DOH-Collier cautions of blue-green algae at Lake AvalonCity, Naples Beach Club to preserve green space in perpetuity
COLLIER COUNTY DOH-Collier cautions of blue-green algae at Lake Avalon The Florida Department of Health in Collier County (DOH-Collier) wants to caution the public of the presence of blue-green algae in Lake Avalon.
City, Naples Beach Club to preserve green space in perpetuity More than 104 acres of recreation and open space at the former Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Clubβs golf course will be forever preserved.
FORT MYERS The 52nd annual Fort Myers Boat Show begins An annual Fort Myers tradition has returned as the regionβs premier display of boats and boating products, which will be on full display for enthusiasts to enjoy.
the weather authority Tracking Tropical Depression 19, expected to become Tropical Storm Sara The Weather Authority is tracking Tropical Depression 19, which is forecast to strengthen into Tropical Storm Sara in the Caribbean later this Thursday afternoon.
the weather authority Gorgeous Thursday afternoon with highs in the mid 80s The Weather Authority is tracking pleasant afternoon conditions with temperatures in the mid-80s this Thursday.
SANIBEL Failed air quality tests push back reopening date for The Sanibel School The tentative reopening of The Sanibel School has been pushed back once again after being closed since Hurricane Milton.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Police respond to rollover crash; driver flees scene The Fort Myers Police Department responded to a rollover, single-vehicle on Colonial Gardens Circle and Colonial Boulevard.
FORT MYERS West End residents frustrated by security failures, lack of response A nearly $64 million luxury apartment complex that close to 500 people call home, but somehow, security seems to fall through the cracks.
NAPLES Collier County nearly doubles tourism budget On Tuesday, Collier County Commissioners approved a nearly $12 million budget for a tourism marketing campaign.
Florida policyholders urged to contact OIR if policies are canceled or nonrenewed If your insurance has been canceled or is not being renewed due to this year’s storms, the state of Florida wants you to reach out to the Office of Insurance Regulation.
BAREFOOT BEACH Woman thinks QR code got hacked A Fort Myers woman says a fraudulent QR code at Barefoot Beach caused her credit card to be hacked. She’s on a mission to warn others.
CAPE CORAL Sticker shock: Cape Coral residents hit with unexpected property tax hikes This is the time of year when people start paying their property taxes, but what happens when you get your bill and it’s more than you expected?
SANIBEL Sanibel workshop teaches residents benefits of elevating homes and businesses With each hurricane that brings damage to our area, many people rush to be more resilient. On Sanibel, more than 300 people have RSVP’d to learn about raising their homes and businesses.
SANIBEL Sanibel Causeway construction causing confusion and costing local business Repairing the Sanibel Causeway after recent storms has caused more than just traffic back-ups.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Speakeasy in downtown Fort Myers honors local historic figures Everything inside the Escondido Lounge whispers an authentic speakeasy, from the dim red lights to the fancy vintage glasses.
COLLIER COUNTY DOH-Collier cautions of blue-green algae at Lake Avalon The Florida Department of Health in Collier County (DOH-Collier) wants to caution the public of the presence of blue-green algae in Lake Avalon.
City, Naples Beach Club to preserve green space in perpetuity More than 104 acres of recreation and open space at the former Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Clubβs golf course will be forever preserved.
FORT MYERS The 52nd annual Fort Myers Boat Show begins An annual Fort Myers tradition has returned as the regionβs premier display of boats and boating products, which will be on full display for enthusiasts to enjoy.
the weather authority Tracking Tropical Depression 19, expected to become Tropical Storm Sara The Weather Authority is tracking Tropical Depression 19, which is forecast to strengthen into Tropical Storm Sara in the Caribbean later this Thursday afternoon.
the weather authority Gorgeous Thursday afternoon with highs in the mid 80s The Weather Authority is tracking pleasant afternoon conditions with temperatures in the mid-80s this Thursday.
SANIBEL Failed air quality tests push back reopening date for The Sanibel School The tentative reopening of The Sanibel School has been pushed back once again after being closed since Hurricane Milton.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Police respond to rollover crash; driver flees scene The Fort Myers Police Department responded to a rollover, single-vehicle on Colonial Gardens Circle and Colonial Boulevard.
FORT MYERS West End residents frustrated by security failures, lack of response A nearly $64 million luxury apartment complex that close to 500 people call home, but somehow, security seems to fall through the cracks.
NAPLES Collier County nearly doubles tourism budget On Tuesday, Collier County Commissioners approved a nearly $12 million budget for a tourism marketing campaign.
Florida policyholders urged to contact OIR if policies are canceled or nonrenewed If your insurance has been canceled or is not being renewed due to this year’s storms, the state of Florida wants you to reach out to the Office of Insurance Regulation.
BAREFOOT BEACH Woman thinks QR code got hacked A Fort Myers woman says a fraudulent QR code at Barefoot Beach caused her credit card to be hacked. She’s on a mission to warn others.
CAPE CORAL Sticker shock: Cape Coral residents hit with unexpected property tax hikes This is the time of year when people start paying their property taxes, but what happens when you get your bill and it’s more than you expected?
SANIBEL Sanibel workshop teaches residents benefits of elevating homes and businesses With each hurricane that brings damage to our area, many people rush to be more resilient. On Sanibel, more than 300 people have RSVP’d to learn about raising their homes and businesses.
SANIBEL Sanibel Causeway construction causing confusion and costing local business Repairing the Sanibel Causeway after recent storms has caused more than just traffic back-ups.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Speakeasy in downtown Fort Myers honors local historic figures Everything inside the Escondido Lounge whispers an authentic speakeasy, from the dim red lights to the fancy vintage glasses.
American alligator. Stock photo by Ryan Vu It’s not the typical response one gets when asking their daughter how she wants to celebrate her 17th birthday, but high school junior Whitney Williams was ready with the answer. “I want to go gator hunting,” Williams said, recalling the answer she gave when her parents, Chris and Tammie Williams, posed the question. Itβs not the typical response one gets when asking their daughter how she wants to celebrate her 17th birthday, but Covenant Christian High School junior Whitney Williams was ready with the answer. https://t.co/zD4mD4A0Yu β TimesDaily Newspaper (@TimesDaily) August 29, 2022 Still, it was typical for Whitney, who loves hunting, fishing and the outdoors. “She watches ‘Swamp People’ on TV,” Chris said. “She’s always been a fan and said, ‘I’m going to do that one day.’ She just kept on after me about it.” It took time to get everything lined up and to be certain they hired good, experienced people for the hunting trip. They finally located a group in Tallahassee. “I found some guys who work for the state of Florida and go around surveying different places,” Chris said. “The surveys tell how many gators are there and they do egg collection and that kind of stuff.” The weekend of July 30, Whitney and her dad found themselves in a swamp, doing night hunting with a bow and arrow. “We went into this old swampy area,” Chris said. “They had to cut trees to get a flat-bottom boat in there. We went in there at night with spotlights and they had a little gator call.” He said the call sounds like hatchlings, which attracts alligators. “We had one jump up and bite the bow of the boat,” Chris said. And Whitney loved every minute of it. “That was crazy,” she said. “We’ve watched a lot of ‘Swamp People’ and I was like, ‘That looks fun,’ and I love hunting and stuff and thought, why not try something different?” They went out for two straight nights, and on that second night, they located a good-sized alligator. At last, Whitney’s opportunity arrived. She used a crossbow that had a buoy attached so she could keep up with the alligator’s location in the water, Chris said. After landing two arrows into the alligator, they started hauling it in until it was close enough to Whitney that she could use a boom stick with a shell on the end of it. It works by striking the alligator with the stick, which makes the shell go off. It’s a way to shoot the reptile without actually using a gun. Whitney said her adrenaline was flowing. “That was my first time doing everything with that type of hunting,” she said. “I had to prop the crossbow up on something. My whole body was just nervous and shaking. I’m glad I didn’t miss though.” Though the hunt was successful, there still was the matter of hauling the gator back. Initially, the guides did not think it was that large of a gator β they told the teen it was a “decent size.” “Then they said, ‘Nope, this is not a decent size. This is huge,'” Whitney said. “And when we spread it out and measured it, they were like wow, we haven’t gotten one like this in a few years.” It ended up being 12 1/2 feet long and they guessed it weighed more than 500 pounds. “We couldn’t even put it in the boat,” Whitney said. “We had to drag it in the water. It took five people to drag it into the truck. I did not expect it to be that big.” Chris said the alligator hunt is the type of adventure Whitney enjoys. “She likes anything that is a challenge,” he said. “She wants to show people she can do it.” Whitney, a member of the basketball team at Covenant Christian High School, said she likes challenging herself and enjoys hunting and fishing with her dad. “If I’m not doing that, it’s either basketball or working out,” she said. The family is keeping the alligator meat to eat and share. The head and skin also will be used. “We’re getting the head and getting it skinned,” Whitney said. “I was like, ‘Dad, I’m totally getting the head of this.’ “I don’t know what I’m going to do with the skin, probably use it for like a knife holder and maybe boots. The head I’m probably going to put it in my room.” Chris said he was glad to get to see Whitney go through the experience. “She’ll remember that and tell her grandkids one day,” he said. “How many kids get to do that? And (get) something that size.”