This was published in todays paper. It says the beach patrol or law enforcement had suspended enforcement of this law so they could rewrite it. Does anyone know why or what reason they have to rewrite it?
Woman charged with destroying items left on beach
She is suspected of removing items in efforts for Turtle Watch
By KIMBERLY WHITE
Northwest Florida Daily News 654-6905, ext. 244
kimw@nwfdailynews.com
SEAGROVE BEACH — A 57-year-old woman who was arrested Monday faces two misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief after she allegedly destroyed tents and inflatable floats on a beach in South Walton County early Friday.
According to a press release from the Walton County Sheriff ’s Office, witnesses saw Seagrove Beach resident Mary Brady destroy the items on a stretch of beach behind the Beachcrest Condominiums on County Road 30A in Seagrove Beach.
“There were several witnesses that saw the incident,” said Mike Gurspan, the public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office. “The investigators gathered all the information (from the witnesses) before the actual arrest was made.”
Brady, who is a reporter at the Walton Sun, recently began volunteering with South Walton Sea Turtle Watch. She confirmed that she was walking the beach as a Turtle Watch volunteer Friday morning.
She denied causing the damage, but declined further comment on the advice of her attorney.
She bonded out of the county jail and is awaiting a July 23 court date.
The incident generated some interest among south Walton County residents who are hotly debating the so-called Leave No Trace ordinance.
That law dictates which items can be left on the beach overnight, but its enforcement was suspended last month to give county officials time to revise it.
Meanwhile, Turtle Watch volunteers and other residents are concerned beach chairs, tents and other items left on the beach are interfering with the nesting habits of endangered and threatened sea turtles, which must make their way across the sand to lay their eggs.
Sharon Maxwell, director of South Walton Turtle Watch, said Brady had been volunteering with the group about three weeks.
“Of course, we don’t condone what she is supposed to have done,” Maxwell said, who added that until Brady’s case is resolved, “We asked that she not walk for us anymore.”