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381 manatees spotted in Citrus County

By TIMES WIRES
Published December 30, 2006

CRYSTAL RIVER

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge staffers counted 381 manatees during an aerial survey Wednesday.

Here's the breakdown: Kings Bay, 164 manatees and 11 calves; the Crystal River, one manatee and one calf; the Salt River, zero; the Progress Energy discharge canal, 86 manatees; the Cross Florida Barge Canal, zero; the Blue Waters section of the Homosassa River, 110 manatees and six calves; the lower Homosassa River, two manatees.

Manatees seek out refuge near warm water springs as gulf temperatures begin to drop each fall.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats.

Scammers pass fake clerk's office checks

Pinellas County sheriff's officials were investigating a dozen instances since Dec. 22 in which people have cashed fraudulent checks that appeared to be from the County Clerk of the Circuit Court's Office.

So far, the scammers have stolen $10,864, officials said. When a CheckSmart cashier got suspicious and called the clerk's office, a woman presenting a phony check ran away.

The checks appear to have been created on a laser printer. Amscot fell victim to five of the 12 phony checks.

"These people are really brazen," Clerk of the Circuit Court Ken Burke said Friday.

"They're using blatantly false addresses and stealing large amounts."

DADE CITY

Elections supervisor packs for Tallahassee

Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Kurt Browning spent his last day on the job Friday packing his belongings at the Dade City office.

Browning, who has been appointed Florida's next secretary of state, resigned effective Jan. 1. Gov.-elect Charlie Crist has not named Browning's successor yet.

Until he does, chief deputy supervisor Melba Hamilton will run the day-to-day business at the office, which includes 24 employees.

Bacteria counts rise at five Pasco beaches

Five Pasco County beaches have been flagged by the Health Department for risky bacteria levels entering the holiday weekend.

Robert J. Strickland Beach, also known as Hudson Beach, and the Energy and Marine Center in Port Richey continue to have high counts. Beach waters at Brasher Park, Oelsner Park and Gulf Harbors also tested too high for bacteria, which can cause illness and rashes.

Morton Plant receives $1.5-million grant

The Morton Plant Mease Foundation this month received a $1.5-million challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation.

The Morton Plant Mease Foundation raised $8-million to meet the Kresge challenge.

Of that, $5-million came from Larry and Patty Morgan of Belleair, the main benefactors of the new $52-million Morgan Heart Hospital.

[Last modified December 30, 2006, 01:17:08]