Close encounters with Florida wildlife
After another nice, cool early morning we'll enjoy a warm, dry day. First Alert Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh is tracking signs of better rain chances ahead.
PODCAST: All the Weather, All the Time
Three Big Things to Know:
Bear Hunt: St. Augustine Police and FWC are tracking a bear that has been spotted early today in Downtown and south Lincolnville. Residents are urged to use caution. Black bears prefer to avoid people and will usually move on quickly.
Bear Attack: Florida Fish and Wildlife says a bear is believed to have killed a man and his dog in a nature preserve. FWC officials said Monday the attack occurred near Jerome in Collier County east of Naples south of the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area. FWC has not released the man's name and have not said precisely when the attack happened. Officials were using drones and searching for the bear that they believe is still in the area.
Butt Out: Jacksonville Beach City Council unanimously bans smoking on the beach. It was a unanimous vote last night. The ban does include e-cigarettes and vapes, however state law does not allow a ban on unfiltered cigars. Violators would be subject to a fine of up to $50. The beach smoking ban is effective immediately.
ALZHEIMER'S: Decoding the Disease is fast approaching, May 16. Join WOKV for a free luncheon seminar discussing research, treatment, and care. Registration is required.

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Two boat operators charged in wakeboarding girl's death in South Florida
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Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
Two boat operators charged in wakeboarding girl's death in South Florida
MIAMI (AP) — Misdemeanor charges have filed against the man who was operating the boat that fatally struck a 15-year-old girl off a South Florida beach last year, as well as the man who was operating the boat she had been wakeboarding behind, authorities announced Tuesday. Carlos Guillermo Alonso, 79, was charged April 28 with violating two U.S. Coast Guard navigational rules, and Edmund Richard Hartley, 31, was charged April 29 with violating four Coast Guard rules, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a press release. Attorneys for Alonso and Hartley didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment. They have both pleaded not guilty. In May 2024, 15-year-old Ella Adler and another girl were wakeboarding behind a 42-foot (13-meter) Hanse Fjord walk-around near Key Biscayne, just south of Miami, before falling off at different spots, officials said. A dozen people had been on the boat pulling Adler. Before the vessel, operated by Hartley, could return to collect her, Adler was hit by another boat, which immediately sped away, officials said. Witnesses described the hit-and-run craft as a center console boat with a light blue hull, multiple white outboard engines and blue bottom paint. Investigators eventually found the boat, a Boston whaler, docked behind Alonso's Coral Gables home. His attorneys have previously said he didn't realize he had stuck anyone with his boat and was cooperating with authorities. Adler was a freshman at Ransom Everglades School in Coconut Grove and a ballerina with the Miami City Ballet.


CBS News
3 hours ago
- CBS News
Hate-fueled vandalism shocks Overtown as community rallies to restore historic murals
Less than two weeks before Juneteenth, a cherished symbol of Black history and resilience in Miami has been marred by hate. Murals at Dorsey Park, where Negro League players once took the field before packed segregated crowds during the Jim Crow era, were defaced with racist and anti-Semitic graffiti, igniting outrage across the Overtown community. The vandalism occurred sometime Sunday on murals honoring legendary Black baseball players Jackie Robinson and Minnie Miñoso. Swastikas were spray-painted over their faces, with added profanity and the n-word scrawled repeatedly across the wall. "This is not paint - it's pain" "This really needs to be addressed," said Nicole Crooks, a local community leader, speaking during an emotional news conference. "We need to honor the people who have done a beautiful job at trying to really honor and hold on to the history." Anthony Robinson, of the Overtown Children's & Youth Coalition, stood near the murals and described the scene in stark terms. "What you see behind me is not paint on the walls - it's pain," he said. "It's hate, it's disgrace. It's an attempt to break down the pride of a proud community." Miami Police told CBS News off-camera that it's rare to see two minority communities targeted at once in a single act of vandalism. Though they declined to speak on record, the department confirmed its specialized investigations section is now handling the case. Community members say police also increased their presence in the area following an impromptu meeting about the incident. "We need the community to uncover the hurt" On Monday afternoon, a blue tarp was placed over the defaced murals by a team from the Dorsey Park Community Center - a move that some residents felt was premature. Community activist Terrance Cribbs-Lorrant explained why many wanted the graffiti to remain visible for now. "I know you may not be able to show it on the television," he said, "but we need the community to uncover the hurt and the hatred that is existing." Cribbs-Lorrant added, "The individual who did this feels that they have been embodied with an ability to spew their hate back onto a community that has not served them hate." Restoration underway before Juneteenth Despite the hurt, residents are moving quickly toward healing. Local artist teams have been organized to do immediate touch-ups, with hopes of restoring the murals fully before Juneteenth. "In the short term, a local artist will do touch-ups," community members said. "They hope to have that done at least by this weekend before Juneteenth." Long-term plans are already in place to completely redo the murals - and the community isn't starting from scratch. Funding has been secured, and artists are ready to begin the larger restoration effort. "Within 24 hours of this being notified, an action plan has been put together, a prevention plan has been planned," said community activist Metris Betts. "It's an honor to say that this community has been doing the work to maintain the Historic Overtown neighborhood." Robinson said they are now working with both local and federal authorities. "We will pursue hate crimes," he stated. As Overtown prepares to celebrate Juneteenth, the community is making it clear that while the scars of hate are fresh, the spirit of resistance and remembrance is stronger than ever.