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News Archive Index
03-30-2007
Motorists in south Fort Myers may have noticed an ambiguous billboard recently alongside U-S 41. All it said was MyCrappySexlife.Com. Although the message is no longer there - the story behind it has gotten a lot of attention.
03-29-2007
An Associated Press story Thursday claimed authorities are quote- “quietly wondering whether a serial killer might be at work” in Fort Myers.
An ecologist stumbled across several human skeletons in a wooded area off Martin Luther King Boulevard in east Fort Myers late last week. Investigators have since discovered eight bodies in all. They’re all adult – and none were wearing any clothing or jewelry.
Fort Myers Police Department spokeswoman - Shelly Flynn – says the investigation is still in the recovery phase, so it’s way too early to even begin to speculate about how the bodies got there.
“We can’t discredit any theory at this point. The bones are going to take extensive examination before we can figure out exactly what happened. And there are a lot of theories out there. The AP reporter threw out serial killer…but we’ve heard funeral home dumping, we’ve heard Indian burial ground – and it’s just too early to know the facts.”
A group of about 20 forensics experts from around the state – and several local archeologists – are working this week to recover all the bones.
Flynn says they’ll first go to the Fort Myers Medical Examiner’s office for examination – then up to the University of Florida in Gainesville for further study.
03-27-2007
A Fort Myers man died while scuba diving off of Key Largo Sunday.
50-year-old Mark Matthiessen was diving in 30 feet of water at French Reef. Shortly after 10 Sunday morning he surfaced behind another dive boat.
Deputy Becky Heron with the Monroe County Sheriff’s office says when the captain of that boat, The Tropical Voyager, asked if Matthiessen was all right, he indicated he needed help.
“As Matthiessen was being assisted aboard, he collapsed and stopped breathing. Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation was begun immediately and, after loading all their divers on board, the Tropical Voyager started back to shore, continuing with CPR. They were met at the dock by paramedics who pronounced him dead.”
Mark Matthiessen’s dive buddy said he never indicated he was having any problems during the dive. An autopsy will be done to determine the cause of his death.
03-27-2007
In the last week wildfires have closed a section of I-75 – sending thousands of motorists out of their way - and burned 275 acres in Lehigh Acres. The culprit…a combination of careless humans, a stiff breeze and unusually dry weather. Jerry LaCavera is with the Florida Division of Forestry.
“it isn’t normal conditions right now. We were just told by the National Weather Service that the period between February and March is the third driest on record in Florida’s history. The only periods that we had drier weather than we have right now are in 1927 and 1931.”
85 firefighters battled Monday night’s blaze in Lehigh Acres. Twelve outbuildings and a boat and trailer were destroyed. Fortunately, no one was injured. The cause is under investigation. LaCavera says the smallest spark – including carelessly tossed cigarette butts – can start a fire under such dry conditions. Lee County has issued a ban on outdoor burning until further notice.
03-26-2007
A growing number of beachgoers in Naples have been spotted carrying a startling addition to their standard sunny day gear—ski poles. European promoters of Nordic pole walking believe they have finally found the formula to get millions of sedentary Americans off the couch. WGCU's Christine Buckley reports on what organizers call "the world's fastest-growing outdoor health sport."
03-22-2007
U.S. Speed skater Bonnie Blair was in Fort Myers Wednesday talking about her experience with a rather embarrassing affliction. Her visit is part of a national public education campaign called “What’s Happening Down There?: Breaking the Ice about stress urinary incontinence. WGCU’s Amy Tardif has more.
03-21-2007
A part-time Sanibel resident who was the first women in the U.S. to a fly commercial jumbo jet is working on another feat - the expansion of her African wildlife sanctuary. Wendy Humphrey reports.
03-20-2007
Lee Commissioners broke ground Tuesday on the county’s first certified green building – an 11-thousand-square-foot interpretive center at the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve.
The building represents the culmination of more than 3 decades of effort. Work to preserve the slough began in the early 1970’s when a group of students, led by long-time southwest Florida educator Bill Hammond, held a letter-writing campaign that blossomed into a tax referendum.
“You don’t get these things done overnight. It takes persistence, and know how to build relationships in the community.”
An all-volunteer group called ‘The Friends of Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve” has collected nearly 350-thousand-dollars toward construction of the more than three and a half million dollar interpretive center…including 200-thousand from the South Florida Water Management District.
The Slough is a 9-mile long, 22-hundred acre wetland adjacent to Six Mile Cypress Parkway in Lee County.
03-20-2007
Lee County Commissioners issued a ban on outdoor burning Tuesday – prompted by what they call severe drought conditions.
March is always a dry month – and this year even more so. So far this March forestry officials have responded to 31 wildfires in Lee, Collier and Hendry counties – the average for the entire month is 29. Forestry spokesman Jerry LaCavera says remaining hurricane debris, lack of rain and dry vegetation has created a dangerous situation. He urges caution.
"this time of the year all of our fires are started by people – so the price tag is – they need to be careful – they need to use their heads anytime they’re doing anything involving fire or a flame. anytime they’re using anything that has extreme heat or can cause sparks – they need to use their heads and not be careless."
The ban on outdoor burning in Lee County is for 7 days. LaCavera says March and April are historically the region’s driest months so the ban will most likely be extended.
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Forestry officials say drought-like conditions prevail throughout much of southwest Florida. Lee County officials have responded by banning outdoor burning until further notice. Forestry official Jerry LaCavera says this year’s dry season is exacerbated by a six inch rainfall deficit. And as usual this time of year, it’s windy.
"march and april are times when a lot of fronts come through and they bring changes in wind and more forceful winds – but we also expect high winds during this period – and its not unlikely that we have those winds driving wildfires very quickly."
LaCavera urges caution – when conditions are this dry the smallest spark can be fanned into a wildfire. The summer pattern of afternoon showers usually becomes established in June – with the arrival of hurricane season.
03-19-2007
The number of discount nail salons have mushroomed in Florida over the last two decades. The state has twice as many nail salons as any other Southern state, and 6 times as many nail techs--particularly Vietnamese--who make up nearly forty percent of the country's 6-point-3-billion-dollar industry. WGCU's Christine Buckley discussed the business with one Florida family.
03-19-2007
The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center – or CHEC - is marking 20 years of service to the community with a special reception this evening for members and volunteers. CHEC is a popular field trip destination for Charlotte County students. And says Naturalist Rich Dorkin, it helps newcomers learn about the areas unique environment.
“most people new to the area – coming from other parts of the united states – there’s a tremendous increase and continuing pressure on natural resources – so we do a lot of programs helping – try to help newcomers about how things are in Florida”
When CHEC opened twenty years ago – it had one employee – now it has 9. Staff members at the three thousand acre preserve located off Burnt Store road also do environmental research and teach about preservation land management.
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The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center on Burnt Store Road celebrates its 20th anniversary this week.
The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center – or CHEC – is an oasis of pristine habitat surrounded by increasingly dense development. Naturalist Rich Dorkin has been with CHEC for 11 years – back then cow pastures, farmers fields and orange groves flanked the center.
“we’re on a three thousand acre preserve – so that’s stayed largely the same – although there’s more visitors. but the traffic is astronomical especially since they opened up veterans – a lot of truck traffic – a lot more dead animals – and people coming in and out the center – it’s a bit more difficult turning in and out the center”
On the plus side, Dorkin says most the new developers in the area are making efforts to be environmentally responsible. Chec is a popular destination for school field trips. It also teaches area residents about their unique environment and how to protect and preserve it.
03-16-2007
New water use restrictions are in place in south Florida. Measures adopted Thursday are aimed at cutting the region's water consumption by 15 percent, and more in some areas.
They come after months of below-normal rainfall. In Southwest Florida growers who pump water from the Caloosahatchee River need to cut consumption by 30 percent. Ron Hamel of the Gulf Citrus Growers Association says the restrictions are problematic.
“the growers are going to have to decide what areas of their groves are going to get watered and areas might not get the same level of water they really need. It’s certainly going to impact the fruit set for the year and it could affect the size of the fruit depending on how long the drought is”
Citrus growers in Southwest Florida pump about a third of their irrigation water from the Caloosahatchee. Residential use by about five and half million people in Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties is under new restrictions. Golf courses, nurseries and utilities are also being asked to make cutbacks.
03-16-2007
A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows there’s a growing, nationwide trend of hospitals unable to provide emergency angioplasties on heart attack victims over the weekend. But that’s NOT the case here in Southwest Florida.
Medical Director of the Heart & Vascular Institute for Lee Memorial Health Systems - Peter Sidell - practiced cardiac surgery in Fort Myers from 1977 until 2004.
He says this area has 3 hospitals, including Lee Memorial Health Park, that are capable of doing angioplasties on short notice – 24-7.
“What we already have now is…if somebody shows up in the emergency room and a diagnosis of a heart attack is made. Arrangements are made to get them quickly to the catheterization laboratory with a cardiologist there standing by to do a heart catheterization. And then if a stint is appropriate to do that. And if not the decision will be made as to whether or not a heart operation would be appropriate.”
Dr. Sidell says Lee Memorial has joined what’s called the national ‘door to balloon alliance’ – with the goal of shortening the time from admittance to angioplasty...to hopefully within 90 minutes.
He says his main advice for anyone who thinks they’re having a heart attack…call an ambulance, because EMT’s will know which hospital to go to for the right kind of care.
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NPR broadcast a story last week about a report in the recent New England Journal of Medicine that basically said, if you’re going to have a heart attack, don’t do it over the weekend.
That’s because many hospitals don’t have the resources to offer around the clock angioplasties…and weekends that often get cut back.
But Medical Director at Lee Memorial’s Heart & Vascular Institute – Dr. Peter Sidell – says that’s not the case in Southwest Florida. He says three area hospitals perform the service, - 24-7.
But his number one advice: if you suspect a heart attack, don’t drive yourself or even get a ride to the hospital…call an ambulance!
“The EMT’s are pretty good about figuring out which hospital people need to go to. They’ll do an electrocardiogram, and if that’s abnormal they’ll know to take you to one of the hospitals where they can do the intervention related to heart problems. Plus, once you show up at a hospital in an ambulance you know, they get you into a room quickly. They do an electrocardiogram quickly…things get expedited better.”
Dr. Sidell says heart care is a high priority here in Southwest Florida, with the area’s large senior population.
He says Southwest Florida Regional, Health Park, and Naples Community hospital all have programs designed to get heart attack victims to the catheterization lab as quickly as possible.
03-16-2007
A local clergyman travels to Washington DC Saturday to take part in a march protesting the United States invasion of Iraq four years ago.
Reverend Wayne Robinson of the All Faiths Unitarian Congregation in Ft. Myers will take part in the action organized by the group “Christian Peace Witness”. It begins with a 7 PM service at the National Cathedral followed by a candlelight procession to the White House. Robinson says about four thousand people will take part….and some, including him, will risk arrest.
“we will have a candle light prayer vigil encircling the white house and around 10:30 or so there are 700 clergy who will be in clergy attire who in waves of 100 are going to engage in civil disobedience. the part of Pennsylvania avenue that they no longer allow you to be on after 9-11 we’re going to go in there to kneel to pray and when ordered to leave we’re not going to leave”
Robinson, who is also an adjunct faculty member at Florida Gulf Coast University – in civil engagement – says marches take place all the time and often go nearly unreported. He says civil-disobedience “creates tension by direct action” thus raising the profile of the event.
Robinson plans to be back in his pulpit in Ft. Myers Sunday morning.
03-16-2007
The Sanibel Music Festival is in full swing. The 25-year-old island tradition has the distinction of a very intimate setting. As Wendy Humphrey reports, it’s even more intimate for those hosting the musicians.
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