Be Bear Aware
Maybe you could resist a half-eaten fish sandwich in a dumpster, but the bears that frequent Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe in Ochopee go crazy for them. So, naturally, the guy taking out the trash has to be careful. Unfortunately, as we Floridians continue to build in black bear habitat, encounters between bears and humans are bound to happen more frequently. That’s why the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission initiated a public awareness program called, “Be Bear Aware."

Sun ‘N Fun
Vintage WWII bombers … homemade helicopters … and amphibious airplanes designed for overnight camping – these are just a few of the unique flying machines you can see at the annual Sun `n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland. The airshow – which attracts some 150,000 aviation enthusiasts every year – has grown to be the second largest in the country. New Florida drops in on the week-long festivities.

Student Simfonico
As school assemblies go, this one was pretty unique. Unique enough, in fact, that it was webcast to other schools throughout the state. After all, how often does a Latin Grammy award-winning band have its North American debut in a Florida school? New Florida joins the students of Pompano Beach High School to witness a rousing performance by Brazilian ensemble “Jobim Sinfonico.”

Art Therapy
In the hospitals and healthcare centers run by the Lee Memorial Health System in southwest Florida, the doctors & nurses still administer medications, but clowns, poets and artists provide some healing services of their own. They’re all part of an innovative program called “Arts in Healthcare,” and their efforts to entertain patients are showing real, measurable results. New Florida checks into one hospital to see how storytelling, art and music are helping the people there heal.

Antique Automobile Amor
Some people like their car.  Some people love their car.   And some people live for their car.  So it’s no surprise that folks in that last group flock to car shows like the one hosted recently by the Fort Lauderdale branch of the Antique Automobile Club of America.  There, vintage car lovers talk breathlessly of “heavy cams,” “continental kits,” and chrome.  And as New Florida found out, it’s talk like this that really gets the oil pumping through their veins.