Less than a month after Judge Mark Jones threw out State Attorney Kirk Zuelch's child abuse charges against Nick and Carrie Nowatney— after their two young children were taken and held for 200 days— two federal lawsuits have been filed against the Florida Dept. of Children & Families (DCF).
On June 6, Attorney H. Robert Dowd filed in federal court in Orlando a $501 million class-action lawsuit alleging "a systematic process by which the families, parents, children and citizens of the State of Florida have been terrorized, traumatized and torn asunder."
Last Wednesday, Tallahassee Attorney Karen Gievers also filed a class-action lawsuit demanding reform of the foster care system in Florida. Among the team of 22 attorneys who are involved in this case is Key West Attorney Michael Barnes, who successfully defended the Nowatneys against the DCF here.
The National Park Service is considering new "management scenarios" for Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas National Park that could greatly restrict commercial and recreational use. Two meetings have been scheduled next week to allow public comment: Wednesday, June 21, at the Sombrero Country Club in Marathon; and on Thursday, June 22, at the Holiday Inn Beachside here in Key West.
To review a draft of the new management plan, visit http://www.nps.gov/drto/planning.