NAPLES, Fla. – Vera Rutzer was leaving a Naples park with her two children when she had a rare close encounter with a panther.
What did she do? She pulled out her phone and hit record.
More people are spotting panthers across the region, which is why the the Conservancy of Southwest Florida has a campaign reminding people that their habitat is being shared by wildlife.
Stories you need to know

Naples City Council approves partial site plans for pier reconstruction
Naples City Council voted on a 30% conceptual design for the Naples Pier on Wednesday. The historic pier, which suffered major damage from Hurricane Ian in September, is facing an estimated $20 million reconstruction upon approval by Council. In December, Council voted to pursue a complete redesign of the pier rather than patch up the […]

Naples postpones 4th of July fireworks for city’s centennial
The city of Naples has chosen to move its Fourth of July fireworks display to the city’s centennial celebration in December.

In unusual orca sighting, tour spots at least 20 killer whales off San Francisco
The big group of whales was seen on May 7 near the Farallon Islands, about 28 miles (45 kilometers) west of San Francisco.

Naples City Council decides on $20 million pier redesign
The Historic Naples Pier was a favorite for sightseeing, fishing and Fourth of July fireworks. While it’s been almost eight months since Hurricane Ian destroyed the pier, many still wonder what the new pier will look like.
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Donald Trump said he’s been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution.

Boaters beware: Horton Park Boat Ramp will be closed for 10 days
The Horton Park Boat Ramp will be closing for a little more than a week due to the Caloosahatchee Connect Construction Project.

Crews working to discover whale’s cause of death
For hours crews worked to save a whale stuck and stranded in a marina, but unfortunately, the whale died later that day.

How the 2023 Turkey Watch report and our tax dollars are related
The 2023 turkey watch report is out now. It’s an annual independent review of Florida’s budget and helps us figure out exactly where our tax dollars are going.