Effects of Hurricane Harvey still being felt by professional fishing guides

The Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce admits Hurricane Harvey had a significant impact on the area’s tourism industry.

Many residents are hoping the lure of great fishing will help draw more tourists to the area in 2019.

Robert Hamilton, the owner of Aransas Bay Fishing, is a retired teacher who has been a fishing guide since 1986. The Estes Flats area south of Rockport, Texas, was one of Hamilton’s favorite spots to fish until Hurricane Harvey…

 

Abandoning Dogs During A Hurricane Could Be Illegal If This Florida Bill Becomes Law

With the help of Senate Bill 1783, dogs in the Sunshine State might soon get more protection during extreme weather and other volatile conditions. The Florida bill would outlaw abandoning dogs during hurricanes and other natural and manmade disasters, The Hill reported on Wednesday.

This piece of legislation was first introduced by the Florida Republican Sen. Joe Gruters earlier in March, and it passed the state’s Agriculture Committee on Monday. It is now headed to the state Senate Criminal Justice Committee, per The Hill, which is responsible for reviewing the bill. On Monday, The Palm Beach Post reported that Gruters told the press: “We want to give these dogs a fighting chance.”

The official text for the bill states: “A person who leaves a dog outside and unattended by use of a restraint during a manmade disaster or a natural disaster commits animal cruelty, a misdemeanor of the first degree.”

The bill may provide some much-needed protection for dogs during natural disasters. Parts of Florida are frequently pummelled by ferocious hurricanes; there was Hurricane Michael in 2018, Hurricane Irma and Maria in 2017, Hurricane…