Space Shuttle Blasts April 5

CAPE CANAVERAL – Space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to begin a 13-day flight to the International Space Station with a launch at 6:21 a.m. EDT on April 5 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Discovery’s launch date for the STS-131 mission was announced Friday at the conclusion of a flight readiness review at Kennedy. During the meeting, senior NASA and contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and determined the shuttle’s equipment, support systems and procedures are ready. Read more

Polynesian at the Mai Kai, Hukilau Tiki Festival

FORT LAUDERDALE – The nation’s great tiki festival comes again to the greatest Tiki town in the nation, Fort Lauderdale from June 10-13, 2010.

It’s called the Hukilau and it is four days of all things Tiki, drawing over 1,000 to come hear music, see artists and get into the South Seas mindset. Read more

Hundreds of Manatees Die in Cold Water

TALLAHASSEE – As of March 19, biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) have documented 431 manatee carcasses in state waters so far in 2010. This preliminary data indicates that in just three months, the number of manatee deaths has exceeded the highest number on record for an entire calendar year, which was 429 in 2009. The cause of death for the majority of these animals is cold stress.

The “cold-stress” category accounts for 222 documented manatee carcasses; however, it is likely the cold temperatures also contributed to many of the 108 deaths in the “undetermined” category and the 64 deaths in the “unrecovered” category.

Manatee deaths are categorized as “undetermined” when biologists are not able to confirm the cause of death, often because the carcasses are too badly decomposed. The “unrecovered” category includes carcasses that are unavailable to scientists, such as when carcasses are found in remote locations.

Unfortunately, the number of recovered carcasses for this year continues to be well above long-term averages.  As the rate of cold-related deaths diminishes, FWC staff will begin to focus on determining the long-term implications for the manatee population, a process that could take several years.

The period of prolonged cold weather earlier this year exposed manatees in Florida to colder than normal water temperatures. Exposure to low temperatures over a period of time can cause a condition called “manatee cold-stress syndrome,” which can result in death.

“The unprecedented rate of mortality this year is of great concern,” said Gil McRae, FWRI director.  “FWC staff, partners and volunteers have done a tremendous job working around the clock for weeks recovering carcasses and conducting rescues throughout Florida.”

Since the cold weather conditions began to affect Florida, FWC staff and conservation partners have rescued 48 manatees from across the state and continue to respond to reports of distressed manatees.

To report a dead or distressed manatee, call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

For additional information about manatee conservation, visit MyFWC.com/Manatee. For more information on manatee mortality research, visit http://research.MyFWC.com/manatees.

Okeechobee, Old Florida Charm

OKEECHOBEE – While crossing the state of Florida,  you will want to make sure you stop in a few of the towns. Very often, folks drive across the state, from Gulf Coast to East Coast, and miss out on the amusement that is in between.

Here, Glady’s, one of the local restaurant treasures in Okeechobee. Okeechobee isn’t a bit tourist town (there is a small museum, a 1920s courthouse and a real-life livestock market. People come for the fishing and outdoors.

Singer Island Resort Now Four Star Marriott

SINGER ISLAND - A Singer Island classic is now the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa, which recently received the AAA Four-Diamond stamp of approval.

Formerly The Resort at Singer Island, the newly rebranded Marriott property is now the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa. Read more

Alachua Conservation Trust Adds to Paynes Prairie

TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet approved an option agreement today between the state of Florida and the Alachua Conservation Trust, Inc. to expand recreational opportunities and conserve precious natural resources. The 500 acres located southeast of Gainesville is a critical addition to the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and a deal the state has been looking to strike since the early 1970s.

“With Governor Crist’s and the Cabinet member’s signatures on this agreement we finalize an important project that will help promote nature-based tourism and be a beautiful area for Floridians and visitors to enjoy,” said DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole. “Paynes Prairie is rich in natural resources and today’s agreement will help protect important wildlife habitat and at the same time enhance recreational opportunities.”

Paynes Prairie stretches out across 21,000 acres and is a natural resource of national importance.  In 1971, Paynes Prairie was designated a national landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior because it possesses exceptional value in illustrating U.S. heritage and is one of only 600 designations nationwide.  Paynes Prairie contains more than 800 plants and a large variety of wildlife including bison, cracker horses and more than 270 species of birds.

Since a significant portion of the Paynes Prairie basin is located on this property, it is important for Floridians to possess ownership.  As part of the recreational planning process a trail hub to connect Prairie Creek Preserve to the east and Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail is being explored. Acquiring the land will protect the amount and quality of water that feeds Paynes Prairie, help conserve wildlife habitat, increase recreational activities and provide better park management.

Rolex Sports Car Series in Homestead

* Nineteen Year Old Racing Sensation Dion von Moltke Roars Into Miami For Grand Prix of Miami

HOMESTEAD – Nineteen year old racing sensation, Dion von Moltke (www.dionvm.com), is roaring into Miami for the Grand Prix of Miami, March 5-6, 2010 at the Homestead Miami Speedway.

As the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series returns to Miami, all eyes will be on Dion as he returns to Doran Racing, driving with Memo Gidley. Dion will be driving the car #77, a Ford-powered Dallara Daytona Prototype that is being sponsored by McDonalds/South African Airways/P1 Groupe. This is a homecoming in many ways for Dion as Doran Racing gave him his Daytona Prototype start, and he currently lives in Miami attending college fulltime at Florida International University (FIU). P1 Groupe also provides driver management services for Dion, from sponsorships to marketing.

Five for Fighting Headlines SunFest April 28

WEST PALM BEACH – SunFest, Florida’s largest music, art and waterfront festival, announced several national acts scheduled to appear at the 28th annual event being held April 28-May 2, along one of the most scenic sections of Flagler Drive in downtown West Palm Beach.

National acts scheduled to perform include Weezer, ZZ Top, Shinedown, Ben Harper and Relentless7, Patti LaBelle, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Flaming Lips, Rise Against, B-52′s, Damian Marley, Nas, Five For Fighting, Flogging Molly, Sister Hazel, Better than Ezra, Marcus Miller, Classic Albums Live, and The Charlie Daniels Band. Additional entertainment announcements will be made as they are confirmed.

See www.sunfest.com