Sailfish City - Stuart Florida Community Site

FORCE - FRIENDS OF THE RIVERS COALITION eNEWSLETTER November 2008 PO Box 2627 Stuart, Fl 34995 772-225-6849 www.RiversCoalition.org 
 
FINAL ‘08 RIVERS COALITION MEETING TO FEATURE SUGAR BUY-OUT UPDATE! 
A special update on the historic planned buyout of U.S. Sugar lands will be presented at the Nov. 6 meeting of the Rivers Coalition. Don’t miss this important program at 11 a.m. at the Realtors Auditorium at the northwest corner of Monterey Rd and Kanner Hwy.

There’s plenty of easy, free parking and we’ll have coffee and donuts for all.

Melissa Meeker will provide insights about the buyout, which is planned to include a critically needed flowway to take excess water south from Lake Okeechobee instead of into east and west estuaries in wet years.

Meeker was appointed last year by Gov. Charlie Crist to the South Florida Water Management Board. She is part of a new board majority that is considered to be more favorable toward Everglades restoration.

Reminder: The Oct 23 Rivers Coalition meeting was postponed to Nov. 6, which wraps up the ‘08 schedule.

What’s Happening at the Next Rivers Coalition Meeting? 
Thursday November 6, 2008
11AM
43 SW Monterey Rd Stuart, 34994
Corner of Monterey Rd and Kanner Hwy

Business Matters
Chairman’s Comments - Leon Abood
Guest Speaker - Melissa Meeker SFWMD Governing Board
Legal Update - Karl Wickstrom
Special Events - Jessica Briske
Fundraising - Karl Wickstrom
WRAC - Ted Guy/Ed Fielding

Coalition Committee Reports
Water Quality - Mark Perry
Local Issues - Mark Perry/Ed Fielding
State/Federal Issues - Kevin Henderson/Paul Gray
IRL/CERP - Kevin Henderson/Paul Gray
Martin County Updates - Paul Millar
  
STUART AIR SHOW WILL INCLUDE EXHIBITS BY RIVERS COALITION ADVOCATES! 
Come fly with us at the popular Stuart Air Show Nov. 8 and 9 at Witham Field.

The Rivers Coalition will provide special exhibits concerning the St. Lucie estuary. There will even be a showing of a most unfortunate “lady” and her dog who encountered the muck that has built up in the St. Lucie from unnatural discharges from inland.

The air show runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and has become one of the community’s premiere annual events.

You’re likely to feel a tingle of excitement when thunderous F-86 Sabrejests pass by at what seems to be arm’s length.  
  
NOW ON THE INTERNET — SEE 8-MINUTE VIDEO AND EMAIL LINK TO ALL YOUR CYBERSPACE CONTACTS! 
The powerful video, “Saving the St. Lucie Estuary” is now on the RiversCoalition.org website for you and others to view and spread the good word. Just click on the video headline and choose one of the two format sizes that fit your computer.

DVD’s of the fast moving documentary also are available. The video traces the history of the water mismanagement, showing how water was gushed from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie estuary via a man-made canal dug to drain, and keep draining, the Everglades Agricultural Area.

Photos and charts depict the horrendous damages suffered by estuarine wildlife and plants and tell how an outraged citizenry can achieve change, mainly through a flowway that would send water south as part of glades restoration. 
 
DON’T FORGET TO SEND IN YOUR DONATION! 
 
Get your name on the Honor Roll!

Donate today!

The Rivers Coalition Defense Fund is a Non-Profit 501c3.

Go to www.RiversCoalition.org to make your donation! 

Thank you for all your support!
Editor: Jessica Briske 

FORCE - Friends of the Rivers Coalition eNewsletter September 2008
PO Box 2627 Stuart, Fl 34995 ~ 772-225-6849 www.RiversCoalition.org 
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TWO BIG DATES FOR YOU:
 
Thursday, Sept. 25, Rivers Coalition Meeting
Saturday, Sept. 27, Save Our Estuary Rally
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 Thursday, Sept. 25: Killer Fresh Water

“How Fresh Water Kills Our Marine Life” will be explained Thursday in a special program before the Rivers Coalition. Please attend if you possibly can.

It’s at 11 a.m. Sept. 25 at the Realtors Association of Martin County, NW corner of Kanner and Colorado. Lots of free parking and coffee and donuts. See you there.

Yes, fresh water, no matter how pure, is a killer of estuary animals and plants. They all die when subjected to prolonged periods of no salinity (salt). This important program will present the obituaries for life that is wiped out when discharges from inland gush into the estuary. We’ll have demonstrations and evidence of the work of Killer Discharges, which are alien waters from inland watershed.

Although the Corps of Engineers states over and over that the discharges “mimic natural rain events” the fact is that there’s noting natural about the St. Lucie Canal that dumps so big on us in wet years.
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Saturday, Sept. 27: Show Your Anger at Shepard’s Park!
 
Come out Saturday to Shepard’s Park and show your concern and anger over the discharges of polluted fresh water that devastate our St. Lucie estuary and adjacent Indian River Lagoon in these wet times.

Now is the time to demand change. Support the campaign to create a south outlet from Lake O that could tame the estuary assaults, and the federal lawsuit stating that the discharge damages are an unconstitutional taking of riparian rights.

The rally starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and there will be coffee and donuts (but you may want to bring some yourself to be sure). There will be continuous showing of the new 8-minute DVD about the discharges, brief updates on what’s happening, and a surprise demo you’ll like.

Shepard’s Park is on the west side of U.S.1, a short way south of the Roosevelt bridge. We’ll have a light on for you.

If you’ve never waved a protest sign, this is a good place to start. Make your own and express your own sentiments, such as:

Discharges, No, No, No
Stop The Discharges
Give Back My Estuary
Send That Water South
Save Our St. Lucie Estuary
Stop Estuary Killers Now
My Family’s Estuary Is Sick

And maybe drawings of estuary animals and plants, “Here Lie…”
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What’s Going on at the Next Meeting?

Thursday September 25, 2008 11 a.m.
43 SW Monterey Rd
Stuart, Fl 34994

Business Matters
Chairman’s Comments ~ Leon Abood
Land Acquisition ~ Leon Abood
Legal Update ~ Karl Wickstrom
Special Events ~ Jessica Briske
Fundraising ~ Karl Wickstrom
WRAC ~ Ted Guy/Ed Fielding

Coalition Committee Reports
Water Quality ~ Mark Perry
Local Issues ~ Mark Perry/Ed Fielding
State/Federal Issues ~ Kevin Henderson/Paul Gray
IRL/CERP ~ Kevin Henderson/Paul Gray
Martin County Updates ~ Paul Millar

Plenty of Free Parking & Donuts

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SAVE THE DATE!   
2009 Everglades Coalition Conference.

The largest annual forum for Everglades conservation and recreation, bringing together the Coalition’s 49 organizations with local, state, and federal partners.

January 8-11, 2009
Hilton Miami Downtown
1601 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, Fl

Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities available please contact, www.evergladescoalition.org or call 561-746-8078.

Make your hotel reservation before December 4, 2008 to secure the special conference rate of $199/night 1-800-hiltons.
Click here for more information.
 
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Your Name on the Honor Roll!

Don’t forget to get your name on the honor roll.

DONATE TODAY!

The Rivers Coalition Defense Fund is a non-profit 501c3.
Check out the Honor Roll!
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NEWSLETTER NOTICE! 

To ensure the delivery of the FORCE eNewsletter please add info@riverscoalition.org to your address book.

Please email us if your email address needs to be updated.
 
Join the FORCE eNewsletter Updates.
 
 
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!
Editor: Jessica Briske Visit our Website: www.RiversCoalition.org

FORCE - Friends of The Rivers Coalition eNewsletter - JULY 2008
P.O Box 2627, Stuart, FL 34995 ~ 772-225-6849    www.RiversCoalition.org

Candidate Tom Rooney Endorses Flowway And Buyout of Big Sugar Property!

Congressional Candidate Tom Rooney (Republican, District 16) has strongly endorsed the flowway concept that could stop most of the discharges from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie Canal and St. Lucie estuary in wet years..

In a position paper provided to the Rivers Coalition, Rooney states:

“As the first candidate to come out definitively for a flowway so discharges would stop coming through the St. Lucie River, I too am hopeful that the River of Grass may be on its way back. In a forum for the candidates, the Stuart News reported I was the only candidate who understood the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, while good, was not going to stop the discharges from the lake in the near term every year we have storms which threaten the dike. We have to have somewhere else to put that water ( the reservoirs north of the lake alone would not suffice). And now it looks like we will.”

“Moving forward, I will work hard as Congressman to make sure the mission of the Rivers Coalition is met. Although we have good news, the work now begins. I pledge to be your advocate in Washington in completing the mission.”

More information about Rooney is available at tomrooney.com

Rivers Coalition Resolution Supports Plan For Sugarland Purchase To Protect Estuary!

Citing extreme damages to the St. Lucie estuary due to discharges from Lake Okeechobee, the Rivers Coalition has adopted a powerful resolution in support of the state’s plan to buy 187,000 acres of sugar farms from U.S. Sugar Corp.

The resolution reviews a government history of failure to protect the estuaries and warns that current projects and programs will continue to pollute and degrade the environment.

“The proposed public purchase of U.S. Sugar would make enough land available to create the necessary water storage, cleansing and flow capacity south from Lake O to the Everglades,” according to the resolution which resolves:

“The Rivers Coalition strongly supports purchase of U.S. Sugar and conversion of its 187,000 acres of farmland to environmental restoration projects that will restore wetlands, increase the water supply for the Everglades, improve safety for residents of the EAA by enabling a substantial southern outlet between Lake and Everglades, improve Lake health, and better protect the Estuaries from damaging Lake releases.”

What’s Going on at the Next Meeting?

Thursday July 24, 2008
11AM
Realtor Association of Martin County
43 SW Monterey Road, Stuart
Corner of Monterey Road and Kanner Highway

Business Matters
Chairman’s Comments - Leon Abood
Land Acquisition - Leon Abood
Special Program - Leon Abood
“Saving Our St. Lucie Estuary” DVD Ready for Public Viewings”
Legal Update - Karl Wickstrom
Special Events - Jessica Briske
Fundraising - Karl Wickstrom 
WRAC - Ted Guy/Ed Fielding

Coalition Committee Reports
Water Quality - Mark Perry
Local Issues - Mark Perry/Ed Fielding
State/Federal Issues - Kevin Henderson/Paul Gray
IRL/CERP - Kevin Henderson/Paul Gray
Martin County Updates - Paul Millar

PLENTY OF FREE PARKING! DONUTS AND COFFEE! 

“Saving Our St. Lucie Estuary” DVD Ready for Public Viewings!

“Saving Our St. Lucie Estuary” is a hard-hitting documentary that focuses on damages to the estuary caused by discharges from Lake Okeechobee and what can be done to stop them from inundating the waters in wet years. opies of the DVD are available for showing to RC member groups and civic organizations. The Rivers Coalition Defense Fund also intends to show the presentation to as many government officials as possible. 

The showing calls for increased citizen support of the campaign to stop the discharges, which includes a current lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and advocacy on local, state and federal levels.

Get your name on the Honor Roll!

Don’t forget to donate today and get your name on the honor roll.

Go to www.RiversCoalition.org to donate.

The Rivers Coalition is a non profit 501c3 organization.