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Storm Debris Update

Landfill Tipping Fees
At the Sept 19 BOCC meeting the Highlands County Board of County Commissioners voted to extend the waiver of tipping fees for residential customers (not commercial) for storm debris classified as yard waste and for Construction and Demolition (C&D) material until October 17th, 2017. Any other waste classified as Class 1 garbage material will still be charged the normal tipping fees ($45) per ton. Yard waste and C&D material brought in by commercial contractors or coming from commercial sites will be charged normal tipping fees ($25/Ton).
 
Curbside Garbage Program
Garbage, recycling, and bulk trash are back to normal schedules.  Reasonable amounts (up to 6 cubic yards) of bagged or bundled yard waste will be picked up on the normal scheduled yard waste week. This is separate from the storm debris. 

Storm Debris Cleanup

The Golf Hammock Board  has submitted all the necessary paperwork to have the county remove storm debris from Golf Hammock.  This includes Cormorant Point, Golf Patio Villas and Hammock Falls.  Crews will be working  to pick up storm related debris from theright-of-way once the State  and FEMA approves the request.  This material must be along the  right-of-way but not in the road.  
 

Crews will be making approximately 3 passes through each area over this time but residents are encouraged to bring their storm related vegetative debris or Construction &Demonlition (C&D) debris to the road right-of-way for pickup as early as possible. There are no set schedules of when they will be in a particular area .

The debris must be placed in separate piles of natural vegetative material and C&D materials. Treated lumber such as that used on docks and fences are considered C&D and should not be mixed with the vegetative material. Vegetative material may not be placed in plastic bags for this pickup service. This material will be burned and no non-organic materials will be allowed in this material.  Bagged or bundled yard waste will be picked up on the normal scheduled yard waste week. 
 

• Debris should be placed roadside, not in the roadways, ditches, or on sidewalks.   Debris located within ditches or swales may cause drainage issues. 
   
• Do not place storm debris over or near any structures or items that could be damaged by equipment (telephone boxes, power poles, mail boxes, storm drains, water meters, ect.). Also do not place piles under tree limbs or other vertical obstructions. 
   
• Please avoid areas where collection activities are occurring. Equipment being used can be very dangerous and has many blind spots so stay away!

Fema Assistance

Survivors with losses due to Hurricane Irma can now register for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, Miami-Dade, Charlotte, Collier, Monroe and Lee County residents can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or through the FEMA app.

Applicants will need the following:

• Social Security Number
• Daytime telephone number
• Current mailing address and address and zip code of the damaged property
• Private insurance information, if available

By registering for federal assistance, you can look up your address to find out if it is in a disaster area declared for assistance, check the status of your application and get updates by text or email and upload documents to support your application. 

Another option is for individuals to call 1-800-621-FEMA. The toll-free number will operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Roof Damage

Eligible homeowners who sustained roof damage from Hurricane Irma now have two additional locations where they can apply for Operation Blue Roof and complete the Right of Entry (ROE) form that allows government employees and contractors onto their property to assess damage and install a temporary covering.

Operation Blue Roof, which assists eligible homeowners with temporary roof repairs, is a program the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) tasks the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jacksonville District, to implement.

This program is available at no cost to eligible primary homeowners in Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasotacounties. Other counties may be added later.

Only primary residences with standard shingled roofs are eligible to receive a temporary blue roof. Metal roofs and mobile homes may be repaired as practical on a case-by-case basis. Roofs with greater than 50 percent structural damage are not eligible for this program.

For rental property, legal permission for a blue roof to be installed must be obtained from the property owner. Renters also must get legal permission from their landlord to continue occupying the residence until more permanent repairs are made.

USACE installed the first temporary roof for the Operation Blue Roof program on Sept. 16 in Collier County.

Information about Operation Blue Roof is available on the Jacksonville District website at saj.usace.army.mil/BlueRoof, and in English and Spanish at 1-888-ROOF-BLU (1-888-766-3258).

EXERCISE OF THE MONTH

Why Water Works

The body-shaping benefits of swimming workouts are the result of a perfect storm of calorie burn and muscle recruitment. An easy swim burns around 500 calories an hour, while a vigorous effort can torch almost 700. And because water is nearly 800 times denser than air, each kick, push, and pull is like a mini resistance workout for your entire body—especially your core, hips, arms, shoulders, and glutes. So in addition to blasting calories as you swim, you build lean muscle, which ignites your metabolism so that you burn more calories once you've showered and dried off.

The irony is that while swimming makes you lean and mean, it's also kind to your body. Water basically neutralizes gravity, so you become virtually weightless when immersed, giving your joints a much-needed vacation. "You can swim almost every day without risking injury," says Joel Stager, Ph.D., director of the Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming at Indiana University at Bloomington, who has studied the effects of swimming for years.

Recipe of the Month

Graveyard Chicken Enchilada Dip
 

For your Halloween Party…Boo!
 

Do you feel like something scary to eat? Try this recipe and let us know what you think.
 

Ingredients

• 2 c. shredded pepper Jack cheese
• 1 c. enchilada sauce
• 1 c. shredded rotisserie chicken
• 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 14 oz. can green chiles
• 1 tbsp. Taco Seasoning
• 4 flour tortillas
• Tortilla Chips, for Serving

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine pepper jack, enchilada sauce, rotisserie chicken, cream cheese, green chilis, and taco seasoning.
2. Transfer dip to a cast-iron skillet and bake until warmed through and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make tortilla graves: Cut tortillas into grave shapes and place on a baking sheet. Bake until sturdy, 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Top dip with shredded lettuce and insert graves. Serve with tortilla chips.

Note from the Editor:  

We are still kicking!  I've heard a lot of stories over the last two weeks and most of them were encouraging.  Highlands County was hit hard by Hurricane Irma, although I think we can all learn something from this disaster.  It seemed to me that people pooled together to help their neighbors, friends, and family.  We have to remember that we cannot do everything ourselves and that it is okay to ask for help.  Personally, I am so grateful for my family, neighbors, and especially the electric company workers!

"Friends show their love in times of trouble, not in happiness." Euripides

A complete list of Board Members can be found at https://www.ghoaonline.com/