Rooftop Garden | Man Has Rooftop Garden. Surprise! He's Not Growing Weed!
He's not the Farmer in the Dell. He's a farmer in urban Sarasota, Florida with the rooftop farm, and made the news not because of what he's growing (it's not marijuana), but because of where his garden resides.
Local entrepreneur Vincent Dessberg, who has a beautiful rooftop farm atop a building, is seeing his whole operation come under fire, and not because of what he’s growing.
A building official says Dessberg needs to undertake an engineering study to prove his irrigation system and foam planters will not collapse his flat roof, which is supported by metal trusses. The $25,000 farm includes an impressive 6,000 plants on a 3,000 square-foot roof.
Dessberg's mission is to grow food naturally, in an urban environment, using as little water as possible. The plants grow in a medium that's feather-light, and the drip irrigation system uses less water than a typical household. Dessberg sells some of his home grown produce at the Sarasota farmers market.
Dude, I hope you get to keep your garden. It sounds totally awesome, and I hope it inspires others to go green and figure out ways to reach sustainability!
Trash Cash | Florida Man Can Throw Bash With Cash From The Trash
Every time I go looking for something I accidently tossed in the trash, I come back smelling like yesterday’s leftovers, old coffee grinds, and dejection. What has never happened to me is finding a big fat wad of cash, perched behind a really nifty picture.
A Florida man rescued a framed space shuttle photo from a trash bin in Stuart, Florida, and found a wad of treasure in the process. And by treasure I mean cash. When Warren Bendix saw the space shuttle picture, he decided he was going to rescue it and put the photo in a different frame. It was then that his luck turned from “neat” to “golly gee whiz” and he discovered $3,100 in cash stuffed behind the picture.
Bendix said he had found the picture while going through the trash near his apartment. He reported his discovery to police on Saturday, who promptly told him he can claim the cash of the owner doesn’t turn up.
I smell a trip to Florida! Wait, I don’t even know what $3,100 looks like! Never mind and carry on.
Florida Greyhound Trainer Free to Inflict Harm on Dogs | GREY2K Asks for Help
Florida may be harboring a greyhound trainer known for inflicting harm on race dogs.
GREY2K, the premier organization for ending greyhound racing, reports that Ursula O'Donnell was asked to leave a Naples-Ft. Myers Greyhound Park after track ownership learned that she had been arrested in 2002 for felony animal cruelty and criminal conspiracy.
The story is not over yet; O'Donnell was given an occupational license by the State of Florida, which will allow her to continue working in the dog racing industry. GREY2K has asked the State of Florida to open an investigation and permanently revoke her license.
The trainer's 2002 arrest came after alleged co-conspirator, the late Robert Rhodes, admitted to killing thousands of greyhounds by gunshot for a $10 fee. The state of Florida uncovered a check from Ursula O'Donnell written to Robert Rhodes, however; charges against her were dropped when Rhodes died and other witnesses refused to testify.
Even though Ms. O'Donnell escaped trial, the state has strong evidence that she participated in the conspiracy that led to the deaths of a large number of greyhounds by gunshot. The slain dogs were found on Rhodes' farm in 2002.
GREY2K asks that anyone concerned about the ongoing safety and protection of greyhounds call and e-mail the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, politely asking the Director to open an investigation, and consider revoking O'Donnel's license.
Director Milton Champion can be reached at the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, phone 850-488-9130.
The email address is: Call.Center@dbpr.state.fl.us
Revenge Robbery | Robber must've been a Coke man!
A Port St. Lucie, Florida man, who stole a delivery driver’s keys to get back at him over a grudge, has been arrested on felony burglary charges. Matthew Everett Gray allegedly admitted swiping a set of Pepsi-Cola vending machine keys. He stated he wanted the driver of the Pepsi-Cola service truck to get in trouble at work. The set of keys apparently unlocked some 20 vending machines.
The driver of the truck identified Gray from surveillance photos captured in the Wal-Mart parking lot. This was where the truck was unattended for over an hour.
Local police say Gray told them it wasn’t his intent to steal anything from the vending machines; he simply wanted the driver, his victim, to get into trouble at work. He was arrested on charges of felony burglary and theft.
Some people just have too much time on their hands. Unfortunately, stealing a set of keys from a soda truck driver is frequently the best plan they ever devise.
Florida Offers Many Resources to Help Haiti Victims | 7.0 Earthquake Leaves Mass Destruction in its
Florida's Miami Herald published an extensive list of helpful resources for victim's relief following the devastating 7.0 earthquake that shook the nation on Tuesday, January 12.
Anyone who wishes to help with donations can immediately contact the following organizations. Every and any amount will help!
United Way of Miami-Dade and The Miami Herald/El Nuevo Herald's Operation Helping Hands will help the earthquake victims in Haiti. 100% of funds will be used to purchase relief items. Donation iwant2help.org; checks to Operation Helping Hands c/o United Way of Miami-Dade, P.O. Box # 459007, Miami, FL 33245-9007; call 305-646-7129.
The Salvation Army, a Christian nonprofit, has been operating in Haiti since 1950, with schools, medical facilities, schools, feeding and economic development programs. Donate to its disaster relief fund at salvationarmyusa.org; 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Checks to Salvation Army, 61 NW 67 St., Miami, FL 33150.
Operation Helping Hands, a joint community project of The Miami Herald and United Way-Miami, will be collecting donations to support the relief effort in Haiti. To make a contribution, go to www.iwant2help.org
UNICEF www.unicefusa.org/haitiquake or call 1-800-4UNICEF.
Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) -- the natural disaster relief arm of the OAS -- was asking people who want to donate to visit its special relief website called www.PanAmericanRelief.org.
The Red Cross is taking donations via text messages. Text the word HAITI to the number 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts. It'll show up on your phone bill. Or donate online at RedCross.org.
Doctors Without Borders is asking for donations to help the emergency response teams in Haiti. Donate with a debit or credit card at https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org.
American Jewish World Service is a New York-based worldwide relief organization with a Haitian disaster fund. Donate at ajws.org; 212-792-2900.
World Vision, a worldwide Christian nonprofit, has been providing humanitarian services in Haiti for decades. Donate to the disaster relief fund at worldvision.org; 866-280-6587. P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716.
Our thoughts, sympathy and prayers go out to all effected by this tragic earthquake.
