Save a cat's life

The Central Brevard Humane Society is hoping to find homes for those cats that have been living at the shelter for six months or more. Between July 1-10, cats can be adopted for $17.76 - they come with a microchip, their shots and sterilization already taken care of. Immense savings!! To learn more call 321-636-3343 or visit crittersavers.com These gentle creatures require little care and remember, these 'adult' cats have been confined to a cage for at least six months. Open your heart and give one a home.

Baseball & Fireworks

For those looking to avoid hordes of traffic before and after the July 4th fireworks and have a comfortable evening besides - this writer suggests you consider the game/fireworks at Viera's Space Coast Stadium. You've got food and drink, a comfortable (sort of) seat, handy restrooms, and entertainment. After all that comes the fireworks. Beats fighting traffic and swatting insects! For more fireworks options, follow this link. And for more details about the stadium and it's creative promotions, click this link. For some conversation-starters, read these quotes about liberty, freedom, and patriotism and bring them with you to wherever you spend your Fourth.

Zipping at Brevard Zoo

This week-end (Saturday) , the new zip-line at Brevard Zoo opens. Something new and different for this area, however it is costly. In addition to the regular admission price ($13ish), visitors will have to pay an additional $25 to zip along at the zoo. Read more about zipping at this link.

Note in a bottle

Walking along the beach on Sunday morning, eager to see how many new turtle nests there were, was just plain peaceful. Spying something that was bold and beautiful and completely out of place - well, that was just plain exciting. The blue was visible at a great distance and I couldn't get there fast enough to see what it was. When I saw there was a note inside, I couldn't wait to get it home to open it. My first message in a bottle!!

At home (and with glasses on), I could see the writing on the note was that of a child. The top of the bottle was sealed in wax and when the wax and cork were removed, there was the note. The only problem was, the note had unfurled and was larger than the bottle opening. Knowing there was a child out there somewhere, waiting patiently to see if someone had found their bottle, the situation called for creativity. Every utensil imaginable was employed yet yielded no success. I brought the bottle to work today and a crafty gentleman, obviously with more patience than I, retrieved the note with the use of an eraser at the tip of a pencil.

The note and bottle had been set adrift on Friday, just two days prior. A five-year old girl had written it and there was contact information. I just wish the bottle had traveled longer, further, far enough to land someplace exciting. After only two days, I fear the writer lives close by. We'll find out. What fun!

Beach clean-up

Tomorrow's beach clean up, by Keep Brevard Beautiful, will be held at Hightower Beach in Satellite Beach - just south of Pineda Causeway. 8-12. Nesting turtles are depending on you!

Summer Saturday nights at Brevard Zoo

To beat the summertime heat, Brevard Zoo will stay open until 9 p.m. each Saturday in June and July. Last admission will be 8 p.m. and tickets will be $5 for everyone, starting at 5 p.m., and free for Zoo members. Visitors will be able to enjoy live entertainment from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Some Zoo animals will be out on exhibit until dusk, and guests can feed the giraffes, go kayaking, take a paddle boat ride, or even ride the train (additional charges apply to some of these activities). Zookeepers also do animal encounters each night at 7 p.m. introducing 3 to 4 special animals. The Paws On area is closed during Summer Saturday Nights. However, parents can sign their children up for special night hikes in June and July that include Paws On. More details here.

Hands Across the Sand 2011

Hands Across the Sand event in Atlantic City, New Jersey - June 26, 2010.

Hands Across (and around) the Sand event in San Francisco - June 26, 2010.

This Saturday, June 25th, Hands Across the Sand will take place around the world. At twelve noon, participants are asked to join hands as a symbol to the world that we do not want oil drilling off our pristine beach. Last year, this small group assembled at Pelican Beach (Satellite Beach), was among the 100,000 participants in all 50 states and 43 countries.

This year’s Hands Across the Sand could not come at a more important time. With memories of the BP Horizon disaster fading from the public memory, and gas prices hovering around $4 a gallon, the oil industry and their allies in Congress are mounting a major effort to dramatically expand oil drilling in US waters. They are even bringing back a proposal that seemed unthinkable a year ago—oil drilling on New England’s Georges Bank, one of the richest fisheries on earth. The truly scary part is that Big Oil is making progress. In Washington DC the House of Representatives recently passed 3 bills that would have required a massive expansion of offshore drilling, and a recent poll shows that public support for drilling is on the rise as gas prices tick up. Join hands Saturday to send a message to our representatives. Read more at:
http://www.handsacrossthesand.com/

Sea Turtle Festival

Recently, due to the misfortune in the Gulf with the oil spill hundreds of turtles nest were brought to our coast. Titusville Beach was a perfect fit. Titusville has always been an eco-friendly town with many nature parks and a secluded beach. Known for its pristine natural and undeveloped coast which is surrounded by 57,000 acres of relatively undisturbed wilderness. Titusville is the perfect getaway for Eco-adventurist to enjoy many nature activities at its best. With the shuttle program, as we know it, ending. Titusville had to embrace and showcase other attributes that we already have. It was not necessary to build a major attraction to get vacationers here. We just had to open the window. The Titusville Sea Turtle Festival is one of those windows. Many exciting events are planned for the festival, which starts at 5 p.m. Thursday and ends Saturday night with a huge street party. For details, visit their website at:
http://www.wix.com/titusville1/sea-turtle-festival

Baseball Groupon

Celebrate Americana with today’s Groupon: for $7, you get two general-admission tickets to a Brevard County Manatees game at Space Coast Stadium in Viera (a $14 value). Choose from the following games:

• June 26 vs. Tampa Yankees (5:05 p.m.)
• July 8 vs. Fort Myers Miracle (7:05 p.m.)
• July 30 vs. Bradenton Marauders (7:05 p.m.)
• August 5 vs. Dunedin Blue Jays (7:05 p.m.)
• August 14 vs. Lakeland Flying Tigers (5:05 p.m.)
• August 20 vs. Tampa Yankees (7:05 p.m.)

The Manatees are a Class-A-Advanced affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Scout 2011 league All-Stars and Manatee up-and-comers outfielder Khristopher Davis, second baseman Scooter Gennett, and starting pitcher Nicholas Bucci. With this deal, you can catch the Manatees in one of six games and have the chance to see potential future New York Yankees currently on the Tampa Yankees roster, as well as Minnesota Twins prospects on the Fort Myers Miracle. Fans get the full summertime baseball experience at each game, complete with classic concessions, a lively sense of community, and projectile sunflower-seed dodging.

GROUPON:
Brevard County Manatees – Space Coast Stadium
Two General-Admission Baseball Tickets. Six Options Available.
Buy at $7 - Value $14
Today only!!!!
Groupon.com

Read about additional promotions before selecting which game to go see!

Sport?

Last night an Animal Planet special aired footage from a new Humane Society of the United States undercover investigation into captive hunts -- facilities where exotic animals such as a kangaroo or an endangered antelope can be shot for the right price. Investigators uncovered shocking new evidence that animals are even being drugged with tranquilizers. Fortunately, Congress is considering a bill, H.R. 2210, that cracks down on this cruel industry where exotic animals are shot for trophies, and they need your support.

Please make a brief, polite call today to Representative Bill Posey (202) 225-3671 urging co-sponsorship of H.R. 2210. And don't forget to send a follow-up message. Thank you for helping put a stop to this cruel industry.

5 million can't be wrong

It's true - in 2010, there were an estimated 5 million surfers worldwide! In celebration of International Surfing Day, Cocoa Beach was lucky indeed to host Rob Machado, who will be the 19th surfing champion to be inducted into the Surfing Walk Hall of Fame this summer. Even luckier were the kids that got to surf with him! Surfing is a great sport and if you are a parent looking for safe surfing instruction for your child - read this article.

Flag Day

For those who don't know the origin of Flag Day - listen up. The only PROPER method of disposing of an American flag is to burn it - BUT, that's un-American so the deal is this: When your flag becomes old and tattered, bring it to an American Legion Post. They will store it for the ONE DAY of the year when they are permitted to burn it - you guessed it, Flag Day.

Sea Turtle Society Open House

Shown here are Kemps Ridley turtle hatchlings, currently on the endangered species list, running for the water's edge and what they think is safety. It is estimated that one in one hundred will survive. The Sea Turtle Preservation Society will celebrate World Turtle Day - Thursday, June 16 - with an Open House. They are located just south of the light at 5th Ave, directly across the street from The Longboard House, on A1A in Indialantic. Come learn what you can do to help keep these harmless creatures from becoming extinct. (See blog date: May 19, 2011 ). Time: 11 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Learn more about the 'Lights Out for Sea Turtles' law in this article.

Home Games!

Tuesday & Thursday (June 14 & 16) are home games at Space Coast Stadium. With little rain, there is a shortage of mosquitos and the cool evening breeze makes the stadium a great place to be at night. The stadium offers some great deals and very creative ideas to get everyone pumped up. Come cheer on the Manatees! Read about promos here.

June is National Adopt a Shelter Cat month

Space Coast shelters are completely overrun with cats, and there is no excuse for it. Spaying/Neutering is dirt cheap at the clinic in Eau Gallie that offers low-cost 'fixing'. For every dog that is "put to sleep" in the shelter, 3 cats are killed. Completely inexcusable. Please give one of these cats a home. You'll sleep better!

Beach Clean-up

Sunday - June 12 - Boardwalk @ 5th Ave, Indialantic (just north of Bizzaro's). 8-12 - Bring sunscreen!!!!
Sea turtles that are coming ashore to lay their eggs say thank you!!!!!!

Beach wedding alert!

 
Baubles & Bling: A Sophisticated Bridal Showcase at the King Center, 3865 N Wickham Rd, Melbourne. Getting married? Then you won't want to miss Brevard’s largest bridal event. Discerning  brides and grooms-to-be can meet with over 70 of the area's finest wedding professionals in one day! All types of vendors will be on hand - from caterers to florists to photographers to cake designers -to help plan the big event. Event promises unique live entertainment, a show-stopping runway fashion show, top-notch vendors showcasing the hottest wedding trends, delicious samples, prize giveaways and more. This event promises to be the must-attend bridal event of the year! Brides may pre-register for the show online.

Cocoa Village BBQ & Blues Fest

Saturday, June 10-11, the Historic Cocoa Village will hold an all-day BBQ & Blues Fest - a professional and backyard BBQ competition sanctioned by the FBA (Florida Barbecue Assoc.) . Auxilary competitions include People's Choice, Best Sauce, Best  Dessert and Anything Butt. Live Blues Music all day June 11th. Let's face it - judging a BBQ and dessert competition isn't a rough way to spend the week-end....and the shops really need the business. Support local !!!!!!!

SUP Challenge - Melbourne Beach

Surfguys 2nd annual 3 mile SUP Challenge - 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM  Jun 11, 2011 This is an SUP only race. Prizes for 1st thru 4th with trophies supplied by the Surf  Gallery. It's open to stock and race boards. The awards ceremony will be at the Sandbar Pizza Grill where particpants and staff receive 15% off their lunch. Raffle for prizes during the awards ceremony! Location:  Melbourne Beach

Pee Wee Idol

 The Palm Bay Community Center is holding it's annual Pee Wee Idol (ages 12 and under) competition on Friday, June 10, from  6-10 p.m..The 13 and over competition will be held the following week-end, June 17 at the same times. The admission cost is $3, and participation for the competitors is FREE. The overall  winners in each category will be crowned and perform at the City of Palm Bay's Splashes & Sparks event on July 3, 2011! For more info, please call (321) 952-3443. Location:  Palm Bay Community Center 1502 Port Malabar Blvd. NE Palm Bay, FL 32905. 

Watermans Challenge

This week-end, the Watermans Challenge will take place. Deemed the most fun surfing contest of them all, the Watermans Challenge features contests for all those from preschool to 'as old as the hills'. For details and schedule, read this article!

Farmers Markets

JUNE is National Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Month - great reason to support local farmers at their markets. For a complete list of locations and times - chick here.

Children's Cancer fundraiser

 6th Annual Kid's Cancer Benefit River Jam - All Day Event  Jun 04, 2011 at Squid Lips by the Eau Gallie Causeway. Join them for a fun day at Squid Lips on the beautiful Indian River in Melbourne. The Fundraiser will feature a silent auction, and a land poker run for motorcyclists and a high seas poker run for boaters and jet-skiers. The motorcycle poker run starts with kickstands up at 10am. The high seas poker run shoves off from the beach with flexible staring times between 10am and noon, captain's choice. SQUID LIPS will be the starting and end point for both runs. Hang out, eat lunch and help families with kids that have cancer. All bikers and watercraft are welcome as is the general public. All proceeds benefit Candlelighters of Brevard,  "cause kids can't fight cancer alone." . $$$$ and Prizes! . Huge 50/50 Drawing! . Silent Auction! . Jetski Demos! . Land and Sea Poker Runs! . Master of Ceremonies- Timmy Vee from 107.1 A1A Radio! . Live Musical Entrainment! Location:  Squid Lips 1477 Pineapple Avenue Melbourne, FL

Beach clean-up

This week's scheduled clean-up with Keep Brevard Beautiful is at Spessard Holland in Melbourne Beach. Sunday morning  8-12. Turtles are beginning to come ashore - let's make their path free and clear. Be there and don't forget sunscreen!!!!!!!

Surfers for Autism event

 Surfers for Autism Beach Party------ 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM  Jun 04, 2011 Surfers For Autism will bring its life-changing, community-binding beach party back to the shores of Florida's Space Coast! SFA events are free for participating families and also serves as a fundraiser to help fund future events and to assist in  futhering research and advocacy for autism. The Beach party will include a full day of surfing, but also
face-painting, fire trucks, live music, games and much more! Close to 2,000 children with autism surfed in coastal communities throughout the state of Florida and thousands of supporters flooded concert venues to help support the SFA mission in 2011. Address: 401 Meade Ave.   Cocoa Beach

Black Bears in Florida

Message from SPCA: Florida’s black bears have only recently begun to recover from near extinction, and they still face serious threats from habitat loss and fragmentation. Regardless, Florida is now considering a proposal to remove the black bear from its threatened species list, a move that paves the way to re-open "trophy" bear hunts, where hunters kill the creatures for hides or heads to display and brag about. .

Please send a brief, polite message to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and ask them to keep Florida's threatened bears protected.

Happy hurricane season

Hurricane season officially starts on June 1 and experts forecasts call for "above-average" activity. It's been a while for us on the Space Coast so many are taking a 'ho-hum' approach. How quickly we forget being locked inside with no a/c, toilets that don't flush, no showers, and hysterical pets and children! The six-month Atlantic hurricane season continues through Nov. 30. Federal forecasters said they expect three to six major hurricanes from an above-average storm season.
Storm Names For 2011
    * Arlene
    * Bret
    * Cindy
    * Don
    * Emily
    * Franklin
    * Gert
    * Harvey
    * Irene
    * Jose
    * Katia
    * Lee
    * Maria
    * Nate
    * Ophelia
    * Philippe
    * Rina
    * Sean
    * Tammy
    * Vince
    * Whitney