Page 11 - Jupiter Spotlight - August '24

Jupiter Spotlight, Page 11
Busch Wildlife Sanctuary Welcomes

New Animal Ambassador: Rihanna, The Virginia Opossum

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary at Abramson & Schlaggar Once Rihanna was healthy enough, the education and
Reserve, a renowned nonprofit organization dedicated to animal care teams moved her to the sanctuary and began
wildlife conservation and education, is delighted to announce acclimating her to life there. Busch Wildlife Sanctuary is
a new permanent resident and educational animal ambassador: honored to provide a forever home to Rihanna and, with
Rihanna, the Virginia opossum. her help, educate residents about her species and how to
Rihanna was brought to the wildlife rehabilitation center cohabitate with native wildlife.
on April 30 with most of her tail missing after an altercation Virginia opossums are the only native marsupials in
with a domestic cat. Fortunately, that was the only injury North America. Opossums play many important roles in
the juvenile opossum sustained. Staff treated the wound and their ecosystems and are beneficial to humans. Opossums eat
provided preventative care including antibiotics, antiparasitics, insects, snails, slugs and other critters, which helps control
pain relievers and fluids. Without the majority of her tail, it their populations, in addition to eating unwanted household
was clear Rihanna would not be releasable. An opossum’s pests like rodents, cockroaches, rats and mice.
prehensile tail helps stabilize it when climbing and latches To learn about Busch Wildlife
onto tree branches to prevent them from falling, so Rihanna Sanctuary, visit www.buschwildlife.org.
would have difficulty evading predators without one. Nurture what’s wild.
Town Of Jupiter News

By Jim Kuretski to continue serving unincorporated residential properties Four key JFRD organizational positions have been
Mayor, Town of Jupiter primarily in the northwestern Jupiter area. filled to date, including fire chief, deputy fire chief,
The Town Council A comprehensive study of potential fire station executive assistant and EMS medical director. They are
works with our town locations for JFRD has been completed. The sites for the now working to complete the essential planning and
manager, staff and others to three stations that JFRD will be using have been selected. implementation actions to create JFRD.
address issues affecting our The existing station in Abacoa is already owned by the These fire rescue services’ cost containment efforts
residents and businesses. town, so JFRD will use it. The town approached PBC have been undertaken to mitigate PBC’s ultimate goal
The following provides about acquiring its existing fire station on U.S. 1 but was for a $250 million ad valorem tax increase burden upon
key actions taken and rejected. That being the case, the town has selected its Town of Jupiter residents and businesses for 10 years to
achievements in fire rescue Piatt Place property across the street on the other side of continue providing its contracted fire rescue services.
services cost containment U.S. 1 for its second fire station. The third fire station A Political Action Committee (PAC) funded 99.9
and creation of the Jupiter will be located on the north side of Indiantown Road, a percent by individuals outside of Jupiter sued the town
Fire Rescue Department (JFRD): couple of blocks east of Central Boulevard. in November 2023 to force the council to place an illegal
Fire rescue services are currently being provided by Palm Town Council resolutions to grant site plan approvals question on an upcoming ballot to change the town’s
Beach County (PBC) via contract agreement, using three fire for the two new fire stations were considered during charter. In response to the PAC’s lawsuit, and to save
stations within Town of Jupiter boundaries. One station is public hearings at the July 16, Town Council meeting. taxpayer money by avoiding a lengthy legal process, the
located on Military Trail in the Abacoa community. The second Engineering and architectural design work for these fire town filed a motion for summary judgment (MSJ) in the
station is located on U.S. 1 on property within Burt Reynolds stations is now under way. Construction is targeted to case on July 3. A court hearing on this motion is currently
Park. The third station is located on Central Boulevard north begin by the end of 2024. scheduled for mid-August 2024.
of Indiantown Road. It is expected that PBC will maintain Fire rescue vehicular equipment has multi-year long Stay tuned.
fire rescue operations at one of these three existing stations lead times to secure, so it was ordered in late 2023.