's Volkswa- gen and gave chase. When Saunders reached the intersec- tion of U.S. 441 North and Orange Avenue, OCSO Deputy Lieutenant Lester Yeates fell in behind the fleeing F -250. As the two trucks drove east on the two -lane highway SSun- ders was driving at speeds in excess of 100 mph. Lt. Yeates had testified Tuesday that he slowed his OCSO white F -150 and just tried to keep Saunders in sight. Saunders soon left the highway and turned onto a private drive at Triple S Ranch, with the lieutenant and now OCSO Detec- tive Shane Snyder behind him. The chase ended when Saunders turned around and drove head -on into the lieuten- ant's truck. After Saunders had been taken- into custody a 9mm handgun was found in the driver's seat next to him. The gun was not loaded. Mr. Albright told the jury the serial num- ber on that gun matched the serial number on the gun case found in the deputy's home. And the deputy's credit cards were found in the man's wallet. Saunders also left a black duffel bag in the deputy's home that contained several personal items, including a toothbrush. The toothbrush was seized as evidence and sent to the Indian River Crime Lab in Fort Pierce and handed over to forensic DNA analyst Julie Casals. During direct examination by Mr. Rich- ardson, Ms. Casals testified she was able to test four out of 15 locations on a strand of DNA. That test indicated the DNA on that toothbrush matched a known standard given by Saunders to the extent that, among the Caucasian population, 1 in 97,370,000 would have the same DNA profile. Among the Southeastern Hispanic popu- lation 1 in 18,920,000 would have the same profile, she said, and among the black popu- lation 1 in 92,510,000 would have the same profile. It should be noted that during their tes- timony, both Mr. and Mrs. Davis initially de- scnbed the man who entered their home as being short and of either white or Mexican ethnicity. But, during their testimony Tuesday de- fense attorney Alexander Nelson tried to drive home the point it wasn't his client who entered their home because he is white, and not Mexican. When Mr. Nelson brought that up to Mr. Davis, he testified that the man sitting at the defense table was "... quite a bit paler" than he was on May 12, 2015. Saunders has been in the county jail since his arrest on that date. Because Saunders had only been out of prison for a few months before he was again arrested on felony charges, Mr. Albright said he will ask the court to classify Saunders as a prison releasee reoffender. This means with the Saunders' comvctions on home invasion robbery, aggravated battery on a Taw en- forcement officer and burglary of a dwelling he could receive mandatory life sentences on each of those charges. Saunders will learn his fate at 10 a,m. on Feb. 23 when he will go before Circuit Judge Dan Vaughn for sentencing. OPINION Okeechobee News LA14.0 14texat Coltrpa* January 27, 2017 Discussion of water issues better served by getting the fact By Henry Dean Special to INI Florida Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard unfortunately publicly continues a stream of misleading information and the misuse of facts that are polluting the public discussion of the problems plaguing our wa- terways. First, claiming a fire in Big Cypress and Miami saltwater intrusion (at the Turkey Point Nuclear Plant) as reasons for a south- ern reservoir can onlyy be intended to mis- lead the public. Hydrologically, there is no way to move water from Lake Okeechobee or a proposed Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) reservoir to Big Cypress or Turkey Point. Heard continues the misleading rhetoric that promises the concerned coastal resi- dents a quick and easy solution — Buy land and send it south. This "Send it South" reasoning conve- niently omits the fact that every year the estuaries receive large lake discharges, the Everglades to the south are full and cannot take additional water from Lake Okeecho- bee. There are federal flood stage regula- tions, critical Everglades protective levees and endangered species laws that prevented water being directed south during the lake discharges, as shown in 2013 and 2016. It is flawed and simplistic to claim send- ing the water south will work today because that's what it did historically. After a century of drainage and development for the benefit of the state, less than half of the original Ev- erglades exists today. It is impossible for the existing system to receive the same amount of water that a landscape twice its size did. In addition, nearly six million people co- exist with the remaining Everglades who ex- pect and deserve flood control. Plus, we lost more than half a million acre -feet of storage in Lake Okeechobee while the Corps repairs the Herbert Hoover Dike. The Everglades have been diked, ditched and compartmen- talized, which creates numerous constraints that will not allow water to be sent south when the Everglades is full. Claims that wet events that are charac- terized as "1 in 100 year" events requiring coastal discharges are "the norm" is not the case. Over the last 20 years, only five (1998, 2004, 2005, 2013 and 2016) have required large lake discharges and 2004 -2005 were multiple hurricane years. Out of the last 80 years, 44 were so dry that there would be no water to send to a southern reservoir, and 26 years'were like 2016 when everything to the south of Lake Okeechobee is full due to excessive rainfall, not drainage from the farming area water as Heard claimed. (His- torically and currently, less than 20 percent of the water flowing into the WCAs is from the EAA with direct rainfall accounting for about 70%). Flawed and irresponsible mod- eling that ignores all such constraints may show you can send flood waters south, but the facts and responsible modeling would indicate a new reservoir has little benefit in wet years. The OF Water Study is also being rpis- ublic Forum/Speak Out Speak Out comments can be shared or not we trust South Florida Water Manage - in several ways. Comments on local ment to not pollute the lake. issues are welcome on the Okeecho- Bl'USh fire bee News Facebook page. You can also leave your opinions in the com- • I want to thank the Okeechobee Coun- ment box found under each story at ty Fire/Rescue and the Florida Forest Service okeechobeenews.net. We also accept for their efforts to save the homes that were comments via email to okeenews@ threatened by the brush fire on Saturday. newszap.com or via U.S. Mail at the We were very lucky this time. The wind was Okeechobee address below. Thanks very strong and it was difficult for them to for participating! stop that fire from spreading. People need to think twice before starting a trash fire. Call Backpumping? the Forest Service before you bum. It could • In regard to the court ruling about save you a lot of money because if a fire gets backpumping ... it all boils down to whether away from you, you can be liable for the damages. used. It called for additional storage North and/or South of Lake Okeechobee, not the acquisition of 60,000 acres of land. The District added more storage capacity to the south in late 2015 with completion of the A -1 Flow Equalization Basin. Up to 300,000 ad- ditional acre -feet of storage is planned in the Central Everglades Planning Project, recently authorized by Congress. Scientific analyses show the logical location for the next incre- ment of water storage is north of the lake. The Lake Okeechobee Watershed Planning Project is underway to identify types and amounts of storage needed there. Northern storage provides more operational flexibility and increases the benefits from existing and planned southern storage features. The idea that purchasing large amounts of farmland south of Lake Okeechobee is or was a "key component" of any credible state or federal restoration plan is also false. Claiming this southern storage was dropped from CERP is also incorrect. Contrary to the Commissioner's claims, acquiring more land in the EAA is NOT part of the Comprehen- sive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) nor Restoration Strategies. The Everglades EAA Reservoir is planned in CERP and CEPP on the A -1 and A -2 reservoirs, on land pur- chased from Talisman Sugar, and both CERP and CEPP have always been supported by the EAA farmers and communities. - Heard also claims a 60,000 acre reservoir would not really harm the Glades commu- nities, yet the Sugar Cane Growers Coop- erative has publicly stated such a purchase would put them out of business, resulting in lost jobs and another economic hit to the farming communities south of the lake. Harping on sugarcane farmers not want- ing to sell their land is moot. The state and the South Florida Water Management District have no interest in buying more sugarcane land. There have already been 123,000 acres of farmland taken out of production south of the Lake for restoration. The land needed for the EAA Reservoir project included in CERP was purchased in 1999 and is currently in- cluded as the A -1 and A -2 reservoir sites in CEPP. In addition, the interconnected system Heard describes is exactly what CEPP will address. The CEPP projects are designed to send as much lake water south as pos- sible — within the budget and downstream Everglades constraints. CEPP performed the feasibility analysis on the 30,000 acre A -1 and A -2 reservoirs and concluded they initially needed a 15,000 acre reservoir four feet deep. CEPP would conduct a further re- view in 2021 to see what size the reservoir ultimately needed to be once other projects were completed. The A -1 and A -2 can be built to store 360,000 acre feet as included in the original CERP if the 2021 review con- cludes that is what is scientifically needed. Pretending that the system does not have constraints that prevent large volumes of water from being conveyed south of Lake Okeechobee, thinking that there is an easy solution, and misusing facts and figures to better support special agendas will not fur- ther real solutions to our water issues. State and federal agencies involved in the Everglades and estuary restoration must stick to the facts and depend on actual sci- ence not political science to solve these problems. Dean is a St. Johns County commission- er He served as executive director of the St. Johns River Water Management District from 1984 to 2001 and executive director of the South Florida Water Management Dis- trict from 2001 until2005. ojeet Prom in need of dresses B.R.A.T. Club is in search of dresses, shoes, suits, etc., for the upcoming 2017 dances, prom and other formal events, as part of their annual Project Prom event. All sizes and lengths are accepted. Students are invited to two FREE shopping days, Thursday and Friday, April 20 and 21 at the OHS Lecture Hall to pick out a dress or suit. Students will need to provide a student ID or report card to receive an outfit. Donations can be dropped off at Okeechobee News, 107S.W. 17th St., (behind Dominos). For information, call Tammi at 772 -708 -6764 or email okeebratclub @gmail.com. KEECHOBEE NEWS To Reach Us Mtro56: 107 5.W. 17th Street, Suite Okeechobee, 7134974 Wehslte: floods newszap com To Submit News The Okeechobee News welcomes submissions from As readers. Opmians, calendar items, stories ideas and photographs are welcome, Cat (863) 763.3134 to reach ow newsroom. Items may be mailed, faxed or e- mailed. 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Okeechobee News USPS 406 -163 Published 3 Tines a week: Sunday, Wednesday and Fogy by independent Newspapers, kw. 107 SW 17th Street Suite D • Okeechobee, FL 34974 P800404ts Postage Paid at Okeechobee. FL 34974 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Okeechobee News Ciroiatior Administration 110 Galan; Road • Dove. DE 19901 Staff Publisher /Editor: Katrina Elsken Circulation Manager: Cindy Eckert Our Purpose_ The Okeechobee News is published by Independent NewsMedia Inc, USA_ Independent th owned by a unique trust that enables this newspaper to pursue s Mission of joumalistic service to the citizens of the community. Since no dividends are paid. the company is able to thrive on profit margins below industry standards. All after- tax surpluses are reinvested in Independents mission of formalistic serv' e, ,commitment to the Ideals of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and support of the community's deliberation of public issues. We Pledge_ • To operate this newspaper as a public Bust • • To help our community became a better oleos to five and work. through our dedica30n to mrsclerucous pumatsm. • T proCde the ddonne:on izens needm make (herown int lfgentdedsans about public issues. • To report the news with honesty, accuracy, purposeful neutrality, farness, objeclrvify, fearlessness and compassion. • To use our opinion pages lo faciitate canmeady debate, not to dominate it witt cur own opinions, • To disclose our own conflicts of interest or potential =Acts to our readers. • To caned our errors and to give each corredon the prominence it deserves. • To provide argtuerepy to those we write abort • Tu treat pecpe wth°cutesy, respedadoanoweuh. MEMBER OF: NlDttt4, Ur. a Vol. 108 No. 10 Sisters inspire those around them ... Page 3 Deputies face off with bull on airport runway ... Page 5 OHS boys soccer team beats Port St. Lucie ... Page 8 Traffic stop leads to drug arrests ...Page 11 Lake Levels 13.97 feet Last Year: 14.78 feet Sponsored By: P s Family Restauran 1759 S. Parrott Ave. 763 -7222 Source: South Florida Water Management District. Depth given in feet above sea level See page 4 for information about how to contact this newspaper. okeechoheenews.net hawk Ka Ath a 1111I 111°141 2 467.1545 CHOBEE NEWS Sunday, January 22, 2017 750 plus tax Special to the Okeechobee News /Steve Ciffone Bicyclists enjoy LOST ride South Florida Recumbent Riders (left to right) Delroy Ying, Diane Timmons, Tom Timmons (obstructed), Laura Ciffone, Susan Hernandez, Jose Hernandez, Russ Beals, Annie Correa and Ivan Correa take a break at J &S Fish Camp during a ride on the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. For the story, see page 5. Graduation rate for OHS is improving By Charles M. Murphy Okeechobee News Okeechobee High School improved graduation rates by 4.6 percent to 70.5 percent according to a report released recently by the Florida Department of Education. Florida's statewide graduation rate limbed to 80.7 percent, an increase of 21.5 percentage points since 2003 -04 and 2.8 percentage points over last year. Okeechobee County's rate has increased by 13.6 percent since the 2008 -2009 school year. Superintendent of Schools Ken Kenworthy thanked the local teachers and staff for the hard work they have put in. "The high school diploma is the gate keeper to college and careers. Evidence that our at -risk population, students with disabilities and almost every demographic increased over last year signi- See SCHOOLS — Page 5 EAA reservoir plan: Remember Acceler8? A continuing series By Katrina Elsken Okeechobee News Once upon a time, there was a plan to use thousands of acres of sugar cane fields south of Lake Okeechobee for a reservoir to store water to help restore the Ev- erglades. A state funding source was proposed to expedite the construction. Then a political change in Tal- lahassee under a new Republican governor caused water managers to change course. The year was 2008. The gover- nor whose administration halted the plan to build the reservoir on Everglades Agricultural Area sug- ar farm land was Charlie Crist. The SFWMD Everglades Con- solidated report from 2001 tells the story of the Talisman Sugar Co, property. The purchase agree- ment between Talisman Sugar Co., the U.S. Department of the Interior and The Nature Conser- vancy was funded by a coop- erative agreement between the Interior, TNC and the SFWMD. Talisman committed to selling its entire holdings in the EAA, total- ing approximately 53,500 acres. A second agreement involved the SFWMD, Interior, TNC, Talis- man and Sugar Interests, includ- ing U.S. Sugar Co., Florida Crys- tals and the Florida Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative (referred to in the report as "the Sugar Inter- ests"). Through this agreement, the SFWMD would acquire ap- proximately 21,000 acres directly from Talisman and approximately 29,000 acres from the Sugar In- terests in exchange for Talisman conveying to the Sugar Interests the balance of the Talisman land. The Sugar Interests reserved use of the Talisman and Sugar Interest lands for sugar cane farming prior ee EAA —Paaie i br "D i Tour■ 1, To 11a! l ou (omfortgbh "" ._ co January 22, 2017 Okeechobee News 5 South Florida Recumbent Riders meet for LOST ride By Tom Tinnnons Okeechobee News The South Florida Recumbent Riders is an association of people who ride together, sometimes a couple times a week. It's called a club, but the membership is free, there are no regular meetings, and there are no offi- cers or treasury. It is simply some people in the south Florida area, who ride together and have a love of uncommon bicycles and late- ly tricycles in common. Originally formed on the Internet in a place called Yahoo Groups some 16 or 17 years ago, by Jose Hernan- dez of Sunrise, Fla., the group has been well known and well attended since that time, with group rides and events. In the last few years, the club information about rides and gatherings is found on Facebook and the Yahoo address has been parked and most- ly abandoned. Recently the group, using a Facebook announcement and discussion, amassed more than 30 attendees to make a long weekend visit to Sanibel Island to ex- plore the many miles of bike paths there and share meals and fun. This past Sunday, the South Florida Re- cumbent Riders met to ride one of the last remaining portions of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. The longest section of the LOST trail is the portion from the lock at Port May - aca to Nubbin Slough and the S131. Structure there. The invitation went out via Facebook and ten people arrived-at Port Mayaca by 10 a.m. for the ride to commence. There were some lost, LOST riders that morning. One member commenting that she had, "never driven so far in her life and not seen a Publix store." Winds are usually an issue on the LOST as it's so far in the air on the top of the Her- bert Hoover Dike, but the weather was not an issue on Sunday with alight breeze from the east most of the day and bright sunny skies. It was agreed by the participants that the weather was perfect for a ride. The dif- ficulty of riding the LOST is the absolute lack of facilities of any kind. Some of the mem- bers came from the Ft. Lauderdale suburbs and some facilities at the park at Porf`Mayaca would have been welcome. The riders negotiated the gate at the north end of the park area, and headed up the path in two groups. A fast group of four or five riders, and a slower group behind with five or six more. All but one rider was riding a recumbent tricycle for the event. These little three- wheeled machines are low slung, fast and fun to ride, along with being very comfortable with large, lawn chair style seats, headrests and multiple speeds. The first stop on the ride was the J &S Fish Camp for refreshments and the use of the public facilities there, followed by food and drinks. The South Florida Recumbent Rider group looked out of place, in bicycling attire among the leather clad motorcyclists who frequent J &S on a sunny weekend midday. But they parked all their rides in a line near th e bar area, in best motorcyclist fashion. After a rest, the group broke up into two smaller groups. One group continued north on the LOST as far as the structure at Henry Creek, where two of their number contin- ued on to Nubbin Slough. The other, small- er, group returned to the park at Port Mayaca for a trip distance of about sixteen miles. Discussion later on Facebook, with photos of the ride posted was overwhelm- ingly positive that the LOST is a little -used resource for cyclists in the region, and dis- cussions about the long -term closings of the path are not well received. Some years ago, much of the LOST was open to hikers and cyclists, but with continued long -term closings of the path for the construction of a cut -off wall, and now the installation of new culverts that take two to three years to complete, it may be a long while before the South Florida Recumbent Riders can enjoy this trail system again. `` tificates of Participation' revenue bonding. Financing and fast - tracking these projects NOW helps avoid the inevitable increases in construction materials and labor costs," ex- plained a 2004 SFWMD press release. It seemed like a good idea at the time, a recurring theme in the Everglades saga. And it might have worked. But as often happens with Everglades projects, not all environ- mentalists agreed on the best course of ac- tion. And then politics got in the way. Under Gov. Bush, "the South Florida Wa- ter Management District set about executing the programs and designing the projects," explained John Mitnik, SFWMD Director for Operations, Engineering and Construction. A reservoir to hold 190,000 acre feet of water was to be built on the former Talis- man property. Construction on this project started. But in 2007, he explained, a group of environmentalists filed a lawsuit and work on the reservoir was suspended. By the time the lawsuit was dropped, Governor Charlie Crist was in office, and he announced his own River of Grass plan for the Everglades, a proposal to buy even more EAA land. The Acceler8 projects were no longer a priority. Funding issues meant the projects were delayed or continued at a less than ex- pedited pace. Some of the projects are cur- rently under construction. As for Charlie Crist's River of Grass project - a $1.75 billion deal to buy 187,000 acres of sugar farm land - once again a change in governors derailed an Everglades restoration EAA ( ontinued From Page 1 to district project implementation. The Inte- rior contributed funding for approximately $108 million, and SFWMD contributed ap- proximately $38.5 million. Buying the land was one thing. Funding the project was another. Over the years, funding has been a con- tinual problem in the federal/state partner- ship to restore the Everglades, and as a re- sult, projects have been repeatedly stalled. According to a 2016 report by the Com- mittee on Independent Scientific Review of Everglades Restoration Program, since the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) was authorized by the U.S. Congress in 2000, only about 16 -18 percent of the projects have been funded. In 2004, under Florida Governor Jeb Bush's administration, a plan was advanced to speed up some aspects of the Everglades Restoration. ACCELER8 was proposed as a major boost for Everglades restoration by expedit- ing eight restoration projects: • • C-43 (Caloosahatchee River) West Res- ervoir; • Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir; • Everglades Agricultural Area Stormwa- ter Treatment Area Expansion; • Picayune Strand (Southern Golden Deputies bully bovine off Okeechobee airport runway By Eric Kopp Okeechobee News An angry bovine showed his disdain for being ushered off a runway at the Okeecho- bee County Airport and put a couple of dents in a sheriff 's office patrol car. Deputy John Fisher, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office (OCSO), pointed out in his report that he was sent to the air - port around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, because there was a bull on the runway. When he and other deputies arrived they found the 400 -pound yearling bull standing on the east-west runway. The deputies and airport staff then pushed the young bovine into a small fenced -off alcove on the airport property that was safe from airport traffic. "While trying to keep the yearling bull in the area, he kicked my patrol car in the front door as it was being used as a barrier to keep him in the alcove," Deputy Fisher noted. The dents, he offered, were small and only about I. inch in size. The deputy's report does not indicate what happened to the animal after that. SCHOOLS Continued From Page 1 fies that our strategic plan has been effec- tive," he said. The graduation rate measures the per- centage of students who graduate with a standard diploma within four years or their first enrollment in ninth grade. Students who graduate in five years or earn their diploma through the GED pro- gram are not counted in the graduation calculation, even though these students suc- cessfully complete a high school program. Okeechobee schools reported that graduation rates among African American students increased by 42 percent over 2014- 2015 to 82.1 percent. The graduation rate for students with disabilities rose by 11 percent and the at -risk population by 12.4 percent. "As we continue our good work, more and more doors are opened to the students we serve. Our ultimate goal is for every kid to reach the milestone of walking across the stage. This increase is proof that we are one step closer to that goal." OHS principal Dylan Tedders said the school has instituted several initiatives to en- gage students and encourage them to come to school "Graduation is something that is within reach to all with steady progress. They be- lieve in themselves and achieve," he said. "We are providing the opportunity and they are stepping up to get across the stage with a standard diploma." BHR boat lock to close for two weeks for repairs The South Florida Water Management District ( SFWMD) will close the S-127 lock at Buckhead Ridge on the north shore of Lake Okeechobee for a cylinder repair on Jan. 23. The lock will reopen Feb. 7. The S-127 lock is located in Glades County in the Buckhead Ridge community on the north shore of Lake Okeechobee. • C-44 (St. Lucie Canal) Reservoir/Storm- water Treatment Area; The state still owns the Talisman land • Water Preserve Areas (Includes Site proposed for the EAA reservoir. I Impoundment, C -9 Impoundment, C -11 originally avr te years some of the property has Impoundment, Acme Basin B Discharge, been used for a flow equalization basin and WCA -3A/3B Seepage Management); for water treatment areas. But about 15,000 • Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands; and, acres of the property could still be used for • C -111 Spreader Canal a reservoir. That idea was discussed at the "By accelerating the funding, design Jan. 11, Florida Senate Appropriations Sub - and construction of these projects, the Ev- committee on the Environment and Natural erglades will experience positive benefits Resources meeting. The subcommittee will much r. As opposed .. and to the 'pay as you c» meet again on Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 10 manner. , taxpayer o to the 'eey as you go' approach, taxpayer dollars needed for rnn- a.m. to noon in Tallahassee. The meeting strudion will be significantly leveraged. The can be viewed live online at http://www. South Florida Water Management District flsenate .gov /Committees,/Show /AEN/. Video will finance project construction with Ter- of the Jan. 11 meeting can also be viewed online. Vol. 108 No. 8 Historic grant sought to restore OUA building...Page 3 Cars burglarized ... Page 7 Flu shots encouraged ... Page 8 OHS soccer team beats Dwyer ... Page 10 Lake Levels 14.00 feet Last Year: 14.97 feet Sponsored By: Fogey's Family Restaurant 1759 S. Parrott Ave. 763 -7222 Sodree: South Florida Water Management District. Depth given in feet above sea level EECHOBEE NEWS Wednesday, January 18, 2017 500 plus tax Okeechobee News Martin Luther King Day parade The Okeechobee community honored Martin Luther King Day with a parade in downtown Okeechobee on Saturday, Jan. 14, (above); a banquet at the Douglas Brown Center on Saturday evening; a barbecue on Sunday; and, a Family Fun Day at the Douglas Brown Center on Monday. For more photos, see page 2. Tools, tires & Wheels stolen Burglars take items valued over $48,000 from construction company By Eric Kopp Okeechobee News A local construction company lost over $48,000 in tools, tires and wheels when thieves entered the property . on Jan. 14 by cutting the lock on the front gate. Deputy Devon Satallante, of the Okeecho- bee County Sheriff's Office (OCSO), indicated in his report that when the owners of the corn - pany showed up for work around 6:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, they found the open gate. The next thing they noticed were two dump trucks, a pickup truck and a tractor semi were sitting on blocks because all of the wheels and tires had been stolen. According to Deputy Satallante the thieves made off with 26 tires and wheels that were valued at approximately $600 each. The own- ers also found some very expensive tools and See TIRES — Pa ee 5 isston saved Florida from Civil War debt See page 4 for information about how to contact this newspaper. okeechobeenews.net FnmSPeeep Wads 111,11511 10.100, A continuing series By Katrina Elsken Special to INl Florida The Caloosahatchee River was once 'a shallow river, starting with rapids at Lake Flirt and winding it's way to the east coast. The deep channeled river of today bears lit- tle resemblance to the waterway first seen by Florida pioneers. As with so many things that changed the Florida environment, changes to the river "seemed like a good idea at the time." After the Civil War, the State of Florida was deep in debt. The State sought to make money and also attract settlers by using the Swamp and Overflowed Land Act of 1850. This act allowed the state to sell public land cheaply if devel- opers agree to drain the land for development. The state found an investor in Pennsylvania, businessman Ham- ilton Disston. Mr. Disston, born in 1844, had learned business skills at his father's firm, the Keystone Saw Works in Pennsylvania. In 1877, Mr. Disston visited Florida and became fascinated with the possibility of reclaiming swamp land. In 1879, Mr. Diss- ton and investors formed the At- lantic and Gulf Coast Canal and Okeechobee Land Company and entered into a contract with the State of Florida. The original drainage con- tract called for the reclamation of 12 million acres of land, which would be deeded in plots begin- ning after the reclamation of the first 200,000 acres alternately to the. State and the Land Company. A Feb. 18, 1881 article in the New York Times reported the reclamation of 12,000,000 acres of land had been undertaken "by ee TRUTH — Pa e 5 Accident? Law Offices of Lefebvre & Dixon CCIUe t. 763.3333 OKEECHOBEE FLORIDA J uary 18, 2017 RUTH on a om Page 1 a company of Philadelphia gentleman with every prospect of success." The plans would change as work pro- gressed. Over the project, Mr. Disston paid about $1 million for 4 million acres of land. Mr. Disston's grand plan never achieved his dreams, but he is credited with draining the upper Kissimmee River basin, making it possible to develop the towns of Kissim- mee, St. Cloud, Gulport and Tarpon Springs. His crews constructed canals between some of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, and con- nected the Caloosahatchee River with Lake Okeechobee. Okeechobee News Lake connection Before human intervention, the Caloo- sahatchee River originated at Lake Flirt, ap- proximately 2 miles east of LaBelle, Marshes seasonally connected Lake Flirt, Lake Bon- net, Lake Hicpochee and Lake Okeecho- bee. In the wet season, water from the Big Lake flowed into the marshes, then into the smaller lakes, and eventually into the Caloo- sahatchee River. During the dry season, the marsh connections dried up. Before Euro- peans arrived in Florida, the Calusa Indians dug shallow canals to connect the waterway for easier navigation by canoe. By 1887, Mr. Disston's company had opened a channel with a minimum cross section of 22 .. feet by 5 feet from Lake Okeechobee to- the headwaters of the Ca- loosahatchee. The dredges were brought up river from Fort Myers. Along the way, four of the most severe river bends west of Fort Thompson were straightened in order to get \ the dredges uostream. A four -mile stretch that included the Fort Thompson rapids were dynamited to deepen the channel. Under Mr. Disston's contract with the state, the dredged channel was to have been closed and a levee extended north —south just west of Lake Hicpochee. Nearly 2 miles of this levee had been constructed when the company ceased operations in 1888. Mr. Disston faced many economic prob- lems. Severe freezes in 1894 and 1895 which devastated Florida's citrus industry, and a nationwide economic panic of 1893 meant land prices plummeted. Back in Pennsylva- nia, the Saw Works was forced to reduce wages as a result of the 1893 panic. By 1895, it was becoming increasingly evident that Disston's concept of canals and steamboats was becoming outmoded as the railroads opened up more parts of Central Florida. Many of Disston's investors would never see their anticipated returns. By the time the project ceased operation, more of Disston's acreage remained un- claimed than claimed. Some historians believe Mr. Disston's death in 1896 was connected to the stress of his failed Florida ventures. According to newspaper reports, he died of heart fail- ure. According to the historians, the former millionaire's estate was totalled at around $100,000 when he died. A plan to close the connection between Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee met with opposition from those who want- ed to use the waterway for navigation and from those who had developed land. In 1902 the State approved a proposal to close the connection between the Big Lake and the Caloosahatchee but stated that Lee County would be liable for any damages from the result. The connection was never closed. (Hendry County would be created from part of Lee County in 1923.1 IRES Continued From Page 1 equipment had been stolen from a pickup truck and a trailer parked on the property. In all, the company's estimated loss to- taled $48,166.99. One of the owners reportedly told the deputy he left the business around 7:45 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13. Deputy Satallante estimated the theft oc- curred during the early morning hours of Jan. 14. OCSO crime scene technicians were able to photograph some tire impressions leads ing to a trailer, as well as some shoe prints. All four trucks, along with the trailer, were processed for fingerprints," pointed out Deputy Satallante. The thieves apparently were trying to steal the trailer but couldn't due to a flat tire, added the deputy's report. Twelve of the stolen tires and wheels were taken off a privately-owned dump truck. The case has been assigned to OCSO De- tective Howard Pickering. If you have any information regarding this case, contact Detective Pickering at 863- 763 -3117. Arrest Report The winter freezes of 1892 (and again in 1899) had prompted North Florida citrus growers to reestablish their groves south of the freeze line, which brought more citrus groves to the Caloosahatchee Valley. Citrus production increased rapidly in subsequent years and the transport of fruits and ship- ment of supplies became dependent on riv- erboat transport. The hurricanes of 1926 and 1928 brought a demand for flood control in South Florida. As part of the 1930 flood control project, the St. Lucie River and Caloosahatchee were dredged and channelized as part of the Cross -State Ship Channel which links the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. The dredging included construction of a series of canals, locks and pumping stations. In the mid -1950s the channel was enlarged to a width of 250 feet and a depth of 8 feet. Bridge crossings were either replaced or re- located. Construction of the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam, originally known as the Olga Lock, began in 1962. The main purpose of the dam was to assure afresh water supply for much of Lee County and to prevent salt water intrusion into upstream aquifers. LaBelle history In an interview for a 1985 history project, river boat captain Alva Burke explained he had lived in Hendry County since 1914 when he got a job on a boat running from LaBelle to Fort Myers and back every day. "It was a beautiful river, but it was crooked as a snake," he recalled. "The river got pretty low sometimes. I've seen 18 inches of tide water here at the bridge (in LaBelle). . "We used to come in at night on the high tide. The next morning, the tide would be low, so we had to dig through the sandbars to get out every morning." Mr. Burke said at that time the only way in and out of LaBelle was by water. "There were no roads, and no automo- biles either!" The boat left LaBelle at 6 a.m. and usu- ally arrived in Fort Myers between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. The boat left Fort Myers for the return trip at 2 p.m. "I'd overload it coming out of Fort Myers. I'd have the cabin filled, all the seats used, there'd be just as many on top of the boat as we could get up there. I'd have people standing out on the bow and on the stern, just as many as we could get on the boat. "Of course, they wouldn't all come all the way to LaBelle. They'd get off along the way at Alva and the other stops. Sometimes; when I got back to LaBelle, I didn't have any passengers," he recalled. The passenger boat service was still in business when Mr. Burke enlisted to serve in World War I. When he returned from the war, roads and automobiles had taken over the passenger business. Mr. Burke stayed in the transportation business and became a bus driver. In another 1985 interview, LaBelle na- tive Glenn Dyess recalled helping to survey the Caloosahatche River, and explained that while the river was important for transpor- tation in the early days, the widening and deepening of the Caloosahatchee River in the 1930s "had nothing to do with boat traf- The following individuals were ar- rested on felony or driving under the influence (DUI) charges by the Okeecho- bee County Sheriff's Office (OCSO), the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), or the De- partment of Corrections (DOC). • Michelle Elizabeth Hughes, 23, S.W. Sev- enth Ave., Okeechobee, was arrested Jan. 13 by Deputy Devon. Satallante on a DOC felony warrant charging her with violation of proba- tion - grand theft. She is held without bond. • Tatiana Nicole Licona, 19, N.W. 266th St., Okeechobee, was arrested Jan. 13 by Deputy Sergeant Aric Majere on an Okeechobee Coun- ty felony warrant charging her with dealing in stolen property. Her bond was set at $15,000. • Teodomiro Gomez Tamayo, 44, N.W. Sec- ond St., Okeechobee, was arrested Jan. 14 by Trooper Ommar Guerrero on misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence, driving under the influence with damage to property, driving under the influence with a blood alco- hol content .15 or higher and no valid driver's license. His bond was set at $2,500. • Antonio Vela, 26, N.E. Seventh Lane, Okeechobee, was arrested Jan. 15. by Deputy Ryane Ammons on a felony charge of criminal mischief and misdemeanor charges of battery (two counts). His bond was set at $3,500. This column lists arrests and not convic- tions, unless otherwise stated. Anyone listed here who is later found innocent or has had the charges against them dropped is welcome to inform this newspaper. The information Mr. Dyess said he worked his whole life will confirmed and printed. \ the river, as his father and uncles were lockmasters, and he was a surveyor. He said the primary purpose of the chan- nelization of the river in the 1930s was water control. "We used to have flood here allthe time," he said. "The last bad one was 1936. "Not many people had homes on the river, so it didn't affect many people. Those who did, either moved the houses or tore them down. 1 guess they just started build- ing houses on the river after it widened," he explained. "The river widening took a long time. They started it in 1930, and wound up in 1936. That was on the first widening. Then they came back. The second time they widened, l thought maybe they had a reason, maybe the people who had purchased land on the river want- ed some more land they could sell. People were buying up right -of -way to sell to the govemment," he said. Mr. Dyess said the people who lived in the area at the time were in favor of the 1930s project because they wanted relief from the flooding. He recalled standing on Bridge Street in LaBelle during the 1936 flood. He said the water was waist high. "1 think the project did more harm than good," Mr. Dyess said in the 1986 interview. "Now we have these dry spells because the river drains the water off. It can rain today, and tomorrow it's dry. This whole area used to be marsh." River needs lake releases The changes to the hydrology of the sys- tem over the years means the Calooshatchee River now needs some flow from the lake year round to prevent saltwater intrusion. But heavy releases from the lake during the wet season send too much freshwater into the estuaries, disrupting the salinity. When there is heavy flow from the Kissimmee River basin, the Corps releases water to the Caloosahatchee River and the St. Lucie in or- der to prevent the level of Lake Okeechobee from rising too fast, which can endanger the aging Herbert Hoover Dike. The Comprehensive Everglades Restora- tion Plan calls for construction of the Caloo- sahatchee River (C-43) West Basin Storage Reservoir Project. It will help store water during the rainy season and provide need- ed freshwater to the estuary during the dry season. Located on 10,700 acres of former farmland west of Labelle, the C -43 Reservoir will hold approximately 170,000 acre -feet of water, with the maximum depth ranging from 15 feet to 25 feet across the expanse. When complete, the restoration project will provide storage needed for the estuary by capturing and storing local basin runoff as well as Lake Okeechobee regulatory re- leases. As of the SFWMD report issued in April 2016, $118 million had been invested to purchase the land, construct/monitor the test cells, complete the project design and begin construction. Sources: "The Life and influence of Hamilton Disston" by Louis M. lataola; FloridaHistoryorg; Florida Department of Environmental Protection; NOAA National Sea Grant Library; "How has the Caloosa- hatchee River /Estuary been altered ?" by Michael Parsons, Florida Gulf Coast Univer- sity; "LaBelle, Our Home, A special histori- cal publication of the LaBelle Leader." Vol. 108 No. 6 EECHOBEE NEWS Friday, January 13, 2017 500 plus tax Viking residents want to ride ATVs on private roads ... Page 2 Stammer claims to be from Social Security ... Page 3 Cemetery gates stolen ... Page 3 OHS soccer team beats Moore Haven ... Page 12 Lake Levels 14.07 feet Last Year: 14.78 feet Sponsored By: Man accused of harming puppy Eric Kopp Okeechobee News ' An Okeechobee man has been ar- rested for allegedly throwing a 6- month- old puppy over a 7 -foot fence at the Okeechobee Animal Control office, then leaving it there over 14 hours with a bro- ken leg, no food or water and no way to stay warm. Jorge Samuel Hernandez, 34, S.W. 15th SL, was arrested Thursday, Jan. 12, on a felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty and misdemeanor charges of ob- struction by a disguised person and no valid driver's license. Hernandez has yet to go before a first appearance judge so his bond had not been set as of newspaper deadline. An arrest report by Deputy James Hartsfield, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office (OCSO), indicated Her- nandez — who initially gave the deputy the name of Eleazar Ramirez -Avila — said the brindle cur puppy was a stray and he was concerned the dog would become aggressive to children in his neighborhood. According to the deputy's report a man in a blue F -150 pickup truck could be seen on surveillance video backing See PUPPY — Page 11 Jorge Hernandez County sets sound limits for music fest By Katrina Elsken Okeechobee News The Okeechobee County Commission meeting on Thursday, Jan: 12, established sound limits for the March Okeechobee Music Festival. The commissioners set levels for 10 a.m.. to midnight, and another set of standards from midnight to 10 a.m. e county retained an acoustical consul- tant, RML Acoustics, LLC, to provide guidance in developing acoustical criteria for the music festival. RML Acoustics took readings of am- bient sound levels at several sites around the county in late October and early November. The consultant then established guidelines for sound levels that would be reasonable for the area during the festival throughout the day • and overnight. According to the staff report, those guidelines take into account the rela- tively low existing ambient sound levels in a rural area. See MUSIC — Page o sFamilyRestmrneerrt 17-59 S. Parrott Ave. 763 -7222 Source: South Florida Water Management District. Depth given in feet above sea level State considers ways to stop See page 4 for information abou how to contact this newspaper. okeecbobeenews.net aeeSp ch wails 8 1111 1 A continuing series By Katrina Elsken Okeechobee News The Florida Senate Appropriations Sub- committee on Environmental and National Resources heard testimony on options to re- duce harmful freshwater discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries at a pub- lic hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 11. Ashley Istler of the Senate Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee said historically the water from the Kissimmee River Palley, sheet flowed slowly south into Lake Okeechobee, and when the lake rose and overfilled the banks, the water sheet flowed south into the Everglades. The system was modified for flood control and land development, she explained. Now the lake fills up much faster than it can drain. In 2016 dry season, Florida received a re- TIF .IE r XPERTISE ,,,IN OKEECH A JTe °A CI DE TS "' BOA Across Prom the Courthome on 3rd • 357 -5800 • Hosklaw.com lake releases cord amount of rainfall. When the water in the lake rose, water was released east and west to protect the integrity of the Herbert Hoover Dike. About 725 billion gallons of freshwater was released to the coastal estuaries, and the re- duction in the salinity levels hurt the estuaries damaging oyster beds and allowing the growth of algal blooms. Usually when an algal bloom reaches the ocean, the high salinity level kills off the algae bloom, she said. In 2016, the bloom was un- usual because it affected the beaches. On average, she said. About 20 percent of the water that goes into the coastal estuaries comes from the lake. In 2016, due to the re- cord rainfall north of the lake, 40 percent of the water to the estuaries came from the lake. See LAKE— Page 5 January 13, 2017 LAKE Okeechobee News Continued From Pr —. A massive algal bloom was seen on the lake. Algae was carried throughout the sys- tem and it is likely the nutrient load present in the coastal area intensified the bloom, she said. The state seeks ways to reduce the harm- ful freshwater releases. More water storage needed north and south of lake Dr. Wendy Graham, Director of University of Florida Water institute, said the institute conducted a water study at the request of the Florida Senate. The scientists reviewed existing plans and looked for options to accelerate proj- ects to reduce the freshwater releases to the estuaries. "There's no short-term easy solution, no magic silver bullet," she told the committee. "The solution is enormous increases in storage and treatment of water north, south, east and west of the lake," she said. "The path forward requires significant, consistent long -term investment in the infra - structure," she said. While there are many factors to con- sider, for the purpose of her report to the committee, Dr. Graham looked at just two considerations: reducing the excess flow to the coastal estuaries and providing enough high quality water to restore the Everglades ecosystem. She said existing and planned projects do not provide enough storage. About 200,000 acre feet of storage is needed east of the lake to hold runoff in the St. Lucie basin, she said. Right now about a 50,000-acre-foot reservoir is under construc- tion. In the Caloosahatchee River valley, about 400,000-acre-feat of storage is needed, both to hold excess water and to provide water to the river during the dry season when the lake level is too low for discharges west. ,She said a reservoir for 170,000 acre feet is under construction. North and south of the lake Around the lake "roughly a million acre feet must be distributed north and south," she said. Currently there is only 172,000 acre feet under construction or planned, and all of this storage is south of the lake. She said the Lake Okeechobee Regula- tion Schedule (LORS) was revised in 2008 due to concerns about the safety of the dike. Due to these changes the lake is kept about 1 foot lower than before the change. One foot of water in Lake Okeechobee is about 450,000 acre feet of storage, she ex- plained. Looking at the options for water storage, she explained that 750,000 acre feet of stor- age north of the lake and 300,000 acre feet of storage south of the lake would provide a 90 percent reduction in harmful releases to the estuaries and also provide sufficient water for the Everglades. Alternately 300,000 acre feet of storage north of the lake and about 680,000 south of the lake achieves the same result. "Various combinations will achieve this," she said. However, in addition to storage they must consider the issue of water treat- ment, she continued. Before water can be released into the Everglades, it must be sent through filter marshes to absorb the excess phosphorus. Keeping the level of phosphorus in the water entering the Everglades below 10 ppb is critical for the ecology of that area. "Water must be treated before it goes into the Everglades no matter where it is stored," she said. Storage is needed both north and south, she emphasized. Currently the state has 170,000 acre feet south of the lake; zero storage north. Committee members asked which area is most cost effective. She said storage north or south gives about the same results for reducing the dis- charges to the estuaries and providing water to the Everglades. However, there are many other-factors to consider, she said. Storage is needed both north and south, she maintained. "The faster we can build out existing projects, the better," she said. "We need storage and treatment north of the lake. "We need additional storage and treat- ment south of the lake," Dr. Graham said. Dr. Graham said her team also considered options for deep storage and ASR (aquifer storage and recovery). "Different restoration targets have differ- ent benefits," she said. "If you want to protect the estuaries, it's pretty equal north or south. "You can't achieve the Everglades resto- ration with storage only north of the lake. "We need both," she said. Dike repairs under way "The Corps is repairing the Herbert Hoover Dike because of the dam safety risk. That dam is not safe for the people who live and work around the lake. Whether we store more water is a separate issue," said Lt. Col. Jennifer Reynolds, Deputy District Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engi- neers Jacksonville District. She said the original federal purpose of having the Corps of Engineers involved in South Florida was to deal with the flooding issues that resulted from private and state projects that tried to drain land for develop - ment and agriculture. During the hurricanes of 1926 and 1928, the levees on the south end of the lake failed to provide protection, she said. Thousands of people died as a result. "In 1947, much of south Florida was un- der water for several weeks," she said. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was tasked with helping the state with a flood control system. "The flood control system worked splen- didly," she said. But in 1960s and 70s many Americans became concemed about envi- ronmental issues, so new projects were de- veloped with environmental benefits as well as flood control in mind. "Managing this massive system is an in- credibly complicated process," she said. In 2016 Lake Okeechobee received more than 1 trillion gallons of water, not including direct rainfall, she explained. "The challenge is what to do with all this water. She said they did send 270 billion gallons "The path forward requires significant, consistent, long -term investment in infrastructure," — Dr. Wendy Graham, University of Florida Water Institute south, but couldn't send more water south during the wet season because the water conservation areas were already full of di- rect rainfall. Previous storms have shown that a tropi- cal storm or hurricane can raise the level of Lake Okeechobee up to 4 feet in 30 days. After Tropical Storm Faye in 2008 "it took us over five months to move that same amount of water that was received in 30 days," she said. After Hurricane Ivan, 19 billion gallons of water a day flowed into the lake. The maxi- mum release is 8 billion gallons per day, she said, and that is only if it stops raining. Often once the lake rises, continued rainfall keeps the lake high despite maximum releases. "When water levels exceed 18 feet, we have observed things that could lead to real failure of the dike," she said. "So when the lake is above 15 feet, es- pecially at the beginning of wet season, we have to release water, because of the poten- tial for the lake to rise 3 to 4 feet (due to a storm event)," she explained. "Everything tells us we need storage north, south, east and west," she said. "Pan of the solution is to slow down water north of the lake, as well as storage needed north of the lake," she said. "Storage is needed east and west because those basins are separate from the Kissim- mee River basins," she said. "Outflow from those basins affect the estuaries." She said that while the purpose of the dike repairs is to prevent a breach that would en- danger the people who live around the lake, once the dike repairs are finished, the Corps and SFWMD will review the lake water stor- age schedules. Since 2001, $870 million has been invest- ed in dike rehabilitation, Lt. Col. Reynolds said. "We have about 800 million left to go." She said they expect dike repairs to be completed in 2025. They will start to study possibilities for changing the LORS in 2022, and the new schedules could be implement- ed in 2025. She said the federal government is fund- ing the dike repairs. "This dike is placed among the highest priorities among over 700 dams across the nation," she said. She added that about 25 percent of the Corps national funding goes to the Herbert Hoover Dike repairs. A member of the Senate committee asked if the Corps would consider halting releases from Lake Okeechobee if blue -green algae is found in the lake. "We saw blue green algae developing not just in Lake Okeechobee but in water bodies throughout the State of Florida," said Lt. Col. Reynolds. She said they can't always predict how algae will react to releases. "Sometimes the discharges breakup the algae. "Sometimes the discharges make the al- gae worse. "Our decision was in not wanting to compound the blue -green algae problem with the public safety risk of putting the dam at failure," she said. "The single most important project that can be implemented to reduce damaging discharges to the estuaries and restore flow to the Everglades is completion of the EAA Storage Reservoir, which has been an inte- gral component of Everglades restoration for more than 20 years," Gary Goforth, water resources engineer, told the Senate commit- tee. He said the committee should focus on accelerating land acquisition south of the lake, but added that he is "convinced we don't need 60,000 acres. "1 think roughly 35,000 acres would be sufficient to satisfy the goals of the Ever- glades storage," he said. He suggested the A -2 storage area, which the state already owns and currently uses for shallow storage and water treatment, could be used for deeper storage. Land state already owns could be used for more storage "It has been the policy for the past six years to move forward with building proj- ects," said Pete Antonocci, SFWMD Execu- tive Director. He said the property that Mr. Goforth mentioned, A -2, is owned by the state, and leased to agriculture. That lease expires mid - 2018, and SFWMD has given notice of intent to terminate that lease, he said. All along we have recognized this is an essential part to storage south of the lake and land in A -1 and A -2 has been prepared to accommodate a reservoir that is 15 feet deep," he said. That 15,000 acre reservoir could accom- modate about 200,000 acre feet of water storage, he said. "1f you add a few more acres of land from willing sellers, you could build a bigger storage area," he added. However, every time you store water north or south of the lake, you have to con - sider whether it can be cleaned, he cau- tioned. Water storage areas must flow into water treatment areas to allow vegetation to absorb the phosphorus in the water before it can flow into the Everglades. One of the committee members asked about the importance of the water quality in Lake Okeechobee. "Lake Okeechobee is critical to every- thing from Orlando to Florida Bay," he said. Representatives from the communities south of the lake traveled to Tallahassee for the hearing, but were only briefly introduced when the hearing ran out of time. "There are lives and businesses and liveli- hoods at stake in the Glades community and we want to continue to be part of your con- versation," said Palm Beach County Com- missioner Liz McKinlay. Also present were Belle Glade Mayor Steve Wilson, South Bay Mayor Joe Kyles and former Hendry County Commissioner Janet Taylor. 4 Okeechobee News January 13, 201 Letter to the Editor itik p Cp I convenient victims no more Last week the Everglades Coalition met at a fancy waterfront resort in Fort Myers where they all took their parts in an elaborate play orchestrated with a few millionaires and billionaires, as they continued to ignore the threats of the lives of the residents living in the communities South of Lake Okeechobee. They've bought and paid for scientists with their 38 -slide power point presenta- tions and will try to legitimize the notion that all of the plumbing problems in the coastal communities and Florida Everglades can be solved if we just flood places like Clewiston, South Bay, Pahokee and Belle Glade. "Send the Water South" they will say. Send the polluted water from areas North of Lake Okeechobee into the 'Glades' communities Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis ACROSS 1 17th -century privateer 5 Rock worth unearthing 8 Military groups 13 About 14 Downtime for Mars? 15 Absorb 16 Imperfect produce? 19 Rob's "West Wing" role 20 Domestic tearjerker 21 " Wedding ": 'The Simpson" episode involving a fortune - teller 23 Noctumal picket - line crosser? 26 Wild partner 28 Alamos 29 Screening gp. 30 Woodstock performer before Joan 31 Kid's comeback 34 Reconnaissance team? 40 Romance novel features 41 1963 role for Shirley 42 In the same way 45 Defensive question 46 It merged with Coors in 2005 48 Result of a London tea cart mishap? 52 _ Blades, Latin jazz star 53 Oater omen 54 Uma's "Pulp Fiction" role 57 Feature of a taped hardcore punk performance? 60 Stage direction 61 Vital 62 Relative of -ule 63 Ruled quarters? 64'600 campus org. 65 Their Christmas feast included roast beast DOWN 1 Petruchio's request of Kate 2 Empire whose last stronghold was conquered in 1572 3 Ginger Baker specialty 4 Diet. entry 5 Ready for business no later than 6 Pizza cuts, essentially 7 Halfway house resident 8 Flash drive letters 9 Roi et reine, par exemple 10 "The drinks were an me" 11 Affects, as one's heartstrings 12 Divers' weapons 17 Future yearling 18 Hunting lodge decoration 22 Jamaican genre 24 Influence 25 One taking coats, perhaps 26 Used to be 27 Tolkien terror 31 Chanel creations 32 Grain generally pluralized 33 Ballet's Black Swan 35 Green workers 36 "Amazing Grace," e.g. 37 Big name in pies, 38 Comic Philips 39 Indian flatbread 42 LAX stat 43 Adjustable door feature 44 Spooner of Spoonerism fame, for one South of Lake Okeechobee. Anywhere that puts the problems of dealing with this excess rainfall on someone else. Move it away from their backyards. Let the working families, the minority communi- ties, the farmers, and the hard - working coun- try folks here in the Glades communities deal with it. Seize their land and take their liveli- hoods if you must — but "Send the Water South" they will demand. If the dike around Lake Okeechobee can't hold all that water, too bad. If those folks in the Glades are left wading around in waste deep, polluted water like they were in New Orleans, so be it. Just "Send the Water South." If it costs farms and mills and jobs and families, oh well. Just "Send the Water South." Well, we here in the Glades communities ARE the "South." We bear the brunt of this mindless scheme. We are the victims in this sad play. We are the inconvenient truth. It's our jobs that are lost. It's our communities that are destroyed. It's our land that is seized. "Send the Water South" is not a solution — it's a weapon. A weapon designed to de- stroy agriculture, punish farmers and displace people south of Lake Okeechobee. It's a plan hatched by some very wealthy outsiders who view Florida as their playground and Florid- ians as their servants. The plan will not make our water cleaner or more abundant. 11 only serves to turn Floridians against each other for the pleasure of very rich people who don't even live here. The shameful truth of the mat- 46 Walks unhurriedly 47 Most fit to serve 49 Engendered 50 Subjects of washday mysteries 51 Hollowed out 55 Delighted by 56 Quite a long time . 58 Scrap 59 Copy cats ?. ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: C A S R O D O z A B L O W U P W N S ,A 1 I L E M N E E c T O u C R E D N B G R S T A M P A P T A M A z N N E L E 1i P O E E C'E A L T R 0 0 D C A R M E N A D R Y N E S S M T E X T O R T D O E P 5 H T R H O E A T L O M G M A E U N T O C O V E W A N N U D A K y T R O T N S S E E A R T A T T T A L O G E T A I N S E A N E D xwordeditoreaol.com By Jeffrey Wechsler 02015 Tnbune Cont nt Agency LLC Janet Taylor ter is that it will not stop or even significantly reduce the discharges to the estuaries, and these folks know that. So, as the Everglades Coalition gathered to discuss the fate of the water and the plants and the wildlife here in the Everglades, re- member also her people. We too are the Glades. This is our home. We are not just going away, because Glades Lives Matter. Our Lives Matter. Janet Taylor Glades Lives Matter blic Forum /Speakout Puppy thrown over fence • A smart person would have taken the puppy to the shelter when it was open and just turned it in. • Where does all the anger come from that causes people to act so badly? • Why not leave it in a box with holes and a blanket? • 1 am not defending the guy. But Ani- mal Control used to have cages out there for people who came by after hours and could leave an unwanted dog or cat safely. They should think about putting those cages back so people who can't afford their animals can drop them off. • Not having the drop -off cages doesn't excuse what he did. • Poor puppy.1 hope he recovers quickly. Music fest • How wonderful that the music festi- val is reaching out to work with local non- profit organizations. It makes me happy that they want to be part of the community. The festival was great last year. People all over the country were saying nice things about Okeechobee.1 hope it is here to stay. Police chase • Many, many times they have stopped pursuits. Their main thought is not only to protect themselves so they can go home to their families but also to protect the public. • Many agencies stop pursuits. Problem to this is many bad people know this. • With all of the surveillance cameras and eyes in the sky, they'll get the bad guys even- tually. They don't have to risk other drivers' lives with a high -speed chase. • He was not pursued for retail theft He was pursued for fleeing and eluding once he was stopped by law enforcement. Most that flee, DO, as in this instance, have a prior criminal history, and/or an active war- rant, and know they will go to jail or prison depending on their DOC points already ac- crued. • What is wrong with our sadistic local state attorneys that they overstuff our uncon- stitutionally run jails and prisons by throwing the book at victimless nonviolent recreation- al drug offenders and doubling the original sentences of those caught on near harmless and technicality- caused probation violations YET violent threats to public safety like this amoral reprobate get early release? • Officers everywhere are placed in a situation of damn if you do or damn if you don't in these pursuits and John Q Public is going to complain about it either way. Truth about the lake • 1 don't understand why the Everglades Foundation people are pushing so hard to buy land for another reservoir south of the lake instead of getting behind the plans to build a reservoir north of the lake, and use land the state already owns to continue to develop more storage north of the lake. Use the money for projects already on the books. Buying more land won't help. Building the projects will. 2 3 4 5 6 ] 6 9 10 112 13 ■11 14 ■■ 15 1111 16 111 ] ■■■18 11111. 19 11 20 1111 2 11122 23 24 1111■ 25 1111■ 26 27 1111 28 11 29 11 30 111 1 32 11133 34 111® 36 111111 37 38 39 11111 4 111 42 43 44 45 11 46 47 1111 48 1149 11150 5, 1111 52 1111 53 1111 54 55 56 67 111 11111 69 111 60 1111 61 11 .�.. 62 111 83 1111 64 .■ 6� .11 By Jeffrey Wechsler 02015 Tnbune Cont nt Agency LLC Janet Taylor ter is that it will not stop or even significantly reduce the discharges to the estuaries, and these folks know that. So, as the Everglades Coalition gathered to discuss the fate of the water and the plants and the wildlife here in the Everglades, re- member also her people. We too are the Glades. This is our home. We are not just going away, because Glades Lives Matter. Our Lives Matter. Janet Taylor Glades Lives Matter blic Forum /Speakout Puppy thrown over fence • A smart person would have taken the puppy to the shelter when it was open and just turned it in. • Where does all the anger come from that causes people to act so badly? • Why not leave it in a box with holes and a blanket? • 1 am not defending the guy. But Ani- mal Control used to have cages out there for people who came by after hours and could leave an unwanted dog or cat safely. They should think about putting those cages back so people who can't afford their animals can drop them off. • Not having the drop -off cages doesn't excuse what he did. • Poor puppy.1 hope he recovers quickly. Music fest • How wonderful that the music festi- val is reaching out to work with local non- profit organizations. It makes me happy that they want to be part of the community. The festival was great last year. People all over the country were saying nice things about Okeechobee.1 hope it is here to stay. Police chase • Many, many times they have stopped pursuits. Their main thought is not only to protect themselves so they can go home to their families but also to protect the public. • Many agencies stop pursuits. Problem to this is many bad people know this. • With all of the surveillance cameras and eyes in the sky, they'll get the bad guys even- tually. They don't have to risk other drivers' lives with a high -speed chase. • He was not pursued for retail theft He was pursued for fleeing and eluding once he was stopped by law enforcement. Most that flee, DO, as in this instance, have a prior criminal history, and/or an active war- rant, and know they will go to jail or prison depending on their DOC points already ac- crued. • What is wrong with our sadistic local state attorneys that they overstuff our uncon- stitutionally run jails and prisons by throwing the book at victimless nonviolent recreation- al drug offenders and doubling the original sentences of those caught on near harmless and technicality- caused probation violations YET violent threats to public safety like this amoral reprobate get early release? • Officers everywhere are placed in a situation of damn if you do or damn if you don't in these pursuits and John Q Public is going to complain about it either way. Truth about the lake • 1 don't understand why the Everglades Foundation people are pushing so hard to buy land for another reservoir south of the lake instead of getting behind the plans to build a reservoir north of the lake, and use land the state already owns to continue to develop more storage north of the lake. Use the money for projects already on the books. Buying more land won't help. Building the projects will. ,)anuary 11, 201 Loie, 0 R4roe LtFF(Q Okeechg e News Restoration projects progress in 2016 Special to the Okeechobee News WEST PALM BEACH — From the Kissim- mee River to Florida Bay, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) in 2016 con- tinued making progress on the goal of build- ing major projects that will help restore South Florida's ecosystem and ensure sound water supply management for generations to come. "Getting projects done is our focus and • priority," said SFWMD Governing Board Chair- man Dan O'Keefe. We broke ground this year on several key upgrades to our infrastructure that have been years in the making. Other massive projects have either been completed or are nearing completion. These are all vital elements to the future of water management in South Florida." One of the most important projects started this past year was at the very southern end of the water management system in Miami -Dade County. The district devised a plan to acceler- ate components slated to be built in the future in southern Miami -Dade County. Building these project components, which includes degrading weirs, connecting canals and building other features, will allow the District to deliver thou- sands more acre -feet of freshwater every year during wet and dry months to Taylor Slough in Everglades National Park, which connects directly to Florida Bay. This additional fresh- water reaching Florida Bay will help to reduce elevated salinity levels that have occurred after droughts. On the border of Palm Beach and Broward counties, the District in August completed the second phase of the extensive 10 -mile long Hillsboro Canal bank stabilization and dredg- ing project. This phase began in 2014 for 4 miles of the Hillsboro Canal from U.S. 441 east to Military Trail. The canal allows the District to provide flood protection to millions of residents and provides environmental restoration. A total of 37,000 cubic yards of sediment buildup was dredged out of the bottom of the Hillsboro Ca- nal from Powerine Road to the G -56 Structure near Military Trail. A total of about $20 million has been spent on this project. In Palm Beach County, construction is near- ing completion on the L -8 Flow Equalization Basin, which will be able to hold about 40,000 acre -feet of stormwater runoff so that it can be released to stormwater treatment areas at a controlled rate, resulting in improved perfor- mance of those treatment areas. Completion of the project and the start of operation are ex- pected next year. To date, close to $290 million has been spent on the project, which is almost complete. South of Lake Okeechobee, work continued improving the ability of the key Bolles Canal to move more water south of the lake to reach the District's complex water quality improvement system and eventually Everglades National Park. Construction was completed on the first segment of the $85 million canal improvement project and began on the second segment. The District has also started designing the third seg- ment of the canal improvements. The Bolles Canal and L -8 Flow Equalization Basin projects are part of Governor Rick. Scott's $880 million Restoration Strategies plan to complete water quality restoration in Florida. Other components of that plan, such as the A -1 Flow Equalization. Basin, were completed in prior years and more progress on other plan components is expected in 2017. In Martin County, the District began con - struction of the southern phase of the Lakeside Ranch Stormwater Treatment Area. Construc- tion of this phase is expected to be completed in 2018. The northern phase was completed in 2012. This treatment area will be able to remove approximately 20 metric tons of phos- phorus per year from stormwater runoff from the Taylor Creek and Nubbins Slough basins before that water enters Lake Okeechobee. To date, the approximately $130 million Lakeside Ranch project is about 60 percent complete. In the St. Lucie Estuary, SFWMD contractors continued building the massive C-44 Stormwa- ter Treatment Area and associated pump sta- tion in Martin County. To date, almost 17 miles of canals and 9 miles of berms have been con- structed and most of the concrete water con- trol structures including a spillway and several gates, are finished or nearing completion. The Stormwater Treatment Area being built by the District is expected to be completed by the end of next year and the pump station is expected to be completed by 2018. Coupled with a res- ervoir being constructed by the Army Corps, this project will hold and treat 50,000 acre -feet of stormwater runoff. The District's portion of the project, estimated to cost about $350 mil- lion, is about 90 percent complete. Also in the St. Lucie Estuary, SFWMD began work in October to repair the 526 -acre Ten - Mile Creek Reservoir and Stormwater Treat- ment Area in 5t. Lucie County. Once repaired, the reservoir will be able to store more than - 2,500 acre -feet of local stormwater runoff. The District is expected to complete the $8 million repairs in June 2017. On the west coast, this year, SFWMD teams completed all of the land- clearing work neces- sary as part of the Southern Corkscrew Region- al Escosystem Watershed restoration project in Lee County. This involves restoring the natural hydrology and habitat to more than 4,100 acres of pine flatwoods, swamps, wet prairies and marshes. The entire restoration project is ex- pected to be completed next year. The project is estimated to cost approximately $40 million and is more than 90 percent complete. In the western region, SFWMD contractors made progress on two cruciatprojects that will help the Catoosahatchee River Estuary. The C-43 West Basin Reservoir in Hendry County will hold up to 170,000 acre-feet of wa- ter to help reduce Lake Okeechobee releases and provide freshwater to the estuary during dry months to reduce salinity levels in the es- tuary. Pre - loading and demolition work con- structing earthen mounds needed for the reser- voir are about halfway complete. Construction on a cofferdam and dewatering system for the S -476 Pump Station in the reservoir has also begun. The reservoir is slated to cost about 8550 million and be completed by 2022. Construction was completed this year on the C-43 Water Quality Treatment and Testing Facility in Hendry County. This project is being conducted by the District in partnership with Lee County over the next 8 -10 years. Wetland plants and sediments have been installed in 12 tanks, and the initial phase of the planned experiments is now underway. This project will help demonstrate and implement cost - effective, wetland -based strategies for reduc- ing nutrient loads, particularly nitrogen, from the Caloosahatchee River and its estuary. Study results of effective techniques will be used to determinethe,feasibility of scaling up certain water treatment technologies in future project phases. The $8U million project is about 50 percent complete. In the northern most area of the District, SFWMD teams began work in March to install a new G -103 water control structure in Polk County to better maintain water levels and provide Flood control in the Lake Rosalie area in the Upper Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. The $3.4 million project is more than 60 percent complete. It is estimated to be finished by May 2017. 7 Descuentos en el Servicio Telefonico y de Internet Disponible para los Clientes de CenturyLink La Comisidn de Servicios Publicos de Florida designd a Centurylink Como un Proveedor de Telecomunicaciones Elegible dentro de su area de servicio pare fines del servicio universal. Las tarifas de los servicios locales basicos de CenturyLink para las lineas telefenicas fijas son $21.22 poi mes y los servicios corporations son $31.00- $35.00 por mes. Las tarifas especlficas reran suministradas a petici:n. 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In a Jan. 9. 2017 letter to Tom Van Lent of the Everglades Foundation, South Florida Water Management District Bureau Chief - Hydrology and Hydraulics Akintunde Owo- sina questioned the bias in the Oct. 26, 2016 article "A comparison of the Benefits of Northern and Southern Everglades Storage," by Mr. van Lent and R. Paudel, both of the Everglades Foundation. In the article, the writers compared a res- ervoir proposed north of the lake and one proposed south of the lake, and claimed a reservoir south of the lake would reduce ex- cess discharges to the coastal estuaries by 50 percent while a reservoir north of the lake would only reduce discharges to the estuar- ies by 6 percent. Mr. Owosina disputes the conclusions reached in that article, and questions data used for the comparison. "The assumptions you made in the model input were obviously selected to reduce per - formance of the northern storage and create an outcome in favor of southern storage. In fact, the entire article claims findings based on irresponsible science, which presents a false choice not reflective of South Florida's current water management system," Mr. Owosina wrote. The Everglades Foundation plan ignores flow equalization features that are included in the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) which has been authorized by Con- gress. "By ignoring these features, your analysis is more'an academic exercise than a realistic tool to support informed policy and decision making," the letter states. The claim of "almost" 50 percent reduc- tion in estuary releases ignores the system's constraints, Mr. Owosina explains. "Your model runs describe a plan that cannot be implemented in reality. Your plan adversely impacts water quality, unlawfully takes water from existing users and risks the continued existence of endangered species," the writer continues. "A combination of both north and south storage, as CERP and the 2015 University of Florida Water Institute study envisioned, performs better than southern storage alone. While there is currently a great deal Ranch offering retreat Alpha Ministries at Freedom Ranch will host Rest in Recovery Retreat Feb. 3 -5. There will be great food, dynamic speakers, awesome music, supportive fellowship and a huge dose of good, old fashioned healthy recreation and fun. You will laugh - may even cry - hug, sing and play until you leave full to the brim with gratitude for what God is doing in your life and in the lives of others. There is a $100 donation. Registration is now open. For information, call 863- 763 -9800. of southern storage both implemented and planned, northern storage must be planned, funded and constructed before the full ben- efits of existing and planned storage features to the south can ever be realized," Mr. Owo- sina wrote. "In summary, your plan as modeled is not a realistic means to store and send wa- ter south. To successfully convey water from Lake Okeechobee through the Water Con- servation Areas to the Everglades National Park and, subsequently, to Florida Bay, you cannot: "• Ignore water quality standards. "• Ignore water supply for the environ- ment and existing legal users. • "• Ignore the Endangered Species Act. "Releasing a report in this form is a mis- representation of the facts," wrote Mr. Owo- sina. NOTE: The phosphorus level in Lake Okeechobee is 100 parts per billion (ppb) or higher. Under the standards set by the Department of Environmental Regulation in 2003, water released into the Everglades must be 10 ppb or less. While excess rainfall can be moved quickly south from the Kissim- mee River basin and into Lake Okeechobee by opening water control structures, moving water south of the lake is not that easy. Be- fore water can be sent into the Everglades, the excess phosphorus must be removed. Thus, in times of heavy rainfall it is not possi- ble o move more water south quickly. Also, Yellow journalism? Not us! A continuing series in times of heavy rainfall, the water storage and treatment areas south of the lake are of- ten filled by local precipitation. On a related matter, 30 years ago, FDEP set a target phosphorus level of 40 ppb for Lake Okeechobee, but to date has not been able to reduce the phosphorus load in the water entering the lake from the north. Ac- cording to FDEP scientists, the key to reduc- ing the phosphorus entering the lake lies in slowing the flow of water into the Big 0, and leaning the water before it enters the lake In this age of exploitive and trashy media, we're proud to be different. We believe in operating and publishing our newspaper as a public trust. Fulfilling our public trust requires that we try to bring out the best in our community and its people. We seek the highest common * w+ a denominators, not the +� • lowest. We don't engage 4 Lines + 8 Photos Online for 2 Weeks olutely FREE! 'lace your FREE AD online: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at... okeechobeenews.net gassifieds YOU DECIDE What it SAYS-+ How it LOOKS -+ Add your PHOTOS And before you know it, you've got an ad online! Plus...post your ads in these Florida newspapers for only $8 each! Okeechobee News, Caloosa Belle, Clewiston News, Glades County Democrat, Immokalee Bulletin and The Sun ONLINE o l ttel) _, ti FREEi o, NO 3N1N0'�- ONLINE So easy...and it's free. LASSIIIE in gutter journalism. We know we can achieve success on the high road. How are we doing? Let us know by emailing feedback @newszap.com or calling your editor. itkEECHOBEE NEWS Community Service Through Journalism 10 l_Off. 0 &NOWA e0n1PO4 FQ, Okeechobee News January 6, 2017 Guest Commentary By Judy Clayton Sanchez Special to the Okeechobee News In their never ending quest to drive sugar- cane and vegetable farming from the Glades region, special interest activists have com- pletely lost touch with reality. A spate of recent propaganda claims that America's Everglades are "collapsing from lack of dean freshwater." Have they been living in a cave? The agency in charge of restoration (South Florida Water Manage- ment District) has shown that 100 percent of Everglades National Park is already meeting the stringent 10 part per billion water qual- ity standard —in other words, CLEAN. Dur- ing the 10 months of Lake 0 discharges, the Everglades were well above flood stage due to excessive rainfall throughout the region. There's no lack of water anywhere when the lake is so high that discharges are required. Their "solution" of building a reservoir on currently productive farmland south of the lake because "the Everglades remains too dry in all but the wettest years" is utter fantasy. It's only in these wettest years that large lake releases are made to the estuar- ies, and the Everglades cannot take any wa- ter that might be funneled to the proposed reservoir. During the dry years when the Ev- erglades may need water, a reservoir would not be used since any water.that is available would be sent directly to the Everglades. Putting water in a reservoir upstream of the Everglades in a dry year is a waste of water. Apparently, their upcoming Everglades Coalition Conference needs to include a re- fresher course in basic reasoning and basic math. Consider the 2013 and 2016 excess water discharges to the coastal estuarie9 as a simple math/reason equation: • Five thousand square miles watershed North of Lake Okeechobee drains into a 730 square mile lake. • • Water enters the lake six times faster than it can be discharged. With a fragile dike, the Corps of Engineers discharges wa- ter ea%t and west as the flood control systein was designed. • Some 4.5 MILLION acre -feet of water in 2013 was discharged to the SL Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, and more than 5 MILLION acre -feet was discharged in 2016. • A 60,000 acre reservoir south of the lake could hold 200,000-300,000 acre -feet of wa- ter. (During both years, the Everglades to the south was also flooded and could not take any more water when lake- releases were made.) So, the proposed reservoir fills up and still over 4.2 MILLION acre -feet of water would be discharged to the estuaries. Obviously, a reservoir south of the lake does not solve the two east/west estuary problems. As for Florida Bay, scientific data shows that its average annual water need is only another 100,000 acre feet or so. So you can- not "re- direct" any significant amount of wa- ter currently discharged to the east and west to Florida Bay during these wet events either. Water from the fanning area does not feed Florida Bay, rainfall in Miami -Dade does. "One solution for three estuaries." Not. Another popular fiction these activist \d is that the Comprehensive Ever- ecial to the 1 keechobee ews Judy Sanchez is the senior director for corporate communications and public affairs for U.S. Sugar. glades Restoration Plan (CERP) required the purchase of 60,000 acres. In fact, when Congress passed CERP in 2000, the state had already purchased over 60,000 acres of the former Talisman Sugar operations for water storage and treatment south of Lake Okeechobee. The map showing the lands purchased is actually in the final 1999 docu- ment. Water projects on this land are engi- neered, approved and underway. If more water storage is needed, you can tweak the design and store more on the same land al- ready in public ownership. Perhaps the most appalling bit of fiction is that the Everglades was drained for sugar- cane farmers (there was little sugarcane at the time of the major flood control and drain- age projects) and that farmers and farming communities south of Lake Okeechobee are "in the way" of water flowing the way it did historically. The dike around Lake Okeecho- bee as well as the dikes protecting the subur- ban areas of western Palm Beach, Broward and Miami -Dade counties and the myriad canals that drain urban neighborhoods to the ocean are part of the same regional flood control system. No one is seriously consider- ing taking down these dikes and drainage and letting south Florida return to swamp. Farming communities as well as urban and suburban neighborhoods and businesses all deserve the same consideration. When the Everglades Foundation and their cronies push for a "solution" that is more about punishing farmers than solving water issues and advocate sending massive amounts of phosphorus rich lake water into a flooded Everglades that is finally meeting water quality standards, it's time for the me- dia to take a loser look at their propaganda and expose it for what it is. Sanchez is the senior director for corpo- rate communications and public affairs for U.S. Sugar. She resides in Belle Glade. Alive on Ih.ejo? Stay to the know with an .RE:ECHOBEE NEWS E- subscription Buy a Home Delivery subscription for s6 a month and receive an E- Subscription FREE Your local news available right at your fingertips! Do you have some news to share? Publish it yourself! 100 words and one photo for only $25! Publish Your News today! Visit okeechobeenews.net, scroll to the bottom of the page and dick on the Link for Publish Your News - :ree So-NW' .111 Newszap.co 4 Lines + 8 Photos Online for 2 Weeks Absolutely FREE! Place your FREE AD online: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at... okeechobeenews.net click on Classifieds YOU DECIDE What it SAYS –+ How it LOOKS Add your PHOTOS And before you know it, you've got an ad online! Plus...post your ads in these Florida newspapers for only $8 each! Okeechobee News, Catoosa Belle, Clewiston News, Glades County Democrat, Immokalee Bulletin and The Sun ONLINE So easy...and it's free! LASSIFIEDS Vol. 108 No. 2 Man caught burglarizing YMS ... Page 2 ECHOBEE NEWS Ride for the Fight slated for this weekend ... Page 3 Music Festival looking for restaurants ... Page 7 DCPD's Hagan is promoted ... Page 9 Lake Levels 14.25 feet Last Year: 14.73 feet Sponsored By: Pogey's FamilyRestumnt 1759 S. Parrott Ave. a 763 -7222 Source: South Florida Water Management District. Depth given n feet above sea level Find us on Facebook iee page 4 for information abou -tow to contact this newspaper. okeechobeonews.net keeseeect keeAis a U 1pllllllll Wednesday, January 4, 2017 50 plus tax Okeechobee News /Eric Kopp Above left, as Sheriff Noel Stephen spoke to the large crowd on hand Tuesday for his swearing -in ceremony, retired -Judge Wil- liam Hendry (left) and retired - Sheriff Paul May watched. Above right, firefighter Cory Stephen (left) and Kodi Stephen (right) had the privilege of pinning the sheriff stars on their dad, Noel Stephen, after he took the oath of office Tuesday morning, Jan. 3, to become the 17th sheriff of Okeechobee County. Steuhen takes the oath of office By Eric Kopp Okeechobee News After nearly 30 years of wearing a badge, Noel Stephen was officially introduced Tuesday as the new sheriff of Okeechobee County. Sheriff Stephen was sworn into office Jan. 3 by retired Judge William Hendry. Also on hand for the ceremony was retiring sheriff Paul May. In his dosing remarks Mr. May told all of the em loyees he had planned to give them the rest of the day off. But, he then realized he couldn't do that any more. "In my last official appearance as your sheriff 1 get to introduce the new sheriff. Twelve years ago when I was introduced to you by out-go- ing sheriff O.L. Raulerson Jr., he told me what kind of sheriff's office 1 was inheriting and the caliber of the people 1 would be working with," said Mr. May. "I will not have to do this today because the new sheriff already knows about Everglades restoration: Is it really for the birds? By Katrina Elsken Okeechobee News Environmentalists face a difficult choice in the Everglades. Proposed restoration efforts —which would increase flow to the Everglades — could threaten more than one endangered species. Preserving the habitat for the endangered birds could slow or restrict some restoration efforts. the department. He has been instrumental in building it and he's been here 30 years. "I believe the man I'm about to introduce today comes into this office the most knowl- edgeable, the most experienced and the best prepared to be your sheriff of any man or wom- an who has ever held this office in Okeechobee County." The Committee on Independent Scientific Re- view of Everglades Restoration Progress report from the National Academies of Silences, En- gineering and Medicine, released Dec. 16, 2016, notes the Everglades restoration goals some- times conflict with the habitat requirements for endangered. species. See STEPHEN — Cgee BIRDS —Page S---) Law Offices of Lefebvre & Dixon 763.3333 OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA January 4, 2017 BIRDS Continued From Page 1 7 "The frequent nesting of stilts and snail kites in the STAs (storm water treatment ar- eas) affects operations of most flow -ways and a large percentage of individual STA treatment cells. Protecting stilts and kites po- tentially conflicts with restoration goals relat- ed to water quality," the report found, docu- menting the reduction in STA performance due to protection of nesting birds. "Restora- tion activities that produce net benefits for a species at the system scale can often create negative local impacts on that species. Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow endangered The marl prairies of the Everglades are nesting sites for Cape Sable Seaside spar- rows. According to the National Park Service (NPS) web site, the sparrows nest in dense, dumped grasses. The sparrows tend to avoid tall, dense, sawgrass- dominated communi- ties, spike -rush marshes, extensive areas of cattails, wetlands with tall, dense vegetation, and areas of woody vegetation. The sparrows build . cup - shaped nests about six inches off the ground, making \ their nests vulnerable to floodwaters. STEPHEN Continued From Page 1 He then introduced Sheriff Stephen as the 17th sheriff of Okeechobee County. "1 am very humbled and honored to have been given this trusted position within our community. I do not take it lightly, and 1- promise to never change who I am and always work hard for any staff and our citi- zens," said Sheriff Stephen, as he addressed the large turnout. In fact, the crowd was so large it took Judge Hendry by surprise. He told them if he'd known the crowd was going to be that large: "I would have worn my Gator socks." The new sheriff went on to tell those in attendance he will follow the path paved for him by his predecessors. And, he continu1, he vowed to run his office in an operatio ally sound and fiscally responsible manner. In accepting the will of the voters, Sheriff Stephen also introduced his new command staff who were all promoted to their new ranks. Leading that staff is Major Gary Bell, who was promoted from captain of the road pa- trol division and will now hold the position of chief deputy. Other members of the new staff are: Cap- tain Shannon Peterson; Captain Rob Cole- man; Lieutenant Randy Thomas; Lieutenant Shane Snyder; Sergeant Rosemary Farless; Sergeant Matt Hurst; Sergeant Don Ellis; Cor- poral Bryan Lowe; Corporal Marcus Collier; Corporal Kristin Gray; and, Detective Corpo- ral Javier Gonzalez.. Capt. Peterson will now head up the road patrol division, while Capt. Coleman will lead the detective bureau. Also, Max Waldron and Heath Hughes have been promoted from road patrol to the detective bureau. Okeechobee News oto courtesy ` atone •a ervce The Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow nests low to the ground. Increasing water levels In the birds' nesting area could mean extinction. Researchers now believe areas that are now marl prairies originally had muck soil on top of the marl, but that due to dry con- ditions, the muck oxidized. Thus an actual "restoration" would destroy the sparrows' current habitat. Sometimes birds who are pushed out their habitat can shift to new territory. Mi- gratory sandhill cranes that lost their winter habitat in Mexico established new nesting areas in South Florida. But Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows only live about 4 years and according to the. NPS they do not regularly disperse over large dis- tances. It's doubtful they could find other nesting sites. Losing their habitat in the Ev- erglades could mean extinction. The Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow is not the only endangered bird whose habitat might be threatened by other environmental restoration efforts. Everglades Snail Kite Last Spring the welfare of endangered Everglades Snail Kite put the South Florida Water Management District at odds with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services when an order to release water from the upper Kissimmee Basin (benefitting Snail Kite habitat) led to a setback in the Kissimmee River Restoration project. The churning water came down the river with such force that it washed out work on Phase 4 of the Kissimmee River Restora- tion. The Everglades Snail Kite feeds on Apple Snails. Changes in water levels can affect the birds' food supply. A July 8 letter written by SFWMD Peter Antonacci to Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson shed some light on one reason water managers released the heavy flow of water down the Kissimmee River in May. The letter illustrated the issues faced by state agencies when dealing with federal regulations. Due to the authority under the Endan- gered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) can influence the water levels in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. According to Greg Kennedy, with the Florida Department of Environmental Pro- tection (DEP), on May 21, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) more than doubled the flow of the Kissimmee Riv- er from the S-65C gate just north of Pool D. This gate is just north of the fourth phase of the Kissimmee River Restoration Project which was under way in the Pool D area at the time. The water pressure washed out an earthen berm that had been built across an area that was being badcfilled, and washed out the fill that had been placed in the chan- nel. A turbidity curtain was in place to reduce the soil washing downstream but it could not withstand the water pressure„ and it failed. Mr. Kennedy said a turbidity curtain is a floating barrier with weights on the bottom. Any suspended solids in the water hit the curtain and fall to river bottom. The turbidity curtain failed due to the high flows, he said. Mr. Kennedy said he could not comment on any environmental impact the muddy water might have on Lake Okeechobee. At the time, SFWMD's Randy Smith said the flow at the S-65 -C gate near Lorida was increased due to heavy rainfall in the Upper Kissimmee Basin. SFWMD increased the flows due to the water level schedules that are in place for the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. USFWS has the power to influence those schedules to protect endangered wildlife. Ironically, one of the goals of the Kissim- mee River Restoration is to restore habitat for endangered species. On June 29, responding to the algal blooms on the Treasure Coast, Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency. Thanks to that declaration, the SFWMD slowed the flow of water down the Kissim- mee River by keeping the water at higher levels in the upper basin. Less water going into the lake help slow the rise of the lake and reduced the need for discharges to the coastal estuaries. But that change apparently brought protests from USFWS, according to the letter written by Mr. Antonacci. "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is forcibly standing behind the Endangered Species Act in an attempt to block the Dis- trict with legal action," wrote Mr. Antonacci. According to the letter, USFWS wanted the flow to the lower Kissimmee restored for the sake of Everglades Snail Kites. Apparent- ly 10 snail kite nests are in the tloodplain. keechobee Arrest Report The following individuals were ar- rested on felony or driving under the Influence (DUI) charges by the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office (OCSO), the Okeechobee City Police Department (OCPD), the Florida High- way Patrol (FHP), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) or the Department of Correc- tions (DOC). • Rolando Ryan Pena, 30, N.W. 39th Circle, Okeechobee, was arrested Dec. 30 by Deputy Quinton Speed on felony charges of burglary of an unoccupied structure and grand theft. His bond on those charges was set at $10,000. He was then arrested by Dep- uty Speed on felony charges in another case where he was.charged with giving false own- ership information to a pawnbroker, deal- ing in stolen property and grand theft. His bond on those charges was set at $20,000. Pena was later arrested by Deputy Speed on an Okeechobee County felony warrant that charged him with violation of probation - giving false information to a pawnbroker (six counts), violation of probation - giving false information to a secondhand metals recycler (five counts) and violation of pro- bation - trafficking in stolen property (11 counts). He is being held without bond on those charges. • Myrick James Puente, 20, Jones Road N.E., Okeechobee, was arrested Jan. 1 by Officer Ryan Holroyd on a felony charge of possession of cannabis resin and a misde- meanor charge of recldess driving. His bond was set at $5,500. • Brian Anthony McCann, 32, N.W. 240th St., Okeechobee, was arrested Jan. 2 by Deputy Gerardo Vasquez on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence. His bond was set at $500. This listsanesrs and not-convictions, unless othenaise stated Anyone listed here who is later found innocent or has had the charges against them dropped is welcome to inform this newspaper. The information will be confirmed and printed. ,r[Jecember 21, 2016 Okeechobee News 3 City council approves Lake 0 Regional Compact By Charles M. Murphy Okeechobee News The City Council of Okeechobee ap- proved a resolution to authorize the partici- pation by the city into the Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact at their regular meeting Dec. 13. Councilmember Watford said other cities must be aware of the importance of Lake Okeechobee to Waal communities. "1 think it is important for us to be part of this to pro- tect our interest," he said. The joint effort includes 164 cities in 19 counties. They plan to work together to cre- ate, support and advance a comprehensive plan to address environmental and eco- nomic challenges associated with discharg- es from Lake Okeechobee and to develop a joint strategic plan to successfully meet those challenges. The city debated a resolution to sup- port state purchase of land south of Lake Okeechobee. Council member Dowling Watford said he felt this was wrong because the amount of water stored there would be minute and take land off the tax roll while also increasing the unemployment problem in the Glades. "I don't think the coastal people truly un- derstand the lake or all the issues,' he added. "Buy the Land' makes a great bumper stick- er but doesn't accomplish anything." Councilman Watford said he spoke with many others at the Treasure Coast League of Cities about his fee ings on the resolution. Councilman Gary Ritter said agriculture remains one of the biggest economic drivers in rural counties. "We take agriculture out of production and lose jobs," Ritter said. "1 can't tell you how much agriculture land we are losing across the United States. We don't need to lose anymore." The council voted against the resolution to buy land south of the lake. Councilman Ritter said there is no science behind this plan. The council approved a Florida Sheriff's Cooperative bid of $412,507 from Pierce to purchase a new PierceSaber Rescue Pump- er. Chief Herb Smith said it is a modern ver- sion of the existing pumper which served the city for 20 years. "We realty like the truck that we have be- cause it is practical," he added. The council approved an ordinance which closes, vacates and abandons certain alleyways and rights of way within a portion of Northeast Third Avenue between North- east 13th and Northeast 14th Streets. A medical and dental office complex has been proposed for the property. Councilmember Dowling Watford said it would be a benefit to the city in terms of de- velopment and tax base. The council approved an ordinance to va- cate and abandon a 20' by 300' vacant unim- proved alley at the request of Okeechobee Asphalt & Ready Mix Concrete. The parcel is located near 808 Northwest Ninth Ave. and measures a fraction of an acre. The property will be used for material storage like other surrounding properties owned by the company. The council also approved a resolution that requests the Florida legislature amend statutes related to the Florida workers com- pensation system. The Florida league of cit- ies recommended the changes. - A circuit judge recently ruled that a 14.5 percent rate hike proposed for workers com- pensation coverage was unconstitutional. The city provides the insurance coverage for 62 employees and has paid an average of six workers compensation claims in each of the past five years. The resolution states the city relies on the system to avoid paying excessive legal fees, and those higher workers compensa- /Lake Okeechobee coalition meets By Charles M. Murphy Okeechobee News The County Coalition for Responsible Management of Lake Okeechobee, St. Lucie and the Caloosahatchee Estuaries and the Lake Worth Lagoon met Friday in Okeecho- bee. Okeechobee Commissioner David Hazel - lief said one of the top priorities should be state money to fund the connection of pri- vate septic tanks to public sewer systems. Palm Beach County will request $4 mil- lion from the legislature to help restore Lake Okeechobee shoreline near Belle - Glade. Glades County Commissioner Weston Pryor said most all private septic tanks have been added to the Moore Haven sewer sys- tem. Highlands County Commissioner Jack Ritchie said the water table is high in his county and algae' has been a problem this winter. He endorsed more sewer projects in his county which has dose to 100 differ- ent lakes. He maintained federal dollars are needed to make these projects affordable for local governments. Hendry County Commissioner Karson Turner was re- elected chairman. Mr. Hazel - lief was elected vice chairman of the coali- tion. The next meeting was tentatively set for Feb. 13, 2017. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in- spected the dike in October, one day after Hurricane Matthew and found no prob- lems. The corps has spent $870 million on im- provements to the Herbert Hoover Dike. An- other 35 miles of cut -off wall are expected to be completed by 2025. HOLIDAYi DEADLI News The Okeechobee News Front Office will be closed Monday Dec. 26 for Christmas Holiday 1— The corps said 20 percent of the federal budget for dams across the country went to the Herbert Hoover dike for 2017. A three- year study on ways to store water north of Lake Okeechobee is currently underway. The coalition also heard presentations from South Florida Water Management En- gineer Alan Shirkey on ongoing projects and a report from Lt. Colonel Jennifer Reynolds of the US. Army Corps of Engineers, Deputy District Commander for South Florida. Larry Williams also gave a report on the Endangered Species Act and how species af- fect operations and ecosystem restoration. The group will do a fly-in to Washington on March 2 to lobby Congress and federal officials for federal support of ongoing proj- ects like the Herbert Hoover dike and Kis- simmee River restoration. /f tion rates will have a negative impact finan- cially on the city that could lead to stagnated growth, hiring freezes, or layoffs. The council also honored Police Lt. Don- ald Hagan with a 20 -year longevity service award. Hagan started as a corrections offi- cer at the Okeechobee County Jail 25 years ago. "I'd like to thank everybody. It has been a fun job. 1 think we had a good outcome with Chief Peterson and I'm thankful for ev- erything you have done for me," he added. Council also approved a contract amend- ment for road work done by Lynch Paving & Construction Company for $4,054 and extended the contract for 196 days. They have worked on Southwest Eighth Street & Southwest Second Avenue intersection im- provements. The city also approved a resolution to adopt the election results. Monica Clark re- ceived 1,008 votes, 35.8 percent, Michael O'Connor 783 votes or 27.56 percent, Ray Worley 632 votes, or 22.25 percent and Jerry Johnson 418 votes, or 14.71 percent. Mrs. Clark and Mr. O'Connor were elect- ed and will be sworn in for four -year terms on Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. The council also honored Mayor Jim Kirk on his final meeting. He began his service in 1989. He served as mayor since 1991. He was presented a key to the city and a new gavel. He was the longest serving mayor in the history of the City of Okeechobee. He has attended 370 of the 402 city council meetings during his career. Roofing with the name you trust! ROOFING $. REPAIRS Residential � �' Commercial Licensed and Insured St O. CCC096939 Don't make a Mistake! Call Big Lake 863- 763-ROOF (7663) TTENTION: FARMERS & RANCHERS Now In Stock Your Winter Supplement Feeds for Cattle Suga-Lik Liquid Feed Protein Blocks, Energy Blocks, Cattle Cubes Said- Walpole Feed 763 -6905 & Supply Co. Hwy. 98 N, Okeechobee Vol. 107 No. 146 CHOBEE SEWS Sunday, December 4, 2016 750 plus tax OHS grad is OF homecoming king ... Page 2 OCSO honors employees of the quarter ... Page 3 Library helps local charities ... Page 7 Impaired drivers endanger all on the road ... Page 11 Lake Levels 14.76 feet Last Year: 14.49 feet Sponsored By: Pogey's Family Restaurant 1759 5. Parrott Ave. 763 -7222 Source: South Florida Water Management District. Depth given in feet above sea level Cities support Lake 0 compact Officials in 19 counties work together to deal with water supply and 'quality issues Special to the Okeechobee News Municipal officials from across a 19-county region encompassing the Northern Everglades Estuaries and the Lake Okeechobee Watershed on Wednesday voted unanimously to support the creation of the Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact. "Creating this compact is one of the best ways for South Florida to come together and address our water quality issues in a holistic way," said Stuart Mayor Jeff Krauskopf. "This issue affects us all and the compact is an op- portunity for everyone to share in creating the solution." Specifically, the compact is a commitment by local government leaders to work together across jurisdictional boundaries to create a comprehensive plan addressing myriad envi- See page 4 for information about how to contact this newspaper. okeechobeenews.oel Fret Sr et Fru is UIY,III,IIII1,111 Specal to the-Okeechobee News/Tom Timmons Some access points to the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail have been closed for work on the culverts and dike repairs. This photo was taken on the Herbert Hoover Dike, near Moore Haven. Scenic trail access points may be closed for years By Tom Timmons Special to the Okeechobee News From a bicyclist or hiker's view, the use of much of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST) is pretty well over, especially on the 2 south end of the lake. ronmental and economic challenges associ- ated with discharges from Lake Okeechobee. The compact also includes commitments to create a joint policy position with funding rec- ommendations to the United States Congress and the Florida Legislature, as well as specific policy recommendations related to land man- agement, stormwater runoff, and septic to sewer programs. Supported by the Florida League of Cities' See COMPACT — Page 5 The Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) has undertaken multiple improvement projects in the last few years, starting with the "cut off wall" construction for some 21 miles from Port Mayaca south to Belle Glade beginning in See TRAIL — Page 5 Wanted man flees from police By Eric Kopp Okeechobee News Law enforcement continues to search for a man who is apparently wanted in the state of Maine but ran from police Thursday morning and, at newspaper presstime, was still on the lam. A woman with the man, however, was arrested for possession of a controlled sub- stance and booked into the Okeechobee County Jail on a $1,500 bond. Jail records show that woman, Crystal Ann Taylor, 26, of Davie, has been released on bond. However, police continue to search for Michael Joseph Lewis, 29, of a S.W. 10th St. address in Okeechobee, who fled from a po- lice officer after the officer had helped push Lewis' vehicle to a gas station. According to a report by Officer Michael Jordan, of the Okeechobee City Police De- partment (OCPD), Lewis' 1995 Chevrolet pick- up,truckwas stopped around 9:30 a.m. on South Parrott Avenue at Walmart. When the officer couldn't pass the vehicle, he got See WANTED — Page 5 le You Comfortable December 4, 2016 Okeechobee News 5 Man reportedly sold pills to task force detective By Eric Kopp Okeechobee News Detectives from the Okeechobee Narcot- ics Task Force allegedly bought prescription pills from an Okeechobee man Thursday, then promptly placed him under arrest. Rodney Tyler, 55, N.W. 36th Terrace, was arrested on felony charges of sale of a con- Marx o.ee ewsf" na sken Near Clewiston, a portion of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail has been fenced off, and the privacy screening over the fence also blocks any breezes, making the sandy detour path a hot and unpleasant trek. TRAIL Continued From Page 1 Other than the portion of the LOST from Nubbin Slough to Port Mayaca, there are not many places to ride or walk anymore. Some residents of Clewiston have taken 2007, and now has undertaken amulti- multi-year exception to the extended loss of access to the LOST and the Florida National Scenic project to replace a number of culverts that Trail, which follows the LOST around the pass through the dike itself. lake and held a series of meetings with the ACOE. They daimed that the loss of access was impacting their health as it removed a recreational area, and impacted the town with a loss of revenue caused by the impact to the tourist industry due to the closures. Clewiston resident Terry Gardner can see some of the construction from his backyard. Through meetings with the ALOE, they were finally provided an access to the LOST, past the local construction in the form of a path along a construction road, fenced on both sides, and mostly of sand. Their current issue with this access is that the fence is covered privacy fabric and blocks any breeze from the lake, as well as water views and is nearly a mile in length making for a very hot transit to the small open portion of the path in the warmer months. They have contacted the ACOE and cannot get the fabric removed, or even changed to a more open weave, which would allow some of the breeze through. Additionally, the news from the ACOE in regards the path on the south side of the lake is very bad. "In 2017, we plan to resume the installa- tion of the cutoff wall west of Belle Glade. It is our intent to install 35 additional miles of cutoff wall through Lake Harbor, Clewiston, Moore Haven and Lakeport. Our current ex- pectation is that the work will run until the mid- 2020s, possibly near to the year 2025," said Mr. Campbell. The only good news he had to share was that: "Our contractors are instructed to return the trail to its pre-con- struction condition. Thus, any portions of the trail that were paved before the construction began will have the pavement replaced." The culverts in question were installed when the dike was built in the 1930s and have started to deteriorate. To replace a cul- vert is an 18 -10 -24 month project. First cofferdams are installed on the lake- side and landside of the dike and then a large portion of the dike is removed to provide ac- cess to the culvert, the old concrete structure is broken up and removed and a new one is formed up and cast in its place, and finally, the dike is rebuilt around the new culvert and the cofferdams are removed. According to John H Campbell, Public Affairs Specialist for the Jacksonville District of the Army Corps of Engineers they are "currently focusing on 32 water control structures (a/k/a "culverts ") that provide local access to water /drainage. Of the 32 targeted structures one has been removed and four others replaced and 19 more are currently under contract in various stages of replacement." In a recent trip around the lake, 1 was paying particular attention to access to the LOST with the idea of perhaps trying to ride some on the south side of the lake. What 1 encountered was GRIM to say the least. Nearly all the LOST trail access points, iden- tified on the map provided by the ACOE, are closed. According to the ACOE and John H Campbell, "Our policy has been to close portions of the trail between trailheads when construction is occurring that impacts the users ability to use 100 percent of the path between the access points. With some stretches of the trail having multiple culverts to replace, it wouldn't be surprising to see certain portions closed for five years." trolled substance (diazepam) and posses- sion of a controlled substance (diazepam) with intent to sell. He was booked into the Okeechobee County Jail on a bond of $50,000. Jail records indicate he has been released on bond. An arrest report by a task force detective stated an undercover law enforcement offi- cer purchased 20 diazepam pills from Tyler. Immediately after the alleged deal was co , mmated Tyler was placed under ar- rest by other task force de- tectives. When Tyler was ar- rested he still had the 'buy' money in his hand. According to the arrest report the pills purchased Dec. 1 will be sent to the Indian River Crime Lab Rodney in Fort Pierce for further Tyler analysis. COMPACT Continued From Page 1 Regional Compact Initiative, this week's meeting was a follow -up to gatherings in Fort Myers and Stuart on June 22 and Sept. 7. The earlier meeting focused on cities and counties sharing their individual challenges and local solutions, as well as learning from the South Florida Water Management Dis- trict and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to identify opportunities where joint action would benefit the entire region. Sanibel Mayor Kevin Ruane has been en- gaged in the effort since the beginning. "We applaud the Florida League of Cities for help- ing us come together to work cooperatively in developing the state's largest regional compact. This is an important tool for build- ing consensus among a diverse stakeholder group on projects critical for Everglades Res- toration and reducing the harmful high -flow discharges to the coastal estuaries." Next steps for the officials who signed on to the Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact on Wednesday include taking the agreed - upon compact to their individual cities for ratification and then identifying staff re- sources and expertise to serve on a regional planning team tasked with the creation of a joint strategic plan. "The 164 cities that are affected by the lake will now work together to better un- derstand the specific issues involved in Lake Okeechobee management and work with appropriate stakeholders to help solve these problems," said Okeechobee Vice Mayor Dowling Watford. The City of Okeechobee will consider the compact during its council meeting on Dec. 13. The compact states at a minimum, the Regional Action Plan shall contain the fol- lowing components: • A list of those local and regional proj- ects and programs all parties to this compact mutually agree are critical to Everglades res- toration, protection of local water supplies and water quality, enhancement of natural area and the economic vitality of our com- munities. • Local Projects/Programs: Septic main- tenance and septic to central sewer pro- grams; local fertilizer ordinances and fertil- izer education programs; stormwater BMPs; agricultural BMPs; golf course BMPs. • Current Regional Projects: The Compre- hensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and the projects identified on Integrated De- livery Schedule (IDS) including, but not lim- ited to, Rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike; Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP); C-43 West Basin Reservoir; C-44 Reservoir; Tamiami Trail Bridging Project; Lake Okeechobee Watershed Planning Proj- ect; and the Kissimmee River Restoration Project. For more information about the Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact and region- al compacts in general, visit www.flregional- compacts.com. WANTED Continued From Page 1 out of his car and helped Lewis push the ve- hicle to the Murphy gas station while Taylor steered the truck. After getting the vehicle to the gas pumps and while walking back to my car, dispatch advised me the registered owner had a war- rant through Maine with a nationwide extra- dition (order)," stated Officer Jordan. At that point the officer got into his patrol car and drove to the gas station. Taylor was pumping gas into the truck and the driver's side door was open. It was then the officer noticed a syringe in a compartment on the door. That syringe, continued the officer's report, contained a red liquid. Officer Jordan stated he later tested that liquid and that test indicated a positive result for the presence of codeine. As the officer was dealing with Taylor he noticed Lewis was not around. The gas attendant, when asked, told the officer the man ran along the west side of Walmart and was headed south. As officers from the OCPD and deputies from the Okeechobee County Sheriff's Of- fice gave chase, Lewis apparently ran into The Home Depot. He ran through the store then out of an exit. As of Friday afternoon, Dec. 2, he had not been found. "1 called Lewis from Taylor's phone, with Taylor's permission, and asked him to come back and he hung up," noted Officer Jordan in his report. During a search of the truck the officer stated he found a second.syringe in the glove box. Both syringes were seized as evidence and will be sent to the Indian River Crime Lab in Fort Pierce for further analysis. The officer's report only describes Lewis as a white male with a scruffy beard. The type and color of clothing being worn by Lewis was not mentioned in the report. Dispatch notes state law enforcement searched The Home Depot and a nearby field but Lewis was nowhere to be found. LAU 'C Ward Glades landowners say they won't sell for Lake 0 reservoir By - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer In a sign of growing resistance, landowners in the Everglades Agricultural Area south of Lake Okeechobee said Monday that they are not willing to sell their property to the government to establish water reservoirs as proposed under Senate Bill 10. The letter signed by 13 people who collectively own hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland, or serve as executives of companies which own agricultural land in western Palm Beach County, is slated to be delivered to Senate President Joe Negron and the entire Florida Legislature on Tuesday. It states the signers do not support any governmental acquisition of farm lands south of Lake Okeechobee to solve issues that are being caused north of Lake Okeechobee and in Martin County. Sens. Joe Negron, R- Stuart, and Rob Bradley, R- Fleming Island, are pushing for a $2.4 billion plan outlined in SB 10 to buy 6o,000 acres of farmland for water reservoirs south of Lake Okeechobee. They contend the reservoirs will help solve pollution and toxic algae problems in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. The bill filed in late January says if there aren't enough willing sellers, then 153,000 acres of U.S. Sugar land should be purchased under an option entered into in 2010. "We are not willing sellers," said John L. Hundley, chairman of the board of the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, Belle Glade and president of Hundley Farms. "Taking our farmlands out of production to pursue a plan that is not science -based will not fix the problems in the coastal estuaries. Instead, taking fertile farmland will punish the thousands of hard - working farm families and farming businesses in our rural Everglades Agricultural Area." Hundley's son, John S. Hundley, vice president /production of Hundley Farms, is president of EAA Farmers, a non - profit coalition of 6o farmers, landowners and businesses who say further land purchases would put small farmers out of business. The letter's signatories include Robert Buker Jr. of U.S. Sugar Corp. and SBG Farms, Robert Underbrink of King Ranch's Big B Sugar Corp., James Shine Jr. of the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, Raymond "Rick" Roth Jr. of Roth Farms, Alfonso Fanjul and J. Pepe Fanjul of Florida Crystals Corp., Alex Tiedkte of Eastgate Farms, John L. Hundley of Hundley Farms, Justin G. Soble of Star Ranch Enterprises and Star Farms Corp., Alonso Azqueta of Trucane Sugar Corp., Frances Hand and Homer Hand, private landowners, and Dennis Wedgworth of Wedgworth Farms. Keith Wedgworth, of Wedgworth Farms and EAA Farmers, said the bill has the potential to shut down at least two vegetable packinghouses and close the cooperative's sugar mill in the region with no benefit to the coastal estuaries. "Eliminating more farmland with the nation's most productive soils will hurt our local food supply and make us more reliant on imported food from foreign countries. This is not a plan in the best interest of of the families in Florida and across the nation who rely on steady food supplies from American farmers they can trust. Sadly, this is just another anti - farmer, anti jobs bill," Wedgworth said. The landowners say the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and the Central Everglades Planning Project, approved federal and state projects awaiting funding, are the "real solution" to curbing discharges from Lake Okeechobee. Draft Language for Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact — Revised 11/8/2016 LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGIONAL COMPACT WHEREAS, each of the 164 municipalities and 19 counties located within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program study area in Central and South Florida have substantial water quality challenges that critically impact the sustainability, economic vitality, and growth of each of their communities (hereinafter the "Lake Okeechobee Regional Community "); and WHEREAS, since the start of construction of the Herbert Hoover Dike in 1932, the flood control and water delivery system that serves Florida's urban and agricultural interests has substantially impacted the natural ecosystem and threatened essential wildlife habitats; and WHEREAS, the Central and Southern Florida Project significantly altered the landscape of the Kissimmee, Lake Okeechobee, St. Lucie, and Caloosahatchee watersheds, and forever changed the way water is managed throughout Central and South Florida; and WHEREAS, the Lake Okeechobee Watershed, the Florida Everglades and its coastal estuaries are an internationally unique ecosystem, a national treasure, and a critical component of Florida's economy; and WHEREAS, restoration of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed, the Everglades ecosystem, and coastal estuaries are vital to Florida's future by protecting Florida's environment, economy, and water supplies; and WHEREAS, each of the effected local governments face both unique and analogous water challenges requiring regional cooperation as a consequence of environmental, ecological, and economic interdependence; and WHEREAS, the 164 cities and 19 counties located within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program study area play a major role in protecting local water quality and reducing stormwater runoff; and WHEREAS, only together can the Lake Okeechobee Regional Community effectively address the myriad of longstanding water issues shared by their local governments; and WHEREAS, the Lake Okeechobee Regional Community is wholly resolved to improving regional water conditions and mitigating future impacts to water quality through abiding local initiatives and indelible collaborative planning; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY EACH LOCAL GOVERNING AUTHORITY WITHIN THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGIONAL COMMUNITY: SECTION 1: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact to develop a strategic plan utilizing the best available science, emphasizing regional sustainability and vitality, remaining sensitive to the limitations of local Draft Language for Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact — Revised 11/8/2016 resources, and acknowledging the diverse economic, ecological, and environmental challenges each community faces. SECTION 2: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact to develop a joint policy position urging the United States Congress and the Florida Legislature to take special actions, including passing legislation that recognizes the unique vulnerabilities of Lake Okeechobee and the surrounding Everglades and estuarine systems, and to further a joint policy position that includes specific recommendations regarding the allocation of federal and /or state funding. SECTION 3: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact in developing joint position statements on proposed State legislation including but not limited to: land management, stormwater runoff, septic to sewer programs, and allocation of state and federal resources. SECTION 4: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact in drafting conceptual state and federal legislation for maintaining infrastructure, mitigating runoff from urban and agricultural lands, and improving water quality of and water flows through Lake Okeechobee, Everglades and coastal estuaries. SECTION 5: That each local government shall commit appropriate staff resources and expertise within budget constraints as part of a Regional Planning Team with other parties to this compact. Staff resources shall be dedicated towards developing and implementing a Regional Action Plan, understanding therefore no local government will work ex parte or contra to the mutually adopted resolution of all parties to this compact. This does not limit local governments to advocating for projects or policies that are only mutually agreed upon by all parties. SECTION 6: That the adopted Regional Action Plan shall, at a minimum, include the following components: (a) A list of those local and regional projects and programs all parties to this compact mutually agree are critical to Everglades restoration, protection of local water supplies and water quality, enhancement of natural area and the economic vitality of our communities. (b) Local Projects /Programs: Septic maintenance and septic to central sewer programs; local fertilizer ordinances and fertilizer education programs; stormwater BMPs; agricultural BMPs; golf course BMPs. (c) Current Regional Projects: The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and the projects identified on Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS) including, but not limited to, Rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike; Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP); C -43 West Basin Reservoir; C -44 Reservoir; Tamiami Trail Bridging Project; Lake Okeechobee Watershed Planning Project; and the Kissimmee River Restoration Project. SECTION 7: That each local government shall commit to participating in an annual regional summit, including the opportunity to host a congress with other parties to this compact in furtherance of the resolutions stated herein and for so long as the parties to this compact are resolved to its purpose. Draft Language for Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact — Revised 11/8/2016 LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGIONAL COMPACT WHEREAS, each of the 164 municipalities and 19 counties located within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program study area in Central and South Florida have substantial water quality challenges that critically impact the sustainability, economic vitality, and growth of each of their communities (hereinafter the "Lake Okeechobee Regional Community "); and WHEREAS, since the start of construction of the Herbert Hoover Dike in 1932, the flood control and water delivery system that serves Florida's urban and agricultural interests has substantially impacted the natural ecosystem and threatened essential wildlife habitats; and WHEREAS, the Central and Southern Florida Project significantly altered the landscape of the Kissimmee, Lake Okeechobee, St. Lucie, and Caloosahatchee watersheds, and forever changed the way water is managed throughout Central and South Florida; and WHEREAS, the Lake Okeechobee Watershed, the Florida Everglades and its coastal estuaries are an internationally unique ecosystem, a national treasure, and a critical component of Florida's economy; and WHEREAS, restoration of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed, the Everglades ecosystem, and coastal estuaries are vital to Florida's future by protecting Florida's environment, economy, and water supplies; and WHEREAS, each of the effected local governments face both unique and analogous water challenges requiring regional cooperation as a consequence of environmental, ecological, and economic interdependence; and WHEREAS, the 164 cities and 19 counties located within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program study area play a major role in protecting local water quality and reducing stormwater runoff; and WHEREAS, only together can the Lake Okeechobee Regional Community effectively address the myriad of longstanding water issues shared by their local governments; and WHEREAS, the Lake Okeechobee Regional Community is wholly resolved to improving regional water conditions and mitigating future impacts to water quality through abiding local initiatives and indelible collaborative planning; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY EACH LOCAL GOVERNING AUTHORITY WITHIN THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGIONAL COMMUNITY: SECTION 1: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact to develop a strategic plan utilizing the best available science, emphasizing regional sustainability and vitality, remaining sensitive to the limitations of local Draft Language for Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact — Revised 11/8/2016 resources, and acknowledging the diverse economic, ecological, and environmental challenges each community faces. SECTION 2: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact to develop a joint policy position urging the United States Congress and the Florida Legislature to take special actions, including passing legislation that recognizes the unique vulnerabilities of Lake Okeechobee and the surrounding Everglades and estuarine systems, and to further a joint policy position that includes specific recommendations regarding the allocation of federal and/or state funding. SECTION 3: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact in developing joint position statements on proposed State legislation including but not limited to: land management, stormwater runoff, septic to sewer programs, and allocation of state and federal resources. SECTION 4: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact in drafting conceptual state and federal legislation for maintaining infrastructure, mitigating runoff from urban and agricultural lands, and improving water quality of and water flows through Lake Okeechobee, Everglades and coastal estuaries. SECTION 5: That each local government shall commit appropriate staff resources and expertise within budget constraints as part of a Regional Planning Team with other parties to this compact. Staff resources shall be dedicated towards developing and implementing a Regional Action Plan, understanding therefore no local government will work ex parte or contra to the mutually adopted resolution of all parties to this compact. This does not limit local governments to advocating for projects or policies that are only mutually agreed upon by all parties. SECTION 6: That the adopted Regional Action Plan shall, at a minimum, include the following components: (a) A list of those local and regional projects and programs all parties to this compact mutually agree are critical to Everglades restoration, protection of local water supplies and water quality, enhancement of natural area and the economic vitality of our communities. (b) Local Projects /Programs: Septic maintenance and septic to central sewer programs; local fertilizer ordinances and fertilizer education programs; stormwater BMPs; agricultural BMPs; golf course BMPs. (c) Current Regional Projects: The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and the projects identified on Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS) including, but not limited to, Rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike; Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP); C -43 West Basin Reservoir; C -44 Reservoir; Tamiami Trail Bridging Project; Lake Okeechobee Watershed Planning Project; and the Kissimmee River Restoration Project. SECTION 7: That each local government shall commit to participating in an annual regional summit, including the opportunity to host a congress with other parties to this compact in furtherance of the resolutions stated herein and for so long as the parties to this compact are resolved to its purpose. Draft Language for Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact — Revised 11/8/2016 LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGIONAL COMPACT WHEREAS, each of the 164 municipalities and 19 counties located within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program study area in Central and South Florida have substantial water quality challenges that critically impact the sustainability, economic vitality, and growth of each of their communities (hereinafter the "Lake Okeechobee Regional Community "); and WHEREAS, since the start of construction of the Herbert Hoover Dike in 1932, the flood control and water delivery system that serves Florida's urban and agricultural interests has substantially impacted the natural ecosystem and threatened essential wildlife habitats; and WHEREAS, the Central and Southern Florida Project significantly altered the landscape of the Kissimmee, Lake Okeechobee, St. Lucie, and Caloosahatchee watersheds, and forever changed the way water is managed throughout Central and South Florida;; and WHEREAS, the Lake Okeechobee Watershed, the Florida Everglades and its coastal estuaries are an internationally unique ecosystem, a national treasure, and a critical component of Florida's economy; and WHEREAS, restoration of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed, the Everglades ecosystem, and coastal estuaries are vital to Florida's future by protecting Florida's environment, economy, and water supplies; and WHEREAS, each of the effected local governments face both unique and analogous water challenges requiring regional cooperation as a consequence of environmental, ecological, and economic interdependence; and WHEREAS, the 164 cities and 19 counties located within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program study area play a major role in protecting local water quality and reducing stormwater runoff; and WHEREAS, only together can the Lake Okeechobee Regional Community effectively address the myriad of longstanding water issues shared by their local governments; and WHEREAS, the Lake Okeechobee Regional Community is wholly resolved to improving regional water conditions and mitigating future impacts to water quality through abiding local initiatives and indelible collaborative planning; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY EACH LOCAL GOVERNING AUTHORITY WITHIN THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGIONAL COMMUNITY: SECTION 1: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact to develop a strategic plan utilizing the best available science, emphasizing regional sustainability and vitality, remaining sensitive to the limitations of local Draft Language for Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact — Revised 11/8/2016 resources, and acknowledging the diverse economic, ecological, and environmental challenges each community faces. SECTION 2: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact to develop a joint policy position urging the United States Congress and the Florida Legislature to take special actions, including passing legislation that recognizes the unique vulnerabilities of Lake Okeechobee and the surrounding Everglades and estuarine systems, and to further a joint policy position that includes specific recommendations regarding the allocation of federal and /or state funding. SECTION 3: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact in developing joint position statements on proposed State legislation including but not limited to: land management, stormwater runoff, septic to sewer programs, and allocation of state and federal resources. SECTION 4: That each local government shall work in close collaboration with other parties to this compact in drafting conceptual state and federal legislation for maintaining infrastructure, mitigating runoff from urban and agricultural lands, and improving water quality of and water flows through Lake Okeechobee, Everglades and coastal estuaries. SECTION 5: That each local government shall commit appropriate staff resources and expertise within budget constraints as part of a Regional Planning Team with other parties to this compact. Staff resources shall be dedicated towards developing and implementing a Regional Action Plan, understanding therefore no local government will work ex parte or contra to the mutually adopted resolution of all parties to this compact. This does not limit local governments to advocating for projects or policies that are only mutually agreed upon by all parties. SECTION 6: That the adopted Regional Action Plan shall, at a minimum, include the following components: (a) A list of those local and regional projects and programs all parties to this compact mutually agree are critical to Everglades restoration, protection of local water supplies and water quality, enhancement of natural area and the economic vitality of our communities. (b) Local Projects /Programs: Septic maintenance and septic to central sewer programs; Local fertilizer ordinances and fertilizer education programs; stormwater BMPs; agricultural BMPs; golf course BMPs. 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(a -o - ' 'D' a O 0s0 Z (0 - 00i .4 ° 0 0 o v, y • 1 3-z-So �•c�o- -So (0,a R ° =( 0 S`- m 0 ° o g(<D, z `• o • O O C) (D (R 0 C) 0, O 0- O O a O O O O 0 0 a0 0 nO v° CI Rcy (/) 0.c�•:a. z ?a m CD a m (n 0, s 0, a' a0 ?T a �+ n Q. 0 0 m• oo y ti� o ° 6D m 3 (D y d Nom cQ 0 �" m< (SD `� Z z CD at - a0 CCCDD CD (D (SD °C ° ..... �C 0. '" CO V N y v:. (4 3 °° 0 x d 5' 0 O oc o O 0( O CD (s o a. (D o O o c0 0 ao) CD CD 0 0 0 .� 0 0 (n < (n Q (D 0 (1) Q CO o 5 0 0. CD < °'-o 0 o- m rn n0 = 0 Z5" r o C 0 0 n (0 0 0' IT) O 0 n 0 o 3 N 0 Co (r 3 - o N 0 0. CD (n 3 0 GO 0 (Z v () m CO CO A w 0- ) 31Aj adlnO321 0 v 0 0 m a0 0 CCD A: Main �o dun t 0 Sumnmi *Yid TYLER TREA DWAY TYLER.TREADWAY @TCPALM.COM STUART — Martin County commissioners want everybody to know everything about a proposal to build a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to curtail discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. Commissioners voted 4 -1 Tuesday to set up a multicounty summit to gather information about and discuss Senate President Joe Negron's proposa to buy up to 60,000 acres south of Lake 0 for the reservoir. The time, date and place for the event will be set by the county administration. Commission Chairman Doug Smith suggested the event could be a special meeting of the 16 -County Coalition made up of commissioners from the counties of the South Florida Water Management District. 'I envision it as possibly the members of the coalition, as well as anyone interested in coming, hearing from scientists on both sides, other experts on both sides and advocates on both sides,' said Commission Vice Chairman Ed Ciampi, who made the resolution. 'It will be an educational meeting, and education cannot hurt us. Commissioner Sarah Heard voted against the summit because of the way it would be configured. Fourteen of the 16 counties in the coalition are against it (Negron's plan). Why should we put ourselves in a position to be outnumbered. ... I'm a Martin County commissioner representing Martin County residents, not residents of Hendry and Palm Beach counties.' NO REVERSAL The commission's action does not reverse its decision a week ago to support Negron's plan, said county spokeswoman Gabriella Ferraro. Page 1 of 2 2421/;1 Ed IIUV) 3/2/2017 A: Main Anews release by Glades Lives Matter, which opposes Negron's plan, 'is very misleading,' Ferraro said. It lauds the commission for 'overriding' its previous vote, which it did not do, Ferraro said. Page 2 of Monday, 02 /27/2017 Pag.A02 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group 2 3/2/2017 2A Wednesday, February 15, 2017 Weasure Coast Newspapers MC ABOUT US a9A oD NFTWORk -.Stuart News anti p N Tribune em Scripps Port R. Lucie, FL 34986. HOME 12113.1116128 Como us at sulessrib.rservicesetcpalnuom Subscribe and manage your account at Ca. WA-7074M Customer ...Hour. Sunday 55 you maMeex.m meandar v,m KIM., • replacement may be available tlNav H� mxaar MESS JOURNAL 0i06,.M1 • 978-2743 AdOro wh • 41Ave. Suite zoo. M STUAKI NEWS A ul n dd, Federal xgn"er. Stuart fL.1994 NEWSTRICIME Display 5x,361 Adden: 760 Port SC Licre. iL 34996 .�M. Classified rco B1,rty•97' :* County MITEMMININ Q 969249. ""nail wiemu,ewalmeom 211.4164 or Rov„ nawepwn.emn MONTHLY 8 068 6 8108100 RATES All Premwm oipbpm include pint delivery anal dignAl swpendetl. dig., p>ades. eete Is sr. accounos Prean r:533.M• Wednay uroush s.m.., Sunday, Premiere Seedily only: 517.325 'Plus ta, transoortabon costs include, Marlin Luther King Day, MemonalD y' delivery on Oete Premlurn Content nwai e.ma.geed contact cuSlomer servite to stop del.wary on ...clays. mducled upon request...1..0w. 4150 30th. 52.00 Sunday. ...Sena address cheeses and nee gran co■respondence i P.o. Box ace. Vero dimly avaal ale Vero Beach, et Ludemern17117. AO. Box. Stuart FL 3499,3009. Perioatcal mage R. and addrrional mailing offices. 42,45. 3313,7, NY Operate°. LLC O8MOad 0n app Pee 1 .00 0050. N OW 10 NINO TOUR NEWS TesdeakCHpM palm.c 332592-2954 t ▪ SUBMIT AY paidobneoccealresom Bob Bru aNER njes•2214273 bob.brvryeettpalmmm A. Heal • 9782319 aclamnealeltypalescorn E Saam• lpe,t:t<oe%2111m LEITERS TO roe iCealm.com SPA ▪ Graham • 692-8957 mike grahamOxpalmsom • mm e�nkly.roy ptciulm • EDITOR IamenceeelananOtcpalmsom MARTIN COUNTY OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON HONE 2aaaKOALronEAnME COAST NEWSPAPERS Florida Senate President Joe Negron (second from right) gives then- Florida Mouse Speaker Will Weatherford a lagoon tour. Martin Commission backs Negron's plan to curb Lake 0 discharges TYLER TREADWAY MER.TR FAO W AVOTCPA IM.CON By a 4 -1 vote lbesday, Martin County commissioners supported state legislation to buy land south of Lake Okeechobee for a reservoir to help curtail discharges to the St. Lucie River. Senate President Joe Negron, a Stuart Republican, has proposed the state and the federal government equally share the $2.4 Killion cost to buy up to 60,000 acres south of Lake O and build a 120 billion- gallon reser- voir. Commission Chairman Doug Smith voted against the resolution, saying Negron's plan doesn't fit into the strat- egy for Everglades restoration established by the South Florida Water Management District, the Army Corps of Engineers and local governments. 'There's a system, there's a process in play," Smith said after the meeting. 'Teople may come up with ideas on how to do things differently, but we need to deliver on actual projects already in the works." SILL SUPPORT Commissioners Ed Fielding, Sarah Heard, Ed Ciampi and Harold Jenkins voted in favor. The reservoir is an integral part of curbing the dis- charges, Jenkins said, "so why not support it? You can't get rid of water if you can't flush the toilet." Negron's proposal is before the Florida SenateasSem ate Bill 10 filed by state Sen. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Is- land Republican, and in the state House of Representa- tives as House Bill 761 filed by state Rep. Thad Altman, a Rockledge Republican who formerly represented part of the Treasure Coast in the Senate. The legislative session begins March 7. PROS AND CONS Proponents of the bills, including environmental groups such as Audubon Florida and the Everglades Foundation, say the reservoir would significantly reduce Lake 0 discharges like those in 2016 that caused massive blue -green algae blooms in the St. Lucie River estuary in and around Stuart. Opponents, including sugar growers south of the lake, say the reservoir would have little effect on discharges and cause economic harm by taking fertile farmland out of production. The Senate bill has been approved by that chamber's Environmental Reservation and Conservation Committee, although members said the bill would con- tain provisions for economic aid to affected communities by the time it i considered by the full Senate. The House bill could have a harder time. House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a Land 0' Lakes Republican, has said he's not sure the reservoir would curtail the dis- charges and doesn't want to borrow money by issuing government bonds to pay the state's share. FELONY ARRESTS Mamas csino,Yngs 35,16000 dock of Hammock lent, Sebastian; possesssio,, 004 controlled substance (heroin), possession of a controlled pnelamirrel. substance oWinde Ramirez. 18, 1200 Mork of Sandpiper Lane, Stuart pos- session of a controlled substance (hashish oil). Lane Wredenhert 37,1100 Mock of Southeast letha Cirde, Stuart; warrant for violation of probation, possession of heroin. Welrrtk Fannie 32. Miami Gardens oulaf coonty warrants, Broward County, petty theft, habitual offender, burglary of a structure, grand 0005 ReYnier Bendoyro, 21, Hometead; burglary of an ocupied pied dwelling. Wen nelgado9arallao, 22. Homestead; burglary of an occupied dwelling. Fernando Laguartlia. 24, Homestead; burglary of an occupied dwell- ing. READER SNAPSHOT loan Eubank took this photo of a cardinal enjoying a sunflower see in Tropical Farms in Stuart. Submit your local calendar t or Reader Snapshot at TCPalm.coMsubmh. Reader Snapshots can also be seen at TCPalm.com /submit, 1 Saturday, February 18, 2017 9 am - 3 pan 1 , 'bbie Spo&'lstra, Gucst Spt'ak v Acc., Stuart, EL Corner of lkesrtson Personalized Home Health Care WHY CALL TENDERCARE? - Co/4 M/MpfirC} opslieML - ttoon-r'Q.TP Gtd4G0d/fdt. t' /QiNm Qdd/d!Q/u'P tCi addee - FItoot one 'woo to 14 Iowa 7" Hourly & Uve -In Care C^ Medication Management Nursing /Personal Care C ".�' Light Housework Me4C13rggnnnna7. • Ca>np 0e/me¢ /p • 6asipa /a/int • Abin .d and C,,4aras Nor ROY, ur -r. 130211010 St. Luce, Inchon River & Ckeechol (772) 22113090 or visit us al ',TendereareFLcom LOSE WEIGHT FAST! For a /muted tune only, 30 DAYS FOR $30 * I LOST 51 LBS! Joining QWLC was the best thing I ever did for myself. The program works so quickly and I look 20 years younger!" Karina Banialis S. Florida * OVER 4500 DOCTOR REFERRALS • Private Counseling • No Hunger • No Shots • Eat Real Food • Results Guaranteed in Writing • Programs for Men, Women, and Children BEFORE SIZE 14 l�'5S IN q4,0 ' mim k lest WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM!' AFTER SIZE 2 FREE CONSULTATION! 1-888-334-1070 SERVING YOU IN: PT ST LUCIE • STUART • VERO ONLINE APPOINTMENTS: WWW.QUICKWEIGHTLOBS.NET rnaapaaa.Hmk.,Reae- xrm,.n,..x•. The Stuart News PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK TCPalm.com Thursday, February 16, 2017 Health law in transition New rules should give Congress time to act RICARDO ALONSO- 2ALDIVAR AND TOM MURPHY ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON - The Trump admini- stration took steps Wednesday intended to help calm jittery insurance compa- nies and make tax compliance with for- mer President Barack Obama's health law less burdensome for some people. But the changes could lead to plans with higher annual deductibles, accord- ing to the administration's own propos- al. That seems to undercut President Donald Trump's assurance in a recent Washington Post interview that his plan would mean "lower numbers, much lower deductibles." The moves announced separately by the Health and Human Services De- partment and the IRS don't amount to sweeping changes to the Affordable Care Act. That would fall to Congress, where Republicans are struggling to reach consensus over how to deliver on their promise to repeal and replace the health law. But the administration's actions do See HEALTH, Page 10A HOTOSBV X the COAST NEWSPAPERS C. American Stairs employee Jeff Spencer, of Palm City, wets down lumber and brush lining the business's property Wednesday on Southwest Old Kansas Avenue as a brush fire burns behind him across Florida's Turnpike in Martin County.'I'm protecting my welfare and my kit ty,- Spencer wid, referring to a cat that lives near the business. Multiple fires were aided by windy conditions across Martin and St. Lucie counties. To see more photos, go to TCPalm.com. Brush fires rattle residents Stuart's IRSC campus evacuated NICHOLAS SAMUEL STUART — Martin County Fire Rescue crews will be monitoring a brush fire in Stuart overnight that forced the evacuation of Indian River State College, Fire Rescue offi- cials said. The fire near IRSC, in a residential area off Salerno Road, was one of several brush fires Wednesday across Martin and St. Lucie counties. Fire crews are staying at the scene of the Salnero Road See FIRES, Page 12A A tractor trailer heads north on Rcrlde'sltenplke as a brush Are bums near the southbound lanes south of Kanner Highway on Wednesday in Martin County. Lawmakers tackle water agenda Group seeks way to hasten funding to help tainted ecosystems LEDYARD KING USA TODAY NET W ORK - PLORIDA OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON of the dike at the same time, so we don't think it's feasible to speed it up any fast- er than (that)." WASHINGTON - Fully upgrading But convincing Congress to pony up the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake the $800 million for the dike — not to Okeechobee could be done three years "If we were able to maximize fund- mention funds for dozens of other Ever- ahead of schedule if Congress appropri- ing, we think we could move the timeta- glades related projects — won't be easy aced the full amount this year to com- ble up to2022 (from 2025)," Lt. Col. Jen- considering the limited resources and plete the project, a senior U.S. Army nifer Reynolds, the agency's deputydis- competing interests on Capitol Hill, Corps of Engineers official told a gash- trict commander for South Florida, told said Rep. Debbie Wasserman- Schultz, ering of congressional lawmakers from the group. "There are some constraints Florida Wednesday. with being able to work on components See WATER, Page 10A $1.50 ERIC RE COAST NEWSPAPERS About 7,200 teachers statewide will receive Best & Brightest scholarships worth 56,800 based on SAT /ACT scores and evaluations. About 200 area teachers due bonus for exam scores Best & Brightest honor has its critics ANDREW ATTERBURY ANDREW.ATTERBURTOTCPALKCOM Nearly 200 Treasure Coast teachers will cash in this year on controversial bo- nuses, awarded partly on the scores of college-entrance exams they may have taken decades ago. While some educators are grateful for the perk, many argue awarding teachers for test scores that have little, if any- thing, to do with classroom performance is a misuse of millions of dollars that could he spent elsewhere. "We talk about research and data - based testing in education. None of that connects here," said Vicki Rodriguez, president of the St. Lucie County Class- room Teachers' Association. "Schemes that direct money to only certain individ- uals, based on criteria that is faulty at best, is not the way to spend taxpayer money." About 7,200 teachers statewide will receive Best & Brightest scholarships, each worth approximately $6,800, by April 1, according to the Florida Depart- ment of Education. Locally, 55 teachers in Indian River County, 64 in Martin County and 71 in St. Lucie County made the cut. To get these bonuses, teachers must prove they scored among the top 20 per- cent on their SAT or ACT and earn a "highly effective" evaluation rating, ac- cording to the Department of Education. School districts evaluate teachers annu- ally on a scale ranging from unsatisfac- tory to highly effective, according to the state. New teachers need only the test scores to receive bonuses because they haven't been evaluated, according to state law. Teachers remain eligible ev- ery year they are rated highly effective. Lawmakers in 2015 created the Best & Brightest program to attract and retain teachers by offering financial benefits tied to their own past academic achieve- ments, according to the law. Educators and some lawmakers at the time argued SAT and ACT results had no effect on teacher performance, but the program was eventually approved for one year and $44 million. That year, 5,300 teachers -50 in Indi- an River County, 49 in Martin County and 37 in St. Lucie County —earned bonuses of more than $8,200 each, according to the Department of Education. Despite the scrutiny, Best & Brightest was renewed for the 2016 -17 school year with even more money, $49 million, be- hind it, according to the state. See BONUS, Page 10A $ off any regularly priced pair of t".- SAS shoes TOMORROW & SATURDAY ONLY! View Our New Styles and Colors! i,tJpO's of Additional Pairs of Inventory on Our SAS Truck! VILLAGE 1300Tr. RY YOU'RE INVITED c r T r R to meet our Factory Representatives Friday, February 17th & Saturday, February 18th 10AM - 5PM 2511 S.E.Ocean Blvd., Cedar Pointe Plaza, Mart (772) 283 -3833 wnd. kidar 10450 515.8 5 0-5:1 Oasis Andy 76 °152° Rain: 5% LaTnRT as T vI Jon w Page 8C , 005.01, 110.131 CONNECT WITH US Online: www.tcpalm.com Twitter: OTCPalm Facebook: Facebook.co077CPalm SUBSCRIBE ONLINE TCPalm.roMSUb,cribe SUBSCN0E eVPlIONE 77275697180 Subscribers have full digital access to TCPalm. Activate at TCPOhn,ccnectivate. / (11111 111100,10 7 10A Thursday, February 16, 2011 treasure Coast Newspapers MC FROM PAGE 1A Water Continued from Page IA D- Weston. We should all maintain a con- stant worry that the patience of our colleagues who have very major water projects of their own (around the nation) in the queue and the number of years that this project was expected to take — and is tak- ing — has a tendency to wear thin not only on the staff that makes rec- ommendations on funding these projects but on our colleagues." The bipartisan Florida congres- sional delegation met to discuss the state's significant water woes, which range from last summer's toxic algae blooms along the Atlan- tic coast that were visible from space, nutrient- addled shorelines in Southwest Florida that have wreaked economic devastation, and red tides that led to massive fish kills near Sarasota. Much of Wednesday's meeting focused on speeding up and funding the massive, multibillion- dollar project to rehabilitate the Ever- glades. When finished, the project, which began more than 15 years ago, will divert billions of gallons of excess water from Lake Okeecho- bee south towards Florida Bay and away from the Fast (along the St. Lucie River) and west (along the Caloosahatchee) where the outflow has spawned ecological and health disaster in recent years. Rep. Francis Rooney, R- Naples, urged his colleagues to make en- Bonus FLORIDA Rep Francis Rooney, R- Naples. testifies at a delegation of Florida lawmakers Wednesday about the need to fund Everglades projects. Seated from left are Richard Stumpf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, LC Col. Jennifer Reynolds of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sarasota Mayor Willie Shaw and Sarasota City Engineer Ales Davis Shaw. sure the federal governments meets its obligation of paying for half the cost of the project. Asof De- cember, the state of Florida has spent $2.165 billion on the Compre- hensive Everglades Restoration Plan while Washington has provid- ed only $1.26 billion. "The feds have a lot of catching up to do," he said during Wednes- day's hearing as he shared maps and photos of unfinished projects. After the hearing, Rep. Brian Mast, R -Palm City, sounded frus- trated that progress isn't happening as fast as he and many of his Trea- Continued from Page to Even with that $5 million boost, teachers received smaller cuts this year as more than 1,800 teachers were added to the program. In some cases, experienced teachers repeated their college- entrance exams to claim the bonuses. said Liz Cannon, president of the Indian River County Educa- tion Association. 'That shows just how meaningless Best & Brightest is," Cannon said. Further, Rodriguez said, the program is unfair to older teachers and those who went to community col- lege without taking the SAT or ACT. The Florida Educe- sure Coast constituents would like. "It's been half a year since probe ably the worse algae blooms in the history of Florida and I want to ask these (agencies), if this hits again June 1, what are we doing to help people out? What are doing to help those businesses out. What are we doing to clean this up ?" he said. "It can't be: 'Oh, it's summer and this is happening again. What do we do now ?' That can't be the course of ac- tion." Contact fedyard King at (king @gannett.com; ?Witter: @tedgeking thin Association, the state's largest teachers union, went as fares filing a complaint with the U.S. EqualEm- ployment Opportunity Commission in 2015, claiming the program discriminated against eachers byageand race. Now, after two years, the controversial program may fade away in 2017. The state Board of Education recommended reallocating this year's $49 million, specifically putting $43 million toward teacher recruitment and retention. Still, officials have yet to provide further details on a replacement for Best & Brightest, other than mention- ing the $43 million would "support bonuses fur new teachers who show great potential for and veteran teachers who have demonstrated the highest student academic growth among their peers," according to the Department of Education. Health Continued from Page 1A signal a change in direction. For consumers, the proposed HHS rules mean tighter scrutiny of anyone trying to sign up for cov- erage outside of open enrollment by claming a "spe- cial enrollment period" due to a change in life cir- cumstances such as the birth of a child, a marriage or the loss of job -based insurance. Also, sign -up sea- son will be 45 days, down from three months. For insurers, the curbs on special enrollment pe- riods are a big item. The industry I. claimed that some consumers were abusing special enrollment by signing up when they needed expensive treat- ments, only to drop out later. Insurers would gain more flexibil- ity to design low- premium plans tai - Peke toted to younger people, yet that flex- ibility could lead to higher deduct- ibles, the department says. "The proposed change ... could reduce the value of coverage for consumers," the proposal said. "However, in the longer run, providing (insurers) with additional flexibility could help stabilize premi- ums." Larry Levitt of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation said "this would allow insurers to offer plans with higher deductibles, which seems counter to President 'hump's promise to lower deductibles." A deductible is the annual amount consumers pay for medical care before their insurance kicks in. Separately, the IRS is backing off from a tighter approach to enforcement that was fn the works for this tax -filing season. Under the law, people are required to have health coverage or risk fines from the IRS —a penalty usu- ally deducted from a taxpayer's refund. That under- lying requirement remains on the books, and taxpay- ers are still legally obligated to comply, the IRS said. Administration officials said the HHS rules will help to stabilize the individual health insurance mar- ket for next year. That could buy time for congres- sional deliberations on the health care law. Thump's health secretary, former Rep. Tom Price, R -Ga, was confirmed only Friday. ✓lla epr tot AOfILTY Just Gold Jewelers justgoldjewelers.com Cedar Pointe Plaza • 26915E Ocean Blvd • Stuart • 772.2E34717 PAID ADVEP- ISEMENT New Alternative to Adult Diapers and Catheters Sets Men Free `Super- comfortable,' offers 24 hour leak -free security, available to many at little to no out -of- pocket cost! CHICAGO - 10you're one of the four million American men who secretly wear adult diapers. or use a catheter to deal with your urinary incontinence or weak bladder, here's some life- changing news. 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The single most im- portant project that can be implement- ed to reduce damaging discharges to the estuaries and restore flow to the Everglades and Florida Bay is comple- tion of the Everglades Agricultural Area storage project, an integral com- ponent of the Comprehensive Ever- glades Restoration Plan for more than 17 years. It's time for the Florida Legislature to pass Senate Bill 10, which directs the state to buy land in the EAA and com- plete the water storage project. State funding is available to buy the land and complete the project. Public consensus is clear. In 2014, 75 percent of Florida voters amended the state constitution to provide $15 billion over 20 years for the Land Acquisition 'Oust Fund. This dedicated source of funds was intended to buy land for this pro- ject, but Senate leaders at the time dictated the funds be spent on state operating budgets instead. Senator Joe Negron, together with other state representatives, has initiat- ed a plan in SB 10 to direct the state to specifically proceed with the EAA storage project. The right people are in the right place to move this forward so that the funds originally allocated actu- ally go to this critical project. The project is part of CERP and will re- ceive 50 percent matching federal money. Some say the state already owns land in the EAA, but these lands are being used specifically to clean and treat EAA runoff before it goes to the Everglades. Discussions about septic tanks, water farming and deep injec- tion wells are not part of the Compre- hensive Everglades Restoration Plan and should not get us off track. Additionally, repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike, built to stop flooding around the southern portion of the AN vOSNREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Mark pent', executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society, states his case to U.S. Sen. Gip Nelson (not pictured) last February at Witham Field in Stuart Perry mentioned the 33 protected species that are in danger because of Lake Okeechobee water flowing into the St rude Rivet lake, will not result in an ability to store more water. The repairs are not intended to build water storage capac- ity, but instead to repair weaknesses in the more than 60-year -old structure. The water must go somewhere, as all rivers continue to run to the sea. The plan is to restore the historic River of Grass flows from the Kissimmee River Valley south to Lake Okeecho- bee, then into the Everglades and Flori- da Bay, where it is needed. The EAA storage project proposed in SB 10 will provide an additional out- let of water from the lake to the south and will improve the safety operations of the Herbert Hoover Dike, protecting the Glades communities. It also will restore flow south to the Everglades. We must take steps to complete the EAA storage project, and we have the opportunity to do it now. Now is the time for the Florida Leg- islature to act on the commitment to buy the land so that we can stop the discharges and restore the Flow to the Everglades. Now is the time for your voice to be heard. Let's make sure they hear from all of us! Mark Perry is executive director of Florida Oceanographic Society in Stu- art. Trump's fine-tuned machine' is going haywire, brace for impact WASHINGTON POST EUGENE ROBINSON WASHINGTON - President Trump is nail- ing like a man who fears he's about to go under, and he hasn't even been in office a full month. His instinct is to flee to the warmth and comfort of his political base — but he will learn that while presidents can run, they can't hide. Trump's administration faces two acute, interlocking crises: serious questions about his campaign's con- tacts with official and unofficial repre- sentatives of the Russian government, which U.S. intelligence agencies be- lieve made concerted efforts to help 'hump win the election; and appalling levels of dysfunction in the White House that make self - inflicted wounds the rule rather than the exception. The president's response has been to rant on Twitter and schedule a cam- paign -style rally Saturday in Florida It is unclear whether 'frump is try- ing to fool the nation or fool himself. Witness one of the angry tweets he sent out Thursday morning: "The Democrats had to come up with a story as to why they lost the election, and so badly (3061, so they made up a story — RUSSIA. Fake news!" Let me take a moment to unpack the misinterpretations, distortions and contradictions of those two sentences. "The Democrats had to come up with a story" refers to Trump's claim that the Russia allegations are nothing more than a tantrum by Democrats. That is ridiculous. Democrats are fo- cused on rebuilding at the grass -roots level and finding new leadership. Thump's phrase "they lost the elec- tion, and so badly" ignores the facts. Hilary Clinton did win the popular vote, after all. And Trump's electoral margin was historically quite modest. The part about how Democrats "made up a story — RUSSIA" is ab- surd. It was U.S. intelligence agencies, not the Democratic Party or the Clin- ton campaign, that made the finding that Russia meddled in our election. And the tweet ends with what has become Trump's favorite way to dis- miss anything he'd rather not hear: "Fake news!" But why would he fire his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, over inauthentic news reports? In other Thursday morning tweets, Trump attacked "low -life leakers" in the intelligence community —thus essentially confirming that leaked information about the Russia connec- tion is genuine, not "fake." Not even a president can have it both ways. The FBI is already probing reported contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian intelligence officials. We must, and I believe will, learn the truth. This sort of crisis would test any White House. Based on performance so far, it may drown Trump's. Who's N charge? Chief of Staff Reince Priebus is yet to establish any reasonable sense of order or any effec- tive process for making decisions. Chief strategist Stephen Bannon and senior adviser Stephen Miller constitu- te a competing power center, and were responsible for the shoddily drafted travel and refugee ban that was blocked by the courts. Counselor Kellyanne Conway goes on TV and speaks confidently for the administra- tion, but increasingly is out of the loop. No communications director has been hired. Who would take the job? Among Trump's inner circle, only senior adviser Jared Kushner, Trump's son -in -law, seems to be having a rela- tively positive impact. Yes, this ad- ministration has reduced me to ap- plauding nepotism. Trump claimed Thursday that his administration is running like "a fine - tuned machine." A test -crash sim- ulator, perhaps? I guess things could be worse. Don't ask we how. Eugene Robinson's email address is eugenerobinson @washpost.com. He writes for the Washington Post Writers Group. DOONESBURY GARRY TRUDEAU Dems' insistence on status quo stymies excellence in education CREATORS SYNDICATE STAR PARKER What y it about new Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos that so bothers Democrats that not a single senator voted to confirm her, requiring Vice President Mike Pence to cast the de- ciding vote? You would think after years of Washington pumping billions of dollars into public education with virtually no improvement in test scores, a new education secretary who genuinely wants change would be celebrated. Program for International Student Assessment tests administered by the Organisation for Economic Coopera- tion and Development, an organization of 34 of the largest industrialized na- tions in the world, showed that Amer- ican 15-year-olds finish only slightly above average in science, and they perform below average in reading and math. This is despite the U.S. spending 31 percent more per student for ele- mentary and secondary education than the average of these 34 nations. DeVos is an advocate of opening the public school system to competition and new ideas. Commitment to these principles of freedom and competition touch the essence of American excep- ttonalism. Anyone who claims to care about excellence yet supports government monopoly and opposes competition is not being honest with themselves. And this, sadly, summarizes what is going on with Democrats and educa- tion. It's about politics, power and in- terests — not about excellence. According to the Center for Respon- sive Politics, the teachers unions are among the largest political spenders in the nation. Of 20,000 organizations surveyed, the National Education Association and the American Feder- ation of Teachers combined were sec- ond in the nation in total political con- tributions since 1989 —$212 million. And overwhelmingly these contri- butions are to Democrats. In 2016, 92 percent of the contributions of the two unions went to Democrats. Two prominent Democrat Senators, Cory Booker from New Jersey and Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts, both are on record in previous years, before being elected to the Senate, supporting parental choice in educa- tion. Yet both, after getting elected to the Senate, have changed their minds on this critical issue and both voted against DeVos' confirmation. Booker, while mayor of Newark, New Jersey, in 2012, gave the keynote address for DeVos' organization Amer- ican Federation for Children, and spoke passionately for parental choice. A few days after being confirmed, DeVos attended an event at Jefferson Middle School Academy in Washing- ton, D.C. Protesters greeted her and blocked her entrance to the school. The protest was encouraged on Twitter by president of the Washington Teachers' Union Elizabeth Davis, who said, "We want to share the message that we love our public school system." Teachers might love their public school system, but good luck to the children in need of education. According to a 2016 study by Wal- letHub, the D.C. public school system, despite ranking 13th in the nation in spending, ranks 47 out of 51 m performance. It ranks worst in the nation in dropout rates, math scores, reading scores and SAT scores. There is a reason why more than a million children are on waiting lists to enter charter schools nationwide and why studies show that parental choice produces positive results. Yet teachers unions and many with allegiances to the Democratic Party fight to keep the government monopo- ly of public schools. Fighting for their own selfish interests, they hurt Amer- ica's children and our nation's future. Star Parker is a columnist with Creators Syndicate and president of CURE, the Center for Urban Renewal and Education. MALLARD FILLMORE BRUCE TINSLEY The Stuart News TREAT PART OF THE USA 70557 NETWORK TCPalrn.com Friday, February 17, 2017 LEAH VOSSRREASP COAST NEWSPAPERS Martin County Fire Rescue and Flonda Forest Service worked Thursday to completely contain a 75-aue brush fire near Pratt a Whitney Road and Kanner Highway in Martin County. Several fires broke out Wednesday in Martin and St. Lucie counties, leading to the evacuation of homes and schools. To see more photos, go to TCPalm.com. Rash of brush fires quenched; largest threat is under control Blazes burn 135 acres in county NICHOLAS SAMUEL NICaOIAS.SAMUELOTCPALM.COM MARTIN COUNTY — A brush fire at Pratt Whitney Road and Kanner Highway was fully contained Thursday and would be monitored overnight if necessary, Martin County Fire Rescue officials said. The 75 -acre fire was among several brush fires that broke out in Martin and St. Lucie counties on Wednesday. The Pratt Whitney Road fire was fully contained about 6 p.m. Thursday, and all other brush fires were extinguished by 8 p.m., Fire Rescue spokesman Doug Killane said. At 8 p.m. Thursday, Fire Rescue crews were still on the scene of the Pratt Whitney fire, but conditions would deter- mine whether they stay overnight, he said. Winds are expected to be calm overnight and light Friday morning before increasing to 5 to 10 mph, according to the National Weather Service, Melbourne. A total of 135 acres were burned by five fires that began Wednesday in Martin County. In addition to the Pratt Whitney fire, larger fires were reported at Avalon Drive and Salerno Road near Indian THE FIRES 75 acres: Martin County, Kanner Highway and Pratt Whitney Road. Cause: under investigation 30 acres: Martin County, south of Southeast Cove Road behind Champions Club at Summerfield. Cause: recreational equipment 23 acres: Martin County, Southeast Avalon Drive and Southeast Salerno Road. Cause: recreational equipment 8 acres: St. Lucie County, north of Orange Avenue and south of the Florida's Turnpike. Cause: unauthorized burn 7 acres: St. Lucie County, 2700 block of South Header Canal Road. Cause: rekindling of a prior fire 5 acres: Martin County, north of State Road 710 and south of County Road 714. Cause: under investigation 2 acres: Martin County, Southeast Field Street and Southeast Front Avenue. Cause: campfire SOURCE; Florida Forest Service Rive State College, and at Southeast Cove Road behind the Champions Club at Summerfield. See FIRES, Page 9A $1.50 Revised travel ban is in works New executive order may be out next week SUDHIN THANAWALA ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN FRANCISCO - President Donald Thump's administration said in court documents Thursday that it wants an end to the legal fight over its ban on trav- elers from seven predominantly Muslim nations and will issue a replacement ban as it strives to protect the nation. Details of the new proposal were not provid- ed in the filing or at a wide - ranging news conference by 'Dump. But lawyers for the administration said as the filing that a ban that fo- cuses solely on foreigners who have never en- tered the U.S. — instead of green card holders already in the U.S. or who have traveled abroadand want to return —would pose no legaldif- ficulties. "In so doing, the president will clear the way for immediately protecting the country rather than pursuing further, potentially time - consuming litigation," the filing said. Trump said at the news conference that a new order would come next week. "I will not back down from defending our country. 1 got elected on defense of our country," he said. The administration asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to hold off on making any more decisions related to "I will not back down from defending our country." PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP See BAN, Page 9A Consensus sought on health law ALAN FRAM ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON - House Republican leaders sketched broad outlines of a re- placement for President Barack Oba- ma's health care law that lett rank-and- file GOP members at odds and question- ing details and timing of how the GOP in- tends to deliver on its long - promised al- ternative. "'Unrealistic' may be a strong word, but it is a super -large task," Rep. Mark Walker, R.N.C., said when asked about past GOP promises to quickly deliver legislation repealing the Affordable SCOTT AP E /AP House Speaker Paul Ryan tokl journalists on Thursday that atter Congress' upcoming weeklong recess..we intend to introduce legislation to repeal and replace 'Obamacare.' He provided no details. Care Act. "We're getting there; we're getting closer." House Speaker Paul Ryan, R -Wis., told joumalists after the closed -door meeting that after Congress' upcoming See HEALTH, Page 9A Bill calls for holding more water in Lake Okeechobee TYLER' TREAAOOWWCVAALM.COM A new bill before the Florida Legis- lature calls for holding more water in Lake Okeechobee to curtail discharges to the St. Lucie River. State Sen. David Simmons proposes speeding up repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake 0 so it can hold up 2 feet more of water, reducing the need for discharges. "If you fix the dike, you fix the prob- lem," said Simmons, a Republican from Longwood in Seminole County, north of Orlando. "The solution is right there in front of us." The bill is a `modification" of the proposal by Senate President Joe •OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Negron, a Stuart Republican, to buy land and build a reservoir south of lake 0 to reduce discharges, Simmons said Thursday. Negron's plan is backed by several Treasure Coast and statewide environ- mental groups as the best way to seri- ously cut back on discharges. It's been disparaged by residents and farmers south of the lake, who say it will take too much land out of production. Storing more water in the lake will See WATER. Page 9A tqThe READY. SET. DRIVE. Honda FEBRUARY 20 -26 GANI T1L a� r arr„erv_ Classic_ TickePts available 2 a r es C 'al HONDA 760/53° Min: 0% Page 8C , ADVICE MOVIES OS CALENDAR IBA ores , CLASSIEIED 1E OPINION 6A COMICS 6B Pu.ZEtES 6a LOT ER,' ,. NTE 312 ION Rs VOL. CONNECT WITH US SUBSUME OMRCE I Subscribers have full Online:www.tcpalm.com TCPalm.c.edsbscribe ; digital access to TCPalm. Activate at Twitter: OTCPaIm 5UeS011M Br MOM i TO'a►n.coMactivate. Facebook: Facebook.coMTCPalm 772 -569-710 q MC Treasure Coast Newspapers Friday, February 17, 2017 9A MARTIN COUNTY Do not pass Go: Thimble voted out of Monopoly ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - You can still pass Go and collect $200 on the Monopoly board, but you soon won't be able to do it with the thimble game piece. Voters have rejected the thimble, an integral part of the game since being added to Monopoly in 1935. The move is part of a campaign to select the next generation of game pieces. STFVEN ENNE/AP Hashtags, emojis and The thimble, at left, even a rubber duck may re- 585 among nther place dogs, cats and hats inan Monopoly game upcoming version. pieces. Hasbro Inc. is holding a worldwide contest to let peo- ple choose the eight tokens to be included in the next generation of the property acquisition game, based on the real streets of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Winners will he announced March 19, and will be included in games hitting shelves this August. LEAH A dry winter season means there have been no Lake Okeechobee water discharges through the St Lucs a Locke Ls and Dam in 2017, pictured Thursday in Martin County. Florida Senate President Joe Negron has proposed a plan to buy land south of the lake for water storage and state Sen. David Simmons introduced a bill to repair the Herbert Hoover Dike so the lake can hold more water. Both plans are an effort to reduce the amount of fresh lake water being sent into the salt-dependent St. Lucie River. Water Continued from Page 1A "offset the need for buying as much land to the south," Simmons said. "There would be no displacing people, no conflict with people south of the lake whose lives de- pend on agriculture." EXPEDITING PROJECTS The Army Corps of Engineers plans to finish a $1.7 billion project to strengthen the dike by 2025. With about $800 million in hand, the dike repairs could be done by 2022, Lt. Col. Jennifer Reynolds, the Corps' deputy commander for Florida, told members of Flori- da's congressional delegation Wednesday. The bill Simmons filed Feb. 8 calls for the work to be done by July 1, 2020, or 2021 at the latest. Given Rey- nolds' statement, Simmons said he'd be willing to give the Corps "maybe two years' flexibility." To hasten the project, Simmons suggests the state match the $80 million in federal funds the Corps plans to spend each year over the next four years — with the agreement that the feds will repay the state. "We need to repair the dike anyway," Simmons said. "If we don't, we put the people who live around the lake at great risk. We also have the opportunity to gain very prompt additional storage that will save the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers from excessive dis- charges." To balance the need for water supply and the riskofa dike breach, the corps currently tries to keep the lake between 12 feet 6 inches and 15 feet 6 inches —and nev- er more than 17 feet 3 inches. Simmons' bill calls for "a goal of adding up to an additional feet of water storage capacity" in the lake so that "maximum discharges are not required" until the lake reaches 19 feet. NEGRON'S PLAN Negron's proposal, which is before the state Legisla- ture as Senate Bill 10 and House Rill 761, calls for the state and federal government to spend about $2.4 bil- lion to buy up to 60,000 acres south of Lake O and build a 120 billion - gallon reservoir to store and send excess lake water south to Everglades National Park. Asked about Simmons' bill, Negron said Thursday via email he was "completely focused on securing addi- tional water storage south of Lake Okeechobee to re- duce and ultimately eliminate the catastrophic dis- charges." The federal government, Negron added. has "exclu- sive responsibility to repair the Herbert Hoover Dike. ... They built it. They own it And they control it I want state funds to be spent on reservoir construction." Rather than an alternative, Simmons said his plan is a "modification of the excellent idea President Negron has put forward." Health Continued from Page 1A weeklong recess, "we intend to in- troduce legislation to repeal and re- place 'Obamacare.' " He provided no details. Among the options discussed at a closed -door meeting of Republicans was repealing some or all of the $1.1 trillion in taxes over 10 years that Obama's overhaul imposed to help fi- nance its expansion of health cover- age. In its place, Ryan is proposing taxing the value of high -cost health insurance provided by employers — an idea that is certain to draw opposi- tion from some Republicans who have long refused to vote for tax in- creases. According to a document distrib- uted to lawmakers and obtained by the Associated Press, Republicans would phase out the expansion of Me- dicaid to additional poor people that Ohama's law enacted. Thirty -one states received extra federal money for doing that. During the phaseout period, the other 19 states would also receive additional money. Eventually, states would be giv- en a choice of receiving either a Ban Continued from Page 1A the lawsuit filed by the states of Washington and Minnesota until the new order is issued and then toss out the decision keeping the ban on hold. Washington state Attorney Gen- eral Bob Ferguson said the federal government was "conceding de- feat' by saying it does not want a larger appellate panel to review the decision made last week by a three - judge panel of the 9th Circuit. The judges rejected the Tromp admini- stration's claim of presidential au- thority and questioned its motives in ordering the ban. The administration attacked the decision in Thursday's court filing, saying the panel wrongly suggested that some foreigners were entitled to constitutional protections and that courts could consider T imp's campaign statements about a ban. The lawsuit says the ban uncon- stitutionally blocked entry to the "Instead of expanding a broken program. Republicans instead want to put states in charge of their Medicaid programs." DOCUMENT DISTRIBUTED TO LAWMAKERS lump sum payment of federal funds or an amount that varies based on the number of Medicaid beneficia- ries they have. "Instead of expanding a broken program, Republicans instead want to put states in charge of their Medi- caid programs," the document says. Medicaid remains among the most contentious parts of the GOP plan, with battles pitting states against each other sure to come as details of the plan are decided. Republicans would eliminate the tax penalties that Obama's law im- poses on people who don't buy insur- ance and the subsidies the govern- ment provides to most people buy- ing policies on the online market- places the statute established. In their place, there would be refund- able tax credits and health savings accounts people could use to help afford coverage — proposals Dem- ocrats have mocked as inadequate. Refundable credits mean that even people with low or no income would receive checks from the IRS. That has drawn opposition from conservative Republicans who say that system invites fraud. Health Secretary Tom Price, un- til last week himself a member of the House, addressed the lawmak- ers and told them President Donald Trump would give them strong backing during the effort. According to Rep. Bill Flores, R- Texas, he also told them that the ad- ministration wants the House to in- troduce legislation before Trump produces his own package. Some Republicans have been eager for the White House to advance a pro- posal first because they are leery of supporting something that ends up not getting Trump's backing. Thursday's closed -door meeting came with Congress about to start a weeklong recess. That will send lawmakers home to energised vot- ers, mostly Democrats, who have crammed town hall meetings to complain about GOP efforts to re- peal the Affordable Care Act. One week into office, Donald Trump issued the order that "radically changed immigration policy" and "unleashed chaos around the world." NOAH PURCELL WASHINGTON STATE SOLIOTOR GENERAL U.S. on the basis of religion and harmed residents, universities and sales tax revenue in the two states. The appeals court had asked the Trump administration and Wash- ington and Minnesota to file argu- ments by Thursday on whether a larger panel of 9th Circuit judges should rehear the case. In his filing with the 9th Circuit, Washington state Solicitor General Noah Purcell said the ruling by the three -judge panel was consistent with previous U.S. Supreme Court decisions, so there was no basis for a review. Purcell said Trump had cam- paigned on the promise to ban Mus- lims from entering the U.S. and one week into office issued the order that "radically changed immigra- tion policy" and "unleashed chaos around the world." The three -judge panel said the states had raised "serious" allega- tions that the ban targets Muslims, and the courts could consider state- ments Trump had made about shut- ting down Muslim immigration. The judges also rejected the fed- eral government's argument that courts do not have the authority to review the president's immigration and national security decisions. They said the Trump administra- tion presented no evidence that any foreigner from the seven countries — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen— was responsible for a terrorist attack in the U.S. LEAHEASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS A 70-acre brush fire burned dose ose Is to a housing development on Thursday near Pratt Whitney Road and Kanner Highway In Martin County. The fire was 90 percent contained as of Thursday afternoon and the cause of the fire is under investigation, though windy conditions contributed to the spreading of the fires. Fires Continued from Page 1A Two smaller fires also were reported: a 2-acre blazz at Field Street and Front Avenue, and a 5 -acre fire north of State Road 710 and south of County Road 714, said Florida Forest Service spokeswoman Melissa Yunas. The fire off Salerno Road forced the evacuation of IRSC and some nearby homes Wednesday. The campus reopened Thursday, but classes were canceled at the Clark Advanced Learning Center be- cause of smoke, said Michelle Abaldo, the college's director of institutional advancement Clark classes will resume Friday in buildings A and C at the Chas- tain campus. The 23-acre fire also threatened 20 homes Wednesday, forcing residents to evacuate. They were allowed to return to their homes on Avalon Drive later that night. Only a ditch separates a row of houses on Avalon Drive from the fire that left behind burned trees, grass and shrubs behind the Clark Center. Several smoldering spots could be seen Thursday afternoon in a wooded area just a few feet from the Clark build - ing. A hot spot behind resident Scott Eves' home re- kindled about 2 p.m., sending light smoke into the area. Eves used a water hose to keep the flames at hay until Fire Rescue crews arrived shortly after and drenched the spot. "I saw how quickly it was spreading through the dry brush, grabbed a hose and watered the area so the fire didn't reach any houses," said Eves, 56, who has lived on Avalon Drive for 25 years. "We were sur- prised how quickly the fire developed despite the amount of water that fire crews applied to the entire ST. LICE COUNTY Two brush fires in St. Lucie County remain fully contained Thursday, Yunas said. Both were reported Wednesday afternoon and contained by Forest Service and St. Lucie County Fire District crews. SAFESPACE THRIFT SHOPPE All Accessories 40% OFF! Includes: Purses, Shoes, Jewelry & Belts fr Toaav omy Fd vn seep to aN1- s PM SafeSpace ALL Yellow Tag & Yellow Dots 70a/ OH! Port St. Lucie 10011 S. US Hwyt South side of Grace Church Bldg. 772 -287 -7505 The Stuart News R E CO., :: PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK TCPalm.com Friday, February 24, 2017 Careful of them tenors — they'll sing ya The 3 Redneck Tenors creator /member Matthew Lord works with Martin County High School freshman Zoe Beaton on Thursday during a vocal master class for local high school choral students at Martin County High School in Stuart. The 3 Redneck Tenors will perform at The Lyric Theatre at 7 p.m. Friday and 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday. To see more photos, go to TCPalm.com. Negron's water plan may fizzle House isn't expected to allot $2.4 billion for ailing estuaries JIM TURNER THE NM SERVICE OF LORIDA TALLAHASSEE — It appears doubt- ful the House will take up, as written, a $2.4 billion proposal by Senate President Joe Negron to buy land south of Lake Okeechobee to ease the effects of pollut- ed water releases into estuaries on the east and west coasts. House Government Accountability Chairman Matt Caldwell, R -North Fort Myers, said advancing Negron's proposed 60,000 -acre reservoir in the 1E1 Everglades Agricultur- al Area — atop top what is now farmland — would be a "non- starter" if it displaces other pro- jects, such as the Negron $600 million C -43 reser- voir along the Caloosa- hatchee River west of the lake. Also, the House has little appetite to borrow money through bonding the state's portion of the costs — the federal government would be asked to cover half — for Negron's proposed land acquisition and reservoir construction. "I'm dubious that the bill, as it's cur- rently structured, could actually be ac- complished the way it's envisioned," said Caldwell, who brought U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney, R -Fla, to a meeting Wednesday of the state House Natural Resources & Public Lands Subcommittee. Rooney, a Naples res ident, advised the panel that his focus is getting federal law- makers to commit money for what is known as the Comprehensive Ever- glades Restoration Plan. That plan, he said, doesn't have Negron's southern reservoir high on the priority list. Negron has made the reservoir plan a priority because polluted water has re- peatedly been discharged from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie and Catoo- sahatchee estuaries. Moving lake water into the reservoir would help protect the estuaries. Caldwell said the state House still is evaluating the southern reservoir pro- posal. Caldwell has directed the state See NEGRON, Page 9A 11.50 Mast set to get an earful Concerns over Trump top list ISADORA RANGEL ISADORA.M..7[PALM.COM U.S. Rep. Brian Mast will have his first in- person town hall meeting Friday just as his fellow Republican lawmakers face angry crowds in similar events na- tionwide demanding they stand up to President Donald Trump. Mast, of Palm City, and fellow Trea- sure Coast GOP U.S. Rep. NIBill Posey, of Rockledge, have received pressure from local activists and constituents looking to meet with them to express their concerns about the Mast Affordable Care Act re- peal, Trump's immigra- tion orders, the environment and other issues. Protesters rallied outside Mast's Port St. Lucie City Hall office Tuesday and a group organized by the progressive or- ganization For Florida's Future deliv- ered a letter to the office Thursday. On both occasions, organizers asked him to stand up for health care, Social Security, education and other issues. Mast's office said he started planning the town hall to discuss veterans issues soon after taking office Jan. 3 — not in response to protesters. The town hall will be from 1 to 2.30 p.m. at the Haven L Fenn Center in Fort Pierce. Mast also had a telephone town hall last week. Small grassroots groups have been popping up across the U.S., many of whom are affiliated with Indivisible, a progressive organization created to oppose Trump's agenda and whose See TOWN HALL, Page 9A If you go What. U.S. Rep. Scan Mast's town hall meeting to discuss veterans issues When:1 to 2:30 p.m. today Where: Havert L Fenn Center, 2000 Virginia Ave., Fort Pierce RSVP: www.mast.house. govhownhall Report: Clarke has history of troubling remarks Comments didn't violate harassment policy a SHAPING OUR FUTURE LIDAA DINKOVA cause Stuart city commissioners are ex- IOIAdNx°VAeTCPMM.cOM plicitly exempt from policies that govern a private - practice attorney in Coral Ga- city staff, even though commissioners are bles, to investigate Clarke's "pig" remark STUART — City Commissioner Hula paid an annual salary by the city. and whether she has made offensive com- Clarke not only uttered the word "pig" in Had Clarke been a city staff member ments to city staff members in the past. front of a city police officer but has made and not a commissioner, however, she According to Norton's report, which is other comments to city staff members, ac- would have broken city harassment poti- based on interviews with city staff mem- cording to an investigation report re- ties, Norton wrote in the report. bets, Clarke has a history of making state - leased Thursday. And Clarke's attorney said Thursday ments to Stuart staf f. Clarke, however, broke no city harass- she never intended to harass anyone. In one instance, Clarke approached ment policies with her remarks,investiga- The City Commission on Feb. l voted city police Chief David Dyess after a City tar Robert Norton concluded. That's be- 4 -1, with Clarke dissenting, to hire Norton, Commission meeting and "made a state- See CLARKE, Page 18A ment to the effect 'How 5 many black men have your officers shot today ?' " ac- cording to the investigation report. On several other wee - Clarke sions, Clarke made com- ments about Dyess and his wife, who are white, raising a black child and called it a "social experi- ment" and suggested the couple should find a black woman to serve as a "grand- mother role model" to the child, according to the investigation report. 27TH ANNUAL Downtown, Stuart Art feStiud, Osceola St. in Historic Downtown Stuart, FL February 25th - 26th Sat. /Sun. 10am - 5pm free P}drlvtiSSion ADVICE SR ga 81 °156° comics se PUZZLES as : Rain: O% 1 onFRV n Teu x 5a Page 8C va. n, NO. 219 A Howard Alan Event Information: (561) 746 -6615 SOUTH FLORIDA CHEVY DEALERS CONNECT WITH US Online: www.tcpalm.com Twitter: OTCPaIns Facebook: Facebook.COMTCPaIm TIBSWnAekanib gublmbento TcPall 'lll TCPalmstIIRO svibe dgiW access hsoe fall ''AOpll'I1II'll Attivate at 911e9QItE P1'NK1NE TRakn.caN9Mivste. n2. 569-7100 2 493 7 MC Treasure Coast Newspapers Friday, February 24, 2017 9A MARTIN COUNTY Town Hall Continued from Page to members have spoken up at town halls across the nation. Members of its Martin County affiliate, Indivisible Martin, said they have been trying for weeks to schedule a meeting with Mast. Indi- visible Indian River founder Kelly Bess said Posey's office hasn't re- sponded to her requests for a one- on-one. The offices of both con- gressmen said they have a lot of such requests, it takes time to get to all of them and they aren't ignoring these groups. About 100 people demonstrated outside Posey's Indian River Coun- ty office Tbesdag according to Bess, a Sebastian Democrat. She said there are about 15 similar groups in Posey's district, which covers Brevard and Indian River counties. PURING ON THE PRESSURE Indivisible Martin members will attend Mast's Friday town hall to ask him to pressure Congress to, among other things, establish a commission to Investigate Russia's interference in the presidential election, said member Lani Havens of Jensen Beach. Indivisible Mar- tin's Facehook group has more than 400 members who are Democrats, Republicans and independents, said Havens, a Democrat. The group is one of eight Indivisible affiliates on the Treasure Coast, according to Indivisible's website. "We are trying to reach out to mi- nority groups and other people who don't usually vote," Havens said. "We are laser - focused on legislation coming out of trump's agenda and action coming out of the administra- tion." Trump has said such protesters CONTRIBUTED PHOTO FROM KELLY BES Protesters rally outside U.S. Rep. Bill Poseys office in Indian River County on Tuesday to push him to stand up against President Donald hump's agenda. are liberal activists and some Re- publicans accused them of getting paid. Bess, a property manager, dis- missed that idea. Although she worked for a Democratic group dedicate to re- electing former President Barack Obama in 2012, most people are newcomers to polit- ical action, she said. "There's no way these little old ladies and people holding these signs are all paid by the Democratic Party," she said. "It is just people who are against (Trump's) agenda." CONGRESSMEN RESPOND Both Mast and Posey said they respect their constituents' right to express their discontent with Trump, who won both congress- men's districts. Mast isn't concerned about fac- ing angry constituents at his Friday event, spokesman Brad Stewart said. Mast often interacts with con- stituents and answers to criticism on his Facebook page. He used Skype 'Illesday to talk to protesters in Port St. Lucie from Palm Beach County, Stewart said. "He's prepared to hear the emo- tions on all sides of the issue," Stew- art said. "He's looking forward to hearing from people." Posey had his last town hall in 2009, when 2,500 people attended and hundreds were turned away be- cause they couldn't fit inside Mel- bourne's Maxwell Ring Center, he said via email. Since then,Posey has chosen to have such meetings monthly over the phone so more people can attend. Each meeting at- tracts about 12,000 constituents and he can field about 40 questions at a time, spokesman George Cecala said. Posey doesn't have any in-per- son town halls scheduled, Cecala said. "Our office has been very re- sponsive to constituents," Posey said. 'Some may not agree with the answer they receive. I'm not taking the far -left position to Washington." Negron Continued from Page 1A House's approach to the 2014 voter - approved constitutional amend- ment that requires the state to spend money on land and water preservation and maintenance. "The House and Senate are going to see an EAA (Everglades Agricul- tural Area) storage feature built," Caldwell said "What that size is, what land that's un, whether or not we need to buy more land, those are deci- sion that need to take place, in my opinion, during a planning process, and currently that is scheduled to start in 2021." The Senate Environmental Pres- ervation and Conservation Commit- tee gave unanimous support this month to the Negron- backed mea- sure (SB 10), which is opposed by farmers in the Everglades Agricul- tural Area, along with many resi- dents and politicians south of the lake. The bill proposes the state bond $100 million a year through money voters approved in the 2014 constitu- tional amendment. The Senate bill also would direct Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet to ex- ercise an option from a 2010 agree- ment signed by former Gov. Charlie Clistand U.S. Sugar that requires the "... 1 think, in the end, that we'll get it accomplished." JOE NEGRON SENATE PRESIDENT state to purchase 153,209 acres if 'willing sellers "are not found for the land Negroes is seeking. Negron told The News Service of Florida last week that while there are "pockets of resistance," the "idea en- joys widespread, scientific support." He expects the debate will con- tinue to focus on where the reservoir should be located south of the lake and when it should be built. "It's something we've been talking about for 20 years," Negron said. "And I think in the end, that we'll get it accomplished." The proposal still has to get through two more committees be- fore it could go to the full Senate dur- ing the legislative session that starts March 7. The House version (HB 761) by Rep. Thad Altman, R- Rockledge, has yet to be scheduled fora commit- tee hearing. Meanwhile, Sen. David Simmons, R- Altamonte Springs, has filed a pro- posal (SB 816) that would lead to the state offering a $1 billion interest - free loan to the federal government to speed up repair work on the Her- bert Hoover Dike around Lake Okee- FELONY ARRESTS Ronald Root, 55, 8000 block of Southeast Swan Avenue, Hobe Sound; grand theft Robert Dupree, 56, 1000 block of Northeast Rio Avenue, Jensen Bead,; fleeing and attempting to elude. chobee. Simmons believes if the federal government accepted the loan, the dike repairs could be completed in two to three years, rather than the near decade currently projected if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were to secure the 8200 million esti- mated to finish the work. Simmons has said allowing the lake to hold more water would re- duce releases that have been blamed for the polluted water conditions in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee es- tuaries. Caldwell said there is no plan to turn the lake "into a deep water reser- voir" But getting the water level up to previous levels — not as high as Simmons is proposing — could re- duce the freshwater releases, Cald- well said. Rooney said he's narrowly fo- cused on the federal participation needed to finish the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan pro- jects and hasn't fully looked into the measure by Simmons. "The complexity of the (entire Ev- erglades) situation makes it all the more difficult to keep a united mes- sage that can be understood by ap- propriators in Congress," Rooney said. "It competes with the other states that are vying for infrastruc- ture money. We're trying to talk about 68 projects, all parts of the Rodeddr Gibson, 42,1400 block of Southeast Bekhrest Street, Port St Lucie; out-of-county warrant 5t. Lucie County, robbery by sud- den snatching, tampering with a witness, victim or informant. COMMUNITY CALENDAR To submit your events. go to the TCPalm.mm home page blue baron the upper left-hard side and click 'Submit Your Stull' link. FRIDAY'S SPECIAL EVENTS Merril Gras Ball: Dance social with smooth, Latin, swing and country music 7 -10 p.m. Feb. 24. Jensen Bead, Ballroom, 881 N.E. Jensen Beach Blvd, Jensen Beach.112 per person. 609- 356 -2973: jemenbeachballroom.com. Paul Rebmann Photography Exhibition: 6-8 p.m. Feb. 24. Jonathan Dickinson State Park, 16450 U.S. 1, Hobe Sound. 05. RSVP: 756- 545.5151; friendsjdspegmail.com FRIDAY'S RECURRING EVENTS OIILDRENITEENS Helping People Succeed Music & Movement Structured parent-child dasses learning developmental age-appropriate activities through music. 0 -10 am. Ages: 27-60 months. Florida Arts & Dance Studio, 938 S.E. Central Parkway, Stuart. Ages :12 -26 months. 538 a month/S12 per class. Reservation: 772. 529 -5075; Pbarnes8hpsfl.org. Helping People Succeed Music & Movement: Structured parent -child classes teaming developmental age-appropriate activities through musk. 10:15-11:1S am. Florida Arts & Dance Studio, 938 S.E. Central Parkway, Stuart Ages: 12 -26 months. 838 month/512 per class. Reservation: 772. 529.5075; Pbarnes@hpslborg. Helping People Succeed Musk & Movement. Structured parent -child classes learning developmental age - appropriate activities through music. 11:30-17:30 pm. Florida Arts & Dance Studio, 938 S.E. Central Parkway, Stuart Ages: 3-11 months. 138 a month/512 per class. Reservation: 772- 529 -5075; Pbarnes @hpsfl.org. DANCE Adult Summer Dante Camp: Classes and social parties for ballroom, Latin, swing, country dance. 4-10 p.m. Jensen Bead, Ballroom, 881 Jensen Beach Blvd., Jensen Beach. Ages: 18+. 0100 to 1300 per month per person. Register: 609-3567973; gloriana egensenbeachballroom.com. Dense Classes: Ballroom, Latin, swing country and club group and private dosses. t.9 p.m. Jensen Bead, Ballroom, 881 N.E. Jensen Beach Blvd, Jensen Beach. Discounts available. Register: 609- 356-2973; wwwJensenBeachBallmom.com. Corrrmadues Dance Club: 7 -I0 p.m. American Legion Hall, 3195 N.E. Savannah Road, J5n5en Beach. Ages: 450.08. 772436 9449. Dance N Out Contra Dance, an American style of folk dancing with live music. Ground Floor Farm, 1005.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd- Stuart 55. 772.600-4230 www.groundiloorfarm.com. Friday Dance Party: Musk mix is Smooth, Latin. swing and country. 7 -10 p.m. Jensen Bead, Ballroom, 885 N.E. Jensen Beach Blvd, Jensen Beach. 512 per person. Reservation: 6043562973; wwwJenseneeacheallroom.com. MA Dunce: Improve your physical and emotional wellbeing. flexibility, coordination, breathing circulation. 10.11 a.m. Unity of Stuart 2115.8. Central Parkway, Stuart All ages. Suggested: 010. Register 772 - 214-0892; www.unityofitua2org. EXEROSEMEALTH Aerobic Sitting Exercises: 9-10 a.m. MCP &R Log Cabin Senior Center, Langford Park. 2369 N.E. Dixie Highway, Jensen Beach. Ages: 50+. 52. 772. 3342926; tcarter@martin.fl.us. Carloboxing and Kickboxing: All skill levels. 67 a.m.; 8:30-9:30 a.m.; 5:30 -6,30 p.m.; 7-8 p.m. Twelve Rounds Boxing Club, Bruner Plaza. 688 S.E. Monterey, Stuart. Ages: 100.772- 919 -241; www.facebook.comt welveroundsboxing. Strength Building and Balance: Exercises and routines to keep you balanced and increase strength. 4 30 p.m. 55. Luke's Episcopal Church, Cove Road at Ala Port Salerno. 510415. Register: 772. 2865455; www.stlukesfl.org. Zumbe Gold:8309:30 a.m. Kane Center, 900 5.0. Salerno Road, Stuart. Ages: 55 +. 56517.772- 223.7800 www.kanecenter.org. GAMES Food & charity bingo: 5-9 p.m. Stuart-Jensen Elks Lodge.1001 S. Kanner Highway, Stuart Ages: 18. 520. 772-287 -0277; Ste.linecomcastnet. OMER Food Truck Extravageeea: A gathering of food trucks in Port Salerno. 4-8 p.m. St Luke's Episcopal Church, 5150 Railway Ave., Port Salerno. Reggae with the Floridan Band with Steel Drums:6-9 P.C. Mulligan Beach House. 2019 N.E. Jensen Beach Bbd., Jensen Beach. www.thefloridianband.com. TA% ASSISTANCE AARP Tax Assistance: All tax assistance is offered on a fird- come, first-served basis. 10 0.0.2 p.m. Robert Morgade Library, 54515.0. Community Drive, Stuart 772 - 219-4969; www.11brary martin.fl.us MRP Ax Assistance: An tax assistance is offered on a ftrst- come. first-served basis, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Blake Library, 2351 S.E. Monterey Road. Stuart. 772 - 21¢4969; www.library.martin.R.us AUTO ACCIDENT INJURIES Anorncy Donna DeFMarchi 287 -2600 Stuart ('RA RY- RUCHALNA. STUART ART ANNIVERSARY ONLY Kids?Eat Free Diviner Specials Include Cody's Bottnndegs Salad. Choice of Side, aid Hot Sweet Yeast Rolls Buy $S0 Card HadDiStwMgrdeACdlbe The Stuart News TREASURE COA':, PARTOF THEUSATODAY NETWORK TCPalm.com INVESTIGATION Homeless nonprofit climbing back from troubles Center overspent budget by more than $500K ELLIOTT JONES FLUOEUONESVMSA.COM INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — For Peter Gatchell and his autistic 10-year- old son, the Hope for Families Center has been a godsend. After the two moved to Florida, they stayed in friends' homes and hotels for a while, until they spent their savings while Gatchell looked for work. An In- dian River County school psychologist told them about the Hope for Families Center for helping the homeless. "There is no laying around here," Gatchell, 57, said after emptying a large garbage can at the center. "We have a computer room to look for work." But the Hope for Families Center— the Largest family shelter serving Indi- an River, SL Lucie, Martin and Okee- chobee eounties — is struggling through deep financial troubles and re- sulting two leadership changes. A months -tong Press Journal inves- tigation found the privately supported center overspent by $772,984 last year. That money paid for programs and staff, after donations declined. The center had to use some of its $2 million in reserves to make up short- falls, the investigation found. The $2 million includes $1 million from an anonymous donation. Since then, there's been cutbacks, layoffs and leadership changes, as the center tries to ease its financial stress. There's a new financial advisory board. There's been no indication of finan- cial improprieties, according to Board of Directors members. There is no criminal investigation into the organi- zation, Sheriffs Office officials said. The center's success is crucial for the United Way of Indian River County, which considers the agency's role tan- tamount to combating homelessness. "We have nowhere the amount of beds (housing spaces) needed in the county," said Michael Kint, the United Way of Indian River County's chief ex- See NONPROFIT, Page 3A Sunday, February 26, 2017 82.00 CURBING LAKE OKEECHOBEE DISCHARGES A bill focused on strengthening the Herbert Hoover Dike counters Sen. Joe Negron's plan TYLER TREADWAY olding more water in Lake Okee- chobee sounds like a simple enough way to limit polluted dis- charges to the St. Lucie and Caloo- sahatchee rivers. But when it comes to curtailing discharges and sending more wa- ter south to the Everglades as na- tu e intended nothing is simple. An in -depth look at pending legislation shows, for instance: Raising he lake elevation would help but not stop discharges; adding a reservoir south of the lake would help a of more. Holding more water in the lake would "kill" the ecology there, says an Audubon scientist. . Loaning state money to the Army Corps of Engi- neers to fix the dike around the lake is a questionable use of Florida Forever funds. » Having the state, not the corps, control of dis- charges has been proposed and dismissed before. » Deciding who owns the dike depends on your definition of "ownership." State Sen. David Simmons, a Republican from Longwood north of Orlando, has filed legislation to have the state help speed up an Army Corps of Engi- neers project to strengthen the Herbert Hoover Dike so the lake can hold up to two more feet of wa- ter. The corps has said the job can be done by 2025, but the repairs won't necessarily mean the lake can hold more water. Simmons wants the job done by See DISCHARGES, Page 17A Waterfrom Lake Okeechobee is released Into the G MCanal, which leads ea the St Lode Nven at 80 St Lucie Lock and tam. SHUA 0.00'NSA TODAY NETWORK: FILE P,4070 /mEASUFECOAST NrAlittArRS Expert likes Brightline's chances, but stopping it now an obsession senger. RICH CAMPBELL In a recent article, "Why a high- speed rail skeptic likes All Aboard Stop reading now if Florida," Robert Poole outlined several you hate reports touting reasons why the Miami - to-Orlando the possible success of project has a good chance to succeed. the AU Aboard Florida/ Ugh! Brightline passenger rail That's the last thing we want to hear. project. You won't like After all, two of our local governments what follows. — Le., Indian River and Martin court- For those of you still with me, I offer ties — have been pursuing lawsuits, at a perspective guaranteed to anger the behest of residents, to block the many Treasure Coast residents. Don't shoot me. I'm only the rues- See CAMPBELL Page 13A 5I- GnC PCJ�CJrardrso.rsorarOfJoI�f_FJ 2LI?PEJn 5 Jewelry and Fine Art SEIZED by police and federal agencies. Property from seized and forfeited assets auction. bankruptcies and liquidation of Rolexes, large diamonds, Rneart andjeweirytogetherwith general order merchandise winch constitutes the r majority to be liquidated piece by piece. J All Art and Jewelry Authenticated and Certified. 5 Over Million Dollars!! LEAN VOSSelif MUSE COAST NFIVSPAPERS All Abord Florida's erighMine "Brightelue" train debuted Jan. 11 at Workshop e, Brightine's railroad operations facility in West Palm Beach. INVENTORY OBTAINED FROM iLiR Rilaagr iaiE151iR[Li�RELT�01Li1 SEIZED AND FORFEITED ASSETS AUCTION MONDAY FEBRUARY27 AUCTION -11:00 AM, PREVIEW -10:30 AM HOSTED AT: THE HERITAGE CENTER ERO BEACH F " tAP0,7k1 Wmg Mm 4A kt11M, f A171a10untatn °;""? Plan �4 '}" Ad iop • 1% 0vyrs IMP a n 17.,I (ask ,na re. (PeP �I 5 1 ]CZ-7e"�7�]U13Cla-lULI�LlR7LlR]aLTULIL�l gl-I - g1JCC- briEULIL�l a3UL1a3C1- lE1E310 10- 3C1g- 3Claag 1 1=10 -1 PC- PCPCPC- OPCB -PC -PC DfPCPL PES 2140 14th Avenue CALL (772) 770-2263 FOR DIRECTIONS ONL Y 2 2 ADVICE Se OBITS 760/63° Rain: 10% z sE rEttvzory rage104 va.atNOaat L"' CONNECT WITH US Online wwwtcpalm.com Twitter. UTCPalm Facebook: Faceb000,10M1CPaIm for home deliv ry call Subscribers have full 772469-7100 digBal ateessm TCealm Activate at To reach us II TOaAn.COMaNVata. 772-562-2315 I 7 1,111411 DJ 2 MC Treasure Coast Newspapers Sunday, February 26, 2017 17A TREASURE COAST Discharges Continued from Page to 2020 — 2022 at the latest. Simmons says his bill is a "modification" of the pro- posal by Senate President Joe Negron, a Stuart Repub- lican, to buy land and build a reservoir south of lake 0 to reduce discharges. While Negron said during a Feb. 1 Facebook Live 0- terview with Treasure Coast Newspapers, 'The Army Corps should store more water in the lake," he said last week he's still focused on the reservoir. Effect on discharges The corps currently tries to keep Lake O's elevation between 12 feet, 6 inches and 15 feet, 6 inches, with a maximum elevation of 17 feet, 3 inches. The corps typically starts discharging lake water east and west before the lake gets to its maximum ele- vation, especially if there's a rainy long -range forecast. In 2016, for example, discharges started Jan. 30 when the lake was just below 16 feet. It got as high as 16 feet, 4 1r2 inches Feb. 9. Simmons' proposal calls for fixing the dike so its maximum elevation can be raised to 19 feet. Discharges would start at higher levels than they do now, but well before the lake reaches 19 feet. Simmons said his pro- posal would "keep excessive discharges from destroy- ing the environment and the economy "along the St. Lu- cie. Let's look at the numbers: a If discharges started at 17 feet instead of 15 feet, the lake would hold back an extra 150.6 billion gallons. • That's about a third of the total discharges in 2013 and about a fifth of total discharges in 2016. • If discharges started at IS feet, the lake would hold back an extra 299.7 billion gallons. • That's about two-thirds of the discharges in 2013 and 40 percent of the discharges in 2016. These numbers are based on how much extra water the lake could hold at any given time. Over the course of a year, the lake would be able to hold more water; how much depends on flows in and out, as well as how the lake levels are managed. Once the lake's capacity is known, Simmons said, "we'll know how much land will be needed south of the lake to store and clean water" Simmons' bill calls for the South Florida Water Man- agement District and the corps to figure out a way to build a reservoir on 33,000 acres of state -owned land south of the lake that could store and clean from 78.2 billion gallons to 117.3 billion gallons of water. The combination of raising the maximum lake level and that reservoir would account for between 332.2 bil- lion and 370.7 billion gallons of water. Now we're talking up to: • nearly three- quarters of the 2013 discharges • about half the 2016 discharges One problem: It's questionable whether the reser- voir could be built on two state -owned parcels, called the A -1 and A -2 sites, as some land -buy critics have sug- gested because they're needed for other projects. The HOBIE ER/SPECIAE TO TREASURE <OAST NEW SPAP Sen. Joe Negron talks during a public meeting Aug. 9 regarding the toxic Lake Okeechobee discharges in Stuart. "The bottom line is that the state can't do whatever it wants with the land the dike is on without federal permission." JOHN CAMPBELL U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SPO.SruN A -I site already has been made into a shallow reservoir that feeds water draining off farmland into a stormwa- ter treatment area, where the water is cleaned before it's sent to the Everglades; and plans call for the A-2 site to become a shallow reservoir as part of the Central Ev- erglades Planning Project. South Florida Water Management District officials would not speculate on how the sites — or any other state -owned lands — could be used for the reservoir. Damage to the lake Simmons proposal would be "an absolute disaster to the ecology of Lake Okeechobee,' said Paul Gray, sci- ence coordinator for Audubon Florida's Everglades Restoration Program, particularly by flooding marsh- es in the western lake. Simmons said bringing the lake up to 19 feet would be rare and temporary. There's no temporary to it, Gray countered: Once the lake is that high, it takes too long to bring it down. "When the lake rises above 16 feet you start getting problems, and they happen fast," Gray said. 'To bring the lake back down from 19 to around 15 feet would take at least a year, even with massive discharges. And then you'd start the next rainy season with the lake already too high. It would lead to a chronic problem of the lake being too high." Follow the money Fixing the dike will cost $1.7 billion, and the corps already has spent more than $800 million. Completing the repairs on Simmons' timetable "would require annual expenditures in the $210 million a year range," said corps spokesman John Campbell. "I anticipate that in 2018 and beyond, funding will be in the $100 million level." Simmons suggests the state speed up dike repairs by matching the federal funds the corps gets over the next four years —with the agreement the feds will repay the state. "I'm not sure a mechanism exists that would allow us to acvxpt state money," Campbell said, noting the dike repair is a totally federally funded project. Simmons replied, "I can't imaging Congress, which is strapped for money, to say no to an offer to help build a project." 'lb pay for land purchases and construction costs, Simmons' bill would tap into the Florida Forever fund, which is set up "to purchase public lands in the form of parks, trails, forests, wildlife management areas and more," according to the state Department of Environ- mental Protection's website. "Diverting a significant amount of conservation funding to construct a safety project is not in line with the will of voters and will significantly delay progress on statewide conservation goals," according to a state- ment from Audubon Florida. Negron's take: "I want state funds to be spent on res- ervoir construction." Who's dike 1s It, anyway? The dike "belongs to the state," Simmons said, citing a federal court ruling that says the corps began work- ing on Florida's massive plumbing system, which in- cludes Lake Okeechobee, with "the state of Florida's permission." Negron counters the federal government has "exclu - sive responsibility to repair the Herbert Hoover Dike. ... They built it. They own it. And they control it." The corps' take: "It depends on your definition of ownership," Campbell said. The state owns the land the dike sits on, Campbell said, but the state gave perma- nent easements to the federal government for some of the land, particularly where some of the water control structures sit. "The bottom line," Campbell said, "is that the state can't do whatever it wants with the land the dike is on without federal permission." Discharge decisions Simmons' bill directs the South Florida Water Man- agement District "to immediately declare the rights of the state to control discharges of water from Lake Okeechobee." It's not a new suggestion. Negron called for it in the wake of the "Lost Summer" of 2013, but Treasure Coast environmentalists said they trusted the corps with the decision more than the state. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio vowed to file a bill in Con- gress to make it happen but later backed off, saying the state is not excited" to assume the liability issues. Sim - mons'hill calls for the state to be immune from lawsuits "arising from the failure or breach of the dike." Negron's take: "Florida's best scientists should de- termine the appropriate lake level, not the unaccount- able Army Corps of Engineers.' TCPalmsocial.com is your one stop guide to find all the fun things to do and places to go with your family on the Treasure Coast — from events and festivals to shows, dinner out and date night with someone special. Unlimited access on your computer smartphone and tablet is included with your home delivery subscription. Activate your subscription today at tcpalm.comractivate for full access. • Dining out Restaurant reviews • Weekend picks • Festivals • County fairs • Family fun • Theater • Comedy Concerts • And much more - including the Bargainista's tips on saving you money on the Treasure (oast! TCPALM #TCPaim,Social �wr, iiemporns ©I ®I© Vol. 108 No. 25 Inspiring Okeechobee: A mother's love - ... Page 2 EECHOBEE NEWS Sunday, February 26, 2017 754 plus tax 3 poles per angler allowed on pier at Lock 7 ... Page 3 OHS girls soccer team honored at awards banquet ... Page 8 Former inmates accused of attempted murder... Page 11 Lake Levels 13.51 feet Last Year: 16.05 feet Sponsored By: Pogey's Fafily- Restaurant 1759 S. Parrott Ave. 763 -7222 Find us on Facebook iee page 4 for information about iow to contact this newspaper. okeechoheenews.net kee5 ech kUYs i r Ook- Financinp Okeechobee News /Katrina Elsken Battle of Okeechobee Re- enactment The Battle of Okeechobee Re- enactment festival is under way this weekend at the Battlefield State Park, 3500 S.E. 38th Ave., off U.S. 441 S.E. Come and ex- perience living history, alligator demonstrations, Pow Wow dancing, 1800s Irish Folk Music and a vendor booth area. The gates open at 10 a.m. Sunday. The battle re- enactment will be at 2 p.m. Above, on Friday, the park hosted visits b 2 Okeechobee County school children. Happy St. Patrick's Day! .Sfudad A/C Maintenance Special ATVs not allowed on Viking roads By Katrina Elsken Okeechobee News Viking Estates, also known as "the Prairie" is a residential area, not a recreational area, Viking property owners were told at Thursday's meet- ing of the Okeechobee County Commission. Real estate ads depicting Viking is an "anything goes" area for riding ATVs and shooting guns are false, said the commissioners. Conflicts between some Viking homeown- ers who want peace and quiet and those who visit the Prairie on the weekends to ride ATVs, party and shoot guns were once again before the Okeechobee County Commission at their Feb. 23 meeting. See VIKING — Page.5 Trump urged to fund CERP By Katrina Elsken Okeechobee News The Florida Congressional delegation urged President Donald Trump to include projects in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Proj- ect (CERP) in his Fiscal Year 2018 budget, in a let- ter dated Feb. 3. As you prepare your budget for�Fiscal year 2018, we request that you strongly support Ever - r glades restoration projects, especialty those with- in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program (CERP). Both the Corps and the Depart- ment of the Interior (1301) are charged with the critical task of restoring the Everglades and rein- vigorating its ecosystems. Your attention to these (See CERP — Page-10 ur Focus is To Make You Comfortable" Available 11E ityACokee:com Okeechobee News February 26, 2017 CERP `Continued From Page� issues is appreciated and we look forward to working with your administration on them," they wrote. "The Everglades ecosystem spans across 16 counties and 164 cities In Florida. It has a $2 trillion economic impact and 55 percent of the real estate value in tie state of Florida is tied to it. During South Florida's annual wet season, roughly 60 inches of rainfall pro- vides for ample water th t replenishes the aquifers that provide drin ding water to 8.1 million people in South Fl rids. This unique ecosystem exerts a domin to influence over Florida's hydrological a and seasonal weather patterns," the lett r continues. "However, the system now less than half of its original size an human impacts have degraded the quality f the water. More than that, Lake Okeechobee now fills up six times faster than it can be rained, resulting in massive discharges into{ the surrounding watershed. Extremes in Water levels being too high or too low in the Take produce very different consequences. Too high and un- treated discharges escape o the coasts and wreak havoc on saline environments; too low and salt water encroaches on brackish ecosystems, killing flora and fauna. Balance must be restored to this delicate region. "Most recently, the Wa er Infrastructure Improvements for the N 'on (WIIN) Act of 2016 authorized two CRP projects that now await further action y the Corps and the DOI. These include a Central Ever- glades Planning Project (EPP) as well as additional authorizations o complete the Picayune Strand project. These projects are an important step in achieving more opti- mal water flow and we encourage imme- diate funding for these projects. The CERP is a multi-year and multi-phase project that competes for funding from Corps projects across the country. The Everglades deserve your attention and support and we ask that you provide the necessary resources to re- store the region," the letter states. The letter was by signed by members of Congress Francis Rooney, Mario Diaz- Balart, Alcee Hastings, Vern Buchanan, Gus M. Bili- rakis, John Rutherford, Matt Gaetz, Darren Soto, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Ileana Ros- Lehitnen, Ted S. Yoho, Lois Frankel, Bill Posey, Thomas Rooney, Carlos Curbelo, Theodore Deutch, Daniel Webster, Charlie Crist, Ron DeSantis, Brian Mast, Stephanie Murphy, Dennis Ross, Al Lawson Jr., Val Demmings, Kathy Castor, Dr. Neal Dunn and Frederica Wilson. "I, along with the entire Florida Delega- tion call on the President of the United States to support Everglades Restoration projects in his fiscal year 2018 Budget," said Con- gressman Francis Rooney, who led the ef- fort. "The Everglades have a far ranging im- pact to the entire State of Florida and to the country. Our economy has been decimated. Businesses have closed. We all have a vested interest in the Everglades.) am pleased that the entire Florida delegation has come to- gether on such an important issue." "1 am pleased to join my Florida delega- tion colleagues to advocate for Everglades restoration funding in the President's first budget. As a senior member of the Appro- priations committee, I continue to prioritize projects within the Central Everglades Res- toration Program (CERP), and welcome support from the executive branch. We are fortunate to have this natural treasure in our state, and must do everything we can to pre- serve it for future generations," stated Con- gressman Mario Diaz Balart. "The Everglades is one of the world's most unique ecosystems, and while much work has been done to repair this national treasure, there is still much work left to do. Through years of bipartisan efforts to autho- rize and appropriate critical infrastructure projects, we continue to make great strides in Everglades restoration. As Co -Chair of the Congressional Everglades Caucus, 1 remain committed to restoring the Everglades eco- system. Along with my colleagues in the Florida Congressional delegation, 1 urge the Administration to continue this bipartisan ef- fort to provide the resources needed to fulfill our commitment to the Everglades," said Congressman Alcee L. Hastings. "Discharges from Lake Okeechobee have become a serious health concern," Con- gressman Buchanan said. "We need to take action to protect Florida's waters and fragile ecosystems." "There are few infrastructure projects more vital to Florida than restoring the Ev- erglades. The state of this unique ecosystem directly influences the health of Florida's coasts and our water supply, and exerts a tremendous impact on our economy. Revi- talizing and preserving this environmental jewel is an obligation we dearly owe to future generations. Our letter urges the President to honor his campaign pledge to protect and restore this essential piece of Florida's natu- ral environment," stated Congresswom Debbie Wasserman - Schultz. 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Example: Jeep Liberty 2004, Excellent Condition Sunroof, Automatic, CD, $0,000 (863) 000 -0000 Plus 8 Photos Re- enactment Sunday The Battle of Okeechobee Re- enactment will be held again on Sunday at the Okeechobee Battlefield Park, 3500 S.E. 38th Ave. The gates will open at 10 a.m. The battle will start at 2 p.m. Place your FREE AD online: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at... okeechobeenews.net Viaks Zeds = 9Sruary 17, 2017 Okeechobee News Senate Bill 10 may be amended before full Senate vote By Katrina Elsken )keechobee News The Florida Committee on Environmen- al Preservation and Conservation Cbmmit- ee passed Florida Senate Bill 10 on Feb. 7, nit not without some committee m tubers roidng reservations and suggest' pro - >osals for amendments as the bill moves orward for discussion by the Senate pro - >riations Committee. Senator Linda Stuart noted the Ian to pend $2.4 trillion to buy 60,000 acres and mild a reservoir in the Everglades Agricul- ural Area (EAA) in order to reduce armful reshener releases east and west de nds on ederal govemment funding. "If we don't get the federal fund' , what vill occur ?" she asked. Other E glades eojects that have already been ap roved ire still waiting for federal funding. Police seize iy Kris Schwartz >keechobee News The Okeechobee Narcotics Task Force eized more than seven pounds of arijua- ia from a local home on Wednesday. Detective Chad Troutman of the Ok ho- ee County Sheriffs Office (OCSO), along yith several members of the Okeechobee larcotics Task Force and Sheriff's Office pedal Response Team (SRT) executed a earth warrant at a home on N.E. 60t1 Court 1 Okeechobee County on Feb. 15. Prior to the search of the residence, Crime cene Technicians photographed the resi- ence's exterior and interior, and as ffie de- ctive approached the residence, he could etect the odor of marijuana. Once nside, se report continued, he could sm¢II the odor of both burnt and green marijuana. In se first bedroom, two large glass jar$ were Ilegedly visible on the floor behind a lounge hair. One jar contained 38.80 grates of iarijuana while the other contained 153.80 rams. On a table in one room, a wooden ox was located with a Walmart card inside, long with 2.7 grams of marijuana, :oiling apers, rolling paper device and grinder rith marijuana residue. Also found on the floor, the report Mated, ras a plastic bag containing 27.5 grams of rarijuana. A small jar of dab /wax, otherwise nown as marijuana extract, was located on >p of the table. There was also an ashtray ontaining numerous burnt marijuana dga- ?ttes, all of which had a total weight df 11.5 rams. In the master bedroom closet, the lice Ilegedly found two large black g bage ags containing 2.8 pounds of m juana ems and trimmings. In the closet cei ing, a Library hosts story hour The Okeechobee County Pubii4 Li- brary, 206 S.W. 16th St., will host story hour on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m for children up to age 6, and at 4 p.m for those up to age 9. She also said there should be something in the legislation to help those whose liveli- hoods would be destroyed by taking the ag- riculture land out of production. "The immediate solution has been staring us in the face," said Senator David Simmons. "Go ahead and fix the Herbert Hoover Dike. "1 think the southern storage can be ac- complished with the 30,000 acres that ex- ist in A -1 and A -2 conservation areas," he added. "There needs to be an immediate solu- tion to this, a solution that deals with a crisis. That is to go ahead and expedite the con- struction so that it can be the source of stor- age, not in the long term, but in the short term to eliminate the discharges." Senator Simmons said the State of Florida owns enough land already to solve the prob- lems. He said even if they do obtain federal funding it will be 15 -20 years before a south- south of the lake. Nobody is talking about ern reservoir is completed. That won't solve what goes into the lake. the immediate issues in the coastal estuar- "As a liberal Democrat 1 don't often find ies, he said. myself agreeing with our governor. He has "I think it's time for us to take control of proposed we do something north of the lake. our own future," he said. 1 agree with the governor we need to look at "We can stop the discharges that are un- the water going into the lake," he said. necessary. The plans are already in place to "We don't have an unlimited pot of mon- get that done." ey so we have to be realty careful with the He suggested adding an amendment to money we have," he said. SB10 that requires SFWMD to expedite the "This is not a silver bullet," said Senator rehabilitation of the dike so that it can tem- Rob Bradley, who sponsored the bill. porarily hold water levels up to 19.5 feet. "We have northern storage issues. We "Those discharges can be reduced and have septic tank issues." ultimately stopped, not 20 years from now, He said those who have a better plan but in fact within three years," he said. should put it forward. "I'm a liberal Democrat from Broward," The subcommittee voted 6-0 on Feb. 7 to said Senator Gary Farmer. "We have wait- move the bill forward. ed too long to try to tackle this problem. It On Feb. 10, Representative Thad Altman seems we are all fighting and it has become filed a bill identical to SR 10 in the Florida j realty polarized fighting about everything House of Representatives. �/ marijuana from local home, arrest 2 area, a small bag containing .7 grams was positive for the presence of marijuana. Kirk Rayman, 51 and Karen Rayman, 51, were both arrested on felony charges of cultivation of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of marijuana over 20 grams, and a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Tiro other persons who were on the property were transported to the Sheriff's Office to be interviewed. located on top of the TV entertainment cen- ter. In addition to the marijuana discovered inside the main house, the task force pur- portedly found 21 marijuana plants with ac- tive root systems in the mother -in -law addi- tion. The addition, according to the report, was divided into two separate rooms with a garage door at the back of one of them. Inside this room were separate homemade wooden frame grow rooms complete with Kirk Rayman Karen Rayman insulation. Reportedly, the part of the addi- tion housing the grow rooms was only ac- hole had been cut with air conditioning cessible from outside and not from the living ducting coming out of it. In the master bath- area of the addition. room, a vacuum sealer with unused bags Along with the plants, law enforcement was reportedly on top of the bathtub side. allegedly confiscated growing equipment, Seven bags of marijuana were found hidden which was actively being used to indude underneath the bathtub, and the tub alleg- times, grow lights, ballasts, plant bamboo edly had access to the plumbing from under sticks and fans, thermometers, water hoses the sink area next to the tub. Of the seven and a watering system, stated the report. bags, the report stated, two were sandwich All marijuana plants, along with the fin - style bags containing 35.2 grams and 37.0 ished product — meaning ready for resale, grams of marijuana. Two were gallon sized weighed approximately 7.6 pounds. 973 and contained 96.2 grams and 83.5 grams. grams (2.14 pounds) of usable marijuana The remaining three bags were vacuumed was allegedly packaged and ready for use sealed and contained 157.8 grams, 160.1 and the remaining 5.45 pounds was from grams and 159.9 grams. the plants and trimmings. The report stated The report stated that in the main living that a sample was tested on site and showed Your Largest Fence Post Supplier in South Florida Gaucho motor Fence g OLDEN , vi. GRAIN 4u Walpole` Feed 86 Supply Co. 763 -6905 Hwy 98 N. Okeechobee The Works! All Sizes Posts Staples WE ONLY SMOKE AFTER MEALS. When you smoke, it's like they're smoking. Help protect them from the dangers of secondhand smoke. It's everyone's responsibility. Visit tobaccofreeflorida.com to find free ways to quit! amacrmexury HEALTH 883- 801.ezr, . xw rye .cum a ws 4 OPINION Public Forum /Speak Out Okeechob News February 17, 2817 Speak Out comments can be shared in several ways. Comments on local issues are welcome pn the Okeecho- bee News Facebook, page. You can also leave your opinjons in the com- ment box found under each story at okeechobeenews.net We also accept comments via email to okeenews@ newszap.com or via U.S. Mail at the Okeechobee address) below. Thanks for participating! SB 10 • Excuse me Florid Senators, but as a voter who likes to eat 4 1 often do it more than once a day —1 regent the cavalier at- titude you have in regard to taking produc- tive farm land out of pros uction. l don't trust food from other countries. Many do not re- quire the same health aid safety standards that we do. They are al owed to use pesti- cides that have been ban ed in the U.S. I like my winter vegetables own in the United States, and the EAA is th best place to grow them. • Let's take 60,000 es out of land in Port St. Lucie, Palm Ci Stuart and Jupiter that they have not built ouses on yet. We need food more than w need golf courses. • The Everglades Agricultural Area is a unique place. The Sorith Florida climate makes it possible to egetables in the winter. The rich muck soul makes it very pro- ductive. There is no wheje else in the U.S.A. we can grow winter vegetables this produc- tively. There are plenty oP places north of the lake that they can put a eservoir. Store the water north and dean it before it goes into the Big 0. ave the food. Save the lake. • Senator Rob Brad! is a know-every- thing type of guy who r !y knows nothing at all! When it comes to ling jobs, second amendment he's right t ere in the mix. For years I've been saying to dean the lake water it has to start north of the lake. All the fertil- izer runoff from Orlando and Disney World are the main problems especially with all their golf courses. It didn't help anything when the Army Corps of Engineers took all the bends and curves o of the Kissimmee River either! That only helped to destroy the natural habitats more! Tate state of Florida needs to use the land tljat the government and state of Florida already own instead of trying to kill jobs and kill the infrastructure. • The numbers are mind - boggling. The government already owns 42 percent of all of the land in the South Florida Water Man- agement District. The government already owns about 25 percent of the land in the Everglades Agricultural Area. We don't need to buy more land. Having enough land is not the problem. They need to actually build the infrastructure to store and clean water. Buying more land will just use up tax money that could be spent on expediting the water storage and treatment projects. • An EAA reservoir is already in the CERP plan so apparently South Florida Water Man- agement District thinks they can achieve the storage needed there without buying more 'land. So why is the Senate wasting every- one's time on a plan to waste billions of tax dollars for a different reservoir that would take 15 years to designs and build and will not even stop the lake discharges when fin- ished? Sand sculpture • My family went to the Top of the Lake Art Festival on Saturday and we watched the artist working on a sand sculpture. It was very interesting. We stopped by on Sunday to see the finished sculpture and it was just a big pile of sand, and the artist was starting over. l learned that after the festival closed on Saturday, some kids came in and destroyed the sculpture. The area was roped off so it had to be deliberate. It's just realty sorry to destroy someone else's art. Parents, please talk to your children about having respect for the work of others. That man worked all day making something beautiful, and the vandals thoughtlessly destroyed it before others had the chance to appreciate iL Thefts • Didn't their parents teach these guys right from wrong? You know if something belongs to you. If it doesn't belong to you, then taking it is stealing. No wonder they spend so much time in jail if they can't get that concept into their heads. Stealing is wrong. Letter to the editor Senate Bill 10 is a threat to farmers Farming has been my family's business for many generations. My family began till- ing the land in what is now Glades County back in 1918. For nearly 100 years, we sur- vived every type of disaster God and Mother Nature could throw at us— hurricanes, the Great Depression, and family deaths. But now, in 2017, our family's heritage and our way of life faces extinction. The reason? Senate President Joe Ne- gron's plan to buy 60,000 acres of produc- tive farmland in the Glades. President Ne- gron's plan puts communities and farmland in a perilous situation. Recognizing these concems, I traveled to Tallahassee recently to voice my concerns and watch the Senate Environmental Pres- ervation and Conservation debate Senate Bill 10. Sadly, the bill was approved at its first committee stop. But the fight is far from over. I proudly stand with members of the Glades communities who are organizing in opposition of SB 10. This bill will spend over $3 billion to $4 billion of taxpayers' hard - earned dollars on a plan that science shows will not even begin to halt discharges from Lake Okeechobee. Under SB 10, the state would be autho- rized to negotiate the purchase of 60,000 acres of farmland in the Everglades Agricul- tural Area (EAA). According to the Sugar- cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, there would be an estimated 1,000 jobs lost and another sugar mill would be forced to dose its doors. If this land purchase falls through, SB 10 requires a second option of buying the vast majority of U.S. Sugar's land in the EAA, resulting in the annihilation of the communi- ties around the lake. American jobs in sugarcane farming are increasingly threatened by competition from overseas. SB 10 would virtually guarantee that these jobs would be replaced by farmers in sugarcane- producing countries like Brazil, India, and China. At a time when America is in an economic battle against foreign com- petition on all fronts, we cannot afford to give up even one inch of our country's share of farming to overseas markets. We should be bolstering our safe, affordable domestic food supply, not creating more instability and debt through ill- advised land buys. At Frierson Farms, we are fighting for our survival because our farm is not for sale. The focus of solving Lake Okeechobee discharg- es should be based on sound science and not on false science. Why not stick to the current Everglades restoration plans already in place? The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) use a timeframe to allow projects to come online in the proper sequence while further evalu- ating future projects. Giving in to environ- mentalist elitism seeks to do more harm to the economy than to help the environment, and through their plan, there will be no real solution to curbing Lake Okeechobee dis- charges into the coastal estuaries any time soon. The slogan of "buy the land and send the water south" is a sham that doesn't solve any of the problems facing the Treasure Coast and Southwest Florida. How will more land south of Lake Okeechobee dean and store the excess water that is draining north of the lake? It makes no sense. Being a generational farmer in Glades County, losing my farm would be devastat- ing to my family's legacy - something there is no recovery from.) urge our local leaders to think about their local farmers who not only feed America, but also provide a foun- dation for a stable economy. Ardis Hammock Ardis Hammock is a family member of Frierson Farms, Inc., a third - generation farm, founded in 1918. /® Bus tours will be held as part of centennial Tickets remain available for the Saturday, March 4, bus tours sponsored by the His- torical Society and County Commission. The 90- minute tour includes a commemorative photo book, a brief walking tour of the historic courthouse as well as a visit to the His- torical Society Museum. All for just $20! Tickets are available at the Okeechobee Cham- ber of Commerce at the intersection of U.S. 441 and S.R. 70. Tickets for Saturday, April 8, tours are also available. 1(EECHOBEE NEWS To Reach Us I17107058: 107 S.W. 17th Street, Sure Okeechobee. FL 34974 Wehslle: 001343newszapmm To Submit News The Okeechobee News welcomes submissions from cis readers. Opinions, calendar items, stores Ideas and photographs are ace erne Call (863) 763-3134 to reach our newsroom. Items may be mailed, razed or emased. E-eell: okeenews@newszapmen To Place A Display Ad Phone: 953- 763-3134 E -Ma11: okeeadsales@newszap corn To Place A Classified Ad Call 877 - 353 -2424 to place a classified advertise- ment ram home. Fat 877.354.2424 1 -Mall: dass4ds@newszap oom Billing Department i -Mali: bllteangnewszap.corn To Start or Stop A Paper rm.: (800) 282 -8586 Eh18a: readerservices@newszap.0003 The Okeechobee News is ava7able three times a week 800 home delivery and is on sale at rack and store locations throughout Okeechobee County. 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Since no dividends are paid, the company is able to thrive on profit margins below industry standards. All after- tax surpluses are reinvestted in Independent's mission of journalistic service, commitment to the ideals of the First Amendment of the U.S Constitution, and support of the community's deliberation of public issues. We Pledge_ • To operate this cewspaper as a public trust • To help our community become a better piece to Eve and work, through our dedication to W nscientious journalism. • To pvide to idmnation citizens need to make debowm npNgentdedsims about puble issues, • To report the news with honesty, accuracy, purposeful neutrality, faire.. 0bjecti ity. fearlessness and compassion. • To use our opinion pages to facilitate community Abate. not to dominate it with our awn opinions. • To disclose our own conflicts of interest or potential conflicts to our readers. • To correct our errors and lo give each correction the prominence it deserves, • To provide a ritill to reply to Mole we** about • kbeerpecekwihaades y,,respeccetlmmwssm. MEMBER OF: 4 OPINION Okeechobee News February 19, 2017 Reflections from the pulpit Understanding the Biblical times we live By James R. Dawson Jr. First United Methodist Church "Beware of false prophets, wh ch come to you in sheep's clothing, but inw• .ly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know t -m by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of th rns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good • • bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt t -- bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree canno bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tr- : bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringe not forth good fruit is hewn down, and • • into a fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall ow them" (Matthew 7:15 -20, KJV). Jesus warns the churches tha not every- one who professes Christ is a tr e believer. These "false/fake" teachers, prea ers, evan- gelists, laity and so forth who o ardly ap- pear to be "godly" really are "inw. dly .. rav- ening wolves" who can at times, r e identified by their "fruits." The fruit of these false/fake" people will be found in their unwholesome- ness. They will manifest themselves in one of five different ways. 1) They will be professing followers of Christ whose loyalty is more toward teachers of philosophies, ideologies and famous per- sonalities than to the Word of God. They wor- ship humanity, God's created beings, rather than the Creator of humanity. (Romans 1:25) 2) They will be more concerned with their own desires than with the glory and honor of God. Their belief system/worldview will be more self-centered rather than Christ-cen- tered. (2 T' th 4 3) tuyd'and seek those who teach salvation with the "broad way" of inclusiveness that involves in what the Bible dearly calls sin. They will twist the truth of Scripture for their own per- sonal gain. (Galatians 1:8 -10) Mark 13:22 says, "For false Christ and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect." These will be people that you respect. These will be people that you like. These will be people that you love. They will be your co- workers, your friends, and even your family members. Yet God's gift of grace does not an- nul human responsibility or action. To escape the deceit of "false/fake" men and women of God, the believer must be totally committed to the truth and righteousness that is revealed in God's Word. One must not consider per- sonal success or personal human reasoning as a standard by which to judge one's rela- tionship to Christ. God does not endorse any unrighteous teachers of philosophies, ideolo- gies, or famous personalities of the gospel, but He will endorse Biblical truth and those who,accept it in faith. 4 Imo y : 3) They will accept human reasoning and Lett er to the editor understandings even when those reasoning and understandings contradict the Word of God. (1 Timothy 1:4) 4) They will seek their own religious/spiri- tual joumey's for truth and accept what they want to believe as final authority in validating what is 'true to them rather than grounding themselves in the whole counsel of God's Word. (1 Corinthians 1: 18 -21) 5.) They will refuse the teachings of Scrip- Public Forum /Speak Out Speak Out comments can be shared in several ways. Comment: on local issues are welcome on the Okeecho- bee News Facebook page. You can also leave your opinions in the com- ment box found under each story at okeechobeenews.net. We aso accept comments via email to okeenews@ newszap.com or via U.S. Nail at the Okeechobee address below. Thanks for participating! Child found near road • In one week we have twq reports of small children in the street. Thank God a neighbor was there to grab one ild and a deputy happened to see the othe before we had a tragedy. • People should be more concerned of who is keeping their child. This week is the second time this year that a little one got outside and wandered into the Street while under the care of a babysitter. • The babysitter was taken tO jail for her mistake. Anything could have h ppened to the child. • This is why 1 don't let other people raise my kids. • Thank God above this b$by walked right, and not left. She would have walked right out into Dark Hammock Road where the semis fly by. 1 pray they keep a good eye on her. Babies are so quick and fearless in their adventures. Parents, please watch over and love your babies. This case could have been a horrible tragedy with the traffic in that area. • A child can slip out on even the most diligent parents. Some toddlers are natural born escape artists, and even stay -at -home moms need occasional bathroom breaks. But in one case, the kid was wandering into the road while the adults argued nearby, pay- ing no mind to the kid. And in the other, the babysitter admitted she had not seen the kid for about 20 minutes. If you are near a road, you should have hold of the kid's hand, pe- riod. You should make sure to keep the child safe. And if you are babysitting and haven't seen the kid for 5 minutes, it's time to start searching. • It seems like parents need to be a lot more careful about who they leave their kids with. Not every adult is responsible enough to leave a child with. Some adults are so busy on their phones or watching TV they pay no attention at all to what the kid is doing. SB10 will kill jobs, hurt Everglades This session, I have joined several of my friends, neighbors, and fellow Glades resi- dents in the many efforts to stop the ill -con- ceived plan to buy more farmland south of Lake Okeechobee. Why? Because Senate Bill 10 puts our economic, environmental, and fi- nancial future at risk. At its core, our opposition to this plan is primarily about one thing: Saving local, Amer- ican jobs. Senate Bill 10 absolutely will harm farming communities south of Lake Okeecho- bee. If passed, it will take between 60,000 to 153,000 acres of active farmland out of pro- duction, costing the Glades communities thousands of jobs. According to at least one sugarcane farming company, this land grab would put them out of business, destroying at least 1,000 jobs. These are American jobs that help to keep our domestic food supply safe from foreign threats. The proposed land buy is under consid- eration after 120,000 acres of farmland have already been sold to the government for con- servation purposes over the last two decades. Currently, 43 percent of land in South Florida is owned by the government. There is no rea- son to take any more land when enough is already under government ownership for Ev- erglades restoration. Additionally, this bad bill could halt prog- ress that is being made in Everglades restora- tion. Today, 95 percent of water in the Ever - glades is meeting the strict 10 parts, per billion standard for phosphorus required by law. Wa- ter in the Everglades is cleaner than water you buy in a bottle from the store. Current plans for Everglades restoration include building storage east, west, north, and south of Lake Okeechobee on land that has already been purchased. Scientists are urging our leaders to stick to these plans, which are scientifically KEECHOBEE NEWS To Reach Us 8480100: 107 S.W. 07th Sheet, sues D Okeechobee, 0.34974 5070550: n ddanewszep corn To Submit News The Okeechobee News welcomes submissions horn its readers. Opinions, calendar items, Nodes ideas and photographs are welcome- Call (663) 763-3134 to reach our 400550om hems may be mailed, faxed or etnaied. E -MNI: okeenews@newstep.wm To Place A Display Ad P6910e'563•763 -3134 E -Mall: okeeadsales@newszap.wm To Place A Classified Ad CM 577•353 -2424 to place a classified advertise- men) from home. fat 877. 354.2424 15all: dassad5 @newszap.oan Billing Department E-Mail bil8eam@newszap.can To Start or Stop A Paper Nina (800) 282 -8586 E -5111: readerservicesonewszapnan The Okeechobee News is available three times a week via home delivery and is on sale at rack and store locations throughout Okeechobee Canty. co the office to end out if your hone 0)409)00007000. 01,) home-distribution boundaries. Call 800- 282 -8586 to report a missed newspaper or poor derwe y. Additional copes of Me newspaper are amiable for 50 cents Wednesday and Friday and 75 cents for Sunday at the office. Home delivery sl&sai*ns are avaifa40 at 118.00 for iteee months. Okeechobee News OSP6406.180 Published 3 tines a weal: Sunday. Wednesday and Friday by Independent Newspapers, Inc. 107 SW. 17th 5bed. Side D • Okeechobee, FL 34924 Periodicals s Postage Paid al Okeechobee, FL 34974 POSTMAS085: Send address changes to Okeechobee News Ccota4On Administration 110 Galaxy Road • Down. DE 19901 Staff Publisher/Editor: Katrina Elsken Circu)ation Manager. Cindy Eckert designed to dean water in the Everglades and reduce the frequency of discharges from Lake Okeechobee. Senate Bill 10 will NOT solve problems plaguing the local estuaries, like the algae blooms on the east coast in the summer of 2016. In 2016, more than 5 million acre -feet was discharged from Lake Okeechobee. A 60,000 acre reservoir south of the lake would only hold 4 percent of this water. In wet years like last year, the Everglades to the south are flooded and cannot take any more water when lake releases are made. The reservoir proposed by SB 10 would have still required up to 4.2 million acre -feet to be dischargedto the estuaries. It also would not have provided treatment for the water Flowing into the St. Lu- cie River, where science shows up to 80 per- cent of the nutrients that contributed to the algae blooms came from the local commu- nities and from sources such as septic tanks, fertilizer, and urban runoff. In years when there are no discharges from Lake Okeecho- bee, these communities can still experience algae blooms. This flawed plan, which was surpris- ingly proposed by a Republican, relies on a $2.4 billion payment scheme with bonding - money that can be used to continue Ever- glades restoration now instead of a land -buy- ing boondoggle that no government agency is requesting. Since when have Republicans been in favor of getting government into the real estate business? Instead of borrowing money on the backs of our children for a plan that is half- baked, we should stick to current plans — designed by actual scientists —that will have a meaningful impact on restoring the Ev- erglades and stopping the Lake Okeechobee discharges. Julia Du Piooy Clewsiton Julia De Plooy is the founder of the Lake, Okeechobee Business Alliance. !�O/ Bm Purpose_ The Okeechobee News is published by Independent NewsMedia Inc, USA. Independent is owned by a unique trust that enables this newspaper to pursue a mission of joumalistic service to the citizens of the community. Since no dividends are paid, the company 5 able to thrive on profit margins below industry standards. All after- tax surpluses are reinvested in Independent's of journalistic service, commitment to Me mission journalistic deals of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and support of the community's deliberation of public issues. We Pledge_ • To operate this newspaper as a public trust • To help our community became a bettor pace to live and work, through our dedication to conscientious journalism. • to preside the information citizens need to make their own inteigent decisions about public issues, • To report the news with honesty, accuracy. Purposeful neutrality, fairness, obiedH8y, fearlessness and compassion. • To use as opinion pages to facilitate commwlity debate. not to dominate S with our own opinions. • To d'sd0se our Own Cantos of Interest 00 potential conflicts 10 our readers. • To correct our errors and to give each correction the prominence it deserves. • To pmoidee right to reply to those we wneabad. • Tot4pty/e41 arksy ad commix MEMBER OF: ION / +. /Tamiami Okeechobee News Trail blocks flow to Florida Bay By Katrina Elsken Okeechobee News Moving water south from Lake Okeecho- bee into the Everglades and c n to Florida Bay is complicated by man made lams, dikes and canals. One of the biggest hurdl of Everglades restoration is The road, constructed betwee build on work al- ready underway to deliver real benefits to Flori- da Bay," said SF- WMD Governing to the success Board Chairman Tamiami Trail Dan O'Keefe 1915 and 1928, at the Jan. 12 A continuing seri con - meeting. "We n e c t s appreciate the Tampa U.S. Army Corps to Mi- of Engineers' co- a m i , operation in the and was permitting pro - original- cess needed for ly hailed our Florida Bay as a plan." great SFWMD Gov - achieve - ment. (Once again, it seemed like such a good idea of the time.) The unintended consequ nce of the road is that it acts as a man-mare dam, holding back the sheet flow from the Everglades to Florida Bay, which has suffered from periodic localized droughts. When the road was first built, if water lev- els were high, the state just let it flood and closed the road until water rQceded The traf- fic of today's Florida require�}�v the busy road stays open, which means ater levels are adjusted elsewhere in the tem to keep' the road dry. That means 1- freshwater for Florida Bay, which raises th- salinity levels, resulting in environmental p oblems. It also means that because water • 't move south, more freshwater goes into e St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, ere it causes en- vironmental problems by 1. -ring the salinity levels there. Scientists and water man. :ers have been aware of the problem for a ong time. They have proposed solutions ing bridges to raise the roadway and all water to pass underneath. But as often ha pens with Ever- - glades projects, funding issu :. caused delays, and progress comes in small .teps. In 2005, the U.S. Army Co .s of Engineers proposed an 11 -mile bridge west of Miami. Congress eventually allocate funding for a one -mile bridge in 2008. The one mile bridge opened in March 2013. In 2016, $180 million w.. allocated with the cost shared 50-50 by U. Department of the Interior and the State of 'lorida for a 2.6 mile bridge, about four and f miles west of the one -mile bridge. When completed, the t al 3.6 miles of raised highway will help res re some of the natural water flow, but it's o ly about a third of the water flow area propo ed by the Corps of Engineers. Small steps. More help for Florida Bay On Jan. 12, 2017, the South Florida Wa- ter Management District (SI?WMD) Govern- ing Board also approved several significant construction contracts to send more water - to Florida Bay. These project components re- ceived federal permitting approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer in December. "Today's action by the Board allows us to erning Board's Florida Bay plan will send billions more gallons of fresh water each year into Taylor Slough and on to Florida Bay. According to the SFWMD, this means sub- stantial flows of fresh water will reach the Bay to help reduce salinity levels and protect sea - gracces that are repeatedly damaged by local- ized droughts. The plan for Florida Bay was developed out of the work of the South Dade Study, a public process to improve flood control in southern Miami -Dade County while directing much - needed water to natural areas. Approved permits from the Corps autho- rize SFWMD to: hew Conn 11 ns for Additional Water flow to Florida Bay February 19, 2017 111211 SLIM p 000.0 Bringing back the 70s and Concert Years of Waliarret as no est%LV.4tte.pa'lla3 plan tart • Rebuild a section of the L-31 West Levee and Weir; • Install 10 plugs in the L -31 West Canal; • Seal the discharge basin at the S -332D Pump Station to reduce seepage. "1 echo the call of my constituents in Miami -Dade and Monroe counties to make more fresh water available to Florida Bay a top priority," said SFWMD Governing Board member Federico Fernandez Jan. 12. "Today signals the start of real progress to help save this treasured ecosystem. This board is com- mitted to getting projects built and working to improve South Florida's water bodies." RAULERSON SURGICAL SPECIALISTS t?�Eay- yyt. k.tid as dlragC1 ga.t March 25th 1 Okeechobee Shrine Club 1855 SW 53rd St. Showtime 7 pm Doors open at 6:30 Cover charge $20 207 - 233 - 5089/941- 473 -3167 This New Year, Treat yourself to the €1. tf You deserve the most advanced technology with the Bladeless Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery! • Premium lens implants to reduce dependency on glasses NT E R p ' EYE CARE 8c SURGERY S. Matamoros, M.D. Board Certified Eye Physician & Surgeon Accepting New Patients Call us for a comprehensive eye exam 1- 866 - 654 -2020 • www.See202OFiorida.com Medicare and Medicaid Accepted • Affordable Technology Discount Available with Approved Credit Scan this code to view a short video about this amazing technology 1713 Hwy 441 North Suite H Okeechobee, FL 34972 (in the Okeechobee Medical Park building. located directly across from the hospital) 863- 357 -1510 Rau lersonSurg ical.com 520 South Parrott Ave. Okeechobee, FL 34974 (863) 357 -4899 1821 S.E. Port St. Lucie Blvd Port St Lucie, FL 34952 (772) 337-5332 828 U S. Hwy 1 Ft. Pierce, FL 34950 (772) 466-5146 Vol. 108 No. 22 ECHOBEE NEWS Sunday, February 19, 2017 75 C plus tax TSB 816 would let lake to rise to 19 ft. Battle of Okeechobee Re- enactment planned... Page 5 Inspiring Okeechobee ... Page 2 Lake Levels 13.58 feet Last Year: 16.24 feet Sponsored By: By Katrina Elsken Okeechobee News As the Florida Senate debates Senator Joe Negron's proposal to purchase 60,000 acres in the Everglades Agricultural Area for water storage to reduce the need to release freshwa- ter from Lake Okeechobee during heavy rain events to the coastal estuaries, another Florida Senator has a different proposal for storage of excess freshwater from the Kissimmee River Basin. Florida Senator David Simmons has introduced Senate Bill 816, which would re- quire the state to expedite the repairs on the Herbert Hoover Dike so that Lake Okeechobee high water levels could be allowed to reach 19 feet. Senate Bill 816 calls on the State of Florida to declare the rights of the state to ultimate- ly control discharges of water from Lake Okeechobee and assume a leadership role in the rehabilitation of the dike. "In the process of rehabilitation, repair, im- provement, and strengthening of the dike, the district shall set a goal of adding up to an ad- ditional 2 feet of water storage capacity above that provided by the current interim LORS08 Schedule to Lake Okeechobee in order to re- duce the need to release lake water into the ee LAKE — Page From any midlands, brush or combustible' structure Pogey's Family Restaurant 1759 S. Parrott Ave. n. 763 -7222 Source: South Florida Water Management District. Depth givela in feet above sea level 8' Qameler Pile OR Non-Combustble Container See page 4 for information abut how to contact this newspaper. okeechoheenews.net Frogmen Irma 10011 2 County fire chief warns of danger of wildfires Special to the Okeechobee News County Fire Chief Ralph Franklin is urging all residents to use extreme caution when burning outdoors. As of Feb. 17, Okeechobee County Fire Rescue had responded to 26 grass or brush fires since Jan. 1, 2017. That is up from three inci- dents compared to the same time in 2016. According to the Florida Forest Service, Okeechobee County currently has a drought index of 605, which places the county in a moderate to high risk category for wildfires. The Keetch -Byram drought index (KBDI) is a continuous ref- erence scale for estimating the dryness of the soil. The scale ranges from 0 to 800. High values of the KBDI are an indi- cation that conditions are favorable for the occurrence and spread of wildfires. Chief Franklin, states "residents should remember to fol- low the established burning guidelines, make sure that the fire is attended, and have an extinguishment method avail- able at all times." He also reminds citizens that it is illegal to burn household garbage including paper products, treated lumber, plastics, rubber materials, tires, pesticides, paint and aerosol containers. The Chief also wants to make residents aware that should their burning cause damage to another person's property, they may be held responsible for that damage. Additionally, they could be subject to being billed for the response cost necessary to control the fire. See FIRE — Page 5 Savannah sez... "motto's locus nasnoon '01ir Focus Is IS, Make You Comfortable aeen[ne customers comiortame ee 467 -1545 (or nearir, 35 veers" www.QuatityACokee.com 4 -2017 Siztvidard 0% Interest Financing Avallab LICY CACO2900 February 19, 2017 Okeechobee News 5 Shows charged with first degree murder Special to the Okeechobee News An Okeechobee Grand Jury has indicted Christopher Willi atr Shows on charges of First Degref Murder with a Firearm in connec tion with the Dec. 7, 2016 shoot ing of Amanda Suarez in her N. Third Street home. Shows, 21, U.S. 441 N., wa arrested Dec. 16 by OkeechobeE County Sheriff's Office (OCSO; Detective Javier Gonzalez. Christopher Shows According to information dis- seminated by the sheriff's office, Shows went to Amanda Suarez's N.W. Third Street home while her husband, Mathew, was at work and three of her four children were in school: When he knocked on the door, Mrs. Suarez let him. Shows was well known to her since he was dating her cousin, Sarah Seger. After he was in the home, Shows apparently began making sexual advances toward the 25- year-old woman, but she turned him away, the report continues. At some point Shows left the home, went to his truck parked outside the home and grabbed a .22 caliber rifle. He then went back inside the home. When Mrs. Suarez tried to run out the back door, Shows chased her and shot her in the back of her head, behind the ear. Shows, continued the information, then dragged Mrs. Suarez down the hallway and into the kitchen. It was here that he left her lifeless body in a crucifix position and in a puddle of blood. It was also here where Shows allegedly raped the now dead woman's body. Shows also faces charges of Burglary of a Dwelling with Assault or Battery while Armed - Discharge Firearm, Abuse Dead Hu- man Body, Petit Theft and Second Degree Tampering with Physical Evidence. Shows is held without bond on the bur- glary charge. Bond of $65,000 was set for the other three charges. Teen arrested on felony battery charge after hitting mom By Kris Schwartz Okeechobee News An argument between mother and daughter escalated into violence d cursing and finally, the police being calle Deputy Bart Potter respond to a resi- dence in the 2300 block of S.E. th Trail on Feb. 15 in reference to a domes c fight be- tween a mother and daughter. en he ar- rived, he saw a woman seated on the porch, and it appeared that she was in s ock. Her daughter reportedly stat that she was having a panic attack De uty Potter asked EMS to respond, and whe they said they were on their way, the daug ter began explaining what happened. She tated that • her adopted sister, 14-year-old Jessica Ranae Garcia, had been brought home from school by the principal because she had been sus- pended two days prior. The daughter said Garcia had reportedly been acting out with the principal, being very disrespectful. The mother began to tell Deputy Potter that Garcia had come home with a sweater that didn't belong to her, the report contin- ued. She stated that she told Garcia to give her the sweater, to which Garcia reportedly responded with profanity. The mother tried to take the sweater from her, and Garcia al- legedly began swinging at her mother and sister, striking both of them in the face. They finally managed to get the sweater from her, and Garcia purportedly told her mother that "since you took something of mine, I'm go- ing to destroy your things." The report stated that Garcia then pro- ceeded into her mother's bedroom and be- gan destroying things. The other two tried getting her out of her room, but Garcia re- portedly became more violent and swung again at her mother, reportedly striking her in the face and arms. The mother reported that at some point she did slap Garcia back out of self defense. She admitted that after she had been struck once by Garcia while Garcia was cursing at her, she did pop her on the mouth and tell her to shut her mouth. Garcia allegedly lashed out again at her mother slapping her. During this time of physical altercations, the mother told her other daughter to call the police. The mother reportedly said she wanted to see Garcia put in some type of school or somewhere to correct this problem. She stated that Garcia has no respect or regard for anyone's personal belongings, feelings or wellbeing. She stated that she had raised six adopted children and had never had these types of problems from any of the other children. According to the report, Garcia was ar- rested for battery domestic (felony) and has had prior convictions for battery on her mother. She was turned over to the Depart- ment of Juvenile Justice. Dramatic Battle Of Okeechobee re- enactment planned Special to the Okeechobee News Once again, the Battle of Ok obee, of the Second Seminole War will be reenacted in Okeechobee County on Saturd y, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26. The 2016 event drew large owds be- yond expectations. Come and perience living history, enjoy and be captivated by alligator demonstrations and Pow Wow dancing and be entertained by Jed Marum and Ricky Pittman, who will once again be joining us from Texas with 1800s Irish Folk Music. There will also be a raffle for a Semi- nole men's vest and a Seminole ladies skirt donated by Moses Osceola owner of Semi- i`LAKE Continued Fro. St. Lucie River and Caloosahalrhee River systems, so that maximum discharges are not required until the water level of the lake reaches 19.0 feet NGVD," states a bill. The Florida Audubon Socie immedi- ately issued a statement in oppo ition of the bill. "The Simmons bill would puce a world lass wildlife paradise at risk. Lake Okeecho- bee is home to a great sports fishery and is beloved by birdwatchers and dudk hunters," stated the Florida Audubon press release. By holding water at 19 feet before maxi- nole Boutique. This is just a sampling of all that will be available for this fun filled family day. Also, at the upcoming event, time -period Federal and Seminole artifacts will be fea- tured and on hand for display. You will not want to miss this opportunity to see these historic artifacts. These artifacts are on loan from Mr. Steve Carr and the Okeechobee Historical Society. The Okeechobee Battlefield Friends, Inc. are coordinating the upcoming event. Gates will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days and battle reenactments will also be held both days; Saturday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 26, at 2 p.m. Admission is $10 per car. Seating is limited; it is recom- mended to bring your own chair. This historic battle, fought on Christmas Day in 1837, was the largest and fiercest battle of the Second Seminole War. A tal- ented cast of re-enactors will portray fierce Indian warriors such as the great Indian war leaders Abiaca, Coacoochee, Halleck -Ttrs- tenuggee and Alligator. Some of these great warriors are portrayed by their descendants. As the drama unfolds, it depicts how the Seminoles, greatly outnumbered, battled the massive militia and U.S. Army troops led by Colonel Zachary Taylor and Colonel Ricfrd mum discharges are possible, SB 816 would drown the 150,000 acres of marshes that makeup some of the best wildlife habitat in the Everglades. This area provides excellent fish spawning, habitat for birds and recre- ation for people. "The South Florida Water Manage- ment District's adaptive protocols for Lake Okeechobee note that above 16 feet, im- pacts to the Lake's ecosystem can occur rapidly. In both 1988 and 2000, when the Lake was held chronically higher than 15 feet, 'ecological emergencies' were declared on the Lake. "A deeper Lake is also a dirtier Lake. Deeper water levels stir sediments on the bottom of the Lake and drown submerged aquatic plants that otherwise help clean wa- ter. High water levels also tend to occur with large inflows that carry high nutrient loads. Conversely, in years when water levels have allowed the marsh to thrive, nutrient con- centrations have decreased significantly. "Deep dirty water in the Lake will cause even more harm to the St. Lucie and Ca- loosahatchee estuaries. The Lake simp cannot hold an unlimited amount of water. When discharges to these estuaries are re- quired, water released will be even more nutrient rich than the water released in 2013 and 2016. This in turn would compound the chance of toxic algae blooms and other negative impacts," states the Audubon pr release. Gentry of the Missouri Volunteers. The dra- matic battle will be narrated by author and historian John Missall. Once again, experience Seminole and other artisans, Seminole clothing raffles, Pow Wow Dancing, period vendors and ex- hibits, Seminole Indian food, living history, cannon demonstrations, alligator demon- strations, children's horse rides, music, fun, food and more! Come and enjoy a fun -filled family day! The Okeechobee Battlefield Park is off U.S. Highway 441 S.E. Address and GPS are: 3500 S.E. 38th Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida 34974 27.211601 - 80.789350 This event is sponsored by many agen- 'es, organizations and individuals, Please call 863- 610 -2333 or 863- 763 -8667 for further information or visit www.okeechobeebattle- field.com or Facebook: Battle of Okeecho- bee. IRE Continued From Page 1 Should residents have any questions about the burning regulations, they can ontact Okeechobee County Fire Rescue at 863- 763 -5544 or by email at firerescue@ co.okeechobee.fl.us. A: Main Page 1 of 2 Lake Okeechobee Reservoir a job killer or creator? ISADORA RANGEL SA DO RA ' AN F ?J ii ALtvi Whether a controversial reservoir to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges would hurt or help Florida's economy depends on how you study it and who's paying for the study. Two reports came out in the past week showing economic gains and losses in different parts of the state from buying 60,000 acres from farmers south of the lake and building a reservoir to hold excess water. Conservative think tank James Madison Institute released a report Thursday titled 'Sticker $hock.' It estimates taking land out of production would have a direct negative impact of $345 million and kill 1,915 jobs, mostly in agriculture. The indirect losses would be $350 million and 2,233 jobs. Palm Beach and Hendry counties would shoulder 59 percent of that impact. About 12 percent of jobs and 15 percent of household income would be lost in the Glades communities: Belle Glade, Pahokee, South Bay, Canal Point and Clewiston, the study found. The Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida has said it would have to shutter its Belle Glade mill, which employs about 600 people, if 60,000 acres go out of production. These losses would trickle down to a $59 million annual drop in local, state and federal tax revenue. The institute's director, Daniel Peterson, previously advocated a reservoir north of the lake would reduce more discharges by capturing water before it enters the lake than the one proposed to the south. 'Flooding this land would result in the displacement of the residents of the area, and also force the closure of businesses in a variety of agricultural - related industries — from James Madison's findings are based on Florida Senate President Joe Negron's f1announcement last year he was looking for 60,000 acres to build the reservoir to hold water that today gets discharged into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. He's since said he's not set on a location and is open to buying less land by combining it with tracts the state already owns. Bills to implement his proposal were filed in the state Senate and House this year. COUNTER SCIENCE A study released Tuesday by the Everglades Foundation, one of the groups advocating for the land buy, shows the positive impacts of Negron's proposal. While the James Madison Institute says the reservoir would kill agricultural jobs, 39,000 people would gain jobs during the reservoir's construction, according to the Clemson University study commissioned by the foundation. That figure is based on an Army Corps of Engineers estimate that 20 jobs are created per $1 million spent on construction activity. Of those jobs: • 16,000 would be directly tied to building the reservoir; • 10,000 would be associated with construction, such as making concrete and delivering supplies; • 13,000 would be created in other industries because people in construction will have more money to spend. While these jobs would last only for the duration of construction, many agricultural jobs also are seasonal, and technology has for decades displaced field workers, said Michael Maloney, the Clemson University study's lead investigator. His study doesn't take into account jobs that would be created to maintain the reservoir after it's built, he said. REAL ESTATE BOOST The reservoir also would create a $19 billion increase in real estate values in Martin and Lee counties by reducing discharges that foul the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers and have caused a drop in property values. The total impact of the project would exceed $20 billion because there's also value in the water the reservoir would collect, which today gets discharged into the seas. That's an 8 to 1 return on the project's $2.47 billion cost, which includes buying the land and construction. Building a reservoir north of the lake instead, as the sugar industry and opponents of the land buy argue, would yield more meager economic benefits, the study found. A northern reservoir would have a $1.7 billion benefit and create 22,500 direct and indirect jobs. The South Florida Water Management District disputed that conclusion, calling the study 'irresponsible science.' Both southern and northern storage components are called for in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, but the district has chosen to build north first. OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON http: // treasurecoast. fl. newsmemory. com /ee / nmum /defaultbb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main manufacturing, to wholesalers, suppliers, retailers and others,' the report states. Friday, 06/02/2017 Pag.A02 Page 2 of 2 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 Negron: Plan to curb lake discharges won't work Lake OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON TYLER TREADWAY additional southern storage; it is when and where." T r LE FL , T REA D 'WA :'iP _,h >1 COI' State Sen. David Simmons has filed a In a memo to fellow senators bill calling for the Corps, with help Thursday, Senate President Joe Negron from the state, to speed up repairs to dismissed a proposal to curb Lake the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake 0 so it can See LAKE, Page 11A Okeechobee discharges by holding more water in the lake. Negron is sticking by his own plan to buy farmland south of Lake 0 and build a reservoir to hold, treat and send the excess water south. After discussing remedies to the discharges in Washington this week with Florida's U.S. senators, members of Congress and officials with the Army Corps of Engineers, Negron said the issue "is not if we will have Negron: Plan to curb lake discharges won't work Lake Continued from Page l A hold 2 feet more of water to reduce the need for discharging it east to the St. Lucie River and west to the Caloosahatchee River. Simmons is sticking to his guns, too. "I applaud and commend the Senate President for being proactive and bringing debate on this issue to the forefront," Simmons said Thursday. Buthe added the top priority should be to "fix the damn dike." Citing a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Simmons said that as the dike is repaired, the Corps can determine how much extra water it can hold. If it's a lot of water, less land Herbert Hoover dike around Lake Okeechobee is in need of $800 million in repairs. to strengthen the dike by 2025.The Simmons bill calls for the work to be done by 2022 at the latest. To speed up the project, Simmons suggests the state match the $80 million in federal funds the Corps plans to spend on repairs each year over the next four yearswith the agreement that the feds will repay the state. Based on his conversations this week, Negron told senators not to expect to get the money back. "If Florida advances funds to complete the rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee, the federal government FILE PHOTO for deciding when and how much water is discharged from the lake. When Negron first suggested state control following the "Lost Summer of 2013 ", many Treasure Coast environmentalists said they'd rather have decision making in the Corps' hands. Negron's proposal, which is before the state Legislature as Senate Bill 10 and House Bill 761, calls for the state and federal government to equally split the $2.4 billion cost to buy up to 60,000 acres south of Lake 0 and build a 120 billion - gallon reservoir to store and send excess lake water south to Everglades National Park. will not repay the money to Florida," The southern reservoir is supported by Negron wrote. "We will have simply several Treasure Coast and statewide spent hundreds of millions of dollars of environmental groups as the best way General Revenue funds on what is to seriously cut back on discharges. It unquestionably a federal has been blasted by residents and responsibility." farmerssouth of the lake, who say it http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ _ default _bb_ include _inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main and possibly none at all would have to be bought south of the lake. Negron, a Republican from Stuart, reiterated the Corps' longstanding statement that repairing the dike won't necessarily mean the lake will be able to hold more water. In fact, he said the Corps is "predicting only negligible modifications" to discharges after the dike is repaired. Speed up repairs The Corps plans to finish a $L7 billion project If the Corps won't repay the state for helping speed dike repairs, "we'll do it anyway," Simmons said. "We'll be saving lives, saving the environment and saving our state economy." The Republican from Longwood added, "We can always sue them if we have to." The two senators do agree the state, not the Corps, should be responsible Page 2 of 2 will take too much land out of production and ruin the economy there. The legislative session begins Tuesday in Tallahassee. "We can always sue them if we have to." DAVID SIMMONS STATE SENATOR Friday, 06/02/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Mcdia Group http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 Leaders: Jobs at stake to fix Lake 0 issues Jobs OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON ISADORA RANGEL said former Pahokee Mayor J.P. Sasser. iSADOP.A RAN jF L (Zi), TC PA r d CC)M AND TYLER TREADWAY Sasser and Belle Glade Bishop Kenny Berry sat down with Treasure Coast Ty' ER_ TREE' D WA' /QTCPF LM.C`f-' Newspapers for a Facebook live interview to make their case against the land buy. This was their rebuttal to a February interview with Florida Senate President Joe Negron, a Stuart Republican who's pushing a bill this year for the state to borrow $1.2 billion for the purchase and construction of a reservoir to hold excess lake water that today gets discharged. Towns south of Lake Okeechobee don't cause discharges into coastal areas, but are being asked to carry the burden to fix the issue, community leaders told Treasure Coast Newspapers on Friday. A bill to buy rural land for a reservoir is unfair to residents in the area known as the Glades, who rely on agriculture for jobs, they said. They are skeptical of lawmakers' plans to mitigate the loss of jobs and said other parts of the state should do their share to reduce pollution that flows into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. "Everyone who's a player in this needs to take an equal hit," Leaders: Jobs at stake to fix Lake 0 issues Jobs Continued from Page IA all local businesses that rely on dollars generated by agriculture, such as the Belle Glade auto body shop Sasser manages. The Sugar Growers Cooperative of Florida has said it would have to close its Belle Glade mill, which employs 560 full -time workers and an additional 300 contractors, according to Sasser. 'The jobs out there right now are supporting our community,' said Berry, Here are the takeaways from the interview with Sasser and Berry: JOB LOSSES Pahokee, Belle Glade and South Bay have struggled to attract other industries besides sugar and agriculture. Taking 60,000 acres out of production for the Berry and Sasser pointed out that more than 90 percent of the water flowing into Lake Okeechobee water that could eventually be discharged to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers comes from the Kissimmee River basin north of the lake. The problem is up north. Everything is flowing from up north, so let's focus up north,' Berry said. 'Why is Central Florida's problem our problem ?' Sasser asked. 'If the bathtub is overflowing, wouldn't you turn off the faucet ?' Plans developed by the state and federal governments call for reservoirs north, south, east and west of Lake O. Projects east and west are underway, and a northern reservoir is next on the reservoir, as Negron suggested last year, would affect See JOBS, Page 9A water remains. The advantage: Less land may needed, meaning less expense to the state, less land taken out of farming and fewer jobs lost in the Glades region. The problem: It would seriously delay construction of the southern water storage, which Sasser agreed is the key to the whole thing.' CAN WE COMPROMISE? 'We're not that far apart from what we want,' Sasser said. 'It's on how we're going to get there where the difference is.' People in the Glades communities 'want the discharges to stop; we want the Everglades to be rehabilitated,' he added. http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main founder of Grace Fellowship Center. 'Don't take those away.' NO TRUST IN LAWMAKERS Bill sponsor Rep. Thad Altman, R- Rockledge, has suggested one way to mitigate job losses would be to give priority to locals for jobs in the construction of the reservoir. The Everglades Foundation, one of the groups pushing for the land buy, commissioned a study that found 16,000 direct construction jobs would be generated plus 23,000 indirect ones. Berry and Sasser aren't buying it. "The jobs that we are talking about losing are existing jobs," Sasser said. "This other stuff is pie in the sky." They said the state promised to train sugar workers to learn other skills when Clewiston -based U.S. Sugar Corp. agreed to sell all its holdings to the state in 2008. That promise never came true, Sasser said. Neither did most of the deal and the state only bought a small portion of the company's land LOOK NORTH FIRST list. Negron's plan would move up construction of the southern reservoir. The argument for expediting the northern reservoir is that it would store and clean water before it reaches, and pollutes, the lake. But a northern reservoir would have limited effect on curtailing discharges. Once it filled up, excess water would have to be sent to Lake 0; and once the lake fills up, the water could be sent to the estuaries, scientists say. LOOK SOUTH LAST Sasser said projects north, east and west of the lake as well as curbing flows from the local watershed into the St. Lucie and switching septic tanks to sewer systems should be completed before starting the southern reservoir. The argument is that once those projects are up and running, water managers can determine how large the southern reservoir needs to be to handle whatever excess Page 2 of 2 To reach a compromise, Sasser said, both sides have to focus on solving the problem rather than assigning blame. But Berry added, 'Why do we have to compromise? We're not the problem.' Former Pahokee Mayor J.P. Sasser (left) and Bishop Kenny Berry (center) sat down with reporter Isadora Rangel on Friday. HANNAH SCHWAB /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Friday. 06 /02/2017 Pag.A0I Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 B: Opinion Page 1 of 2 Why a land buy south of Lake 0 is our board's No. 1 priority Samples I posed a question on my Facebook page recently: 'What do you want the Legislature to do during its 2017 session ?' 1 figured a handful of political wonks would respond. Instead, I was overwhelmed by feedback. More than 80 people commented — many reiterating the same theme: They want Florida lawmakers to stop dragging their feet and fix our waterways by purchasing land south of Lake Okeechobee. 'Stop the flow from Lake Okeechobee and clean up our rivers,' posted Jay Sizemore of Fort Pierce. 'CLEAN WATER,' wrote Vero Beach resident Curtis Carpenter. 'Honor the voters' mandate. Spend the money for acquiring land for water cleanup, not using it for other purposes,' wrote Vincent J. Cerniglia of Jensen Beach. 'Pass Joe Negron's bill!' wrote Tony Polito of Stuart, referring to Senate President Why a land buy south of Lake 0 is our board's No. 1 priority Samples Continued from Page 1B acquisition of land south of Lake Okeechobee for storing, treating and moving water south to the Everglades (so it's not dumped, untreated, into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries). Optimistic because so many residents have raised their voices, repeatedly, to demand change. When our river was green last summer, more than 10,000 Negron's plan to buy 60,000 acres south of Lake Okeechobee. The Editorial Board of Treasure Coast Newspapers agrees with that guidance. Our eight- member board made buying land south of Lake Okeechobee our No. 1 priority for the legislative session that begins Tuesday. It's the best chance we have at preventing another 'Mean Green 2016,' as we've come to call last year's toxic algae blooms on the St. Lucie River. I'm both optimistic and skeptical about the land buy's prospects. Optimistic because, finally, after decades of pollution, we have a state Senate president who is supporting the See Samples, Page 4B for the 2017 legislative session call for closing the write -in loophole in state elections law and a reform of a bad law that allows phosphorous- and nitrogen - rich human waste to be applied in watersheds across Florida, as detailed in an eye- opening February story by investigative reporter Lucas Daprile. Our editorial board doesn't arrive at these priorities lightly. We meet weekly to discuss local issues we believe our news organization should take an editorial stance on. We prioritize local issues over national OPINION EDITOR EVE Samples is a big part of our news organization's legacy. Ernie Lyons, the late Stuart News editor, put it this way in 1970: 'What men do they can undo, and the hope for our river is in the hundreds of men and women in our communities who are resolved to save the St. Lucie. It may be too soon for the river to have a mood of confidence, but it is not too soon to hope.' We're still grappling with the same problem Lyons wrote about 47 years ago. Instead of hundreds of men and women, now tens of thousands are ideological debates. We believe we can resolved to save our river. have more meaningful impacts on http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum /_ default _bb_ include _inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 B: Opinion residents signed a letter we published to Gov. Rick Scott, calling on him to use the power of his office to buy land south of Lake Okeechobee. Still, I'm skeptical because there are no signs of support for a land buy from House Speaker Richard Corcoran, and the formidable sugar lobby is working hard to kill Negron's proposal. Our editorial board's two other priorities decisions, and decisionmakers, closer to home. The three issues highlighted in our 2017 priorities stood out among the topics we've considered over the past year. Lawmakers have the power to make our state a better place if they embrace them. Fighting for clean water Page 2 of 2 This is the moment for lawmakers to embrace the solution. Eve Samples is opinion and audience engagement editor for Treasure Coast Newspapers. Contact her at 772221 - 4217 or v_ '-a7,gqe, Qictf ai r_ ,. Follow her on Twitter @EveSamples. Friday, 06/02/2017 Pag.B01 Copyright 2017 Journal Media Group http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee/ nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 3 THE ISSUES Stage LEGISLATIVE SESSION 2017 PREVIEW TREASURE COAST TAKES Center Stage IN FLORIDA LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR The Florida Legislature begins its 60- day session divided on many issues, with Republican leaders clashing over health care, gambling, incentive programs and a reservoir to help control water quality on the state's coasts. There's a rift between Republican Gov. Rick Scott and GOP House leaders over stripping taxpayer money from Enterprise Florida and 21 other incentive programs. House leaders are at odds with the Republican -led Senate over gambling. And a Senate -led bid to borrow money to buy land for a reservoir that would store Lake Okeechobee water is getting little support from Scott or House Republicans. Even a budget rule governing how House and Senate members set aside money for projects caused a split last month between GOP leaders in both chambers. This year's session could be defined by what divides lawmakers. More on the hot - button topics to watch this session, Page 6A The reservoir: Sen. Rob Bradley's Senate Bill 10, which implements Negron's plan, directs the state to find willing sellers of land in the Everglades Agricultural Area by Dec. 31 for a reservoir to curb Lake 0 discharges. After that, the state would have until 2018 to hold U.S. Sugar Corp. to a 2010 agreement to sell 153,000 See STAGE, Page 10A Go online for more, including videos and interactive features. ini,5111 a. corim Inside /7A A guide to key players. Meet our Capital team. Coming Monday Ten bills to watch this session. ISADORA RANGEL Sen. Joe Negron R- Stuart is in a position to push for a reservoir south 1SADORA.RANGEL(cTCPALM.COMof Lake Okeechobee. There's no overstating: The Treasure Coast will take Center Stage in the Legislature in 2017. Stuart Republican Joe Negron is the powerful Senate president. He's in a unique position to push for a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee, which his constituents have asked for since last summer's algae blooms. That's not the only issue of Treasure Coast interest the Legislature will hear LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS All Aboard Florida's first Brightline train leaves a Siemens manufacturing facility on Dec. 8. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO FROM ALL ABOARD FLORIDA Fallow land and fields of green sugar cane are part of the Everglades Agricultural Area. TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS FILE P http:// treasurecoast .fi.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default_bb_include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main when it goes into session from Tuesday to May 7. There's a counterproposal dealing with Lake Okeechobee discharges, there are many plans to address septic tank pollution and a bill to rein in high- speed rail companies such as All Aboard Florida. Here's a rundown of those proposals: Army Corps of Engineers and help the federal government pay to repair the Herbert Hoover Dike around the lake under a bill by Sen. David Simmons, for businesses. New towns: Hobe Sound and lndiantown, both unincorporated parts Page 2 of 3 THE ISSUES Stage Continued from Page l A acres. If that falls through, the bill mandates the Legislature give an additional $50 million per year to Everglades restoration, which includes projects that address discharges. Among the bill's main opponents are U.S. Sugar and other farmers and lawmakers skeptical the project will reduce discharges for its hefty $2.4 billion price tag. The state would split the cost with the federal government by borrowing money, a big sticking point for fiscal conservatives and Gov. Rick Scott. Septic tanks: Scott is proposing $40 million for 50/50 matching grants to help local governments switch homes and businesses from septic tanks to sewers in areas affected by algae blooms, such as the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon. St. Lucie County, Sewall's Point and Martin County are asking for money this year. While septic pollution contributed to the St. Lucie River blooms last year, Lake Okeechobee discharges are what caused them, scientists say. More septic tanks: There's also a bill asking for $20 million a year to help property owners either retrofit their septic systems or connect to sewer lines when the state Department of Environmental Protection finds they are polluting estuaries. Another bill requires septic tank inspections as part of real estate sales, which might be a tough sell to property rights hawks who in 2012 repealed a 2010 law mandating inspection every five years. Lake Okeechobee: Florida would take control of discharges from the http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee / nmum /defaultbb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 3 of 3 RLongwood. The point is to hold more water in the lake and discharge Tess, but environmentalists say doing so would destroy the lake's ecology and risk the lake being too high too often. The bill also requires the state and federal governments to find a way to build a reservoir for excess water south of Lake 0 on 33,000 acres of state - owned land, but its questionable whether that's possible because the land is needed for other projects. Brightline trains: Treasure Coast lawmakers filed the Florida High - Speed Passenger Rail Safety Act to require companies such as All Aboard Florida, and not local governments, to install and pay for safety features and upgrade crossings. All Aboard plans to run up to 32 Brightline trains per day through the Treasure Coast, but local governments have been fighting the project because of safety and other concerns. Plastic bags: A Miami Beach Democrat wants Florida to follow the lead of California and Hawaii and allow local governments to ban plastic retaii bags, which create litter and can endanger marine life. Rep. David Richardson's bill would lift a state preemption on such local laws and let municipalities with fewer than 100,000 residents near water bodies create a pilot program to regulate bag use. Sewall's Point is among local governments across the state that have passed ordinances calling for an end to the preemption. The Florida Retail Federation opposes the bill as too burdensome of Martin County, want to incorporate into towns. The Legislature must approve their request before it goes before voters in referendums in each proposed municipality in November. Incorporation proponents have said they would keep Martin County services such as law enforcement and fire rescue, and don't expect immediate property tax increases. Abortion: Vero Beach freshman Republican Rep. Erin Grall filed a controversial bill that would give women 10 years to sue their doctors for physical injuries or emotional distress after an abortion. HB 19 gives women four years to sue after discovering such injuries. Abortion rights activists say the measure discourages doctors from providing abortions because they would have to get extra liability insurance. Grall, a personal injury lawyer, has said her proposal protects women from doctors who don't get their proper consent. Local preemption: A bill to preempt local governments from enacting business regulations that aren't in state law has alarmed cities and counties as well as gay rights activists who think local anti- discrimination ordinances would be out the door. Environmental group 1,000 Friends of Florida also raised concerns about the bill's impacts on local development and environmental rules. Freshman GOP sponsor Rep. Randy Fine of Brevard County has said this is an attempt to protect small businesses from stifling local control. Friday, 06/02/2017 Pag_A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee / nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Stage Continued from Page 1 A acres. If that falls through, the bill mandates the Legislature give an additional $50 million per year to Everglades restoration, which includes projects that address discharges. Among the bill's main opponents are U.S. Sugar and other farmers and lawmakers skeptical the project will reduce discharges for its hefty $2.4 billion price tag. The state would split the cost with the federal government by borrowing money, a big sticking point for fiscal conservatives and Gov. Rick Scott. Septic tanks: Scott is proposing $40 million for 50/50 matching grants to help local governments switch homes and businesses from septic tanks to sewers in areas affected by algae blooms, such as the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon. St. Lucie County, Sewall's Point and Martin County are asking for money this year. While septic pollution contributed to the St. Lucie River blooms last year, Lake Okeechobee discharges are what caused them, scientists say. More septic tanks: There's also a bill asking for $20 million a year to help property owners either retrofit their septic systems or connect to sewer lines when the state Department of Environmental Protection finds they are polluting estuaries. Another bill requires septic tank inspections as part of real estate sales, which might be a tough sell to property rights hawks who in 2012 repealed a 2010 law mandating inspection every five years. Lake Okeechobee: Florida would take control of discharges from the Army Corps of Engineers and help the federal government pay to repair the Herbert Hoover Dike around the lake under a bill by Sen. David Simmons, RLongwood. The point is to hold more water in the lake and discharge less, the lake's ecology and risk the lake being too high too often. The bill also requires the state and federal governments to find a way to build a reservoir for excess water south of Lake 0 on 33,000 acres of state -owned land, but it's questionable whether that's possible because the land is needed for other projects. Brightline trains: Treasure Coast lawmakers filed the Florida High - Speed Passenger Rail Safety Act to require companies such as All Aboard Florida, and not local governments, to install and pay for safety features and upgrade crossings. All Aboard plans to run up to 32 Brightline trains per day through the Treasure Coast, but local governments have been fighting the project because of safety and other concerns. Plastic bags: A Miami Beach Democrat wants Florida to follow the lead of California and Hawaii and allow local governments to ban plastic retail bags, which create litter and can endanger marine life. Rep. David Richardson's bill would lift a state preemption on such local laws and let municipalities with fewer than 100,000 residents near water bodies create a pilot program to regulate bag use. Sewall's Point is among local governments across the state that have passed ordinances calling for an end to the preemption. The Florida Retail Federation opposes the bill as too burdensome for businesses. New towns: Hobe Sound and lndiantown, both unincorporated parts of Martin County, want to incorporate into towns. The Legislature must approve their request before it goes before voters in referendums in each proposed municipality in November. Incorporation proponents have said they would keep Martin County services such as law enforcement and fire rescue, and don't expect immediate property tax increases. Abortion: Vero Beach freshman Republican Rep. Erin Grail filed a controversial bill Page 1 of 2 that would give women 10 years to sue their doctors for physical injuries or emotional distress after an abortion. HB 19 gives women four years to sue after discovering such injuries. Abortion rights activists say the measure discourages doctors from providing abortions because they would have to get extra liability insurance. Grail, a personal injury lawyer, has said her proposal protects women from doctors who don't get their proper consent. Local preemption: A bill to preempt local governments from enacting business regulations that aren't in state law has alarmed cities and counties as well as gay rights activists who think local anti- discrimination ordinances would be out the door. Environmental group 1,000 Friends of Florida also raised concerns about the bill's impacts on local development and environmental rules. Freshman GOP sponsor Rep. Randy Fine of Brevard County has said this is an attempt to protect small businesses from stifling local control . http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A• Main Page 2 of 2 but environmentalists say doing so would destroy CONTINUED FROM Stage ON PAGE Al Friday, 06/02/2017 Pag.A 10 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 Negron wants more money for water water JAMES CALL USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA Senate President Joe Negron gaveled the Florida Senate to order for his first session as its leader Tuesday and outlined his agenda. Left unsaid was how he intends to handle what may be his biggest challenge — a policy dispute between Gov. Rick Scott and House Speaker Richard Corcoran. While presiding officers always face challenges at the beginning of a legislative session, the one confronting Negron is a doozy. Scott and Corcoran' s dispute centers on money and Negron wants to spend a lot of money. Scott has different spending priorities and Corcoran thinks the state has a spending problem. Negron's See water, Page 11A Negron wants more money for water water Continued from Page IA agenda of addressing water problems and boosting higher education could be sidetracked. And Scott and Corcoran kicked up their fight a notch with their opening day remarks. It took Corcoran all but 94 words into his prepared remarks to attack wasteful government spending. "Instead of spending more money, we will fight to eliminate waste from the budget," Corcoran said after referencing the agencies Scott wants to finance to help lure businesses and tourists to Florida. Addressing the Legislature in the House chamber, Scott said he knows business. He knows poverty. And he not's backing down. a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee. He needs to get either Scott or Corcoran to pause long enough in a heated discussion about government spending to consider his plan. A Senate bill would bond $100 million a year for about a generation to purchase 60,000 acres to store and clean water in the Everglades. Problems facing SB 10 include Corcoran's suspicions about government's ability to take on big projects and Scott's dislike of debt created by bond financing. Without the reservoir, Negron warned, the Army Corps of Engineers will continue to send toxic water discharges to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. "No one, including the Army Corps of Engineers, has the right to pollute another community of Florida," he said. "We're going to have to have a place for the water to go, otherwise the Army Corps of Engineers will continue its practice of just opening the Legislators gather for the first day of session at the Capitol in Tallahassee on Tuesday. JOE RONDONE /USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 2 of 2 "Florida is a state full of fighters, and 1 floodgates and polluting the will never stop fighting for our communities to the east and west." families," said Scott. Negron wants to spend $2.4 billion to build Friday, 06/02/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee / nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A : Main Page 1 of 2 Water managers extend contract Water Evans Properties farm gets at least one more year of operation TYLER Treadway TYL ER:IF i7(1T PALM C I'v'1 Because it's done a good job keeping water out of the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon, a St. Lucie County water farm will keep operating for at least another year. The South Florida Water Management District agreed Thursday to a one - year, $542,836 contract extension with Evans Properties Inc. The project draws water out of the C -24 Canal in St. Lucie County to keep it from reaching the St. Lucie River Estuary in Martin County. Water from the canals that stretch into western pastures Water managers extend contract Water Continued from Page l A which send Lake 0 water east to the St. Lucie River and west to the Caloosahatchee River, respectively. Projects planned along the C -23 and C -24 canals that empty into the St. Lucie River aren't scheduled to be constructed until the early 2020s. In 2014, a year after the devastating "Lost Summer" discharges from Lake 0, the water district set up water farms in fallow citrus groves owned by Evans and two other companies: » A 450 -acre water farm on Caulkins Citrus Co. land that was supposed to remove 4.4 billion gallons of water from the C -44 Canal connecting Lake and citrus groves contain high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and ammonia that can feed toxic blue -green algae blooms in the estuary. The 970 -acre water farm was expected to keep about 1.2 billion gallons of water out of the estuaries each year. Over the two years of the contract, it's held back nearly 1.5 billion gallons a year. At that rate, the cost is about a third of a cent per gallon. Water in, none out Water farms hold water until it evaporates into the air or percolates into the ground. The projects are seen as a temporary way to keep water out of the estuary and lagoon until large reservoirs around Lake Okeechobee can be built to hold more water. Opponents see water farms as a type of corporate welfare to large landowners. Reservoirs are being built along the C -44 and C -43 canals, See WATER, Page 11A OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON » A 210 -acre water farm on the Bull Hammock Ranch owned by Spur Land & Cattle Co. is meeting its goal of removing about 283.5 million gallons a year from the C -23 Canal, which runs along the Martin -St. Lucie county line. Water farm opponents point out the projects remove a very small portion of the water that enters the St. Lucie estuary during high Lake 0 discharges. For instance: The Evans, Spur and pre - expansion Caulkins water farms can keep about 6.8 billion gallons of water out of the estuary. The 2013 discharges dumped about 136.1 billion gallons of Lake 0 water into the St. Lucie, the 2016 discharges about 220 billion gallons. The contract extension approved Thursday will be paid for with a state Caulkins Citrus is seen in this file photo. The South Florida Water Management District board's 11 -year contract with Caulkins Citrus Co. calls for the water farm to remove about 26 billion gallons of water a year from the C -44 Canal. Co. in Indiantown FILE PHOTO http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee / nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main O and the St. Lucie River sucked out appropriation; no money generated about 8.3 billion gallons. That success from local property taxes will be used, led the Legislature and Gov. Rick according to the district. Scott to agree in 2016 to increase the site to 3,275 acres. Page 2 of 2 Friday, 06/02/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee / nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Ma;n Page 1 of 2 Glades residents denounce Negron's lake plan at meeting Glades TYLER TREADWAY f LEF ,TREADWA echoed the opinion of other opponents, particularly the sugar industry and the PAIL I CO outh Florida Water Management District, saying taking that much farmland out of production would kill much - needed jobs in the impoverished 'Glades' communities south of the lake, including Pahokee. PAHOKEE — A crowd of residents from south of Lake Okeechobee told state Senate President Joe Negron their communities, already in economic straits, could die if his proposal for a reservoir to stop discharges is enacted. Pahokee Mayor Keith W. Babb Jr. said his constituents 'are going to lose their houses, they're going to lose their cars' if the land is taken out of agriculture. 'They'll have to leave the area, and we can't afford that.' Negron, a Stuart Republican, appeared at a town hall meeting Friday evening in a packed auditorium at Pahokee Middle /High School. Many in the audience wore 'Save Our Jobs' and 'Glades Lives Matter' T- shirts. Negron has proposed building a $2.4 billion reservoir on 60,000 acres south of Lake Okeechobee to help curtail discharges of contaminated water that causes toxic algae blooms in the St. Lucie River in his home district and the Caloosahatchee River. Speakers from the audience Glades residents denounce Negron's lake plan at meeting Glades Continued from Page 1 A effect,' McKinlay said, eliminating not only agricultural jobs, but union jobs at mills, and close down 'mom - andpop lunch places because people won't have disposable income.' Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay, whose District 6 includes western county communities south of the lake, noted unemployment in the Glades is between 20 and 28 percent and about 40 percent of the population is below the poverty level. Taking 60,000 acres out of production will have 'a ripple See Glades, Page 11A OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Negron, whose District 25 took in Pahokee and areas along the southeastern side of the lake in November because of a court- mandated redrawing of Senate maps last year, noted the discharges have cost jobs and closed businesses on the east and west coasts. 'Jobs of all citizens are equally important,' he said. Still, Negron promised there would be changes in his proposal as it works its Kamara Woodson, of Belle Glade, was one of about 400 people in the audience during a discussion Friday. LEAH VOSS /I REASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default _bb_ include _inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main The economic effect of the reservoir is up for debate. A report by the conservative think tank James Madison institute estimates taking land out of production would have a direct negative impact of $345 million and kill 1,915 jobs, mostly in agriculture.The indirect losses would be $350 million and 2,233 jobs. A study by Clemson University commissioned by the EverGlades Foundation claims 39,000 people would gain jobs during the reservoir's construction, and real estate values in Martin and Lee counties would increase by $19 billion because of cleaner water. There was no such dispute among the crowd members in the auditorium. 'Please don't make this an issue to save one area of your district to the harm of another,' Janet Taylor, a former Hendry County commissioner and founder of the Glades Live Matter group, told Negron. 'Change this bad bill and stand up for your constituents in Pahokee.' way through the Florida Legislature. Adding economic stimulus projects for the Glades communities already has been suggested. We can craft something that will resolve the discharge issue and not have an adverse effect on residents and business in the Glades,' Negron said. Some in the crowd questioned why help for the community had to be tied to a proposal that would take away jobs. Proponents ofNegron's plan, including many Treasure Coast environmentalists and the EverGlades Foundation, say it's the only way to curtail discharges. Friday, 06/02/2017 Pag.A01 Page 2 of 2 Florida Senate President Joe Negron (from left), Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay, Pahokee Mayor Keith Babb and Pahokee City Manager Chandler Williamson take part in a discussion about the proposed Senate 13111 10. LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Copyright 2017 Journal Media Group http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee/ nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Maio Corps: Stay the course on Everglades Everglades Plan would take act of Congress TYLER TREADWAY L, 1E ISADORA RANGEL �E F° T _EAD W saying Wednesday the Corps has a 'track record' of moving up projects when requested. h `o (�TCPALC >t ' l' But in the meantime, the cCorps is committed to sticking with a plan to proceed with storage projects north, east and west of the lake before even starting to plan for storage to the south. LA RA ,RAHGEL TCPALt4 CO;t I Moving up planning and building a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee would take an act of Congress. Literally, said a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers. Even if the Florida Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott approve Senate President Joe Negron's plan to buy land and start planning a southern reservoir immediately, the Corps would need approval by Congress and President Donald Trump to fund its half of the estimated $2.4 billion project, said spokesman John Campbell. At that point. we'd have our marching orders,' Campbell said. Negron remains optimistic, Corps: Stay the course on Everglades Everglades Continued from Page l A there will be federal dollars is unrealistic." Yet only last summer, the Corps was willing to start planning the southern reservoir 'quickly' once a Local partner is found, Jo -Ellen Darcy, who led the Corps as assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, wrote in a July 26 letter to then -U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy. It's the optimal sequence of restoration activities,' Col. Jason Kirk, the Corps' commander for Florida, said Tuesday. Kirk's endorsement of holding off on the southern reservoir is a sign the federal government doesn't agree with Negron's proposal, said state Rep. Matthew Caldwell. Negron's plan to buy 60,000 acres of farmland and build a 120 billion - gallon reservoir relies on federal funding, said Caldwell, a Republican from Lehigh Acres. "I think any new bill that assumes See EVERGLADES, Page 9A Page 1 of 2 Joe Negron OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Both show the Corps' intention to follow the Integrated Delivery Schedule as it is written. And its not written in stone. It's flexible; it can be changed.' Which brings us back to the act of Congress. FIRST THINGS FIRST First, Negron's proposal has to get through the Florida Legislature. He's said since announcing the plan in August it will be a difficult task. "If this were easy, it would have already been done 20 years ago," Negron said. But Mark Perry, executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society and staunch supporter of the southern reservoir, said it will have 'a chilling effect' on state legislators who might be considering voting for it. That wasn't Kirk's intent, Campbell said. 'Our intent is to let lawmakers debate proposals and make policy,' he said. 'If were asked to provide information on what the Corps can and cannot do, well provide information. Then we'll do whatever we are mandated to do by the president and Congress.' http: / /treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A 7 Maio Page 2 of 2 What's changed? For starters, Campbell said, Darcy and Murphy aren't in their federal jobs anymore. And Campbell insists the statements by Darcy and Kirk aren't contradictory. Everglades Foundation CEO Eric Eikenberg called Kirk's statement a "big yawn" and said it doesn't affect voting on Negron's proposal. Thursday, 03/16/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee / nmum /defaultbb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 Lake 0 reservoir bill sees changes Bill OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Senate panel OKs amended version ISADORA RANGEL being taken out of production. The bill continues to call for the state to look for willing sellers of about 60,000 acres. That amount of land, the Sugar P' AfILML( ifT" Pr'',LI , (C`-''IACane Growers Cooperative of Florida has said, could mean closing its Belle Glade mill, which employs about 560 people. A Senate committee approved a bill Wednesday to buy land for a Lake Okeechobee reservoir with changes to appease critics and help agricultural communities, but the proposal's staunchest opponents have yet to get on board. From adding new water projects across the state to changing its financing, Senate Bill 10 now offers an olive branch to lawmakers who haven't warmed up to the idea, as well as business groups and residents of communities south of the lake, an area known as "the Glades." The legislation would give priority for reservoir construction jobs to qualified residents who lose their jobs because of agricultural land Lake 0 reservoir bill sees changes Bill Continued from Page IA tion for everyone than to just displace an entire community," Belle Glade Commissioner Johnny Burroughs Jr. told the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources. Some senators said they want to see a long -term plan to help the Glades. Democratic Sen. Oscar Braynon of Miami Gardens, the only committee member who voted against SB 10, said he wants to see a separate bill to address rampant unemployment in these communities, where roughly one -third of residents live in poverty. Glades residents said replacing permanent agricultural jobs with temporary construction ones wouldn't help them. They also said they haven't gotten many jobs in the ongoing repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike around the lake. "There should be a more viable solu- See BILL, Page I1A Despite these changes, landowners and the state's top business lobbying groups continue to oppose the bill. attract more support is unclear as the Legislature still would have to allocate dollars to issue government bonds and pay for the debt service. Bradley said using $3.3 billion in available financing from Florida Forever, which the Legislature already has authorized, makes sense because those funds aren't being used. He also said expanding Florida Forever to pay for water quality and storage will help Florida as new residents settle here. MORE PROJECTS ADDED Bradley also added projects to garner support from lawmakers across the state. Those include: • Creating a loan program to help government and private entities pay for tributaries or the Keystone Heights Lake Region; • $2 million annually for septicto- sewer conversions, stormwater projects, muck removal and other water quality projects in the Florida Keys. CONTINUING OPPOSITION Despite these changes, landowners and the state's top business lobbying groups — the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Florida continue to oppose the bill. They have long argued a reservoir north of the lake, where most water enters the lake, would achieve better results with less land needed. http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Sponsor Sen. Rob Bradley said he will continue to improve the bill to help displaced workers, and he's also looking at buying fewer acres by using existing state land to minimize impacts to agriculture. He clarified in the bill the state cannot use eminent domain to force landowners to sell. FINANCING Among the other changes Bradley made is a maneuver to gain support from lawmakers wary of borrowing $1.2 billion for the project. SB 10 now allows borrowing capacity within the Florida Forever program, which mainly buys land for parks and habitat preservation, to be used to buy land south of the lake and build the reservoir. Whether the change will water storage projects that prevent it "from being discharged to tide or otherwise lost to protect the waters of the state." The loan would pay up to 75 percent of the project and give priority to alternative water supply in areas with limited water sources or that are threatened by salt water intrusion. • $20 million for grants to help local governments convert septic tanks to sewer systems or remove muck in the Indian River Lagoon and the St. Lucie and Caloosahtachee rivers, as Gov. Rick Scott has proposed; • $35 million per year for the restoration of the St. Johns River and its "Thursday, 03/09/2017 Pag.AOI Page 2 of 2 Florida Senate President Joe Negron and environmentalists have said once a northern reservoir is full, there's no option but to send the water into the lake and eventually to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. They also said a southern reservoir is better because it will send much - needed water south to the Everglades. Opponents question whether that water would be clean enough before it reaches the "river of grass." The powerful Senate budget committee will consider SB 10 before it's ready for a full Senate vote, but a hearing hasn't been scheduled. The House hasn't scheduled a hearing on its version, HB 761. Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum /default bb_ include _inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 Glades advocates have cash concerns Corps Corps of Engineers faces budget cuts LEDYARD KING USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA WASHINGTON - Supporters of Everglades restoration are worried President Trump's proposal to slash $1 billion from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' budget next year could derail hard - fought progress on Florida's massive, decades -long water project. As part of a budget outline released last week, the White House proposed an array of cuts designed mainly to help pay for a military buildup and a border wall with Mexico without raising taxes. Among the proposals is a 16 percent reduction to the Corps of Engineers. Its funding would drop from $6 billion this year to $5 billion in 2 018. The proposal doesn't offer any more details on what projects it would recommend preserving or eliminating. The administration is not expected to release more information until at least May. But any cut to the agency overseeing the nation's water programs is a red flag to Florida lawmakers who have worked as a bipartisan group for years to restore the famed River of Grass. "We're going to work hard to get as much as we can get for the Everglades." U.S. REP. FRANCIS ROONEY Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson said the R- NAPLES proposed cut comes at a crucial time given Congress' recent passage of water bills authorizing key elements of a complex plan to store and send water south from Lake Okeechobee on its natural course and away from the east and west coasts where contaminated runoff has created toxic conditions. "We have been doing Everglades restoration for 20 years," he said in an interview. "We need to keep it going because we're just now getting projects authorized. The final projects that will really redirect (flow) and get that cleaner water moving south, you can't do it out of thin air. See CORPS, Page 11A Glades advocates have cash concerns billion. Corps Continued from Page l A You've got to have the appropriations." And it's not just the Everglades that could be affected by the cut, he said, referring to the Corps' other water projects in the Sunshine State: port dredging, beach replenishment and flood control. Some Republicans are pushing back as well. Adding that request to the list of projects already authorized would complicate efforts at a time of limited resources, said Rep. Francis Rooney, the Naples Republican who has helped lead delegation efforts to push for Everglades funding. The freshman lawmaker said his priority is ensuring the federal government meets its commitment to match state funding for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. As of December, the state of Florida has spent $2.165 billion on the project while Washington has provided only commitment by the feds. We just want to see them live up to it." Eric Eikenberg, chief executive of The Everglades Foundation, also downplayed the proposed cut, saying Congress will have the final say on Corps funding. He said there's a "sense of urgency" to finish parts of the Everglades project, the world's largest environmental restoration effort. And he said lawmakers understand that, pointing to Calvert's recent visit. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a conservative Republican representing Florida's western panhandle, said he wants to http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee / nmum / default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Rep. Tom Rooney, R- Okeechobee, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee that will craft the final spending plan, was dismayed at the proposed reduction. He "thought the Corps was significantly underfunded in the Obama administration's 2016 and 2017 budget," Rooney spokeswoman Meghan Rodgers said. "He does not support another billion - dollar cut to Corps funding, specifically because of what it could mean for the Everglades and other projects important to Florida." The proposed cut comes at a time when the Florida Legislature is considering an ambitious $2.4billion plan to buy 60,000acres south of Lake Okeechobee and build a reservoir to store water. Washington would be asked to provide half of that amount, or $1.2 $1.26billion, according to Rooney's office. This past weekend, Francis Rooney hosted California GOP Rep. Ken Calvert who chairs a key Appropriations subcommittee. He took Calvert on an aerial and airboat tour of the sprawling ecosystem and hosted a dinner for him Saturday night with board members of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Francis Rooney said he's not panicking about Trump's proposed budget. "Certainly cutting (16 percent) is a huge number," he said. "But we're going to work hard to get as much as we can get for the Everglades. We have this existing Page 2 of 2 hear more about the reasons for the White House proposal. "I think it's got to be viewed in the broader context of reforms. if there's a way to do the job with Tess resources, I want to give President Trump the benefit of the doubt to show us how that can occur," he said. "There are going to be cuts. The government's too big." Contributing: Isadora Rangel Contact Ledyard King at 1k') :ay men Twitter: @ledgeking Thursday, 03/23/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http:// treasurecoast .fi.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 B: Page 1 of 2 3 things that could make or break Negron's land buy Samples We're heading into week four of Florida's nine -week legislative session a good time to take the temperature of Senate President Joe Negron's proposal to buy 60,000 acres of farmland south of Lake Okeechobee. The bill that's floating Negron's deal, Senate Bill 10, has warmed up in the Senate, where it drew early committee support and is headed for the critical Appropriations Committee, chaired by one -time Negron rival Jack Latvala, R- Clearwater. No date for that meeting has been set but it's one to watch for. We can expect clarity about which land is in play before the bill hits the committee's agenda. The land buy isn't likely to be the "land grab" critics have assailed. It could involve a combination of state - owned land, privately- owned land and land swaps, Negron told me by phone Thursday. Eminent domain is not on the table. I asked Negron if it would be possible to craft a deal without U.S. Sugar and /or Florida Crystals, two powerful landowners that have publicly resisted Negron's proposal. His answer: "No." "Right now we're talking to both, and I know both of the companies understand the extraordinary devastation that comes 3 things that could make or break Negron's land buy Samples Continued from Page 1B overhauled with a strike -all amendment that made it more of an omnibus bill, called the "Coast -to- Coast Comprehensive Water Resources Program." It now allows for borrowing through the Florida Forever land conservation program, which has from the discharges and the danger of flooding to the thousands of our fellow citizens who live south of the lake," Negron said, alluding to discharges from Lake Okeechobee that have fed toxic algae blooms to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers, and to the risk posed by the aging Herbert Hoover Dike. Still, U.S. Sugar and Florida Crystals have shown zero public support for Negron's land buy. Negron isn't just facing an uphill battle he's scaling a vertical cliff. Buying land for storing, cleaning and moving water south of Lake Okeechobee is not a new idea. Yet inaction has prevailed for decades. "Sometime after the apocalypse we're going to get around to doing it," Negron said Thursday. "And what I'm saying is that's not acceptable." Negron, a Republican from Stuart, is not deterred that the bill has had a cool reception in the Florida House, where it has yet to get a committee hearing. These three factors could make or break SB 10 in the second half of legislative session: 1. The scope of the bill 0 discharges. 2. Glades buy -in The "Glades Lives Matter" movement, which has protested Negron's proposal, claiming it would kill jobs south of Lake Okeechobee, must not be ignored. Taking any farmland out of production south of Lake Okeechobee would have an impact on livelihoods there just as the discharges have killed jobs and damaged property Before the first day of the legislative session, S13 10 was narrowly focused on the land buy south of Lake Okeechobee. But the day session started, March 7, it was See SAMPLES, Page 4B OPINION EDITOR EVE SAMPLES Florida, the state's economic development arm, could prove to be the bargaining chip in the Lake O land - buy debate. That's because House Speaker Richard Corcoran wants to cut off money to the job- creation agency, and Gov. Rick Scott wants to preserve it. Negron, whose beliefs fall somewhere in between, could curry favor for SB 10 by siding with one of the two. http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 B: caused at least one environmental group, Florida Conservation Voters, to voice concerns. Negron stands by the broadening of the bill, as proposed by his ally Sen. Rob Bradley, R- Fleming Island. "It was Sen. Bradley's idea, as the bill sponsor, to make those revisions to the bill, and I support him in that effort," Negron said. "I think it gives the bill a more comprehensive focus on water issues." Negron is smart enough to know the bill must be sharply focused to appeal to skeptical voters who previously have been burned by lawmaker promises. Yet it must be broad enough to draw support from lawmakers whose districts aren't directly hurt by Lake values along the coastal estuaries polluted by the algae. Negron has committed to providing economic help to the Glades communities in conjunction with SB 10. For example, the latest version of the bill calls for giving "preferential consideration to the hiring of agricultural workers displaced as a result of the reservoir project" when construction on the reservoir begins. If vocal allies in the Glades emerged, would be a game - changer for SB 10. 3. Negron's bargaining strategy The Tampa Bay Times reported Tuesday that the battle over funding Enterprise Page 2 of 2 Negron told me he thinks reforms are needed at Enterprise Florida, but he doesn't think the answer is "dismantling it or unilaterally withdrawing from the competition for jobs that is ongoing from states and around the world." That middle -of -the -road stance leaves a lot of room for negotiation. That's exactly what it will take to keep SB 10 alive and make the land buy it happen. Eve Samples is opinion and audience engagement editor, for Treasure Coast Newspapers. Contact her at 772- 2214217 ore ' scIMP/C (y'),icpad,j ,C'o n. Follow her on Twitter @EveSamples. Thursday, 03 /23/2017 Pag.1301 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 Caldwell: Don't let Lake 0 reservoir disrupt progress Progress 1SADORA RANGEL ISA[ORA.P „6t.lDEL( JT `PA M .CO Don't disrupt what's already in progress to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges by pushing for a massive land buy, cautioned a lawmaker opposed to Florida Senate President Joe Negron's push this year to build a reservoir. State Rep. Matthew Caldwell said Friday finishing projects in the works first should take priority over building a $2.4 billion reservoir south of the lake, as Negron wants. That's why the South Florida Water Management District and the Army Corps of Engineers should continue to plan a reservoir north of the lake to hold water before it enters the lake, as well projects to inject excess water into the ground, Caldwell said. Once water managers know Caldwell: Don't let Lake 0 reservoir disrupt progress Progress Continued from Page I A much more storage they need to the south, and if they need to buy additional land to complement acres the state already owns. Negron, R- Stuart, wants to reverse the current timeline for Everglades restoration by pushing the southern reservoir planning from 2021 to as early as 2018 and before the northern reservoir. He has said southern storage is more effective than northern. Negron is answering to cries from his Treasure Coast constituents who dealt with algae blooms in the St. Lucie River last year. Caldwell of Fort how much water they can keep out of Lake 0 using those methods, they'll l (know how See PROGRESS, Page 9A OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON toured SFWMD water projects Friday in central and south Florida. LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Paul Warner, a principal scientist at South Florida Water Management District (left), and state Rep. Matt Caldwell district principal scientist. That delay is largely because Congress hasn't properly funded each project, and has taken too long to authorize them. Water managers also were "overly optimistic” about how long it would take them to plan them such projects when the plan was approved in 2000, Warner said. Changing the focus to a southern reservoir will delay progress even more, Caldwell said. "We seem to get caught up on the project of the day that gets political attention," he said. SEND IT SOUTH Negron and environmental groups such as the Everglades Foundation say while northern storage and restoring bound water, which is expected to happen in 2025. "If not, there will be limitations on how much water you send south," Caldwell said. Among the benefits of building northern storage first is the state already owns 20,000 acres of the 17,000 to 27,000 acres needed. The northern reservoir requires fewer than the 60,000 acres Negron is proposing to the south because it would be deeper. While they agree on the need for a northern reservoir, Negron and groups such as the Everglades Foundation say once it's is full there's no other place for the water to go but into the lake. That water eventually gets discharged into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee/ nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 2 of 2 Myers also represents people affected by discharges into the Caloosahatchee and said what the government has in place right now is the right approach, but it takes time. Caldwell and the water district took Treasure Coast Newspapers on a helicopter tour of Everglades and Kissimmee River restoration projects Friday. They showed how ongoing efforts to restore the river cleans and reduces the speed with which water enters the lake and the magnitude of projects designed to clean Everglades - bound water. FEDERAL DELAY Caldwell cautioned about Negron's push to change that timeline, saying it already has taken the state and federal government longer than expected to work on current projects. Only one of the 60 -plus projects in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan is completed and it controls invasive species in Broward County, said Paul Warner, a water management the Kissimmee River are beneficial, they won't reduce lake discharges significantly and don't send much - needed water into the Everglades National Park. They say only southern storage would do the job. Before the water reaches the Everglades, however, it needs to be cleaned up through man -made marshes, which today get filled with farm runoff. If a 60,000 -acre reservoir is built, the existing marshes wouldn't be enough because they would be too full during the wet season, Warner said. Negron has said the solution to that is filling the reservoir and continuously sending water south during the dry season, so that it's not too full when it rains. BUILD IT NORTH Caldwell said the state should consider southern storage only after it finishes building such man -made marshes and other reservoirs to clean the Everglades- during the rainy season, causing environmental havoc. The Kissimmee River Restoration Project, a joint effort by the SFWMD and the Army Corps of Engineers, is a plan to reverse the effects of a channelization of the river done in the 1960s. LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Thursday, 03/23/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 Main Think Lake Okeechobee reservoir is hard sell in Tallahassee? Try Congress Reservoir LEDYARD KING AND ISADORA RANGEL USA TODAY FLORIDA NETWORK TALLAHASSEE If Florida Senate President Joe Negron manages to push his controversial reservoir to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges through the Legislature, he'll have a harder time getting Washington to pony up its $1.2 billion match. President Donald Trump has proposed a $1 billion cut to the agency that would execute the project. Negron said he's not concerned about Trump's proposed cuts to the Army Corps of Engineers because those would have to be approved by Congress and it's unclear what programs would be on the chopping block. Even if the cut is averted, Negron would have to convince some reluctant home -state lawmakers in Congress to agree with footing half of the $2.4 billion needed to buy land south of the lake and build a reservoir for excess lake water that today gets discharged into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. Negron's plan comes at a time when Capitol Hill Republicans and the White House want to rein in spending and the scope of the federal Page 1 of 2 government. In addition, Washington is notorious for not living up to the financial commitments it agrees to, much less an obligation hatched in Tallahassee. As of December, Florida had spent $2.17 billion on the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, of which the reservoir is part, while Washington had spent only $1.26 billion, See RESERVOIR, Page 24A Think Lake Okeechobee reservoir is hard sell in Tallahassee? Try Congress Reservoir Continued from Page 1 A according to U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney's office. State lawmakers have taken notice of that. Fort Myers Republican Rep. Matthew Caldwell, who opposes the Negron plan, has said it's 'unrealistic' to expect federal dollars even if the Legislature approves it. leaves the decision to fund Everglades restoration and other infrastructure needs to the president and the agency. The Okeechobee Republican represented Martin County, which is the epicenter for Lake 0 discharges, until 2012, when he moved west to a mostly rural district after districts were redrawn. AN ALLY IN CONGRESS Martin County's newest congressman, Brian Mast, supports the land buy and successfully pushed to sit on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which oversees the Corps. http: / /treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 k: Main LOBBYING CAPITOL HILL Negron was in D.C. last month trying to convince Florida lawmakers about the benefits of a southern reservoir. His main focus is, however, getting the bill to implement the project through the Legislature first, he said Tuesday. 'There's a state and federal responsibility,' said Negron, R- Stuart, and my responsibility at the state level is to make sure we are moving forward as a state with appropriate policies and appropriate funding.' Some Capitol Hill lawmakers as well as state lawmakers say they rather stick to a schedule currently in place that calls for building storage north of the lake first. The bill Negron is shepherding in Tallahassee would reverse that schedule, moving planning for southern storage from 2021 to as early as 2018. Among those wary about a schedule change are U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who said this week there's no federal money for Negron's reservoir, and Rooney, who said he'd rather focus on getting money for projects already lined up. 'What does concern me a little is that when we send mixed messages the people up here say, 'Well, what do you really want ?' ' said Rooney, R- Naples. 'And I'm trying to keep it as simple as it can be.' U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, a former Treasure Coast representative, appears unlikely to back any proposal opposed by landowners, many of whom don't want to sell about 60,000 acres in the Everglades Agricultural Area for a reservoir. He said 'costly land buys from unwilling sellers have been unsuccessful,' and he wants to look for funding for projects 'that have already demonstrated success.' A member of the Appropriations Committee, Tom Rooney will help decide how much the Corps receives in its budget. He said he also wants to push Congress to exempt the Corps from an earmark ban, which prevents lawmakers from allocating money to specific projects in the federal budget and Page 2 of 2 He said 'cuts to the Corps don't necessarily excite me,' but added it's the job of lawmakers to lobby the agency and the president to give priority for local projects. Trump's budget blueprint calls for a 16 percent cut in funding for the Corps, from $6 billion in 2017 to $5 billion next year. That's one of the deep cuts in discretionary spending that would pay for a Defense Department buildup and the construction of a border wall with Mexico. Mast said he can help convince skeptical fellow D.C. lawmakers to get behind the land buy proposal just as Negron is lobbying their Tallahassee counterparts. Mast traveled with Trump aboard Air Force One from D.C. to Palm Beach International Airport last week, when he talked about last summer's algae blooms largely caused in the St. Lucie River by discharges. He also brought his committee's chairman, Bill Shuster, to Stuart in January to show him local waterways. 'Guys like me who are for this try to go to the other folks and say, 'Look, this is why its good,' ' said Mast, R -Palm City. Senate President Joe Negron speaksat Pahokee Middle /High School. Many Glades residents are upset by his proposal that would take 60,000 acres to minimize Lake Okeechobee discharges . LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Sunday, 03/26/2017 Pag.A0I Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: / /treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum /_default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 . _: Main Page 1 of 2 House budget: No Lake 0 funds Budget OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON ISADORA RANGEL j A r l`)f', ?A11'LJEL61) i c PA. I f it '( GI" TALLAHASSEE The state House wants to cut land conservation funding and, as expected, not fund a reservoir to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges, according to its proposed environmental budget released Tuesday. The budget also would reduce Everglades and springs restoration funding compared with what the Legislature allocated last year. It also cuts money for the Florida Forever program, which buys land for habitat preservation and parks. There's no money for muck removal in the Indian River Lagoon, either. However, the House would boost funding to get homeowners off septic tanks, which can pollute waterways, and to connect them to sewer systems with $25 million in aid to local governments. Gov. Rick Scott has asked for $40 million for conversions in areas affected by algae blooms, such as the lagoon and St. Lucie River. The main strain on this year's budget is declining state general revenue, and budget writers tried to prioritize 'people' and 'families,' said Rep. Ben Albritton, chairman of the House environmental and agriculture budget committee. See BUDGET, Page 6A House budget: No Lake 0 funds Budget Continued from Page 1 A He said his proposal preserves jobs by cutting only the currently vacant fulltime positions within environmental and agricultural agencies. The committee is expected to vote on the budget proposal next week. The Senate will release its proposal Wednesday. 'If you were a firefighter and we decided in a tight budget year to cut your job, you wouldn't care about the Everglades,' said Albritton, R -W auchula.'When the budget is robust, I look forward to having additional conversations about all the additional measures we could do.' NO LAND BUY Albritton said he's against Senate President Joe Negron's proposal to Albritton said he'd rather fund existing projects within Everglades restoration, such as injecting excess water into the ground and below the aquifer. He's also against issuing bonds to finance Negron's proposal because it increases the state debt. 'I don't mean to sound overly critical about it,' Albritton said. 'I just feel like there are better ways to solve the problem.' Albritton's statement reflects an impasse between Negron, whose plan is supported by most environmentalists, and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, who's against bonding. Although a bill to execute Negron's proposal has cleared two committees in the Senate, the House hasn't scheduled a hearing for it. FLORIDA FOREVER Another debate is over how much money to allocate for buying conversation lands before they get developed since voters approved Amendment 1 in 2014. The measure set aside real estate transaction tax dollars to preserve land and water for the next 20 years. Florida Forever, the years after its 1999 passage, would receive $10 million under the House budget. That money would pay for grants under the Florida Communities Trust program to help local governments buy land for parks, wildlife corridors and to serve as buffer zones for water resources. Audubon Florida Executive Director Eric Draper said he's disappointed in Albritton's proposal for Florida Forever and the lack of money for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, which pays agricultural land owners not to develop their properties. He also hopes the Senate and House will boost the $166 million Albritton proposed for the Everglades — a cut from the $253 million allocated last year and the $40 million for springs, which dropped from $50 million last year. '(Florida) can be developed from coast to coast,' Draper said, 'or we could preserve open spaces.' http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 Main Page 2 of 2 borrow about $1.2 billion to buy land which used to get about $300 million and build a reservoir south of Lake each year in Okeechobee to hold excess water that today gets discharged into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. Wednesday, 03/29/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /_nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Lake 0 reservoir stalled in House Stall OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Bill hits hiccup but still has an opportunity to pass ISADORA RANGEL SAD )f?_'-,.E,41 f F,L,(! yI[q✓'!G'r T,I> "I t OM TALLAHASSEE A plan to build a reservoir to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges has stalled in the Florida House, and supporters might have to wait until the 1 lth hour to find out whether Senate President Joe Negron can pull it off It's not surprising the House hasn't given the bill a single hearing as the 60day session ending May 5 reaches its halfway point. This is Negron's top priority one he's vowed to fight for his Treasure Coast constituents. So it's beneficial for Speaker Richard Corcoran to hold it hostage until the Senate supports some of his priorities, such as K -12 funding, cutting business incentives, charter school expansion and judicial term limits. Negron acknowledged from the start his plan would face a lot of opposition on its key points: • Borrowing $1.2 billion, which Corcoran opposes • Convincing Congress to pony up the same amount, a task some Florida Congress members don't want to undertake • Buying as much as 60,000 acres south of the lake, which farmers are reluctant to sell • Forcing U.S. Sugar Corp., if there aren't enough willing sellers, to sell its land as agreed in a 2010 contract. U.S. Sen. Rubio Marco threw cold water on Negron's aspirations last week when he said there's no federal money for the project. So the questions become: What is Negron willing to trade Corcoran in exchange for the reservoir? How Page 1 of 3 'It's not surprising that the House is holding back on moving forward where the Senate has set its priorities,' said Sen. Rob Bradley, the Fleming Island Republican who sponsored the bill for Negron's reservoir. 'In the same manner, you don't see some of the House priorities on the fast track in the Senate right now.' HORSE TRADING Corcoran hasn't hinted at whether he will budge. He said Thursday he's waiting for the Senate to pass its bill and send it to the House. But his leadership team this week said there's little appetite for building a reservoir south of the lake when the state and federal governments are planning one north of the lake. Negron has said a northern reservoir will store water only temporarily before the rainy season forces it into the lake and out the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. 'We are very open to hearing what the Senate has to offer,' House budget See STALL, Page 13A http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum /default bb_ include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 2 of 3 badly does Corcoran want his priorities? Will Negron play hard ball and risk a budget showdown? Lake 0 reservoir stalled in House Stall Continued from Page 1 A Chairman Carlos Trujillo said Wednesday. 'But we are not very willing to just start changing all these moving parts on a whim.' UPCOMING CHANGES Bradley said he will amend Senate Bill 10 before its last committee stop Wednesday, after which the bill is expected to go up for full Senate vote. There are talks about considering using some land the state already owns so it can take less than 60,000 acres of farmland out of production, said Sen. Tom Lee, R- Brandon. Lee, a former Senate president, said the fact the House hasn't heard the bill as lawmakers end the fourth of nine weeks in session should be a concern. Yet the proposal could come up during budget negotiations between the chambers, or Corcoran could bring it up for a House floor vote as late as he wants before May 5. Or Negron might have to try again next year, when he serves the second half of his presidency, Lee said. 'You have a speaker who, I think, has demonstrated, at least working with me, that he's willing to walk away,' Lee said. 'And that's always a very powerful position to have in a negotiation.' Negron supporters said they expect the land buy to be one of the last issues resolved before session ends, as is common with the priorities of presidents and speakers. That happened last year when a bill to carve out Everglades restoration funding was the last one the Legislature passed. It was sponsored by Negron, then the incoming Senate president. 'With it only being the (fourth) week of session, there are still many options available,' Negron spokeswoman Katie Betta said via email. 'President Negron views it as his responsibility http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A • Main Page 3 of 3 to continue to make the case for southern storage here _ in the Senate and in the Douse.' Sunday. 04/02/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group FRACTURED SUPPORT Negron still has to get his own chamber behind his proposal. Some senators have expressed concerns about what effect taking 60,000 acres out of production could have on agricultural jobs. Bradley tried to garner more support for the reservoir bill earlier this month by adding provisions to help displaced workers, fund other restoration projects and pay for septic -to -sewer conversions and a loan program for water storage with a focus on water supply. Those changes fractured support among environmental groups. Florida Conservation Voters and 1,000 Friends of Florida denounced the bill for using money available through Amendment 1, which voters approved in 2014 for land and water conservation, to pay for those water infrastructure projects. The groups have pushed for the pot of money available through the measure made up of one -third of real estate transaction tax revenue to buy more natural and agricultural lands before they get developed. Negron still has support from most groups, which see the changes as necessary to get the bill passed. Negron also has to contend with lawmakers from other parts of the state who don't want money diverted from their region and bypass the sugar industry's lobbying against him. 'Everywhere you turn there's a roadblock on the subject,' Lee said. http: // treasurecoast. fl. newsmemory. com /ee / nmum / default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Mo in Page 1 of 2 Lake 0 bill going to vote Bill Clears Senate budget cornmittee ISADORA RANGEL Senate Minority Oscar Braynon, D -Miami Gardens, the only senator who voted against the bill in its previous committee stop, said he changed his mind after Negron added provisions to help train displaced agricultural workers and boost t� rDORATi'�,hI,ri L(" C��Lf,y1 `rDC�/i economic development in the Glades. He also applauded Negron for visiting Pahokee last month to hear from its residents. TALLAHASSEE - A bill to build a reservoir to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges cleared the Senate budget committee Wednesday, its final stop before a full Senate vote. Facing opposition to his top priority, Florida Senate President Negron scaled back the bill Tuesday to garner support from fellow Republicans before sending it to the House. Those changes also earned him backing from Democrats worried taking agricultural land out of production would kill jobs in the impoverished Glades communities south of the lake. Negron said he expects the reservoir to be operating in about four years. The Senate committee room on Wednesday was packed with dozens of Negron supporters, as well as Glades residents wearing T -shirts that read " #OurLives- MatterToo." The Senate is expected to pass Senate Bill 10, but a vote See BILL, Page 9A Lake 0 bill going to vote Bill Continued from Page 1 A hasn't been scheduled. Negron then will face a steeper climb negotiating with the House to green light his proposal. With the House version of the bill stalled, Speaker Richard Corcoran has said he's waiting to see what the Senate will pass before deciding whether to back Negron. It's unclear whether the industry is completely on board with the bill. U.S. Sugar Corp. called the overhaul "significant progress" but said Tuesday it's concerned the timeline the measure creates for building the reservoir would be in conflict with other Everglades restoration projects. Negron's removed a provision to force the state to execute a 2010 contract with the company to buy 153,000 acres if it couldn't find willing sellers for OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON with private owners and other existing state lands leased to farmers. The bill makes it clear farmers have to agree to break the leases and forcing them to sell through eminent domain isn't an option. That cut the project cost, split between the state and federal government, from $2.4 billion to $1.5 billion. The Legislature would allocate $64 million this year and after the second year would have the ability to borrow up to $1.2 billion. That doesn't mean the project would require that much money or even need borrowing, which Corcoran opposes, Audubon Florida Eric Draper said. The state probably has enough money available to pay for the reservoir with cash, Draper said. A shallow reservoir is planned on the 14,000 -acre parcel known as A -2. The state would deepen it to 14 feet to store 240,000 acre -feet of excess lake water. and report that to the Legislature by January Bradley said he doesn't expect a lot of agricultural land would be taken out of production. "It's science that's going to drive what (land) we need and where we need it," said Bradley, R- Fleming Island. Skeptics Despite voting for the bill, Sen. David Simmons said instead of building a reservoir, the Legislature should expedite work to strengthen the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake 0 to hold more water so less gets discharged into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. Only after that can the state and the Army Corps of Engineers determine how much more storage is needed south and north. Simmons proposed an amendment that would direct the water district to help the Army Corps of Engineers speed up http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main other lands. The company isn't willing to sell. "They (sugar) haven't come out (in opposition), but the feeling is still there," said budget chairman Jack Latvala, RClearwater. "They are not 100 percent on board with us." Major overhaul Instead of buying 60,000 acres from farmers, the bill now would use 14,000 acres the state owns and leases to Florida Crystals until 2019, and complement that with smaller private land purchases, swaps Water managers could use an adjacent reservoir called A -1 that now cleans Everglades- bound water to store an additional 120,000 acre -feet. More land likely would be needed to clean the water once it leaves the reservoir to meet phosphorus pollution standards in the Everglades, bill sponsor Sen. Rob Bradley said. While the district would determine through computer modeling how much more land it would need and how to obtain it Page 2 of 2 ongoing repairs of the dike, negotiate revising the schedule for discharges and begin planning storage north of the lake. He withdrew the amendment, which contained language from a bill he filed this year opposed by Negron, who said Simmons' approach wouldn't reduce discharges as much as a southern reservoir. "Let's go ahead and let's fix the damn dike," said Simmons, R- Altamonte Springs. Thursday, 04/06/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright E 2017 Journal Media Group http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee/ nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 Indian River Lagoon projects outlined in new 5 -year review Projects OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON JIM WAYMER USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA The Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program put out its first annual report this week and on Tuesday will review its accomplishments over the past five years. The report outlines more than $1.9 million in lagoon cleanups funded last year. On Tuesday, the Indian River Lagoon Council's management board meets in Grant /Valkaria to discuss, among other lagoon matters, a five -year review of the lagoon program, as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The full council meets Friday in Sebastian. The lagoon program's first annual report outlines $1,333,568 in spending on 19 lagoon projects, which include: four infrastructure projects ($750,000); seven restoration projects ($287,037); five public education and engagement initiatives ($213,331); two sc ience/research See PROJECTS, Page 6A Indian River Lagoon projects outlined in new 5 -year review Projects Continued from Page lA projects ($51,200); and one technology initiative ($32,000). "We felt that we needed to communicate out to the citizens ... Very much like a corporate report to shareholders," said Duane DeFreese, the lagoon program's executive director. Some of the larger projects highlighted in the report include: » City of Stuart: St. Lucie basin septic to central wastewater collection ($485,000). The project diverts septic effluent from entering canals along the St. Lucie River in Stuart's water and sewer service area. The project expands sewer services with a lowpressure system having individual pump stations. It will provide septic to central wastewater collection to 202 residential customers, a golf course and clubhouse. » St. Lucie County: Paradise Park Stormwater Project — Phase 5 ($125,000). Paradise Park is a residential subdivision located in Fort Pierce that impacts two drainage canals. The project treats runoff with dry detention ponds and swales, is expected to reduce pollution 90 to 95 percent for suspended solids and 65 percent for phosphorous and nitrogen. This phase of the project will treat 48.7 acres of the subdivision. » Marine Resources Council: Indian River Lagoon Education Program ($69,162). In fiscal year 2015 -2016, the nonprofit Marine Resources Council administered the lagoon program's education initiatives, organized a four -day summer workshop for teachers, coordinated a photo contest, produced the annual lagoon calendar, and distributed lagoon information to the community at events. » Indian River State College: Novel optical techniques using drones to characterize water quality ($45,000). The goal is to demonstrate how drones may be an effective, low -cost solution to real -time monitoring of lagoon water conditions. During the five -year timeframe for the EPA - required review, the lagoon program funded 76 projects that aligned with 13 of 23 action plans identified in a 2008 comprehensive lagoon cleanup plan. Thereviewispostedonthelagooncouncil 's web site. http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum /default_bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Tuesday, 04/11/2017 Pag.A01 Page 2 of 2 Copyright k) 2017 Journal Media Group http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 When will discharges be back? Discharges OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Lake 0 water levels make it unlikely, but not impossible TYLER TREADWAY TYL Et TJP:EAiD Wr i (,joT 'PALfli cC STUART — On this date last year, the St. Lucie River was chocolate -milk brown because of the billions of gallons of polluted Lake Okeechobee water that had poured in during the wettest winter on record. Today the water is clear, thanks to dry conditions that have prevailed throughout South Florida since the Lake 0 discharges stopped in November. "This is the way the St. Lucie River ought to be," said Mark Perry, executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart. "The salinity's good and the clarity is fine. The water color is kinda brown because of tannic acid from plants, but it's clear. It's not like the brown, cloudy water we had during last year's discharges." The conditions should help oysters and sea grasses, the backbone of the river's ecosystem, to recover from the double whammy of high discharges in 2013 and last year. The discharges during the "Lost Summer of 2013" killed about three - quarters of the river's sea grass, which is concentrated When will discharges be back? Discharges Continued from Page IA It's not known how much more was killed during last year's discharges, Perry said, "but we know the sea grass near the St. Lucie Inlet. See DISCHARGES, Page 11A "This is the way the St. Lucie River ought to be." MARK PERRY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FLORIDA OCEANOGRAPHIC 1'4OC I ETY season. PHOTOS BY LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Everglades Foundation CEO Eric g (left) listens to Ocean & Conservation on founder Edie Widder boat tour aboard the Island on the St. Lucie River in Everglades Day on Friday in Stuart. A year after discharged Lake Okeechobee water muddled the St. Lucie River, the river is now clear and cleaner as seen from the Island Princess on Friday near the St. Lucie Inlet. A dry winter has helped prevent Lake Okeechobee discharges, though they could begin again this summer if the area sees a wet hurricane 2 or higher. The average is 12 named storms, 6 1 /2 of them hurricanes and two of those major. Water supply In mid - March, the South Florida Water Management District urged businesses out layers of polluted muck on the lake bed. But when the lake dropped even lower that June, wildfires broke out on exposed and dried -out vegetation. On the other extreme, the lake hovered around the 16 -foot mark last spring because of record winter rainfall. http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee/ nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main had not yet fully recovered from 2013 by 2016. So there was a cumulative effect." The 2013 discharges killed about 99 percent of the river's oysters; then, the 2016 discharges killed about half of the oysters that had bounced back. Oysters in the Indian River Lagoon fared better, Perry said, "and we're hoping they'll be the seed source for new oysters in the St. Lucie in the spawning season coming up in April." Discharges coming? The dry winter has been good for the St. Lucie, but it's caused concerns about water supply from the lake. The lake elevation had dropped to about 12 feet, 2.5 inches Tuesday, already lower than the level the Army Corps of Engineers would like it to be on June 1, the end of the winter dry season. The average elevation for April 11 is about 14 feet. The low lake level and forecasts for continued dry weather make discharges unlikely this spring, but they could return in the summer if there's a particularly active, and wet, hurricane season. Last week, hurricane experts at Colorado State University predicted an everso- slightly less active season than normal, with 11 named storms, four of which could be hurricanes and two of those Category and homeowners in its 16- county jurisdiction to conserve water. All the counties on the Treasure Coast have year -round mandatory watering restrictions. The district can impose stricter irrigation limits if the dry spell turns into a full -scale drought. "Ideally, the lake should drop about 6 inches a month during the dry season," said Paul Gray, Lake Okeechobee ecology expert for Florida Audubon, "and right now it's screaming down." At its current rate, the lake would drop to about 11 feet by June 1. "That would be fine for the lake ecology," Gray said, "as long as the rains come soon after that." The lake has been too deep for several years, Gray said. So it would be beneficial to the ecosystem for the lake to drop below 12 feet this year. Mostly marsh The western third of the 730 - squaremile lake is mostly shallow marsh. When the lake elevation drops to 12 feet, about three - quarters of the marsh would be above water, which helps dry out organic material on the lake bottom. When Lake 0 dropped below 9 feet in May 2007, it allowed the state to clean Page 2 of 2 "We lost about 15,000 acres, or 23 square miles, of freshwater grass," Gray said. "Yes, you can drown aquatic vegetation. When the water's too deep, sunlight can't penetrate to the grass. No sunlight, no photosynthesis; the grass can't feed itself." But there's a limit to how low the lake should go, Gray said. "We don't want the lake to go below]] feet for more than 80 days," he said. "That's too dried -out. Marsh animals would have nowhere to go." Caroline Coogan, a monitoring and evaluations associate with The Ocean Foundation, looks out for wildlife Friday during a tour of the St. Lucie River with The Everglades Foundation. LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Wednesday, 04 /12/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee/ nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Bullsugar makes waves in environmental community Smart It's been a grueling legislative session for the enviro- activist group Bullsugar. The homegrown organization has been coordinating trips from Stuart to Tallahassee to make sure supporters are on hand to back Senate Bill 10 — Senate President Joe Negron's plan to save the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. "Sometimes we get only four or five days notice of a hearing, and it's all hands on deck," said Dave Preston, the group's director for Southeast Florida and the Keys. "We hit the phones and get people to drop everything they're doing on a weekday." Usually they're able to marshal 40 to 50 people for the trek, but sometimes that requires hundreds of phone calls. "We're asking for a lot," Preston acknowledged. "It's a big sacrifice. But this is a tremendously important issue." On Wednesday, Senate Bill 10 is scheduled to go to the full Senate for a vote. Prognosticators suggest the bill, heavily rewritten last week, could pass. If so, the pressure will be on the See SMART, Page 11A COLUMNIST GIL SMART Bullsugar makes waves in environmental community Smart Continued from Page 1 A House, where there's been markedly less enthusiasm for the Negron plan. But that could change. If it does, expect Bullsugar to play a significant role in it. Bullsugar has evolved from an angry group that banded together in the wake of the "Lost Summer of 2013" to a growing organization with its own charitable foundation that has put pressure on lawmakers, endorsed candidates and stumped for the #NowOrNeverglades Declaration, which advocates buying land south of Lake Okeechobee for water storage. Once concerned primarily with the problems on the St. Lucie estuary, the group has broadened its focus to tackle began, 1 noted the group's Facebook page, which was turning into an online hub for those who wanted the discharges stopped, had just over 42,000 "likes." As of this writing, that figure has topped 285,000. Earlier this month, Bullsugar helped organize a protest near Islamorda, where the waters have turned green with algae. Some 40 fishing guides maneuvered their skiffs to spell out a simple plea: HELP! with the dot on the exclamation point provided by a floating tiki hut. A Bullsugar drone snapped aerial pictures and posted them on the group's Facebook page. A video of the protest featuring an interview with Capt. Craig Brewer of Islamorda recorded 87,000 views and was shared 1,250 times. The Weather Channel took notice, running its piece on the protest, the reasons behind it and the need for land south of Lake O. Page 1 of 2 founder Chris Maroney said Monday the group still supports it. "Our concern has been that we're going to get shortchanged," he said. "A lot could happen this week, and it's really important we don't pass legislation just for the sake of doing so. It has to be a bill that substantially solves the problem, and that doesn't lock us into the status quo in perpetuity. We can't give up too much in return for crumbs anymore. "But whatever happens, we're not going away, and we're going to stay true to our name," Maroney said. "Because this is our home." Gil Smart is a columnist for Treasure Coast Newspapers and a member of the Editorial Board. His columns reflect his opinion. Readers may reach him at gil.smart(i)tcpalm . com, by phone at 772 - 223 -4741 or via Twitter at @TCPalmGilSmart. http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 2 of 2 water quality issues statewide. And it's making a lot of noise. On Tuesday, the day before SB 10 was to hit the Senate floor, Bullsugar co- sponsored the Now or Neverglades Sportfishing Day in Tallahassee, an event expected to draw up to 400 anglers from around the state to show support as the Negron plan continues its journey through "a treacherous sea of sugar storms, legislative sharks and sirens of misinformation," according to promotional material. That pugnacious approach is typical — and unsurprisingly, it's rubbed some the wrong way. Officials with the U.S. Sugar Corp. have wondered aloud where Bullsugar gets its funding; the group has duked it out online with state Rep. Matt Caldwell, a Lee County Republican who has called Bullsugar "vulgar." That "vulgarity" has gotten a lot of traction, particularly on social media. In February 2016, shortly after the massive discharges from Lake Okeechobee This ain't your grandfather's activism. "Our concern has been that we're going to get shortchanged." Yet at the same time, Bullsugar's gone mainstream, forming alliances with major outfitters and other environmental groups. Earlier this month, 13 Patagonia fly fishing dealers in Florida made a $25,000 Patagonia Environmental Grant to the Bullsugar Alliance, the group's charitable arm. And the group has teamed up with fly reel manufacturer Nautilus for a sweepstakes fundraiser that will award a custom designed reel bearing the slogan "Buy the sugar land... send clean water south." To be sure, Bullsugar is but one of many organizations dedicated to that cause; this is no solo act. But it's curious to see local activists "just a couple of guys from Stuart and Jupiter," as cofounder Kenan Siegel puts it helping lead the charge. Bullsugar's initial response to the SB10 rewrite suggested dissatisfaction. But co- CHRIS MARONEY BULLSUGAR CO- FOUNDER or' and the River Warriors hosted a news conference Feb. 26 to draw attention to how the discharges from Lake Okeechobee were hurting tourism and water - related businesses in the surrounding area at the Riverstage in Downtown Stuart. HOBIE HILER/ SPECIAL TO TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Wednesday, 04 /12/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright ctiD 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /_nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A Main Page 1 of 2 RESERVOIR PLAN OK'D Reservoir Negron's key project up to Scott, Washington ISADORA RANGEL 1 SA DOR k RANG F'r;1�I M TALLAHASSEE — Senate President Joe Negron seemed overly optimistic earlier this year when he gave himself a70 percent chance of getting legislative approval to build a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to curb discharges. After much opposition and uncertainty, the Legislature finally agreed to fund the project Tuesday. Now it's up to Gov. Rick Scott to sign the bill and Congress to fund its half of the project cost. By January, the South Florida Water Management District must complete a study on how to deepen a reservoir it's already planning on state land in Palm Beach County to store at least 78.2 billion gallons of excess lake water maybe more —that now gets released east to the St. Lucie River and west to the Caloosahatchee River. The state House and Senate both passed Senate Bill 10 on Tuesday, agreeing to borrow $800 million for the project instead of relying on lawmakers to allocate funding year after year. That ensures the state can pay its half of the $1.5 billion to $1.6 billion estimated cost. The House passed the bill 99 -19 and the Senate 33 -0. Scott's office didn't say whether he will sign the bill. He supports a reservoir on state land, but that's not enough unless the Legislature also funds his $200 million request to help the federal government strengthen the dike around the lake, his office said in a statement. Lawmakers have mostly snubbed the request, saying that's a federal responsibil -ity, but until they release a state budget, it's unclear whether they've changed their minds. Unprecedented deal Negron, R- Stuart, and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R -Land O'Lakes, negotiated the unprecedented deal last month in closed -door meetings to which the public and media had no access. RESERVOIR PLAN OK'D Reservoir Continued from Page IA It's a major victory for Negron, whose Treasure Coast constituents have long demanded a solution to lake discharges, especially after last summer's toxic algae bloom. It was the worst in history, fouling not only the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon, but — for the first time — ocean beaches. "Congratulations, Mr. President," state Sen. Rob Bradley, R- Fleming Island, said after the Senate passed the bill he See RESERVOIR, Page 4A OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Negron the lake from the north would reduce more discharges than storing it south after it leaves the lake, as Negron wants. "While not perfect, Senate Bill 10 will ensure the planned EAA reservoir is tincrease the state's debt by borrowing money for the reservoir. He allowed the House to vote on the bill, after the Senate agreed to support several of his priorities, such as K -12 education and cuts to business incentives under Enterprise Florida. The day before the eventually completed on existing state- vote, the Senate passed Corcoran's ownedland," spokesmanRyanDuffysaidirpriority to have a referendum next year a statement. While a political victory, the proposal won't help South Florida's waterways, said state Rep. Katie Edwards, D- Plantation. The bill disrupts projects already in the works, such as planning for more water storage north of the lake, and the Legislature needs to to increase the homestead property tax exemption. Negron made several others compromises to push his bill through the House and Senate. He initially wanted to borrow $1.2 billion and to build the reservoir on 60,000 acres of private land, but farmers didn't want to http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A : Main sponsored on Negron's behalf, as the president typically doesn't file bills. Better plans The sugar industry, which fiercely opposed a previous version of the bill that would buy its land, warmed up to the proposal. The group Florida Sugarcane Farmers praised the bill, but contended storing water before it enters address pollution sources such as septic tanks, she said. "I think it's a Band -Aid solution," Edwards said. "In good faith, I cannot vote for this or support this effort." Compromises Formostofthesession ,Corcoransaidhewo Wednesday, 05/03/2017 Pag.A01 Page 2 of 2 sell and Glades residents opposed his plan, fearing job cuts. He reduced the size of the reservoir last month and added provisions to give priority for Glades workers in the construction of the project and to retrain them to work in non - a ricultural jobs, a condition for piocratic support. Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast. fl. newsmemory. com /ee / nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 4 WHAT NEGRON GAVE AWAY Negron ANALYSIS Reservoir to help curb Lake Okeechobee discharges comes with some compromises ISADORA RANGEL ISADORAT AtTGELOTC PALM , ,14[ TALLAHASSEE A proposal to build a reservoir to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges was stalled in the Florida House of Representatives for more than two months. Meanwhile, another bill to create a referendum to expand a property tax break barely moved in the Senate. These two proposals seem unrelated, but not in the game of horsetrading that fuels policymaking at the state Capitol. Both bills moved only after the top leaders in the Senate and House negotiated a budget agreement in meetings April 24 -28 with no public or media access. On Monday, the Senate approved the bill to expand the property homestead exemption a priority of House Speaker Richard Corcoran. On Tuesday, the GOP -led House rushed the Lake 0 bill to a vote and rejected a Democrat's attempt to have another hearing for it. The chamber approved Senate President Joe Negron's priority to borrow $800 million for the project after raising concern about its impact on the state debt all session. It now waits for Gov. Rick Scott's signature. See NEGRON, Page 7A We had to make sure that the House got an important priority that they wanted, which was the (homestead) referendum, which I think is also good policy. TOP: Senate President Joe Negron speaks with USA Today Network reporters on April 21. JOE RONDONE/ DEMOCRAT LEFT: The Port Mayaca Lock and Dam that sends Lake Okeechobee water down the C -44 Canal and into the St. Lucie River is seen March 24 on an aerial tour of South Florida Water Management District projects. Senate Bill 10 was approved Tuesday in the House and the Senate. LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 2 of 4 AT NEGRON GAVE AWAY gron ntinued from Page 1 A is shows the kind of compromises Negron had to ke to accomplish his ambitious environmental goal well as get $600 million for higher education and dent aid. He said there wasn't one specific issue he gave away in exchange for the reservoir; but the homestead exemption, a strong campaign point for Corcoran if he runs for governor next year, was one of his strongest bargaining chips. Negron had to whip reluctant Democratic votes to approve the homestead bill, which needed approval of three -fifths of the Legislature to pass. We had to make sure that the House got an important priority that they wanted, which was the (homestead) referendum, which I think is also good policy,' Negron, a Stuart Republican, said. Ironically, the same local officials in Negron's Treasure Coast district who have been pushing for a solution to discharges rebuked the Legislature for approving the homestead exemption increase. They say Treasure Coast cities, counties and special taxing districts stand to lose at least $22 million in tax revenue that pays for parks, libraries and public safety if more than 60 percent of voters approve increasing the exemption on primary residences from $50,000 to $75,000 next year. 'This is not good public policy, especially when they pushed it so quickly,' said St. Lucie County Commissioner Tod Mowery, who called Negron's efforts to curb discharges 'admirable.' Tough compromises Local governments aren't the only ones unhappy with Negron's compromises. Add to the list: Scott, who didn't get the business incentives and tourism dollars he wanted; public school advocates; and land conservationists. http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee/ nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 3 of 4 Negron faced a shrewd negotiator in Corcoran, said Nick Iarossi, a Tallahassee- based lobbyist who worked to pass the Lake Okeechobee reservoir bill. 'He's dealing with a House speaker who's a very savvy negotiator and takes a hard line on things and who often times doesn't telegraph his next move,' Iarossi said. 'So when you combine someone who's a non telegrapher with a telegrapher in a negotiating sense sometimes that can lead to a protracted negotiation. But in this case they were able to get past that and come up with a deal despite their much different negotiating styles.' Here are other compromises Negron made: » Corcoran's 'Schools of Hope' plan to inject $200 million to convert failing public schools into charter schools, which Negron traded for university funding. » A meager 0.34 percent in per- student spending increase in the K -12 budget. The Senate previously wanted 3 percent but caved to the House's position not to use tax revenue from Sunday, 05/07/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group increased property values, which Corcoran considers a tax hike. » Cutting business incentives under Enterprise Florida, which Corcoran has called corporate welfare. The House and Senate agreed to maintain the agency's operating budget after Corcoran initially proposed extinguishing it. » Cutting two - thirds of funding for Visit Florida, the state's tourism marketing agency. Corcoran went after the agency after revelations last year it paid $1 million in taxpayer money to rapper Pitbull to promote the state in his work. » Defunding Florida Forever, which acquires land for conservation areas and wildlife habitats. Many lawmakers said there wasn't enough money for the program after borrowing $800 million for the reservoir and paying for other environmental projects that are priorities of influential lawmakers. Reactions The Florida Association of District School Superintendents said Friday the small K -12 increase is not enough to pay for basic needs of students and http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 4 of 4 will result in many of the state's 67 school districts receiving less money than last year, the Miami Herald reported. Negron and other lawmakers countered the more than $400 million combined for Schools of Hope and Best and Brightest bonuses for qualifying teachers also should be considered education spending. Scott spent most of the legislative session touring the state to rally support to save Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida, which he said help create jobs. He could veto the budget, which the Legislature will vote on Monday after extending session; but he hasn't committed to doing so. Sparing these two agencies might have been a lost cause. Negron said although 'I did my best' to work out a compromise between the governor and Corcoran, 'the House was not going to fund those items at the levels the governor wanted anyway.' St. Lucie and Martin counties, which are in Negron's district, use Visit Florida's marketing programs to attract visitors to the region's attractions such as beaches, state parks and the Indian River Lagoon. 'A reduction in marketing dollars to Visit Florida will be detrimental to smaller communities, such as Martin County,' said the county's Tourism and Marketing Manager Nerissa Okiye. 'We simply cannot create the programs that give us the exposure on our own.' These are the tough choices legislative leaders have to make every session, said Sen. Tom Lee, a Brandon Republican and former Senate president. 'For everything we want to accomplish, the other side has something paired off against it, typically,' Lee said. 'And there's always only so much time to push that through ... so at some point you've got to draw a line and say, 'This is all we can do this year." http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 B: Opinior Page 1 of 3 What took SO LONG FOR DEAL? Samples Extended wait for Everglades reservoir to help curb Lake Okeechobee discharges a `national embarrassment,' journalist says For the better part of the past century, the most powerful politicians in Florida have been unable, and mostly unwilling, to undo the damage wrought by the biggest plumbing folly in state history — the disconnection of Lake Okeechobee from the Everglades. The men and women representing us in Tallahassee never failed to find excuses for this. Land south of Lake Okeechobee was too expensive, they said. Farmers didn't want to sell. The state budget was too tight. First we must finish water projects already in the pipeline, they argued. So it's remarkable that, over the past week, Florida lawmakers have brought us to the cusp of a fix. The Florida House and Senate's passage of a bill requiring construction of a deepwater reservoir on state land south of Lake Okeechobee stands to create a long- sought relief valve for the lake. The reservoir would provide a place to send excess lake water during the rainiest years somewhere other than the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, where the Army Corps of Engineers has shunted it for decades. The damage imposed by this government- sanctioned pollution of the estuaries now is recognized right in the text of Senate Bill 10: Such discharges have manifested in widespread algae blooms, public health impacts, and extensive environmental harm to wildlife and the aquatic ecosystem. The estuaries can't handle the water. needs it. Senate Bill 10 calls for the obvious adjustment. And Gov. Rick Scott has promised to sign it. Senate President Joe Negron, whose hometown of Stuart was ground zero for last summer's toxic algae blooms, made the reservoir his No. 1 priority this session. He backed off an earlier proposal to buy 60,000 acres of farm land for the job, settling instead on two smaller state -owned parcels known as A -1 and A -2. Nonetheless, we're now as close as we've ever been to a meaningful re- plumbing of the state's vast and incongruous water management system. Don't read that to mean progress has arrived in a timely fashion. It's been slower than the flow of water through sawgrass. In many ways, we're right back where we were in 2000, when then - President Bill Clinton signed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan with then - Gov. Jeb See SAMPLES, Page 4B A blanket of algae covers a canal in the North River Shores neighborhood between Northwest River Trail and Northwest San Souci Street on June 24, 2016, along the St. Lucie River in Stuart. ERIC HASERT, TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS OPINION EDITOR EVE SAMPLES http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum /default bb_ include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 B: Opinion Everglades National Park What took SO LONG FOR DEAL? Samples Continued from Page 1B Bush at his side. One of the dozens of projects it called for was a reservoir in the Everglades Agricultural Area. It never got built. The project got tied up in court and later sidelined by former Gov. Charlie Crist's proposal to buy out U.S. Sugar's property. "This is a very modest step toward keeping the promises that were made 17 years ago, toward getting the water right," said Michael Grunwald, a journalist and author of the 2006 book "The Swamp," which details the politically fraught history of the Everglades. In an interview Wednesday, Grunwald called it "a national embarrassment" that we're still waiting on water storage called for in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Nonetheless, environmentalists across the state cheered this week's "modest step." That's what happens when Florida's elected leaders temper our expectations by eroding environmental protections. The reservoir is a far cry from a wide, meandering "flow way" some envisioned to reconnect Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades — but it's a whole lot better than what we usually get from Page 2 of 3 Florida's power brokers. It got so bad in 2014 that 75 percent of voters agreed to a constitutional amendment that would keep lawmakers and the governor in check by mandating minimum levels of conservation spending. Negron, who paid passing attention to the Everglades /Lake Okeechobee crisis early in his career, now is giving it the attention it deserves. And because he's one of the three most powerful men in Tallahassee, he has forced others to elevate the issue. "We are now not just talking about southern storage — we have a paid - for, set -out plan to have 100 -120 billion gallons of water that can be stored south of the lake," Negron told political reporter Isadora Rangel after the House passed the bill Tuesday. "So it's a good day." The question now is, will Negron's reservoir encounter the same roadblocks that previous Everglades projects have hit? Grunwald attributed the past slowdowns to "a combination of bureaucratic inertia and special - interest lobbying." Those forces remain formidable in Tallahassee and across Florida. Let's celebrate, briefly, this remarkable week in the history of environmental politics. Then let's make sure this project gets done and done right. Eve Samples is opinion and audience engagetnent editor for Treasure ('oast Newspapers. Contact her at 772- 2214217 or eve.salnples @tcpaltn_coin. Follow her on Twitter @EveSamples. http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 B: Opinion Page 3 of 3 Algae is seen on May 26, 2016, in the C -44 canal between Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie River. JEREMIAH WILSON /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Tuesday, 03/07/2017 Pag.B01 Copyright C. 2017 Journal Media Group http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Bad News DOLPHINS Dolphins OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Researchers say ones in lagoon suffer from barrage of pathogens, mercury and pollution JIM WAYMER USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA Researchers studying our closest relatives that live in the Indian River Lagoon have delivered a grim diagnosis: Our local dolphins are ailing under a relentless barrage of pathogens, mercury and pollution. Half suffer chronic illness, and biologists say we had better pay attention to their plight, or we may be next. "I think we may be seeing a parallel to what's happening in the human population," said Greg Bossart, chief veterinary officer at Georgia Aquarium, who co- authored two recent lagoon dolphin studies. "This is Florida's 400 -pound miner's canary. They're really trying to tell us something, but for some reason we're not listening very closely." Biologists say we should heed the warning because dolphins top the food chain and eat the same fish we do. The top can be a perilous place within the 156- mile -long estuary. The recent findings regarding Indian River dolphin are the latest evidence that the lagoon — a unique Florida ecosystem — is in peril. Local dolphin test at among the highest blood mercury levels ever measured in the species. The heavy metal taxes dolphins' immune and neurological functions, heralding similar health risks for us. Bad News DOLPHINS One recent study adds further evidence of high mercury levels in lagoon dolphins, especially in the northern lagoon. Another study released this week shows the lagoon's most iconic creature suffers chronic inflammation from immune reactions to a constant onslaught of pathogens, parasites and pollutants. That makes them more susceptible to cancers, autoimmunity and heart disease. Biologists don't know how much mercury a dolphin can bear. "We can't give them an IQ test," said Adam Schaefer, a researcher at FAU- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce, who coauthored the study. "We're really just scratching the surface. These guys are exposed to a lot of other pollutants." Mercury is among the most toxic elements in humans and marine mammals because it builds the farther it goes up the food chain. Symptoms of mercury poisoning See DOLPHINS, Page 6A Page 1 of 3 FAU- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute staffers net a bottlenose dolphin in the Indian River Lagoon in 2014. FAU - HARBOR BRANCI! Researchers help untangle a bottlenose dolphin caught in fishing gear in the Indian River Lagoon. PICASA http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Dolphins Continued from Page l A range from stomach discomfort to brain damage, birth defects and death. Mercury interferes with human brain development. Symptoms in adults intensify if the body accumulates mercury faster than it can be shed. A 2006 study found an estimated 300,000 to 600,000 American children suffer reductions in IQ related to mercury poisoning. The FAU researchers say the mercury levels are higher in dolphins and fish in the northern Indian River Lagoon compared to elsewhere in Florida. The reason is because bacteria in the sulfate -rich muck and salt marsh transform mercury into a much more toxic, more readily absorbed compound called methylmercury. "It's both the species that they're eating and the area where they're feeding," Schaefer said. "We're seeing animals with the highest concentration cluster together in their social network." The study, published recently in Marine Mammal Science, was conducted by researchers at Harbor Branch; Georgia Aquarium; Colorado State University; National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration; and the University of Miami. Dolphins' social groups share similar mercury levels The researchers drew blood samples from 98 lagoon dolphins between 2003 to 2007 and from 2010 to 2012, as part of a longer -term study comparing dolphins in the lagoon with dolphins in Charleston, South Carolina. A 2011 estimate puts the lagoon's dolphins at 662 individuals. They spend most of their life in the lagoon, hanging out where the fish are and hunting in packs. A long lifespan makes them good indicators of overall ecological health. To keep track of them, researchers maintain a photo catalog identifying the dolphins. "It's the first time that anyone, we know of at least, has integrated social network data into environmental exposure," Schaefer said of the mercury study. A study in 2014 by Schaefer and other researchers found that people who ate lagoon seafood once a day were almost four times more likely to have mercury levels in their hair higher than federal guidelines. Levels found in women were just below the federal guidelines but about five times higher than the average for U.S. women of childbearing age. People from Martin County had the highest mean hair concentrations of mercury, followed by Brevard and Palm Beach counties. For most fish species, researchers find similar mercury levels that lagoon fish had 16 years ago, when the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute conducted a statewide study of mercury in fish. "I think for a lot of species it's probably relatively stable," said Doug Adams, a research scientist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. FWC's mercury findings echo Harbor Branch's. "We found that seatrout from the northern part of Mosquito Lagoon, which has less human urbanization, had comparatively higher levels than farther south," Adams said. Seatrout popular sport fish are the staple diet of lagoon dolphins. Mercury delivered from afar More than 90 percent of the mercury fallout in Florida comes from emissions outside of the state, studies show. Page 2 of 3 Mercury rains out of the sky from power plants, wildfires and industry as far away as China and India. It sprinkles into the lagoon and St. Johns River, making its way into the aquatic food chain. Wildfires loft mercury deposited on trees and plants back into the atmosphere. Most species of fish in Florida are safe, though, if eaten in moderation, state health officials say. Top predator fish are the most dangerous to eat. Since 2003, a team of Harbor Branch and other researchers have examined and released more than 360 bottlenose dolphins, 250 of them from the lagoon and the rest in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. They find only half of those dolphins are clinically healthy, and the lagoon dolphins are worse off. They measured mercury in blood and skin of lagoon dolphins at more than four times higher than those found in dolphins in Charleston Harbor. Dolphins studied near Merritt Island, especially, seem in poor health. And the researchers point to water tainted by partially treated sewage and runoff as the possible cause. Mercury levels stabilizing The good news is that blood mercury levels in the lagoon dolphins' blood, although still high, have shown a significant, steady decline over the past decade, according to a 2015 study by Harbor Branch and other researchers. That may be because of emissions reductions, a shift in the prey lagoon dolphins eat or other reasons, the researchers said. Tuesday, 03/07/2017 Pag.A0I Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Martin Health System CEO endorses Negron's reservoir plan Plan TYLER TREADWAY STUART - Martin Health System has added its voice to the chorus, "Buy the land; send it south." At a news conference Thursday, Rob L. Lord Jr., president and CEO of the nonprofit hospital system, called on the Florida Legislature to approve the plan to build a reservoir on farmland south of Lake Okeechobee to help curtail discharges of polluted lake water into Treasure Coast waters: the St. Lucie River, Indian River Lagoon and beaches. This is not a political stand; this is a public health stand," Lord said, with the St. Lucie River behind Martin Medical Center as a backdrop. He said pollution in the water, particularly the toxic blue - green algae blooms of last summer, "result in health issues for our citizens." When the algae was at its worst last summer, emergency rooms in the hospital system saw an increase in symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, skin rashes, coughing, shortness of breath, gout and achy limbs and joints, said Dr. Steve Parr, director of emergency medicine at the system's Tradition Medical Center. Parr said a direct link between those symptoms and the algae couldn't be proven. That caused Lord, a former attorney, to jump in, saying there is "overwhelming circumstantial evidence" of a connection. Some research has suggested, but not proven, toxins in blue -green algae can trigger Martin Health System CEO endorses Negron's reservoir plan Plan Page 1 of 2 neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease, years after exposure. "Waiting for definitive evidence is the wrong answer," Lord said. "Every day we wait is a day lost." Which comes first? That's why Lord called for passage of Senate Bill 10, which would require See PLAN, Page 11A OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Lord Lord countered that "without passage of Senate Bill 10, the health and quality of lives throughout South Florida are threatened." http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Continued from Page 1 A the state and Army Corps of Engineers to immediately start planning and buying as much as 60,000 acres for a reservoir south of the lake. The South Florida Water Management District and the Corps say building storage projects north of the lake should come first. "There has to be a flow of water south from the lake to the Everglades," Lord said. "Without that, fixing what's flowing into Lake Okeechobee won't fix the problem of the discharges. The southern reservoir needs to be built, and it needs to be as soon as possible." Negron's proposal faces stiff opposition in the Legislature, particularly in the House of Representatives. Some legislators balk at the proposal's $2.4 billion price tag, which would be split evenly between the state and federal governments. But Lord said the project "will never cost less than it will cost today." Many Glades residents south of Lake 0 also oppose the measure, saying taking that much land out of agriculture will cost thousands of jobs and ruin the economies of farm - dependent communities. Page 2 of 2 The proposal also would have to be approved by Congress and President Donald Trump. Based in Stuart, Martin Health System has 4,200 employees at three hospitals, one urgent care center, a free- standing emergency center and several outpatient centers and clinics throughout Martin County and in Port St. Lucie. Greg Wheeler and Rob Lord attend the Florence Nightingale Society Luncheon at the Willoughby Golf Club in Stuart. CONTRIBUTED BY JORDAN BERNS Friday. 03/31/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 1 Corps: Discharges fall with northern project TYLER TREADWAY T7J,Ef'.TF'EADWA The project cost has not been determined either, Aley said, but a f_ITALM:CC- fsihould be available 'in a month or so.' The water district earlier this year estimated the project cost at between $1.14 billion and $3.7 billion. OKEECIIOBEE Lake okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie River would be cut in half by a water storage project being planned north of the lake, WILL IT HELP? federal officials said Tuesday. Engineers are considering three options to keep rainfall runoff out of the lake, according to officials from the Army Corps of Engineers and South Florida Water Management District, who outlined them to the public at a meeting in Okeechobee. The options involve a combination of reservoirs ranging in volume from 87 billion gallons to 142.2 billion gallons, shallow wells that can hold water and bring it back when needed and deep wells designed to hold water permanently. All the proposed sites are west of the southern end of the Kissimmee River, which is the lake's primary water source. Two of the sites are on the northwest shore of the lake. PROJECT DETAILS The sites were chosen primarily for their ability to keep water out of the lake, said Lisa Aley, an environmental engineer with the Corps. Another consideration was reducing costs because the water district owns all the land needed. 'Being able to fill up the reservoir is the primary concern,' Aley said. 'Being able to use district land is a bonus.' Planning is scheduled to be finished by summer 2019 with a report to Congress asking for money to begin designing and building the projects. A completion date has not been determined. The project's ability to keep water out of the estuaries is inflated because the modeling assumes the lake will be able to hold more water after repairs to the dike around it are completed, said Paul Gray, a Lake o expert for Florida Audubon. The Corps' official position has always been that there's no guarantee the lake will be able to hold more water after the dike is repaired. Plus, keeping more water in the lake is harmful to many of the plants and animals that live there, Gray said. Extra water would be held in the lake for 'a brief period of time, a couple of months,' not permanently and not long enough to cause environmental damage, countered Walter Wilcox, a water district modeling section administrator. The project should improve conditions in the St. Lucie River, said Deborah Drum, Martin County ecosystem manager, but the data shown by its designers points out the need for water storage both north and south of the lake. 'Everyone has always said we need more water storage, and this is more water storage,' Drum said. 'Collectively, all these projects will lead to improved conditions in the St. Lucie. They won't stop discharges, but they'll lessen the frequency and the volume of the discharges to the point that the ecosystem will be able to recover.' SOUTHERN STORAGE Wednesday, 04/05/2017 Pag.Al1 The project is moving forward as Florida Senate President Joe Negron, R- Stuart, faces stiff opposition to a proposed reservoir south of the lake. The bill Negron's championing (Senate Bill 10) was amended Tuesday to eliminate two controversial provisions: borrowing $1.2 billion for the state's half of the costs and taking 60,000 acres of farmland out of production. Negron still wants to expedite the project, however. According to a schedule developed by the Corps and the water district, projects north of the lake are to be done before those south of the lake. Specifically, planning for the northern projects began last year, with construction to begin in 2023. Planning for projects south of the lake are to begin in 2022, with construction starting in 2027. Negron's proposal would have the projects done concurrently. OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Bucks to move the muck? Lagoon Senate panel OK with $30 million for lagoon ISADORA RANGEL South Florida water management districts and would be used to address pollution in the entire Indian River Lagoon system, which stretches from Volusia County to the Jupiter Inlet in Martin County. The Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee approved 1'I E L(::,oTC ,IFALM I, Senate Bill 982 unanimously and two other committees have to approve it TALLAHASSEE — The Indian River Lagoon might get a $30 million annual boost this year through a bill a Senate committee approved Wednesday. Republican Sen. Debbie Mayfield, who represents the bulk of the 156 - mile estuary in Brevard and Indian River counties, filed legislation to clean the estuary troubled in recent years by brown tides, fish kills and manatee and dolphin deaths. The bill would set aside money to buy conservation land, increase recreational opportunities, remove muck, convert septic tanks to central sewer and address stormwater runoff, Mayfield said. The $30 million would be split evenly between the St. Johns River and Bucks to move the muck? Lagoon Continued from Page 1 A Legislature. The main one — and also more controversial — would buy about 60,000 acres south of Lake Okeechobee and build a reservoir to hold excess water that today gets discharged. That's a priority of Florida Senate President Joe Negron, whose Treasure Coast district is ground zero for discharges into the St. Lucie River. There also are two bills dealing with septic tank pollution. One of them allocates $20 million to help property owners retrofit or convert septic tanks before its ready for a floor vote by the full Senate. The House version. HB 1033, hasn't been scheduled for a hearing. The bill is one of four that address estuary pollution making their way in the See LAGOON, Page 11A OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON water conservation. Some environmentalists disagree the money should be used for wastewater projects, saying the amendment's main intent is to buy more land for preservation before it gets developed. Septic tanks are considered a major source of pollution in the Indian River Lagoon. In Brevard County, which accounts for 71 percent of the lagoon, there are 82,000 permitted septic systems, of which 59,500 pollute groundwater that flows into the estuary, according to a legislative staff analysis. That pollution is behind the algae blooms that caused fish kills in the Banana River and northern lagoon last year. The estimated cost of converting all septic tanks in Brevard to sewage lines is $1.19 billion, according to the analysis. Negron Mayfield Page 1 of 2 $45 million annually to restore the St. Johns River and its tributaries or the Keystone Heights Lake Region. Last year, Scott signed a law that set aside Amendment 1 dollars for Everglades restoration, springs and Lake Apopka. An aerial image shows the St. Lucie River, the Indian River Lagoon, http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main the Florida Department of Environmental Protection says are polluting the lagoon and rivers. The measure is in line with Gov. Rick Scott's request for $40 million for septic -to -sewer conversions in areas affected by algae blooms. The other bill mandates septic tank inspections as part of real estate sales. All four bills and Scott's proposal use dollars available through Amendment 1, a constitutional amendment voters approved in 2014 to set aside one -third of real estate transaction tax revenue for land and Martin County commissioned a study that found septic pollution also is a major problem in the St. Lucie River and the southern lagoon, and officials there are asking for money from the state this year to help pay to convert septic to sewer in the Golden Gate neighborhood. Sewall's Point, Indian River and St. Lucie Counties have similar requests. Mayfield's bill also is one of two bills this year that seek to earmark money from Amendment 1. Sen. Rob Bradley is pushing for Page 2 of 2 Hutchinson Island and the Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 16. LEAH VOSS /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Thursday, 03/23/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright <d 2017 Journal Media Group http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 5 WAR OF WORDS Water Groups in water wars battle for hearts and minds of voters through money, messaging CHAD GILLIS AND ALEXANDRA GLORIOSO USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA Buy the sugar land. Vote Yes on Amendment 1. Send water south. #gladeslivesmatter. 13ullsugar. South Florida these days is a world of bumper- sticker slogans and big -money politics a place where well - planned messages can cost millions of dollars and steer history's largest environmental restoration. The phrases, forums and protests can sway Florida voters, influence state lawmakers, control where taxpayer money goes and even help change the state's constitution. There is a lot at stake: clean water, thousands of jobs, billions in state money, millions in tourist spending and the future of imperiled species. With the legislative session underway, lawmakers are considering Senate President Joe Negron's top priority a state plan to borrow for Florida's share of a $2.4 billion proposal to buy 60,000 acres for a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee. But Negron's plan faces tough odds. U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney, a freshman Republican from Naples who could be an influential advocate for federal help with the reservoir, said he doesn't believe the political will exists now to pass Negron's plan. Florida residents and politicians have been pushing Congress to catch up with the federal government's share of Everglades restoration costs. As the state Legislature and Congress get busy, the messages have become more frequent and reactionary as one side pits ideas and strategies against the other. The various sides are well funded, experienced and battle - hardened. Each sells a version of the truth. Their messages are often coordinated and planned for the most impact. Their battlefields are billboards, government meetings, mail fliers, social media platforms and email blasts. Protesters have demonstrated for clean water on both coasts. The groups battle on Facebook, with tit - for -tat responses that basically say the other is wrong. Eric Eikenberg, Crist's former chief of staff and now Everglades Foundation CEO, joined the foundation in 2012, after serving as Crist's campaign manager during his failed 2010 U.S. Senate run. Critics of the foundation say Eikenberg and Jones, the billionaire, influence many environmental groups that depend on the foundation for funding. Eikenberg said the Everglades Foundation distributes about $1 million annually to 16 organizations, and that decisions about which groups are funded are made by a board of 28 people, not one billionaire founder. See WATER, Page 13A "Environmental organizations exist solely to advocate for what they value in environmental policy." REP. MATT CALDWELL R -NORTH FORT MYERS Pedro Vanes and Augusto Cazeras, of Domingo Produce Inc., plant sugar cane on a field that abuts Lake Okeechobee near Clewiston. ANDREW WEST /USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORI DA http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 2 of 5 And two groups have been particularly active in the battle in recent months: The Everglades Foundation and the Florida Sugarcane Farmers, a growers trade group. The Everglades Foundation has been pushing the state to buy about 60,000 acres of farm land south of Lake Okeechobee for a water storage reservoir that would be part of the larger Everglades restoration. It's an idea Negron has supported after large water releases from the lake last year fouled the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers and estuaries. This is the "Send Water South" campaign, which kicked into high gear after El Nino rains soaked most of the state in January of 2016. Former Gov. Charlie Crist made a deal with U.S. Sugar in 2008 that basically said the state was ready to buy all of U.S. Sugar's land and holdings in the Clewiston area for $1.75 billion. The state purchased more than 27,000 acres for $197 million and there's still a deal that would allow the state to buy all of the corporation's land and assets by 2020. But U.S. Sugar says it's no longer a willing seller. Gov. Rick Scott arrived in Tallahassee in 2010, and he has since appointed all of the South Florida Water Management District governing board. Scott has shown no interest in following Crist's lead to buy the land, and neither has his water district board. The conservative James Madison Institute in Tallahassee released a report called "$ticker $hock" in February that said buying farm lands south of Lake Okeechobee for a reservoir would cost hundreds of millions of dollars and put thousands of people out of a job. Four days later, the Everglades Foundation the creation of billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones and the late Orlando -area developer George Barley countered with a Clemson University study that says building a reservoir would create 39,000 jobs and increase property values in Florida by billions of dollars. Florida Sugarcane Farmers posted on various Facebook accounts that the James Madison Institute, not the Everglades Foundation and the Clemson study, was right. An alligator peeks from the water at Pine Glades Lake at Everglades National Park. ANDREA MELENDEZ /USA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA Negron Rooney Scott Eikenberg http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 3 of 5 The Everglades Foundation also helped fund a Florida Realtors Association report in 2015 that estimated better water quality would increase property values by nearly $1 billion in Lee and Martin counties areas on the west and east coasts that receive Lake Okeechobee toxic water releases. WAR OF WORDS Water Continued from Page 1 A Those organizations are based mainly in Florida but some are in Washington, D.C. "The other side or opponents of the Everglades Foundation can make these types of weird and crazy accusations or alternative realities, but the fact of the matter is we are in this to see an ecosystem saved," Eikenberg said. "We're not out to put anybody out of business." The foundation is battling U.S. Sugar, the Florida Sugarcane Farmers, Florida Chamber of Commerce and groups like the James Madison Institute, which advocates private property rights and less government regulation. Before the foundation hands out money to other groups like the Florida chapters of Audubon and the Sierra Club, they must agree to participate in weekly call -ins to coordinate efforts. Audobon and Sierra Club received $418,000 and $100,000, respectively, from the foundation in 2014. 'From our perspective," Eikenberg said, 'it's bringing people together with a common shared goal and tapping into the expertise that they may have and it's worked effectively." U.S. Sugar executive Judy Sanchez said the groups are hell bent on putting sugar farmers out of business. Last month, Glades Lives Matter began stepping up the pressure to defeat the reservoir by giving tours of the Glades farming area and drawing attention to all of the needs in the poor, minority farming community. The group then invited residents to tell their stories to the caucus during a regular Tuesday night meeting in Tallahassee on Feb. 21. Members were "flabber- gasted" at the economic situation in the Glades, said state Sen. Perry Thurston, the black caucus' chairman from Pompano Beach who couldn't believe the lack of good jobs, roads and schools. He said the community is so dependent on farming that it can't afford to lose farmland — even if it's to build a reservoir designed to protect the ecosystem. "I think that this community is probably the least of areas that can afford the loss of jobs and impact this (proposal) would have on them," Thurston said. "I think that we need a holistic approach, rather, where everyone has skin in the game." Though Glades Lives Matter's message sounds as if it were lifted directly from Big Sugar's playbook, the group wouldn't say whether it was funded by the industry and didn't respond to requests for a list of donors. U.S. Sugar is one of the major power brokers and employers in Taylor's home city of Clewiston and featured one of Taylor's op -eds on its website. http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main 'That's what every single group that gets funding from the Everglades Foundation is basing all of their support for a Southern reservoir on. The science has been debunked by the South Florida Water Management District,' Sanchez said. 'That's a big difference between what the Everglades Foundation does and what we do (lobby in Tallahassee) because they're seeking to irritate, to sensationalize and then they litigate.' But, Eikenberg, the Everglades Foundation's CEO, said the message isn't quite as synchronized as he would hope. "The fact that people think this is some kind of a puppet mastery, it is herding cats. You've got to keep people focused because there are a lot of competing interests," Eikenberg said. "We're trying to speak in one voice." An unlikely message has made its way into the debate over the proposed Everglades reservoir: the plan advocated by Negron and environmentalists hurts a "proud African - American community." The group trumpeting the message calls itself Glades Lives Matter, a title clearly intended to evoke the passions stirred by the national group drawing attention to black people killed by police. Echoing talking points from the sugar industry, Glades Lives Matter says the 60,000 -acre reservoir will be built on too much farmland and therefore take away jobs in the struggling agricultural area south of Lake Okeechobee. The argument has hit home with the state legislative black caucus, whose members have been lobbied by Glades Lives Matter, a nonprofit founded by a trio of black politicos. In various op -eds, Glades Lives Matter has dwelled on race and class issues between the environmentalists and Glades residents. "Why Are Black South Floridians Not Part Of Discussions For Plan To Buy Their Land ?" former Hendry County Commissioner Janet Taylor, D- Clewiston, wrote in the Huffington Post this past September. "This plan in the name of Everglades restoration was announced in 2016, not 1916," Taylor wrote. "Sadly, it's a plan designed to benefit the wealthy at the expense of another proud African - American community." Page 4 of 5 Like other industries that have financed local groups to spread their messages in communities they are trying to connect with, U.S. Sugar acknowledged it has funded several organizations over the years such as Ladies of the Lake and Florida Sugarcane Farmers to promote its message against buying more sugar land to restore the Everglades. While she wouldn't comment directly on Glades Lives Matter, a spokeswoman did say U.S. Sugar has a major voice in the business community that can back similar kinds of-community organizations. "We're a member of the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce because we've been a member of that since they've had a chamber. And they're very active in these issues," Sanchez said. In addition to promoting different groups, U.S. Sugar said it ran seven ads in 2016 and one so far in 2017 in full -page Sunday editions in the The News -Press and Treasure Coast newspapers, where communities were most impacted by the toxic discharges from Lake Okeechobee. The ads cost about $39,200 through Feb. 28, U.S. Sugar said. Sanchez said they were a response to improper information being spread in the news coverage as well as community meetings hosted by local environmental groups like the Sierra Club, "basically saying that U.S. Sugar alone was responsible for an environmental catastrophe." The Everglades Foundation said it hadn't funded any ads in local papers but did acknowledge they'd funded a full page ad in The New York Times, which was first reported by the Miami Herald in March 2016 . Many politicians support farmers and landowners and tend to support the water district and the sugar companies, who say that instead of trying to buy more land south of Lake 0, the state and federal government should concentrate on funding and building out projects already on the drawing board, including the C -43 reservoir near the Hendry -Lee county line and storage efforts north of the lake. "Environmental organizations exist solely to advocate for what they value in environmental policy," said. Rep. Matt Caldwell, R -North Fort Myers, who is philosophically aligned with the sugar industry on Everglades issues. "The farmers have a much wider scope for what they pay attention to, which is more http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Taylor is a director of the group along with Anna Littles of Clewiston and Katia Saint Fleur of Miami, according to state records. The Everglades Foundation bristled at Taylor's accusations and said she's not willing to work with them. "She's reverting to stoking fears. She's willing to be divisive and it's actually sad. In this day and age for an elected official to write that kind of thing is just sad," Eikenberg said. The great irony of Taylor's argument, Eikenberg argues, is that the giant reservoir benefits everyone in South Florida. But Glades Lives Matter is hoping to persuade some Democrats to join a growing number of Republicans lining up against Negron's plan this year for the reservoir. His fellow Republicans who control the House, hold a majority in the state's congressional delegation and in the governor's mansion, all oppose building the reservoir. Glades Lives Matter, formed last year, is targeting the black caucus. Of the 15 Democrats in the Senate, where they tend to have more influence, seven are black. Page 5 of 5 than just environmental stewardship but all the business issues that affect their employees." A new type of organization sprung up over the past year, after the heavy El Nino rains turned coastal waters black. Armed with a vast social media network, major corporate sponsorships and youthful leadership, Captains for Clean Water has grown from a group of frustrated fishing captains to hundreds of fee- paying members in Tess than a year. Captains for Clean Water, a Fort Myersbased non- profit that received $25,000 from the Everglades Foundation last year, formed in May 2016, after the heavy, unseasonal rains washed chocolate, even black - colored waters across the east and west coasts. But what the group lacks in history and experience is offset by corporate sponsorships that help them spread their message to millions of people across the country. Monday. 03/13/2017 Pag.AO I Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A . /lain Page 1 of 2 Development plan falters Wetlands Request to ease protections of Wetlands fails first vote LIDIA DINKOVA czbT'f'F,; MARTIN COUNTY - A proposal to allow developers to pave small Wetlands could advance to a vote by the County Commission, even though county staff members and a county advisory board have urged to nix the plan. The Local Planning Agency, an adviser to the commission, on Thursday voted 3 -1 against the request to allow developers to build on Wetlands that are a halfacre or smallerin unincorporated Martin County. It remained unclear whether land planner Don Cuozzo, who asked for the change, would push his plan forward. Cuozzo was absent from the meeting and could not be reached for comment. Technically, the proposal still could move forward to the next level, a preliminary County Commission vote on April 25 and a final vote by the County Commission on July 25. The plan seeks a significant change as now Wetlands, regardless of type or size, are protected, said Irene Szedlmayer, Martin growth management department senior planner. Some exceptions arise when building a road or a bridge, according to the comprehensive plan that dictates development rules. But the change is needed because there's little land left to develop in the county's urban service district — the area where building is allowed and that has the water, sewer and other infrastructure needed to support development, according to an the county should allow developers to pave one small wetland per project, Cuozzo argues. County staff disagreed. There is room to build in the county without expanding the urban district and, even if land that can be developed becomes scarce in the future, Cuozzo fails to prove that paving over small Wetlands would be the best way to open room for more building, Szedlmayer said. The proposal has been met with staunch pushback. On Thursday, nearly 150 people packed the Martin County Commission Chamber, and 42 of them spoke against the change saying, in part, that it would pave the way for more building and be environmentally detrimental. See Wetlands, Page 11A SHAPING OUR FUTURE The Kitching Creek Central Flow Way Project is seen Nov. 12, 2015, in Hobe Sound. The Local Planning Agency on Thursday voted 3 -1 against the request to allow developers to build on Wetlands that are a half -acre or smaller in unincorporated Martin County. XAVIER MASCARENAS /TRESURE COAST NEWSPAPERS http: / /treasurecoast.fl. newsmemory. com /ee / nmum /defaultbb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A• Main Page 2 of 2 application Cuozzo turned in to the county. And, to avert the need to expand the district, Friday, 06 /02/2017 Pag.A01 Development plan falters Wetlands Continued from Page I A No one spoke in support of the proposal. "This would lead us down the road to increased urbanization for profit," county resident Paul Laura said, adding that approving this would be a "slippery slope" to further stripping of Wetlands protections in the future. Wetlands hydrologist Tom Van Lent, who wasn't at the meeting, said the request could be detrimental if approved. If Wetlands are paved, it could lead to flooding and pollution of the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon as Wetlands remove pollutants, such as sediments and fertilizer, before water trickles to the estuary, said Van Lent, of the Everglades Foundation. Cuozzo in a December interview agreed Wetlands are vital for the environment but not small Wetlands that are preserved in the middle of a development and end up being surrounded by concrete. "When you have a half -acre wetland in the middle of a piece of property that's surrounded by asphalt and buildings because it's preserved, then that spot doesn't necessarily provide the benefits of a wetland," he said. Cuozzo's proposal calls for regulation: If a wetland is paved for a project, the developer must create a wetland elsewhere. If the developer decides to create a wetland outside of Martin County, then he or she would have to create double the ecological value of the destroyed wetland. Van Lent, however, said Wetlands recreation fails to work. "Well, if I take a half -acre (wetland) and if I add a half -acre (wetland), would the wetland work the same? Well, no. Not necessarily. (We) really need the Wetlands in the location that they are," he said. Board member Scott Watson was the dissenting vote Thursday, saying property rights should be considered. "The right of the individual cannot be trampled by a majority," he said. Copyright J 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include inframe.php?token=2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 1 Lake o bill drastically changes Negron: Less land out of agricultural production in plan owns and leases to Florida Crystals until 2019. The amendment calls for smaller private land purchases to complement that. ISADORA RANGEL The project cost, split between the state and federal government, would 1`'ADORA,F AA iEL61),TCFALI1/441 �-riMdrop from $2.4 billion to $1.5 billion, Negron said. TALLAHASSEE After facing pushback from the sugar industry and other lawmakers, state Senate President Joe Negron announced Tuesday he intends to take less land out of agricultural production to build a reservoir south of Lake okeechobee to curb discharges. A 31 -page amendment to Senate Bill 10 changes the proposal dramatically — from buying 60,000 acres from farmers to using 14,000 acres the state Wednesday, 04/05/2017 Pag.A01 The changes make the bill more palatable to critics concerned about the project's scope, cost and impact to rural communities and puts the reservoir one step closer to reality, supporters said. U.S. Sugar Corp., which has been fiercely lobbying against the measure, called the move 'significant progress,' but spokeswoman Judy Sanchez said she's concerned the bill still would disrupt the current schedule of Everglades restoration projects by expediting planning of a southern reservoir from 2021 to 2018. See CHANGES, Page 13A OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Copyright CO 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum /default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 Changes Continued from Page lA The amendment also would terminate a contract U.S. Sugar signed to sell the state 153,000 acres, if Congress approves the proposal or the state secures land from other sources. The company has become reluctant over the years to sell the land since signing the 2 010 agreement. "This amendment demonstrates that the Florida Senate has begun taking seriously the concerns of residents from communities south of Lake Okeechobee,' Sanchez said. 'The decision to no longer take 60,000 to 153,000 acres of farmland out of production is a positive step forward.' The Senate budget committee will hear the amendment at 2 p.m. Wednesday, when the bill gets its last hearing before it's ready for a full Senate vote. The bill is stalled in the House, and Speaker Richard Corcoran has said he's waiting to see what the Senate does before hearing the proposal. Negron, R- Stuart, said the amended bill still would achieve his original goal: storing 100 billion to 120 billion gallons of water that today gets discharged east to the St. Lucie River and west to the Caloosahatchee River, where it causes environmental damage such as toxic algae blooms. 'We knew the bill would ultimately evolve to something different than what was originally fled,' said sponsor Sen. Rob Bradley, R- Fleming Island. Here are the major changes Negron and Bradley are pushing: AMOUNT OF LAND The amendment: » Directs the South Florida Water Management District, along with the Army Corps of Engineers, to retrofit a shallow reservoir already planned on the 14,000 acres in Palm Beach County into a 14- foot -deep reservoir that would hold 240,000 acre -feet of water. In addition to that land, the district also could consider using an adjacent reservoir known as A -1 that today cleans Everglades -bound water to increase storage to at least 360,000 acre -feet, but only if that doesn't compromise how clean the water is when it reaches the River of Grass. » Directs the water district to negotiate modifications of lease terms on stateand district -owned lands to make more land available. Specifically, the amendment tells the agency to look at 3,700 acres adjacent to the A -2 parcel and identify the lessees for the 3,200 acres that are state -owned and the owners of the remaining 500 acres. » Frees up state land for swaps with private owners by terminating a program in western Palm Beach County that uses inmate labor for agricultural work. » Tells the district to present a plan to the Legislature by Jan. 9, detailing how much additional land it would need and how to secure it. FUNDING The state and federal government still would go 50/50 on the $1.5 billion cost. The bill would allocate $64 million this year, but the Legislature would have to borrow money in the following years with $100 million allocated annually for debt service to generate up to $l.2 billion. Negron said he doesn't expect the state will need that much money but wants to ensure the Legislature has enough financing in case it needs it. Money not used for the reservoir could go into other Everglades restoration projects. CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL Congress approved the A -2 reservoir last year, but because it would be retrofitted into a deeper reservoir, Congress would have to approve that change. That might be easier to achieve than getting approval for a new reservoir, as would be required without the amendment. said Audubon Florida Executive Director Eric Draper. HELPING THE GLADES Negron tried to appease concerns from residents in the Glades area south of the lake, who said taking land out of production would kill jobs. As amended, Senate Bill 10 would give priority for reservoir construction jobs to former agricultural workers as long as they are qualified. It also would establish the Everglades Restoration Agricultural Community Training Program to train worker for non - agricultural jobs. "We knew the bill would ultimately evolve to something different than what was originally filed." SEN. ROB BRADLEY R- FLEMING ISLAND http: / /treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 Corps: Stay the course on Everglades Everglades Plan would take act of Congress TYLER TREADWAY saying Wednesday the Corps has a 'track record' of moving up projects when requested. l Lt�'. EAD A, 70 MC CDl °Rut in the meantime, the cCorps is AND ISADORA RANGEL committed to sticking with a plan to proceed with storage projects north, 'LLB'' TrCFA1 M CL91''4east and west of the lake before even starting to plan for storage to the south. Moving up planning and building a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee would take an act of Congress. Literally, said a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers. Even if the Florida Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott approve Senate President Joe Negron's plan to buy land and start planning a southern reservoir immediately, the Corps would need approval by Congress and President Donald Trump to fund its half of the estimated $2.4 billion project, said spokesman John Campbell. 'At that point, we'd have our marching orders,' Campbell said. Negron remains optimistic, Corps: Stay the course on Everglades Everglades Continued from Page I A there will be federal dollars is unreal istic." Yet only last summer, the Corps was willing to start planning the southern reservoir 'quickly' once a local partner is found, Jo -Ellen Darcy, who led the Corps as assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, wrote in a July 26 letter to then -U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy. It's 'the optimal sequence of restoration activities,' Col. Jason Kirk, the Corps' commander for Florida, said Tuesday. Kirk's endorsement of holding off on the southern reservoir is a sign the federal government doesn't agree with Negron's proposal, said state Rep. Matthew Caldwell. Negron's plan to buy 60,000 acres of farmland and build a 120 billion - gallon reservoir relies on federal funding, said Caldwell, a Republican from Lehigh Acres. "I think any new bill that assumes See EVERGLADES, Page 9A Both show the Corps' intention 'to follow the Integrated Delivery Schedule as it is written. And it's not written in stone. It's flexible; it can be changed.' Which brings us back to the act of Congress. FIRST THINGS FIRST First, Negron's proposal has to get through the Florida Legislature. He's said since announcing the plan in August it will be a difficult task. "If this were easy, it would have already been done 20 years ago," Negron said. Joe Negron OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON But Mark Perry, executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society and staunch supporter of the southern reservoir, said it will have 'a chilling effect' on state legislators who might be considering voting for it. That wasn't Kirk's intent, Campbell said. 'Our intent is to let lawmakers debate proposals and make policy,' he said. 'If we're asked to provide information on what the Corps can and cannot do, we'll provide information. Then well do whatever we are mandated to do by the president and Congress.' http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Page 2 of 2 What's changed? For starters, Campbell said, Darcy and Murphy aren't in their federal jobs anymore. And Campbell insists the statements by Darcy and Kirk aren't contradictory. Everglades Foundation CEO Eric Eikenberg called Kirk's statement a "big yawn" and said it doesn't affect voting on Negron's proposal. Thursday, 03/16/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include inframe.php?token=2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Lake Okeechobee reservoir stokes fear — well- founded or not — in the Glades `FORGOTTEN PEOPLE' Forgotten Our Indian River Lagoon ISADORA RANGEL The town where Ernest Williams raised his eight children is tucked in between fields of cabbage, sweet corn and sugarcane. Single- engine turboprop planes constantly fly over, sprinkling insecticides over the crops. Sugar mills sit on the horizon, pumping white plumes from their smokestacks. "If I ain't got no money, I can go out in the fields and get greens," the 50- year -old Belle Glade resident said. "1 can go out in the fields and get vegetables, rabbits, gator ... I eat gator, I eat possum, I eat (raccoon)." Like many of his neighbors who got their start in the agricultural industry — as did their mothers and fathers before them Williams' first job was laboring in those fields. For the past 23 years, he's worked at Cavinee's Paint & Body Shop, where he fixes cars, trucks, tractors and airplanes for people who work in agriculture. Owner Kenny Cavinee said farm industry workers make up 80 percent of his clientele. See FORGOTTEN, Page 27A A breakdown of the demographics of the Glades, what their residents have to say. Inside, Page 28A Find videos, photo galleries, links to more stories and a timeline online. TCPalm.com Page 1 of 4 "In my opinion, this is one of the greatest places in the world to live," said Ernest Williams, of Belle Glade, who has worked at Cavinee's Paint and Body Shop for more than 20 years. Much of the economy in the Glades revolves around agriculture, including the Sugar Growers Cooperative of Florida mill, seen on Feb. 28 in Belle Glade. PHOTOS BY LEAH VOSS / TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS _ TRUSTCO /INBANK® Your Home Town Bank MORTGAGES CLICK FOR LOW HATES http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main `FORGOTTEN PEOPLE' Forgotten Continued from Page 1 A Williams is one of roughly 37,000 residents of "the Glades." The mostly rural area south of Lake Okeechobee is home to the predominately black and impoverished tri- cities of Pahokee, South Bay and Belle Glade in Palm Beach County and the whiter, higherincome Clewiston in Hendry County, about 20 miles west. Because their livelihoods depend on agriculture an industry that's woven through the fabric of their communities a proposed reservoir to curb Lake Okeechobee discharges has stoked fear the loss of farmland necessary for the project means the loss of money, jobs and their culture. We don't have much," said Bishop Kenny Berry, a founder - member of the Grace Fellowship Worship Center. We don't have your Macy's, we don't have your Burlington (Coat Factory), we don't have all those major stores not even a Home Depot." Berry's church is in Belle Glade, whose poetically ironic city motto is "Her soil is her fortune." In the tri- cities, perhaps best known to outsiders for its 1980s HIV epidemic, gang- related shootings and breeding ground for professional football players, 36 percent of residents live in poverty. "We're in one of the wealthiest counties in the country: Palm Beach County," Berry said. "But we are forgotten people out here in the Glades." `That's all there is' Willie Ball, 69, said he made $10.20 an hour when he retired from U.S. Sugar Corp. after 27 years working as an equipment operator. While that was a "rough" job that didn't pay much, at least the company paid for his Clewiston housing and utilities, he said. Now the Royal Palm Beach resident owns the pickup truck he uses to haul mostly sod around the Glades. "That's all there is, farming, truck driving, stuff like that," Ball said on a recent February afternoon, sitting in his truck and chatting with friends, one of whom sold sweet corn from a wooden box at "The Ramp." Page 2 of 4 in January and helping build homes for two families last year. The Fanjul family, which owns Florida Crystals, runs New Hope Charities to serve needy families in western Palm Beach County. Matriarch Emilia Fanjul opened two Pahokee charter schools to serve mostly minority children. She even flew in a Catholic priest to bless Glades Academy when its building opened in 2011, according to Sasser. You come out here and you see (Glades Academy) and then you hear the total bull (expletive) that comes out of Martin County about the Fanjuls," Sasser said. `Big Sugar's playbook' The Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, made up of 45 small and medium growers, has said it will have to close its Belle Glade mill if 60,000 acres are taken out of production. In response, the grassroots "Guardians of the Glades" formed to oppose the state buying farmland for a reservoir. And in refusing to sell their land, members of EAA Farmers Inc., a coalition of farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area, have cited the potential shuttering of the mill and two vegetable packinghouses. Mitchell, with the Everglades Trust, is among the critics who blame the sugar industry for inciting the panic and hypocritically so. Sugar companies have opened and closed Glades mills for the last 100 years because of wideranging influences such as global markets, economic conditions, government policies and hurricanes. U.S. Sugar Corp. even agreed to sell all of its farmland to the state for Everglades restoration in a proposed 2008 buyout, but since has cooled to the idea. "You know where this (mill closing claim) comes from ?" Mitchell said. "It's Big Sugar's playbook." Negron, R- Stuart, has said he doesn't believe the mill will close because of his reservoir plan. 1 le might need less than the 60,000 acres he initially suggested last year, which represents less than 10 percent of the agricultural area south of the lake. He's also exploring a combination of private and public lands. The state could even seek parcels with poor soil, as not all farmland in the area is highly productive, said Mitchell, whose group is among those lobbying for the reservoir. http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main An open, paved lot in southeast Belle Glade, The Ramp is where buses pick up and drop off daily field laborers, but it's also a meet -up spot where locals play checkers, drink and talk. It's surrounded by dilapidated tenements and concrete houses where women, children, old and young men gather outside, sitting on their doorsteps, stoops and sidewalks. A few blocks away is Avenue A, a main thoroughfare Berry said once thrived but now is lined with empty storefronts. Agriculture created almost 180,000 direct and indirect jobs in Hendry and Palm Beach counties, according to a 2014 University of Florida report. Still, unemployment ranges from 5 percent to 20 percent in the Glades, where families live on less than $32,000 a year. Florida's unemployment rate is nearly 5 percent. "I personally find it immoral that you have two mega billion - dollar corporations parked in their front and backyard and you have high unemployment," Everglades Trust Executive Director Kimberly Mitchell said, referring to Florida Crystals and U.S. Sugar Corp. J.P. Sasser, who served as Pahokee's mayor for nine years, is now an informal promoter of the tri- cities, often taking out- of- towners and news reporters on tours. He acknowledges the poverty, even takes visitors on a brief ride through "the hood" in Pahokee, but he still boasts about the joys of living in a rural, small -town farming community. "There is never any doubt the way we earn our living," said the 61- yearold, who stands 6- feet -1 with big blue eyes and a booming voice. "It doesn't matter if you go by a million - dollar home, it's still got a cane field ... right across there." Ripple effect In one corner of Cavinee's Paint & Body Shop sits a boat part waiting to be fixed. It belongs to a corn farmer. -If the farmers don't do good, you don't do good," said owner Kenny Cavinee, who's lived in the area since 1963. Taking land out of production for a Lake 0 reservoir would cause a direct impact on the agricultural industry, but to what degree is up for debate. The project's main proponent, Senate President Joe Page 3 of 4 Lawmakers have asked the landbuy bill be amended before the next Florida Senate committee hears it to include provisions to help affected communities. Negron said that's a possibility, but had no specific suggestions. Whether the reservoir would be catastrophic for the agricultural industry as Glades residents fear will be the subject of much debate in the months to come. Agriculture hasn't lifted people out of poverty, but for better or worse, Berry said, "This is the industry that's here." Tony Inman, of Belle Glade, sells sweet corn on a street corner at "The Ramp," an area in Belle Glade where dozens of residents hang out in the evening before heading home, on Feb. 8. Inman has worked agriculture related jobs his entire life and says sometimes he's allowed to take crates of extra corn home, part of the "sideline work" he does to make extra money. PHOTOS BY LEAH VOSS / TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Negron, has said he would keep impacts to a minimum. Despite Negron's assurance, residents still worry about the ripple effects his proposal, which the Legislature will hear this year, could have on the entire Glades business community. U.S. Sugar Corp. is Hendry County's largest employer, according to Clewiston Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Hillary Hyslope. Production affects their workers and the businesses they frequent. "That's then the place that 1 go get my nails done that's lost my business," she said hypothetically. -It's the place where I get my hair cut, the private school that my children go to." Sugar proponents also defend the companies as good community partners, the door you knock on for charity. U.S. Sugar Corp.'s website, for instance, boasts about donating 1,000 shoes to local students Page 4 of 4 Willie Ball, of Royal Palm Beach, made a career as an equipment operator for U.S. Sugar Corp. for nearly 30 years before retiring. Ball now uses a truck to haul sod around the Glades area. Sunday. 03/19/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright © 2017 Journal Media Group http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum / default bb include inframe.php ?token= 2bed... 6/2/2017 A: Main Senator sponsors algae bloom legislation Algae OUR INDIAN RIVER LAGOON Nelson wants to allocate federal funds to help impacted areas ISADORA RANGEL iJG1EL i) f).C' L t)/1,,( Toxic algae blooms could be considered an "event of national significance" and impacted areas in coastal Florida could receive federal funds under a bill a U.S. Senate committee approved Thursday. The measure, which now heads to the Senate floor, also would allow $22 million annually from 2019 through 2023 for research into the causes and ways to control algae blooms such as the ones that fouled Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie River last summer. Congress still would have to allocate the money. a tough task when Republicans aim to cut spending and President Donald Trump has called for cuts to the agencies that would carry out the bill. The legislation sponsored by Sen. Bill Nelson, D- Florida, authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to declare a severe algal bloom an event of national significance and determine how much money is needed to help the affected state or local government mitigate environmental, social See ALGAE , Page 8A Senator sponsors algae bloom legislation Algae Continued from Page 1 A and health effects. The criteria the agencies would consider include the bloom's toxicity, potential to spread, economic impacts and geographic scope. Last year's blooms spread from the lake to the St. Lucie River and eventually to Treasure Coast beaches. Page 1 of 2 A blanket of algae covers a canal in Stuart's North River Shores neighborhood on June 24, 2016, along the St. Lucie River. ERIC HASERT /TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Nelson's bill is similar to another one filed by U.S. Rep. Brian Mast that calls for harmful algae blooms caused by Lake Okeechobee discharges to be eligible for disaster relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. algae blooms currently aren't on the list of disasters to which FEMA responds. The offices of Nelson and Mast, RPalm City, have been communicating about their bills, Mast spokesman Brad Stewart said. They signed a bipartisan letter Thursday, along with other Florida http: / /treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 27fa... 6/19/2017 A: Main "Floridians have borne the brunt of recent toxic algae outbreaks, but by law have been unable to qualify for federal help," said Nelson, the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, which approved the bill on a voice vote. In addition to asking for a 30 percent cut to the EPA and 16 percent to NOAA, Trump's preliminary budget proposal released in March also zeroes out more than $250 million in grants and programs supporting coastal and marine management, research and education. The proposal considered these programs a lower priority than the agencies' core functions, such as surveys, charting and fisheries management. Page 2 of 2 lawmakers, inviting Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to visit the Everglades. "Sen. Nelson's bill and my (bill) share the same goal: to get federal aid for areas on the Treasure Coast hit hard by toxic algae," Mast said via a statement. The federal government has played a big role in this problem and it's unacceptable that they aren't taking responsibility for the damage. I look forward to working with our senators to tackle this issue." Monday. 06/19/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright O 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include inframe.php ?token= 27fa... 6/19/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 Guardians of the Glades applaud Lake 0 reservoir Senate President Joe Negron's southern - storage reservoir was the piece of legislation this session that garnered the most headlines across the state. However well- intentioned, initial versions of the bill would have had harmful consequences for the Glades communities south of Lake Okeechobee so we made our voices heard. The community advocacy group Guardians of the Glades traveled the state to educate stakeholders of the need to protect communities, jobs and lands from the consequences of Senate Bill 10. From our perspective, it was important that any legislation that would affect the communities south of Lake Okeechobee took into consideration the human impact on us. We were pleased when you, our coastal neighbors, listened and testified during committee hearings that you agreed with us and asked lawmakers crafting a storage reservoir plan south of Lake Okeechobee to address our grave concerns about job loss and economic devastation. Sen. Oscar Braynon, D -Miami Gardens, listened carefully to testimony in Tallahassee and set up a town hall in Pahokee with Negron. R- Stuart. whose district includes Pahokee. It gave Glades residents a chance to be heard. About 1,000 people attended the town hall, and it truly was a turning point. As a result, the bill's sponsor, Sen. Rob Bradley, R- Fleming Island, worked with his colleagues to rewrite the bill to provide for adequate water storage on government - owned land without the need to take more private farmland or jobs south of Lake Okeechobee away from us. To our communities, farmland equals important, good - paying and indispensable jobs that we count on to support our families. Farmers also feed the most vulnerable citizens of our communities by providing our churches, schools and food banks with year -round food donations. We are pleased the final version of SB 10, signed by Gov. Rick Scott, protects rural farming communities like ours and also supports economic opportunities for Glades communities by funding training programs. Now that we have all agreed on a collaborative plan for southern storage and have turned the page on the idea of taking additional farmland south of Lake Okeechobee, we are committed to continuing to work with you, our coastal neighbors, to solve the problems in your local waterways. We hope you, too, will work with us for the collective good and reject the callous attacks on Glades farmers and our farming communities. Working together is the only way to ensure the funding and completion of the all- important Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects for the good of the entire watershed, conversion from septic tanks to central sewer systems, as well as the rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike. We must unite and urge lawmakers to speed up dike repairs, which Scott understands is a top priority to protect the health and safety of our residents south of Lake Okeechobee, as well as a critical component for Florida's drinking water supply. Let's show them what we can do together to deliver real results for Florida's environment. Tammy Jackson - Moore, of South Bay, is cofounder of Guardians of the Glades, a group that works to protect the Glades jobs, lands and community through various advocacy efforts. GUEST COLUMNIST TAMMY JACKSON- MOORE http:// treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee/ nmum /default bb_include inframe.php ?token= 27fa... 6/19/2017 A: Main Page 1 of 2 Public invited to attend, ask questions on June 5 Rep. Brian Mast will talk with TCPaIm Friday on Facebook Live. ISADORA RANGEL f L _ ? [',r I . A.:.I lC;EL( 1',T L T f fit, 1,'1 .y You can ask Florida Senate President Joe Negron about the passage of his plan to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges, the state of Florida politics and more during an exclusive TCPa1m community event. Negron will take questions from the audience and reporter Isadora Rangel from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 5 at Ground Floor Farm in Stuart. A cash bar will be available. Attendees can register online at tickets ets tep ai m.fi:uIn The event will be broadcast live on TCPa1m's Facebook page. See NEGRON, Page 3A Inside, Page 3A Negron slated to appear at pop -up event Negron Continued from Page 1 A This is the second TCPaIm Pop -up Community Conversation, in which readers, journalists and community leaders gather to discuss local issues. Last month, about 125 residents gathered at Ground Floor Farm to talk about algae blooms with our journalists. Negron, a Stuart Republican, accomplished his top goal for the legislative session that ended May 8: funding a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to curb toxic lake discharges. The project was a demand from his Treasure Coast constituents who suffered last summer's blue -green algae blooms in the St. Lucie River and local beaches. Negron also pushed through an increase in university funding and student financial aid this year. during the session: » The Legislature failed to agree on a bill to implement a medical marijuana constitutional amendment. » After uncertainty they could reach a deal, Negron and his House counterpart Speaker Richard Corcoran came under fire for negotiating a state budget with no public scrutiny. They also agreed on a meager increase in K -12 education that prompted educators to call for Gov. Rick Scott to veto that part of the budget. » Negron and Corcoran also secretly negotiated a bill that made major changes to education policy, from school recess and teacher bonuses to testing reforms to expansion of charter schools. » They drastically cut tourism spending and business incentives, two priorities of Scott, who might veto the entire budget. http: / /treasurecoast .fl.newsmemory.com /ee /nmum/ default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 27fa... 6/19/2017 A: Main Page 2 of 2 There are many other hot topics that emerged Monday, 06/19/2017 Pag.A01 Copyright / 2017 Journal Media Group http: // treasurecoast. fl. newsmemory. com /ee / nmum /default bb include_inframe.php ?token= 27fa... 6/19/2017