HNS REPORTS---JANUARY 1, 2010
FOX, BRIGHT HOUSE RESET DEADLINE
The Orlando Sentinel reported Friday morning that the talks between Fox and Bright House Networks have been extended again, this time to 11 a.m.
The two parties were working originally with a midnight deadline, then pushed the time to 3 a.m. and again to 7 a.m.
Fox seeks compensation for its programming from the cable provider.Time Warner Cable is negotiating in Los Angeles for partner Bright House.
NO RULES BROKEN IN BROOKSVILLE-EVERGLADES FLIGHT
Another Cessna 425As more information comes out, it's now apparent that the pilot who took off from Brooksville Wednesday and was forced to land his Cessna 425 at a remote Everglades airport by military jets broke no laws or aviation rules.
According to Wendell Stephens, Supervisor at American Aviation, the fixed base operator at the Hernando County Airport, this was the sequence of events Wednesday afternoon:
The owner and pilot was a French citizen identified as Jean-Claude Courtois who was licensed to fly the plane. An FAA certified instructor who flew with the owner/pilot recommended that he not fly the plane because he could not communicate in English with anyone on the ground or in the air. This was explained to the pilot through a translator, and the pilot became indignant and took off in the plane anyway.
American Aviation reported this to the FAA in Tampa, who advised they had no authority since he had not broken any laws. FAA Tampa advised American Aviation that if they felt it was a security concern they should notify Tampa Airport Approach which they did.
There's no official information on what happened from that point, although it appears that the lack of flight plan or contact with air traffic controllers apparently aroused official suspicion, leading to the forced landing. Federal rules do not require a flight plan or air traffic control contact so long as a pilot is not in designated controlled airspace areas.
Jean-Claude Courtois was reportedly questioned by authorities and released after the forced landing at the remote Dade-Collier Training Airport in the Everglades of south Florida between Miami and Naples.
NEW LAW AIMS AT REPEAT ACCIDENT DRIVERS
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reminded motorists Thursday of a new law that goes into effect with the new year. Effective January 1, drivers who are found to be at-fault in three crashes within a 36 month period will be required to successfully complete a Department-approved driver improvement course that includes behind-the-wheel training and an assessment of their driving ability.
The new law will count at-fault crashes as far back as 2007, so after January 1 the Department will notify any driver who causes a crash and has at least two at-fault crashes in the preceding 36 months. The affected drivers will then be responsible for completing an approved course within 90 days in order to avoid the cancellation of their driving privilege. Each course will include a minimum of 16 hours, to feature four hours of behind-the-wheel training.
HERNANDO BEACH MAN CHARGED AFTER FLEEING FROM DUI ACCIDENT
Sheriff's deputies say an 18-year old man found a key to a Brookridge home, let himself in, took some money and a gun, cooked hamburgers and eggs, used a computer and phone, then locked up on his way out. An arrest affidavit says Jacob James Comeau of 7489 Country Club Drive was arrested several hours later at Weeping Willow and Webster Streets. He was charged with armed burglary and booked into the Hernando County Jail.
BROOKRIDGE BURGLARY CLOSED WITH ARREST OF HUNGRY SUSPECT
A man whose blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit allegedly fled the scene of a two-car accident Wednesday in Spring HIll. An arrest affidavit says 61-year old Brian Ray Husson of 4075 Flamingo Blvd. in Hernando Beach was involved in the accident at Spring Hill Dr. and Barclay Ave. Witnesses told deputies that Husson failed to yield at the intersection and turned in front of another vehicle. The affidavit says Husson fled the scene in his Chevrolet Suburban while EMT's tended to the other driver's minor injuries. Husson was later located at a Hernando Beach residence and reportedly failed sobriety tests. Breath samples at the Hernando County Jail returned .16 and .157 readings for blood alcohol. Drivers are presumed intoxicated at .08. Husson was charged with DUI with damage to persons or property and fleeing the scene of an accident with injuries.
MORE CROOKS ON CAMERA - PUBLIX FRAUD SUSPECT
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http://www.hernandosheriff.org/Tips/ You may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.
Now here is Part Five of our six-part Year in Review series. Each part highlights two major continuing local news stories. First today is the tragic death of HCSO Capt. Scott Bierwiler and the aftermath of the accident that killed him.
On February 19, local news media received the following release:
Captain Bierwiler has been with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office for 23 years and leaves behind a wife, three children, his mother, a sister and a brother.
For those of you who knew Scott there is no need to describe the type of person he was. For those of you who never had the pleasure of meeting him please read some of the comments from some of Scott's fellow workers. You will soon see the way we all feel about Scott.
The Officer Down page at policespecial.com reported:
The Florida Highway Patrol said Andrew Frank Morris of Weeki Wachee was driving the Mitsubishi, which crossed from the westbound lanes into eastbound traffic. Morris, a student at nearby Nature Coast High School, was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa. Troopers said he is in serious but stable condition. The highway patrol said Morris' mother owns the Mitsubishi; investigators were sorting out whether he had permission to use it. Routine tests are being conducted to determine whether Morris was under the influence of alcohol.
STUDENT ARRESTED IN BIERWILER CRASH DEATH
Authorities have charged 16-year old Andrew Frank Morris of Spring Hill with third degree murder and grand theft in connection with the traffic death of Sheriff's Capt. Scott Bierwiler last February 19. Morris, a Nature Coast Technical High School student whose MySpace page warned teens to drive safely, was driving his mother's SUV when he collided head-on with Bierwiler's Crown Victoria in the early morning hours along Powell Road. Morris' lawyer, Robert Whittel, says the teen was arrested Tuesday, processed at the Hernando County Jail, and released to his parents. Whittel calls the murder charge an "overreach" since it's based on the grand theft charge for allegedly unauthorized use of his mother's vehicle. Whittel pointed out that Morris would face manslaughter charges at most but for the elevated murder count based on a death in the commission of the grand theft felony. He said he expects an arraignment date to be set shortly.
BIERWEILER FAMILY SUES TEEN DRIVER AND PARENTS IN FATAL CRASH
Clerk's records show a lawsuit has been filed in the February head-on crash that killed Sheriff's Captain Scott Bierwiler. The suit is filed on behalf of Angela Bierwiler and the Estate of Scott Bierwiler and names Andrew Frank Morris and his parents, George and Andrea Lyle as defendants. The civil suit is based on auto negligence and has been assigned to Judge Daniel Merritt, Sr. The allegations of the complaint ask for damages that exceed $15,000. Morris was 16 in February when the SUV he had allegedly taken without permission from his parents crossed the center line on Powell Road in the early morning hours and hit the car Bierwiler ws driving to work. Bierwiler died at the scene and Morris was seriously injured. Based on an auto theft charge in connection with unauthorized use of the parents' vehicle, Morris has been charged with third degree felony murder.
TEEN CHARGED IN BIERWILER TRAFFIC DEATH IN COURT FRIDAY
The murder charge has generated controversy since it was based a report of a stolen car by the teen's mother. Whether or not she knew that Morris was driving the SUV at the time may become an issue at trial. Morris reportedly took the vehicle for a late night drive, but Whittel noted that the teen was specifically listed on the SUV's insurance as an insured driver for the vehicle, and the Bierwiler family's civil suit against Morris and his parents alleges that he had permission to drive the SUV.
MORRIS PRE-TRIAL CONTINUED TO JANUARY
Andrew Frank Morris, the teenager charged with third degree murder in the death of Sheriff's Captain Scott Bierwiler in an auto accident earlier this year, had his pre-trial hearing continued again until January in a scheduled court appearance Friday. Morris was driving his parents' SUV when it allegedly crossed the center line of Powell Road and hit Bierwiler's car head-on. Morris was still on crutches and wearing a back brace in Judge Stephen Rushing's courtroom Friday. As Bierwiler's family looked on, his attorney and prosecutors told the judge that discovery is still ongoing and depositions remain to be taken. A new pre-trial date was set for January 15.
The second continuing story we look back at today is the drought afflicting west central Florida that's now in its fourth year.
DROUGHT CONTINUES, WINTER RAIN FORECAST IFFY
SWFWMD: "SKIP A WEEK" OF WATERING
The district quotes research by the University of Florida which found that one-half inch to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10 to 14 days is sufficient for a healthy lawn growth.
The district, which in recent years has had to issue severe drought restrictions to help its 16-county service area cope with water shortages, said on its Web site that too much irrigation makes lawns less able to survive droughts, encourages pests and disease, and wastes water.
The district also has extended restrictions in place through the end of February that limit lawn watering to once per week unless local utilities or governments have stricter restrictions in place. Water restrictions apply to water supplied by utilities, private wells and surface water sources.
RAINFALL DEFICIT EXTENDS TO 41 MONTHS "AND COUNTING"
There's still no end in sight for the ongoing drought, even though summer rains helped keep lake, river and aquifer levels from disaster. That was the word from SWFWMD officials to the Groundwater Guardians Thursday. Ed Hobin said the yearly rainfall deficit is now 5.3 inches below average, or a little more than 10% less than expected in a normal year. While it doesn't sound like much, Hobin said it marks the 41st consecutive month for rainfall deficit, meaning a three and a half year drought continues. Hobin said groundwater and river flows are already showing some declines as the dry season begins, and he noted that most lakes never got into the normal range at all this year. Even so, no changes are expected in the modified Phase 2 watering restrictions for Hernando County, except for new rules that take effect in November cutting the water-in time for new lawns in half, from 60 to 30 days.
RAINFALL, AQUIFER LEVELS IN NORMAL RANGE
(SWFWMD map shows Aug. 2008-Aug. 2009)MAY RAINS DON'T DO MUCH FOR LAKE LEVELS
A just-released SWFWMD report shows the high May rainfall totals haven't done much to help refill Hernando County's thirsty lakes. The Water Management District's May lake levels for the northern part of the district that includes Hernando pegs levels continuing to fall, almost a quarter foot below April measurements. Northern lakes are almost two feet below levels measured last year. That's by far the biggest year to year drop in the District's four areas. Lake levels in the Tampa Bay and Polk Uplands regions showed continued decline from the prior month as well. Only the Lake Wales ridge in central Polk County posted an increase in measured lake level over the prior month,. Those lakes are now only about three inches below last year's levels.
The report does suggest that the 10+ inches average May rain in the northern part of the district, seven inches above normal rainfall, has helped recharge the aquifer. In the north, aquifer levels are almost back to the lower end of the normal range, after being a foot and a half below normal in April. But that's still below the reading in May of last year, when aquifer levels were barely into the normal range.
May rains also doubled streamflow at Trilby and Holder on the Withlacoochee River, but other streams in the district saw much more dramatic increases. Stream flow is measured by percentile, and the Withlacoochee remains the only one the three major rivers in the district which is below the normal range. The Hillsborough and Peace Rivers have recovered more from last year and are now showing normal range percentiles.
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