Did you know there was a difference between a civil and criminal case? For starters, when you are sued in civil court, you do not start the process off in handcuffs – so you have that going for you. And anyone can sue you in civil court, for things that you might never imagine would […]
Widerman Malek Law Blog
How to file bankruptcy in Florida
In the most unfortunate event that you have to file for bankruptcy, it would be wise to know in advance what you would be getting into. As of 2005 the rules governing this circumstance have changed and what is required now is: a) Credit Counseling and financial management. All individuals that need to file for […]
Florida Bankruptcy exemptions
For various reasons, whenever an individual files for bankruptcy, some of his assets are protected and exempted from seizure. The exemption may take the form of either protecting the asset itself, or an amount in cash after the bankruptcy proceedings. Law section 222 includes a list of categories under which a property could be exempted […]
What is Litigation?
Many people wonder why it is necessary to be represented by a lawyer when they have a dispute to settle. Maybe it would be best if they knew what is involved, when a case goes to court. The terms Whenever an entity (person, organization, company, etc…) had a complaint against another entity, the old way […]
Florida personal injury litigation settlements
We have all read about the huge settlements given to some people at the conclusion of their personal injury claim. Millions of dollars are seemingly awarded for what seems to be minor things. I thought it would be interesting to look at some of the awards given to Florida residents for their personal injury claims. […]
Three Common Types of Trusts
Planning for the future includes planning for the entire future. Before a person passes away, they must plan or decide where their assets will go. Many people will plan for family members to inherit their assets. Instead of worrying about those loved ones having to pay taxes on their inheritance, a trust can be set […]
Truck Accidents and the Costs Associated with Them
Over the last few years the emergency room has changed a lot of their policies. They have also increased the cost of a visit to over 40 percent of what a normal month’s rent would be. Each year there are millions of emergency room visits and almost half of these visits result in admissions into […]
Brevard Zoo
One of the major attractions in the Melbourne area is the Brevard County Zoo. Opened in 1984 after the local community raised 3.5 million dollars, the zoo now houses over 600 animals in over 120 animal exhibits. These include the Red Wolf, White Rhinoceroses, Cheetahs, Giraffes and of course – all kinds of water animals. Not content to stay as is, the zoo continues to grow and develop. In fact, they’ve recently made several very exciting announcements.
The brand new meerkat exhibit is now open! This exhibit, called the Meerkat Hamlet, has lots of tunnels for these burrowing creatures. Meerkats live in underground warrens and have a pretty complex and active social life with each other. Kids of all ages love to watch the meerkats stand on their hind legs, scurry through their tunnels and play with each other. In fact, the kids can now crawl through their own tunnel and watch the meerkats as they move around underground. Following a name-the-meerkat contest, the alpha male is now known as Jasper, while the alpha female is known as Kiki. And the best news of all: Kiki is thought to be pregnant!
Where is the Air Show?
It may be more than seven months away, but the organizers for the Melbourne Air and Space Show are already hard at work on the October 2014 show. In the past few years, this show has been held at Cocoa Beach, Melbourne Beach, and Paradise Beach Park, but in each case funding for overtime and security has been an issue. The organizers recently proposed to move the two-day show to the Melbourne International Airport for 2014.
Although the airport seems like the perfect place to hold an air show, there were some definite logistical and contractual issues. These include working with the airlines, specifically Delta Airlines and US Airways regarding passenger traffic. When the US Air Force Thunderbirds are in the sky, all commercial traffic must be stopped. Other concerns include traffic management, since historically tens of thousands of people flock to the show, security, insurance and funding.
A Whale of a Good Time!
Just a few days ago, a momma right whale and her young calf were seen off the shores of Melbourne Beach. During the few days they will be passing through this area, many people will flock to Melbourne beach and surrounding areas in the hopes of not only catching sight of this beautiful whale, but perhaps even getting a picture. This is a fun trip to take, but if you are one of the individuals on your way out to the beach with camera in hand, make sure to take note of the following:
According to Federal law, individuals must stay at least 500 yards away from the whales. It doesn’t matter if you are in a boat, on a paddle-board, or even in a plane, the gap must be 500 yards. A violation of this federal law could cost you up to $500,000 and a year in jail. The Florida Fish and Wildlife commission has stated they would prefer to educate people instead of imposing citations, but will bring criminal charges if needed.
The right whale population is only thought to number about 500 individuals. They are currently a protected, endangered species. Although they have historically lived to an average of 60 years, their lifespan has been drastically shortened due to being struck by boats, getting caught in fishing nets, and being targeted by hunters for their blubber.
In the winter, pregnant right whales swim from as far away as Canada to get to the warmer coastal waters off the Georgia and Florida coast. Here they give birth and nurse their young. In the early spring, they head back to their feeding areas which start in Maine and move northwards into Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. As they migrate back north, they may be seen in one location for a few days because they are very slow swimmers.
