Rain doesn’t stop crowds at 40th Annual Cape Coral Arts FestivalSports trading card collecting going through “a generational reboot”
CAPE CORAL Rain doesn’t stop crowds at 40th Annual Cape Coral Arts Festival For 40 years, the Cape Coral Arts Festival has drawn crowds from across Southwest Florida, showcasing a blend of small businesses from the region.
CAPE CORAL Sports trading card collecting going through “a generational reboot” The hobby of sports trading card collecting has been on the rise since 2020, especially in Southwest Florida with more card shows.
PUNTA GORDA 11th annual short film festival coming to Punta Gorda The Punta Gorda Englewood Beach Visitor Convention Bureau will host its 11th annual short film festival.
the weather authority Mild, breezy day on tap with more clouds than sun The Weather Authority says a brief line of showers, associated with a cold front, is moving through Southwest Florida Saturday morning.
ESTERO 1 injured after shooting at Coconut Point Mall According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, one person has been injured after a shooting at the Coconut Point Mall on Friday.
CAPE CORAL CCPD cruiser damaged after officer involved crash An officer-involved crash leaves a Cape Coral police cruiser smashed.
PORT CHARLOTTE Sweet’s Diner in Port Charlotte reopens After months of fundraising and rebuilding, this diner, which had a car fly-through it, is back open.
FWC pushing to protect Florida’s endangered manatees Florida Fish and Wildlife is pushing to protect endangered manatees. One danger that animals face is when boats bash into them, leaving deep scars across their backs.
FORT MYERS The Fort Myers Fire Department looks towards new year Fighting fires is always top of mind for the Fort Myers Fire Department. The Fort Myers Fire Department leads the way when it comes to protecting your property when a fire breaks out.
WINK NEWS Palisades Wildfire devastates SWFL family Just hours after evacuating their Malibu home, the Wohl family learned they would never go back.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral expands with development The Cove at 47th The Cove sits in south Cape Coral between Cape Coral Parkway and Southeast 47th Terrace right next to Cork Soakers.
FORT MYERS ‘Operation Ghost Buster’: 16 arrested in Fort Myers drug operation The Fort Myers Police Department Narcotics Unit conducted an operation targeting drug traffickers and individuals unlawfully selling and possessing firearms in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS ‘A Distinctive Honor’: Bank of America award benefits FSW Nursing Program Bank of America has been awarded Florida Southwestern State College the 2024 Neighborhood Champion Award.
CAPTIVA One step closer to decision on South Seas building density After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge said he stood by his earlier decision in favor of the Captiva Civic Association.
Governor signs death warrant for man accused of 1997 killing of 2 in Charlotte County Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the death warrant for a man accused of killing two people in Charlotte County in 1997.
CAPE CORAL Rain doesn’t stop crowds at 40th Annual Cape Coral Arts Festival For 40 years, the Cape Coral Arts Festival has drawn crowds from across Southwest Florida, showcasing a blend of small businesses from the region.
CAPE CORAL Sports trading card collecting going through “a generational reboot” The hobby of sports trading card collecting has been on the rise since 2020, especially in Southwest Florida with more card shows.
PUNTA GORDA 11th annual short film festival coming to Punta Gorda The Punta Gorda Englewood Beach Visitor Convention Bureau will host its 11th annual short film festival.
the weather authority Mild, breezy day on tap with more clouds than sun The Weather Authority says a brief line of showers, associated with a cold front, is moving through Southwest Florida Saturday morning.
ESTERO 1 injured after shooting at Coconut Point Mall According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, one person has been injured after a shooting at the Coconut Point Mall on Friday.
CAPE CORAL CCPD cruiser damaged after officer involved crash An officer-involved crash leaves a Cape Coral police cruiser smashed.
PORT CHARLOTTE Sweet’s Diner in Port Charlotte reopens After months of fundraising and rebuilding, this diner, which had a car fly-through it, is back open.
FWC pushing to protect Florida’s endangered manatees Florida Fish and Wildlife is pushing to protect endangered manatees. One danger that animals face is when boats bash into them, leaving deep scars across their backs.
FORT MYERS The Fort Myers Fire Department looks towards new year Fighting fires is always top of mind for the Fort Myers Fire Department. The Fort Myers Fire Department leads the way when it comes to protecting your property when a fire breaks out.
WINK NEWS Palisades Wildfire devastates SWFL family Just hours after evacuating their Malibu home, the Wohl family learned they would never go back.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral expands with development The Cove at 47th The Cove sits in south Cape Coral between Cape Coral Parkway and Southeast 47th Terrace right next to Cork Soakers.
FORT MYERS ‘Operation Ghost Buster’: 16 arrested in Fort Myers drug operation The Fort Myers Police Department Narcotics Unit conducted an operation targeting drug traffickers and individuals unlawfully selling and possessing firearms in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS ‘A Distinctive Honor’: Bank of America award benefits FSW Nursing Program Bank of America has been awarded Florida Southwestern State College the 2024 Neighborhood Champion Award.
CAPTIVA One step closer to decision on South Seas building density After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge said he stood by his earlier decision in favor of the Captiva Civic Association.
Governor signs death warrant for man accused of 1997 killing of 2 in Charlotte County Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the death warrant for a man accused of killing two people in Charlotte County in 1997.
Biologist Ian Bartoszek, Board Member Jon Kukk and Julie Kukk holding a female Burmese python. CREDIT: CONSERVANCY OF SWFL Creatures lurking in the Florida wilderness are longer than an African elephant is tall, and while many would run away, others go looking. According to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, using a scout python, hunters caught a massive 16-foot-long, 120-pound Burmese python during a February hunt. Ian Easterling with Burmese python. CREDIT: CONSERVANCY OF SWFL According to the United States Geological Survey, female Burmese pythons grow larger than males. So, when the Conservancy team tracks male pythons, they are able to find the larger females during breeding season. By tracking Ronin, a 12-foot-long snake also known by the Conservancy as the Most Valuable Python (MVP), they found the 16-foot female snake. Biologists have been tracking Ronin for more than six years. RELATED: Second-largest python captured in Big Cypress National Preserve RELATED: Longest python ever caught in Florida Nearing a vegetation-strewn canal, biologists spotted a python floating among the foliage on the water’s edge. Suddenly, the team came face to face with a Burmese python that was longer than a rhino, a walrus and a hippo. Exhilarated, one of the team members yelled out, “It looks big … bigger than Ronin!” according to the conservancy’s release on the find. Without hesitating, the team began wrangling the behemoth. With his boot, biologist Ian Bartszek pinned the head of the 16-footer. However, nearly every pound of this 120-pound constrictor is muscle. It could not be contained by one person. Next, biologist Ian Easterling pounced on the python to restrain the animal. Then came the python’s counterattack. Thrashing its body through the murky canal, the python fought back with force. “She was upset and thrashed around, taking all hands to restrain her,” said Bartoszek. The biologists were in knee-deep water, barely holding on to the slippery 120 pounds of python sliding through their hands. They needed backup. That’s when John Kukk, a board member for the conservancy, dashed down the bank, grabbing the python by the tail. It took three people out of breath and completely exhausted to get the snake under control. Ian B. and Jon Kukk with female python and in the Burmese python lab at the Conservancy. CREDIT: CONSERVANCY OF SWFL “Her humane removal from the ecosystem will keep an additional 50 invasive pythons from hatching this season and many more over future years. To date, the team has removed over 1,200 pythons weighing over 33,000 pounds from Collier County,” said the Conservancy of SWFL. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Burmese pythons have devastated native wildlife throughout Florida. The species was added to Florida’s prohibited species list in April 2021. The Florida Python Challenge is one way the state is trying to contain the species’ expansion. The FWC website says if you think you see a Burmese python, take a picture, write down or remember your location and report the sighting by calling the Exotic Species Hotline at 888-483-4681 or report it online by clicking here. Click here for more information on the invasive python.