Florida •

Florida Man Grabs Small Shark from Ocean for Photo Session

February 22, 2016 By Elisabeth Leave a Comment

A Florida swimmer pulled out a small shark from water for a quick photoshoot.

A Florida man grabbed a small shark from ocean for a photo session on the beach, a week after a group of beachgoers did a similar thing to a baby dolphin, which eventually died. The feat of the Florida man sparked outrage both online and offline.

The man and his struggling prey were caught on camera by onlookers. The video shows that man holding the shark against the sand while his friends immortalize the moment. After the photo session, the man decides to let the fish go. But he needed help from a friend to get the shark in water.

The disturbing video, which was taken in Palm Beach a few days ago, was posted on Facebook by journalist Ashleigh Walters. The reporter wrote in a comment that the animal “did not resurface for several minutes” after it was released.

The footage, however, sparked online outrage. Hundreds of shocked users called the Florida beachgoer ‘despicable’ and ‘idiot.’ Others wished the man a deadly encounter with the shark.

A user imagined a scene where sharks hold the man underwater for a photoshoot while the man struggles to breathe, while another user deemed the video ‘sick’ and said onlookers should be ashamed of themselves for what they did to the ‘poor shark.’

Nevertheless, not everyone was outraged by the video. Some users kept their cool and argued that it is not the first time anyone takes a photo of the fish they caught.

Still, not all photo sessions with marine animals have a happy ending. Last week, a group of Argentinians caught a rare baby dolphin and passed it around for pics and petting. Unfortunately, the small animal died.

Wildlife experts explained that the baby dolphin belongs to an endangered species that can only be found in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. The small animal was plucked from water as it was swimming close to the shore.

In the wake of the sad incident, the Argentine Wildlife Foundation issued recommendations for all beachgoers to release dolphins in ocean if they caught them swimming close to the shore.

The baby dolphin is a Franciscana dolphin, which is the only river dolphin species that can live in salt water as well. It is on an international list of endangered species and was described by conservationists as a ‘vulnerable’ species. Experts believe that there are fewer than 30,000 specimens left in the world right now.

Image Source: Wikimedia

SCOTUS Decision Leaves Florida Death Row Inmates in Limbo

February 2, 2016 By Adam Martin Leave a Comment

A recent Supreme Court decision that has struck down parts of Florida’s death penalty legislation as unconstitutional, left hundreds of death row inmates in limbo.

A recent SCOTUS decision leaves Florida death row inmates in limbo and the state without a death penalty law. On Tuesday, the Florida Supreme Court held a hearing to see whether the decision would apply to pending executions, as well.

The recent Supreme Court ruling could change the way Florida sends inmates to the death row for good. Florida, which has the second-most crowded death row in the nation, after California, sentences inmates to death by a judge’s decision, not by an unanimous jury decision as in other states. This is why, U.S. justices concluded that Florida’s death penalty legislation is at odds with the Sixth Amendment.

As a result, the Sunshine State’s lawmakers will be struggling to come up with a new method to sentence convicts to death in the next six weeks, before their session expires.

In the meantime, lawmakers and courts need to decide whether the 390 people on the death row would continue to stay there or have their sentences commuted to life in prison. About 40 inmates have an ongoing appeal.

But for two inmates the situation is critical. Cary Michael Lambrix, 55, who has spent 31 years on the death row, is slated to be executed Feb. 11. Plus, he can no longer appeal because all his appeals ran out before the SCOTUS ruling. Another inmate waits to be executed in March under the old death penalty law.

In Pinellas County, a court ruled that death penalty cannot be applied to an incoming murder case because the state currently lacks a death penalty law.

Lambrix asked the state’s top court to block his execution on Tuesday. The 55-year-old Florida man landed on the death row after being sentenced for a double murder he committed in 1984. According to court papers, he killed a couple during a visit at his trailer.

The Governor issued his death warrant last fall, and he is expected to die by lethal shot next Thursday. In January, the state’s top court refused to block his execution, but allowed him oral arguments after the Supreme Court ruling on Jan. 12, 2016.

The inmate admitted that he killed the man visiting his trailer but only in self-defense. Reportedly, the victim assaulted the woman and Lambrix tried to protect her. His attorneys also said that he might be innocent since prosecution didn’t include DNA tests on samples from the victims’ clothing and the murder weapon.
Image Source: Flickr

The Graduation Rates Increased in Florida

January 6, 2016 By Adam Martin Leave a Comment

The graduation rates have been increasing in Florida in the past 9 years.

Good news for the parents, as the graduation rates increased in Florida. According to the Department of Education in Florida, this is the ninth year that the graduation rates grew, as well as in other schools from Tampa Bay.

Even with the increase, the state continues to remain behind nationally. The two largest school districts, Hillsborough and Pinellas still need to catch up with the others. As Hillsborough registered a 76% graduation rate, it had the lowest rate in Florida.

In 2015, 77,8% of the students who enrolled in high school four years ago graduated. This number reflects a major increase, with 18,5% since 2005 and 1,7% since 2014. The 77,8% doesn’t include the students who got retained or those who had special graduation diplomas or certificates.

An improvement has also been seen for the minority students. Since 2014, the graduation rates increased with 1,7% for the Hispanics and 3,2% for the African-Americans. Since 2010, the graduation rates for the African-Americans increased with 9,3% and for the Hispanics with 7,3%. The highest graduation rates belong to the Asians, with 90,8%.

The students from Florida will have to work hard this year in order to bring the state closer to the national graduation rate. Last year, the national graduation rate was 82,3%, leaving Florida in the bottom 10 states, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The county with the highest graduation rate was Pasco County, with 78,%, which is lower than in 2014 though.

According to Spencer Pylant, the increase in the graduation rates comes from a student program which mainly monitors students who have low grades and attend the school rarely. Graduation coaches were given to high schools and middle schools as well. Pylant says that the decrease in some areas will be received as motivation for the future.

Although Hillsborough was behind other counties, it has registered the biggest improvement since 2010. In the last five years, its graduation rates rose with 2,5%. Pinellas and Hillsborough managed to gain most black children in the area. Tanya Arja, the district’s spokeswoman said that many initiatives were taken in order to reach this improvement. A graduation program was implemented by the superintendent Jeff Eakins, which monitored the behavior and the grades of the students.

Pinellas also improved a lot, which the superintendent Mike Grego said that it was because of the new summer programs, summer camps and learning programs.

As the graduation rates increased in Florida, they are expected to increase a lot more in 2016. The effort of the teachers to implement new programs has to be praised, as well as the effort of the students to learn more.

Image Source: www.pixabay.com

Bacterial Meningitis Kills a Child in Florida

November 2, 2015 By Adam Martin Leave a Comment

A 5-year-old child from Florida died after being infected with bacterial meningitis.

Health authorities are on high alert after bacterial meningitis kills a child in Florida, near West Palm Beach. They have confirmed that the child died sometime during last week because of bacterial meningitis.

They have identified the child as being 5-year-old Kamar Devin, a student at Dr.Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary.

The principle of the elementary school, Kristina Granger came out and made a statement regarding the tragedy that befell on both school and family. She expressed her condolences towards the grieving family and promised support from school. Granger with the help of the school’s board went ahead and created a GoFundMe page. The family could use the donations provided by the website in order to cover funeral expenses.

Kamar’s father, Dante Seawright is still in shock, wondering how such a tragedy could fall on him and his family. Seawright, in a heartbreaking interview, declared that his boy was kind to everybody he met.

The health authorities contacted both school and family on Tuesday and an investigation is under way. Antibiotics have been issued to family and other people who came in close contact with Kamar.

Bacterial Meningitis kills a child in Florida prompting the authorities to raise awareness among the public concerning this kind of disease.

According to medical literature, bacterial meningitis usually occurs when a specific form of bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitides, haemophilus influenza and listeria monocytogenes), manages to enter the bloodstream. The bacteria uses the blood flow in order to reach the spinal cord and ultimately the brain. In some rare instances, bacteria can migrate to the brain, if the patient has an ear or sinus infection. Research shows that the bacteria could also use skull fractures in order to get to the brain. Also, surgical procedures can enroll the red carpet for bacterial meningitis.
Usually, the symptoms associated with bacterial meningitis are neck stiffness and the sudden surges of headaches. Other symptoms are nausea, vomiting, photophobia and confusion.

Bacterial meningitis can be successfully treated using antibiotics but physicians urge the patient to bet antibiotic therapy as soon as they experience the first symptoms. Antibiotic treatment can reduce the risk of dying to below 15 percent.

It seems that the best method of curing bacterial meningitis is a sound prevention education. Physician recommend that each patient should undergo vaccination as soon as possible. Also, patients should avoid as much as possible people who suffer from this disease if they have a weak immunity.

Image source:www.wikimedia.org

Categories