SWFL NowVERIFIED NEWS. LOCAL IMPACT.83°F in Cape Coral,Sunny · Cape Coral
The Southwest Florida stories that are too local, too early or too ongoing for the evening news.
The nonprofit Florida Coastal Corridor dropped 50 triangular concrete reef structures about 13 miles off Collier County in early September, the first in a planned chain of reefs along Florida's Gulf Coast. Artificial reefs give fish and coral more places to live as warming water stresses natural reefs. The group placed a second reef off Fort Walton Beach a few weeks later.
Source: WGCU and 1 more
About 80 land managers from roughly 20 organizations trained in prescribed burning at Naples Botanical Garden on Aug. 12, the Garden's second such workshop, the Garden said. Crews practiced responding to a simulated spot-over fire, compared brush trucks and equipment used by different agencies, and burned the Garden's bioswale. Controlled burns clear the brush that fuels wildfires and keep fire-adapted Florida habitats healthy.
Source: Naples Botanical Garden
The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers have proposed narrowing which waters the Clean Water Act covers, following a 2023 Supreme Court ruling. Suncoast Waterkeeper estimates as much as 86% of Florida's wetlands could lose federal protection, including isolated wetlands in the Peace and Myakka river watersheds that drain to Charlotte Harbor. Comments closed Oct. 9; the rule isn't final, and state and local permits would still apply.
Source: WGCU and 1 more
Cape Coral opened Yellow Fever Creek Preserve at 3115 Del Prado Blvd. N. with a ribbon-cutting and guided tours on Oct. 30. The preserve offers 23 campsites, nature trails, a fishing pond, the city's first disc golf course, an outdoor classroom, a welcome center and restrooms. It covers about 198 acres of city land, roughly 525 acres with adjoining county land, and the city plans bird walks and classes; an open house date hasn't been set.
Source: WINK News and 3 more
Crews have pulled the last of the old Fort Myers Beach pier's piles and are now driving production piles for the replacement, which may bring extra noise and vibration over the coming week. People are asked not to swim, wade, fish or boat near the site and to stay outside the construction fence. Pedestrians are being detoured across Estero Boulevard to the opposite sidewalk because of nearby Lynn Hall Memorial Park work.
Source: Fort Myers Beach Chamber (Lee County pier project update)
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced $100 million for 45 water projects on Oct. 28, split evenly between springs restoration and alternative water supplies expected to add more than 60 million gallons a day. Six reclaimed water projects, including one in Fort Myers, share $19.1 million; WINK reports the Fort Myers money supports reuse expansion at the city's Central Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility.
Source: WINK News and 1 more
Wildlife officials announced Monday that a 2-year-old male Florida panther was found dead along Randall Boulevard, about a quarter mile west of Everglades Boulevard, likely hit by a vehicle. It is the 15th panther death recorded in Florida this year, and nine of them have been in Collier County.
Source: WGCU (citing FWC) and 1 more
Collier County crews begin placing about 208,000 tons of sand on Naples Beach on Monday, Oct. 26, covering roughly 3.5 miles from Doctors Pass to just south of 21st Avenue South. The $8 million project replaces sand lost to Hurricanes Helene and Milton; trucks will run about 9,450 trips from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with completion targeted for Christmas. The beach stays open, but short stretches will be closed while crews work there.
Source: WINK News and 1 more
