bears

This evening is the first of three webinars on Florida's growing bear population. And the public is invited to chime in.The webinars will address Florida's latest bear count and range estimates, results from last year's hunt and the possibility of another hunt this year.

Volusia County is urging the state not to hold another bear hunt. The county council wants the state to focus on other techniques to keep black bears out of suburban areas.

Enforcement begins this week of an ordinance requiring residents of Seminole County's bear-weary neighborhoods west of Interstate 4 to secure their trash.The measure is the first statewide aimed at bears in neighborhoods.

Beginning this week Seminole County is enforcing a new ordinance requiring residents of its bear-weary neighborhoods west of Interstate 4 to secure their trash.The ordinance is the first statewide aimed at problem bears in neighborhoods. Wildlife authorities describe the area as the "epicenter of human-bear conflict."

Starting Friday, Seminole County will require bear-weary residents west of Interstate 4 to secure their trash.That part of the county is considered the epicenter of bears roaming into neighborhoods and coming into contact with people.Kipp Frohlich is a bear expert at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He talked with 90.7's Amy Green about the role trash plays in luring bears into people's yards and what impact, if any, the recent bear hunt had on keeping bears away.

Governor Rick Scott has struck a deal with the Seminole tribe to expand casino gambling in South Florida and, he says, pump billions into the state’s economy.Brevard County’s sheriff is calling on licensed gun owners to be on alert for terrorism.And as Donald Trump floats the idea of closing the US border to Muslims the mayor of St. Petersburg reacts, by banning Trump from his city.

Seminole County commissioners will consider a plan that environmentalists say is the first step to protecting central Florida’s bears. The ordinance would hit residents with a fine for leaving out trash that could attract bears. 90.7’s Renata Sago has more.

Gov. Rick Scott wants $230,000 for bear-resistant trash bins and other measures aimed at keeping bears out of neighborhoods.It’s part of the governor's $79 billion state budget proposal for the coming fiscal year.

Seminole County commissioners will consider an ordinance Dec. 8 that would require bear-weary residents west of Interstate 4 to secure their trash.It’s a response to the problem of bears in neighborhoods in what wildlife authorities describe as the "epicenter of human-bear conflict."

Environmentalists are considering a legal challenge to Florida's first bear hunt in two decades.The statewide hunt in October is aimed at managing the growing population of the animal that was removed from the state's threatened list in 2012. It was approved Wednesday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission after hours of public testimony, most of it against the hunt.But not everyone opposes the hunt in Central Florida, home to the state's largest bear population.