A seal stopped for a rest in Kitty Hawk this week. [Photo by Outer Banks - Brindley Beach]

Its that time of year! Several young seals have showed up for a rest this week on the beaches of Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Duck in Corolla. And while they may look injured, theyre usually fine. Just resting.

This seal rested in the dunes in Kitty Hawk for several days the week of Jan. 4. [Kari Pugh photo]Seals are common winter tourists along local beaches, with at least a dozen taking a break on the Outer Banks since December. After leaving their mothers, young seals venture outside of northern territories in search of food, and often stop here to sun and sleep.

Look who decided to visit one of our ocean front homes today.

Dont worry, these seals often come up to rest and take a brief vacation during their winter travels.

Posted by Outer Banks Brindley Beach onTuesday, January 5, 2021

The OBX Marine Mammal Stranding Network offers the following tips for those who see a resting seal:

Report seal sightings to the OBX Stranding Response Team at 252-455-9654.

Have photos of a seal you sighted on our beaches? Share with the MMSN, adding date, location and your name. Email to [emailprotected]

Read more here:

Winter visitors: Seals popping up on beaches along the Outer Banks - OBXToday.com

A powerful swell out of the northwest will slam San Diego County beaches this weekend, producing 4- to 8-foot waves, with sets to 10 feet, at favored breaks, particularly south of Torrey Pines, says the National Weather Service.

The conditions are likely to lead lifeguards to close the Ocean Beach Pier for part of the weekend, for the second weekend in a row.

The greatest threat people face is being caught unaware by a breaking wave and getting knocked down, or even washed out to sea, said Mark Moede, a weather service forecaster. You should not turn your back on the ocean.

The threat is heightened at this time of year. There are fewer lifeguards at the coast. And the ocean is cold. Local sea surface temperatures are in the 56 to 59 degree range.

Lifeguards say you shouldnt turn your back to the ocean during a big swell

(Gary Robbins /The San Diego Union-Tribune )

Moede said the swell will arrive on Friday and will peak on Saturday. The waves will moderate on Sunday, then become dangerously big again on Monday. A high surf advisory will be in effect through 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

A large swell hit greater San Diego last Sunday and hit and, in some cases, knocked over beach-goers in Sunset Cliffs who got too close to the ocean.

Temperatures will be in the seasonal range, topping out at about 65 degrees in San Diego on Friday and Saturday. It could be even chillier at local beaches due to the sea breeze.

San Diego will reach 70 on Sunday when weak Santa Ana winds flow from the mountains to the sea.

Read this article:

Dangerous waves to slam San Diego beaches this weekend - The San Diego Union-Tribune

2021 is setting up to be an exciting year for tourism at Myrtle Beach, S.C. Visit Myrtle Beach recently announced several new developments set to open in the upcoming year. From amusement parks to craft breweries, this destination continues to make impressive expansions.

We recognize that a large number of Americans are eagerly looking forward to a vacation next year, and were thrilled to share these new tourism developments as another reason to safely plan for a trip to Myrtle Beach, said Karen Riordan, president and CEO of Visit Myrtle Beach. Visitors will be able to enjoy the outdoors, world-class family attractions, a variety of great restaurants, and outstanding accommodations along the 60 miles of beautiful coastline Myrtle Beach offers.

Myrtle Beach will welcome a Funplex Amusement Park, located only steps away from the beach. The park will feature seven original rides, including an interactive 360-degree jet simulator ride called Mach Fun. The tropical-themed amusement park is expected to open in Spring 2021.

American Surf Park, South Carolinas first-ever man-made surf park, will begin construction in 2021, with an expected opening in 2022. This surf park will include a surfing lagoon and a large amphitheater.

The Carolina Country Music Festival is scheduled to take place at Myrtle Beach on June 10-13, 2021. Over 30 of country musics biggest stars will perform, including Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini, Eric Church and more.

In summer 2021, Le Grand Cirque 2.0 will debut at Myrtle Beach. Broadway at the Beach has teamed up with Dublin Worldwide Productions USA to bring this show to life. It will feature impressive acrobatics within a seated air-conditioned tent. The show will run from June 1 Oct. 3, and tickets are available now.

Huntington Beach State Park officially replaced its nature center, after a lightning strike damaged the previous one. The $1.2 million educational investment features live animal exhibits, a birding area and a classroom.

In its 28th year, the Alabama Theater will host a number of concerts from artists like Little River Band, Josh Turner, Home Free and more.

Homewood Suites by Hilton offers apartment-style hotel suites near the Grand Strand beaches. This resort provides both comfort and proximity to all Myrtle Beach has to offer.

Ocean Lakes Family Campground celebrates its 50th year anniversary in 2021. The Main Office is receiving a renovations and expansions in celebration, complete with a new seating area as well as a new gift shop.

Crooked Hammock Brewery, located at Barefoot Landing, features a food truck and beer garden as well as fire pits, bocce ball courts, corn hole, a playground and more. A full restaurant will also open on the property in spring 2021.

Grand Strand Brewing Company will be located in a two-story downtown building, and will offer handmade beers and food to pair them with. This spot will also open in spring 2021.

For more information, go to VisitMyrtleBeach.com.

Read the original post:

Myrtle Beach welcomes new attractions, events and more in 2021 - Attractions Magazine

By Michelle Wagner | Outer Banks Voice on January 8, 2021

The Dredge Liberty Island pumps sand onto the beach near Jennettes Pier in Nags Head early on Sunday, July 28, 2019. (www.nagsheadnc.gov)

County plans to fund sand pumping efforts in both Southern Shores and Avon by withholding $1.4 million in beach re-nourishment funds from each of the five oceanfront communities was met with some pushback from Nags Head Commissioners at their Jan. 6 meeting while sparking a broader discussion on funding mechanisms for these projects.

During a presentation to commissioners, County Manager Bobby Outten explained that both Southern Shores and Avon need beach nourishment, but that the current $8.5 million in the countys fund falls short of whats needed to help finance the two projects. But, he said, reducing the countys contributions for replenishment efforts to each town by $1.4 million the same amount the towns received in a state grant this fall for beach nourishment projects would free up enough money to do so.

We got lucky, I suppose, at least from my perspective, Outten told the Nags Head Commissioners.

But not everyone appeared to share that view.

Expressing dismay about the loss in revenue, commissioners voiced concern over how the beach nourishment fund which comes from a portion of the occupancy tax is divvied up among the towns, asked about assurances of future funding and wondered whether there was a better source of funding that could be explored other than occupancy tax revenues.

Commissioner Michael Siers, referring to the state grant, contended the county was trying to retrieve grant money that we received for damages from Dorian.

In response, Outten asserted: Thats not correctWe are not taking any of your money. You got a grant that had nothing to do with Dorian or anything else, it was just a grant. We got one as well.

For his part, Commissioner Webb Fuller suggested the county needed a formula that provides some degree of certainty about how much each community is going to receive in the future and asked if funds were being dispersed fairly.

Outten responded that such a formula already exists, one that projects 10 years into the future.

You assume none of that has occurred but the [beach nourishment model] shows you what we are going to give each community into the future, he said. Speaking of equity, the county manager said, every community has skin in the game because everybody is going to be taxed.

Beginning in 2011 with the Nags Head beach nourishment project, the county has contributed roughly 50 percent to each towns sand pumping efforts and also commits money for future maintenance projects. Towns also fund their perspective projects through municipal and service district taxes.

In response to a question by Commissioner Renee Cahoon about whether Avon property owners on the west side of N.C. 12 would be taxed, Outten said the community would likely be faced with a 40-cent tax on oceanside property and a 10-cent tax in other areas of the community to help fund its project.

Outten told commissioners if the county moves forward with its intended plan, You are going to be in exactly the same place, with exactly the same amount of sand, exactly the same amount of everything. You just wont have as much of it funded with Dares money.

He added, If there is a better way to do this, wed love to hear it. Our goal is to take care of the beaches of Dare County as a whole and if there is a better way to do it, we want to do it.

Following Outtens presentation, Commissioner Kevin Brinkley observed that, What the county is doing is, they already spent money out of that fund, but yet hes coming to us now asking for our blessing, our okay, to spend the rest of the money for the projects.

At the conclusion of the discussion, commissioners considered the need to pursue different funding options for beach nourishment and floated the idea of local professionals in the field forming a working group to explore those options. Mayor Ben Cahoon said he would suggest a gathering of the mayors following COVID-19 guidelines to discuss possibilities.

County Manager Outten has made a similar presentation to the Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores and Duck town councils and is expected to go to the Kill Devil Hills Board of Commissioners on Jan. 11. The Dare County Board of Commissioners is expected to take up the matter at its mid-month meeting on Jan. 19.

See the original post here:

In Nags Head, questions over beach nourishment funding - The Outer Banks Voice

WAILUA Its too bad we lost that tree, said a lifeguard on duty at the Lydgate Park tower Thursday. The tree gave a lot of shade.

Located on the windward side of the keiki pond at Morgans Ponds, the beach heliotrope succumbed to beach erosion during the latest surge that produced large north and west swells hitting the islands coastlines.

Cleanup of the fallen tree will probably rest with the Cushnie Construction crews, which started a $385,900 debris-removal project Monday.

Have you noticed changes at your favorite beach, and wonder about the cause? asked the Kauai Climate Action Forum. Is beach erosion threatening your home, your surf spot or other treasured resource.

The Zoom meeting announcement continued by noting that 70% of Kauais beaches are eroding, and over the last century 3.7 miles of beach have been lost. This is further demonstrated by the nearby coastline at the Wailua Park fronting the Kuhio Highway Bryan J. Baptiste Bridge spanning the Wailua River.

The water is up to the path on sections of Ke Ala Hele Makalae, said a Lydgate Park beach-goer, looking at the taped-off, fallen tree. And look at whats washed away near the Pono Kai. Theyve cleaned up most of that.

Sponsored by Zero Waste Kauai, Climate Action Coalition Kauai and Surfrider Kauai, the Kauai Climate Action Forum will focus on Our Changing Beaches, Our Changing Climate, with an appearance by Ruby Pap, the coastal land use extension agent with Hawaii Sea Grant program.

Pap has been based on Kauai for the past eight years with the County of Kauai Planning Department, serving as a liaison between scientists, government agencies, non-government organizations and the community to ensure that current scientific information is made available to the Kauai community and readily accessible for coastal-zone planning, management and educational activities.

The short presentation and community discussion, including a question-and-answer segment, will take place Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 6 to 7 p.m. via Zoom.

Registration is required to participate, and can be done at bit.ly/zwkforum5.

Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.

Follow this link:

Beach erosion is Zoom meeting topic - The Garden Island

Four men were arrested this week in connection with the shooting death of a 14-year-old Long Beach boy, officials said Friday.

On Dec. 16, Arthur Touch was located in a roadway on the 1400 block of St. Louis Avenue around 8:50 p.m., with apparent gunshot wounds to his upper torso, the Long Beach Police Department said in a news release.

Touch, 14, was pronounced dead at the scene by fire personnel.

Through an investigation, detectives uncovered evidence indicating that a dispute took place between the 14-year-old and four men.

The dispute escalated to a physical assault which led to the victim being shot prior to the suspects fleeing the scene, Long Beach Police said in a statement.

On Wednesday and Thursday, detectives issued search warrants at the following locations: the 2000 block of Linden Avenue, the 400 block of 21st Streetand the 1800 block of Cedar Avenue. They recovered four handguns, seven rifles and ammunition.

The firearms are not believed to be involved with the murder but authorities are continuing their investigation.

The four people were then arrested in connection with Touchs death.

All four suspects were booked on suspicion of one count of murder, the department said. They are each being held in the Long Beach City Jail on $2,000,000 bail.

Any loss of life due to violence is unacceptable, but the murder of a 14-year-old should be an outrage to our entire community, said Chief of Police Robert G. Luna.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact detectives Oscar Valenzuela or Eric Thai at 562-570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through LA Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-8477 or by visitingwww.LACrimeStoppers.org.

See original here:

4 men arrested in connection with shooting death of 14-year-old Long Beach boy; firearms seized - KTLA

Speak Up Newport Beach is hosting a webinar on the citys regional housing needs allocation numbers on Jan. 13 from 4 to 5 p.m. Those numbers quantify the need for housing.

Cities are not required to directly build the houses, but must accommodate for it through zoning for residential development. Current draft numbers hold Newport Beach accountable for 4,834 units. The city of Newport Beach submitted its appeal of those numbers in October.

The webinar will include Larry Tucker, the chair of the housing element update committee, and community development director Seimone Jurjis.

To sign up, visit us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Twvq4mg9TiCmrHcNxgUNjA. For more information on the webinar, visit speakupnewport.com/new-housing-units.Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce to install board of directorsThe Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce will conduct its annual board of directors installation via Zoom on Jan. 14 beginning at 5:30 p.m.

J.J. Ballesteros, chairman of the board of directors, will preside over the ceremonies. Mayor Bob Whelan will preside over the installation of the board officers.

The 2021 Laguna Beach board of directors includes Ballesteros, Chairman-Elect Julie Laughton, Vice-Chairman Dave Rubel, Treasurer Doug Vogel and Secretary Paula Hornbuckle-Arnold. Carmelit Green, Mark Meisberger, Reinhard Neubert, Craig Strong, Tyler Russell, Jeff Redeker, Jenna Cassidy and Hasty Honarkar are the other directors.

Cassidy, a new board member, is the partner and principal consultant at Laguna Ventures.

The installation can be viewed post-event at lagnabeachchamber.org.Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce to host virtual updateThe Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce will hold a virtual AM Connect event on Zoom on Jan. 15, beginning at 8 a.m.

The discussion will center around the Chambers past accomplishments, present opportunities and challenges and plans for the future. Guest speakers include Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce Chairman Bruce Berman, Chair-Elect John Villa and immediate past Chairman Sheik Sattaur.

Mayor Kim Carr will also provide a brief city update.

The virtual event is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Those interested must register in advance at hbchamber.com to receive the Zoom link.

The Pretend City Childrens Museum in Irvine will be hosting a winter parent webinar series through March.

On Jan. 20, parents can join guest experts and the museums education team to discuss wellness and care for both the parent and the family unit as a collective.

Februarys topics discuss race, how to have those conversations with children and building inclusion and diversity. March deals with science, math and technology. It also discusses screens and young children. Sessions will be held on Feb. 3 and 17 and on March 3 and 17. All webinars go from 6 to 7 p.m.

To register, visit eventbrite.com/e/pretend-citys-winter-parent-webinar-series-tickets-135394527677.

The 2021 Newport Beach Garden Tour is celebrating its 25th iteration this year and will take place on May 8.

The annual fundraiser is currently in its planning stages, according to the Sherman Library & Gardens. The Newport Beach Garden Tour showcases six residential gardens every year. The Garden Tour community is currently seeking recommendations.

If selected, home garden owners will permit visitors to wander their gardens from 10 to 3 p.m. on May 8. If the tour needs to go virtual, homeowners then will allow for a professional videographer to film their gardens in mid-to-late April.

To nominate a garden, provide the physical street address, the owners name and contact information to info@slgardens.org or by calling 949-673- 2261, ext. 300.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.

Read more:

Around Town: Speak Up Newport Beach to host webinar on regional housing needs allocation numbers - Los Angeles Times

LONG BEACH (CBSLA) St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach is calling it a miracle that a beloved ICU nurse, who has spent decades caring for patients, has survived COVID.

The day before Christmas 66-year-old Merlin Pambuan walked out of St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach to cheers of encouragement and clapping from the people who saved her life. . Her daughter Shantell was at her side.

For 8 months, Pambuan, an ICU nurse at the hospital, had been in the fight of her life against Covid-19.

Honestly I was very, very surprised that there were 100 people waiting for me, and cheering for me, said Pambuan. I said Oh my God, and I start crying.

For 40 years, Pambuan cared for some of the sickest patients in the ICU, until she became a patient herself on April 12 and tested positive for COVID-19.

Before she walked out the door that night I said, Mom you better promise you got to come back home, and she looked at me and I was like, You better promise, and she said, Yeah, yeah OK, recounted Shantell.

Pambuan spent the next three months in the ICU. As her condition worsened, she was intubated, had a feeding tube inserted and was put on a ventilator.

Shantell was eventually allowed to be with her mom and never gave up hope.

Mom has been that champion for me. I have cerebral palsy spastic diplegia I havent been able to walk since birth, Shantell said.

Fellow nurse Pam Fair, who hired and worked closely with Pambaun for decades, said she was there when Pambaun was rushed to the ICU.

When brought her out to take her to the ICU you almost couldnt recognize her she looked that bad. Its hard to explain to people that dont work in a hospital but they become your second family, Fair said.

By October, Pambuan was transferred to a rehab center to learn to walk and talk again.

Im going to fight this Covid. Ive been saying it too many times, Go away. Im going to fight you, Pambuan said.

That same month, she celebrated her 66th birthday in the hospital, with her husband & daughter and finally got to go home.

Shes a miracle, said Shantell. We are sitting here next to each other in our living room.

Pambuan was given Remdesivir right when it was beginning to be used as a treatment for Covid-19.

She is still on oxygen 24/7 and is going through hours of intensive therapy sessions. She doesnt yet know if she will return to her nursing duties.

View original post here:

Shes A Miracle: Beloved Long Beach ICU Nurse Recounts Her Fight With COVID-19 - CBS Los Angeles

A juvenile killer whale was heroically rescued this week after getting stranded on a Scottish beach.

A group of trained medics from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) and helpful locals carried out the rescue Monday (Jan. 4) on Sanday, an island off the coast of Scotland.

Local residents Colin and Heather Headworth first spotted the distressed 11-foot-long (3.4 meters) orca lying in the surf. They called fellow Sanday local and BDMLR area coordinator Emma Neave-Webb, who notified two other fellow marine mammal medics on the island.

"My very first thought when I got the phone call was that it was a common dolphin, because we see them around here this time of year," Neave-Webb told Live Science. "But as soon as I got out of the vehicle, I could hear it squeaking, and I was like, what is that?"

Related: Whale album: Giants of the deep

"[An] orca was the last thing I was expecting; I didn't believe it until I saw the white eye patch," she said.

As soon as Neave-Webb and her team of medics arrived, they checked the health of the whale.

"We were initially quite concerned it was a maternally dependent youngster," she said. "If it is, then we can't rescue it, because it will just starve on its own without its mother."

Killer whale mothers, with help from other females in the pod, provide constant essential care to juveniles until the age of 2, according to National Geographic.

The orca's size indicated it was likely a 3- or 4-year-old male that would have been capable of surviving on its own.

After shouting to local residents for more help, the team immediately set about getting the whale upright in the water to aid the animal's breathing and ensure the blowhole was out of the water.

"The tide was coming in quite quickly, and it [the whale] was starting to get submerged because it was also sinking in the soft sand," Neave-Webb said. "It took four of us just to get it upright; it was really heavy."

As the tide came in, the medics maneuvered the animal onto a special dolphin stretcher.

"Every time a wave came in, we lifted it up and shimmied the stretcher a little further underneath, whilst also trying to line it up in the direction we wanted it to go," she said. "Once we got it under, we were able to lift it with eight people and move it out to deeper waters."

After 15 minutes of being held in place by the rescuers, the orca suddenly headed off in a straight line and disappeared from sight. Some of the team stayed on the beach for a while to make sure the whale didn't get stuck again, but it wasn't seen again.

Neave-Webb said she was cautiously optimistic about the young orca's chances of survival post-rescue.

"It was very vocal, active and alert," she said. "It had obviously been feeding very recently, because it was really healthy. It also did a really big poo on the beach, which was a great sign."

However, the orca does have a challenge ahead: "It needs to find its pod, which we couldn't see, but its vocalizations suggested they were close by," Neave-Webb said.

The entire rescue took just over an hour, but Neave-Webb believes it was only possible because of the team's newly acquired dolphin stretcher and the help of the locals.

"It was a lucky animal to strand on an island with people who knew what they were doing and had the equipment to save it," Neave-Webb said. "It definitely chose the right place to throw itself on the beach."

Originally published on Live Science.

See the original post here:

Young killer whale rescued after stranding on Scottish beach - Livescience.com

Stardew Valley's new beach farm is a beautiful layout that creates new challenges and obstacles perfect for veteran players.

The new beach farm inStardew Valleyis a layout introduced with the Version 1.5 update. It changes up the game by implementing unique circumstances that the player must work with to raise a successful farm, but knowing what to expect can make farming at the beach much easier.

Some consider the beach farm a secret hard mode inStardew Valleybecause it makes raising crops far more difficult than other farm layouts. It's a great layout for veteranStardew Valleyplayers because of these restrictions, as is the newly introduced Ginger Island and all of its challenges. But accidentally wasting time inStardew Valleycan be very frustrating, so understanding what can and can't be done on the beach farm can make for a much more efficient playthrough rather than crafting unnecessary sprinklers or buying too many seeds.

RELATED:Stardew Valley: How to Get to Ginger Island

Stardew Valleywill actually changepart of the layout of Pelican Town if the beach farm is chosen. Some of the forest on the west side of town has now been replaced by water to accommodate the beach. Much like the river farm, this means that much of the surrounding farmland will be water, which is great for fishing. Though the ocean surrounds the farm on all sides, to get to Marnie's ranch, wooden planks easily connect the two areas and the player can head south like normal. The greenhouse is off to the left out of the way but can be moved to a different location if desired, once it's been restored.

On the south-west end of the farm, a large pier can be found that extends into deeper waters where higher-quality fish swim. To the left is a normal grassy area with some trees and a plot of normal tillable soil. But to use this area, because of the logs,Stardew Valleyplayers will first need to upgrade their axe to at least steel. This is also the only area that sprinklers can be used because sprinklers cannot be placed on the sand.

Tallgrass can still grow on the sand, which can be chopped to create fodder for animals, as well as crops. However, because sprinklers can't be used on the majority of the beach farm, raising crops likely won't be the best source of income. Rather, once the beach is completely cleaned up, there's a massive open area great for buildings, so animal products and artisan goods are likely a better focus. Trees and tea bushes are also an option because they don't require watering, but players may want to focus on getting the greenhouse restored as fast as possible to maximize their profits.

RELATED:Stardew Valley: How to Beat the Volcano Dungeon

Thanks to the 1.5 update toStardew Valley, supply crates can also wash up on the shores of the beach farm, around the piles of driftwood. Though the contents of the crates are completely random, they can feature useful items, depending on how many times the player's home has been upgraded. For example, at no upgrades, some crates can contain geodes or cherry bombs. At one upgrade, players may find oil, sugar, or omni geodes, and at two upgrades, high quality items like mega bombs, mango sticky rice, and deluxe retaining soil can be found inside the supply crates.

There's also a secret tunnel on the beach farm inStardew Valley. To the left of the pond on the west side, on the bottom left corner of the wall, the player can enter a tunnel that will take them to asmall chunk of land on the south. Here, players can use a copper pan to find high-quality items typically found in the mines, such as diamonds.

Stardew Valleyis available now on mobile devices, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.

MORE:Console Version of Update 1.5 of Stardew Valley Could Be Ready by End of January

Nintendo Allegedly Uses Fan Artwork On Official Super Nintendo World Website

See the original post here:

Stardew Valley: Everything You Need To Know About Beach Farming - GameRant

But as officials in some areas of the country see more health care workers than expected declining the vaccine, whats the city doing to make sure its firefighters are willing to take the shots?

The Los Angeles Times recently reported that up to 50% of health care workers in some areas, like Riverside County, have opted out of taking the vaccine because of concerns about side effects, worries about going first or simple skepticism of science.

The Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly affirmed the vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna are safe and effective.

Long Beach says its fared better so farwith 75% of workers in the health care field already vaccinated as of Wednesday with more shots still to be rolled out.

Most firefighters, paramedics and EMTswho are part of that grouphave been getting the vaccine when offered, according to Long Beach health director Kelly Colopy.

Were not seeing a high amount of declination currently in our emergency service providers, she said during a briefing Wednesday.

However, if a firefighter does opt out, they can remain on the job.

Vaccinations are not mandated, though the City strongly encourages its employees to protect themselves by getting the COVID-19 vaccine when its their turn, said Jennifer Rice Epstein, a spokeswoman for the city. All City employees, whether they are vaccinated or not, will continue to practice physical distancing wherever possible, wear face coverings and take other precautions against the virus.

In Los Angeles, the Fire Department has taken to handing out raffle tickets to entice firefightersoffering them a chance of winning prizes like Airbnb gift cards, bikes and entertainment systems if they accept the shot, according to the LA Times.

LBFD Capt. Jack Crabtree said his department hasnt resorted to anything like that, but they did make sure to snap a picture of the fire chief and head of the firefighters union being vaccinated this week.

Leading by example, the department said in a tweet with the photos.

Crabtree, who said he got the shot with no ill-effects except a little soreness in his arm, said the department was scheduled to finish offering the vaccine to all of its firefighters by the end of Thursday.

Numbers werent immediately available on how many had declined, but Mayor Robert Garcia said Wednesday that the rate of local health care workers opting out was, so far, lower than other areas of the state.

Staff writer Valerie Osier contributed to this report.

Read more:

Long Beach firefighters are now getting the vaccine; what happens if they decline? - Long Beach Post

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) On Friday the Virginia Beach Public Utilities Business and Engineering announced their offices are relocating to 2809 S. Lynnhaven Road on Monday, Jan. 11.

Due to the restrictions surrounding COVID-19, Virginia Beach Public Utilities is not currently accepting walk-in customers.

Customers are encouraged to use PU Online Services to avoid delays in reaching our customer service representatives.

If you are unable to access Online Services, you can also submit a request through email at vbwater@vbgov.com.

The city says to make it easier please include your first and last name, a callback number, the service address, and your 16-digit account number if you have it.

Requests submitted through Online Services will take priority over requests submitted through email.

You can skip the wait altogether and see if your question has already been answered at http://www.vbgov.com/PU-FAQ.

Phone numbers for the Public Utilities front office (385-4171) and call center (385-4631) will remain the same.

See the original post:

Virginia Beach Public Utilities offices will relocate to the Lynnhaven Area - WAVY.com

There has really never been any question about the right thing to do where the Montauk downtown ocean beach is concerned. For decades, it has been obvious that an orderly relocation of at-risk properties would be far better than waiting for a major hurricane strike that could level more than a dozen resort properties, driving their debris inland, and causing hundreds of millions of avoidable damage. Or, in a slower-moving catastrophe, winter storms would continue undermining the row of hotels and a few residences, forcing taxpayers to cover the public cost of continually piling sand to protect private interests an unsustainable proposition in the long run.

Time and again, town officials have been told what they should do, and time and again they have taken the easy path of doing nothing. But worse, when presented with a 50-year plan for phased backing away from the shore, the East Hampton Town Board panicked and dropped the most-sensible and far-reaching aspects from the final draft. Doing nothing is not courage, far from it.

This head-in-the-sand approach to managing inevitable coastal erosion is not new, nor is it limited to East Hampton. Though decades ago, town officials adopted seemingly tough laws designed to phase out houses and businesses on narrowing shorelines, in practice these were never applied or found to be unworkable. When faced with waterfront-property owners pleading for help or represented by deft legal counsel, zoning boards have caved almost as quickly as the dunes were eaten away. For example, rules against building or expanding anything beyond a certain distance from the dune crest are routinely bent with the general approval of town and village authorities. Note, too, that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation saw trouble ahead and simply quit its role in coastal erosion policy not all that long ago.

Another example is that hard structures, such as rocks or sandbags, are supposed to be used temporarily in case of emergencies but linger for years, causing permanent damage to downdrift properties. Again, the problems have been understood for years; the courage to actually do something about them has been whats missing and so beachgoers, taxpayers, and wildlife all suffer to differing extents. People may wonder what happened to the once-booming scallop harvest but ignore the effects of removing much of the living foreshore on which shellfish and a host of other marine life depended. You cannot ring an estuary with rock or toxic-laden wooden seawalls and expect things to carry on as they once were. But in a region where second homes and resort real estate is king, sacrifices have to be made, right?

This is where leadership or a lack thereof comes in. Elected officials are supposed to be chosen for their willingness to come up with answers to the thorniest dilemmas. But voters, too, share the blame for not demanding more from their candidates. Politicians come and go, what does not are the beaches. Downtown Montauk, perched now at the brink of disaster, should have made that clear.

Read this article:

On the Montauk Beach - East Hampton Star

LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. Coast Guard officials said Wednesday they are searching for an overdue vessel with around 20 people aboard headed from the Bahamas to Lake Worth Beach.

Officials said they received a report Tuesday that the boat, a blue and white 29-foot Mako Cuddy Cabin, was last known to be departing Bimini on Monday but did not arrive as expected.

The vessel and people were reported to be en route to Lake Worth Beach, according to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard said they were alerted Wednesday by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force asking for help locating the boat.

"They didn't have the name of the vessel, they said about 20 people on board, they didn't have specifically their nationality or any names to go on," said Jose Hernandez with the U.S. Coast Guard.

Hernandez said since 5 a.m. the Coast Guard has been out in the Atlantic helping with the search.

"In this case, we don't really have the location except for the final destination, so we are just searching the Gulf Stream between the Bahamas and South Florida," he said.

Hernandez said conducting a search is labor-intensive.

"They take into account the size of the vessel, the amount of gasoline, the motor it has. Then you have other people that plot the actual currents, the actual weather involved," he said.

Below are the agencies and crews searching for the missing boat:

The Coast Guard said there was no timetable on how long they would continue to search for the boat.

Anyone who can help in the search is urged to contact Coast Guard District Seven Command Center at 305-415-6800.

See the rest here:

Coast Guard searches for missing boat with 20 people aboard headed to Palm Beach County from Bahamas - WPTV.com

Posted: Dec 30, 2020 / 11:49 AM EST / Updated: Dec 30, 2020 / 05:57 PM EST

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) Two New Years Eve events in the Myrtle Beach area will go on as planned after being approved by the state, but one major event was rejected over COVID-19 precautions.

The New Years Eve Celebration for downtown Conway, which is organized by Conway Downtown Alive, was rejected by the South Carolina Department of Commerce because the estimated attendance would exceed the amount of land the event would be held on.

Planned as a street festival style event on Main Street, the celebration would have included bands, food vendors, merchandise vendors and fireworks at midnight. Attendance was estimated in the application to be between 1,001 and 5,000 people.

The state wrote on the rejection notice, Outdoor occupancy will exceed 1,212 attendees per acre. (Estimated attendance range: 1,001 5,000; Outdoor acreage: 0.765 acres). The application said there would be social distancing in place, a cleaning schedule, a sick plan, masks would be required and COVID-19 staff available.

Gov. Henry McMaster does not allow events of more than 250 people by executive order, but event hosts can apply for an exemption. The events, among other conditions, must remain under 50% capacity, adhere to social distancing, require masks and follow AccelerateSC guidelines.

An example of a local event gaining an exemption was Fall Bike Week, which was hosted at a biker bar in Murrells Inlet in September. The event was initially rejected and then approved after the owner said he cleared up some miscommunication. However, the bar, Suck Bang Blow, was eventually cited for violating the states executive order and was called a super spreader event by a state lawmaker who complained about the crowds at a concert.

The largest event approved by the state was the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway in October. The event was anticipated to include 8,000 people, which was less than 20% of the sites capacity, the state reported.

The two events in the Myrtle Beach area that were approved for New Years Eve are:

A Southern Times Square in The Market Common. Attendance is estimated between 251 and 1,000 people. The celebration includes fireworks, a DJ and a ball drop. The event will be from 10 p.m. until midnight. Masks and social distancing are required.

NYE on the Boardwalk. Attendance is estimated between 251 and 1,000 people. The event runs from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m. at Plyler Park on the Boardwalks and includes fireworks, live music, dueling DJs and activities for kids. Masks are required when in close proximity to others and social distancing is encouraged.

See the original post here:

2 New Years Eve events in Myrtle Beach area approved by state, 1 major event rejected - WBTW

The NBVFD is pleased to announce the arrival of an iconic piece of the departments history. In 1947, the department took delivery of an FMC John Bean high pressure pumper built on a KB International chassis. The truck served the Twin Beaches communities for a number of years before being sold and lost track of.

The department was recently contacted by Robb Johnson, a vintage vehicle collector whose brother discovered the truck in a barn on a piece of property the brother bought in North Carolina. Mr. Johnsons son noticed a faded NBVFD on the trucks hood which led the him to do some research, find us and offer the truck back to the department.

The truck arrived back in the Twin Beaches today, courtesy of Tim Jones, a retired DCFD Lt. and close friend to several NBVFD members.

We have set a goal of restoring the truck back to working order in time for the departments 100th anniversary in 2026.

The members plan to do as much of the restoration work as possible in house. However, there are some elements (motor rebuild, brake overhaul, tires, paint) that will need professional attention. Stay tuned for updates!

If you are interested in supporting the restoration effort, please follow them on their Facebook Page.

All photos courtesy of the North Beach Volunteer Fire Department.

This entry was posted on December 30, 2020 at 9:38 pm and is filed under All News, Calvert News, County, Fire & Rescue, Good News, More News, z 600X120 Top Ad Bottom, z 600X120 Top Ad Top. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Visit link:

North Beach Volunteer Fire Department Receives 1947 Apparatus Back After Barn Find in North Carolina | Southern Maryland News Net - Southern Maryland...

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) City officials in Virginia Beach are looking for the publics help with identifying locations where people may be living unsheltered throughout the city.

The information will help Virginia Beach Housing and Neighborhood Preservationwith the 2021 Point-in-Time (PIT) count.

Locations can be submitted now through Jan. 17, 2021, by clicking here to add a point directly on a map from a phone or computer.

Location points should include the date observed and additional details that will help describe the situation.

The city is asking for visual observations only and those reporting the information are asked not to engage the individuals.

Virginia Beach has a Homeless Outreach Team whose role is to find, engage, and assess the needs of people experiencing street homelessness and help connect them to available resources.

Some signs that indicate a person may be living unsheltered include their personal belongings are left behind, a structure resembling a bed is present, or people have been seen there on multiple occasions.

City officials say the PIT Count is typically conducted during one day in late January with the help of teams of volunteers.

To promote the safety of the community during the pandemic, the city will not seek volunteer support for the 2021 PIT Count.

To allow more time for the citys Homeless Outreach Team to complete the street count, the 2021 PIT will be extended and held Jan. 27-31.

Since launching this tool in 2018, we have been able to identify dozens of locations that we were unaware of where people were living unsheltered, said Pam Shine, homeless service system manager.

Every year, we try to ensure that the count is as thorough as possible, and it may be more challenging to do that without the many volunteers that usually help with our street count. It will be more important than ever to have the publics input so that we can enhance our outreach efforts and help ensure that everyone who should be included is counted and assessed for services.

Read the full release here.

See more here:

Virginia Beach needs help identifying locations of people living unsheltered to help with annual homeless population count - WAVY.com

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA Manhattan Beach resident and professional photographer and tech guy Jefferson Graham captured this photo. Here's what he writes about it:

"Standing under the Manhattan Beach Pier is always one of the most popular local pastimes. After a rainstorm, when the waves get very aggressive it is even more so," said local photographer Jefferson Graham, who shot this for his #Photowalks series on Wednesday, 12/30/20 at 7 a.m. http://jeffersongraham.substack.com

If you have an awesome photo of nature, breathtaking scenery, kids caught being kids, a pet doing something funny or something unusual you happen to catch with your camera, we'd love to feature it on Patch.

We're looking for high-resolution images that reflect the beauty and fun that is California, and that show off your unique talents.

Send your photos to liz.spear@patch.com.

See the rest here:

Supreme Shot Under The Manhattan Beach Pier: Photo Of The Day - Patch.com

MEXICO BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) Big things are happening in the small town of Mexico Beach. While many businesses and homeowners rebuild, each day residents get one step closer to a sense of normalcy.

Many spots in town reopened their doors in 2020, and even more are not far behind.

I think 2021 is going to be some landmark things happening here, said Mexico Beach Mayor, Al Cathey.

Mayor Cathey says the city has come a long way over the course of two years, but still has quite a ways to go.

Several different food spots and vacation rentals have opened since the storm and now many others are following suit ahead of the New Year.

We have Harmon Realty opening up, we have the Shell Shack opening up, Ace Hardware is opening up as well, said Cathey.

Cathey says the hardware store has been open since 1974 and as the owner, he never thought he would have to build another one.

Were excited to get back, we have been very blessed that we are able to stay in business after the storm, said Cathey.

Their hope is to open to the public in mid-February.

Another sought after establishment coming to town is a gas station.

We are finally going to have a gas station in the first part of 2021. Its been a difficult time since weve had one, you take so many things for granted. said Cathey.

This kind of business will not only help residents and vacationers, but also boaters and workers.

That is going to be a big lift to our town, said Cathey.

Another hot spot destroyed during the storm is the Shell Shack. Owners say rebuilding their store has taken nearly two years.

Everybody is excited for us to come back, theyre ready for the Shell Shack to be back open to get their fresh seafood and wall dcor and shells and come see us, said Owner, Theresa Hunter.

Their new building is larger than before and is planned to be open by mid-January.

We are excited to get back, I miss it, we miss all the people and our customers and our friends. We are ready to get back, said Cathey.

As these spots are set to open after the New Year, its safe to say Mexico Beach has big plans for 2021.

View post:

Several Mexico Beach businesses prepare to open in 2021 - WMBB - mypanhandle.com

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) This years popular Beaches and Boots Witches Dance in Carolina Beach will bring waves of good fortune to the non-profit Ocean Cure.

That organization provides increased beach accessibility to our coast for persons who have physical or mental challenges.

For at least a decade, Ocean Cure has served more than a thousand participants and their families through the use of beach wheel chairs, accessible flooring and adaptive surf boards. The goal is to make sure participants leave feeling there is no obstacle that they cannot overcome.

COVID-19 concerns caused a drop in fundraising for Ocean Cure, so the Beaches and Boots Line Dancers decided to give their proceeds from the Halloween Witches Dance to the non-profit.

Recently, Kelli Derengowski with Beaches and Boots appeared on Good Morning Carolina to share details about the fundraiser.

Click here to learn how you can support the Halloween night witches dance.

Continued here:

'Beaches and Boots Witches Dance' to benefit Ocean Cure - WWAY NewsChannel 3