Gov. DeSantis to hold a news conference in JacksonvilleSea turtle nesting season begins in Fort Myers Beach
Jacksonville Gov. DeSantis to hold a news conference in Jacksonville Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Jacksonville.
FORT MYERS BEACH Sea turtle nesting season begins in Fort Myers Beach Sea turtle nesting season has officially begun, and the FWC wants to remind visitors about the fragility of the young reptiles.
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
PUNTA GORDA Cracking down on vapes in Charlotte County schools Vaping is taking over, and that’s why three Charlotte County High schools are testing out vape sensors.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
Jacksonville Gov. DeSantis to hold a news conference in Jacksonville Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Jacksonville.
FORT MYERS BEACH Sea turtle nesting season begins in Fort Myers Beach Sea turtle nesting season has officially begun, and the FWC wants to remind visitors about the fragility of the young reptiles.
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
PUNTA GORDA Cracking down on vapes in Charlotte County schools Vaping is taking over, and that’s why three Charlotte County High schools are testing out vape sensors.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
In this July 3, 2017 photo provided by Brian Pritchard, a band of non-native rhesus macaques are seen on Pritchard’s property in Ocala, Fla. Officials have closed two walking areas at nearby Silver Springs State Park because of unwanted monkey interactions with park guests. An observation deck and a boardwalk are off-limits because the primates have essentially taken over. (Brian Pritchard via AP) ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) There’s an upswing in monkey business in and around a state park in Florida, where bands of non-native rhesus macaques live along a river that’s popular with kayakers and tourists. Officials have closed two walking areas at Silver Springs State Park because of unwanted monkey interactions with park guests. An observation deck and a boardwalk are off-limits because the primates have essentially taken over. Matt Mitchell, the assistant director of Florida State Parks, said rangers are checking areas each morning for monkey activity. “Park staff may temporarily close use areas if monkeys are spotted during these checks,” he wrote in an email. “Park staff also respond to reports of monkeys in public use areas by guests.” Researchers estimate anywhere from 150 to 200 wild rhesus macaques live at the park and an unknown number live outside. A video shot by an Estero family showing seemingly aggressive monkeys on one of the park’s boardwalks made the rounds recently on social media. Park rangers try to warn visitors not to feed the 20-pound, 2-foot tall mammals and are stepping up patrols in sections where there are high possibilities of monkey-human interaction. The monkeys were introduced to the area in the 1930s by a tour boat operator named Colonel Tooey. He thought it would be a good idea to release six macaques on a small island in the Silver River and call it Monkey Island to draw tourists. “He thought they would stay on Monkey Island,” said Eben Kirksey, a Florida native and a professor of environmental humanities at UNSW Sydney in Australia. “But they are good swimmers.” Many generations of monkeying around ensued, aided by the relative lack of natural predators (other than alligators, which often eat young, naïve primates on the riverbanks). The monkeys thrived in the warm climate and the park at one time sold “monkey chow” so visitors could feed the primates. At one time in the 1980s, there were 400 of the animals in the park, prompting state officials to try to wrest control of the situation. Some of the females were sterilized. Previous attempts to cull the group drew strong opposition from locals – especially when some captured primates were sold to research labs. “At least from a cultural perspective, the people who live in Ocala very much value their presence in the community,” Kirksey said. But once again, state officials are considering options to control the primates – after all, viral videos of charging monkeys aren’t the best publicity for the park. Mitchell said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been notified and is monitoring the monkeys. There have been 18 confirmed reports of bites and scratches from the animals since they arrived at the park. Experts say monkeys can carry and transmit Herpes B-virus, but there’s no evidence that anyone has gotten sick from the Silver Springs monkeys. “You definitely don’t want to get near them. You don’t want to antagonize them,” said Steve Johnson, an associate professor of wildlife ecology at University of Florida who researches the monkeys. Johnson said there are four or five groups of monkeys in the park, and other groups are outside the park. Recently, a homeowner 4 miles away captured photos of some 50 monkeys swarming his deer feeder. Brian Pritchard’s automatic camera, anchored to a tree, was even inspected by one monkey, whose face practically fills a frame as others cavort in the background. “Anybody who lives on our river, they always have the possibility of seeing the monkeys,” said Pritchard, a 33-year-old taxidermist. “As long as you don’t bother them, they don’t bother you.”