Well it is about
time, or is it?
Will the Fish and
Wildlife now be putting the hunt on hold at least until we see if this new rue
works or until we have a court hearing on the lawsuit against you?\
Or better yet both?
Penny wise and years
too late!
No!
So far, Rob Headley,
you and your lazy neighbors are the cause of this unnecessary hunt to kill our
beloved Black Bears!
I think people, by
and large, take care of their own trash fine, so far," Headley said.
Right!
Posted: 5:14 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015
Tempting bears with
trash could lead to fines for homeowners
SEMINOLE COUNTY,
Fla. —
Neighbors living
along Markham Woods Road in Longwood know a trash container can become a bear's
buffet.
"I can't take
the trash out the night before like most people do.
I've got to get up
at the crack of dawn to take it out at 6 a.m.
Otherwise I wake up
to a street full of trash," resident Rob Headley said.
Starting last week,
the penalties have changed for homeowners in the state who leave trash out for
pickup and bears become a problem.
First time offenders
are to receive a written warning,
the second time
they'd get a $100 civil citation
and the third time
it's a second-degree misdemeanor.
"I'm against
it.
I think people, by
and large, take care of their own trash fine, so far," Headley said.
Previously,
homeowners would instantly face a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by
possible jail time and a fine if they unintentionally fed bears by leaving
garbage out, but state attorneys across the state were tossing the cases out.
Wildlife officials
told Channel 9's Julie Salomone that some homeowners associations have taken it
a step further by placing time restrictions on when homeowners can put garbage
out.
For example, those
living in the Heathrow community can't place trash cans out overnight or any
earlier than 5 a.m. pickup day.
A homeowner told
Salomone that his bear-proof trash can cost about $200.
It has a latch on
the side.
Homeowners in the
community who have bear-proof cans are allowed to leave their garbage out
overnight for pickup.
Wildlife officials
say they don't have authority to put time limits in place, but they recommend
putting the can on the curb pickup day.
and
'Unintentional bear
feeding' could net fine in Florida
Wildlife officials
could issue $100 fines