Pedestrian injured in crash on McGregor BoulevardFamily of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree
FORT MYERS Pedestrian injured in crash on McGregor Boulevard The Fort Myers Police Department is investigating a crash that left at least one person injured Saturday night.
Family of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree Saturday marked a special day for Florida Gulf Coast University as more than 1,800 students graduated. For one student-athlete, graduating from FGCU runs in the family.
lehigh acres LCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
FORT MYERS Pedestrian injured in crash on McGregor Boulevard The Fort Myers Police Department is investigating a crash that left at least one person injured Saturday night.
Family of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree Saturday marked a special day for Florida Gulf Coast University as more than 1,800 students graduated. For one student-athlete, graduating from FGCU runs in the family.
lehigh acres LCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Fort Myers Miracle, in conjunction with the Minnesota Twins, are pleased to announce the return of Jeff Smith as field manager for the 2015 season. “We are thrilled to welcome Jeff back to the Miracle and Southwest Florida,” said Miracle Chief Operating Office Steve Gliner. “We are looking forward to having his energy and leadership both on and off the field.” Smith, 40, spent the last five years at the helm of the New Britain Rock Cats, the Twins’ former Double-A affiliate in the Eastern League. With the Rock Cats, Smith tallied a 330-380 record from 2010-14. “It’s an honor to come back here and manage this team and do it close to my house and close to my family, but also to do it with such great organizations as the Twins and the Miracle,” said Smith. “I’m very happy to be back.” Smith will be the first Miracle manager to inhabit the completely renovated Hammond Stadium and the CenturyLink Sports Complex. “That adds some more excitement,” said Smith. “In my mind, we are going to be playing in the best stadium in all of the minor leagues in 2015 with all of the advancements [to the CenturyLink Sports Complex].” The 2015 season will mark Smith’s tenth in the Minnesota organization as a manager. After a pair of seasons with the Beloit Snappers in 2006 and 2007, Smith took the reigns in Fort Myers for a two-year stint. Guiding the Miracle to the playoffs in each of the 2008 and 2009 campaigns, Smith posted a 157-117 mark over 274 games. “When I found out that I was going to be the manager in Fort Myers, there was a lot of excitement, not just for myself or my family, but also for me as a Minnesota Twin too,” said Smith. “When I managed with the Miracle five years ago, it was a pretty neat feeling going out to third base and seeing a lot of people that you know from Naples, Fort Myers and all of the surrounding areas [in the stands].” A graduate of Naples High School in nearby Naples, Fla. and after attending Stetson University, Smith was selected in the 20th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft in 1995. Primarily a catcher, Smith totaled nine years experience in the minor leagues as a player and appeared in 658 games, including 55 with the Miracle. Spending parts of the 1997 and 1998 season with the Miracle, Smith hit .292 with four home runs and 27 runs batted in. “Being able to come back down here and work with our young players, realizing that they are not that far away, I’m looking to build off the success that Doug [Mientkiewicz] had the last few years and keep that going,” said Smith. “We’ve got a very good group and developmental staff, all the way through, we’re very excited about what we’ve got coming up.” Jim Dwyer returns for his tenth season as hitting coach with the Miracle and 19th year in the Minnesota organization. Dwyer, 63, served as the Twins’ minor league roving hitting coordinator from 1997-2005 and is a resident of Cape Coral. Spending 18 years in the Major Leagues, Dwyer is 17th all-time in pinch hits with 103. Ivan Arteaga returns to the Miracle staff as the pitching coach after spending 2014 with Cedar Rapids, the Twins Single-A affiliate in the Midwest League. Arteaga, 42, was the pitching coach for the Miracle in 2013 and his staff posted a 3.46 earned run average with the fewest walks, 374, in team history. Before his first stint with the Miracle, Arteaga served as the pitching coach for Minnesota’s Appalachian League affiliate, the Elizabethton Twins. A native of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Arteaga pitched in 121 games over six years in the minor leagues with the Montreal, Colorado and New York Mets organizations. Arteaga also pitched 28 games of independent league baseball. Alan Rail, 36, returns for his third season as the athletic trainer on the Miracle staff. Previously, Rail worked eight seasons with the Beloit Snappers and began his athletic training career in 2004 with Elizabethton.