Hurricane Wilma prompted at least five Florida newspapers to deliver Monday’s editions hours ahead of schedule.
The News-Press of Fort Myers and Naples Daily News — both located on the southwest coast went to press at 6 p.m. Sunday, and each delivered newspapers later that evening.
On the east side of the state, the Fort Lauderdale-based South Florida Sun-Sentinel, The Miami Herald and The Palm Beach Post all had their Monday papers printed and distributed early, with each saying regular delivery would resume Tuesday morning.
All the standard sections of the News-Press were included, except for one normal Monday section devoted entirely to National Football League coverage.
“We didn’t think it was going to be safe to have our carriers out at the times we’d normally be delivering,” said executive editor Kate Marymont. “So we went to press and we’re out.”
Fort Myers and Naples are on the state’s southwest coast, near the area where forecasters said Wilma could make landfall early Monday morning.
“We in the newsroom are pretty accustomed to weird hours and unusual needs,” Marymont said. “I think the greater difficulty was in covering our circulation and distribution system to a whole new cycle. They rallied. They were great.”
