Stephanie Byrne
WINK News
Fort Myers, FL, United States
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Past articles by Stephanie:
Florida Senate passes controversial water bill
A group of clean water activists is upset after Florida Senators overwhelmingly approved a controversial water bill. More than a hundred environmentalists, fishermen and others gathered in Tallahassee on Thursday, some with boats in tow, to voice their opposition to the bill. It came after the lawmaker behind the bill made changes to it Wednesday […] → Read More
Lake Okeechobee: How the Florida's largest lake has transformed since the 1940s
Water is the lifeblood of Southwest Florida. It’s the heartbeat of our economy, the soul of our ecosystem, and the reason many of us live here. As we consider where our water issues are today, we’ll take a look back at how we got here. Lake Okeechobee translates to “big water” in the Hitchiti Indian […] → Read More
Experts expect climate change to impact algal blooms, but for the better or worse?
While we’re not dealing with red tide in Southwest Florida right now, chances are we’ll see it again at some point. Some experts expect climate change to impact future blooms, but the question is, will it make it better or worse. Terry Gibson with the American Water Security Project believes Floridians are in the know […] → Read More
Water pressures issues persist for City of Fort Myers
Neighbors in a Fort Myers neighborhood are living with worsening water conditions. The water pressure in Ward 6, the eastern portion of the city, is not good. City leaders are planning to take action. The city is exploring different options from booster pumps to also expanding water capacity. The low water pressure is just one […] → Read More
Researchers studying how blue-green algae toxins travel
We know that toxins from blue-green algae can make people sick. And, the smell and sight of blue-green algae is something none of us want to deal with again. But now, researchers are trying to figure out how these toxins travel through the air and get into our bodies. WINK News gives you a sneak […] → Read More
CROW receives two dozen birds over a two-week period
The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) received more than two dozen bird patients in the span of two weeks. Many of these birds were being treated for showing symptoms of red tide or blue-green algae poisoning, but experts say this isn’t only happening on Sanibel Island. When looking at the red tide map […] → Read More
Grim Arctic report card not good for Southwest Florida environment
Southwest Florida is about as different from the Arctic as possible but the two are still connected. A new report shows melting Arctic ice and warmer temperatures which can have a big effect in Southwest Florida. “It’s always strange to think that melting in the Arctic, can have direct implications on Florida,” said Joanne Muller, […] → Read More
Study being conducted to cut down number of nutrients in stormwater runoff
Cleaning our water through stormwater treatment areas and wetlands plays a crucial role in Everglades protection and restoration. Even the tiniest organism can play a huge role in cutting down on nutrients, like phosphorous, in our stormwater runoff. Before water reaches the Everglades, it has to be cleaned. Barry Rosen is a professor at tHe […] → Read More
State, federal government feed lettuce to manatees after year of high deaths
A tough year for manatees is nearing an end. It’s been the deadliest year for manatees and now warmer temperatures could put them at even greater risk. The high number of deaths are due to seagrass die-off and pollution. The state and federal governments are trying to help the sea cows by bending the rules […] → Read More
Ocean Habitats creating mini reefs to help Southwest Florida waterways
A company is helping sea creatures find a home while cleaning up Southwest Florida’s waterways. On Wednesday, the company, Ocean Habitats, was hard at work installing “mini reefs.” One of the installations happened at Bob Carlson’s home on Marco Island. The mini reef is designed to attract crabs, fish and sea squirts while also filtering […] → Read More
Shy Wolf Sanctuary gifted Christmas trees for animals
Christmas trees make great house decor but did you know animals enjoy them too. The animals at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary will be enjoying trees in their enclosures after a large donation from the Davenport Nursery and Emfinger Farms. “These Christmas trees provide a natural enrichment, it gives them a woodsy effect, it gives them […] → Read More
Environmental groups threaten EPA with lawsuit for not protecting manatees
Environmental groups in Florida are threatening to sue the Environmental Protection Agency. These groups claim the EPA failed to protect manatees from water pollution. This possible lawsuit after more than 1,000 manatees have died across the state just this year. Environmental experts say not only is water quality in crisis, but they want those responsible […] → Read More
Piney Point wastewater could be injected into ground
Manatee County is planning on injecting the industrial wastewater from Piney Point underground. The county said doing so would help crews close the site for good but environmentalists are questioning whether it is safe. All eyes were on Piney Point during the spring when the fertilizer plant was close to collapse. The solution then was […] → Read More
What lies beneath? Study aims to learn what's in Lake O's sediment
A study is underway to find out what’s below the surface of Lake Okeechobee. Think of our water quality and the lake as a puzzle. There are many different pieces that contribute to the big picture. Understanding all those pieces gets us closer to cleaner water. One area that’s getting a closer look right now […] → Read More
How aquifer storage works and what it means for clean water
On Friday, WINK News got a sneak peek at a possible solution to our water problems. It is known as ASR or aquifer storage and recovery wells. It all starts where the Kissimmee river flows into Lake Okeechobee, but there’s a project underway that would clean and store the water before it flows into the […] → Read More
UF researchers receive federal funding to fight citrus greening
University of Florida researchers have received federal funding to combat citrus greening. This disease is devastating to citrus growers. Now, WINK News is showing you the research that is already underway to fight this disease. Just as people are dealing with the pandemic, the citrus industry is dealing with a pandemic of its own – […] → Read More
Volunteers needed in the research of algal bloom impacts on humans
There’s a coast-to-coast effort to understand algal blooms better, and that work just got another boost. From the air we breathe to the water we live, work, and play on; when there’s blue-green algae around, we can tell. Dr. Shirley Gordon is a principal investigator and professor, Florida Atlantic University. She said, “We focus on […] → Read More
New reservoir opens east of Lake Okeechobee
A new reservoir is officially open on the east side of Lake Okeechobee. This it is about half of the size of The City of Naples. The new reservoir could also be seen as a blueprint for cleaner waterways in what is being called a monumental day for Florida’s environment and water quality. Florida Lieutenant […] → Read More
Sustainable living: Composting can help to lessen waste and environmental impact
As consumers, we’re continuing to add to the amount of discarded trash, and as more people move to the Sunshine State, it’s only growing. One Fort Myers family is working to lessen their environmental impact through composting and shows us how they do it – in hopes to encourage others to do the same. The … → Read More
Southwest Florida represented during global climate change meeting
Leaders around the world are currently in Glasgow, Scotland to tackle climate change. Even Southwest Florida is being represented at this meeting. The Collier County Waterkeeper has made climate change one of his top priorities and now he’s speaking out about how to protect Florida. KC Schulberg is the Collier County Waterkeeper. “Whether you want … → Read More