ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva 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 Alva 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.
Courtesy: Rank Group PLC/ MGN MIAMI (AP) – As Florida lawmakers appear ready to allow key portions of the state’s high-stakes gambling deal with the Seminole to expire, other gambling interests are watching keenly for openings in the multi-billion dollar industry if the tribe and Gov. Rick Scott can’t negotiate something new. However, it’s not clear if those openings will emerge. The tribe owns six casinos in Florida, including the highly profitable Hard Rock Casinos in South Florida and Tampa. In 2010, the state and the Seminoles signed a 20-year compact giving the tribe the right to operate slot machines at all its casinos in return for revenue sharing of at least $1 billion over five years. The deal also gave the tribe the exclusive right to offer house-banked card games like blackjack, chemin de fer and baccarat, also in return for revenue sharing. However, that right expires July 31 unless the Legislature approves a renewal or revision, which would have to be negotiated with Scott. The Legislature’s annual session opens Tuesday and ends May 1. An attempt last year to renew the provision on banked card games failed. This year, the roughly $230 million a year the tribe would share with the state has not been included in the forecasts state legislators use to craft Florida’s budget. About $130 million of that money comes from the banked card games, said Bob Jarvis, a professor of gambling law at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. “We’re already building our budget with the assumption it’s gone,” said Senate President Andy Gardiner, an Orlando Republican and gambling opponent. “For us, it doesn’t change how we view the world for the next three years.” Jarvis says lawmakers likely are bluffing – but the proof will be in how the negotiations play out. If the provision is not renewed, the tribe would have to discontinue the three games within 90 days, resulting in the loss of 3,000 jobs, said Barry Richard, an attorney for the tribe who also helped negotiate the 2010 compact with former Gov. Charlie Crist. Richard declined to comment on the status of negotiations with Scott. The federal government also must approve any compact between Florida and the tribe. “The governor is going to take the time that’s needed to get the best deal for Florida,” said Scott spokeswoman Jackie Schutz. Banked card games aren’t the only gambling options up for discussion. As other players in the industry seek to expand in Florida, options include allowing non-Seminole casinos to add blackjack or allowing dog tracks to end the requirement that they run a specific number of races in order to operate poker rooms. Under the current 20-year compact, the Seminole Tribe could end its revenue sharing altogether if slot machines are allowed outside Broward and Miami-Dade counties, or if South Florida’s horse and dog tracks and jai-alai frontons are allowed to have banked card games. Resorts World Miami, which wants to build a Las Vegas-style resort casino to South Florida, wants the state to address “alternatives, rather than just renewing the monopoly the tribe has,” said lobbyist Brian Ballard. Resorts World Miami is owned by the Malaysia-based Genting Group, one of the world’s largest casino companies. The gambling industry sees Florida’s large local market and easy Northeastern and Latin American access as ripe for casino expansion compared to saturated markets in Macau, Las Vegas and Atlantic City, Jarvis said. But Florida legislators have an incentive to block any expansion beyond the Seminole properties, he said. Lawmakers from conservative north Florida oppose gambling for moral reasons, and those from central Florida, including Gardiner, have to consider Disney’s interests. The theme park opposes more casinos. Meanwhile, another tribe also wants to discuss a compact with the state. The Alabama-based Poarch Creek Band of Indians wants to expand its gambling operations with a casino near Pensacola. The tribe has suggested it might consider growing and selling marijuana on its Florida Panhandle property if no compact is reached. Scott has so far rebuffed their efforts to open negotiations. House Speaker Steve Crisafulli said the Legislature has time to consider the benefits of renewing the Seminole Tribe’s compact under its current terms or expanding the gambling options.