this is why Florida can't have nice things

Sea Level Rise May Happen Too Quick For Shore Birds To React

Tricia Woolfenden — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:03:00 +0000

Humans aren't the only species facing an uncertain future in South Florida should current sea level rise predictions prove accurate. Migratory and resident shore birds also would feel the pinch of encroaching salt water, beach erosion, and shore line and habitat loss.

Going Sockless In South Florida Can Be A Bit Hazardous

Kathleen Elise — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Socks.

Those wonderful cotton foot huggers which absorb our sweat and decorate our ankles, are taking the day off.

In The Fight Against A Lionfish Invasion, Florida Turns To Creative Photo Contest

Tricia Woolfenden — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:03:00 +0000

Lionfish are the newest target of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation's (FWC) efforts to use social engagement to tackle the problem of exotic, invasives in the state. The FWC announced last week the launch of its "Lionfish Control Team" photo contest for the month of April.

Volunteers Pull 57,154 Pounds Of Litter From Natural Areas

Tricia Woolfenden — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:00:55 +0000

On a recent Sunday morning, a group of hikers paused on a heavily canopied trail to observe a bird perched high atop a tree, its body silhouetted against the rising sun. A brief hush took hold as binoculars focused in on the back-lit bird, loudly churring its morning song. Bodies shifted for a better view, until: "Yep, great crested flycatcher!"

Here's One Way To Help The Almost-Extinct Grasshopper Sparrow: Kill Fire Ants

Tricia Woolfenden — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:01:56 +0000

Fire ants are notorious Florida invasives, leaving a trail of painful welts and blisters in their wake. Those pesky exotic intruders also happen to be a serious threat to some of the state's most vulnerable endemic species.

South Florida Beaches Reopen After Shark Scare (Yeah, Shark Scare)

Scott Neuman — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 19:49:33 +0000

Several beaches in South Florida are open again following their closure earlier this week as a precautionary measure after thousands of migrating sharks were spotted near shore.

The Palm Beach Post reports that as of 9 a.m.

South Florida May Be Source Of Banned Drugs In Major League Baseball

Arianna Prothero — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:00:00 +0000

South Florida may be a source for banned performance-enhancing drugs making their way into major league baseball.

Why The Everglades National Park Is Handing Out Anti-Vulture Kits

Arianna Prothero — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Next time you go to the Everglades you'll have the option to pick up an anti-vulture kit.

The park is offering the kits so people can protect their cars against vultures during the winter months. The black vultures sometimes rip the rubber and vinyl parts--such as windshield wipers and sunroof seals--off of cars.

The 2012 Weird Stories That Defined Florida

Rick Stone — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:32:20 +0000

The end of the year is approaching and the news columns and web sites of a hungry nation are filling up with weird Florida stories, each supposedly an illustration of the character, lifestyle and unholy preoccupations of our strange, strange state.

Why South Florida Can't Have Nice Things

Arianna Prothero — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 15:29:00 +0000

We all know South Florida can be a pretty weird place, and it's something of a holiday tradition for news organizations around the state to put together lists of the weirdest stories of the year.

We decided to go straight to the people on the front lines, WLRN's anchors, producers, editors and reporters, and ask them what they thought were the most bizarre Florida stories of 2012.

Some stories were funny, others perplexing and some macabre.

Folks, Soon You Might Not Be Able To Keep Your Dog On Your Roof

Ashley Lopez — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:57:41 +0000

Remember back in August when there was a community uproar because someone left a dog on a roof of a factory building?

NEWSCAST: Cue 'Mission Impossible' music, voters jumping hurdles to cast their vote

WLRN Staff — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:34:49 +0000

For Cindy Gonzalez, an entrepreneur voting in Pompano Beach, the hoops and hurdles jumped to cast her vote couldn't have been any higher. Not only did she find out that she couldn't vote in her county (Broward) on Sunday, but she was unable to vote absentee in either of the neighboring counties, as well, and to vote absentee the next day, she had to commute to either Lauderhill or downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Mystery Solved: 'Softball-Sized Eyeball' Likely Belongs To A Swordfish

Eyder Peralta — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:15:00 +0000

We learned two things this morning: First, experts from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission believe that the softball-sized eyeball that washed up in Pompano Beach, Fla. belongs to a swordfish.

Second: Two-Way readers are incredibly smart, able to solve the most puzzling of mysteries in no time.

Miami Beach Couple Desperate To Get Married Resorts To Reddit Over “Buzzkill” Florida Bureaucracy

Dan Grech — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 18:22:15 +0000

We spotted this touching (and slightly bizarre) plea on Reddit from "cosmicbrownies2," and couldn’t resist helping spread the word.

Can anyone PLEASE marry us this weekend!?

'Softball-Sized Eyeball' Washes Up In Florida; Can You I.D. It?

Mark Memmott — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 11:41:03 +0000

Tell us you can resist clicking on this headline from Florida's Sun Sentinel:

"Huge Eyeball From Unknown Creature Washes Ashore On Florida Beach."

It's big, it's blue and the newspaper says "among the possibilities being discussed are a giant squid, some other large fish or a whale or other large marine mammal."

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has sent the eye off for study.