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DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – This Saturday is World Bee Day, but our global bee population is facing daunting challenges. Here in South Florida, though, residents are stepping up to protect bees, and urban hives are on the rise.

These days the city of Deerfield Beach is all abuzz.

It is one of 12 South Florida cities and towns with micro-apiaries on public land as a response to the dramatic decline in the nation’s bee population.

“There are needs everywhere,” said Hillary Silverstone, Sustainability Coordinator for Deerfield Beach. “The issue in South Florida is that there’s no space, and so we had a space, we had an opportunity.”

That’s why the DFBee Apiary was created as a refuge for rescued bees on the central city campus of Deerfield Beach.

“We just thought it was the perfect sanctuary for our bees to come and thrive,” said Silverstone.

The man who made it happen is urban beekeeper John Coldwell.

“All we’re doing is we’re going into Deerfield Beach and pulling bees out of places where they don’t belong,” he said.

Coldwell brings feral colonies he rescues to the DFBee Apiary where he cares from them after saving them from extermination. He loves bees so much that for the past 12 years he and his wife Teresa have made this their passion project.

“It’s like this Zen ethereal moment when you open that box up,” he said. “I watch what they’re doing on the comb, I can tell if they’re strong, I can tell if they’re healthy, I can tell how old they are, and you can just watch every one of them doing their job. It’s just amazing.”

Bees are one of the planet’s most prolific pollinators. About one-third of the food we eat comes from flowers and plants that bees pollinate, representing billions of dollars in agriculture each year.

When their numbers around the world began to rapidly decline in 1990, alarm bells went off.

Dr. William Kern is a honey bee expert at the University of Florida. He said since 2008, the state has seen an 800% increase in the number of registered beekeepers, with many of them small scale backyard beekeepers.

“Many of our native bees are suffering because of habitat loss, it is the main problem, but honeybees are actually doing okay in Florida,” said Kern. “We’ve also increased the number of hives in Florida by 400% in that same period, so I think we’re now over half a million hives, I think 600,000 hives in the state of Florida.”

That’s good news for our honeybees, which are facing increasing threats due to climate change, habitat loss, pesticides and the invasive Varroa mite from China, which is infecting and killing whole hives with a deadly virus.

It is the backyard beekeeper who is saving our bees.

“You’d be amazed how many backyard beekeepers there are, like 6000 in the state of Florida,” said Caldwelll. “Probably 25 to 30% of them are from Lake (Okeechobee) down.”

That is the goal of these urban apiaries like the DFBee, to inspire and educate future beekeepers who will make sure our Florida hives continue to thrive.

There is even a livestream camera inside the apiary to show residents what the buzz is all about. It’s Bee TV.

The public is also encouraged to visit in person, no matter what age.

“At first kids are very nervous to come out, but we give them veils to put on and then once they get out here, they love it,” said Silverstone. “They think it’s so cool, and it is so cool.”

One well-managed hive can produce 40 lbs. of honey a year.

There are about 15 thriving colonies at the DFBee Apiary, home to some 350,000 honeybees that are pollinating trees, plants and flowers within a three mile radius.

“These bees from South Florida will end up and all of Florida will end up throughout the entire country, pollinating the food that ends up back in your grocery store,” said Caldwell, who said now, more than ever, it’s time more Floridians step up to help our bees.

“If you want to be a beekeeper, come here, and we’ll teach you to be a good beekeeper,” he said. “And we’ll help you make strong healthy bees.”

Even if beekeeping is not for you, there are things we can all do every day to help our bees, such as planting native plants, flowers and trees that bees like in our yards and gardens.

South Floridians can also cut back on pesticides or use organic ones that are bee friendly.

Most importantly, don’t kill bees. If you have a bee infestation, contact a licensed beekeeper that can try to save the hive and not exterminate it.

For more information on bee keeping, the University of Florida offers a crash course with their bee college. To visit their website, click here.

RELATED LINKS

Deerfield Beach DFBee Apiary

Florida Department of Agriculture: Honey Bee Protection in Florida

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Two teens are facing charges after loaded firearms, loaded magazines and illegal narcotics were found inside a car in the parking lot at Deerfield Beach High School Monday, officials said.

Broward Sheriff's Office officials said the discovery was made just after 2 p.m., shortly before student dismissal.

Officials said a Broward County Public Schools security specialist noticed a person asleep in a running car in the school’s parking lot and contacted her supervisor.

The supervisor searched the vehicle, located a handgun inside a backpack and immediately contacted the BSO school resource deputy.

Deputies found two firearms and several loaded magazines along with the drugs, which included MDMA, mushrooms and cannabis, BSO officials said. A photo released by BSO showed the items found in the car.

Aerial footage from Chopper 6 showed deputies searching a white sedan, which was later towed from the school.

There were no known threats to the school and no injuries, officials said..

Two 17-year-old suspects, one attends the school and one who doesn't, were detained, BSO said. They were later charged with possession of a weapon on school property, possession of MDMA and possession with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver THC.

In court Tuesday, it was revealed that the teens live together, and the suspect who does not attend Deerfield Beach High School said he lives in Broward County and attends school online.

The non-DBHS student is staying with the other because he told the judge he was recently kicked out of his house. Since that is the case, the judge did not place a no-contact order between the teens.

Both will be back in court on Feb. 5th.

The incident caused the school to be placed on lockdown and caused worry among students and staffers.

"I was coming from track practice and I saw all the helicopters in the sky," one student told NBC6.

"It’s like part of going to school is learning how to lock down, which is horrible. They shouldn’t have to know," said Allison Roussel.

On the day of this discovery, the superintendents of Miami-Dade and Broward schools spoke to NBC6 about boosting security on campuses — such as investing in metal detectors and conducting more "wanding" checks — after recent incidents involving weapons.

This news also comes just days after a Stranahan High School student was arrested after he brought a loaded gun to campus.

A 25-year-old Fort Lauderdale man was arrested Thursday after attacking a woman at a business in Deerfield Beach before forcing her into a car and driving off with her, a probable cause affidavit said.

James Alexander Cure III faces charges of kidnapping, burglary with assault or battery, burglary of a dwelling, structure or conveyance and three counts of battery stemming from the incident Thursday morning near the 2001 block of West Sample Road, according to court records. He was held in the Broward Main Jail as of Friday night.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office said Cure knew the woman whom he attacked but did not provide further information on their relation to one another.

Before Cure arrived at the business in Deerfield Beach, he and the victim were arguing over text message, the affidavit said. Cure took an Uber to the business and demanded to talk to her.

Another woman inside the business told Cure the victim did not want to talk to him and that he needed to leave, the affidavit said. Cure then jumped over a reception counter, shoving the woman who told him to leave and at least one other person.

As Cure searched the business for the woman, he opened the doors of nearby offices and shoved one of the other victims again in doing so while they hid in one of the offices, the affidavit said.

Cure found the victim in a hallway and demanded she gather her things, the affidavit said. He grabbed the back of her neck and forced her into her office and took her cell phone away as she gathered her things.

Cure walked out of the business with the woman, and they got into the woman’s car parked in the back, the affidavit said. The woman started experiencing a medical issue shortly into the drive and Cure dropped her off at a hospital in Margate. The medical issue is redacted in the affidavit.

One of the witnesses who called 911 told a detective that when Cure was in the business, he slammed a backpack on a desk and said, “I’m not the one to be f—– with.” The witness said it sounded like a gun was in the backpack when it hit the desk, according to the affidavit.

Authorities later found Cure at a Wawa gas station on North State Road 7 in Margate, the affidavit said. Later that day, detectives obtained a search warrant for the victim’s apartment, where she gave them Cure’s backpack. The backpack had a pistol inside with three magazines and Cure’s identification.

Time to ditch your smartphones and grab a turkey leg, because the Florida Renaissance Festival is taking Deerfield Beach on a whimsical ride to the past. The 32nd iteration of this beloved event has officially flung open its gates at Quiet Waters Park, according to WSVN, with a lineup of themed weekends that are set to sprinkle some old-world charm on your modern life.

The festival began its journey this year on February 3, and promises to keep delightfully ensnaring visitors with its medieval shenanigans through March 24. Each weekend has been carefully crafted to feature a unique theme, from the magic-inspired "Cauldron of Chaos" to the buccaneer bash "Scoundrels of the High Seas," reports Local 10. These themed escapades pledge to not just entertain, but fully immerse visitors in a kaleidoscope of times past.

For those wondering what to expect, you're in for a treat. Well beyond simply throwing it back to the Renaissance, guests can expect performances, ye olde vendors, and quests that might make you seriously consider trading in your car for a noble steed. And yes, while it might be tempting to stay in Bard character perpetually after the experience, the festival does have an end date. So, sharpen your lances, or rather your credit cards, because this trip across the centuries is one for the books.

They're a reasonable $32 for adults and $14 for kiddos aged six to eleven - you can safely leave your doubloons at home. There's even a golden ticket of sorts; a seasonal pass available running you about $160 for adults and $70 for the little squires, quickly proving to be a fan favorite for Time Lords and Ladies who plan to return more than once. And let's be honest, with a finale weekend titled "Into the Woods," the question isn't if you'll want to come back, it's how could you possibly resist?

So if you're looking to break free from the drudgery of modern life and dive headfirst, into some historical revelry, grab your cape and head to Deerfield Beach. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to sunset, leaving plenty of time to joust, jest, and jig to your heart's content. For more particulars on this anachronistic adventure, like how to get your hands on those tickets, check out their website.

A new Aldi grocery store will replace a commercial building at Crossroads Shopping Center in Deerfield Beach, amid redevelopment of the retail property.

Following demolition of the 25,000-square-foot commercial building that has office and retail tenants, construction of the 19,432-square-foot Aldi store should be completed by June 2024, said Clifford Stein, who runs Pathway Ventures, Ltd., the owner of the shopping center at Sample and Powerline roads.

“We have slowly been redeveloping the property, from what used to be an office park, then slowly became an office-retail park,” Stein told The Real Deal on Thursday. “It was flourishing for many years. But markets change. You’ve just got to roll with the punches.”

About seven years ago, Pathway Ventures demolished two commercial buildings at the shopping center that totaled 32,725 square feet and replaced them with a 3,400-square-foot Wendy’s restaurant and a 6,119-square-foot Wawa gas station and convenience store. Pathway subsequently sold both out-parcel properties, Stein said.

In 1998, Pathway Ventures paid $11 million to acquire the Crossroads Shopping Center from Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, according to Broward County property records. Two years later, Deerfield Beach annexed the property at 2301 West Sample Road.

“We bought it out of foreclosure,” Stein said. “Mutual of New York had the mortgage on it, and it went into foreclosure. We ended up being the receiver, and we ended up buying the property.”

The new Aldi store will be built on a 1.7-acre site fronting Sample Road just west of the Wawa. The Deerfield Beach City Commission last week approved a site plan for the grocery store development. The city is processing a building permit application for the project, Stein said.

Aldi has 213 stores in Florida, far more than in any of the other 49 states, according to its website. Its Florida operations include two existing grocery stores in Deerfield Beach at 3825 West Hillsboro Boulevard and at 747 South Federal Highway.

Crossroads Shopping Center spans about 25 acres at a transit-oriented location and could encompass various types of future developments, including industrial buildings and workforce housing, Stein said.

“We have plans for different phases for the rest of the site. We’ve got quite a bit of land,” he said. The partial redevelopment of the property so far “wasn’t like a grand scheme plan. It was more like the market was telling me what was needed there, as vacancies started to increase, and tenants started to move elsewhere.”