The Environment

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The St. Johns River Water Management District has voted today to purchase 1,402 acres for $3.9 million, approximately three miles north of the Brevard County border, the agency said in a press release.

the property is part of the Indian River Lagoon Blueway Florida Forever Project adjacent to the District's Turnbull Hammock Conservation Area. The property includes 1,213 acres of contiguous land and 189 acres of non-contiguous lots to the southeast.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- General gun season is now open in the Central Zone, which is where we are located, through January. It is legal to take deer having one or more antler at least 5 inches in length visible above the hair line, wild hogs, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, coyotes, nutrias, skunks and beavers. All legal rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows, and handguns may be used.

If using a center-fire, semi-automatic rifle, it cannot have a magazine capacity exceeding five rounds. Fully automatic or silencer equipped rifles are illegal as are non-expanding, full metal case ammunition for the taking of deer. Using rim-fire ammunition is illegal to hunt deer. Antlerless deer season started Saturday and runs through Nov. 21. Limit is two deer daily regardless of sex. Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The latest reports from Volusia County Environmental Management show 634 sea turtle nests on Volusia County beaches so far this nesting season, which began May 1.

Of these, 16 are green sea turtles and 618 are loggerheads, historically the most common turtles to nest on Volusia County’s beaches. The previous record high for turtle nests was 628 in 1999. In 2007, officials logged 562 nests.

The Volusia County Health Department is advising school students who are out for summer vacation and other members of the public to avoid swimming in freshwater lakes and ponds due to the threat posed by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri.