Punta Gorda church celebrates Pastor’s 45 years of serviceShift Coffee Bar in Fort Myers hosts annual Valentine’s Day Party
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda church celebrates Pastor’s 45 years of service The First Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Punta Gorda is alive with celebration as they honor a legacy of leadership.
FORT MYERS Shift Coffee Bar in Fort Myers hosts annual Valentine’s Day Party Shift Coffee Bar in Fort Myers held their annual Valentine’s Day pop-up/anniversary event on Sunday morning.
PUNTA GORDA Road rage leads to gunfire near US 41 bridge in Punta Gorda A road rage incident near the Gilchrist Bridge in Punta Gorda led to shots being fired, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
the weather authority Warm, breezy day with evening rain ahead of a slight cold front The Weather Authority says Sunday is starting off warm across Southwest Florida with overnight lows in the upper 60s and 70s, staying warm throughout the day before a cold front sweeps south later this evening.
FORT MYERS Edison Festival parade lights up Fort Myers with floats and bands The Edison Festival parade was a spectacle of lights and sounds, drawing crowds to celebrate the legacy of Thomas Edison.
CAPE CORAL Goth Gala for the Forlorn; How the alt scene honored Valentine’s Day Love Your Rebellion hosted the Goth Gala for the Forlorn at Nice Guys Pizza in Cape Coral on Friday night.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers gears up for Edison Festival parade; road closures in place Downtown Fort Myers is buzzing with excitement as the Edison Festival of Light Parade is set to begin.
the weather authority Near-record heat with sun and clouds for your Saturday The Weather Authority says the above-normal temperatures that Southwest Florida has been experiencing will stick around yet again for Saturday.
LEE COUNTY Savannah Bananas bring fun on the diamond at JetBlue Park The Savannah Bananas amazed and entertained a sold out JetBlue Park Friday night for the first time in Southwest Florida.
CAPE CORAL Caught on Camera: Cape Coral mailbox hit by drifting car A Cape Coral homeowner was left in shock after a car sent her mailbox flying through the air and left tire tracks next to her home.
ARCADIA DeSoto County man sentenced for deadly DUI crash Justice for a mother and son killed by a man driving under the influence.
NAPLES Oldest Black-owned business in SWFL continues to serve community Cleveland Bass Movers, founded in 1969, stands as the oldest Black-owned business in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Broken gate on Lovers Key Beach Resort frustrating residents Residents of Lover’s Key Beach Club in Fort Myers Beach are frustrated with a gate that remains wide open, despite “No Trespassing” signs, since Hurricane Ian struck two years ago.
St. James City Church plans $700k flood-proofing project for future safety Hurricanes have caused flood after flood, and one island church, The First Baptist Church of Saint James City, wants to build higher.
Romance scams rise in the US, AARP warns residents to beware Romance scams are on the rise, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting over 64,000 cases in the U.S. in 2023.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda church celebrates Pastor’s 45 years of service The First Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Punta Gorda is alive with celebration as they honor a legacy of leadership.
FORT MYERS Shift Coffee Bar in Fort Myers hosts annual Valentine’s Day Party Shift Coffee Bar in Fort Myers held their annual Valentine’s Day pop-up/anniversary event on Sunday morning.
PUNTA GORDA Road rage leads to gunfire near US 41 bridge in Punta Gorda A road rage incident near the Gilchrist Bridge in Punta Gorda led to shots being fired, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
the weather authority Warm, breezy day with evening rain ahead of a slight cold front The Weather Authority says Sunday is starting off warm across Southwest Florida with overnight lows in the upper 60s and 70s, staying warm throughout the day before a cold front sweeps south later this evening.
FORT MYERS Edison Festival parade lights up Fort Myers with floats and bands The Edison Festival parade was a spectacle of lights and sounds, drawing crowds to celebrate the legacy of Thomas Edison.
CAPE CORAL Goth Gala for the Forlorn; How the alt scene honored Valentine’s Day Love Your Rebellion hosted the Goth Gala for the Forlorn at Nice Guys Pizza in Cape Coral on Friday night.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers gears up for Edison Festival parade; road closures in place Downtown Fort Myers is buzzing with excitement as the Edison Festival of Light Parade is set to begin.
the weather authority Near-record heat with sun and clouds for your Saturday The Weather Authority says the above-normal temperatures that Southwest Florida has been experiencing will stick around yet again for Saturday.
LEE COUNTY Savannah Bananas bring fun on the diamond at JetBlue Park The Savannah Bananas amazed and entertained a sold out JetBlue Park Friday night for the first time in Southwest Florida.
CAPE CORAL Caught on Camera: Cape Coral mailbox hit by drifting car A Cape Coral homeowner was left in shock after a car sent her mailbox flying through the air and left tire tracks next to her home.
ARCADIA DeSoto County man sentenced for deadly DUI crash Justice for a mother and son killed by a man driving under the influence.
NAPLES Oldest Black-owned business in SWFL continues to serve community Cleveland Bass Movers, founded in 1969, stands as the oldest Black-owned business in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Broken gate on Lovers Key Beach Resort frustrating residents Residents of Lover’s Key Beach Club in Fort Myers Beach are frustrated with a gate that remains wide open, despite “No Trespassing” signs, since Hurricane Ian struck two years ago.
St. James City Church plans $700k flood-proofing project for future safety Hurricanes have caused flood after flood, and one island church, The First Baptist Church of Saint James City, wants to build higher.
Romance scams rise in the US, AARP warns residents to beware Romance scams are on the rise, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting over 64,000 cases in the U.S. in 2023.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Standing at midcourt following a raucous celebration, North Florida coach Matt Driscoll recalled his first team meeting in August 2009. He gathered his players around a basket, pulled out an Atlantic Sun Conference championship banner and told them to pretend they won the league title and made the NCAA Tournament. The staged event included a net-cutting ceremony with “One Shining Moment” playing in the background. Five and a half years later – with several of Driscoll’s former players in attendance – the Ospreys got to do it for real. Demarcus Daniels scored 22 points off the bench, Jalen Nesbitt added 16 and North Florida beat USC Upstate 63-57 in the A-Sun final Sunday to earn its first NCAA Tournament berth. “It was just something to set the vision, to make sure they understood,” Driscoll said. “If you see it, you can be it. If you view it, you can do it. If you believe it, you can achieve it.” North Florida (23-11), which ended a five-game losing streak in the series, will be a double-digit seed in the NCAA field and might even wind up in a play-in game. But none of that mattered Sunday. Many of the school-record crowd of 6,155 rushed the court as the final buzzer sounded. Players and coaches welcomed the swarm, posing for pictures while donning championship hats and T-shirts. “We are the Champions” blared through UNF Arena. Eventually, A-Sun officials presented the conference trophy and named the all-tournament team. No surprise, Daniels was the Most Valuable Player. The 6-foot-7 junior from Georgia made two 3-pointers, hit all six of his free throws and added six rebounds and two blocks. Not bad for a bench player who averages 8.9 points. “He wants me to start. I just chose not to,” Daniels said. “I really can’t explain it. I’m just more comfortable coming off the bench.” Upstate had won both previous meetings this season and looked like it might sweep the series when it scored the first 11 points of the second half. The Spartans erased a 12-point deficit after the break and led 48-44 midway through the second half. But Daniels and Nesbitt took over down the stretch, getting in the lane and making things happen. They finished a combined 14 of 30 from the field. The Ospreys needed their efforts, especially with Dallas Moore, Beau Beech and Chris Davenport a little off. Moore had 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Beech, the team’s second-leading scorer, was 0 for 5 from the field and 0 for 4 from 3-point range. Davenport had eight points and 10 rebounds. Beech and fellow 3-point bomber Trent Mackey were a combined 0 for 9 from behind the arc, making them 1 of 23 from that range in the last two games. “If you would have told me that, it would have been a tough sell,” Driscoll said. The Ospreys’ ability to hit 3s – they rank fourth in the country in treys – makes them a formidable matchup in the NCAA Tournament. They didn’t rely on those long-range shots against Upstate, finishing 5 of 21 from behind the arc. Instead, Daniels and Nesbitt did most of their damage in and around the paint. Maybe more important for North Florida, the Ospreys played solid defense against conference player of the year Ty Greene. Greene led the Spartans (23-11) with 21 points on 9-of-23 shooting, but nearly every look came with a hand in his face.