Updates on duck trapper gone wild - confrontation leads to violence in Plantation, Broward County FL.

As reported on the WSVN Newscast: The City of Plantation said they would not authorize trappers to go onto somebody’s private property to remove ducks. 

What about Palmetto Bay, when are we going to hear such a statement from the Palmetto Bay officials? Will continued silence from officials lead to self-help by residents or even violence? 

There have been plenty of complaints posted on social media in Palmetto Bay, complaints of trappers going onto private property and even comments regarding threats and aggression from the trappers made to those who try to intervene or complain.  

The trappers in these news reports appear bold when armed with a weapon and against the elderly, but it won’t be long before they trespass onto property where the owner will be better prepared or a younger neighbor or family member rushes to their aid. The trappers (or the resident) will be sorry when one or the other stands their ground. 

Both news report aired on Monday evening, May 15, 2023:

News presentation 1 - Channel 10, Miami, Rosh Lowe reporting (Click link to view the both the video and text reports): Man, 71, left bloody, battered after trying to stop beloved ducks from being removed from property

PLANTATION, Fla. – An elderly Broward County resident said he was punched in the face when he tried to stop people from removing ducks from his neighborhood.

Art Cosgrove told Local 10 News he and his wife have been feeding the ducks for years, but others in the Plantation neighborhood feel the animals are a nuisance and want them gone.

Cosgrove said he was beat up by the people removing the ducks.

“I was on the ground when they were kicking and hitting me with a stick,” he said.

The 71-year-old said he also took a right cross to the face. In video of the incident, he can be heard yelling for them to give him the ducks.

Cosgrove was hospitalized, left a bloody mess and needing staples in his head for one of his wounds. ... 

Follow the headline link to read the complete Local 10 news report or CLICK HERE

 

News presentation 2 - WSVN 7, Joe Roetz reporting, 2 men attempting to capture ducks from Plantation home accused of beating homeowner when told to leave property

... 

Eventually, one of the men grabbed a net and went after Cosgrove, striking him over and over.

“I am trying to wrestle the other guy off me to get up, and that’s when I got racked in the head a few times with the stick,” Cosgrove said.

The end result was a lacerated head and an apparent black eye.

Cosgrove now has two staples in his skull.

“They tried putting in seven but they kept hitting the skull,” Cosgrove said.

Those men took off.

Cosgrove said he filed a report with Plantation Police with a video from a neighbor after he found out the men told officers down the street they were the victims.

“I wanna file charges against these SOBs,” Cosgrove said. “They assaulted me. I didn’t touch them, and they’re saying I assaulted him? BS.”

The City of Plantation said they would not authorize trappers to go onto somebody’s private property to remove ducks.

Cosgrove claimed that his HOA also did not authorize the man to do this. (Bold emphasis added)

Follow the headline link to read the complete WSVN 7 report or CLICK HERE

Update - Miami Herald & WSVN - Operation “America Strong” to flyover Miami this Friday - link to story provided on blog post

The third time is the charm. The confirmations are coming in for Friday - see prior updates posted in the blog stories posted below.

Make sure you camera has film or adequate media card storage available and all batteries are fresh/charged. I will update with the flyover route when I receive it.

The flyover happens from 1 p.m. to 1:25 p.m. Friday, May 8, according to the city of Miami. The exact flight plan is pictured to the right, the routes with overhead times. This is also available on the Blue Angels’ Twitter page. See Miami Herald, Navy’s Blue Angels to buzz over Miami to honor healthcare workers and first responders, by Howard Cohen, May 06, 2020, 11:49 AM

WSVN - MIAMI - The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are headed to South Florida.

As a part of their “America Strong” series of flights with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds over cities across the United States, the Blue Angels will conduct a Miami flyover on Friday at 12 p.m. The Blue Angels are also set to fly over Jacksonville, Friday.

Operation “America Strong” is meant to honor and show support for those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and salute healthcare and essential workers.

The route the Blue Angels will take will be released Thursday. I will post a copy on my blog. Watch www.eugeneflinn.com, as always.

FPL franchise fees - Part TWO – Local Taxes. Will this government pass through tax collected by FPL end for Palmetto Bay? Unincorporated Miami-Dade County Budget is “threatened” with the loss of Background provided in a Miami Herald article of December 2018

Part II of a continuing Palmetto Bay educational series. Part I provided the initial background, clarifying that Palmetto Bay runs on much more than just the annual property tax/ Part I focused on one of the additional sources of revenue: FPL's franchise fees.  This is not a fee paid by FPL, to the contrary, it is a customer paid tax, a subtle pass through tax consisting of 3-6% of your electric service charges that FPL merely collects through your electric bill. Please see my Part I of this series: December 26, 2018, Local Taxes. FPL franchise fees - Part I - what are they? Background provided in a Miami Herald article from July 2017 as well as Palmetto Bay's budget

There is more going on here than a simple stealth tax. Palmetto Bay has significant capacity to adjust the municipal property tax millage rate to compensate. 2.2387!  I remain proud of leading the Palmetto Bay village council to REDUCE the property tax millage rate to an all-time low of 2.2387. See where I led Palmetto Bay to reaffirm fiscal responsibility & government lite. Palmetto Bay is protected from adverse results if FPL should no longer collect and remit the franchise fee.  A cessation of collecting the FPL franchise fee (tax) paid by electrical service consumers hits governments hardest that are near or at their maximum millage allowable.

So Palmetto Bay is really not at risk should Florida Power and Light follow through on its threat to Miami-Dade County, in stating (or posturing) that it no longer wants to collect a 3 percent tax from its customers outside city limits in Miami-Dade, effectively ending renewal talks with the county. FPL has NOT – I repeat, has NOT, made a similar statement to Palmetto Bay, at least during my term of office.

But for background on the comments and concerns relating to Unincorporated Miami-Dade County, See Miami Herald online - a good background read: FPL talks break down, and Miami-Dade loses nearly $30 million a year for suburbs, by Douglas Hanks, December 19, 2018

As reported in the Herald:

“As you know, franchise agreements have no impact on a regulated utility’s responsibility to serve every home and business in its service area,” wrote White, head of external relations in Miami-Dade. “FPL has proudly provided electric service across most of Miami-Dade for the last 90 years, and we look forward to continuing to serve our customers well into the future.”

The county’s loss would be suburban rate payers’ gains once the current agreement expires in 2020. The franchise fee in unincorporated Miami-Dade is set at 6 percent, but credits allowed for property tax bills that FPL pays typically result in a monthly fee of between 3 percent and 4 percent, according to the county.

Miami-Dade released updated budget forecasts Wednesday showing the lost franchise revenue dramatically increasing deficits for county operations in the Unincorporated Municipal Services Area (sometimes called UMSA). The deficits arrive in 2020, and hit $84 million worth of red ink by 2025. That’s far worse than the earlier forecast with millions of franchise-fee dollars, when the deficit only hit $58 million.

For even more information, Also see Seen this charge on your FPL bill?, Help Me Howard on WSVN, October 3, 2018,

This is more food for thought, a small bite, and additional background on this developing potential issue. This is a mere set up to Part III when I will post who this really impacts, what groups really benefit and where the costs of government are shifted to should the FPL Franchise gravy train ends for local government.

Stay tuned. 

Eugene Flinn

Channel 7 Report: Dangerous Drive: Traffic apps save motorists time, hurt neighborhoods (Thurs., 7/26/2018)

(WSVN) - Traffic apps on your phone can be a huge time saver to beat South Florida traffic. But many of those routes go through residential neighborhoods, and the people who live there say that’s creating a dangerous drive. 7’s Andrew Scheinthal has more in our special report.

Does the following sound familiar?:

Alfredo Dieppa: “They give me the finger. They told me to go to hell. I’m very concerned for my safety and the safety of others.”

7News watched as drivers rolled through stop signs, sped past bicyclists and got way too close to some ducks.

Alfredo Dieppa: “All of a sudden, all of these streets have become like a shortcut for people.”

CLICK HERE to read the entire article and video online.

Mayor Eugene Flinn, Palmetto Bay: “We’re spending a lot of money on police enforcement and public works infrastructure to try to address the traffic and try to slow it down.”

Palmetto Bay Mayor Eugene Flinn says one of his biggest issues is that the apps show where police officers are located.

Mayor Eugene Flinn: “The only reason to identify where the location of the officers are is to enable people to drive in excess or contrary to law.”

 We continue work to combat the issues created, including through our CITE program.

CLICK HERE for more information: CITE is working - we are working to make Palmetto Bay traffic safer

Your Mayor,

Eugene Flinn

WSVN 7 report: Hit-and-run driver injures 3 cyclists in Palmetto Bay

Text story posted online with video - May 2, 2017, Hit-and-run driver injures 3 cyclists in Palmetto Bay, Rosh Lowe, WSVN

Update on Saturday, 4/29/2017 Cyclist Hit & Run - Police seek your help - BOLO Flyer

Update on the Saturday, April 29, 2017 hit and run.  MDPD has put out a flyer providing information.  Event to be featured on WSVN Channel 7 by Rosh Lowe this evening (Tuesday, 5/2/2017 - and will be updated here when video available).  Police need your help.

On Saturday, April 29, 2017, at approximately 7:40 a.m., a black 2013 Honda Civic (similar vehicle depicted on attached flyer) is believed to have been involved in a hit & run accident involving injuries. The accident occurred at 82nd Avenue SW 161st Street, in Palmetto Bay. The vehicle is missing the driver's side-view mirror due to the accident. The driver is described as a white male with black hair in his early 20's. If anyone has any information, please contact Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477). You may remain anonymous. Please stay tuned for our media release.

Prior post: April 29, 2017, Community Alert - hit and run accident in Palmetto Bay causing non-life threatening injuries to 3 cyclists.. Seeking information.  

Again, this is my personal note: This is a serious matter. I am asking anyone who knows something to speak up.  Do not get involved in covering up.  The driver may be prosecuted under the Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act for leaving the scene of an accident involving injuries.

Saturday, 8/29 TS Erika update. The news/forecast is much improved for our area.

Here is the Saturday morning update:
I have now posted the official photograph for the Saturday, 8/29/2015 5 AM advisory for Tropical Storm Erika (soon, hopefully, to become a depression or even a tropical wave).

This information is from the www.weatherunderground.com storm track. CLICK HERE to track TS Erika. See Channel 7 report for some coverage of the Palmetto Bay storm groundwork (prior post of Sat 8/29 includes the link to the story and video): Crews inspect Palmetto Bay drains to avoid flooding.

I had the opportunity to participate yesterday, Friday, in the County Mayor’s storm briefing at the County Emergency Operations Center.

The news was good – but continue to prepare. This was part of Federal, State, Regional, County and local agencies coordinating their efforts.

Side meetings/updates were held with the County, as well as our sister cities and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). Storms are unpredictable, and most of the time things move in our favor. Erika’s track and strength is looking much better today. Staging/prep work has gone well. AND – as a bonus, TS Erika as both weakened and tracked away from a direct impact on our South Miami-Dade County communities.

Good news, but for the event cancellations. Unfortunately for events, but more important for us all, Palmetto Bay is a community where our team members are cross trained. Parks and other personnel were/are needed for storm preparations.

I recommend that you bookmark the prior post: Online resources to assist any storm preparations - Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay, Pinecrest & Miami-Dade County.

Please also view the Miami Herald - Even with a weaker Erika, Florida braces for rain, by Jenny Staletovich - where it was reported that:

On Friday, forecasters with the National Hurricane Center said a pass over the Dominican Republic and Haiti could weaken Erika to a tropical depression overnight. The struggling storm could even dissipate into a tropical wave, they said. While they warned the storm could regain strength as it slows over warm waters in the Bahamas, they no longer expect it to make landfall in Florida as a hurricane.

Be prepared for a rain event. Thank you all for your preparations and team work!

Crews inspect Palmetto Bay drains to avoid flooding - WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miami Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco

Crews inspect Palmetto Bay drains to avoid flooding - WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miami Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco

Click the link above to view the Friday, 8/28 Channel 7 report - coverage of the Palmetto Bay storm groundwork, which included:

In Palmetto Bay, Friday, approximately 20 village employees cleared out storm drains and raked the leaves away. "Debris that are out there in the roadways, cleaning drains, make sure water is flowing in a good area, the storm water, make sure everything is up to date as far as making sure the trash piles are picked up," said ground maintenance worker Jimmy Pruneda.

By the way, Jimmy is an original with Palmetto Bay, one of our first hires.  I believe he is employee #3.  Great work Jimmy!

WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miami Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco

Cuban migrants arrive on shore in Palmetto Bay - Friday, Feb 6, 2015

Cuban migrants arrive on shore in Palmetto Bay: PALMETTO BAY, Fla. -- A group of Cuban migrants came ashore in Palmetto Bay, Friday morning - - landing at the home of Vice Mayor John Dubois. WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miami Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco