FDOT to hold discussion for upcoming Collier diverging diamondCharlotte County homeowners consider elevating homes
NORTH NAPLES FDOT to hold discussion for upcoming Collier diverging diamond Construction on Southwest Florida’s third diverging diamond interchange is set to begin in March.
Charlotte County homeowners consider elevating homes Recent hurricanes and flooding events prompted some Charlotte County homeowners to either demolish or elevate their homes.
CLEWISTON Clewiston man shoots friend over alleged sexual crime against relative There is new information about a murder in Clewiston earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Bridge design vote aims to improve traffic flow Residents and drivers in Cape Coral have long shared a common frustration: traffic congestion, particularly on Cape Coral Parkway.
Symptoms and treatment for pleurisy, the inflammation of lungs’ lining This winter season in Southwest Florida has been rampant with illness, from flu to viral infections.
Lee county approves major road projects to improve traffic flow, safety The Lee Board of County Commissioners continued its commitment to improving the county’s transportation network.
NAPLES Young bobcat injured by car; rehabilitated, released into Naples A young bobcat has been released back into the wild after recovering from its injuries through the collaborative efforts of several Florida environmental agencies.
Florida house speaker appoints Charlotte County sheriff to state immigration enforcement council Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez has appointed two sheriffs, one of whom is Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, to the state immigration enforcement council.
Man sentenced to 15 years for drug trafficking in SWFL A drug dealer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in Southwest Florida.
Craft supplier Joann to shutter 3 SWFL stores, 500 nationwide The big box craft chain based in Hudson, Ohio, is closing its North Naples store at 6424 Naples Blvd., the Estero store at Coconut Point and the Fort Myers store in South Plaza on Cleveland Avenue.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda Police Department Chaplain Rev. Bill Klossner passes away The Punta Gorda Police Department announced the passing of their Chaplain, Reverend Bill Klossner.
Car strikes, kills man who tried to pick up trash bag on SR-80 The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a crash involving a pickup truck and a car on State Road 80 in Hendry County that killed a man.
the weather authority Partly cloudy and milder this Tuesday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking increased cloud coverage along with milder conditions this Tuesday afternoon.
WINK NEWS Shell Factory & Nature Park’s final auction begins The Shell Factory & Nature Park has launched its final auction, allowing fans of the now-closed Southwest Florida landmark to take home several valued items.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers to discuss fluoride in water during next city council meeting The debate over fluoride in drinking water has been reignited following an announcement by the Florida surgeon general urging cities to halt fluoride treatment.
NORTH NAPLES FDOT to hold discussion for upcoming Collier diverging diamond Construction on Southwest Florida’s third diverging diamond interchange is set to begin in March.
Charlotte County homeowners consider elevating homes Recent hurricanes and flooding events prompted some Charlotte County homeowners to either demolish or elevate their homes.
CLEWISTON Clewiston man shoots friend over alleged sexual crime against relative There is new information about a murder in Clewiston earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Bridge design vote aims to improve traffic flow Residents and drivers in Cape Coral have long shared a common frustration: traffic congestion, particularly on Cape Coral Parkway.
Symptoms and treatment for pleurisy, the inflammation of lungs’ lining This winter season in Southwest Florida has been rampant with illness, from flu to viral infections.
Lee county approves major road projects to improve traffic flow, safety The Lee Board of County Commissioners continued its commitment to improving the county’s transportation network.
NAPLES Young bobcat injured by car; rehabilitated, released into Naples A young bobcat has been released back into the wild after recovering from its injuries through the collaborative efforts of several Florida environmental agencies.
Florida house speaker appoints Charlotte County sheriff to state immigration enforcement council Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez has appointed two sheriffs, one of whom is Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, to the state immigration enforcement council.
Man sentenced to 15 years for drug trafficking in SWFL A drug dealer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in Southwest Florida.
Craft supplier Joann to shutter 3 SWFL stores, 500 nationwide The big box craft chain based in Hudson, Ohio, is closing its North Naples store at 6424 Naples Blvd., the Estero store at Coconut Point and the Fort Myers store in South Plaza on Cleveland Avenue.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda Police Department Chaplain Rev. Bill Klossner passes away The Punta Gorda Police Department announced the passing of their Chaplain, Reverend Bill Klossner.
Car strikes, kills man who tried to pick up trash bag on SR-80 The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a crash involving a pickup truck and a car on State Road 80 in Hendry County that killed a man.
the weather authority Partly cloudy and milder this Tuesday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking increased cloud coverage along with milder conditions this Tuesday afternoon.
WINK NEWS Shell Factory & Nature Park’s final auction begins The Shell Factory & Nature Park has launched its final auction, allowing fans of the now-closed Southwest Florida landmark to take home several valued items.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers to discuss fluoride in water during next city council meeting The debate over fluoride in drinking water has been reignited following an announcement by the Florida surgeon general urging cities to halt fluoride treatment.
MGN Online WASHINGTON (AP) – A year ago, in a high-profile address, President Barack Obama offered a somber assessment of what ailed the middle class. The economy was not working for everyone, he said, and many Americans had a nagging sense that the deck was stacked against them. These days, Obama has a bullish new message that in essence challenges the bleak picture he painted back then. “American resurgence is real,” he says. “Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.” Despite multiple signs the recovery is indeed taking hold, some are saying otherwise, from conservatives to liberals in the president’s own Democratic Party who point to stagnant wages and a yawning rich-poor income gap. The clashing messages reflect Obama’s need to boost his economic credentials and establish a post-recession legacy, and the desire by lawmakers to push their divergent economic policies. Obama is unfurling his retooled message ahead of his Jan. 20 State of the Union address. It comes as the public warms toward the economy and as economic confidence moves into positive territory for the first time since 2007. For Obama, the idea of changing his tone on the economy gelled after the November midterm election, aides say. So in the two weeks in December before leaving for a Hawaii vacation, he huddled with his economic team to outline themes for the State of the Union address and recast his rhetoric. In a way, his audience is the same public that a year ago he said was discouraged by what he called a “dangerous and growing inequality and lack of upward mobility.” “They need to understand that there are reasons to be optimistic, that there is true, tangible, solid growth and that we believe it’s going to portend good things,” White House communications director Jennifer Palmieri said in an interview. But the economic ailments Obama described in his December 2013 speech are deep seated and have not disappeared. Some White House allies say there is a risk Obama’s new message won’t resonate, or may even backfire, if he doesn’t acknowledge many Americans are still struggling. “I understand why they want to tout the good news and especially when other people are only wanting to tout the negative,” said Lawrence Mishel, an economist and president of the liberal-leaning Economic Policy Institute. “But I think he’s got to paint a picture of why there are continued problems and what can be done about it.” And others, like Jared Bernstein, a fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities who served in the White House as chief economist for Vice President Joe Biden, caution economic growth on its own won’t boost stubbornly stagnant wages which rose only 1.7 percent in 2014, hardly above the 1.3 percent inflation rate. “He’s well within his rights to claim some credit for the momentum in the cyclical recovery, without denying that long-term structural problems still exist,” Bernstein said. No doubt, the economic environment has changed for the better. December’s 5.6 unemployment was the lowest since 2008, and employers added 252,000 jobs in December, a healthy gain that contributed to 2014 being the best year for hiring in 15 years. The average price of gas in the United States is $2.20 per gallon, the lowest since May 2009. While the stock market has fizzled some in the past few days because of slumping oil prices, the Dow Jones industrial average set a record high by closing at 18,053 the day after Christmas. How much of the credit Obama deserves is a matter of debate. Economies rise and fall because of numerous factors, not all driven by government policies. Obama has been touting his administration’s 2009 stimulus plan, the bailout of the auto industry, his health care law and new financial regulations as key factors in the comeback. Unmentioned is the independent Federal Reserve Bank, which played a more robust role by keeping its benchmark interest rate near zero for six years and by buying up trillions of dollars in government and private sector bonds. Still, weaknesses remain. Nearly 7 million people are working part-time but would prefer full-time work. Participation in the labor force dropped to a low of 62.7 percent. While some of that reflects the retirement of baby boomers, it also shows how many out-of-work Americans have given up looking for jobs. Republican House Speaker John Boehner on Thursday said the economy is improving “a bit, but most Americans aren’t seeing it.” On that point, he doesn’t get much of an argument from liberal Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. “For tens of millions of working families who are the backbone of this country, this economy isn’t working,” she told the AFL-CIO last week. “These families are working harder than ever, but they can’t get ahead. Opportunity is slipping away.”