Broadway Island to Close for Restoration – Campers Cleared Out
Missoula Parks and Recreation Director Donna Gauckler met with reporters on Tuesday afternoon with the Broadway Island in the Clark Fork River as a backdrop to announce that the island will be closed for environmental restoration, necessitating the removal of any remaining campers at the site.
“Because of the pandemic, we ve been experiencing a higher level of unsheltered residents in our community, and from time to time we have experienced camping on the site,” said Gauckler. “I want to just remind everybody that the ordinance has always been that there is no camping allowed in public parks, parklands or open spaces. It never has been, nor would we have ever sanctioned camping in a place that s unsafe for people to camp. We just don t do that.”
Premium Content
Subscriber only
One of many people caught illegally camping at the Shoalwater Bay military training area during Covid restrictions, has faced court.
Nathan William Michael Groves, 19, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court last Thursday to trespassing on Commonwealth land.
The court heard that in May last year, police were conducting patrols of Byfield National Park when they came across numerous people illegally camping.
There were signs in the area to warn people that it was Commonwealth land and that trespassers would be prosecuted.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Shaun Janes said police saw 14 vehicles parked at the northern end of Five Rocks beach and numerous people were camping illegally inside the military training area.
Illegal Lennox Head campers could soon face some serious retribution as Ballina Shire Council looks to crack down on a popular parking spot. Council s rangers have requested additional parking controls at Pat Morton Lookout ahead of this week s Local Traffic Committee meeting on April 14. The parking alterations would see 90 degree angle parking and vehicles under 6m only signages added to the northern end of the lot. The submission is supported by Ballina Shire Council s Public and Environmental Health manager Kerri Watts on the hope on reducing the widespread parking noncompliance. Proposed signage for Pat Morton Lookout, Lennox Head According to the submission, the spot had recently been at the centre of increased complaints over illegal campers asleep/fornicating/laying unclothed in their vans.
Social service providers who focus on the homeless have received a new shot in the arm.
The local Community Services Consortium, dispensing funds that originated with the federal CARES Act, has awarded more than $2.6 million to Corvallis-area groups. Disbursement of the grant money already is underway and will continue through January.
The emergency services grant money will go to the Unity Shelter group, Corvallis Housing First and the Corvallis Daytime Drop-in Center, although itâs not clear how much which agency will receive.
In an effort to fight hesitancy and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine, Hollywood producers, writers and showrunners are including vaccine storylines in scripts. Veuerâs Maria Mercedes Galuppo has more.
GNR begin collecting wild camping fines
The Republican National Guard (GNR) has reported the detection of 60 violations during the first month of the year in relation to new laws regarding motorhomes and wild camping.
The new environmental legislation which covers caravanning and camping outside of designated areas came into force on 9 January 2020.
Between 9 January and 9 February, the GNR issued fines resulting in a total of €3,540 being collected, with the vast majority of violations detected in the Faro district (55), three in Odemira (district of Beja) and two in Moita (district of Setúbal).
Those being issued fines were from several countries, namely Luxembourg, Germany, France, England, Poland, Spain, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland and also Portugal, according to the GNR.