Consider growing this herb if you love to garden and cook Bay Laurel. ASPCA Dr. Darragh O’Carroll is an ABMS board certified emergency physician specializing in emergency O’Carroll has practiced in the busiest trauma center in the world and provided disaster relief in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a freelance writer and author who has written extensively on all things health and lifestyle for more than a decade When she’s not holed up in her writing shed researching an article or off interviewing health professionals she can be found frolicking around her beach town with husband and dogs in tow or splashing about the lake trying to master the stand-up paddleboard has worked with children for the past decade as a trained elementary and special education teacher She finds special joy in supporting blossoming families and their infants She enjoys educating new parents and parents-to-be about their different options as well as the current best practices in baby care Catherine writes for various websites and teaches childbirth and postpartum education across the U.S is a Cleveland-based medical writer and critical care nurse Her journalism experience spans more than 20 years and has garnered awards from trade groups Her writing work has been published in numerous local and national publications Rachael’s bedside experience supports her medical writing and she is passionate about healthcare education Jill Seladi-Schulman is a freelance medical writer and fact checker She was previously a project setup manager for clinical trials and specializes in microbiology and infectious disease having written her dissertation on influenza virus morphology Seladi-Schulman has publications in peer-reviewed journals She also has had her work featured on the cover of the Journal of Virology This individual is no longer a medical reviewer in our network The credentials and information reflected above are only associated with other freelance roles the individual may currently hold Meg is a freelance journalist and features writer who covers culture T: @wordsbyMeg W: megwalters.co.uk Victoria Stokes is a writer from the United Kingdom. When she’s not writing about her favorite topics, personal development, and well-being, she usually has her nose stuck in a good book. Victoria lists coffee, cocktails, and the color pink among some of her favorite things. Find her on Instagram But there’s little evidence to support these claims doctors do not recommend burning and inhaling smoke of any kind as it’s hazardous to health have been used in traditional and complementary medicine practices for thousands of years Most of these uses involve crumbled leaves They’re also commonly used for culinary purposes Some people believe that bay leaf burning offers a range of health benefits health professionals do not recommend this practice as burning and inhaling smoke of any kind is hazardous to health you can do this through a diffuser using essential oils Read on to learn about the limited evidence supporting bay leaf burning,the risks involved alternative methods for inhaling bay leaves There’s limited scientific evidence supporting the claim that bay leaf burning offers health benefits along with their ability to inhibit an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase (AChE) This enzyme breaks down a chemical in the brain called acetylcholine which is important for memory and learning the findings of this animal study may not be applicable to humans and more comprehensive research is required on this topic very few studies have specifically investigated the health implications of bay leaf burning Findings from animal studies suggest that bay leaves and their extracts in general, though, could help with the following health issues: health professionals do not generally recommend burning and inhaling bay leaves These risks could also apply to bay leaves This method helps avoid the harmful effects of inhaling smoke while still providing the benefits associated with bay leaves An alternative to bay leaf burning is to inhale bay leaf essential oil with a diffuser A diffuser is a device that releases essential oils into the air You can do this by adding several drops of essential oils to the device’s water basin Several types of essential oil diffusers are available However, this method is also not without its own risks. Essential oils are typically highly concentrated, so when using bay leaf essential oils, it’s important to dilute the product correctly. Inhaling undiluted essential oils directly may lead to irritation it’s thought that prolonged exposure to high concentrations of essential oils is linked with heart and lung problems it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and ensure your space is well-ventilated Finally, make sure to consider pets in your environment, as bay leaves are toxic to dogs and cats Learn more about how to use a diffuser with essential oils here bay leaves are considered safe for most people but you’ll want to use caution if any of the following scenarios applies to you: Bay leaf burning is an ancient tradition that some believe helps with issues like anxiety But scientific evidence around the method is lacking doctors do not recommend you try this practice Not only is burning and inhaling smoke of any kind dangerous to health you might consider inhaling bay leaf essential oil through a diffuser There are some risks to consider with this approach An adult and child were displaced late Tuesday afternoon after a fire at the Magnolia Park Apartments on Laurel Bay Road the Burton Fire District was dispatched to an activated fire alarm at the Magnolia Park Apartments on Laurel Bay Road Firefighters arrived on scene to find a fire sprinkler system had been activated by a cooking fire and was flowing water from a single sprinkler head The sprinkler system had fully extinguished the fire prior to the fire department’s arrival Firefighters shut the water off and ensured the fire did not spread beyond the stove Due to the water in the apartment and power to the residence having to be shut off a female adult and child were displaced and are being assisted by the Red Cross No other residents were displaced and were able to return home While fire officials state that there was some water damage to the apartment damages were extremely limited for this type of fire. “A residential sprinkler head flows about 25 gallons of water a minute,” said Burton Fire Captain Ethan Webb “But today it extinguished the fire immediately but our hose lines flow about 150 gallons of water a minute so there would have been significantly more damages that could have also potentially impacted other residents in the complex Delayna Earley and Amber Hewitt The Island News Congresswoman Nancy Mace’s Beaufort County By Delayna Earley The Island News A 39-year-old Ridgeland man was killed on Sunday morning after By Mike McCombs The Island News It’s that time of year and I’m in Jasper County Council Chambers in By Delayna Earley The Island News A former Port Royal police officer has been arrested and Find out how to grow your own bay leaf plant to add just-picked leaves to your favorite recipes The leaves of bay leaf plants are toxic to dogs Use a clay or wood container with drainage holes for an indoor plant not if you are only interested in harvesting the leaves A single bay leaf plant in the garden or a container produces leaves but no berries Bay leaf plants are known to live up to 50 years California bay laurel is similar It has fragrant leaves but is not the source of the bay leaves used in cooking It is best to toss them because the flavor will be substantially reduced on a second use A few weeks if you package them carefully and store them in the refrigerator but their flavor is better if you spread them on a sheet in a warm area for two or three days to lightly dry them before storing them in an airtight jar or plastic bag Bay leaves are more flavorful when dried than when fresh “Bay Laurel.” University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources “Why Cook with Bay Leaves?” International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science “Bay Laurel.” ASPCA Volunteers work in a driving rainstorm to build a roller system that will transport heavy oyster castles across the marsh and to the edge of the Beaufort River in Beaufort Oyster castles are stacked on the shoreline while waiting to be placed in the Beaufort River to create an oyster reef in Beaufort Heavy rain eventually forced the cancellation of the event Volunteers build oyster castles during a volunteer event at Laurel Bay Military Housing in Beaufort Oyster castles are used to create habitats for oysters and prevent shoreline erosion Marines are building 2,000 feet of oyster castles to protect the shoreline of Laurel Bay home to Marines stationed at MCAS Beaufort and their families BEAUFORT — Building an oyster reef is messy business The very nature of the effort requires sloshing around in the wet So when a reef-building event gets canceled because of rain an event in which participants are guaranteed to get soaking wet no matter the weather one would be right to conclude that the weather had to be a special kind of miserable when three dozen hardy volunteers organized by The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina and the Marine Corps slogged through the mud along the marshy edge of the Beaufort River trying desperately to get the day’s planned activity underway The effort was supposed to be the fourth and final day of a plan to build 2,000 feet of artificial oyster reefs at the edge of Laurel Bay a military community that houses Marines stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and their families intended to stabilize the shoreline and reduce erosion was made possible by a $6.8 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded to The Nature Conservancy in the spring of 2023 The grant will eventually support several living shoreline initiatives which are natural solutions to challenges that threaten the coastline It’s one piece of a three-piece project,” explained Joy Brown marine program manager with The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina also fund a two-year study to identify other locations along the South Carolina coast that could benefit from large transformational projects like the one underway in Laurel Bay The third piece is intended to accelerate living shoreline projects in underserved communities in Colleton Horry and Jasper counties in partnership with the South Carolina Office of Resilience conservation organizations and government entities have worked for 20 years building living shorelines one bag and one block at a time,” said Dale Threatt-Taylor executive director for The Nature Conservancy in South Carolina in a 2023 press release “Those efforts are making a real difference but we need to significantly scale up our work to keep pace with more intense storms and rising sea levels living shorelines offer advantages over a human-made structure like sea walls They can absorb energy from boat wakes or tides while sea walls only deflect the energy and redirect it farther downstream the oyster castle structure strengthens over time as they recruit more oysters and sediment builds while sea walls tend to weaken as they get battered by the elements “It’s a really nice solution that builds upon itself is great for water quality and great for the environment,” said Cara Chancellor marketing manager for The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina The Laurel Bay reef was constructed of oyster castles cinder block-sized version of a popular children’s toy “An oyster castle has these knobs on the end that let you stack them together like Legos or Lincoln Logs,” Chancellor said The castles are carried to the water and placed in a long line that parallels the shoreline Oyster larvae float through the water until they are able to latch on to a hard surface sediment can be trapped behind the structure another local oyster reef project was constructed by the Coastal Conservation League near Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island which is built using wire cages that have oyster shells woven into the exterior of the cages Other projects have used mesh bags filled with oyster shells to create a reef Choosing the most appropriate construction methodology is based on the conditions at each site Manufactured wire reefs work well if the mud is particularly soft and deep the castles could sink and be covered in mud before the reef has a chance to recruit oysters strong tides and significant wind-wave energy the weight and rigidity of the concrete castles are advantageous which led to the decision to use them at the Laurel Bay site It can be difficult to predict how long it will take for a living shoreline to begin delivering positive results Sediment buildup can start to occur as soon as construction is complete but the recruitment of young oysters is more variable depending upon local conditions While the May 18 reef-building event was canceled due to stormy weather three events earlier this year had better luck “We are already seeing improvements in the first two (reefs) that we put in,” said Col “We’re already seeing new areas of pluff mud behind the oyster castles Those are beds in which the grasses will grow.” Beaufort County’s military installations have a long history of land conservation The Department of Defense has protected more than 6,000 acres in Beaufort County and another 4,400 acres in nearby Jasper County with the recent Gregorie Neck purchase the Department of Defense established the 2.2-million acre South Carolina Lowcountry Sentinel Landscape Bortnem noted that 80 percent of that land is under military flight paths the water and the air in which we operate by the American taxpayers It’s our job to look after that in the best way that we know how,” Bortnem said The project at Laurel Bay is a prime example of a close alignment of military and conservation objectives “Bringing on strategic partners can really help us,” Brown said “Military bases also have resilience on their list of issues to address The more we can use nature-based solutions the more we can support the mission of the military installations Having them as a partner really gives us that thing we’re looking for.” The canceled reef construction will likely be rescheduled Volunteers are expected to return in the fall and again in the spring of 2025 to build a second reef “These are proving grounds,” Chancellor said “We’re still trying to figure out how to do these at scale this is exciting because it’s such a big project.” News tips/online questions: newstips@postandcourier.com Delivery/subscription questions: subserve@postandcourier.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: By News Release | June 5 one of Cloudco Entertainment’s most beloved properties has retained Bay Laurel Advisors to help strategize Care Bears expansion into the world of Location Based Entertainment and secure licensing opportunities for high-quality guest experiences within theme parks and other location based entertainment venues with over 40 years of heartwarming adventures were recently honored as “The #3 Hottest Brand” in the global character licensing business by License Global Magazine coupled with the thriving success of its YouTube Channel and a TikTok presence boasting over 400 thousand followers and 9.3 million likes underscore the enduring appeal of the Care Bears brand It continues to captivate existing fans while strongly resonating with the next generation thanks in part to the success of the new animated TV program Care Bears: Unlock the Magic New episodes and mini-movies are currently streaming on Max Bay Laurel Advisors is led by its founder and President an executive with decades of location based entertainment experience collaborating with major entertainment brands to create appealing entertainment based experiences Joining George on the Care Bears account is Joe Lawson who worked with George Wade during his days leading entertainment content and brand partnerships for Rovio Entertainment location based entertainment and brand partnership deals during tenures at Netflix Care Bears is building off a successful 2023 which saw three licensed destinations open across Asia A pop-up experience in Hong Kong’s Langham Place Mall welcomed 2,000 visitors per day with the store averaging even higher numbers on the weekend The location also quickly surpassed its revenue goal cafe activations in Seoul (South Korea) and Bangkok (Thailand) continue to thrive in the region Seoul’s Care Bears themed Baskin and Robbins store has become the number one performing location across 1800 stores across South Korea Care Bears will also have their first dedicated retail experience opening in London this summer the Care Bears just completed a very successful Care Bears art gallery exhibition at the Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles where they attracted five times the number of daily visitors compared to previous exhibitions Guests came to experience and purchase unique Care Bears-inspired art developed by over 75 artists Cloudco Entertainment’s Head of Global Licensing Robbie Prinzo said: “We’re beyond excited to bring the heartwarming world of Care Bears to life in immersive experiences and destinations for fans of all ages and are delighted to be working with Bay Laurel Advisors who bring a great amount of experience and expertise to the Location Based Entertainment market.” multi-generational appeal and storylines centered around celebration Care Bears is the perfect brand for location based entertainment We can’t wait to build deep emotional connections with fans of all ages for this nostalgic unforgettable brand and are excited to assist Cloudco in the Care Bears’ mission of spreading cheer and kindness.” Sign up to be alerted when the latest Amusement Today issue is published via our Digital Edition and you’ll also receive the daily EXTRA featuring FREE industry news delivered directly to your email every workday morning by Amusement Today © 1997-2025 Amusement Today Dr. Angelica Balingit is an ABMS board certified internal medicine physician She has vast experience in treating adult conditions in the hospital Her special interests include hypertension She began her career in online business support publishing before migrating to medical and healthcare content in 2016 including wound healing and improved memory as most existing studies are on animals or done in test tubes Bay leaves are a standard cooking ingredient in many savory dishes dried bay leaves are typically easier to find and sauces — just remove them prior to serving because they have a bitter taste comes from the evergreen bay laurel family bay leaves have been used in many different ways for possible health benefits But how do these uses measure up in scientific studies Some studies suggest that bay leaf may help inhibit the growth of cancer cells For example, a 2023 laboratory study on mice found that the oil derived from Laurus nobilis helped inhibit the formation of liver cancer in a 3D model that mimicked real tumors In another 2022 study researchers loaded nanoparticles with the same oil and through various test tubes and computer-based testing found that these particles may help inhibit a pathway involved in the growth of cancer cells However, none of these studies examined bay leaves directly or studied their effect on human cancer cells. Moreover, another mouse study on cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) showed that bay leaf extract didn’t prevent the expansion of cancer cells more studies on humans need to be completed to determine if bay leaves have an effect on cancer In a 2021 test tube study researchers investigated the benefits of using bay leaf extract to treat insulin resistance and oxidative stress in liver cells The results showed promising potential to help protect liver cells against the effects of elevated blood sugar and insulin levels Another 2021 study examined this question in rats and discovered that bay leaf extract could potentially help lower blood sugar none of the studies specifically examined this effect in people with diabetes so it’s difficult to draw a firm conclusion about how bay leaves might affect the condition In older experiments conducted on rats scientists found that bay leaf had the ability to assist with wound healing In a 2022 test tube study, researchers mixed bay leaf extract with chitosan and found that the mixture may be helpful against bacteria forming in wound sutures the researchers didn’t test these components individually it’s important to test the effect of the bay leaf itself on human wounds before drawing any conclusion Urease is an enzyme that, when out of balance, can lead to several gastric disorders, including kidney stones. One 2021 study examined 40 herbal extracts and found that bay leaf had the strongest ability to bind with and inhibit urease due to a component called quercetin That said, while various lab and animal studies have examined the use of bay leaf as an alternative treatment for kidney stones directly more research in humans is needed to confirm that the herb could actually be used as a remedy for the condition In a 2021 study researchers exposed rats to bay leaf incense for 5 minutes in a smoking chamber apparatus once per day for 22 days They found that the rats exposed to the incense had decreased cognitive impairment and oxidative stress Similarly, in a 2024 study researchers found that mice given Laurus nobilis oil had decreased cognitive impairment and oxidative brain damage it isn’t possible to conclude from these findings that bay leaf in any form could actually improve cognitive function More clinical research with human subjects is necessary to verify these findings Bay leaves are known to contain various antioxidants, vitamins, and carotenoids. A 2019 literature review noted other potential health benefits as with the other purported benefits of bay leaves the evidence is primarily based on older lab and mouse studies and not on clinical trials involving human subjects A lot of the available research has focused on bay leaf extract or essential oil This means it’s hard to say whether ingesting bay leaves as part of cooked food Bay leaves are typically harmless when used in cooking, but never ingest bay leaf essential oil as it’s only meant to be used topically or for inhalation it won’t break down in the stomach and may pass through your digestive system undigested recipes often recommend removing the bay leaf at certain stages of cooking While there’s not enough information to say for sure it’s best to avoid taking bay leaf during pregnancy or while nursing In addition, if you have diabetes, using bay leaf might affect your blood sugar levels. Also, some evidence suggests it could slow down your nervous system which could cause problems during surgery if mixed with anesthesia and other medications It’s a good idea to stop using bay leaf as medication at least 2 weeks before any scheduled surgery Bay leaf is often used in recipes to provide a savory boost of flavor in soups and stews It has also been used throughout history for its potential health benefits Researchers have conducted studies that may uncover ways that it can help improve health A 17-year-old girl was killed in a shooting at a Burton apartment complex on Sunday She was one of three minors that was shot during an altercation in the parking lot the other two were transported to Beaufort Memorial Hospital for treatment of Beaufort was pronounced dead on Monday just after midnight after she was airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina according to the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office responded to multiple reports of shots fired at Magnolia Park Apartments around 10 p.m The complex is located off of Laurel Bay Road in Burton Law enforcement found three juveniles in the parking lot who had been shot but according to BCSO the incident is still under investigation Mulligan went into cardiac arrest during her flight to MUSC She was first taken to Beaufort Memorial Hospital before being transferred According to Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Master Sgt The apartment complex in question is about 10 miles away from another shooting that took place about 6 hours after this one Anyone with information regarding these two incidents should call Master Sgt Duncan at 843-255-3418 or submit online at BSCO.net Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com Corey Williams is a food writer for MyRecipes and Allrecipes Residents in thousands of future southwest Ocala homes will find themselves with hundreds of dollars in annual utilities savings and a lower water footprint on the Floridan aquifer system by tens of thousands of gallons each year. water provider Bay Laurel Center Community Development District has established a requirement that all new homes within its district must meet Florida Water Star (FWS) certification standards This will apply to all future homes developed in On Top of the World (OTOW) which will be required to have water-saving appliances and irrigation practices. the combined water savings are expected to be over 1.2 billion gallons a year Water management district to FDOT: We 'cannot support' proposed Florida Turnpike routes SW Marion development: 648 units along 80th Avenue south of Calesa Township How much did that house sell for?: Deed transfers in Ocala/Marion County | April 4-10, 2022 Bay Laurel Center CDD and the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) have partnered on this and other initiatives to lessen the impact of Florida’s continued growth and development on its ecosystems and water resources “The intent of all of this obviously is to reduce groundwater withdrawals to protect our natural resources,” the company’s utility director said at a new home in OTOW’s Weybourne Landing last week “We have to begin developing homes that are water conscientious now.” Schmalz noted nearby Rainbow Springs in Dunnellon, which falls under the water management district's jurisdiction, and Silver Springs in northeast Ocala Both are iconic Marion County features and some of the largest first-magnitude spring groups in the state. everybody in the state of Florida continues to withdraw water the impact to the springs can be extremely damaging,” he said “What we have to do is make sure we're protecting our natural resources and also protecting our springs.” Bay Laurel Center CDD encompasses approximately 20 square miles, including developer Colen Built’s OTOW and Calesa Township and PulteGroup’s Del Webb Stone Creek. around 26,000 new homes between the three developments will have achieved FWS certification Each will save around 48,000 gallons of water annually compared to a traditional home "The big thing with that 1.2 billion gallons reduction in water a huge benefit of this is it's really offsetting the need to develop further alternative water supplies like drilling deeper into the aquifer or aquifer recharge projects,” Robin Grantham noting alternative supplies would raise utility bills. The Southwest Florida Water Management District which spans 16 counties including west Marion County allows Bay Laurel Center CDD to withdraw up to 150 gallons of water per person per day for indoor and outdoor use. While the water conservation initiatives are aimed to comply with permitting requirements and be better stewards of the environment homeowners of FWS homes will also see annual savings of around $530. The Florida Water Star program was established in 2006 by the St John’s River Water Management District OTOW has been voluntarily constructing some FWS homes since then though it partnered with the Southwest Florida Water Management District in 2017 for FWS certifications and has been making most homes to comply with the water-saving initiative over the past five years. Around 700 of more than 7,000 OTOW homes have achieved FWS Silver certification so far Bay Laurel Center CDD requires all new homes to be certified before transferring water service to the resident There are over 8,000 FWS-certified homes across the state currently which will continue to rise not only with initiatives in other counties but with the 26,000 in the Bay Laurel district. For a home to meet FWS Silver requirements indoor and outdoor standards must both be met (There are additional requirements for a Gold Tier.) dishwashers and clothes washing machines must be Energy Star appliances Bathroom faucets must use no more than 1.5 gallons per minute and shower heads must use no more than 2 gallons per minute both 0.5-gallon reductions from state code. The maximum use for toilets is 1.28 gallons per flush “Also what we look for are the water supply lines that they need to be reinforced and that's because nationally the number one indoor flood insurance complaint is broken water supply lines,” Grantham said. each sprinkler head must have a check valve which prevents water from leaking when the system is turned off Plants must be at least 2.5 feet from the house and landscape beds micro-irrigated meaning water drips directly on each plant Plants must also be suited to the environment and not invasive exotic species. “That’s the biggest problem we see is most of our water is utilized for irrigation,” Schmalz said A little over 82% of our water is utilized for irrigation.” One of the FWS requirements aimed to combat that is that no more than 60% of the yard can use high-volume irrigation. “That remaining 40% of the landscape area what they've chosen to do here is have unirrigated bahia turf in the backyards,” Grantham said or they can have a micro-irrigated plant bed extended to the backyard rather than a grass that needs heavy irrigation Bay Laurel Center CDD has also gone above and beyond FWS standards to require new residential landscape and irrigation systems designed so no more than 6,000 gallons a month are used for irrigation around 12,500 gallons were used for irrigation each month. The utilities provider additionally requires rotary head sprinklers which are 30% more efficient than traditional sprinkler heads. Many of the homes in the three neighborhoods also have optional water conservation measures such as smart irrigation controllers that adjust to weather conditions and flow meters that monitor irrigation. The communities also practice what they preach in terms of unirrigated grasses drip irrigation for plant beds and plant species suited for Florida “All of our common areas are (unirrigated) bahia grass anything irrigated in our common areas,” said Phillip Hisey director of landscape operations for Parkway Maintenance & Management at On Top of the World. Grantham says 10 municipalities in Polk County have written Florida Water Star into building code meaning the cities will not grant a certification of occupancy without the FWS certification. “This is truly unique that Bay Laurel is taking this incentive regarding the transfer of water services,” she said “There's not another water utility provider in Florida that has taken that much of an initiative to really try to reduce the water use in new construction.” The district and Bay Laurel had partnered for a Cooperative Funding Initiative project in 2018 that covered builder costs for FWS certification on 75 homes to educate builders on the program and its benefits. The district is also a partner by way of training third-party inspectors to document that standards are met providing marketing materials for the communities and educating homeowners on the certification. the improved appliance and irrigation system costs will be the responsibility of the builders “One of the reasons why Florida Water Star new construction is so important is because once a home is already constructed it's much more expensive to retrofit an existing home to these efficiency standards versus just constructing with those standards,” Grantham said. Implementing FWS and other conservation measures is a win for allFor the legacy homes that do not require certification Bay Laurel has other incentive programs and services to conserve water many of which the District partners on. They include incentives to change out toilets replace shower heads and upgrade irrigation controllers Bay Laurel also does free water irrigation audits and has a turf grass reduction program where homeowners receive money to reduce the amount of grass on their property in favor of lower maintenance shrubs Grantham and Schmalz say it’s also important for homeowners to keep the FWS measures in place when it's time to replace sprinkler heads and that the FWS certification program is a win for all parties. “The benefits of the Florida Water Star-certified home cross many lines,” Grantham said “It’s beneficial for Bay Laurel utilities because they're able to meet or hopefully this can assist them in meeting their permitting quantities that they need It's beneficial to the builder as well because it is a selling feature and then it's also beneficial to that home buyer as far as their utility savings and definitely it's beneficial to our water supply resources.” To learn more about FWS requirements, visit floridawaterstar.com. For Bay Laurel water conservation initiatives, blccdd.com, and for district information, swfwmd.state.fl.us. Contact reporter Danielle Johnson at djohnson@gannett.com YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A man was barricaded inside an Ypsilanti Township apartment for 12 hours after he fired shots at his girlfriend because she was moving out, officials said. Police were called around 9 p.m. Wednesday (June 1) to the Laurel Bay Apartments in the 1600 block of Laurel Bay Drive off of Grove Street in Ypsilanti Township. A 37-year-old Ypsilanti Township man had gotten angry with his girlfriend because she was moving out, according to authorities. She and a friend were leaving when the man shot up their vehicle, police said. Neither the woman nor her friend were injured in the shooting, according to officials. When deputies arrived, the man retreated back into his apartment, and remained there until some time Thursday morning, authorities said. “After hours of discussion with the barricaded subject, communication ceased several hours ago,” authorities said in a release. “Crisis negotiators on scene have been working to reestablish contact but were unable to do so. A short time ago, staff discovered the 37-year-old Ypsilanti Township man had taken his own life sometime this morning.” Neighbors in the area and within the complex were evacuated, and residents were asked to avoid the location. A large police presence will remain on scene for a few hours, but residents will be allowed to return home as soon as the investigation is completed, according to officials. Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Derick is the Digital Executive Producer for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports. 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices The city limits of Goose Creek could be extended 515 acres northward on U.S Highway 52 if a large tract is annexed for a planned development that could bring nearly 1,000 new housing units The Laurel Bay planned development on the edge of Goose Creek includes a 515-acre tract east of U.S and 37 acres between Medway and Montague Plantation roads The city is poised to annex the larger tract and change the zoning on the smaller parcels Goose Creek plans to annex a huge tract on the northern side of the city and change the land use on some smaller parcels already in the city for the proposed Laurel Bay Planned Development A new residential development slated for the northern edge of Goose Creek could bring nearly 1,000 new housing units South Carolina's eighth-largest city is poised to annex a 515-acre parcel on U.S where new single-family homes would be built Goose Creek also plans to change the land use on 37 acres between Medway and Montague Plantation roads to allow a mixed-use development would include 425 single-family houses and 200 age-restricted homes The smaller Monarch Tract could have 240 apartments 71 townhomes and 53,000 square feet of commercial space The projects are part of the Laurel Bay planned development making its way through the city approval process The 515-acre parcel is owned by Rye-Build LLC of Florida which paid $4 million for the Medway Tract in 2021 The smaller site would include a commercial development with 46,000 square feet of retail space including a 30,000-square-foot grocery store and 7,000 square feet set aside for office space It would sit off Montague Plantation Road at Orangetip Drive which includes the proposed multifamily structures is currently zoned for general commercial use is asking to change that to a planned development as part of the Laurel Bay project Homes would not be built on the entire 515-acre Medway parcel Plans show residences on about 258 acres since part of the tract is wetlands some of which the city is asking to be placed under a conservation easement Eastwood Homes is expected to develop most of the single-family homes Sunburst Properties of Tallahassee will likely build planned patio homes "It's going to be a really nice neighborhood with a lot of open space," Habib said Eastwood division president Dion Matheney expects construction on homes to begin in about 24 months The townhome development is already under construction on the smaller parcel "We are trying to get the planned unit development approved for the density and will then start working on the design when we know how many homes will be allowed," Matheney said He also noted some commercial development will occur in the initial phase as the homes in Laurel Bay begin construction Habib said the proposed expansion of Goose Creek's borders is in keeping with his administration's goal to attract more economic activity to the city of about 48,000 residents "Until someone invents an economy not based on growth It's how we continue to provide services at a high level." He said the city has been working with the developer for about two years to come up with a design that minimizes the effects of additional traffic phases in commercial development and calls for a higher design standard than what's required under the existing rules "is absolutely something we want there," Habib said "We've had conversations with three potential grocers The town's economic development director also cited the importance of growing the city and adding commercial entities to its northern sector we don't have many grocery stores or retail," Rob Wiggins said "It's important for those people who live there so they won't have to go down the road to another grocery store and add to the traffic already on the road ...We don't want any part of the city to feel neglected." City Council is expected to take up the second of two required votes on Nov The Goose Creek Planning Commission unanimously approved the project Oct Reach Warren L. Wise at wwise@postandcourier.com Buck addresses military members and the Laurel Bay community during a town hall meeting held at the Lasseter theater aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort S.C The meeting was held to answer questions and address the health concerns in the Laurel Bay military housing — A lawsuit says potentially of thousands of former residents of a U.S Marines’ housing complex in South Carolina weren’t warned of serious environmental contamination caused by underground storage tanks The Island Packet reports the lawsuit says those residents of the Laurel Bay housing complex in Beaufort County are owed back rent and other damages Eleven former residents filed the lawsuit Thursday in Beaufort County court The lawsuit names private companies that manage Laurel Bay and says they didn’t adequately inform residents of contamination The lawsuit describes causes of contamination as abandoned underground storage tanks that leaked fuel oil near homes; lead paint; and continued use of a pesticide after it was banned in 1988 Marine Corps officials say results of a health study will be published this fall Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLaurel Bay overhead image (Source: Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort)BEAUFORT SC (WTOC) - Those in command at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort will host a town hall meeting for those who live in the Laurel Bay community to address recent claims made by some military families that oil tanks are making kids sick Laurel Bay has been the subject of much conversation after a video began to trend on social media that was posted by a mother speaking out on her child's cancer diagnosis The commanding officer wrote a letter about the post confirming acknowledgement of the video created by a mother who is concerned for her sick child and the willingness to answer questions on the situation "I have known of her child's illness since February of 2015." He goes on to say that medical professionals were contacted and a study began back in June of 2015 to take a closer look at the conditions at Laurel Bay He says no reliable information has established health issues linked to the community "A lack of information about either the facts or the command's actions can cause anxiety." Therefore a town hall is being held to explain the underground storage tank removal program and provide the results of testing An explanation will also be provided on the status of the ongoing soil gas testing The town hall for those in the Laurel Bay community will begin at 6:30 p.m and there will be a second town hall meeting on Wednesday The following is the entire letter that was posted to MCAS Beaufort SC's Facebook page: For additional Laurel Bay Health Study information, click here. Questions can be submitted by calling 843.228.6229 or by emailing LaurelBayHealthStudy@usmc.mil Here is the YouTube video posted by the concerned mother that has nearly 50,000 views so far: Copyright 2017 WTOC An internet video posted by a Marine wife and mother who lived at Laurel Bay for about three years has brought attention to concerns about whether the military housing community is safe for families launched by the Navy Marine Corps Public Health Center in June 2015 is looking into potential health hazards related to the removal of underground oil storage tanks at Laurel Bay Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Commander Col Peter Buck said in a recent statement “no reliable information yet establishes that conditions at Laurel Bay cause health problems.” The study is ongoing Amanda Whatley lived at Laurel Bay from July 2007 to November 2010 while her husband served as a drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Whatley shared her story in an 18-minute YouTube video that has been viewed nearly 50,000 times since it was posted Jan had a son who was diagnosed with leukemia while her husband was serving in Afghanistan she mentioned to the intensive care doctor that a friend of Katie’s had received a similar diagnosis The doctor suggested that might not have been a coincidence “My friend was already a few steps ahead of me,” Whatley says in the video there was buried oil tanks that were used to heat the house Efforts to begin an underground storage tank removal program started in 2007 “Although residential tank removals are not required by either state or federal regulations we decided to remove the long-out-of-service tanks to help ensure better environmental conditions and healthier homes,” the site said we discovered that some of the petroleum product had escaped and we took the appropriate steps to mitigate any contamination and clean up the sites.” All 1,251 known tanks were removed from about 1,100 home sites at Laurel Bay Whatley said she and her friend discovered that eight other children who had lived at Laurel Bay were diagnosed with cancer They called for a meeting with MCAS Beaufort officials in February 2015 and the study was launched Buck sent a letter to Laurel Bay residents Jan 17 and 18 to answer questions about the safety of housing on base “At this point no reliable information yet establishes that conditions at Laurel Bay cause health problems,” Buck said in the letter we encourage you to promptly seek a medical provider if you suspect any symptoms of illness I am eager to receive the completed study so I can address concerns with medically accurate scientifically reliable information to our community.” Whatley says her video was designed to encourage other parents not to miss the early signs of leukemia “Had anyone told me in previous years that children were getting sick and these were the symptoms to look out for I would’ve taken her right away when she had these simple symptoms,” Whatley said “Her cancer would’ve been diagnosed at an early stage and she never would’ve ended up in ICU And we are fairly confident if we hadn’t taken her to the emergency room that night she would’ve died in her sleep.” Whatley said more parents have come forward and the number of children known to have cancer has increased from to 13 She is asking any other parents who were stationed in Beaufort and have a child diagnosed with cancer to reach out to her at courage4katie@gmail.com Buck is working to address the fears some residents may have “We want to limit speculation and eliminate the potential for misinformed discussion about a study in progress,” Buck said in a statement “My staff and I are supporting the study by providing all of the existing data requested and gathering additional data to support additional requests from NMCPHC for use in the study we are specifically avoiding making inferences or developing our own judgments Any comments or questions about the Laurel Bay health study can be taken through the public affairs office at 843-228-6229 or laurelbayhealthstudy@usmc.mil This work, PMO units conduct hostage situation training, by Cpl Jonah Lovy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email When Amanda Whatley's daughter was diagnosed with cancer she wondered if it had to do with where they live: Laurel Bay a Marine housing community near Parris Island Decades-old oil tanks are buried beneath the homes there Whatley posted a video online that caught the eye of Marine Corps officials - and prompted the Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette to investigate The newspaper's series on contamination at Laurel Bay is out this week Reporter Kasia Kovacs told us what they found. Interview with Kasia Kovacs. GPB is committed to bringing you comprehensive news coverage from Georgia across the country and around the world. Your support makes this possible. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service This work, Bolden D.A.R.E. graduates say no to drugs, by Cpl Samantha Foster, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright KQED Live Events PRX Podcast Garage Events Events Around the Bay Area Member Benefits with KQED Live Videos from KQED LiveWatch recordings of recent KQED Live events Featured That's My WordAn ongoing exploration of Bay Area hip-hop history See Senior Director of TV Programming Meredith Speight’s recommendations from this month’s KQED 9 Watch recordings of recent KQED Live events Support KQED by using your donor-advised fund to make a charitable gift Check, Please! Bay Area, season 17, episode 12, airs Thursday, January 19, at 7:30 pm, on KQED 9. See other television airtimes, and never miss an episode by subscribing to the video podcast order up some surprisingly first-class bar bites served with a side of laughter located in the heart of Oakland’s Laurel District using sustainably sourced ingredients to elevate diner favorites like warm flaky biscuits in white pepper gravy and Belgian waffles aromatic cocktails with equally innovative Reporter Cecilia Phillips closes out this week’s episode with a visit to E14th Eatery + Kitchen a community kitchen and food business incubator in San Leandro to sample the myriad offerings from aspiring local food entrepreneurs My name is Leslie Sbrocco, and I’m the host of Check I’ll share my tasting notes about the wine beer and spirits the guests and I drank on set during the taping of the show Thirsty for more beverage advice? You can find more of my wine, beer and spirits tips for you here is dead after a more than 12-hour standoff with police at an apartment complex off Grove Road in the township the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office said The complex on Laurel Bay Drive was evacuated Wednesday night after the man fired shots at his girlfriend and a friend who was helping her move out but the man retreated to the apartment when deputies arrived and would not leave police entered the apartment to find the man had died by suicide Authorities said it may be some time before all residents can return to the complex as police finish the investigation into the incident she’s being recognized as one of the most powerful politicians in Tampa Bay “Congresswoman Lee leads with her core values at heart and her community front of mind Whether she’s in Congress or in the courtroom her ability to analyze a situation with compassion and an unmatched attention to detail is an incredible leadership trait I can’t think of a more grounded and thoughtful person to represent Tampa Bay in Washington,” said RSA Consulting President and CEO Ron Pierce The freshman Congresswoman quickly secured spots on key House committees a sign she has garnered the trust of leadership quickly She’s already become part of the Republican Study Committee a philosophically conservative flank of the Republican caucus Bascom worked media relations for Lee’s congressional campaign and continues to serve as her political spokesperson Others close to the campaign said Lee quickly established herself on the campaign trail as a force demanding attention. She emerged from a crowded field of Republican Primary candidates seeking an open seat in Florida’s newest congressional district, besting sitting lawmakers Kelli Stargel and Jackie Toledo political advisors said it helped tremendously this year that she had the clear trust of Gov While the Governor had not endorsed in the race he had praised Lee strongly for years for her work as his Secretary of State particularly on the election security front That was an issue particularly important to Republican Primary voters this election cycle She also had the support of another statewide official Laurel has been a federal prosecutor and a judge She’s worked side-by-side with law enforcement to protect Floridians and ensure that the laws of our state are respected,” Moody said in an endorsement statement Support of the state’s top cop burnished Lee’s law-and-order bona fides which again was a top issue for conservative voters in 2022 But Moody also holds a special place in the psyche of voters in the district the Attorney General held the title of Florida Strawberry Festival Queen before any other public office Both Lee and Moody served on the circuit bench together in Hillsborough County Her backing wasn’t just support from another Tallahassee figure but from east Hillsborough’s favorite daughter The mood of Florida certainly helped carry her to a November victory over Democrat and former broadcaster Alan Cohn besting him with more than 58% of the vote to his 42% That’s despite the fact that Donald Trump won the district with less than 51% of the vote in the 2020 Presidential Election Lee also, of course, shares a last name with husband and former state Sen. Tom Lee, who appeared on the ballot and won as recently as 2018 The Thonotosassa Republican was widely expected to run for the congressional seat and now instead can join the Congressional Club But it’s Laurel Lee’s own reputation in the community and her cool demeanor that those close to her credit for her electoral success “Laurel Lee’s background as a prosecutor and a judge along with her commitment to supporting law enforcement and our military coupled with her service as Secretary of State and all she did to protect the integrity of our election system helped her stand out in the Primary Election,” Bascom said “These same qualifications led her to victory in the General Election She was a stellar first-time candidate who wants to serve her community and her state and country and wants to be a part of the new direction in the U.S failed immigration policies and out-of-control spending — the issues that led her to run are the issues Floridians want to see fixed.” Bascom said personal influence isn’t something Lee cares to measure herself she’s already earned strong notice from others in the community We define the Tampa Bay region as Pinellas Polk or Sarasota — if the politicians from those counties impact either Pinellas or Hillsborough We define a politician as being in office or running for office Being first on a panelist’s list earns the politician 25 points to where being listed 25th earns a politician one point Special thanks go to our experienced and knowledgeable panelists who were essential to developing the 2023 list: Christina Barker of the Vinik Family Office Preston Rudie of Catalyst Communications Group Bemetra Simmons of the Tampa Bay Partnership Alan Suskey of Shumaker Advisors and communications consultant Janelle Irwin Taylor This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. All rights reserved. STAFF LOGIN ECOVIEWS: What is happening with red bay laurel?The Tuscaloosa NewsQ. Eight years ago I bought a young red bay laurel and planted it in my woodland garden in coastal Virginia. It thrived until this spring when some branches have shown signs of yellowing leaves. Is my red bay showing signs of laurel wilt? Someone visiting a coastal plant community where laurel wilt is prevalent will quickly become aware of the stark contrast between brown, dead red bay trees and the otherwise lush habitat of perpetually green evergreen trees and shrubs. One bit of positive news: Some red bay trees persist to sizes large enough to reproduce before showing signs of the deadly laurel wilt. A highly visible victim of laurel wilt is the Palamedes swallowtail. Red bay is the butterfly’s preferred host tree on which to lay its eggs. These beautiful, deep brown swallowtails with yellow-streaked wings can be abundant in red bay forests. It is sobering to think that because of the fragile environmental matrix, as the pretty little tree disappears, a pretty and not-so-little butterfly could disappear with it. Whit Gibbons is professor of zoology and senior biologist at the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. If you have an environmental question or comment, e-mail ecoviews@gmail.com Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page Any time I’ve travelled to Britain or Europe I have admired their stunning bay trees simply growing in home gardens Most European bay trees are grown in Italy where they do a magnificent job of shaping them into narrow spires Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Laurus nobilis is a Mediterranean native which Trees are usually multi-stemmed and produce much-sought-after aromatic leaves about five-to-10-centimetres long small clusters of yellow flowers appear and eventually turn into small black fruit The Sunset Western Garden book lists bay laurel as a Zone 5-to-9 plant if well acclimatized and growing in the ground can tolerate temperatures of anywhere from -10 C to -12 C Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Westcoast Homes will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? I mention this because I think bay laurel is one of the most underused varieties in our gardens today About 15 years ago we planted a young bay on a rather steep bank on the south side of our home and enjoyed the tree for many years It was very vigorous and had to be pruned to keep it down to a manageable size it was as beautiful a broad-leafed evergreen as any other in the garden I would rub my hands on the leaves and enjoy its extraordinarily scented foliage The true beauty was also going out at any time of year to gather a few leaves to enjoy in so many recipes Leaves also make wonderful potpourris and we often used stems and small branches in attractive wreaths and greens bouquets it survived normal winter temperatures with no problems but when we were the beneficiaries of cold Artic outflow winds with temperatures in the -20 C to -25 C range I would add a layer of protective mulch about 30-to-45-cm deep around the roots and used sheets of N-Sulate as a tree wrap as well The worst-case scenario was some burnt foliage on the northeast side of the plant bay trees can also make beautiful container plants for the patio they’re a constant source of bay leaves for the kitchen The challenge is finding a winter location where they will do well in their pots Moving them into a traditional home setting They need a cool location with lots of light so if you can find a very cool room in your house where you can shut off heat vents or have garage space that is well enough insulated to prevent severe frost and with some light You only need this protection in severely cold winters If we have an El Nino winter with mild weather they might be just fine outside in a protected area over time they do become far more resilient and tough more tender trees will become more frost-hardy as they mature but you still can’t assume they will take severe cold just because they have sized-up some of which had survived for 10-to-20 years A herb companion to bay laurel is rosemary which is just on the edge of Zone 6 hardiness Folks tell me they bring potted rosemary inside and they succumb to the heat and lack of humidity in their winter home environment finding the most protected location on the south or west side of your home will provide their best chance of survival if they’re planted in well-drained soil they will need to be both mulched and wrapped with proper insulating material like N-Sulate and bay trees and hardy rosemary are both heat and drought tolerant as well as winter protection in these colder winter periods they can make a valuable contribution to both our ornamental and herbal landscapes transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account The Pentagon announced nearly 130 military construction projects were put on hold to divert $3.6 billion in funding to a wall at the Southwest border last week One of the listed projects was a replacement for an aging fire station built more than 50 years ago at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Navy officials said in 2018 report that the station was past its "life expectancy" and could cause major damage if not repaired President Donald Trump's order to reallocate funds from defense projects to fund his U.S.-Mexico border wall has drained money meant to replace a fire station at a South Carolina military base Thomas Novelly is a political reporter based in Charleston He also covers the military community and veterans throughout South Carolina he wrote for the Courier Journal in Kentucky The $11 million allocation had been designated for new fire station at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Pentagon officials said last year that not replacing it could be a safety hazard for military families if not addressed the Pentagon announced nearly 130 military construction projects were put on hold to divert $3.6 billion in funding to build Trump's wall at the Southwest border The aging fire station in Beaufort was built in 1959 — some 60 years ago Navy officials said in a 2018 report the station is past its life expectancy Other installations in the state fared much better When the Department of Defense's initial list of projects that could potentially be cut came out in late March at least $291 million in South Carolina base spending had been identified Those sites included the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island A replacement for the Beaufort air station’s Laurel Bay Fire Station was scheduled to be awarded in April 2020 The department has responded to seven fires in the housing area last year and provided additional emergency assistance to fire departments in Beaufort The 2018 report sent to Congress by Deputy Assistant Navy Secretary James Balocki shows the need to replace the fire station is dire "personnel assigned to Laurel Bay will continue to work from a significantly undersized and unsafe facility Because the structure does not meet seismic requirements complete structural collapse is probable during a seismic event causing death or major injury to emergency personnel and thus preventing timely response to the USMC housing community following the event." the report said the fire station did not meet the Pentagon's full requirements "The existing satellite fire station in Laurel Bay does not meet the minimum DoD facility size requirements — the existing station .. is undersized and not configured efficiently to respond to emergencies as required by criteria," the report said It went on to say that cramped quarters and "quality of life have recently been exacerbated with the addition of an ambulance and paramedics squad that has been added as a new requirement to Laurel Bay." told The Post and Courier that he's glad the impact wasn't worse overall "This project did get caught up in the middle of it." Trump declared a national emergency in February to bypass Congress after it declined funding for the border wall Code allows for the president to allocate certain military funding to accomplish his policy objectives The military project cuts have been tough for the Palmetto State's Republican senators forcing them into a balancing act between appeasing the current president and not angering pro-military voters in their home state Bethea said he received word from both Sens Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott that they will work to secure funding for the fire station in the following budget year Scott's office repeated his commitment from March that the senator would ensure any project stalled by the wall effort is fully funded afterward Scott spoke with the White House last week and reiterated both his support for strong border security and ensuring our military has all the resources they need," said spokesman Ken Farnaso it is his understanding that the Laurel Bay Fire Station will be funded next fiscal year and will finish on time as scheduled," he said a Democratic candidate challenging Graham in 2020 took the Pentagon's funding announcement as an opportunity to jab at the incumbent who has long been a defender of all things military in the state Graham played a key role in the roughly $11 million of military funds set to be taken away from the construction of a fire station in Laurel Bay’s Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort,” Harrison said “(He) whispered in the ear of President Trump urging him to declare a national emergency at the expense of ripping away military construction funding He promised millions of South Carolinians he would fight for them but stopping federal funds for vital projects like these that aid in disaster recovery is shameful." said Tuesday that the senator "will work to replenish the affected funding." a Charleston Democrat whose district includes the Beaufort base decried Trump's decision to reallocate funds from military projects “Replacement of the Laurel Bay Fire Station is critical to ensuring the continuing health and safety of Lowcountry service members and their families," Cunningham said "It is incredibly important we work together to secure our borders and ports of entry but raiding funds from essential military construction projects isn’t the right way to do it We can prioritize border security without putting our service members and military families at risk.” Alberto track and visible satellite picture Tropical Storm Alberto was a weak tropical storm that briefly reached 60 knot intensity prior to making landfall near Adams Beach Alberto weakened rapidly as it traveled over the Florida Panhandle and Georgia Alberto became extratropical over South Carolina as it became absorbed by a cold front on June 14 NWS Dopplerrainfall estimates to include Monday's convection rains preceding tropical event have totaled 7+ inches at locations across the Pee Dee and North Coastal counties Special thanks to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its many divisions for the wealth of weather and climate data made available to prepare this report Additional thanks to the Naval Research Laboratory Monterey's Marine Meteorology Division for the well-cataloged library of satellite imagery used for this report A Sturgeon Bay Plan Commission member and vocal critic of a proposed waterfront hotel on Tuesday announced she is running for mayor in the spring election Laurel Brooks has served on the commission for nine years working to help shape and interpret the city’s zoning code She was one of two commissioners who voted no when the Plan Commission sent the hotel project to the City Council by a 3-2 margin last January arguing that the project was moving too fast and city officials were ignoring residents' questions and concerns “I am running for Mayor of Sturgeon Bay because I believe we can do better I believe that city hall should encourage cooperation between elected officials and all of us who call Sturgeon Bay home," Brooks said in a news release announcing her candidacy we can generate and develop new ideas and minimize conflict Together we will prepare our city for the future business and industry can flourish together." Incumbent Mayor Thad Birmingham has not announced whether he intends to run for a third three-year term He was elected from a field of six candidates in 2010 and ran unopposed in 2013 Brooks has established a "Laurel Brooks for Mayor" Facebook page 2022Former Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee announced Tuesday that she is running for Congress in District 15 but I am ready to return home to Tampa and I am excited to throw my hat into the ring and ask my community for their support,” Lee said in a statement a failed commitment to our military and securing our borders disturbing trends from government thinking they know what is best for our children and families” as the issues spurring her run Her resignation as secretary of state officially took effect Monday but was announced to county elections supervisors last week Before being appointed to secretary of state by DeSantis in 2019 attorney and circuit judge in Hillsborough Laurel Lee received bipartisan praise for the state’s handling of the 2020 election and for forming strong partnerships with county elections supervisors DeSantis has already announced that he will replace Lee with state Rep a Republican of Neptune Beach who has sponsored some of the most controversial bills in the Legislature in recent years The district is a red-leaning open seat created by the new map drawn by DeSantis’ office during the redistricting process, and that map is currently being challenged in the courts. District 15 encompasses northeast Hillsborough County, including parts of Tampa, as well as southeastern Pasco and a slice of western Polk County. Emily L. MahoneyEnergy Reporter Kemp said she was heavily recruited for the run by national and state-level Democratic organizations and considers the seat winnable. The district “leans Republican, but only slightly,” she said. “It’s a possible win, depending all on turnout. Seeing the House as it is, it’s important for us to look at every possible seat,” she said, referring to the current narrow GOP majority. She said the current sparring over the Republican primary, with Donald Trump calling for a Republican opponent to run in a primary against Lee, is part of her motivation to run. “That does play into everyone’s interest in looking at this as a winnable seat,” she said. The district is about 37 percent Republican and 32 percent Democratic in voter registration. It covers parts of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties, with more than half of its voters in northeastern Hillsborough. Lee reported a campaign fund with $438,218 in cash as of the end of 2023. In addition, her husband, former state Sen. Tom Lee, still has a substantial fund of political campaign money that could be used on his wife’s behalf. But Kemp said she has consulted donors and fundraisers, “and we feel we have the opportunity to compete financially. I wouldn’t undertake this otherwise.” Kemp is term-limited after two terms in her countywide commissioner seat. She’s a former Hillsborough County Democratic Party chair who started in politics as an aide to local Democratic elected officials, including U.S. Rep Kathy Castor when she served on the Hillsborough County Commission. William March is a Times correspondent who writes about politics. highly curated editorial content brings attention to hidden gems Share Link6 Winter Flea Markets In South Carolina To Enjoy All Season LongDiscover some of the best flea markets in South Carolina offering a variety of goods and treasures year-round you may find the vendors under the shed and inside this is easily one of the biggest fleas in the area It's open rain or shine every Saturday and Sunday Your best bet is to arrive during the morning hours to catch the most merchandise and the fresh veggies if you're looking for a real bargain exchange flea market What other things to do in South Carolina would you suggest Have you ever been to any of these exciting flea markets Did we miss any of your favorite South Carolina flea markets You can add them in the comments along with an address and what days they are open If you’re still in the mood for more Palmetto State adventures, take a look at this video: Choose your stateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasNorthern CaliforniaSouthern CaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingSubscribe... Enjoy your own private fishing pond and then head to one of Missouri's underrated fishing spots with a stay at this cozy cabin. Thanks for subscribing. We’ll see you in your inbox! 2022TALLAHASSEE — Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee is stepping down Monday in a precursor for a likely run for a Tampa Bay-area congressional seat Lee submitted a letter of resignation to Gov according to a Thursday email sent to the state’s county election supervisors by Maria Matthews director of the state’s Division of Elections Matthews said Lee was resigning to pursue “other opportunities,” but she’s considered to be jumping into the race for Congressional District 15 western Lakeland and part of Lake County as well as northeastern Hillsborough Lee’s letter to DeSantis gives no reason for the resignation and says nothing about her future plans except “I look forward to what the future holds.” Lee is a former assistant U.S. attorney and circuit judge in Hillsborough, who was appointed secretary of state by DeSantis in 2019 She has strong ties to the area through her husband Brandon-based family and served 18 years in the Florida Senate where he served as president from 2004 to 2006 She is also close to Attorney General Ashley Moody said in a statement that they were grateful for Laurel Lee’s service to the state and for helping “ensure Florida had an efficient election in 2020 the Department of State formed strong partnerships with federal agencies to make sure Florida received all possible federal resources that are available to prevent and respond to cyber threats on elections,” Fenske said “We wish her the best of luck in all her future endeavors.” Lee didn’t respond to requests for comment and personal spokesperson Sarah Bascom said in a statement she would be reserving any comment on her future plans until she leaves the Department of State particularly for the state’s handling of the 2020 election She’s also managed to stay out of the political fray while the state’s elections became a political target for Republicans and supporters of former President Donald Trump after the 2020 election. Despite the state’s success with that election, DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature have passed numerous changes to the state’s voting laws in the name of rooting out voter fraud. Nearly all of those changes have led to lawsuits by civil rights and advocacy groups, which have argued they were unconstitutional. Lee, who is responsible for overseeing and implementing those changes with the state’s 67 election supervisors, has been a named defendant in many of those lawsuits. The recent legislation and ensuing litigation have created a constantly changing environment for the state’s elections. Her tenure was a welcome change for the state’s county election supervisors, though. “Over the years, the last decade or so, the relationship with the secretary of state and the supervisors had not been as good as what all of us would have liked it to be,” said Marion County Elections Supervisor Wesley Wilcox, president of the Florida Supervisors of Elections. “She has righted that ship and has been a wonderful partner with us. “I wish her nothing but the best. It’s a horrible loss from the secretary of state’s perspective.” As secretary of state, Lee was also responsible for registering corporations and handing out cultural arts grants. Once an elected position that helped comprise the Cabinet, it was downsized in 1998 to a position appointed by the governor, starting in 2002. Lawrence MowerTallahassee Correspondent William MarchTimes Correspondent Tampa Bay area Republican insiders have buzzed about who might respond Two already have announced they are jumping in One is public relations consultant James Judge but said Friday he is “answering President Trump’s call for a true conservative” to challenge Lee In 2022, Judge, of Dade City, ran against Rep Another Lee challenger is Brian Perras of Port Richey He has run for Congress in Florida and California and got 4% of the primary vote against Bilirakis in 2022 He filed to run against Pasco Elections Supervisor Brian Corley this year but switched to Lee’s District 15 following Trump’s post But what about local races that don’t usually hinge on such issues The Times asked local Democratic and Republican political consultants that question and about how they would advise their candidates Republicans acknowledged the ballot measures are likely to affect turnout and that local candidates need to work on locating and turning out voters sympathetic to their issues Democrats said their candidates should emphasize that Republicans up and down the ballot are responsible for abortion restrictions that aren’t popular with the public and that the abortion rights ballot measure may not be ironclad “This could drive turnout in a few pockets where very conservative candidates are running in light red or purple districts like U.S House District 13 in Pinellas County,” said Sarasota-based Republican political consultant Jamie Miller referring to the seat held by Republican Rep Hillsborough GOP strategist Mike Manley said the two amendments on the ballot “will dramatically alter the makeup of the electorate for November.” “These amendments will drive out voters on both sides of the issue identifying persuadable voters is the most important thing a (local) campaign will do.” Pinellas-based Christina Diamond of Ruth’s List said that party’s candidates “need to remind their voters that Republicans control every aspect of state government,” which she said is “why we have these extreme She said she expects the abortion rights measure will pass but that the GOP-dominated state Legislature will seek to undercut it She said candidates should emphasize that electing more Democrats is the only way to ensure it’s effective Billy Christensen, the Republican candidate running against Hillsborough County Elections Supervisor Craig Latimer, said he approves of mid-year cuts by the Hillsborough County Commissioners to the supervisor’s office budget. The commissioners recently voted to cut $200,000 from the budget previously approved for this year for Latimer’s office, on a 4-3, Republican-to-Democrat party-line vote. Latimer is a Democrat. The rationale for the cut was a drop in the number of active registered voters. Latimer said the drop was expected because of new laws on “list maintenance,” including moving off people who haven’t voted recently to an inactive list. Latimer said many inactive voters still are registered and eligible to vote, and could show up in a presidential year. But, Christensen said in an interview, the commissioners should be “continuously reviewing the budgets” of all county departments and said Latimer may have been “over-asking on the front end.” Christensen said he considers himself “a proud conservative.” He was registered no-party until 2020, according to documents from the Supervisor of Election’s Office. Since he settled here after an Air Force career in 2008, Christensen has voted in every general election, but no primary elections until the March presidential primary. As a no-party registrant, Christensen couldn’t vote in partisan primaries, but the primary ballots also included nonpartisan school board and judicial races and a tax referendum. Asked about the missed primaries, Christensen initially referred to his main campaign talking points. Christensen later responded by email that from 1998-2016 he was on active duty and working for U.S. Central Command, “in an apolitical environment. … I had no involvement in politics at that time.” Dear Reader,Unfortunately our comment platform isn\'t available at the moment due to issues with our paywall and authentication vendor Kashia tribe’s bay laurel nuts could make their way into chocolate snack foods if attorney Anthony Cohen has his way bay nuts would be as common in California kitchens as almonds the 66-year-old Santa Rosa attorney dedicates much of his spare time to the oft-ignored local food source with hopes of eventually bringing it to market Cohen has been on a constant lookout for fruit-bearing California bay laurels carrying a set of high-powered binoculars in his car for examining trees at a distance Although the species grows well along the North Coast only about one in every 100 of the trees bears fruit in a wooded neighborhood off Mark West Springs Road is filled with the results of his treasure hunt - fresh his phone’s screen saver is a photo of a lush green bay laurel branch “You could call me the pepperwood nut of all time,” Cohen said and his work as a tribal attorney for the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians is behind his efforts to produce and eventually bring to market food products made from what historically has been an indigenous food source for Bay Area tribes but Cohen considers it a promising way to bring revenue to the tribe while introducing others to a quintessentially sustainable food This day he is conducting a bay nut search deep within Pepperwood Preserve a 3,000-acre nature sanctuary on the northeastern edge of Santa Rosa He picks the dried brown nuts from the ground where they hide among the damp leaves that carpet a wind-blown woodland grove and tosses the foraged fruit into a paper bag All the while he marvels that others haven’t fallen as passionately in love with them as he has “The whole process has intoxicated me,” said Cohen silver-haired and slender in jeans and a plaid shirt “Why are we not taking seriously this healthy wonderful food that’s adapted to the environment and offering itself to us?” In a food culture obsessed with exotic super foods such as China-grown goji berries could a great source of nutrition lie right at our feet and he’s on a mission to raise the bay nut’s culinary profile showed that the roasted nuts have a nutritional content similar to walnuts They taste every bit as good as cacao and are known to have a stimulant effect much like coffee but shorter-lived Cohen successfully petitioned the California Department of Food and Agriculture to expand its definition for the Specialty Crop Block grant program to include studying the feasibility of bringing native food plants into commercial cultivation He also received approval from the Stewart’s Point Rancheria tribal council and chairman Reno Keoni Franklin to seek research money from the agency with the tribe as a collaborator in the studies located on the Sonoma Coast near The Sea Ranch nor will they have an opportunity to build one so they search for economic opportunities that are consistent with their resources they would like to harvest and deliver the bay nuts to an outside food producer Cohen advises the tribe’s economic development committee and would represent the Kashias as a consultant and interagency facilitator “The Kashia Band of Pomo is excited to continue our long history of collaborative research to better understand the health of our forest Cohen to submit a grant to the CDFA to research conservation and environmental outcomes and organic and sustainable production practices for the Bayhem Qhale (California Bay Laurel Tree) Our study will focus primarily on the Bayhem Behe (Pepperwood Nut) and to contribute to the knowledge base of the California Bay Laurel.” A team of UC Davis researchers submitted a conceptual proposal this month requesting $449,000 to study why so few bay laurels bear nuts what can be done to increase the production and how to process and package food products that contain them the team will prepare a formal grant request with plans to possibly conduct the research at Pepperwood Preserve on nearly 1,000 acres of historic Kashia Pomo land at Stewart’s Point Rancheria and on 5,300 acres of oak woodlands in Hopland director of the UC Research and Extension Center in Hopland endorsed the grant request and offered the use of that land for field research on the genetics and cultivation of the resilient “The bay laurel tree is often ignored or neglected in our native stands as it is not considered a commercial timber production species,” she wrote in a letter to the CDFA “The lack of commercial value has resulted in lack of comprehensive research or attention to this important species.” Cohen didn’t know anything about California bay laurel trees five years ago when he signed up for a class on how the native people of Sonoma County maintained and managed their food supply much less that the trees produce an edible nut The class was taught by anthropologist Benjamin Benson Pepperwood Preserve’s cultural resources coordinator Cohen experienced the unique “unsweetened mocha” flavor of roasted bay nuts; others tasted burnt popcorn or dark roasted coffee “I was shocked by how much I liked the taste,” he said “Why import cacao when we have something better right here?” Sonoma County’s local native people long considered the nuts a viable source of food collecting and grinding them into a powder used to make cakes so the oil acted as a binder and held the cakes together which allowed for them to be stored and eaten as needed Bay nut cakes might not have much commercial potential in the 21st century Cohen began experimenting with candy in his home kitchen He baked the nuts and combined them with honey Cohen Googled Sonoma County chocolatiers in September He called the first name that came up in the search: Jonas Ketterle a young chocolate maker and owner of Firefly Chocolate in Windsor the former electrical engineer had long wanted to incorporate locally grown wild edibles into his fair-trade cacao repertoire When Cohen approached with his bay nut stash Ketterle went to work using his existing equipment to make candy bars bay nuts must be peeled and then roasted before they are edible the nuts tend to liquefy when ground into a powder “Bay laurels are one of the dominant species here,” said Ketterle “Consuming a local product like this connects people to the local ecology and can be a gateway to improved stewardship of the local ecosystem Ketterle said he has no doubt the candy could be scaled up to commercial production levels and Cohen sees other uses for ground bay nuts in trail mix granola or simply sprinkled on fruit or cereal But the biggest challenge is lack of supply With little known about the tree’s genetic makeup or why only a limited number bear fruit While rigorous scientific research is done to solve that puzzle Cohen imagines the days when groves of bay laurel trees will grow as they always have but with fruit-bearing specimens replacing the barren trees He acknowledges that project likely will outlive him since newly planted bay laurel trees take at least 20 years to produce fruit but he said he is content just taking the project to the next step “I’m doing it because it’s the right thing to do,” Cohen said “Why are we importing food-producing plants from other parts of the world when we have a tree here that’s offering a food source that’s delicious wonderful and already adapted to the environment The Blue Angels team leader circles the site where a Navy F-18 Blue Angel plane crashed during an air show at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in Beaufort The Beaufort Gazette reported the plane hit a pine tree and then crashed near a subdivision setting at least one home on fire and peppering homes with shrapnel The county coroner's office said one person was killed — A Blue Angel pilot crashed Saturday afternoon while performing at an air show at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort according to the Beaufort County Coroner's Office The air station will hold a press conference at 8 p.m to address "information regarding today's aircraft mishap." Though initial reports said the plane hit a pine tree or power line other witnesses said the jet was in total control before it plummeted below the treeline A portion of the plane traveled another block before crashing near a heavily populated area off Laurel Bay Road near Shanklin and Pine Grove roads Reports indicate that it was Blue Angel No Authorities wouldn't confirm the pilot's identity A mile perimeter was established at the intersection of Shanklin and Pine Grove after the wreck It was not immediately known whether anyone else was hurt in the crash though witnesses said they saw debris on the ground and at least one home on fire "I was working at a residence across the street from the initial impact," said Fred Yelinek "I was not looking that way at the time but was in the yard The plane hit the top of a tree and clipped it off The plane had already passed through that yard and into Shanklin Road It exploded on impact with a giant fireball Emergency crews at the scene of the crash site called for the coroner about 4:20 p.m. indicating that the pilot was killed in the crash The Blue Angel pilot crashed about 30 minutes into the unit's show at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort said he was driving west on Laurel Bay Road when he saw the plane crash behind the Food Lion grocery story and all of a sudden I saw a huge black explosion," he said and we watched it for awhile and I didn't see any parachute or anything If he had been 400 yards to his right he would have plowed into the road The other guys were just flying along." Keith said he saw a home catch fire coming back from Food Lion on Laurel Bay Road when he saw the plane circling in the air and smoking He also saw the left side of a house covered in debris and the windows are busted out Former County Councilman Mark Generales was in his boat on the Beaufort River at the time of the accident Generales said the planes came around Lady's Island and Beaufort "They looked to be doing an approach," he said "They had appeared from the distance to be just above the tree line Generales said he didn't see any smoke and didn't see an ejection It appeared the plane "just lost power," he said "The plane just disappeared," Generales said Robert Bowden also was in the Beaufort River at the time of the crash it was clear he went down and the rest of the formation wasn't aware of it." Bowden said he didn't see the jet hit anything lives on Pine Grove Road and saw some of the wreckage from the crash site He said parts of the plane were everywhere and said there was a hole in the trailer across the street about 10 feet long and 2 feet wide "There was a fire on the telephone pole on Shanklin and Pine Grove and it was ablaze and parts all along Shanklin "The canopy of the plane was across the street from me on fire." He said the incident was "like nothing like I've ever felt before." Joe Farrell who has a plane on display at Saturday's air show "It looked like it was in absolute control all the way into the ground," he said He made the turn and slid right into the ground." Former Blue Angels pilot and Pensacola City Mayor John Fogg called the Saturday afternoon crash of a U.S according to the Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal "The whole nation is impacted by something like this," said Fogg who flew the number three slot and number four slot in 1973 and 1974 for the U.S Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.