Florida
Two Publix stores sit just 500 feet apart in this Northeast Florida city — but why?
NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – It’s pretty much a Florida tradition for any beach day: You load up the car and on the way to the ocean, you make the obligatory Publix run to grab all the beach essentials like Pub Subs, sweet tea and fried chicken.
Just check social media. There are a ton of creators who describe their Publix pit stops as a mandatory step before any fun-in-the-sun activity.
But any beachgoers heading down Atlantic Boulevard toward Neptune Beach will have a choice to make. That’s because two Publix stores sit just over 500 feet apart.
Yes, you read that right.
There are over 20 Publix stores in Jacksonville alone. Sometimes it feels like there’s one on every corner. And on Atlantic Boulevard just before 3rd Street, it’s like you’re seeing double.
Publix Super Market at Seminole Shoppes at 630 Atlantic Blvd. opened in 2010. It’s probably the most familiar Publix in the area if you don’t visit Neptune Beach often.
So, it might be a bit confusing to see a more modern-looking Publix sitting at the Neptune Beach Plaza on 580 Atlantic Blvd., just to the left of the original 54,130 square-foot store.
The updated store opened in 2023 after the company acquired the 29,810 square foot space that formerly housed Lucky’s Market for $2.3 million, according to News4JAX news partner the Jax Daily Record.
As convenient as it may sound, it’s also confusing. Why did the Florida-born company feel the need to build another Publix close to…well, another Publix?
A spokesperson for the company told News4JAX it is not “unusual to have Publix locations close in proximity.”
There are similar situations in St. Johns County, though not quite to the extreme happening at the Beaches.
In Nocatee, the Super Market at Nocatee Town Center at 120 Marketside Avenue sits less than a half mile from a Publix GreenWise Market across the street at 250 Pine Lake Drive.
GreenWise is Publix’s organic brand that was expanded to stand-alone stores with four locations in Florida, according to an online locator map.
St. Augustine’s Publix at Market at Shoppes at Murabella has a newly opened Publix Super Market at Parkey Village of St. Johns that sits right across State Road 16.
While both Neptune Beach stores are fully open and have been successfully operating next to each other, residents admitted the concept was rather strange.
McKenzie Fletcher moved to Atlantic Beach from Ponte Vedra Beach and shops at the newer Publix in Neptune Beach.
She said she questioned the employees about the store’s purpose.
“This is now the closest Publix to me and I was asking if they were shutting down the old one. Hence, why this one is brand new,” Fletcher said.
Nope, that’s not the case here. Both stores are open with no intention of shutting down.
When News4JAX reached out to Publix to learn the differences between the stores, the spokesperson confirmed while both stores operate as a “traditional Publix” with most grocery departments and a full-service bakery and deli, the newer store includes features from the GreenWise brand.
“The Neptune Beach Plaza location also has a Pours section where customers can purchase items like acai bowls, smoothies, beer, wine, coffee or tea and sip while they shop,” the spokesperson said.
Fletcher found the additional store to be convenient despite her confusion.
“It’s slightly closer to my house and it is kind of like stop-and-go. I do feel like they do have special things like the little bar and stuff. It’s cute.” Fletcher said.
Other people News4JAX spoke to also seemed to question the dueling Publixes.
One woman commutes around four miles from the Golden Glades neighborhood to shop at the newer Publix store because the store at Atlantic and Hodges Boulevards is temporarily closed for construction.
“I thought it was little a odd. I thought maybe because the one at Hodges is closed, maybe they thought they were going to have a bit of a spillover. I’m not quite sure why they did that. It is interesting,” one woman told News4JAX.
We asked Publix for a construction update and have not heard back.
But even with double the opportunity to buy groceries “where shopping is a pleasure,” some found minor inconveniences.
Another Atlantic Beach resident pointed out that the newer Publix does not have a pharmacy, which makes him have to take a trip to the older store. Although the two stores are side-by-side, unless you’re walking, you can’t simply drive from one store parking lot to another because there is a barrier blocking access.
News4JAX asked the spokesperson about the barrier but they did not immediately respond.
“As a whole, we look for opportunities to best serve our customers and, in some cases, alleviate congestion in stores, in addition to allowing for the best traffic patterns in a particular area,” the spokesperson said responding to a separate email asking about the benefit both stores serve.
Most people we spoke with said they preferred the newer location because it didn’t seem as busy.
“I prefer the smaller one. There’s a different atmosphere, a little bit more positive. It’s a little easier to find stuff, less walking. It’s the same thing. It’s just newer,” one man said.
The two locations have coexisted for at least a year. One thing is for sure, Floridians love Publix, so double the opportunity is a double bonus for shoppers.
The ever-growing grocery store recently opened a new Jacksonville location at 11341 Normandy Boulevard in the Plaza at Normandy. The closest store to that location is 5.3 miles away.
Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.
A Florida surgeon who is facing criminal charges after allegedly removing a patient’s liver instead of his spleen has said he is “forever traumatized” by that person’s death.
In a deposition from November that was recently obtained by NBC, 44-year-old Thomas Shaknovsky described the death of 70-year-old William Bryan as an “incredibly unfortunate event that I regret deeply”.
Bryan died after the botched surgery; and in April, a grand jury in Tallahassee indicted Shaknovsky on a charge of manslaughter.
“I’m forever traumatized by it and hurt by it,” Shaknovsky added, also saying that wrong-site surgeries can happen “during difficult circumstances”.
The deposition provided Shaknovksy’s first detailed account of the operation that killed Bryan and eventually garnered national news headlines.
According to Shaknovksy’s deposition, after removing Bryan’s liver, the surgeon instructed a nurse to label the organ as a “spleen” – and he also identified it as a spleen in Bryan’s postoperative notes. Shaknovsky later said he had been “mentally compromised” at the time of Bryan’s death, explaining that he was “devastated, demoralized, crying over his passing, felt that I failed him”.
A lawsuit filed by Bryan’s widow, Beverly Bryan, accuses Shaknovsky of medical malpractice. The suit alleges that he “wrongfully omitted any reference to Mr Bryan’s liver being removed in order to ‘cover up’ his gross negligence/recklessness and to hopefully avoid the embarrassment due to such derelict care”, as NBC reported.
In April, the Walton county sheriff’s office said in a statement that Shaknovsky’s actions inflicted on Bryan “catastrophic blood loss and the patient’s death on the operating table”.
Shaknovsky’s deposition testimony described the chaos in the operating room after Bryan began bleeding extensively, causing his heart to stop. Medical staff performed chest compressions, and Shaknovsky attempted to find where the bleeding was coming from.
“I couldn’t tell the difference because I was so upset,” he said, referring to the organ he mistakenly identified.
“It was like a overflown sink that’s clogged up, and I am looking for a fork at the bottom, trying to feel and find the bleed, and I was not able to do so,” Shaknovsky said. He added: “After 20 minutes of struggling – desperately trying – to save his life, that’s when the wrong-site event took place.
“It’s a devastating thing, which I will have to live with the rest of my life,” Shaknovsky said in the eight-hour deposition reviewed by NBC. “I think about it every single day.”
After the medical team was unable to resuscitate Bryan, Shaknovsky said he went to the hospital’s medical library. “I went there to cry because I was devastated,” he said. “I didn’t want the staff to see me like that.”
Despite a spleen typically being significantly smaller than a liver, Shaknovsky said he believed Bryan’s spleen was “double the size of what is normal” because of a mass on it. Beverly Bryan’s lawsuit, however, states that a medical examiner told her that her husband’s spleen was anatomically “nearly normal”, according to NBC.
Shaknovsky would face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if eventually convicted as charged.
Omelet, taco and chicken salad joints are in, while spaghetti gelato, pizza and (for now) wing places are out.
At least when it comes to recent openings and closings on the Southwest Florida foodie scene, that is.
Let’s begin this recap of events in Cape Coral, where a popular breakfast-and-lunch restaurant made its long-awaited debut.
This is where the omelets come in…
House of Omelets
The fourth location of this popular breakfast and lunch restaurant made its highly anticipated debut along Cape Coral Parkway on Monday, May 4.
“It’s amazing,” owner Toni Dedaj said. “I’m very happy. I like this area, the way Cape Coral is growing. And this building is beautiful.”
That building is the eye-catching Bimini Square off Cape Coral Parkway. House of Omelets, which anchors the first-floor northeast corner unit, has a classic European feel. With seating for 89 inside and 40 outside, it’s about half the size of Dedaj’s Pine Island Road location.
“We like it,” he said. “We still have the big menu, but we like the smaller seating area. Service is more personal.”
And speaking of that menu (the same you’ll find at all House of Omelets locations), it is indeed huge, with about 30 signature omelets alone. Add in all the egg dishes (House Slam is a best seller), favorites (like corned beef hash and chicken & waffles), off the griddle dishes (multiple pancake, French toast and waffle options), Benedicts and crepes, and we’re already up to huge without even getting to the lunch items.
Those include appetizers, salads, signature sandwiches (from lobster grilled cheese to Philly steak), burgers & melts, and pitas & wraps. Free parking can be found in the parking garage, shared with neighboring Bimini Basin Seafood.
“It’s easy in and out,” Dedaj said. “Very easy. Come visit us.” Find it at 440 Cape Coral Parkway; (239) 360-8083; there are two locations in Cape Coral and one each in Fort Myers and Naples. Go to houseofomelets.com or follow on Instagram.
Chicken Salad Chick
More than 100 customers were waiting outside when this chicken salad-loving, fast-casual restaurant opened its new Cape Coral location on April 29. Located in the Shops at Del Sol (near Swig!), Chicken Salad Chick has 13 different types of chicken salad, including traditional, fruity & nutty, savory and spicy flavors. Get it in one or two scoops, in a sandwich, in a melt (Bacon cheddar or chicken) or in a BLT. A turkey club is also available. It’s all scratch-made, just like the sides which include broccoli, grape and pasta salads, fresh fruit, mac ‘n cheese and soup. A few desserts (white chocolate layer cake and signature cookies) are also on the menu. Get it all by dining in, driving through, taking out, or by delivery. It’s open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Go to chickensaladchick.com or follow on Facebook for more.
Point Ybel Brewing
We recently checked out this brewery’s new downtown Fort Myers location off First Street in the Fortiner Building, and we love it. It’s all the good things from the original San Carlos Boulevard location plunked down in a lighter, brighter space (and it’s next to another Chocolattes location!!!). With 17 taps, you’ll find all the same award-winning beers Point Ybel is known for — including Sanibel Light, Snook Bite IPA, Sanibel Red and (our favorite) The Full Breakfast stout. Even though it’s only been open since April 11, it’s already right at home with a full slate of events — from live music and yoga to trivia and music bingo.
“This is a new chapter for us,” owner and brewer Jordan Weisberg said. “We’re excited for it. We want to build the same community downtown that we have (in south Fort Myers).”
It’s off to a great start. Drop by 2451 First St., Fort Myers; (239) 603-6565; pointybelbrew.com and on Facebook
Turco Taco
With three locations in Naples, this fast-casual taco joint has finally come to downtown Fort Myers. It opened April 24 at 2451 First Street. In a former office space, it’s across from Fort Myers Regional Library, on the northwest corner of First and Bay streets. Turco Taco is known for its fresh and bold gourmet Mexican-Turkish fusion tacos, gourmet quesadillas and organic salads. We can’t wait to check it out. (239) 344-7732; theturcotaco.com or on Facebook
Capriotti’s
We’ve already reported that this popular Delaware-founded chain opened a Cape Coral location on April 28 in the Shops at Del Mar off Pine Island Road. But can we just say that The Bobbie — billed as the original Thanksgiving sandwich — lives up to the hype? The slow-roasted turkey (cooked overnight and hand-pulled in the morning), house-made stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayo combination won us over on the first bite. Order it hot or cold, in 4, 8, 10 or 18-inch sizes. And if you’re not feeling Thanksgiving-y, Capriotti’s has plenty of other options, including cheesesteaks, tuna, classic Italian, BLT, meatball, Capastrami, Wagyu beef sandwiches and more. Find it all at 327 SW 10th Place, unit 202, Cape Coral; (239) 471-0469; capriottis.com or follow on Facebook.
Closings
The Fat Apple: The sign is down and the doors of this pizza joint in North Fort Myers are locked. After nine years, this staple in the Publix-anchored Eagle Landing plaza off Bayshore Road has permanently closed. It steadily built a loyal following after Guy Beekman, who owned the legendary Birdie’s Pizza in Fort Myers for 20 years, opened it in July 2017.
Spaghy Gelato: This small Cape Coral shop in Chelsea Place off Del Prado Boulevard has closed. “Cape Coral … thank you,” an April 28 post on its Facebook page read. “Because of your support, your love, your energy … we’re taking the next step. We are officially relocating to the East Coast.” It was known for its viral spaghetti gelato — handcrafted gelato shaped into spaghetti form and topped with a variety of toppings. “Thank you for the memories, the laughs, and for believing in something a little different,” the post concluded.
Wingnuts: After spending the last 15 years at 231 Del Prado Blvd. in Cape Coral, this popular chicken wing restaurant is closing. For now, anyway. “Our time at this location has come to an end,” an April 30 post on the Pub & Grub’s Facebook page read. “Our last day will be May 16th. HOWEVER, we will be moving to a new location soon.” It’s currently in Moderna Plaza, north of Cape Coral Hospital and south of Hancock Bridge Parkway (where the recently closed Misto Bar & Grill was). “Although it will take us time to relocate the restaurant, we will keep you posted, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY,” the post continued. “… We look forward to seeing you in the very near future. Our thanks again for all your support.” Follow along on Facebook for updates.
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyer.gannett.com
Please support local community journalism and stay informed about Southwest Florida news by subscribing to The News-Press and Naples Daily News; download the free News-Press or Naples Daily News app, and sign up for daily briefing email newsletter, food & dining and growth & development newsletters here and here.
Florida
Florida man arrested for tossing away newborn kittens accused of threatening family member: ‘Dead man walking’
Tyler Holtz is accused of threatening a family member days after being arrested on animal cruelty charges. Courtesy: Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Less than a week after a Florida man was accused of throwing five newborn kittens in the trash, he ended up back in jail after deputies said he threatened to kill a family member.
The backstory:
On April 25, 2026, deputies with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office went to a Hawthorne home after a witness told them she had removed two plastic bags containing five kittens from a trash can after hearing the animals whining inside.
The deputy said that the kittens still had umbilical cords attached and were not thriving.
Putnam County Animal Control went to the home and determined that the kittens were about five hours old. The mother cat was not located.
According to PCSO, the person who found the kittens tried to get them emergency medical help, but four died. The fifth kitten was being treated at a veterinary office in Ocala.
A neighbor who lived on the property said that he caught Tyler Holtz, 36, placing the bags in the garbage can.
Holtz was arrested on May 1 and charged with five counts of animal cruelty and abandoning an animal to die.
He was released on a $12,500 bond, on the condition that he wouldn’t commit another crime.
Dig deeper:
Approximately three days later, deputies said Holtz sent text messages to a family member stating that the victim was “a dead man walking” as well as giving details of firearms and access to weapons.
The victim reportedly told deputies he was scared for his life and that Holtz was known to have a firearm.
Deputies located Holtz during a traffic stop. He was charged with sending a written threat to kill. He is being held at the Putnam County Jail on no bond.
The Source: This article was written with information posted on social media by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
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