The Last Pan Am 747 in Florida

MIAMI – With the new ABC television series Pan Am, there has been increased interest in this historic airline with roots in Miami. Above, a video of the last 747 from Pan Am leaving Miami, where Pan Am had a hub.

Florida Restricts Broward Manatee Boating

Manatees that travel the Intracoastal and other waterways in Broward County will receive additional protection under an updated rule passed Wednesday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Broward waters are an increasingly popular winter habitat for the gentle “sea cows,” with as many as 927 manatees counted on a single day in recent years. The Broward County manatee protection rule was last revised in 1993.

Under the new rule, boaters in Broward County will have to slow down for manatees throughout the week, not just on weekends, from Nov. 15 through March 31, on portions of the Intracoastal Waterway in the northern part of the county. There also will be additional slow zones in a few other small areas and an expansion of the No Entry zone at the Port Everglades Power Plant discharge canal. In many areas, the manatee rule changes will not affect boaters, because there are existing year-round boating safety zones that are more restrictive.

The Commission unanimously passed all staff-recommended changes to the Broward manatee protection rule, with one exception. Commissioners did not accept the proposal placing a more restrictive manatee slow speed zone in the area of the Intracoastal Waterway from Sunrise Boulevard and Las Olas Boulevard.

The time it takes a boater to travel through the county in the Intracoastal Waterway on weekdays during the winter will increase by about 18 minutes, but it will remain essentially unchanged during other times of the year.

The FWC received public input on the proposed Broward County manatee rule through a public hearing in April in Pompano Beach, and from written comments submitted to the agency. FWC biologists worked with Broward County staff, local and state law enforcement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff, stakeholders, municipalities and the interested public to identify and evaluate proposed changes. Under the FWC’s manatee management plan, other existing manatee protection rules will be reviewed in coming years, with all rules throughout the state ultimately going through the review process.

Watch Flipper Before You Go to the Keys

A great primer to a visit to the Florida Keys is the old TV program Flipper. Take a peek of this early episode.
Flipper was made by Ivan Tors Films in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and was broadcast on NBC from September 19, 1964, until April 15, 1967.

Route 301 Route Through Florida; Watch Out for Speed Traps

When traveling from the Northeast and Atlantic states to the West Coast of Florida, Route 301 is the fastest route, avoiding the frequent backups on Interstate 4. It’s a route with some charms, and speed traps. The speeds run from 65 mph to 45 mph; each town along the way decides, and has a fellow standing by waiting. Read more

Remembering Murray Franklin’s of Miami Beach

MIAMI BEACH – Murray Franklin’s was once one of the more interesting nightclub in Miami in the 1950s, and was the hangout place of many notables. Franklin was comedian, but his nightclub became a place were all sorts of talent was discovered. It was where Don Rickles was discovered by Frank Sinatra and where the housewife/standards singer Roberta Sherwood was discovered by the likes of Walter Winchell and Red Buttons.

Rickles, in his biography, called Franklin the “Ed Sullivan” of Miami Beach. In the era of Wolfies and Club Pigalle, Franklin’s was a small place on 23rd Street.

A brief discussion from an old guidebook:

MURRAY FRANKLIN’S, 23rd at the Ocean, Miami Beach (JE 8-7201).  Wacky wonderland of Miami Beach.  Franklin himself is a very funny guy and runs a little madhouse here, with unpredictable and impromptu entertainment.  This is where Roberta Sherwood was re-discovered last year.  Don’t take your maiden aunt.  Open from 9 pm to 6 am but the joint doesn’t start jumping until 2 am.

Does anyone have any memories of this place? Love for them to leave the comments below.

Vintage Movie Views of Miami, 1956

MIAMI – We found this great historic view of Miami in 1956, courtesy of a Miami native who maintains the tropnet.com website, dedicated to hurricanes, severe weather, storm chasing and photography.

The video shows the old Columbus and McAllister hotels and the Goodyear blimp, a Cuban airliner and the old Crandon Park Zoo and kiddie train ride, all on Key Biscayne.

Grouper Season Re-opens May 1, 2011

TALLAHASSEE – The recreational and commercial harvest of shallow-water groupers (including gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, coney, graysby, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper and tiger grouper) will reopen on May 1 in all Atlantic Ocean and Monroe County waters off Florida. The harvest of these groupers has been closed since Jan. 1 to address overfishing of grouper in the Atlantic.

A three-fish-per-person aggregate daily recreational bag limit applies for all groupers in Atlantic and Monroe County waters, and the captain and crew of for-hire vessels are not allowed to keep any species in the aggregate grouper bag limit. Anglers may take no more than one gag or black grouper (not both) within the aggregate grouper limit in Atlantic and Monroe County waters, and dehooking tools are required to be aboard commercial and recreational vessels for use as needed to remove hooks from Atlantic reef fish.

More information on grouper bag and size limits, gear restrictions and fishing seasons, including Gulf of Mexico grouper regulations, is available online at MyFWC.com/Fishing.

Florida Wildlife Camp; One Week Only $295

OCALA – Would your children long to spend their summer days in the great outdoors? Would they love the chance to learn about fish and wildlife from experts, and hike or canoe with other children their age?

Then it’s time to sign them up for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Ocala Outdoor Adventure Camp. The facility is located in the Ocala National Forest, and registration for the 2011 summer sessions has already begun. Read more

New Director for Ringling Museum

SARASOTA – Steven High today was named executive director of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, home to the Ca’ d’Zan mansion, Museum of Art featuring a rare Old Masters collection, Circus Museum and Historic Asolo Theater. The announcement was made after Eric J. Barron, president of The Florida State University, approved his appointment by the Ringling Museum Board of Directors. Read more

See the “Cracker Crazy” Documentary Before You Visit

If you are traveling to Florida, you need to see Georg Koszulinski’s documentary on Florida, Cracker Crazy. It gives the visitor a background how Florida was invented, and some of the main touchstones of the Sunshine State’s history. You can watch it right here on YouTube.

The film blends archives, especially from the state. It’s done with style and humor, never staying too long on each subject, and always showing the most interesting historic tidbits and video clips.

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