Today's News

The 44th Annual Old Florida Celebration of the Arts in Cedar Key got a break from the weather and welcomed delighted crowds once again.

Anecdotal reports had crowd counts slightly below last year's monster turnout, but given the conflicts of UF spring football, the threat of inclement weather and the trying economy, attendance was very good.

Food vendors in City Park reported sellout or near-sellout sales, as visitors elbowed their way down 2nd Street toward the grassy play area.

"First you should find something you really like to do. Then later you should work to refine your technique."

Fiber weaving artist Jean Yao tells young artists that the most important thing they can do is find a form or expression they love to work with. Once they find something they love, they'll find a way to get good at the execution.

Yao, born in Taiwan and trained in Japan in the art of ikebana - flower arranging - says she came to her present media of weaving palm fiber baskets out of the necessity of finding a medium she could work in.

Sharks baseball put together another big win against 2A St. John Lutheran Ocala, coming back from a two-run deficit early on to make a decisive 7-3 finish. They got a huge boost in the fifth inning from a three-run homer by Evan Lyons.

"We started off down two," said Sharks' head coach Joe Bishop. "But then we got a run and got everything started."

The big fish have returned. The food web in our inshore/near shore waters is now nearly complete. With the exception pf tarpon, all of the large predators are now available for some major tug-O-war action. Oh and speaking of big fish, there are several manatees in the area so be on the lookout for these gentle giants.

Holy mackerel! The mackerel that are running the edge of the flats are huge! Monday we caught six that went over thirty inches. Now those are some hefty Macs. Interestingly enough they were caught on freshwater crank baits.