Junk Removal in Palm Beach, FL

Floridians can be strange. Some of us say things like “jiffy feet,” we might ask Google questions like “What do I do if there’s a gator in my pool?” and we’re now known nationwide for spawning the “Florida man” stereotype.

And three weeks ago, the meaning of the phrase “Florida man” got a lot weirder and more star-studded, with the release of a new HBO show called “It’s Florida, Man.” (not to be confused with the series on Netflix simply called “Florida Man").

The first episode featured a very strange (and gross) story of a Florida man who enlisted the help of another Florida man to help him fulfill his wildest fantasy of having some of his toes eaten — yes, eaten.

Here’s what we know about HBO Max’s new Florida man show, what happened on the second episode last week and how to stream the third episode tonight.

What is the new Florida man show? Danny McBride's new HBO series about Florida

The show, executive produced by “East Bound and Down” and “Righteous Gemstones” star Dann McBride, is part documentary, part dramedy reenactment and has “more than two dozen guest stars will make special appearances throughout the series’ six episodes,” according to a press release from Warner Brothers.

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The first episode, titled “Toes” released on Oct. 18 and follows the story of a music fan who wants to see his favorite artist in concert and starts looking for ways to make extra cash online. He then “finds himself helping an Orlando man live out his extreme fantasy.”

The show begins with a disclaimer, of sorts.

“What you’re about to see may be dangerous, illegal, unethical, petty, misguided, immoral and – most definitely – stupid,” a southern-accented voice says before the show starts.

“But, it’s also all true… Sort of.”

What happened on the second episode of HBO's new Florida man show?

The second episode released last Friday, Oct. 25 and is titled "Gator." It's about Eric Merda, a man from Myakka City, which is an unincorporated community near Bradenton, whose "search for meaning ends in a bloody tussle with an alligator," according to the episode description.

"I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I'll stab you with the sharpest tool," Merda said to the camera, as he told the story of losing his arm in Lake Manatee, east of Bradenton.

The episode features a re-enactment of Eric's nearly deadly swim in Lake Manatee as he tells his story, spliced with commentary from Justin Matthews, a local wildlife expert and the founder of Matthews Wildlife Rescue in Bradenton.

Who did HBO cast in its Florida man series?

The show is stacked with famous faces, including Anna Faris, Jake Johnson, Randall Park, Juliette Lewis, Sam Richardson, Ego Nwodim, and more.

The first episode stars “Stranger Things” actor Matty Cardarople, “Always be my Maybe” and “WandaVision” actor Randall Park, “VEEP” actor Sam Richardson, and more.

“This hilarious and outrageous series sheds light on the viral, wacky, and weird. Covering diverse topics – from mermaids to witches, extreme fantasies, and feral bunnies with equal parts humor and heart,” Warner Brothers’ press release said.

“‘It’s Florida, Man.’ is a love letter to the beaches, backwaters, and especially the people of a misunderstood yet magical state.”

How to watch 'It's Florida, Man.' season 1 on HBO Max

“It’s Florida, Man.” season one, episode one released on HBO Max on Friday, Oct. 18, with new episodes releasing at 11 p.m. each Friday.

The third episode will release tonight, Friday, Nov. 1. Episodes are just under 30 minutes long. Both the first and second episode were just under a 25 minute runtime.

Ice skating under the South Florida sun? Absolutely! This morning, T.A. Walker is shining a light on how a local hotel is transforming its outdoor space into a frosty retreat that can handle the heat. T.A. connect us with an inside look at South Florida's latest and coolest attraction.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Ice skating under the South Florida sun? Absolutely! T.A. Walker is shining a light on how a local hotel is transforming its outdoor space into a frosty retreat that can handle the heat.

The Ben Hotel in West Palm Beach will unveil a new outdoor ice-skating rink, opening to the public on Saturday, Nov. 2 and running through March 1, 2025. Using state-of-the-art technology from Ice America, the rink promises a true winter experience, despite the tropical setting.

"We came up with the winter wonderland, with some food and beverage, music, and real outdoor ice skating rink next to a palm tree," said Bernardo Neto, the general manager of The Ben Hotel.

"Our fast-cooling aluminum floors can adjust to sudden temperature changes. Yes, we are talking about real ice in summer and heat load conditions up to 90°," said an Ice America spokesperson.

Saturday, West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James will be at the grand opening event and ribbon cutting at 10 a.m.

Families, couples, and friends can enjoy 90-minute skating sessions. Admission for kids ages 4 to 11 costs $10 and everyone else is $20.

Included with admission is access to the Winter Wonderland & Gingerbread Village, one-time ice-skating rink entry, and ice skate rental.

Hours of Operation:

Monday - Friday:

2:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Ice Resurfacing Breaks at 4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., 8 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Weekends and School Holidays:

9:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Ice Resurfacing Breaks at 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

10 PM Closing

Chalet Activations:

Snack Chalet: A seasonal assortment of sweet and savory rink-side snacks and treats.

Top Shelf Elf: Beer, wine, and festive cocktails.

Byrdie's: Warm up with hot cocoa and apple cider or satisfy your sweet tooth with nostalgic favorites.

Polar Emporium: Offers exclusive, limited-edition winter merchandise, featuring stylish apparel and unique seasonal accessories and novelties.

Copyright 2024 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Kimberly Miller

Mostly sunny skies with seasonal temperatures and low rain chances are predicted to continue through at least Election Day, giving voters in South Florida good weather to cast their ballots Nov. 5.

But people should keep an eye on the forecast with the National Hurricane Center watching three areas in the Atlantic basin for potential development. One area near Puerto Rico could increase rain chances for South Florida early next week.

A forecast from the NHC released the afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 31 includes a 10% chance that a spot of showers over the northeastern Caribbean Sea could develop into something tropical. The center increased the chances to 70% that an area of low pressure expected to form in the southwestern Caribbean Sea could form into a tropical depression or named storm over seven days. The chance for that system to form over the next two days is 30%.

Another area in the North Atlantic was given a 10% chance of development over seven days but is far from the U.S. at about 550 miles west of the western Azores and moving east.

If a tropical cyclone eventually does form from the area near Puerto Rico, it could push more moisture toward Florida, increasing rain chances, said Shawn Bhatti, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.

It would be unlikely, however, that the area in the southwestern Caribbean would affect South Florida until late next week, if at all, said Miami-based NWS meteorologist Jennifer Simmons.

“Tuesday right now is looking like it will be the same kind of 20 to 30% chance of isolated showers with high temperatures in the 80s,” Simmons said. “It looks like it will be a very nice day to be out and about and a nice day for voting.”

Regardless of Election Day weather, elections officials urge the electorate to use early voting

Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link said even the idea that there could be foul weather can discourage people from coming out on Tuesday to vote.

“Some people hear there may be some bad weather, and it’s enough for them not to want to get out and vote,” Link said Thursday after speaking at a North County Chamber of Commerce breakfast in Palm Beach Gardens. “But we’re stressing they still have four days (of early voting). We’re stressing do early voting, it’s efficient.”

In addition, Link said late last month that other factors, from traffic to a work assignment on Election Day, can delay prospective voters. As such, she has counseled the electorate not to wait until the last minute on Nov. 5 and to take advantage of the early voting option.

Early voting in Palm Beach County runs through 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3.

As of the end of the ninth day of early voting on Tuesday, Oct. 29, and including mail-in votes as of Wednesday morning Oct. 30, about 46% of Palm Beach County's 901,502 voters had cast ballots.

More:Palm Beach County early voting goes smoothly as high-stakes Election Day nears

The NHC first identified the area in the western Caribbean on Oct. 26, and with Floridians still reeling from three hurricanes — Debby, Helene and Milton — and a swarm of deadly tornadoes, any mention of a potential system can set people on edge.

Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach said tropical meteorologists have been able to identify areas of potential development earlier than normal this year because of an especially robust Madden-Julian Oscillation, or MJO. The oscillation is a cluster of thunderstorms and disturbed weather that circulates the globe every 30 to 60 days and can stir up tropical cyclones as it passes.

It is expected to be in the western hemisphere within the next week.

“Because the MJO has been so amplified, it really has helped to predict these things at longer ranges,” Klotzbach said. “I’ve been talking with colleagues about a potential Halloween storm since September.”

More:Hurricane center watching area in the Caribbean that could form into unusual November storm

But he cautioned that it's too early to say what will happen with the area in the southwestern Caribbean that has the highest chances of forming.

“It may just be a big sprawly mess that spins around the Caribbean,” Klotzbach said.

The next name on the 2024 hurricane list is Patty, followed by Rafael and Sara.

Michael Lowry, a meteorologist with South Florida ABC-TV affiliate WPLG-Channel 10, said in a forecast Thursday that more models are predicting that the potential area of low pressure in the southwestern Caribbean will drift to the northwest. That could bring a developing system into Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday, Nov. 5, into Wednesday, Nov. 6.

If something forms, it will likely drift into the Gulf of Mexico, but Lowry doesn’t believe it will make it far because of increasing wind shear common in the gulf as we get deeper into the fall season.

“This firehose of shear also gets an alley-oop from quickly cooling waters over the central and northern Gulf, stacking the odds against this one being an issue for the mainland U.S. for now,” Lowry said.

Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather, and the environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism; subscribe today.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

The five restaurants at Devonshire specialize in a different type of cooking, providing opportunities to try all kinds of food

DGB, Community Contributor

West Palm Beach, FL - "Dining is an important part of life at Devonshire," says Marge Housen, who lives at the Erickson Senior Living community at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Thanks to the Signature Dining program, Devonshire community members like Marge savor cooked-to-order meals made with the freshest ingredients.

"And each of our five restaurants specializes in a different type of cooking, providing opportunities to try all kinds of food," she explains. "Our talented chefs are very creative, so there are many choices for us to choose from every day."

"Our menu options reflect not only old favorites, but contemporary food trends that match--or beat--entrees offered at local restaurants," says Dining Services Director Joseph Marinelli. "Our goal is to exceed the expectations of our community members!"

Something for everyone

Find out what's happening in West Palm Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Dining choices at Devonshire range from casual cafes to full-service restaurants, where specialties are impeccably prepared and plated.

The Verandah restaurant--which boasts a true country club feel--offers popular buffet dinners, continental breakfast Monday through Saturday, and Sunday brunch. Although the menu is updated regularly to reflect feedback and seasonal availability, recent specialties have included penne with shrimp and pesto, roasted pork tenderloin, and beef bourguignon. The Verandah also has daily specials including a soup du jour and vegetarian dish.

Perfect for meeting friends for a quick bite or a cold beer, the Oxford Pub serves traditional comfort food in a casual British pub setting. Open for lunch and dinner, a wide variety of fresh salads and daily soup specials are also available.

The deli-style Piccadeli is another great spot for a light lunch, as it has a wide variety of signature soups and salads, burgers, and sandwiches.

Jacket required

The elegant Windsor restaurant offers first-class service, prime cuts of steak, and an extensive wine list. Recent non-beef options have included blue cheese gnocchi, shrimp Romesco, and chicken Milanese.

"The Windsor is my favorite restaurant. It's as good as any steak house in the area," says Marge. "In addition to the steaks and chops, prepared as you wish, the restaurant offers seafood, chicken, and even vegetarian options."

At the Cavendish, diners are treated to authentic, fresh seafood dinners with stunning views of the pool. Here, community members have enjoyed entrees like softshell crab, Mediterranean cod, linguine and clams, Tuscan salmon, and vegetarian lentil Dhal. Like the Windsor, the Cavendish requires jackets for gentlemen.

Powerful partnership

To ensure community member satisfaction at each of these unique eateries, Marinelli and his team maintain an open-door policy for feedback and suggestions.

"Dining touches community members' lives every day," he says. "Our menus reflect the partnership they have with our chefs. It's important that community members feel like they have a say in our restaurants and the meals they enjoy, as it's a part of their home. As a result, we appreciate their feedback--whether it's through food forums, comment cards, or one-on-one meetings."

Marinelli and Assistant Dining Services Director Ana Arias also meet monthly with the community members' culinary committee to gain more insight. Marge, who chairs the committee, notes that they are always listening.

"I never hesitate to talk with Joe or Ana regarding the committee's suggestions," says Marge. "Last week, our committee suggested adding a third cocktail--joining Bloody Marys and mimosas--to our Sunday brunch. They were very receptive, adding the fuzzy navel to our options."

Coming together

The Dining Services team also creates delicious menus for a full calendar of special events at the community. In addition to recognizing all major holidays, the team schedules themed dinners, often inspired by a chef's passion or a community member's request.

"As a multicultural community, we receive lots of requests," says Marinelli. "This year, we've highlighted Indian, Mexican, Cuban, and Spanish meals."

"Our community enjoys celebrating, embracing holidays and themed meals," says Marge. "I recently joined my neighbors for a 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' themed brunch. We all wore our little black dresses and pearls. For Kentucky Derby Day, all of the ladies came to the meal in their fanciest hats."

As a result of the Dining Services team's efforts, every meal--themed or not--is a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends and meet new neighbors.

"Whether it's a weeknight dinner or a holiday celebration, meals are a great way to meet someone new," says Marge. "Food does a wonderful job of bringing people together!"

Invest in your future self at Devonshire. From top-notch amenities to maintenance-free apartment homes, you are sure to live your retirement to the fullest. Request more information today!

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

A Florida surfer says he's thankful to be alive after being attacked by a shark not once, but twice now in his lifetime in the same area.

Both bites happened in the same waters, on Bathtub Beach in Martin County, a decade apart.

Charter boat captain and former competitive surfer Cole Taschman said he was paddling just past the reef when what he thinks was shark 7 or 8 feet long hit him from behind.

He described the shark as a “beast” to NBC affiliated WPTV, and thought it was a tiger or bull shark.

"Both feet were in the shark's mouth at once," he said. "I looked back and I kind of got a glimpse of him, very wide nose, and I screamed... I was like, I’m dead."

Taschman said his friends, also surfers, immediately came to his aid. His girlfriend even captured the dramatic moments from the shore.

"I got bit by a shark!" he yells in the video.

On the beach, his friends used their surf leashes to form a tourniquet and stop the bleeding as they raced to the nearest hospital.

From there, Taschman was transferred to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach.

"The injury from the shark was very impressive, like the lacerations from the shark teeth are almost as clean from the knives, the surgical steel, we use to do our surgeries," one of the surgeons on his team said.

This incident, Taschman said, was much more serious than the first time he was bitten. He told WPTV that he has had two surgeries to repair three tendons and received 93 stitches.

"The difference between a high school athlete and an Olympic athlete are the difference between the two bites--very different," he said.

The first time was in 2013, when Taschman was just 16 years old.

"It just happens so quickly that it’s a big adrenaline rush and it’s a lot of shock, and you do just kind of have a moment where it's like, 'OK I'm dead,'" he said.

And even though the chances of ever being attacked by a shark, let alone twice, are extremely low, Taschman said he doesn't feel unlucky.

"Don’t surf alone, and have your knowledge of what you're doing. Know how to use a leash as a tourniquet, know how to be prepared to do these activities," he said. "It's proper prior planning, you know?"