Andrea Melendez and Tom Bayles

Some of the different citrus grown at the center. The annual Open House for the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, was held Wednesday, Nov 8, 2023. This gave a chance to show anyone interested in seeing the research being done with citrus and vegetables at the center in Immokalee. The research and best practices from the University of Florida research is then passed on to our local Florida farmers. Many of the scientists had their research on display as well as a tour of the research farm was given. You can also see how artificial intelligence technology helps growers detect pests and diseases faster and more accurately. A technology that is changing the farming industry.

UF agriculture research center shows what it can do

The open house held at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center showed off what UF agricultural researchers are doing to solve problems growing citrus and vegetables

Rose Diehl, a local, sorts through the huge piles of shells that sometimes wash up on area beaches like North Jetty Beach in Venice, this time joined by her daughter Deanna, from New York

Environment

Don't bother selling sea shells by the seashore on days like this

Andrea Melendez and Tom Bayles

Shell beds, shell benches, shell piles. The colorful rows of shells extending for quite some distance are a natural phenomenon seen along the Gulf of Mexico in Florida.

Wednesday September 27th a group of South Cape Coral residents got up early to protest the planned Redfish Pointe Development. The plans include 800 residential units, 300 hotel rooms, 38,000 square feet of commercial space, and a 200-slip marina. So much of SW Cape suffered from the storm surge caused by Hurricane Ian. They feel the development would be built on 350 acres of wetlands and uplands currently officially designated as nature preserves and they would loose their protection.

Top Story

Neighborhood protests multi-use development south of Rotary Park

Andrea Melendez and Tom Bayles

A group of homeowners north of Rotary Park marched in the rain earlier this week to protest the pre-development efforts of a group seeking a way to make 380 untouched acres in South Cape Coral attractive to a future developer

One of two large, acyclic windows was placed in the Gulf of Mexico habitat. The large acrylic windows have to be installed before the roof it put on. This acrylic piece, which measures 26’ L x 17’ H x 11” W, and weighs 27,900 pounds.

Environment

Mote Marine's new laboratory near I-75 will feature the Gulf of Mexico -- but miles from saltwater

Andrea Melendez and Tom Bayles

Mote Marine Laboratory’s $130 million science and education aquarium is being built at Nathan Benderson Park along Interstate 75 in Sarasota County.