(Ed: I’m messing with our servers again so your saved link or bookmark might not take you to the Coconut Telegraph. If not, just type bigpinekey.com manually in your browser’s address bar and make a new link or bookmark from that result. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.)

[Correcting the Record] On March 12, The Citizen ran a Crime  Report with the headline of “Man arrested for pulling knife on girlfriend.” This  letter should be titled “Man not prosecuted because he didn’t pull knife on  girlfriend.” First of all, a couple of good things happened that night. Someone who, while  misinformed, thought someone was in  danger chose to act. Instead of sitting  back, she called 911. Second, the Key West  Police Department responded quickly  and in force to that call. However there were several things that  did not happen right that night. After arriving on scene — with guns  drawn and explicit threats on my life  — and taking a statement from an intoxicated, emotional and confused person  that did not fit the evidence on the scene,  the primary officer was forced by Florida  statute and the shift supervisor to make  an arrest he did not believe was right. Then, based on that statement, a bond  was set that for any working-class person  amounted to no bond — it was $25,000  more than for the man who stabbed  someone on Duval recently. At three arraignments, the state attorney asked for continuances due to not  being able to contact the supposed victim, who lived and worked in the same  place, while I was told my bond could not  be reduced until I was formally charged.  Then after being held for 28 days I was  released with no charges ever being filed  against me. However, since so many people read  Page 2 and take it at face value, I am  now known to those who read that story  — which included my full name — as the  guy who tried to kill his girlfriend. I sincerely hope this paper is as interested in properly finishing this story with  actual facts as it was in tying my name to  less than half a story that made great fertilizer for the Coconut Telegraph.   ~James Dean Hignite, Key West

Today’s question about mosquito control is how much money do they waste treating dry ground?

Graph showing extreme tornado trends from 1954 to present. Feel free to draw your own trend line. Link

[Key Largo Man Wins $1 Million] The Florida Lottery announced  that Wallace Godwin, 44, of  Key Largo, claimed a $1 million prize in the Billion Dollar  Blockbuster Scratch-Off game  at Florida Lottery headquarters  in Tallahassee.

Hi everybody, I have a beautiful house for sale in Eden Pines. Please watch this Video. ~Nira Tocco

[Delusion] The aunt of the kidnapped Cleveland woman yesterday was all happy at their return and said, “God works in mysterious ways.” and “Thank God!”

Yea, God was looking out for them for the last ten missing years of their lives.

[What Was There] Is a new website that combines old photographs with current Google Street View to show you historic places’ current condition. Key West   

Climate change’s evil twin: Ocean acidification. Link

In 1886, prohibition in Atlanta spurred the sale of the first cocaine-laced Coca-Cola soft drink proving every society has something to get high.

In 1973, a 10-week standoff in Wounded Knee, S.D., between federal authorities and  American Indian Movement activists ended (badly).

The difference between Cats and Dogs. Video

The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. ~Stephen Hawking

[Casey Anthony Sued] A Texas search and rescue organization involved in the search for 2-year-old Caylee Anthony says her mother Casey owes it more than $100,000 in expenses. They say that Casey Anthony knew her daughter was already dead when the search began in 2008.

[Pervert] A sign posted by authorities is shown Monday outside the residence of  registered sex predator John Goodman in Starke. The Bradford County Sheriff’s Office is installing signs outside the homes of the county’s 18 convicted sexual predators, saying they want to warn residents so they can protect themselves. If this doesn’t get them to leave the county nothing will.

This is an attorney in Marathon. I thought I should post the info that he was admonished. Link

I’m not sure if anyone has seen the new West Marine McMansion on Caroline St. It went up in 3 days.

[Sand Sculpture] I’ll bet the Right cringes whenever they see any reference to peace. They still say the traditional peace sign is the imprint of a chicken’s foot and war isn’t all bad– it helps the economy.

Deer Over-Fishermen,  Please do not kill sharks; and leave the Great Whites where they belong.  They will increase tourism and we will be back to swim with whitey.  Please do no harm and practice catch and release.  Turtles too.  The guy who got caught illegally harvesting a turtle; there are ten more of those types who get away with it.  The rules  are there for good reasons.  Respect mother nature and all her creatures in the sea.  Thank you from the bottom of the ocean.

Drugs. Bad. 

I watched Reel Rivals last night and it was great. My friends, my neighbors and people I have known for years. It’s really positive. Unfortunately nobody watches the Weather Channel except during commercial breaks on other channels.

[Old People] Florida lawmakers turned their backs on more than 1 million lower-income Floridians struggling to find health coverage – and let up to $51 billion of our tax dollars go to other states – during a disappointing 2013 legislative session.

For a second year, lawmakers also failed to fix problems in the scandal-plagued assisted-living industry, despite a Miami Herald investigation uncovering more than 70 deaths from abuse, neglect and poor care.  That’s outrageous.

Ukelele night Tonight!  At Coconuts. Wednesday May 8th at 7 PM. If you have ever wanted to play a string instrument try a ukulele. They are so easy & so much fun to play. The folks from Bone Island Band will have many to choose from. There will be several folks that can answer any questions and share info about the ukulele. You will be playing songs in a few minutes. Remember, nothing changes if nothing changes. Stop by the NUT. It’s a hoot.

The Mosquito Control director’s last stop before the Keys was Colorado and he always tries to do things like he did there. The employees call him the “Colorado Kid”, and believe me, it is not a compliment,

Leave some awesome footprints in the sand.

[Immigration] “My American Story & What’s at Stake”David Simas, Deputy Senior Advisor to the President — and first generation American — discusses four key pieces of immigration reform and talks about his parents’ journey to America from Portugal. Video

I never thought I would live to see the day when I would see Fox News agree with Obama on anything.  I am sure I heard their talking heads agree that Obama was right in restraining our involvement in Syria.  I even pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

Of course FTR guy is stuck on Benghazi . Don’t you remember how hysterical he was for years to impeach Bush for 9/11. (ha ha)

[FTR Guy] Keep up the editorials!

FTR can’t tell right from wrong any longer. He believes that if it’s Republican it’s right and if Democrat it’s wrong. Being partisan is one thing, but being myopic is another.

FTR said he doesn’t think our President or our First Lady likes America. Poor guy. Look how far and desperate FTR has fallen since the election. More doom and gloom to come I’m sure.

The FTR guy thinks the President of the United States doesn’t like America because he speaks the truth. Fellows like FTR scare the hell out of me.

America has been in decline for years, the straw that broke the camel’s back was when the Supreme Court said corporations have the same rights as people. The President is aware of this and is trying to get us back to greatness.

FROM THE RIGHT

We know from Team Obama’s April Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report that nationwide hiring for manufacturing jobs is seriously declining under the Obama administration. Washington seems to create more problems than solutions for America’s economy. In contrast, Governor Rick Scott uses his business experience to identify problems and enact solutions for those problems so as to improve Florida’s economy.  One of those solutions is a tax break for Florida manufacturers. That tax break is now in place. That break will create jobs, helping Florida’s workers and families.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce tells is that Governor Scotts initiatives are working, the rate of job creation is improving. Job creators recognize that Florida really is a better place to do business.

Nationwide businesses are recognizing that Florida is becoming more and more business friendly. For example, Hertz will move its headquarters from New Jersey to Florida, putting the company in the heart of a key travel market. Then there is the report by McClatchy-Tribune that Ocala is becoming a magnet for technology companies. Then there is the recent announcement by Coca Cola that they will be expanding their presence in Florida by investing $2 billion in Florida orange groves. It estimated that 4,100 new jobs will be added to the state’s economy

Florida, under responsible Republican governance, is becoming an even more attractive venue to do business. The Tampa Tribune recently reported that Florida is becoming a magnet for Fortune 500 Companies. Way to go Governor Scott and the Republican legislature of our fair state.

Part 2) Last week the ultra right wing nut job web publication The Huffington Post, wrote about the creation of manufacturing jobs. They wrote: “President Obama set a goal of 1 million new manufacturing jobs in his second term. Last month we added zero. Not one. Nada. Zip. We did add low-wage jobs, though. Maybe we can talk about a national manufacturing strategy now.”

When will those right wing nut job web sites ever quite bitching a about Mr. Obama?