Thursday, October 18, 2012

KEY WEST

Sports card trading show set

Key West Card Show is holding a sports and trading card show from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Lexington Hotel, 3850 N. Roosevelt Blvd. New and old sports cards will be available to buy or trade, as well Return to Ravnica Magic The Gathering cards and a Fat Pack giveaway. Paracord bracelets in a variety of team colors and designs will also be for sale.

The first 100 collectors will receive a free pack of sports cards and all visitors will be eligible to win a box of 2012 NFL football cards. There will be a case break for the newly released 2012 Bowman Chrome Baseball.

The show is free and there is plenty of free parking in front of the hotel. For more information, visit http://www.keywestcardshow.com.

FLORIDA KEYS

Watch out for gators, crocs

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds everyone to be careful in and around water of alligators and crocodiles.

The state hosts two native crocodilians: the American alligator, found in all 67 counties; and the American crocodile, sometimes found in coastal areas of the Keys and in southeast and southwest Florida. Both species have shared Florida's waters with people for centuries. FWC recommends keeping pets away from the water.

Other safety measures are listed in the "Living with Alligators" brochure at MyFWC.com/Alligator, and the "Living with Crocodiles" brochure at MyFWC.com/Crocodile. The FWC's Nuisance Alligator Hotline is 866-FWC-GATOR (392-4286).

KEY WEST

Alarm systems must be registered

The Police Department has extended the deadline to Nov. 15 for homeowners to register their alarm systems for the "false alarm" reduction ordinance that began in July, spokeswoman Alyson Crean says. Contacting the alarm company or register at www.crywolf.us/keywestfl.

Registration is mandatory and costs $50. If there are no false alarms for a year, renewal is free; also, for registered systems, there is no penalty for up to two false alarms a year. After that, the fees run from $150 to $600 for 10 or more false alarms in one year.

The unregistered who have a false alarm will be fined $200 for each instance.

Last year alone, police responded to 1,650 alarms, and 90 percent of them were false, Crean said.