Whooping cranes' migration running late

By Times Staff Writer
Published January 5, 2008

CALHOUN, GA.

The whooping cranes are making their annual trek to Florida, but this year's class is just a bit overdue.

A group of 17 endangered whooping cranes has landed in north Georgia after a weeklong rest stop at a wildlife refuge in Tennessee.

The birds lifted off at dawn Thursday from the Hiwassee refuge near Cleveland, Ga., following an ultralight aircraft on the next leg of their migration south.

The cranes had arrived at the Hiwassee refuge on Saturday.

The rare birds are being led south by a dozen volunteers from Canada-based Operation Migration.

The cranes summer in Wisconsin and winter at the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge.

The annual migration was slowed this year after the birds were grounded Dec. 6 by bad weather at the Cumberland Gap. Most of the crew leading the flight went home for the holidays. A small team stayed with the birds.

They landed on private property outside Calhoun, Ga., Thursday after a two-hour flight.

Two other whooping cranes had been spotted during a Christmas bird count, staying in a rural area just west of downtown Nashville.

Wesley chapel

Costco isn't among new mall's tenants

When the developers of Cypress Creek Town Center announced its tenant lineup in late 2007, some retail brokers in the area whispered among themselves:

Whatever happened to Costco?

Marketing brochures distributed by the mall's representatives early last year advertised Costco as a potential tenant.

The mall's lineup now has 42 names, dominated by SuperTarget, Kohl's, AMC Theatres, Books-A-Million, and at least 12 restaurants and food outlets.

Did the mall's developer lose Costco? Bill Fullington, the developer's spokesman, said no.

With or without Costco, Cypress Creek Town Center is due to open this fall.

BROOKSVILLE

Police Department votes to form union

By the margin of a single vote, officers at the Brooksville Police Department have decided to form a union despite the recent firing of one of the effort's most visible leaders.

The votes were tallied at the department Thursday and the state employee relations commission approved the results later that day, allowing the officers to join with the Pinellas County Police Benevolent Association and to start collective bargaining with the city this month.

[Last modified January 4, 2008, 23:23:11]