The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardshipsMost Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
PUNTA GORDA Cracking down on vapes in Charlotte County schools Vaping is taking over, and that’s why three Charlotte County High schools are testing out vape sensors.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
PUNTA GORDA Cracking down on vapes in Charlotte County schools Vaping is taking over, and that’s why three Charlotte County High schools are testing out vape sensors.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
MGN LOS ANGELES (AP) – A healthier U.S. housing market and economy helped to winnow foreclosures in 2014 to levels not seen since before the housing bust. The decline is the latest evidence of how foreclosures have diminished in recent years from a national crisis to a largely market-specific concern. While foreclosures remain elevated in many populous metropolitan areas, such as New York, Philadelphia and San Diego, they have declined annually overall in recent years, and 2014 was no exception. The number of homes repossessed by banks fell 29 percent last year to the lowest level since 2006, a year before the subprime mortgage crisis erupted, according to data released Thursday by foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac Inc. One reason for the drop: fewer homes entered the foreclosure process last year. Foreclosure starts tumbled 14 percent versus a year earlier to the lowest level since 2006, the firm said. “Foreclosures are no longer a threat to home values nationwide,” said Daren Blomquist, a vice president at RealtyTrac. All told, 643,193 U.S. homes entered the foreclosure process last year, according to RealtyTrac. That represents a 70 percent drop from their 2009 peak of about 2.14 million homes. Completed foreclosures, or homes that were taken back by lenders, fell to 327,069. That’s down 69 percent from their peak of 1.05 million five years ago. U.S. home sales slumped much of last year after a three-year rebound, held back by flat incomes, tight credit and rising home prices. While the steady, albeit slower pickup in home values last year likely squeezed some potential buyers out of the market, it continued to lift property values for homeowners. When home prices rise, it can help homeowners build or recover equity, which can make it easier to qualify for refinancing or sell rather than ending up in foreclosure. Nearly 1.5 million homes returned to positive equity – when a home is valued at more than what the owner owes on the mortgage – in the 12 months ended Sept. 30, according to CoreLogic. Some 5.1 million homes, or 10.3 percent of all homes with a mortgage, remained in negative equity – when the value of a home falls below what is owed on the mortgage – as of Sept. 30, the firm said. While fewer homes entered the foreclosure process last year, they rose on an annual basis in December for the second month in row. The increase stemmed largely from home loans that were made between 2004 and 2008, before banks tightened lending standards. Many of those mortgages represent loans gone unpaid for years that are only now entering the foreclosure path, often because of logjams in states where the courts play a role in the foreclosure process. “This foreclosure market is normalizing, but it’s still heavily skewed to the bubble years,” Blomquist said. Among the states where foreclosure starts increased in December from a year earlier were Massachusetts, New Jersey and Nevada. Not all states saw completed foreclosures decline last year. Nine states registered an increase from 2013, including Maryland, New York, Oregon and New Jersey. As of Dec. 31, some 421,164 homes were owned by banks but not yet sold, down 17 percent from a year earlier, RealtyTrac said. Another 642,927 homes were in some stage of the foreclosure process, an 11 percent decline.