Majority of El Paso City Council votes against possibility of canceling Meta tax incentive agreement

KVIA on June 9, 2026

Nicole Ardila

Update (8:15 p.m.) — The majority of El Paso City Council members voted against the possibility of canceling the tax incentive agreement with Meta for the data center in Northeast El Paso.

The votes were as follows:

FOR: Dr. Josh Acevedo, Lily Limón, Chris Canales

AGAINST: Alejandra Chávez, Ivan Niño, Art Fierro, Deanna Maldonado-Rocha, Cynthia Boyar Trejo

UPDATE (6 p.m.) — Public speaking continues into the afternoon as council makes their way through a list of 183 speakers. Earlier in the day, council was dealing with overflow because council chambers reached capacity at over 220 people.

There are many people both in support of the Meta data center and against it. One side says Meta is going to drain resources and cost El Pasoans. The other says the data center will provide jobs for working class laborers and prevent them from leaving the city to find a job somewhere else.

Tensions between the two sides remain high. Mayor Renard Johnson has had to reiterate the guidelines for both speakers and observers in council chambers multiple times. Several pro-data center speakers were booed and interrupted while at the podium.

One pro-data speaker who was booed said, “They were very rude. It’s a group of rude individuals that have a lot of misinformation, and they’ve been saying it for months, and now I’m happy to see the unions and people that are actually out on the front lines, actually building this with accurate information, come out and speak in support of their community.”

A speaker against the Meta data center said, “It will be a tragedy. There will be nothing left of El Paso. Nothing. Can you not see it? Because I can. And as you can tell, I’m not even from here. But my family is here.” Supporters of Item 37 in chambers cheered for her as she spoke.

There are still several hours of public comment left before council reaches a decision.

UPDATE (12 p.m.) — For the public speaking session, 183 people signed up. The city called up people in groups of five to allow them to have time to have their say.

Each person is provided three minutes to address the council. That means there is just more than nine hours of public speakers signed up.

ABC-7 is at the meeting and will provide updates.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — During Tuesday’s city council meeting, residents will have a chance to share concerns about the Meta data center to possibly cancel the contract..

Item 37 on Tuesday’s agenda was introduced by City Rep. Lily Limón and Rep. Josh Acevedo, who are directing the city manager and attorney to negotiate and terminate the contract, after hearing from a majority of residents who are against it.

Mayor Renard Johnson told ABC-7 last week that the agreement can’t be terminated. He told abc-7 why it could come at a cost for the tax payer. 

“If you were to enter into any litigation with that particular company, and if El Paso was to lose, we would also have to pay their attorney fees. So that would be a significant amount of money that would be based on the taxpayers,” he said.

He also shares that it makes a bad impression on other companies for future negotiations.

Organizations like Amanecer People’s Project, who fights for clean resources, says this meeting is a huge step to reduce any environmental and financial harms from this project.

Co-founder Matthew Rodriguez says the city might have not been well aware of the scale of damage a center like this can cause to the borderland, and calls Mayor Johnson’s argument to not cancel, a “scare tactic.”

“This talk about ‘trust’ and ‘we need to honor our word’ and ‘this will hurt our reputation,’ these things just aren’t fit to this situation,” says Rodriguez. “Meta is is trying to extract from us, people don’t want that to happen, it’s very clear that people don’t want it.”

The meeting begins at 9 a.m. but public comment begins at 10 a.m.

You can call in at 915-212-0049 or sign up to speak in-person on Item 37 by 9 a.m.

Click here to follow the original article.

Urgent call for blood and platelet donors in the region: Here’s where you can donate in Central Oregon

KTVZ on June 9, 2026

Kelsey Merison

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The American Red Cross is facing an urgent need for blood and platelet donors across the region, calling on people to schedule appointments now to stabilize the blood supply. The organization has seen an alarming drop in scheduled donations in recent weeks, critical for maintaining lifesaving blood products in hospitals into the summer.

As a thank-you, all donors who give between June 1st and June 28th, 2026, will receive a $15 e-gift card and an automatic entry for a chance to win one of two $7,500 gift cards.

The decline in donations comes as summer heat increases and people finalize plans for end-of-school-year activities, travel and school breaks, which can lead to postponed appointments or fewer opportunities to give. The start of Atlantic hurricane season on June 1st and current drought conditions in the region also pose a risk for wildfires. These factors can quickly disrupt the ability to donate in affected areas and potentially delay or cancel blood drives.

Donors of all blood types and those giving platelets are needed to ensure a strong supply of blood products.

To schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets, individuals can visit RedCrossBlood.org, call one-800-RED CROSS, or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App. More details on the incentive program are available at RedCrossBlood.org/June.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities in the region include:

In Prineville, Crook County, a blood drive is scheduled for June 9, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Missionary Baptist Church, 1870 Riverland Loop.

In Bend, Deschutes County, several donation opportunities are available. These include June 8, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Elks Lodge Bend #1371, 63120 Boyd Acres Road; June 9, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at State & County Offices, 1300 NW Wall Street; June 12, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Bend Surgery Center, 1342 NE Medical Center Dr and Team Kia of Bend, 611 NE Purcell Blvd; June 17, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St Charles Medical Center, 2500 NE Neff Road; and June 19, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon, 61980 Skyline Ranch Road. The Bend Blood Donation Center at 815 SW Bond Street Suite 110 also has ongoing availability, with dates and times listed on RedCrossblood.org.

In Redmond, Deschutes County, donation times include June 8, 2026, from 9:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at Highland Baptist Church, 3100 SW Highland Ave; June 10, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Mountain View Fellowship Redmond, 1475 SW 35th St; June 15, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Grange 812, 707 SW Kalama; and June 16, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Desert Song Community Church Redmond, 433 SW 5th St.

In Sisters, Deschutes County, a drive is scheduled for June 19, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sisters Athletic Club, 1001 Desperado Trail.

In Madras, Jefferson County, a blood drive is set for June 15, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Charles, 470 A Street.

Click here to follow the original article.

Deadline approaching for Oregon Homeowner Assistance Fund applications

KTVZ on June 9, 2026

Kelsey Merison

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) will close the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) program to new applications at 8 a.m. on June 15th. The program assists homeowners who have struggled to make mortgage payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The closure comes as program funds are running low, prompting an urgent call for eligible residents to apply before the deadline.

Applications for the Homeowner Assistance Fund program are processed in the order they are completed, meaning all required information must be received from both the homeowner and the mortgage servicer. Even if eligible, applicants are not guaranteed to be funded due to limited program funds.

OHCS reopened the HAF program in February, aiming to support homeowners who experienced severe financial hardship as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To qualify for assistance, homeowners must have a primary mortgage with a participating servicing company that is 90 days or more past due.

Talia Kahn-Kravis, acting director of Homeownership at OHCS, noted the significant interest in the program. “We’ve received a tremendous response since we reopened the program earlier this year,” Kahn-Kravis said. “We encourage anyone who hasn’t applied to do so as soon as possible before funds run out.”

Eligible homeowners can receive up to $50,000 in grant funds. This assistance is available regardless of whether they have previously received HAF payments. All payments are made directly to their mortgage servicer to reinstate their mortgage.

Homeowners can find more information about the eligibility criteria and detailed application requirements by visiting the program’s website at oregonhomeownerassistance.org.

Click here to follow the original article.

NASA reveals Artemis III crew that will take the next big step on its journey back to the moon

KIFI on June 9, 2026

CNN

Originally Published: 09 JUN 26 12:11 ET

Updated: 09 JUN 26 13:03 ET

By Jackie Wattles, CNN

Editor’s note: NASA’s Artemis program is sending humans into deep space for the first time in more than five decades. Sign up for Countdown newsletter and get updates from CNN Science on out-of-this-world expeditions as they unfold.

(CNN) — NASA on Tuesday revealed the four astronauts who will join the next Artemis mission — a key, two-week flight that will aim to test out various technologies considered vital to putting astronauts back on the surface of the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

The crew, set to launch as soon as late 2027, includes three NASA astronauts — first-time space flier Andre Douglas, record-setting astronaut Frank Rubio, and veteran flier and test pilot Randy Bresnik — as well as Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano with the European Space Agency.

Artemis III is designed to serve as a precursor mission to a moon landing, testing out how the NASA-built Orion spacecraft will dock with a lunar lander. The primary goal of the flight, the space agency says, is to “reduce risk” heading into an actual lunar touchdown, which NASA hopes will take place as soon as 2028.

In order to reach the moon’s surface, astronauts will have to complete such a move while in lunar orbit. But for Artemis III, NASA is aiming to test the maneuver much closer to home, sticking to low-Earth orbit, or LEO, the area closest to our home planet and the same region where the International Space Station operates.

The Artemis III crew will launch from Florida aboard their Orion capsule, the same type of spacecraft that completed April’s historic Artemis II lunar flyby mission, and hang out in low-Earth orbit.

At least one lunar lander will then launch separately — and it’s not yet clear whether it will be SpaceX’s Starship, Blue Origin’s Blue Moon, or one of each. But upon arrival to low-Earth orbit, the landers would then rendezvous with Orion, allowing the astronauts to dock with the vehicle and potentially climb on board a lander.

NASA has suggested it could carry out the test flight with both Blue Moon and Starship, though it’s not clear how soon either vehicle will be ready. The space agency has made a concerted effort in recent months to spur competition between the companies, which have for years held multibillion-dollar contracts to deliver crew-worthy lunar landers to NASA. Both companies have experienced development setbacks and delays.

During Tuesday’s news conference, NASA chief Jared Isaacman again suggested Artemis III could involve docking with both landers, saying Orion “will rendezvous and dock with the Blue Origin lander, and then again with the SpaceX lander.”

Isaacman also said NASA plans to carry out a key test — called a wet dress rehearsal — of its Space Launch System rocket, or SLS, by the end of the year.

Artemis III comes into view

The Artemis III mission has come together in a uniquely fast-paced and unexpected way.

NASA administrator Jared Isaacman stunned the space industry in February by announcing the Artemis III mission plan — usurping previous plans to make Artemis III an actual moon landing, the first since 1972.

Isaacman, however, argued that jumping straight from this year’s Artemis II lunar flyby to a moon landing mission with Artemis III was too big of a technological leap.

“We didn’t go right to Apollo 11,” Isaacman said earlier this year. “We had a whole Mercury Program, Gemini — lots of Apollo missions before we ultimately landed.” NASA’s old Artemis plan, he argued, “was not a pathway to success.”

On Tuesday, NASA gave one of the first substantive descriptions of how the mission might look if it docks with both Blue Origin’s Blue Moon and SpaceX’s Starship.

Orion would first dock with Blue Moon, said Artemis program manager Jeremy Parsons, and spend about two days linked up in orbit, allowing astronauts to board the vehicle and test out various features, including life support systems.

The Orion spacecraft would then detach and dock with SpaceX’s Starship for only “about a day,” according to Parsons. He did not say whether the astronauts would be able to enter the SpaceX vehicle during the mission.

The trip would conclude with a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.

Bresnik, Douglas, Rubio and Parmitano will have about one year to prepare for the flight under the current timeline. For comparison, NASA’s Artemis II astronauts trained for three years for their mission, in part due to a string of schedule delays.

Meet the Artemis III astronauts

The four men who make up the Artemis III crew have a range of backgrounds, with a heavy emphasis on engineering and test pilot experience. The selection of an all-male crew also stands out as a deviation from more recently established patterns at NASA. It’s been rare in recent years for NASA to not include a woman as part of crew.

Randy Bresnik

Bresnik, 58, nicknamed “Komrade,” joined NASA in 2004. He’s flown missions on NASA’s space shuttle and Russia’s Soyuz capsule in 2009 and 2017, respectively. And he’s played a key role in the Artemis program already, serving as assistant-to-the-chief astronaut. In that role, Bresnik “manages insight and expertise of the crew in their essential role in the development and testing of all vehicles and aspects of an Artemis mission,” according to NASA.

Bresnik will serve as commander of the Artemis III flight.

“We are certainly humbled as a crew to be able to be your crew that executes this Artemis III mission in space, being that unifying link between the phenomenal Artemis II mission we just had two months ago and the Artemis IV mission that will follow ours, where we will again be the first to land humans on another celestial body — that celestial body being our neighbor in the sky at night, the moon,” Bresnik said.

Andre Douglas

Douglas, 40, joined NASA in 2021. He has never before been assigned to a mission, but he did train as backup for the Artemis II mission, which in April made history by carrying four astronauts on a trip around the moon — marking the first time humans have ventured to the vicinity of the moon since the Apollo program ended more than 50 years ago.

As a backup for that mission, Douglas completed all the training that the primary crew — NASA’s Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen — took on. That gives him months of previous experience learning how to fly the space agency’s Orion spacecraft.

Douglas gushed about the opportunity to join Artemis III as mission specialist for his first foray into spaceflight, saying on Tuesday, “my brain — it is going a mile a minute right now. But my heart — my heart — it is so warm.”

Frank Rubio

Also a mission specialist for Artemis III, Rubio,50, joined NASA in 2017 and first reached space on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 2022, intending to serve a roughly six-month mission to the ISS. Issues with the Soyuz spacecraft, however, led Rubio to stay in orbit for more than 370 days, breaking the record for the longest single duration spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut. During the trip, he also famously misplaced the first tomato grown in orbit.

Rubio is a military parachute “jumpmaster” with over 650 skydives under his belt. Before joining NASA, he was also an Army aviator and served combat deployments to Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

He’s also a board-certified family physician and flight surgeon. Rubio holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a doctorate of medicine from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

Luca Parmitano

Parmitano was selected as an ESA astronaut in May 2009. He has flown to space twice in 2013 and 2019, conducting a total of six spacewalks and serving as the first-ever Italian International Space Station commander.

Although born in Paternò, Sicily, Parmitano considers Catania to be his home. He has degrees in political science and experimental flight test engineering and a thesis on international law. He has served as a test pilot and Colonel in the Italian Air Force.

Named as Artemis III’s pilot, Parmitano is qualified to fly on more than 20 types of military aircraft and, including helicopters, has flown over 40 types of aircraft. In 2007 he was awarded a Silver Medal of Aeronautic Valor by the President of the Italian Republic after he successfully landed his AMX, a military plane, following a bird strike.

Parmitano was visibly emotional during Tuesday’s event. “I’m grateful that NASA has allowed me to be part of this incredible group of people of this crew, and for letting me fly— but we wouldn’t be going anywhere without fuel, and the fuel that lets everything move is right here,” he said, referring to his family.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said that the agency is proud to know that, alongside a NASA commander, a European astronaut will be at the controls of the mission.

“He has been tested during a spacewalk early in his career,” Aschbacher said of Parmitano. “His helmet began to fill with water, a dangerous situation by any standard. He handled it with calm and clarity, and brought himself back safely. That tells you more about an astronaut than any CV ever could. Luca is precise, composed, and determined. Yes, I am sure he brings a touch of Italian ease to the cockpit.”

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

Click here to follow the original article.

Bend-La Pine Schools appoints two new principals

KTVZ on June 9, 2026

Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook announced the hiring of new principals for W.E. Miller Elementary School and Sky View Middle School. Jessica Scott (pictured on the right) will lead William E. Miller Elementary School and Monica Hanson (pictured on the left) will lead Sky View Middle School. Both new principals are set to begin their roles on July 1st.

Scott will take over from Jennifer Johnson at William E. Miller Elementary School. Hanson will replace Julie Stroinski at Sky View Middle School, with Stroinski moving to a similar role with Bend-La Pine Online.

Scott has been serving as Assistant Principal at Miller since January. Her nearly 20 years in education include experience as a classroom teacher, student services leader and building administrator. Previously, she served as Assistant Principal at Juniper Elementary School and in Student Services at Elk Meadow Elementary School.

Hanson is completing her fourth year as Assistant Principal at Mountain View High School. Before joining Bend-La Pine Schools, Hanson held several leadership roles with Summit Public Schools in the Bay Area, including time as a Principal and Assistant Principal. She began her career as a Spanish teacher and brings experience in restorative practices, instructional leadership, relationship building and whole-child student support.

Click here to follow the original article.

Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries awards over $62,000 in preservation grants

KTVZ on June 9, 2026

Kelsey Merison

OREGON (KTVZ) — The Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries (OCHC) has awarded $62,500 in grants to 14 historic cemetery projects across the state, including Deschutes County. These funds will support preservation efforts, tree care and surveys.

The grants are part of the annual Historic Cemeteries Grant program, aiming to help document, preserve and promote designated historic cemeteries.

Individual awards for the 14 projects ranged from $603 to $8,000. This grant program is an annual offering by the OCHC, which operates as part of the Oregon Heritage Program at the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). The program receives support from lottery and other state funds.

To be considered historic and eligible for OCHC documentation, a cemetery must include the burial of at least one person who died 75 years before the current date.

The funded projects address various needs at cemeteries statewide. This includes fence installation, marker repair, tree work, Ground Penetrating Radar work, and surveys.

Specific projects receiving funding include fence installation at the Blue Mountain Cemetery in Baker County. Marker repair will occur at Eastwood Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery in Medford, Fairview Cemetery, Riverside Cemetery and Sandridge Cemetery in Linn County, as well as St. Boniface Cemetery and Twin Oaks Cemetery in Marion County. Tree work is planned for Bridal Veil Cemetery in Multnomah County, Burch Pioneer Cemetery in Polk County and Mo. Flat Cemetery in Jackson County. Camp Polk Cemetery in Deschutes County will receive funding for Ground Penetrating Radar work, while a survey will be completed at Allegany Historic Cemetery in Coos County. Security lighting will be installed at Mount Union Cemetery in Benton County and gravel road repair will be completed at Powers Cemetery in Coos County.

The OCHC, a seven-member appointed commission, maintains a list of all pioneer and historic cemeteries throughout Oregon. The commission assists individuals and organizations in their efforts to document, preserve and promote these designated historic sites.

For more information about the grant program or the OCHC, visit www.oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at Kuri.gill@oprd.oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.

Click here to follow the original article.

Calipatria political turmoil escalates as three city leaders face recall effort

KYMA on June 9, 2026

Lynette Niebla

CALIPATRIA, Calif. (KYMA) – Three top city leaders in Calipatria are facing a formal recall effort as a wave of political instability continues to rock city hall.

Mayor Michael Luellen, Mayor Pro-Tem Fred Beltran, and Council Member Jesse Rivas were all served with formal notices of intent to recall during a recent city council meeting.

The move marks yet another massive political shakeup for the city, which has recently grappled with a data center moratorium and the highly controversial firing of City Manager Laura Gutierrez.

The push for the recall stems directly from the council’s abrupt decision to terminate Gutierrez. While the council eventually backtracked and reinstated her, local residents say the damage to public trust has already been done.

“A lot of community members are upset at the fact that they went ahead and fired the city manager and then turned around and recanted it,” said Calipatria resident Beneranda Cooper, who served the letters of intention to the city clerk Friday. “There’s no transparency within the community. The community is being divided right now.”

Cooper noted that she felt compelled to take action to protect her neighbors saying, “I know I need to follow through, so I want to do this for the community because I feel like I’m a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves.”

The formal serving of the letters to the city clerk kicks off a strict legal process. Once the city clerk approves the paperwork formatting, organizers can officially begin circulating the petition city-wide.

Because Calipatria is a smaller jurisdiction, the threshold for a recall election depends on a specific percentage of local voters.

Organizers must successfully collect 380 signatures within a 60-day window for the petition to move forward to the county registrar and state for final ballot certification. Anyone signing the petition must be a registered voter and a resident of Calipatria.

Mayor Luellen has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the recall campaign or the allegations of a lack of transparency.

This story is actively developing. Check back with us for updates as the petition drive begins.

Click here to follow the original article.

Nurse charged with sexual assault at Rolla hospital

KMIZ on June 9, 2026

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 42-year-old traveling nurse was charged Monday with sexually assaulting a patient in the Phelps Health hospital emergency room.

James H. Todd, 42, was in the Phelps County Jail on Tuesday on a no-bond warrant for two counts of first-degree sodomy, one count of first-degree rape and a count of first-degree sexual abuse. An initial appearance was set for Tuesday morning.

Court documents state that Todd assaulted an intoxicated woman who was in the emergency room for low potassium Thursday night. Todd forced the woman to perform sex acts and touched her inappropriately, the statement says.

Todd denied the accusations in an interview, but security video captured the assault on video, the statement says.

Click here to follow the original article.

Inside AgTech operations

KYMA on June 9, 2026

Adrik Vargas

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – Residents in Yuma County have raised concerns about a local biosolids operation, citing concerns about odors and flies.

AgTech opened its Somerton-area facility to media and elected officials, giving a tour of how the process works from start to finish.

Biosolids are the treated byproduct of wastewater processing and are commonly used as fertilizer on farmland under state and federal guidelines.

During the tour, company leaders explained how the material is brought in by truck, processed on site, and applied to farm fields used to grow crops such as alfalfa, oats, and Sudan grass for livestock feed.

Company leaders say the material is injected below the soil surface rather than left exposed, which they say helps reduce odors and limits conditions that can attract flies. They also said they use additional fly control methods as part of their operations.

Kevin Good, an operations manager with AgTech who says he has been with the company for 22 years, described the farm’s operations and crop production.

“Here on this farm, there is 6,000 acres of farmable area on a ten square mile property, and we’re growing Sudan, oats and alfalfa, and it’s all baled for animal feed,” said Good.

Daniel Jackson, AgTech’s Compliance and Operations Manager, explained how the material is handled once it arrives on site.

“What we’re looking at is a truck coming in and dumping the biosolids from San Diego. So he’s going to come to one of our bridges. They’re going to fill it with water, so it’ll loosen up the material. Then, they’re going to go and dump the material out,” said Jackson.

When asked about material coming from California, company leaders said the region does not have local synthetic or chemical fertilizer production facilities, and that farmers already rely on agricultural inputs sourced from out of state.

Jackson said the operation is conducted under state and federal guidelines and that biosolids land application is a common practice in Arizona and across the country.

“We’re just another farmer in the community. You know what I mean? And that’s all we want to be,” Good said.

Click here to follow the original article.

Wildlife filmmakers race to make sure their images aren’t the only evidence Florida panthers existed

CNN Newsource on June 9, 2026

By Michael Paluska

Click here for updates on this story

    HENDRY COUNTY, Florida (WFTS) — The Florida panther once roamed the entire southeastern United States. Today, a small pocket of South Florida is all that remains of its habitat east of the Mississippi River.

Now, a team of wildlife filmmakers is using photography to fight for the big cat’s survival.

Tampa Bay 28 reporter Michael Paluska trekked deep into panther territory with the team from the fStop Foundation. The non-profit is dedicated to tracking the panther and putting up trail cameras to give viewers a secret glimpse into their everyday lives.

On our first stop in the Greater Ok Slough Ecosystem, we saw footprints in the soft sugar sand of a massive male panther.

“This is the first time I’ve seen panther tracks in the wild,” Paluska said with excitement.

“It’s a panther stronghold,” wildlife biologist Sean McHugh said with a smile.

“The panther got shoved into South Florida because of the inaccessibility of it before roads were here. The Everglades, areas like this, and the Okeechobee Slough ecosystem were wild enough for it to escape that persecution from humans,” McHugh said.

Nearly hunted to extinction, the Florida panther is critically endangered. At one point, only 10 to 20 remained in the wild. Today, an estimated 120 to 230 panthers roam South Florida.

The nonprofit is working to change the panther’s fate — deploying trail cameras across the state to document the animals and inspire public support for their protection. Father and son William and Max Freund, along with McHugh, make up the core of the team.

Their method is methodical: scout the terrain, find tracks, position cameras, and wait.

The payoff comes when the team retrieves the cameras. Scrolling through hundreds of images, William Freund spotted something remarkable.

“Got 269 with her kitten walking right by the camera — nice,” William Freund said while scrubbing through the SD card.

For Max Freund, those moments carry weight far beyond the excitement of a single capture.

“I think to be able to show people an animal that we’ve never seen. I’ve personally never seen a panther, and we see them in the cameras, and we know that they’re around, and they’re thriving, and they have their challenges, but to be able to show people and let them experience something they’ll never see is really important,” Max Freund said.

McHugh said protecting enough land is the key to the panther’s future.

“These are the types of places that save the panther. If you have enough space, they will reproduce, and from there the population can continue to sustain itself.”

But wild places are disappearing fast. A joint study by 1000 Friends of Florida and the University of Florida estimates 190 acres of land could be lost per day to development over the next 50 years.

“It goes from sort of virgin land to some kind of agricultural use, whether it’s ranching or citrus or growing tomatoes, and then eventually that becomes the last, what we call the last crop in Florida, which is rooftops,” William Freund said.

The panther is not the only species at stake. McHugh said the big cat serves as an umbrella for an entire ecosystem — one that includes, bears, bobcats, alligators, snakes, and countless other species.

“People have a tendency to focus on the panther. It is an umbrella species. It’s a flagship species of fStop. There are so many other important species too, and it’s all part of the same ecosystem.”

Even after years of work, the team said the thrill of finding a panther on camera never fades.

“No, no, no, you never know. And that video starts playing, you just get excited, and you can’t wait to share it with everyone else,” Max Freund said.

The hope is that 250 years from now, these photographs will not be the last witness of Florida panthers roaming the wild.

“The key for us at fStop is the storytelling part of it. The old saying of you’re going to protect what you love, and you’re going to love what you understand, and so if we can tell the stories of these absolutely incredible resilient animals, we have a chance to make it happen,” William Freund said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.