Bear hunting opponents flooding the zone; the latest on the Tropics; Charlie Kirk suspect captured; and it's Milkshake Day
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Bear with us
You have a chance to save a bear’s life today. Maybe.
This is the first day Floridians can sign up for a permit to shoot bears in the new hunting season that begins in early December, the first time in a decade the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has allowed bear hunting.
The new rules will allow hunters to set out food to lure bears from hiding and into their gunsights. Which is weird since it is otherwise illegal to feed bears in Florida.
What will they use for bait? That’s unclear, although Southwest Florida radio talk show host Dave Elliott suggested—tongue-in-cheek—that setting out a Waste Management trashcan would do it.
Opponents of the renewed hunting season plan to flood the zone with requests for permits today. The idea is to crowd out actual hunters from receiving their “bear tags” and, thus, save a few bears’ lives.
Wildlife officials are aware of this and may adjust the number of permits they will issue, so it may not amount to anything. But, if you’re interested, visit GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, create an account, then navigate to the bear hunting permit section.
Teaching in the Free State of Florida
Florida teachers have been warned not to post anything on social media about the assassination of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk that could be “disgusting.”
If they do, they may have their licenses to teach revoked.
As reported in the Sun-Sentinel:
Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas wrote in a letter to school superintendents Thursday that some online posts made by teachers had been brought to his attention, but he did not provide specifics about what the posts said or who wrote them.
The commissioner promised to investigate any teacher who engaged in “this vile, sanctionable behavior.” Florida law gives Kamoutsas authority to sanction educators’ teaching certificates.
“We will hold teachers who choose to make disgusting comments about the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk accountable,” he wrote on X, sharing a copy of his letter. “Govern yourselves accordingly.”
As this newsletter went to press, authorities in Utah were holding a press conference in which they announced the capture of a suspect in the assassination, a 22-year-old Utah resident named Tyler Robinson.
Stormy weather
This time last week, we were monitoring a big red blob on hurricane maps that appeared headed our way. Then it disappeared. What’s with that?
Hurricane experts say we are behind our normal September quota of named storms and hurricanes, and they are blaming it on climate change.
One of the factors that helps stir up tropical storms is the difference in temperatures at sea level and in the upper atmosphere. The greater the difference, the more the turbulence. The air has been too hot and dry to sustain storm development, they say.
But that is likely to change now that we have entered climatological autumn.
And while the prediction for the number of named storms and hurricanes has dropped slightly, we are still in the peak of hurricane season and the forecast remains that we will have from three to six named storms hitting the United States. Florida, of course, is always a likely target.
Here’s the latest map as of this morning:
Clarification: In an earlier post, I published a list of major storms that have struck Florida this time of year. There was a typo in one of the dates, so, to keep the record straight, here’s the correct list. And thanks to observant readers who brought this to my attention.
Irma — Sept. 10, 2017
Michael—Oct. 10, 2018
Ian—Sept. 28, 2022
Idalia—August 30, 2023
Helene—Sept. 27, 2024
Milton—Oct. 9, 2024
Oh, those Brazilians
The Supreme Court of Brazil has convicted its former president and Trump buddy Jair Bolsonaro of plotting a coup to overthrow the government.
Imagine that: Presidents who lose re-election trying to stage a coup!
Bolsonaro was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison.
Political pundits here in the U.S.A. are suggesting an exchange program with our own Supreme Court. But Brazil’s powerful anti-corruption laws won’t allow it.
New town not to visit
Planning a staycation in Florida and wondering what quaint seaside villages to visit? We can help you winnow down your list.
You can scratch Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. This week, in a split 3-2 vote, the MAGA members of its city commission agreed to add Donald Trump’s name to the main thoroughfare leading into the town.
City commissioners chose to add Trump’s moniker to Seagrape Drive because, they explained, Republican Party headquarters is on that street.
Commissioner Richard DeNapoli said, “It’s not about politics.”
National Milkshake Day
On a much lighter note, today is National Milkshake Day. In my Florida Weekly column, I noted that I had asked the never-wrong internet “who makes the best milkshake,” and got a snotty reply that there is no such thing.
Do you agree? Disagree? Do you have a fave? Share your views:
Looking ahead to the weekend
Tune in to the 77th Emmy Awards Sunday on CBS starting at 8 p.m. The nominees for Best Dramatic Series include: Andor, The Diplomat, The Last of Us, Paradise, The Pitt, Severance, Slow Horses, and The White Lotus. I’m pulling for The Diplomat, but I’m also a huge fan of Slow Horses. (I highly recommend the Slough House series of books by Mick Herron that Slow Horses is based on.)
Here’s the full list:
Have a great weekend.
J.C. Bruce, journalist and author, is the founder of Tropic Press. He holds dual citizenship in the United States of America and his native Florida. Forward this email to your friends. They will love you for it.
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Best Milkshake. Cafe con Leche & a splash of Bailey's IC