LEVY COUNTY JOURNAL

AROUND LEWY COUNTY

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2006

Page 11

 

Refuge’s Jason Coates heads to Louisiana

The Lower Suwannee
National Wildlife Refuge
said farewell to Forestry
Technician Jason Coates as
he heads out for his new life
in Louisiana. ©
Coates begins work as a

fire engineering equipment

 
   
  
 
   
 
  
    
  
  
  
     

operator at the Southeast
Louisiana National Wildlife
Refuge Complex. Being
employed federally offers
him the opportunity to move

anywhere he qualifies to work |

for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service or any other ‘federal

agency.

Coates started at the Lower
Suwannee & Cedar Keys
refuges over three years ago
as a temporary employee.
After four months on the job,
he became a career seasonal.
His first major project was

 

REPAIRING ROADS after hurricanes became Jason Coates’ pacialty

SHINE sets Medicare sessions .

SHINE (Serving Health
Insurance Needs of Elders),
a volunteer program with the

Florida Department of Elder’

Affairs, will be assisting
with Extra Help enrollment
as well as counseling on
Medicare issues, including
help with problems with Part
D: Prescription Drug Plans at
the following sites:

Wednesday, Sept. 20

10 am. until noon A.F.
Knotts Library, Yankeetown

Wednesday, Sept. 27

10 a.m. until noon
Trenton Library

2-4 p.m. | Cross
Library

If you have enrolled in
a Part D Prescription Drug
Plan, you can still apply for
Extra Help. If you have
not enrolled in a Part D
Prescription Drug Plan as
yet, you may be eligible for

City

Extra Help in paying Fo the
plan premium, deductible and
drugs without penalty. -

You must meet the
following criteria to qualify: .

Single: Income is $14,700
or less; assets total $11,500
or less

Couple:Income is $19,800

or less; assets total $23,000

or less

Assets do not count. your
home or your vehicles. They
do count your cash in the
bank, CDs, stocks, bonds,
cash value on your life
insurance or burial policies
and any additional: property.
Ask us for details and an
application.

If you are turning 65, you

will be able to join a Part D-

Drug Plan during the same
time period as your enrollment
in Part A and/or Part B. See

us: to receive comparison —
information on plans that will
meet your drug needs.

The initial enrollment
period for the Medicare
Drug Plans is over. The next
enrollment
Nov. 15 and ends Dec. 31.

At that time, you may
enroll in a plan or change
plans. More information will
be given closer to that time.

In addition, the
pharmaceuticals have begun
to ease up on their Part D
restrictions on free drugs.
If you previously qualified
for free drugs (prior to Jan.
1, 2006) you may still ‘be
eligible for help.

Call 1-800-262-2243
(Elder HelpLine) if you
need directions to a site or
are unable to visit one. A
volunteer will return your:
call.

 

All that glitters is not gold

BY JOHN ESTEVES
CORRESPONDENT

On a moonlit night to my
delight, near breakers by
the shore I spied the most
wondrous thing that I have
never seen before .In gold
and silver glitter, it sparkled
and it shined.

I hurried up to see the
thing that I had come to find.
And as I had gotten closer
my joy had turned to fright.

The wondrous site turned
out to be a dead mullet in
moonlight.

All that looks like treasure
should have a closer look.
And don’t judge the contents
by the cover before you read
the book.

The Levy
County Journal
is locally owned

and operated.

K

Talking John Esteves
resides in Inglis where he

 
 
     
   

Tide
Time

Day High

/Low

Height
Feet

     

 

  
  
  
 
   

1:10 AM
7:25 AM
3:57 PM
11:31 PM

   

   
 
   
  

   

12: 25 AM
4:37 AM ©
10:37 AM
6:21 PM

    
    
   
 
    

1:20 AM
6:44 AM
12:41 PM
7:35 PM

Tides for Cedar Key starting with Sept. 14

is an avid Native American :
folklorist.

  

Sunrise
Sunset

% Moon
Visible
55

Moon Time

     
 

Set 2:48 PM

   
    

Rise 12:50 AM

7:37PM Set 3:44 PM

Rise 1:49 AM
Set 4:32 PM

    
       
   
 
   
  

Rise 2:49 AM

7:35 PM Set 5:12 PM

   

/Rise 3:47 AM
Set 5:47 PM

   

Rise 4:44 AM

7:33 PM Set 6:17 PM

  

  
 

  
 

7:20 AM
7:31 PM

Rise 5:39 AM
Set 6:45 PM

period begins —

building needed  spillways
throughout the 53,000-acre
refuge. When he _ began
assisting the heavy equipment
operators, they described him
as a “natural” when it came
to spreading, grading and
working with a variety of

heavy equipment.

Coates served time on
wildfires in the western
mountains and later,

hurricane-relief duty after the
2004 and 2005 hurricanes.
He ‘was requested for road
construction details by
Merritt’ Island and other
National Wildlife Reniges a in
the south.

In Louisiana they had
already “heard how well

ViTBIL SLAG.

Coates works with front-
end loaders, tractor plows,
excavators, bulldozers and
marsh masters. With this
experience under his belt, his
specialty for the nine refuges
in the Complex will be
operating heavy equipment
developed for firefighting.
“Influencing young
peoples’ lives for the better
and acting as a mentor was
very - meaningful,” said
Coates. “I wanted them, to
know that I would be there
for them.”
Coates served as_ the
supervisor for the Youth
Conservation Corps (YCC)
during his time at Lower
Suwannee and always looked

COATES WITH his certificate and YCC students.

Fit “NOTICE OF PROPOSED TAX INCREASE

forward to working with
the upcoming generation.
Knowing teens need guidance
and patience while learning
the diversity of their summer
job, he tried to keep the job
enjoyable.

After long hot projects, he
would treat the YCC to a tour
behind the gates or field trips
to other refuges.

Youth Conservation Corps
(YCC) students: joined the
refuge staff for a _ send-
off dinner. “I’m attending
forestry classes, but couldn’t
miss wishing Jason the best
as this adventure of his life
begins,” said Josh Reiter,
former YCC. —

  

The Town of Otter Creek has tentatively adopted
a measure to increase its property tax levy

omni

Last year’s property tax levy:

A. Initially proposed tax levy

Fane sa SE de datiaind met het sae Us 070.

B. Less tax reductions due to Value Adjust-

| ment Board.

And other assessment changes

C. Actual property taxlevy
Histialy beg eto eves. $1451.86

ahs year’ ’S5 proposed tax levy
ee ea ee Sao 10.

(-116)

All concerned citizens are invited to attend a pub-
lic hearing on the Tax increase to be held on

DATE: Monday, September 18, 2006

TIME:
At

7:00:'p.m.

TOWN HALL, 555 S.W. 2nd Avenue, Otter Creek,
Florida 32683-0065

A FINAL DECISION on the proposed tax increase
and the budget will be made at this hearing.

 

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