ALVA Woodpeckers build home in woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
KXLN 45 Univision/ MGN MIAMI (AP) – The coveted Cuban cigar is set to make its first legal appearance in the U.S. in years, with relaxed guidelines allowing American travelers to return with a few of the once-forbidden items in their suitcases. But the cigars won’t roll into stores just yet, and owners say they aren’t worried about any dip in business. “I don’t think they’ll be able to afford it. It’s not for the average customer,” said Erik Otero, who left Cuba when he was 3 and has been rolling cigars since age 11. Most people won’t travel on a regular basis to buy cigars, said Otero, who works at Guantanamera Cigars Co. in Miami’s Little Havana. “If anything, it might create a cigar boom because it’s going to pique interest again.” Licensed American travelers to Cuba will soon be able to return home with up to $400 of merchandise, of which $100 combined can be spent on alcohol or tobacco products. Experts say that’s three to 20 cigars, depending on size, brand and quality. In Miami, the average customer spends $5 to $8 per cigar, Otero said. Sampson Clay, visiting Miami from Cincinnati on his honeymoon, stopped at the Cuba Tobacco Cigar Co., where an employee hand-wrapped a cigar in front of a packed store. Clay said flying to Cuba is too expensive. “I do love my cigars, but I probably wouldn’t go down there to get the real thing,” he said. Sitting at the bar of Florida Cigar Co. in Fort Lauderdale, Al Schilleci echoed the thoughts of many aficionados: A Cuban is fantastic, but the quality is declining and cigars from Nicaragua are as good or better. “I’ve got some Nicaraguans back in the locker here that I would put up against any Cuban any day,” Schilleci, 60, said. “I’d go to Cuba for the destination, but cigars wouldn’t be the attraction.” President Barack Obama has announced a host of initiatives to strengthen ties with Cuba, but the embargo on the country remains. Cigars brought back to the U.S. must be for personal use, not resale – same as the rules that existed for travelers before August 2004, when the Bush administration imposed strict restrictions those traveling to the island. The new trade, travel and currency rules will take effect once federal officials revise publish the regulations, which could take weeks. Even then, travelers bringing back their allotment of cigars won’t affect retailers, said Kip Talley of The International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retail Association, a trade group for tobacconists and suppliers. “If and when Cuban cigars are allowed to be imported, I think there will be a spike in retail tobacco sales,” he said. “The curiosity of a new product in the marketplace will drive people out to try those products.” The U.S. cigar market sees about 13 billion cigars sold each year, Talley said. Fewer than 300 million are premium cigars, the handmade traditional versions. It’s those cigars that attract people to Little Havana. Tour buses stop along a street with a half-dozen cigar shops next to a park where men in wide-brimmed hats play dominos. For novices, the mystique of a Cuban is the biggest lure. Many consider Cuban tobacco the finest in the world because of its climate, fertile soil, proximity to the equator and hand-rolling technique. But some longtime smokers say it will take time for Cuban cigar-makers to catch up to more sophisticated productions in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, where they’re grown by “Cuba people with Cuban seed and are very quality controlled,” said Joaquin Saladrigas, a sales rep for cigar line Don Pepin Garcia. Still, some consumers will buy cigars in Cuba, “get back on their yacht and put them in their locker” for bragging rights, said Jay Shapiro of the Cigar Chamber of Commerce. “It’s an ego-driven industry,” he said. Some tobacconists say they would welcome further loosening of the rules. Cuban tobacco could be added to blends for even better-tasting cigars, said Eric Newman, co-owner of J.C. Newman Cigar Co. in Tampa. Newman said much of the hype surrounding Cubans is tied to its prohibition. “It’s like the forbidden fruit,” he said. “Everyone wants what they can’t get.”