Punta Gorda imposes moratorium on car washes, storage facilitiesStephen Deutsch, Charlotte County commissioner, accused of using racial slur
Punta Gorda imposes moratorium on car washes, storage facilities Approvals for new car washes and storage facilities in Punta Gorda will be put on pause for a period of 180 days during a moratorium begininng after the next City Council meeting Feb. 19.
Stephen Deutsch, Charlotte County commissioner, accused of using racial slur A Charlotte County commissioner is involved in an investigation after being accused of using a racial slur.
SANIBEL Sanibel Recreation Center to host pickleball tournament In celebration of Healthy Heart Month, Sanibel Recreation Center invites the public to the Cupid’s Court Indoor Pickleball Tournament.
cape coral Nurse accused of intentionally starving child with severe medical conditions The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a woman accused of child neglect while working as a licensed practical nurse.
City Council again rejects outdoor dining for Olde Naples Building Naples City Council rejected an outdoor dining proposal for the historic Olde Naples Building on Third Street South.
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers advocate against youth gun violence Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is campaigning against youth gun violence with a new Public Service Announcement.
78-acre prescribed burn planned in Collier County The South Florida Water Management District plans to conduct a 78-acre prescribed burn on Thursday in Collier County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man accused of stabbing 3 men at Gentleman’s club The Fort Myers Police Department has arrested a man accused of stabbing three men at the Allure Gentleman’s Club.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience 2025 begins, benefiting St. Matthew’s House The Naples Chapter of the Ferrari Club of America presents the Naples Automotive Experience 2025, benefiting St. Matthew’s House.
Police report released for Fort Myers child abduction, search for suspect ongoing A mother chased down the man who kidnapped her toddler in Fort Myers. This dramatic event is part of the ongoing investigation into the Amber Alert issued earlier this week.
FORT MYERS Spring training kicks off as Boston Red Sox truck arrives in Fort Myers Baseball fans in Fort Myers are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Boston Red Sox equipment truck.
the weather authority Warm and dry for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a continuing warm stretch, as we can expect dry conditions along with plenty of sun this Thursday.
LABELLE 17-year-old arrested after deputies respond to gunshots at LaBelle Dollar General According to the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, there is a large presence of law enforcement in the area of Cowboy Way and Collinswood Parkway in LaBelle.
GOLDEN GATE Golden Gate love triangle turns violent with screwdriver attack A screwdriver became the weapon of choice in a dramatic altercation between an ex-lover and a current partner in Golden Gate, leaving one man injured.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Charlotte County’s Sunseeker Resort sale sparks community discussion Big changes could be on the horizon for the Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte Harbor; the company that owns the resort recently announced plans to sell it.
Punta Gorda imposes moratorium on car washes, storage facilities Approvals for new car washes and storage facilities in Punta Gorda will be put on pause for a period of 180 days during a moratorium begininng after the next City Council meeting Feb. 19.
Stephen Deutsch, Charlotte County commissioner, accused of using racial slur A Charlotte County commissioner is involved in an investigation after being accused of using a racial slur.
SANIBEL Sanibel Recreation Center to host pickleball tournament In celebration of Healthy Heart Month, Sanibel Recreation Center invites the public to the Cupid’s Court Indoor Pickleball Tournament.
cape coral Nurse accused of intentionally starving child with severe medical conditions The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a woman accused of child neglect while working as a licensed practical nurse.
City Council again rejects outdoor dining for Olde Naples Building Naples City Council rejected an outdoor dining proposal for the historic Olde Naples Building on Third Street South.
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers advocate against youth gun violence Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is campaigning against youth gun violence with a new Public Service Announcement.
78-acre prescribed burn planned in Collier County The South Florida Water Management District plans to conduct a 78-acre prescribed burn on Thursday in Collier County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man accused of stabbing 3 men at Gentleman’s club The Fort Myers Police Department has arrested a man accused of stabbing three men at the Allure Gentleman’s Club.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience 2025 begins, benefiting St. Matthew’s House The Naples Chapter of the Ferrari Club of America presents the Naples Automotive Experience 2025, benefiting St. Matthew’s House.
Police report released for Fort Myers child abduction, search for suspect ongoing A mother chased down the man who kidnapped her toddler in Fort Myers. This dramatic event is part of the ongoing investigation into the Amber Alert issued earlier this week.
FORT MYERS Spring training kicks off as Boston Red Sox truck arrives in Fort Myers Baseball fans in Fort Myers are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Boston Red Sox equipment truck.
the weather authority Warm and dry for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a continuing warm stretch, as we can expect dry conditions along with plenty of sun this Thursday.
LABELLE 17-year-old arrested after deputies respond to gunshots at LaBelle Dollar General According to the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, there is a large presence of law enforcement in the area of Cowboy Way and Collinswood Parkway in LaBelle.
GOLDEN GATE Golden Gate love triangle turns violent with screwdriver attack A screwdriver became the weapon of choice in a dramatic altercation between an ex-lover and a current partner in Golden Gate, leaving one man injured.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Charlotte County’s Sunseeker Resort sale sparks community discussion Big changes could be on the horizon for the Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte Harbor; the company that owns the resort recently announced plans to sell it.
MGN Online WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve plans to keep a key interest rate at a record low to support a U.S. job market that’s improving but still isn’t fully healthy and to help boost unusually low inflation. As expected, it’s also ending a bond purchase program that was intended to keep long-term rates low. The Fed on Wednesday reiterated its plan to maintain its benchmark short-term rate near zero “for a considerable time.” Most economists predict it won’t raise that rate before mid-2015. The Fed’s benchmark rate affects rates on many consumer and business loans. In a statement ending a policy meeting, the Fed noted that the job market is strengthening. The statement drops a previous reference to “significant” in referring to an “underutilization” of available workers. Instead, the Fed said the excess of would-be job holders is “gradually diminishing.” It also noted solid hiring gains and a lower unemployment rate, now 5.9 percent. One of the Fed’s major goals is to achieve maximum employment, which it defines as an unemployment rate between 5.2 percent and 5.5 percent. The Fed repeated previous language that the likelihood of inflation running persistently below its 2 percent target rate has diminished, even though inflation is being restrained by lower energy prices and other factors. Investors responded to confirmation that the Fed would end its bond-buying program by positioning themselves for higher rates. Stocks sold off, and the dollar rose against other currencies. Bond yields rose, and the price of gold fell. Michael Hanson, senior economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said the Fed still appears likely to put off any rate increase until well into next year. “This isn’t the Fed rushing to the exits,” he said. Hanson noted that while the Fed kept its “considerable time” phrasing, it added language stressing that any rate increase would hinge on the economy’s health. Previously, many analysts had interpreted the “considerable time” phrase to mean the Fed wouldn’t raise rates for a specific period after it ended its bond purchases. The Fed’s statement was approved 9-1. The one dissent came from Narayana Kocherlakota, president of the Fed’s regional bank in Minneapolis. He contended that the Fed should have signaled its intention to maintain a record-low benchmark rate until the inflation outlook has reached the central bank’s 2 percent target. And he argued that the Fed should have continued its bond purchases at the current pace. Kocherlakota is considered one of the Fed’s “doves” – officials who are more concerned about unemployment than are “hawks,” who worry more about the risk of high inflation. At the September meeting, two “hawks” – Presidents Charles Plosser of the Philadelphia Fed and Richard Fisher of the Dallas Fed – had dissented. On Wednesday, they voted for the statement. The U.S. economy has been benefiting from solid consumer and business spending, manufacturing growth and a surge in hiring that’s reduced the unemployment rate to a six-year low. Still, the housing industry is still struggling, and global weakness poses a potential threat to U.S. growth. Fed Chair Janet Yellen has stressed that while the unemployment rate is close to a historically normal level, other gauges of the job market remain a concern. These include stagnant pay; many part-time workers who can’t find full-time jobs; and a historically high number of people who have given up looking for a job and are no longer counted as unemployed. What’s more, inflation remains so low it isn’t even reaching the Fed’s long-term target. When inflation is excessively low, people sometimes delay purchases – a trend that slows consumer spending, the economy’s main fuel. The low short-term rates the Fed has engineered are intended, in part, to lift inflation. The Fed’s decision to end its third round of bond buying had been expected. It has gradually pared the purchases from $85 billion in Treasury and mortgage bonds each month to $15 billion. And the Fed had said it would likely end the program after its October meeting if the economy continued to improve. Even with the end of new purchases, the Fed’s investment holdings stand at $4.5 trillion – more than $3 trillion higher than when the bond purchases were launched in 2008 at the height of the financial crisis. The Fed has said it won’t begin selling its holdings until after it starts raising short-term rates. Though most economists have predicted that the Fed’s first rate hike won’t occur until summer, some foresee no increase until fall. That’s in part because of fears thatWASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve plans to keep a key interest rate at a record low to support a U.S. job market that’s improving but still isn’t fully healthy and to help boost unusually low inflation. As expected, it’s also ending a bond purchase program that was intended to keep long-term rates low. The Fed on Wednesday reiterated its plan to maintain its benchmark short-term rate near zero “for a considerable time.” Most economists predict it won’t raise that rate before mid-2015. The Fed’s benchmark rate affects rates on many consumer and business loans. In a statement ending a policy meeting, the Fed noted that the job market is strengthening. The statement drops a previous reference to “significant” in referring to an “underutilization” of available workers. Instead, the Fed said the excess of would-be job holders is “gradually diminishing.” It also noted solid hiring gains and a lower unemployment rate, now 5.9 percent. One of the Fed’s major goals is to achieve maximum employment, which it defines as an unemployment rate between 5.2 percent and 5.5 percent. The Fed repeated previous language that the likelihood of inflation running persistently below its 2 percent target rate has diminished, even though inflation is being restrained by lower energy prices and other factors. Investors responded to confirmation that the Fed would end its bond-buying program by positioning themselves for higher rates. Stocks sold off, and the dollar rose against other currencies. Bond yields rose, and the price of gold fell. Michael Hanson, senior economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said the Fed still appears likely to put off any rate increase until well into next year. “This isn’t the Fed rushing to the exits,” he said. Hanson noted that while the Fed kept its “considerable time” phrasing, it added language stressing that any rate increase would hinge on the economy’s health. Previously, many analysts had interpreted the “considerable time” phrase to mean the Fed wouldn’t raise rates for a specific period after it ended its bond purchases. The Fed’s statement was approved 9-1. The one dissent came from Narayana Kocherlakota, president of the Fed’s regional bank in Minneapolis. He contended that the Fed should have signaled its intention to maintain a record-low benchmark rate until the inflation outlook has reached the central bank’s 2 percent target. And he argued that the Fed should have continued its bond purchases at the current pace. Kocherlakota is considered one of the Fed’s “doves” – officials who are more concerned about unemployment than are “hawks,” who worry more about the risk of high inflation. At the September meeting, two “hawks” – Presidents Charles Plosser of the Philadelphia Fed and Richard Fisher of the Dallas Fed – had dissented. On Wednesday, they voted for the statement. The U.S. economy has been benefiting from solid consumer and business spending, manufacturing growth and a surge in hiring that’s reduced the unemployment rate to a six-year low. Still, the housing industry is still struggling, and global weakness poses a potential threat to U.S. growth. Fed Chair Janet Yellen has stressed that while the unemployment rate is close to a historically normal level, other gauges of the job market remain a concern. These include stagnant pay; many part-time workers who can’t find full-time jobs; and a historically high number of people who have given up looking for a job and are no longer counted as unemployed. What’s more, inflation remains so low it isn’t even reaching the Fed’s long-term target. When inflation is excessively low, people sometimes delay purchases – a trend that slows consumer spending, the economy’s main fuel. The low short-term rates the Fed has engineered are intended, in part, to lift inflation. The Fed’s decision to end its third round of bond buying had been expected. It has gradually pared the purchases from $85 billion in Treasury and mortgage bonds each month to $15 billion. And the Fed had said it would likely end the program after its October meeting if the economy continued to improve. Even with the end of new purchases, the Fed’s investment holdings stand at $4.5 trillion – more than $3 trillion higher than when the bond purchases were launched in 2008 at the height of the financial crisis. The Fed has said it won’t begin selling its holdings until after it starts raising short-term rates. Though most economists have predicted that the Fed’s first rate hike won’t occur until summer, some foresee no increase until fall. That’s in part because of fears that the global economy is weakening and could threaten the U.S. economy.