Sen. Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican and candidate for governor, said in a press release hes introduced legislation to help repair Floridas outdated ranking criteria to restore Floridas beaches.

Beaches play a unique role in Floridas economy as its number one tourism attraction and as a vital position in the environment, the release said.

The bill (SB 174) dedicates a minimum of $50 million annually to beach nourishment and inlet management restoration projects in Florida, the release said. It also revisits the beach project ranking system to ensure funding is used for projects in greatest need to address the states most severe erosion problems.

Floridas beaches define our states unique brand and drive our tourism economy, said Latvala, the Senate Appropriations chair, in a statement. Over half of Floridas sandy beaches are eroding, and only half of these miles of eroded beaches are part of a beach project.

Last year, this legislation unanimously passed the Florida Senate but was not considered by the Florida House of Representatives. However, we were able to secure $50 million in funding to help restore Floridas beaches.

In 2016, the amount of state funding totaled just a third of the requested funds by local governments, leaving a growing backlog of eroded beaches needing repair, the release added.

Additionally, Senate Bill 174 adds transparency and accountability to the use of state funds, refocuses attention on effective sand management at our inlets, and directs the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a new three-year work plan for beach repair as part of their existing comprehensive planning responsibilities.

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Jack Latvala files legislation to save Florida's beaches ... - SaintPetersBlog (blog)

Added on August 18, 2017 Kevin Cody Business , newsletter , Redondo Beach

VOLLEYBALL DIPLOMACY: U.S. Federal law enforcement officer Mike David, of Manhattan Beach (left), goes up to block his Russian counterpart Alexei during the World Police and Fire Games beach volleyball competition, held Monday in Hermosa Beach. Russian sent five men and one womens beach volleyball teams. Russian player Leonid Kaliuin said beach volleyball is popular throughout Russian and that Moscow, alone, has five indoor beach volleyball stadiums. In response to questions about President Donald Trump, the Russian law enforcement officer answered, Its too soon in the Trump presidency to offer an opinion. Photo by Kevin Cody

by Tony Cordi

The news this past week has been addressing the escalating tensions between the United States and North Korea. Companion stories have covered the possible increases in government spending on anti-missile systems. According to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, our county is home to over 300 companies in the aerospace vehicles and defense industry, which account for over 56,000 jobs. Increased spending on ballistic missile defense could have a favorable impact on local companies like Redondo Beach-based Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems and on our beach cities.

The aerospace and defense industries have been playing an important part in the evolution of the beach cities for several decades. The combined population of El Segundo and the three beach cities of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach was just over 63,000 in 1950. Over the next decade the Department of Defense funneled $50 billion into the California aerospace industry leading to the creation of many high-paying jobs here. By 1970, the population here doubled to just over 125,000 residents, not far off from what it is today.

State law requires that all California cities adopt General Plans with seven mandatory chapters, including one on Land Use. The burst in defense spending decades ago, which led to a jump in population as well as the creation of hundreds of supporting businesses essentially established Land Use plans for the beach cities that are more or less still in place today.

Space Park in Redondo Beach, located on the east side of Aviation Boulevard. between Marine Avenue and Manhattan Beach Blvd, opened in 1961 and would become part of TRW. Over the next few decades, dozens of historically-significant projects were developed at the Space Park campus. These include the descent engine for the Apollo lunar lander, the instrument package for the Martian biological experiments, the two Viking Landers launched in 1975, and the James Webb Space Telescope, which will be the successor to the Hubble Space telescope.

In late 2011, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) designated Space Park a historic aerospace site. When giving the recognition, they pointed to over 100 satellites, rocket engines, astronomical observatories, high-power lasers, and rad-hard electronics that were designed and built there.

In 2002, Northrop Grumman acquired TRW and today Space Park is the headquarters for their Aerospace Systems sector. Last year revenues for Aerospace Systems from military aircraft, autonomous and space systems, among other areas, were just under $11 billion with about 20,000 employees. Of these employees, about 4,600 work in Redondo Beach.

Space Park is the home of the Space Systems Center of Excellence and Advanced Concepts groups within Aerospace Systems. The Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) is among a number of strategic programs managed at Space Park.

The Northrop Grumman website lists Directed Energy as one of the programs based in Space Park. This includes the high-energy lasers that might one day be deployed for anti-missile defense. TRW started this work in the early 1970s and it was a primary reason that I relocated to the beach cities over 20 years ago.

The business base in the beach cities has dramatically changed over the years, but the influence of the aerospace and defense industries continue to show no signs of abating.

Tony Cordi is a broker and consultant in commercial real estate. He can be reached at tony@theinnategroup.com.ER

by Kevin Cody

Kevin is the publisher of Easy Reader and Beach. Share your news tips. 310 372-4611 ext. 110 or kevin[at]easyreadernews[dot]com

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Business and Beaches: Bad news is good news for SB defense contractors - Easy Reader

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND Authorities are clearing South Padre Island beaches of tar, after the substance washed ashore Friday.

The tar was observed from the Port Mansfield ship channel to Isla Blanca Park, said Tony Resinger, a Cameron County extension agent with the Texas Sea Grant.

Friday evening crews from the U.S. Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, City of South Padre Island and Cameron County began cleanup efforts.

Mitchell Priest, a marine inspector with the U.S. Coast Guard, said the cleanup is done to remove the sticky substance from areas where it could bother the public.

The public faces no danger visiting beaches this weekend, he said.

"Best thing is not to pick it up, not touch it," said Priest. "If you get it on you just use a wipe to wipe it off."

Authorities said the source of the tar is unknown. It could be man-made or naturally occurring tar.

"Right now there's nothing offshore that's going on to cause this," said Priest. He added a recent storm could have been a factor. "It could have pushed it in from somewhere else," he said.

Priest said the appearance of tar on South Padre Island shores happens around this time every year.

Authorities said the tar should be cleared from beaches by Saturday.

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Tar Washes Up on SPI Beaches, Clean-Up Underway - KRGV

COURSEULLES-SUR-MER, France (Reuters) - Normandy's D-Day beaches, where Allied troops landed in June 1944 to free Europe of Nazi occupation, are being invaded by green algae.

Beaches such as Omaha and Juno, visited by millions of tourists each year, struggle with the algae, which is not toxic, but the stench as it decomposes can be a turnoff.

"It's gross, the algae stinks as it rots and it attracts flies," said Sylvie, who lives in Caen.

Ever day, resort towns use tractors to shovel the algae to the far end of the beaches at low tide, but winds push the green, red and brown seaweed back onto the beaches where in some areas it piles up metre-deep against the boardwalks.

"We sometimes get complaints at tourist offices, with people asking where the algae comes from, but people who know Normandy are used to it," said Nathalie Papouin, deputy head of the Terres de Nacre tourist office.

The Calvados region in western France gets about 9 million visitors per year, of whom nearly half visit the D-Day beaches.

Benoit Mouline, an official with the Calvados environment service, said the algae comes back every year, especially around mid-August, when northeasterly winds and strong tides cut it from the rocks on which it grows and throw it onto the beaches.

Unlike in Brittany, Normandy's algae growth is not primarily the result of agricultural fertilizer runoff and waste from pig farms washing into the sea.

"This year we have had a lot of northerly winds, and some local people say there's more algae than before, but that may be subjective," said Benjamin Potel of the Clean Coast association.

Climate change could also play a role, he said, as warmer waters boost algae growth and reduce the number of shellfish and other organisms that feed on it.

"The amount of algae never diminishes, it steadily increases over the years," said Stephane Dobriansky.

His startup company Ecovalgue plans to work with resort towns to collect some of the up to 20,000 tonnes that wash up on the Normandy coasts annually for use in cosmetics, animal feed and bioplastics.

Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Robin Pomeroy

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Normandy's D-Day beaches invaded by green algae - Reuters

Nearly 50 men, including a sex offender, will be arrested for having sex at beaches and public parks popular with families and children in Florida, authorities said.

Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told WPTV that 21 men have already been arrested in connection to Operation Mangrove and he expects to arrest 24 others by the end of the week for allegedly having sex at Bob Graham Beach and Joes River Park in Martin County.

We have very clear, very graphic video evidence, Snyder told the station. There is nothing left to the imagination.

All of the men were caught on camera during a two-month investigation launched after detectives received complaints from the public that they spotted naked men having sex along the boardwalk. Snyder said detectives found several advertisements on Craigslist connected to the illicit romps.

I think that this is a subculture of people who have their own methodologies for meeting each other, Snyder said. They seem to have their own verbal, non-verbal cues that let them know that theyre both there for the same reason.

All of the 45 suspects facing charges of lewd and lascivious acts and public exposure who were identified by police via their license plates were captured by a hidden camera committing sex acts at the locations, which are regularly frequented by families and young children, according to the station.

Snyder said the investigation will continue and at additional undisclosed locations throughout Martin County.

My first concern when I learned about this behavior was for the safety of families, Snyder said. Right after one or two of these sexual encounters, a family uninvolved in any behavior happened to just walk right by.

Laurie Weber, a spokeswoman for the sheriffs department, was unavailable to comment when reached by The Post on Thursday.

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Dozens of men busted for having sex at public beaches - New York Post

Half of the palm oil washed ashore on beaches two weeks ago will be turned into 50 tons of crude gasoline to go on sale next week, according to a biodiesel company.

One hundred tons of palm stearin, about the weight of a blue whale and half of the total amount collected from Hong Kongs beaches, arrived at ASB Biodiesels plant in Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate on Wednesday morning.

The oil would first be turned into biodiesel, a green fuel that emits low levels of greenhouse gases when burned, and then crude gasoline to be sold next week, the citys biggest waste oil treatment firm said.

We have kept a watchful brief on the oil spill incident since it happened, said CEO Cheung Siu-ming.

We would like to help society solve the problem by turning the palm stearin into biodiesel and investing in society, adding that all profits after operational costs would be donated to local green groups and NGOs, which have yet to be chosen.

Two hundred tons of white, jelly-like oil clumps washed up on Hong Kongs beaches after two ships collided in the Pearl River estuary 4km southwest of the city, resulting in one of the worst environmental cases in recent years.

About 40 per cent was contaminated, ASB said, meaning it had to be purified before being turned into biodiesel.

The most difficult part is to separate the sand and the oil, Cheung said. We have to remove and treat this totally before we can process. Any that is too contaminated to be purified will go to a landfill near the industrial estate.

The rest of the palm oil will be treated by a second biodiesel company.

Almost all palm oil has now been cleared from the citys beaches and 11 out of the 13 that were closed have been reopened.

The Environmental Protection Department has promised to continue routine clean-up operations as trace amounts of palm stearin pellets may still be found in the sand.

We can observe that there is almost no more palm stearin left in the water. Only a small amount is left on Lamma and along Hong Kong Islands southern coasts, environment undersecretary Tse Chin-wan said during an inspection at Middle Bay beach in Southern district a week ago.

A government spokesman said yesterday the Cape DAguilar Marine Reserve and the nesting site of Green Turtles in Sham Wan on Lamma Island have by and large been cleaned up. As at noon on Thursday, the government departments had collected some 211 tons of palm stearin recovered on the sea surface and at the beaches.

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Palm oil that spilled onto Hong Kong's beaches turned into crude gasoline - South China Morning Post

Madeleine List

SOUTH DENNIS The selectmen this week appointed members to a new committee focused on beach safety in response to anger and concern among residents and visitorsover allegations that teenagers were seen having sex at Mayflower Beach on the Fourth of July.

The Beach Safety and Monitoring Committee is an ad hoc advisory committee charged with providing recommendations to the Board of Selectmen for dealing with beach safety, rule enforcement, traffic congestion, beachgoer drop-offs, parking and other issues.

On July Fourth, Dennis police arrested five teenagers after fourwere allegedlyseen having sex in the water and a fifth repeatedly ignored police orders to leave the area. An officer suspected they had been drinking alcohol, according to a police report. The incident attracted a crowd, and a videoposted on Twitter of the teens being arrested while onlookers chanted U.S.A. went viral.

The incidentsparked anger among many full- and part-time residents, about 60 of whom crowded into Dennis Town Hall for a Board of Selectmen meeting a weeklater and implored selectmen to help reverse what they described as the deteriorating quality of town beaches.

The selectmen decided to form a committee made up of residents and representatives from existing town committees to focus solely on the complaints.

The seven-member volunteer committee includes representatives from the Beach Committee, the Beach Management Advisory Task Force and the Road Safety Task Force as well as full- and part-time residents to represent the north- and south-side beaches and serve as members at large. The director of the Natural Resources Department, director of the Beach and Recreation Department, town engineer and staff from the Department of Public Works and Dennis Police Department will provide support to the committee.

The selectmen appointed four citizen members to the committee Tuesday night.

Ive seen the demise of the north-side beaches in recent years, so Id love to be a part of the solution as opposed to constantly complaining about the issue, Wendy Thurmond , a summer resident of Dennis and an at-large member of the new committee, said at the meeting.

Though the communitys attention hasbeen focused on Mayflower Beach since the Fourth of July arrests, all of Dennis 19 public beaches are affected by the same issues, said Connie Mooers, who will serve on the new committee as the representative from the Beach Management Advisory Task Force.

Its a reaction to things that have been building for years, she said. At this point, we have to pull the reins in to see what we can do to take back our beaches.

As the number of visitors to Dennis beaches grows every year, Mooers said she sees rules being broken with increasing frequency. Some possible solutions could include more beach monitors, heightened police presence, additional signs, or training on beach rules for people who buy stickers, she said.

Researching costs and feasibility of potential solutions and recommending what will work best for the town is the committees main purpose, she said. The committee must submit its recommendations by November, according to its charge.

The temporary committee will be disbanded once it has fulfilled its duty.

Although two other bodies, a committee and a task force, deal with beach issues, Mooers said the creation of the new committee was not redundant. The issue of safety is large enough to require the full attention of a committee, she said.

"The problem is bigger than the Beach Committee," she said.

Paul McCormick, chairman of the Board of Selectmen,agreed that a third beach-related committee was necessary to focus on the issue and said he hoped the new committee could prepare some recommendations before special town meeting in October.

We also wanted a committee that would meet relatively quickly so that if we needed some funding, we could get an idea of what that funding might be before fall town meeting, he said. It's time to focus on the problems we've been having at our beaches.

The new committee will hold its first meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at Dennis Town Hall. Committee members will elect officers, set a meeting calendar and discuss deadlines, among other topics, according to the committee agenda.

Follow Madeleine List on Twitter: @madeleine_list.

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Dennis works to 'take back our beaches' - Cape Cod Times (subscription)

Swimmers were advised to be careful on Thursday as the effects of Hurricane Gert were still causing higher than usual waves and rip currents.

Even as Hurricane Gert subsides hundreds of miles out in the Atlantic Ocean, its effects are still expected to be seen across Massachusetts beaches Thursday, the National Weather Service said.

Dangerous swimming conditions and high waves will likely not reach Wednesdays levels, although caution is still advised in coastal waters.

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Rip currents are still going to be strong today, but not nearly as bad, National Weather Service meteorologist Lenore Correia said. She added, Were not expecting nearly as high waves as we were yesterday.

They are definitely not going to be as bad, she said of Thursdays coastal conditions, although she told swimmers to definitely use caution.

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Waves on the southern Massachusetts coast swelled over 10 feet tall in some places Wednesday, and one man died after being found unresponsive off a Nantucket beach.

Correia said waves were likely to only reach 2 to 3 feet Thursday, and possible rip tides would calm through the day, but still cautioned beachgoers to use your best judgment along southern shores.

The National Weather Service tweeted that swimmers should continue to use caution if youre going to the beach today! The service also said that there would be a moderate riptide risk along eastern Cape Cod and the southern and eastern side of Nantucket.

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Correia said the possible risks early Thursday will probably diminish throughout the day as Hurricane Gert gets even farther away from us.

Aside from the currents and waves, Correia said Thursday should be mostly clear today and pretty sunny, dry, highs in the low- to mid 80s, and a pretty nice day.

Much better beach day than yesterday, she said.

The service said there will likely be quiet weather for the first half of the night Thursday, with temperatures cooling into the lower 60s, with possible showers late at night and into Friday morning.

Friday could see unusually high dewpoints, with a low risk of showers in the morning developing into the possibility of heavier showers or thunderstorms later in the day. Temperatures are expected to range from the mid 70s to low 80s during the day, and could fall back to the low 70s as storms continue through the night.

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Rip current risk lowers, but caution still advised at Mass. beaches - The Boston Globe

Off Wiborgs Beach in East Hampton on Friday, beachgoers saw a whale breach the ocean waters, one of many such sightings over the past week. George Anderson

Ocean beaches on the eastern end of Southampton Town were briefly closed Monday afternoon after lifeguards in Sagaponack spotted what appeared to be a shark close to the beach. The decision came after days of apparent shark sightings in East Hampton Village and elsewhere.

Beachgoers have also been marveling at humpback whales feeding off the South Fork shoreline for several weeks.

Ed McDonald, the beach manager for East Hampton Village, said swimmers and surfers should not be alarmed. There has never been a shark attack off East Hampton beaches.

Sharks, like the whales and dolphins, are coming closer to the shore because of an increase in menhaden, a kind of densely schooling, oily fish known locally as bunker.

There has been so much incredible life in the water, thanks to the schools of bunker, Mr. McDonald said yesterday. Its like an aquarium out there. Its like taking a trip to the New England Aquarium.

Whales, apparently humpbacks, have been spotted frequently in the last month off the south-facing beaches, including at Two Mile Hollow, Main, and Georgica in East Hampton, Atlantic Avenue in Amagansett, and at Scott Cameron in Water Mill.

Beaches to the west of East Hampton Sagg Main, Mecox, and Scott Cameron were closed by Southampton Town officials on Monday after lifeguards tracked a shark moving west from Peters Pond.

We cant confirm it was a shark, but given his experience and the size of the fish that was spotted, our chief lifeguard, Sean Crowley, felt it best to take precaution, said Kristen Doulos, the Southampton Town parks director. Bathing beaches were open again on Tuesday morning.

Mr. McDonald was aware of the closings in the neighboring town, as well as reports that people bait-fishing off Georgica Beach had caught a sandbar shark. He said sandbar sharks, also known as brown sharks, can be recognized by their large dorsal fins; they are not aggressive.

Sandbar sharks feed on menhaden, snapper, and crustaceans. Landing sandbar sharks is prohibited in New York waters. According to the State Department of Environmental Conservation, anyone who inadvertently hooks one should cut the line or leader as close to the sharks mouth as possible while it is still in the water.

Harvey Bennett of the Tackle Shop in Amagansett said that mako, dusky, brown, sand tiger, and thresher sharks had been caught in the surf here since about July 4, this weekend, over 15 that I heard of. In photographs from his tackle shop customers that Mr. Bennett shared with a reporter, the sharks appeared to be about four or five feet long and under.

There were no shark sightings at the guarded beaches in the Town of East Hampton, John Ryan Jr., the chief town lifeguard, said. However, he said they are out there, feeding under the baitfish. If a shark were seen at the surface, the lifeguards would pull people out of the water, he said.

We have to understand, Mr. Ryan said, we share the ocean with them. . . . I swim in the Atlantic and Im never worried in any way. Sharks are, as far as Im concerned, more afraid of us than we should be of them.

The closer the bunker schools come to shore, the closer predators come. You can see them from the beach. It looks like a huge dark spot in the water, Mr. McDonald said of the smaller fish. Theyve been about 400 yards off the shore, but occasionally they come up right against the beach. Ospreys, too, are a part of the feeding frenzy.

While sharks can cause fear among beachgoers and swimmers, humpback whales are a welcomed attraction. The whales are absolutely gorgeous, Mr. Ryan said, adding that the sight of them breaching the surface has been quite impressive.

The humpbacks have been blasting and putting on shows, Mr. McDonald said. A friend on a whale-watching boat told him that the whales have been going under the bunker schools and coming up with their mouths open wide.

Great white sharks are also out there, of course. OCEARCH, an organization that researches and tracks marine species, tagged a great white it called Mary Lee in the waters near Cape Cod, Mass., five years ago, and she has frequently been tracked along the coast of Long Island, including off East Hampton.

Earlier this week, the musician Jimmy Buffet joined an OCEARCH expedition off Montauk and helped tag a young great white that the crew named JD, in honor of Mr. Buffetts father, James Delaney Buffett.

The five-foot-long males most recent ping on a satellite tracking system was midday Tuesday within sight of the beach in Wainscott.

With Reporting by David E. Rattray

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Shark (and Whale) Week for Real on Ocean Beaches - East Hampton Star

TRAVERSE CITY A couple of beaches in the region showed higher levels of bacteria this week and officials warn, with recent rain, water quality will be affected.

All Grand Traverse County beaches measured in safe ranges of the E. coli bacteria, according to the county health department's weekly beach sampling report.

The report included the lifting of a level 2, partial body contact advisory for Sunset Park beach, which was restricted for a month after a week of elevated levels of E. coli. Levels dropped for the last three weeks but it remained under an advisory until the monthly mean level of bacteria also fell.

Samples from the Northport marina and Beulah Beach on Crystal Lake both showed elevated levels of E. coli, prompting a partial body contact advisory for the beaches, according to the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department's report.

Beaches that tested outside of a safe range of the bacteria were retested Thursday, with results to be completed and released Friday morning.

The report warned that Thursday's rain likely will make for poorer water quality results as rain typically washes more of the bacteria into the water.

The National Weather Service forecasts rain for most of the day Thursday, with new rainfall measuring at about a tenth to a quarter of an inch.

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Two beaches show high E. coli levels; Sunset Park advisory lifted - Traverse City Record Eagle

by LINDSAY IADELUCA, NBC 10 NEWS

Swimming was banned at Horseneck Beach in Westport because of high surf from Hurricane Gert, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017. (WJAR)

It was not your typical busy August summer day Wednesday at Horseneck Beach.

"Gert sent good long ground swells. It's about 12 to 15 seconds. So with that size we get up to 6 feet surf and that's not something we normally get. It's something usually a lot flatter. As a result, we probably have some of the strongest currents we've seen all summer long," said Owen Worden, a lifeguard supervisor.

The concern of deadly rip currents closed the water to swimming. But with every storm comes onlookers and surfers looking to take advantage of the waves.

"It's pretty rough. I'd say it's about shoulder, head high and with the currents to the side. It's just sort of messy right now," said Jed Brunt, a surfer.

Brunt has 30 years on the ocean surfing experience. It still took him 10 to 15 minutes to swim past the breakers through the current.

And the swells weren't only cramping beachgoers. Boaters too were advised to take a beautiful day off from the water.

"It doesn't look like there's anything here. But once you get outside the entrance is going to get nasty, yeah," said Harry Trip. "People with inexperience don't understand that."

A former Coast Guard member and owner of F.L. Tripp and Sons marina and boat yard, Tripp said if you don't have to go out, don't.

"No, that's not the case, no, it can still effect you. The current will run faster. Push you toward the rocks faster if you have an issue. So, the best thing is not to go out,' Tripp said.

Tripp said they do tell boaters who try to go out that it's not good conditions to prevent them from entering any dangerous situations.

While Rhode Island and Massachusetts wont be hit by the storm, the weather is creating a high surf at area beaches. Authorities advise swimmers and boaters to use cation.

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No swimming at two local beaches as Gert kicks up high surf - Turn to 10

Were a bit like a puzzle, said Santosh, when we reunited on his turf over 15 years later. There are very distinct pieces. People have held onto their own identities but found a way to make it work, so it fits into a picture of its own.

In the end, its that compelling mosaic that lured me to Mauritiuss shores. Scouring social media would lead a prospective visitor to believe that the island ends where the resorts do. I was eager to explore what lay beyond plunge pools and bath butlers.

The volcanic isle was first discovered by the Arabs in 975; but when the Dutch landed on Mauritius in 1598, it was uninhabited aside from wildlife like the dodo, a bird famously rendered extinct by Europeans but still resplendent on Mauritian rupee notes today. The French came in the 1700s, followed by the British. With the 1835 abolition of slavery, migrants flooded in from the east: Indian indentured laborers and Chinese shopkeepers. The Indians struggles are chronicled in Port Louiss poignant Aapravasi Ghat museum, at the immigration depot turned Unesco World Heritage site where they first came ashore.

Layers of migration have left an indelible imprint; today, nearly 70 percent of Mauritiuss 1.3 million citizens are of Indian descent, with Creoles, Sino-Mauritians and Franco-Mauritians rounding out the mix. Emerging from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport on a humid evening, I followed signs that read EXIT in English, French, Hindi and Chinese.

Ultimately, the uniqueness of the place is in its people, Santosh said. Weve evolved our own breed fairly distinct from the origins each one of us came from. You have people who are sort of Indian but not really Indian, sort of African but not really African.

Todays Mauritius could be a role model for racial harmony (in these troubled times, the rest of the world might want to pay attention), but the countrys cultures mingle most effortlessly in the food. Disparate culinary traditions have collided here for centuries, and the result is a cuisine simmering with Indian, French, Chinese and Creole flavors. The next morning, I left Santoshs sea-facing apartment on Trou-aux-Biches to explore Mauritiuss cultural synergy with my taste buds.

At the covered market in Quatre Bornes, a hilly burg cradled by mountains that look photoshopped into the background, I tried my first gteau piment, a deep-fried fritter made of ground chickpea flour studded with chiles. For breakfast, many people have bread, cheese and gteaux piments, my driver Raju explained, as he helped select four perfectly plump morsels for 10 rupees, about 30 cents.

With his limited English, my kindergarten French, and some Hindi thrown in, Raju and I were able to cobble together a reasonable facsimile of a conversation. We ambled through the food court, where stalls hawk everything from riz frit (fried rice) to curry agneau (lamb curry) to puri chaud (fried flatbreads); next, Raju took me to a residential street in Rose Hill, where I joined the lunch rush at the no-frills Dewa and Sons. I was there to try the national street food, dholl puri what the banh mi is to Vietnam, what a doner kebab is to Turkey, this messy lentil-potato mix slapped onto a soft puri is to Mauritius. Its as delicious as it is sloppy, spicy but not so strong as to overpower nuanced flavors redolent in turmeric and cumin.

Later that night I joined an American expat couple for a food crawl around Rue Desforges in Port Louis, gorging on poulet roti (roast chicken), mine frite (noodles) and crepes draped in Nutella and condensed milk and dusted with fresh coconut. On Gris-Gris beach the next day, I ordered a piping-hot farata (flatbread) with chicken and cheese from the Hungry Angry Girl Cabana.

For more refined fare, Santosh and his wife, Deepti, took me to Gymkhana, a members-only golf course with a restaurant serving local classics: octopus curry, dim sum and millionaires salad, an expensive local delicacy of hearts of palm paired with smoked marlin. At the elegantly appointed La Clef des Champs in Floreal, the revered chef Jacqueline Dalais serves haute-Mauritian food La cuisine Franaise qui parle Creole, she describes it, French cuisine with a Creole accent. Here in Mauritius, its a cuisine with a lot of spice. Not a lot of chile, but a lot of taste.

Santosh and Deepti also took me along to a Mauritian Muslim wedding, where beef, chicken and vegetarian variants of the local Mauritian biryani were on the menu. The festive and pleasantly disorderly setting reminded me of India, where an extra head or 20 is always welcome.

My culinary anthropology saw me crisscrossing the island, bisecting its interior from all angles and touching down fleetingly on its sandy fringes. The beaches are undoubtedly some of the most spectacular Ive seen, and the water stretched my understanding of what shades of blue can be plausibly found in nature, but I was more intrigued by Mauritiuss dense, rugged core a verdant tableau rife with visual synonyms for the color green.

A 10-minute drive unfolds more like a cinematic montage than topography: corrugated tin shacks giving way to gleaming high-rises; children cycling against the backdrop of sugar cane fields; mountains in jagged shapes seemingly culled from the mind of Picasso; a procession of hot pink and cobalt blue bungalows popping against the never-ending emerald expanse. The weather vacillates as regularly as the scenery. Wed spend two minutes barreling through a rain cloud before emerging to a glorious stretch of sunshine; thickly humid air dissipated within minutes into a crisp autumnal chill.

The lush setting brought to mind Costa Rica, save for the Bollywood blaring on the radio. In fact, Mauritius comes across as a cleaner replica of India. You momentarily forget where you are as you pass buses emblazoned with Hey Ram, candy-colored South Indian-style temples, and signs for Khoobsurat Beauty Parlour or Indira Gandhi Road. But all it takes is a glimpse of a Dodo Supermarket, Bijouterie Oomar or Trois-Bras Pooja Shop, or eavesdropping on a snatch of conversation from a sari-clad auntie speaking English with a Gallic accent, to reorient yourself.

Mauritiuss hills are also flecked with graceful colonial manors in various stages of disrepair. The alluringly ramshackle Maison Eureka is a 175-year-old Victorian-era home replete with uneven doors, a sagging roof and broad chunks of shingles absent like gap teeth. I explored a warren of rooms filled with family antiques before retiring to a veranda lined with wicker loungers for coffee. On another afternoon I explored Chteau de Labourdonnais, an immaculately preserved pile where I feasted on fish salad, Creole rougaille, and crme brle laced with local vanilla. In the former capital of Mahbourg, the National History Museum has crammed a 1772-built French country house with everything from antique beds to nautical wreckage to a dodo display. Like many museums in small countries, it strives to fit every last vestige under one roof, making for a sense of disheveled urgency as you navigate the rooms.

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In Mauritius, Secluded Beaches, Verdant Hills and Harmony - New York Times

Hurricane Gert is generating potentially life-threatening surf conditions in coastal communities in southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands.

A man drowned off a Nantucket beach amid rough seas on the southern Massachusetts coast, after a high surf advisory was issued by the National Weather Service Wednesday because of Hurricane Gert hundreds of miles off shore.

The man was found off Nobadeer Beach on Nantucket shortly after 12 p.m., when around a dozen swimmers there became caught in a rip current, Nantucket police Chief William Pittman said.

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There were probably close to a dozen people at the beach outside of the lifeguard zone, Pittman said. They appeared to be in distress.

Pittman said around six to eight lifeguards on duty entered the choppy waters to assist the group of distressed swimmers when one of the lifeguards saw something or somebody in the water 300 yards away.

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The lifeguard swam out and found that an individual was face down in the water, floating, Pittman said.

Temperatures will be in the 80s, humidity will be largely absent, and cooling breezes will define Wednesdays sunny weather.

The lifeguard brought the man back to shore and attempted to perform CPR. The man was then transported to Nantucket Cottage Hospital, where he died, Pittman said. The identity of the man was not released.

None of the other swimmers off the southern Nantucket beach required medical attention, and all made it to shore safely with lifeguards help despite the very strong rip current that was pulling them out and 12-foot waves, Pittman said.

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The incident came on a day when southern-facing Massachusetts beaches were under a high surf advisory because of fallout from Hurricane Gert, located more than 400 miles southeast of Massachusetts, the National Weather Service said.

The tropical weather system has been generating potentially life-threatening surf conditions in coastal communities in southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands, the service said Wednesday.

Horseneck Beach State Reservation in Westport was closed to swimmers around 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, and Gooseberry Island was closed for the day, according to the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

On Nantucket, multiple beaches on the south side of the island had reported double red flag conditions, leading to beach closures, according to town officials. Dionis, Miacomet, Sconset, and Surfside beaches were reported closed by 10:24 a.m. Nobadeer Beach was reported at double red flag status by 11 a.m., Cisco Beach at 11:16 a.m., and Madaket Beach by 12:20 p.m.

We urge beach goers to refrain from entering the water along the southshore today, the Nantucket Harbormaster tweeted at the time of the Madaket Beach closure.

The hurricane is expected to remain in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, moving in a northeasterly direction at some 21 miles an hour with sustained winds of 90 miles an hour, forecasters wrote.

But as it travels, Hurricane Gert is creating powerful wave systems that will steadily hammer south-facing beaches in Massachusetts and the region as a whole, forecasters wrote.

Waves & swell are increasing across the southern waters early this morning as Hurricane Gert passes south and east of the region, forecasters wrote on social media. The waves & swells will result in high surf & strong rip current along the south coast.

A high surf advisory is in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday for southeastern Massachusetts and Cape coastal communities.

High surf and dangerous rip currents will result in the potential for life-threatening conditions for all people entering the surf, forecasters wrote. Use caution if heading to the beach and when in doubt, dont go out.

The weather service has posted tips on how swimmers and beachgoers can handle the rip tide.

Do not attempt to swim directly into a rip tide because it can exhaust and drown even the strongest swimmer.

Heed the advice from lifeguards.

Stay away from rocky shores or jetties that are routinely hammered by turbulent waves.

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Man drowns off Nantucket as high surf advisory is issued for southern beaches - The Boston Globe

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA (August 15, 2017) The Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches (RAPB) and Greater Fort Lauderdale Realtors (GFLR) were recently recognized as the Top Fundraising Team by Habitat for Humanity Palm Beach County. The group surpassed their fundraising goal with a donation of more than $5,200. In addition, team captain, Kim Flossie, was awarded the Pink Hammer Top Individual Fundraising Award.

Pictured from L-R are: Dionna Hall, CEO of the RAPB+GFLR, with her children Ethan and Emersyn; Jessica Wittenbrink; Kim Flossie; Kathy Manning; Renee Sandel and Mark Martinez.

The RAPB Community Outreach Taskforce created a team of Realtors, affiliates and staff members to create the Tutus and Tool Belts team that raised money and helped complete construction on the roof of a home. Built by many hands, the 2017 Women Build Home was dedicated to the Marte family.

The Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches (RAPB), together with Greater Fort Lauderdale Realtors (GFLR), is the 3rd largest local real estate association in the country. As one unified voice, RAPB + GFLR represent 25,000 Realtors, 30,000 MLS subscribers, and 5 regional boards across South Florida and the Treasure Coast. For more information, visitwww.rapb.com andwww.gflr.com.

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Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches and Greater Ft. Lauderdale Realtors Named Top Fundraising Team By ... - Palm Beach Post

Blinded by the allure and glamour of the Amalfi Coast and the rustic beauty of the Balearic Islands, Maltathe tiny Mediterranean island just 50 miles south of Sicilyprobably hasnt creeped its way onto your travel bucket list. You may think that the other seaside destinations are far more compelling based on the proliferation of Amalfi shots on your Instagram feed and complete lack of Malta geotags. And thats understandable. You havent seen much of this tiny slice of Mediterranean heaven on Instagram and thats a damn shame.

Theres an alluring laid-back feel and modest beauty to this small Mediterranean island and plenty of activities (or stunning spots to sit and do nothing) to fill your days and impress your followers. Whether youre plunging into Sliemas Ballutta Bay for an afternoon dip in the middle of the city, exploring the old, narrow streets of Valletta and Mdina, or jumping off cliffs with the locals into the country's many natural pools, youll leave Malta wanting more.

As a visitor, what will strike you the most about Malta is that its virtually untouched by other tourists. Dont expect to see loads of tour busses or swarms of tour groups filling the streets. And if youre a history buff, or just love marveling at stunning architecture, youre in for a treat. Malta has been colonized again and again, by the Phoenicians, Romans, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, the French, and the British before it claimed its independence in 1964its a fascinating history thats visible around every corner. You can easily spend hours wandering and taking in the citys medieval and Baroque buildings and prehistoric temples.

So before you book your trip to the popular, crowded beaches of Mykonos , you might want to give Malta a shot.

Apartments in St. Julian, Malta Photo: Alamy

To Stay: Go the Airbnb route in either of the central, more modern towns like St. Julians and Sliema. Lined with bars and nightclubs, St. Julians makes for a rowdier scene with partygoers flooding the streets into the wee hours, so if you want to be in the line of fire, St. Julians is your spot. Stay in the neighboring town of Sliema for a quieter and more relaxed vibe. Pro tip: Make sure you inquire about parking space, as youll need to rent a car to get around. The bus system is unreliable and taxis are scarce when you get to the more rural areas.

The entrance to Legligin, a tradiitonal Maltese restaurant Photo: Courtesy of Monica Mendal

To Eat and Drink: The best and most authentic Maltese restaurants are in the countrys tiny walled capital, Valletta. Hop on the sunset ferry from Sliema and cruise over for a late afternoon stroll through the treasure trove of beautiful Baroque architecture, saving time for a visit to St. Johns Co-Cathedral before dinner. If youre an adventurous eater and want to try the traditional Maltese dishes (and a great selection of Maltese wine), Legligin is not to be missed. Tucked away in a small downstairs cellar, youll want to book ahead. The owner, Chris, does much of the cooking himself, offering an authentic (and extensive!) Maltese tasting menu for just 27 euros per person. Some highlights include traditional aioli and dip made from local sun-dried tomatoes, capers, garlic, olives, olive oil, and anchovies, grilled quail breast served with Maltese summer salad with the local rocket, tender octopus with herbs and garlic, pork casserole, and rabbit in wine, garlic, and tarragon. Fair warning: Dont fill up on the bread. If youre looking for more of a fine-dining experience and a straightforward Mediterranean menu, head over to Rampilla . The restaurant is housed in an old 16th-century bastion that was originally built by the Knights of St. John to guard the newly constructed Valletta and from the terrace, it offers beautiful views of the city gate and bridge. For a digestif after dinner, Bridge Bar really comes to life on Fridays with live jazz sessions on the steps of St. Ursola Street with scenic views of the Grand Harbour.

St. Peters Pool in Malta Photo: Alamy

To Do/See: Malta offers an abundance of rocky beaches and natural swimming pools. Arguably the most Instagram-worthy natural pool in Malta is St. Peters Pool on Delimara promontory. Depending on where your GPS leads you, youll probably have parked on a cliff. Navigating your way along the cliff with the help of vague signs, youll see some impressive teaser views of the sea. Eventually youll spot the stairs that lead you down to a Mediterranean playground. Although popular among locals and tourists, because of the remote location, its rarely too crowded and you can always find a spot on the dusty limestone. At St. Peters, you can swim among the locals in the crystal clear water and even cliff dive. Once youve had enough sun, head to Marsaxlokk, Maltas traditional fishing village, for lunch and views of the colorful fishing boats.

Half a mile from the popular tourist trap, Blue Grotto, is Ghar Lapsi, a small secluded inlet untouched by tourists. The natural pool opens up to deep, clear water, making it one of the most idyllic spots in Malta for snorkeling and diving. While on the west side, finish the day with a sunset at Dingli Cliffs. Take a day trip to Maltas sister islands of Comino and Gozo by renting a boat. Cruise over to Cominos breathtaking Blue Lagoon, explore the hidden caves en route to Gozo then anchor up in Gozos southwest village of Xlendi for a seafood lunch before heading back.

If you manage to tire of the rocky beaches and natural swimming pools, but want something more luxe than a public beach, hit Baia Beach Club for a fuss-free day of relaxation. While a private club, nonmembers are able to reserve sun loungers for the day with a (well worth it) restaurant reservation at the club. Otherwise, sun loungers are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Swim in the clear water, order refreshing cocktails, eat good food, and then use the clubs showers to get ready for your next stop.

Slow your adventure-packed trip down with a visit to Maltas Silent City of Mdina. Founded by the Phoenicians 4,000 years ago, it is the oldest city in Malta. Very few cars are permitted inside Mdinas monochromatic walls. Get lost walking around the narrow streets among the residences that house just 300 inhabitants as well as beautiful Baroque and medieval architecture. Mdina is the perfect place to slow down and catch your breath.

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Why You Should Visit Malta: Rustic Beauty, Hidden Beaches, and No Crowds - Vogue.com

Patch.com

'Sheer Abuse' Of Town Beaches As Litter Piles Up Sparks Crackdown: Supervisor Patch.com SOUTHOLD, NY The sight is familiar after summer weekends in Southold: Trash cans overflowing at local beaches and road ends, garbage spilling out onto the sand. And the cost of cleanup to Southold Town is proving too high, Southold Town Supervisor ...

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'Sheer Abuse' Of Town Beaches As Litter Piles Up Sparks Crackdown: Supervisor - Patch.com

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CLOSED for 2017 Due to Construction* *Please Visit Kill Creek Beach*

SHAWNEE MISSION PARK BEACH 7900 Renner Road Shawnee Mission, KS 66219 (913) 492-2157 (Direct Line) (913) 312-8847

KILL CREEK PARK BEACH 11670 Homestead Lane Olathe, KS 66061 (913) 583-3661 (Direct Line) (913) 312-8847 (Accepts Cash Only)

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Maine beaches hosted at least 64 piping plover nests that yielded more than 100 fledged chicks this summer, a healthy showing despite initial concerns that a Caribbean hurricane might have killed some of the endangered birds.

As of late last week, 101 piping plover chicks had taken flight or fledged from their nests on Maine beaches. While that is the same number as last summer and well short of the record 121 plover fledglings in 2015, there were still five or six late-bloomer chicks on beaches in Phippsburg that could take flight.

Laura Minich Zitske, the piping plover and least tern coordinator for Maine Audubon, described 2017 as a solid year despite a small dip, from 66 to 64, in the number of nests after nearly a decade of steady growth. The 100-plus fledglings the stage at which chicks can evade predators or other dangers on their own means Maine is still meeting its conservation targets for gradually restoring a diminutive species of shorebird that nests on Maines relatively few sandy beaches at the height of the summer tourism season.

Its also been an unusually long nesting season for Maines plovers because storms wiped out some early nesting attempts.

A total of 101 piping plover chicks emerged from nests on Maine beaches this summer, including these chicks in Ogunquit. to by Ariana van den Akker/Maine Audubon

We lost a lot of nests, but most of them just tried again, said Zitske, who works with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and volunteers to monitor plovers.

At 7 inches long and weighing a mere 2 ounces as adults, piping plovers are tiny beachcombers that arrive in Maine in late-April or early-May to find suitable nesting locations in the sand or nearby dunes. They are found each spring and summer on roughly two dozen beaches in Maine, stretching from Ogunquit to Reid State Park in Georgetown.

Plovers are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act and endangered in Maine because of a combination of habitat loss, past human hunting for their plummage and predation from other animals. Biologists recorded just six nests and seven fledglings on Maine beaches in 1983. There are an estimated 2,000 nesting pair of plovers along the Eastern seaboard.

Unlike many other bird species, plover parents do not bring food back to the nest for chicks. Instead, the cottonball-sized chicks head out onto the beach, the mudflats or near the water line to forage for food almost immediately after hatching. Plover chicks are unable to fly for roughly four weeks after hatching, a time period that often coincides with humans favorite time to be on the beach.

Yet one of Maines busier beach towns was responsible for roughly one-quarter of Maines total number of fledglings this year.

The 26 plover chicks that took flight in Ogunquit this year is a record for Maine beaches, at least since record-keeping began in 1981. Like many other beaches, Ogunquit relies on a team of volunteers about a dozen, in this case who monitor for plover nests, watch for chicks and then urge beachgoers to be mindful of the tiny, easily spooked birds skittering about on the sand.

Ogunquit also has a no-dogs policy on its beaches between April 1 and Sept. 8 to protect the plovers from harassment or harm. Volunteer monitors who see people with dogs on the beach will typically inform or remind owners of the policy.

It is great habitat on Ogunquit Beach, but the volunteers, they definitely deserve credit, said Robert Morse, the piping plovers volunteer coordinator for Ogunquit. They are really on it.

While plover-related beach policies remain controversial in some areas of the birds range, there have been no major flare-ups in Maine since Scarborough put additional restrictions on dogs after a chick was killed in 2013. Monitoring teams in Maine typically employ wire or other fencing material placed around plover nests as well as signs to advise the public about the birds.

I do think the word is getting out more and more, Zitske said. People seem to appreciate seeing these little birds on the beaches.

Zitske said Ogunquits success this year proves people and plovers can co-exist without major restrictions on beach access.

There are a lot of people there and a lot of people on the beach (in Ogunquit), but people are very respectful, Zitske said.

Plover numbers are climbing, but a storm last year highlighted the threats facing the species.

After Hurricane Matthew hit the Caribbean in October, biologists expressed concerns about the fate of New Englands breeding population of plovers because many are believed to winter in the Bahamas.

Anne Hecht, who oversees piping plover recovery for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services northeast region, said it may be some time before biologists can ascertain the impact. Monitors were watching for birds affixed with identifying leg bands in New England this summer, but that data has yet to be crunched. And the true scope may not be known until observers see how many birds return to the Bahamas this winter.

I think what we would have to say, based on the preliminary numbers that we have, is that the jury is still out, Hecht said. We would have expected to have the population (in the Northeast) go up a bit based on last years numbers. It is flat, but its not a crisis.

Hecht said numbers are still trickling in from partners in Massachusetts, which typically has 10 times as many nesting pairs as Maine, and some locations still have chicks on the beach. But Hechts preliminary assessment was that the final tally will stay at about the same as it was last year.

Its going to be very close, Hecht said.

Kevin Miller can be contacted at 791-6312 or at:

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Endangered piping plovers held their own on Maine beaches this summer - Press Herald

Rip Current Risk And Lightning Threat At Ocean County Beaches Increases Patch.com Always swim on a guarded beach and never swim alone or at night. The NWS suggests you bring a flotation device with you in the water. Skies will be cloudy today, with showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. The thunderstorm risk is moderate. and more »

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Rip Current Risk And Lightning Threat At Ocean County Beaches Increases - Patch.com

The city of Greenville South Carolina is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, about 100 miles north of Columbia, the state capital. Greenville is a moderately sized city and the site of a number of Greenville SC attractions for history lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Due to its location near the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville South Carolina is a great place to go as a base for fishing trips, camping and white water rafting in the area. Greenville tours of downtown reveal some interesting architecture from the 17th and 18th century.

Greenville South Carolina originally developed as a trading post in the early 18th century. Its central location and proximity to the Appalachian Mountains made it a prime location for trade and mail delivery. Its proximity to the Appalachians also made it an attractive resort town for plantation owners, who can to Greenville often for relaxing vacations and outdoor getaways. After the Civil War, Greenville South Carolina took the lead in the state as the major producer of textiles, which would prove to be a major economical boost to the state during the reconstruction period. Today, Greenville is still a great place to go in search of resorts and relaxation. Whether travelers plan to stay in Greenville hotels as a base for other side and day trips or simply want to stroll around town enjoying the local Greenville SC attractions, there is plenty to explore.

One of the most popular Greenville SC attractions is the Greenville Zoo. Located within town, the Greenville Zoo is somewhat small but impeccably maintained. An excellent collection of exotic and domestic animals characterizes this zoo, as does the surrounding park which is full of picnic tables and a playground; perfect for lunch on a sunny day. Another popular attraction in town is the Museum and Gallery at Bob Jones University, which is full of interesting art and artifacts and is open for Greenville tours from Tuesdays until Sunday from 2pm until 5pm.

Greenville is also a great place for golfing. Although it does not feature the high number of courses that a place like Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head might, there are still a few great courses in town. The Verdae Green Golf Course and the Bonnie Brae Golf Club are two of the most popular options; green fees for both are under $50 per person. Greenville tours of the downtown area can also include the exploration of the Greenville nightlife scene. Bars and pubs, rather than dance clubs, tend to be the norm in downtown Greenville, and travelers will find lots of choices that include jazz bars, pubs with live folk music and more. In addition to these great attractions, there are also some fun annual events happening in Greenville.

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Greenville South Carolina - Greenville SC - Destination360