Shane Hammer is a veteran local journalist, known for his distinctive voice that blends wry skepticism with an undeniable fascination for the bizarre. For over three decades, he’s been the unofficial chronicler of South Florida’s more unusual happenings, his popular column in the local venerable newspaper a must-read for anyone seeking a glimpse beyond the palm trees and pristine beaches.
Born and raised in the sun-drenched chaos of South Florida, Hammer came to journalism not through a prestigious university program, but through a tenacious apprenticeship, starting as a police beat reporter who quickly learned that the strangest stories often lurked in the shadows of the mundane. He’s covered everything from alligator attacks in suburban swimming pools to peculiar zoning disputes involving alleged alien landing sites, always with an eye for the underlying absurdity and genuine human reaction to the inexplicable.
While he often frames his pieces with an air of detached amusement, a careful reader can detect a profound curiosity, almost a grudging respect, for the truly weird that permeates his beat. He’s the first to admit when a story defies rational explanation, and it’s this honesty, combined with his sharp wit, that has endeared him to a loyal readership. He’s also known for his uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time, or perhaps, the wrong place at the wrong time, when the truly inexplicable unfolds.
Hammer’s columns, a staple of the local paper, often feature recurring characters, most notably the indefatigable (and often exasperating) paranormal investigator, Montgomery Tiberius Beauregard-Hayes. Through Hammer’s pen, Monty’s adventures—from zombie deer to surfing Skunk Apes—are brought to light, often with a subtle implication that perhaps Monty isn’t quite as outlandish as he seems.
When not chasing down leads on telepathic dolphins or ghost-ridden gardens, Hammer can often be found at a quiet, unassuming diner, nursing a lukewarm coffee and listening to the whispers of the local populace, ever on the hunt for his next bizarre tale from the Sunshine State’s strange underbelly. He writes because, as he often quips, “Someone has to document the things they won’t put on the tourism brochures.”