Stephanie Byrne

People could be forced out of their homes in the next 30 days if they can’t prove they are unable to pay rent because of the coronavirus pandemic. In the past few days, we’ve heard from a number of community members who have been served eviction notices and losing jobs and now pandemic pay. We […]

We are getting a closer look at a scientific breakthrough at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Sarasota when it comes to restoring coral reefs. Coral reefs are vital to our environment and economy, and Stefanie Korol, assistant manager at Looe Key Reef Resort & Dive Center knows just how important coral reefs are. “We […]

If you’ve gone down McGregor Boulevard in Lee County lately, you might have noticed a blue wall on the side of the road. A new art wall is part of a year-long project by Alliance for the Arts to celebrate Southwest Florida’s environment, connecting art and nature. The sign says it all: “Big changes are […]

On Florida’s east coast, the effects of Isaias were causing crashing waves and some higher than normal winds. But here in Southwest Florida, things were pretty normal. “It’s pretty windy, but it’s also very sunny out. A normal summer day,” said Gena Seyffert, who was out on Sanibel Causeway Islands on Sunday. Her neighbor, Videa […]

Masks come in all shapes and sizes — paper, cloth; you can match them to your outfits. While masks slow the spread of coronavirus, they’re creating another problem. A community members who we spoke to Friday say it’s very common to see masks as litter in public. They want to urge community members to dispose […]

The blue and green hues in the video above aren’t those of the Gulf of Mexico, but Lake Okeechobee. “We’ve definitely seen it worse, but it is pretty concerning,” said Captain Daniel Andrews, co-founder and executive director for Captains for Clean Water. Andrews took video of the lake from a plane on Wednesday morning. “With […]

Sending water south of Lake Okeechobee. The goal? Restore the Everglades and cut back harmful discharges to our coast. Anthony Karp welcomes the news that less water will head west toward his canal from Lake O. “It smelled horrible,” he said. That’s because almost two years ago, the blue-green algae was so putrid here that […]

We’re in the middle of hurricane season, and it’s all eyes on the tropics. Growers must plan ahead to protect our state’s citrus supply. Hurricane Irma is a previous, destructive example of the damage mother nature can bring to the state’s citrus crop. We looked at what farmers must do to keep fruit on the […]

The island of Sanibel is known for its shells and beaches but soon, it may be known for its newest resident — an octopus. He really likes his toys. “We give him Mega Blocks, Lego sets, Mr. Potato Heads, lots of things,” said Carly Hulse, Senior Aquarist at Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum. Hulse says when […]

The sights and smells of the 2018 red tide and blue-green algae are hard to forget. Two years later, we’re getting more answers as to the risks connected to those blooms. New research provides some of the best information yet about how these harmful algal blooms could impact our health. It’s all hands on deck […]