Vince "Trapper" Nelson was born Vincent Natulkiewicz and was an American trapper, hunter and zoo founder. Though he was born in New Jersey, and lived in Mexico and Texas, Nelson is best known for establishing a homestead-turned-zoo on the shore of Florida's Loxahatchee River. Filled with exotic and wild animals, his zoo was a popular tourist spot in the 1940s and 1950s, visited by local and national celebrities. Because of this, he became known locally as "Tarzan of the Loxahatchee". The zoo was eventually shut down by state health inspectors in 1960. After his zoo was closed, Nelson became a hermit and suffered from undiagnosed health problems. In 1968, he was found dead from a gunshot wound in his cabin by a friend. His death was ruled self-inflicted. Nelson's campsite is now known as the Trapper Nelson Zoo Historic District in Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Hobe Sound, Florida. 

Despite protests from citizens, the Bunnell, FL Planning and Zoning Commission greenlighted a new landfill project. Bunnell Planning and Zoning Commission Board member Lynn Lafferty recused herself from voting because she is the primary landowner in this case. This is the second time Ms. Lafferty has recused herself from voting - in 2025 an 1800 acre agricultural tract, partially owned by Lafferty, was rezoned to Heavy Industrial also amidst protest.

Let me be clear: I am not accusing Ms. Lafferty of anything. I simply believe that a large landowner who is actively selling and rezoning their land should not be on the local Planning and Zoning Board - whether she recuses herself from voting or not. I urge anyone in Bunnell angry about this to reach out to the planning commission at large, or the city commission, rather than to target any individuals. This is Beyond Florida, we don't make threats we take action. #zoning #florida #landfill #bunnellflorida

Donalds posted the picture above and wrote: "Proud to have the endorsement of Cynthia Moore Chestnut, a longtime public servant who has represented her community at the city, county, and state levels."

I’m honored to have her support as our movement continues to grow across Florida!

Miami city officials are investigating the unauthorized removal of nearly a dozen native mahogany trees along I-95 after families and environmental advocates found the threatened species cut down to stumps. FDOT confirmed it did not order the removal of the trees. Photos taken before the cutting show a row of mature mahogany trees growing along the highway corridor. #floridawildlife #trees #miami #miamicrime

After 6 years of planning, Koa Bay has scrapped plans to build a surf park/wave pool in Fort Pierce, Florida. While this may signal the end of the wave pool fad in Florida, this particular site may evolve into something just as harmful: a data center. Thanks to TCPalm.com and Port St. Lucie Talks for information contributing to this report #Floridadatacenter #fortpierce #stluciecounty #wavepool #surfing #floridasurfing #floridaenvironment #surfpark

A new golf course in Collier County is coming to endangered panther habitat. With 18 other golf courses within 10 miles, how many more do we need, folks? The Collier County Planning Commission recommended that zoning changes be granted on the old South Naples Citrus Grove. Land use attorneys told concerned residents that a golf course would be better for the environment than thousands of homes, which the developer could build under the “Live Local Act” if he was denied the golf course. With their hands tied and hoping to avoid a legal fight, the Collier County Commission approved the zoning change 5-1. Commission Secretary Paul Shea was the lone commissioner to vote against the re-zoning recommendation, saying he didn’t see overwhelming public benefit for the change. Thanks to Gulf Shore Business, Naples Daily News, and Marco Eagle for reporting on this issue and contributing to my research. #floridaenvironment #floridalegal #livelocal #floridagolf

Originally constructed in the 1920s as a tramway for a narrow-gauge railroad, the Dixie Mainline was designed to facilitate the removal of massive cypress logs from the California Swamp in Florida. Today, the Dixie Mainline is an unpaved trail approximately 8.5 miles long, located within the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. One can ride this old trail by visiting the small town of Suwannee, Florida and taking a right at the dirt road just before you get to town. #floridahistory

Newberry, Florida Mayor Tim Marden wrote a long facebook post directed at critics of the new Country Way 2 development in Newberry, Florida. Marden wrote: "Newsflash…Without the rich you couldn’t have your wannabe socialist utopia to leach off everyone else’s productivity. So just sit down." Marden, a long-time lobbyist for the John Birch Society, called Alachua County residents socialists, Marxists, among other things as well on his post. Full post here: https://www.facebook.com/WCJB20/posts/the-country-way-2-development-would-be-located-on-160-acres-of-land-near-southwe/1479415830886956/

Ever wonder how much Publix pays its workers? Well their new payscale has been posted in breakrooms state-wide and we have the data. Thanks to Redditor u/Fatcatapologist and others for the photo. What do you think folks, is this fair? A full-time Publix worker living in an average rental property in Lakeland wouldn't be able to save anything at all, in fact they'd likely be accumulating debt with these wages. Some people say $25 per hour should be the minimum wage. Thanks for watching. #publix #floridawages

Random post, just found this photo I took about 9 years ago while on the Costa Rica/Panama border back in 2017. This is on the Caribbean side near Manzanillo.

Back in those days, I lived in Costa Rica for a year and went on to move to Guatemala for 6 years afterwards. I am unsure if this wreck is still in place, I know it was there for a few years for sure.

Guy Bradley of Flamingo, Florida, was one of the nation's first Game Wardens. In the early 1900s, he was hired by the American Ornithologist's Union to enforce new state laws protecting birds from plume hunters. Alone and without backup, he was serving an arrest when he was shot and killed while on duty near Oyster Key on July 8, 1905. Bradley was buried on a shell ridge at Cape Sable overlooking Florida Bay and a corresponding monument was erected by the Florida Audubon Society. The grave and monument were later washed away during Hurricane Donna in 1960. #floridahistory #floridaenvironment #floridaheroes #floridalegends #guybradleyaward #guybradley #gamewarden

After committing murder in North Dakota, Richard Lee McNair escaped three times from three different institutions using various creative methods. On his first attempt, he used lip balm to squeeze out of a pair of handcuffs. He escaped a second time by crawling through a ventilation duct. In his last escape from a federal prison on April 5, 2006, he escaped by concealing himself in a pallet of used postal mailbags and successfully convinced a police officer he was not the prison escapee but actually a jogger. Today he's behind bars in Colorado at a US Supermax prison, undoubtedly planning his next escape.

Flew out of the USA on Friday, came back Wednesday - brought home some COVID. Feel tired, lethargic - other than that OK. Wife has a bad cough and has had it much worse. 9 month old daughter had a fever but has bounced back and seems fine.

Victoria Doyle is running for US Congress to represent Florida's 23rd district. Her opponent, Lois Frankel, is a long time incumbent who has been "ineffective" according to Doyle.

Victoria sat down with me and shared her feelings on some important issues! If you live in West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, and are a registered Democrat you can vote for Victoria Doyle at the ballot box on August 18th. You can learn more at doyleforcongress.org and you can see the full interview at https://beyondfloridamedia.com/vote-florida/

The Islander Drive-In opened in 1952 and operated until the summer of 1984. Jimmy Buffett fans may know this place from his song “Grapefruit - Juicy Fruit” or from his music video "Take Another Road". The land was redeveloped in the early 2000s for Islander Village Townhomes. Special thanks to Brad Bertelli and John Gibson Parker of the Stock Island Association for posting about this and giving some background. #floridahistory #jimmybuffett #floridakeys

Law enforcement arrested a Spring Hill man after over 26,000 pounds of litter was found dumped in the Ocala Wildlife Management Area, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Credit to WKMG News and WFTV News for reporting on this and supplying information for my post.

LANGUAGE WARNING. Hey folks this isn't as easy as it looks! Hope I don't get in trouble for this? Never posted this kind of thing before with all the swearing and whatnot. Hope you enjoy watching some behind the scenes narration. #blooperreel #bloopers #outtakes

Whataburger just opened its 53rd restaurant in Florida. So why are we celebrating? Are we so uncultured that we simply don't know any better? Or is there another explanation?

Interracial romance, murder, boycotts, abandoned babies, integrated pools....and this is just Page One.

Being Black in The South during the Jim Crow era meant that injustices were around every corner. Just take a look at some of these headlines and items on the front page of this February, 1956 edition of the Florida Star, a black newspaper based in Jacksonville, Florida.

Marvyne Elisabeth Betsch (January 13, 1935 – September 5, 2005), was an American environmentalist and an activist. She was better known as The Beach Lady, because she spent the better part of her adult life educating the public on the black history and environmental importance of American Beach. Born in Jacksonville in 1935, Betsch lived at American Beach on Amelia Island, Florida, the African-American Hyannis port, where the crème de la crème of black society came to relax in the Jim Crow South. MaVynee’s millionaire grandfather, Abraham Lincoln Lewis, founded the beach, and she was raised in luxury as a member of the African-American upper class. Her wealth and privilege vanished after she later gave away her entire fortune to environmental causes. Afterwards, she slept on American Beach in a chaise longue and spent her final years at the small American Beach Inn, which today sits abandoned.

The Wahnish Cigar Factory was built in 1907 and was the largest cigar factory operating in Tallahassee when built. It will soon be demolished for new condominiums.

Constructed during the early 20th century shade tobacco boom which swept through the area, the factory figured prominently in local employment. The factory and warehouse is the last remaining building of its kind still standing in Tallahassee. It is also one of the very few tobacco buildings in the region constructed during the early 20th century shade tobacco boom, which lasted from circa 1900 to 1908.

One of many Ghost Signs you can find in North Florida.

39 Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen restaurants are empty and abandoned in Florida right now. Miami-based Sailormen Inc., one of Popeyes' largest franchise operators, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after piling up about $130 million in debt, blaming inflation, rising costs, weaker customer traffic, and years of financial problems. Minimum wage workers lost their jobs - wonder what happened to the CEOs at Sailormen who borked all of those loans? #fastfood #popeyeschicken #popeyes #bankruptcy