Archive for September, 2007

Blue Hole Gator Killers Get 6 Months

The two young men who killed Cola the alligator with a high-powered pellet gun and souvenir baseball bat, ate her at a barbecue and gloated with pictures on MySpace.com are going to jail. ”They picked the wrong gator to kill,” Gordon Sharp, the arresting officer for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said Friday during the impassioned five-hour sentencing hearing.

Cola lived with its mate Bacardi at the Blue Hole, an abandoned rock quarry turned pond on a federal refuge on Big Pine Key. She was visited yearly by thousands, and described as “semi-tame.”

Circuit Judge Mark H. Jones, saying he rarely has seen a case with as much public interest, sentenced Jordan Milo, 20, and Timothy Goll, 19, to six months at the Monroe County Detention Center, five years’ probation, community service and a psychological evaluation. Before being led away in handcuffs, Milo, a sergeant in the 194th Army Reserve unit with orders to go to Iraq, blurted: “I will be dishonorably discharged.” That prompted an angry Jones to tell Milo: “You still don’t get it.” Read more…

Key Largo Coastal Clean-Up Sept. 15, 2007

Environmentally minded organizations and individuals are to celebrate Florida Coastal Cleanup Day Saturday, Sept. 15, by beautifying the near-shore waters, shore and grounds of Harry Harris County Park, mile marker 93 oceanside in Key Largo. Activities are to begin at 9 a.m. and continue until noon. Visiting and resident volunteers are invited to participate by picking up trash and debris from land and water areas. Several local businesses are donating the use of kayaks to facilitate the collection of floating trash and debris. Marine patrol officers will be on hand to offer assistance.

Volunteers should wear sturdy shoes and bring sunscreen, insect repellant and water to drink. Additional water is to be donated by local businesses. Read more…

Florida Keys Vacation Deals After Labor Day

The week after Labor Day marks the beginning of offseason at many local destinations.

What to Do: Vacationing during the offseason can cut lodging and air-fare costs significantly. Hotels in Key West, and the rest of the Florida Keys, have their lowest occupancy from September to November, and are likely to offer lower rates. September is the softest travel month in many Caribbean countries. Airlines generally run sales on such flights in late August extending through December. Check out the sales pages on major airlines such as American and Delta. One major caveat, hurricane season extends from August to October, so prepare for the possibility that your trip gets rained out or you face delays at the airport. You should look into travel insurance.