Sibling rivalry brewing between SWFL Super Bowl championsFort Myers mother warns others after falling victim to ticket fraud
FORT MYERS Sibling rivalry brewing between SWFL Super Bowl champions Philadelphia may be known as the city of brotherly love, but here in southwest Florida, there’s a brotherly rivalry brewing between two of our own.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mother warns others after falling victim to ticket fraud A mother’s intended surprise turned into a disappointment when she paid for Savannah Bananas tickets but never received them. The tickets were meant to be a special gift for her son.
Legal expert weighs in on 17-year-old found not guilty of murder of mom Collin Griffith, a 17-year-old, has been found not guilty in the death of his mother, Catherine Griffith, who was fatally stabbed in the neck.
FORT MYERS $150k worth of equipment stolen from Lee Health Fort Myers police arrested a hospital employee accused of stealing more than 150 thousand dollars worth of medical equipment from Lee Health.
NAPLES Award-winning stylist to host event during Naples Automotive Experience On Friday, an Emmy Award-winning Hollywood stylist will host Forever Fabulous, a charity event with the St. Matthew’s House.
FORT MYERS Colonial and I-75 diverging diamond to be completed by spring The diverging diamond at Colonial Boulevard and Interstate 75 in Fort Myers is diverting drivers.
NAPLES 20th Annual Spring Home & Garden show coming to Naples The 20th semi-annual Spring Home & Garden show is coming to Naples.
NAPLES Collier Publix worker spreads joy with kindness cards In Collier County, one person stands out for his daily acts of kindness, bringing smiles to those around him.
FGCU FGCU softball pitcher ranked among the best in the country FGCU softball pitcher Allison Sparkman enters her sophomore season ranked as one of the top pitchers in the country.
Congress steps in as Port Charlotte widow searches for husband’s ashes A Port Charlotte woman continues to fight to find her husband’s ashes, lost in the mail. Members of Congress are now backing her efforts.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mom recounts dramatic chase to find kidnapped daughter A mother’s worst nightmare unfolded when her 2-year-old daughter was taken from her in Fort Myers on Monday.
ESTERO Copperleaf Community fights hunger through fundraising The Copperleaf Country Club community in Estero is making a significant impact in the fight against hunger.
NAPLES Collier County students explore trade careers at job fair Hundreds of Collier County students explored potential future careers at the Build My Future Job Fair.
NORTH NAPLES New orthopedic hospital nears completion in Collier County A new orthopedic hospital is nearing completion in Collier County, Florida, with an estimated cost of $140 million.
Real estate deals that shaped the SWFL landscape in 2024 The rise of online retail and continued regional population growth played a large role in a series of yin/yang real estate transactions that defined Southwest Florida’s top deals of 2024.
FORT MYERS Sibling rivalry brewing between SWFL Super Bowl champions Philadelphia may be known as the city of brotherly love, but here in southwest Florida, there’s a brotherly rivalry brewing between two of our own.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mother warns others after falling victim to ticket fraud A mother’s intended surprise turned into a disappointment when she paid for Savannah Bananas tickets but never received them. The tickets were meant to be a special gift for her son.
Legal expert weighs in on 17-year-old found not guilty of murder of mom Collin Griffith, a 17-year-old, has been found not guilty in the death of his mother, Catherine Griffith, who was fatally stabbed in the neck.
FORT MYERS $150k worth of equipment stolen from Lee Health Fort Myers police arrested a hospital employee accused of stealing more than 150 thousand dollars worth of medical equipment from Lee Health.
NAPLES Award-winning stylist to host event during Naples Automotive Experience On Friday, an Emmy Award-winning Hollywood stylist will host Forever Fabulous, a charity event with the St. Matthew’s House.
FORT MYERS Colonial and I-75 diverging diamond to be completed by spring The diverging diamond at Colonial Boulevard and Interstate 75 in Fort Myers is diverting drivers.
NAPLES 20th Annual Spring Home & Garden show coming to Naples The 20th semi-annual Spring Home & Garden show is coming to Naples.
NAPLES Collier Publix worker spreads joy with kindness cards In Collier County, one person stands out for his daily acts of kindness, bringing smiles to those around him.
FGCU FGCU softball pitcher ranked among the best in the country FGCU softball pitcher Allison Sparkman enters her sophomore season ranked as one of the top pitchers in the country.
Congress steps in as Port Charlotte widow searches for husband’s ashes A Port Charlotte woman continues to fight to find her husband’s ashes, lost in the mail. Members of Congress are now backing her efforts.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mom recounts dramatic chase to find kidnapped daughter A mother’s worst nightmare unfolded when her 2-year-old daughter was taken from her in Fort Myers on Monday.
ESTERO Copperleaf Community fights hunger through fundraising The Copperleaf Country Club community in Estero is making a significant impact in the fight against hunger.
NAPLES Collier County students explore trade careers at job fair Hundreds of Collier County students explored potential future careers at the Build My Future Job Fair.
NORTH NAPLES New orthopedic hospital nears completion in Collier County A new orthopedic hospital is nearing completion in Collier County, Florida, with an estimated cost of $140 million.
Real estate deals that shaped the SWFL landscape in 2024 The rise of online retail and continued regional population growth played a large role in a series of yin/yang real estate transactions that defined Southwest Florida’s top deals of 2024.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – The hurricane planes known affectionately as “Miss Piggy” and “Kermit” are getting new Rolls-Royce engines, new wings and better radar. Every hurricane season for nearly four decades, the two technologically packed planes have flown into storms at speeds of up to 300 mph, collecting research and forecasting data to transmit back to the mainland. The 38-year-old planes are getting $42 million “nose-to-tail” upgrades of key components. The money comes from the post-Superstorm Sandy Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013. While the planes are routinely maintained, this is the first big overhaul in more than a decade. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that the refurbishments could keep them flying for decades. The improvements also will mean better fuel efficiency and additional safety for the crew and scientists who fly in the mobile weather stations. “We’ll be able to see things better and react better,” said Devon Brakob, a NOAA navigator aboard the hurricane missions. At MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, the plane dubbed “Miss Piggy” sits in a cavernous hangar. Affixed to the plane’s rear are dozens of red hurricane symbols, some with familiar names: Andrew, Floyd, Katrina. Every storm gets its own decal. In the weeks before the start of hurricane season June 1, the plane’s interior and exterior are in pieces, although a touch of whimsy hangs in the cockpit: a pair of black fuzzy dice. The aircraft’s four engines are being swapped for new Rolls-Royce engines that will not only get better gas mileage but will allow the plane to stay in the air longer. Currently, the planes fly missions of about 10 hours; it’s not unusual for the crew to fly three or four hours to a storm in the Caribbean, spend a couple of hours inside the storm gathering data, and return home. The plane also is receiving upgraded radar in the tail, fuselage and nose. During a storm, researchers and forecasters use the radar and other instruments to measure a storm’s track and strength. They also slip small buoys through specially designed tubes that shoot out the belly of the plane and into the storm and ocean below, to collect data such as sea temperature and wave height. This year, only Miss Piggy will soar through the storms. Kermit is in Jacksonville at the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center, getting new wings. Next year, the planes will swap places, and Miss Piggy will be out of commission. NOAA officials note that while they’ve never lost a plane during a hurricane mission, they are risky and turbulent flights. “It’s like a huge, wooden roller coaster, times 100,” Brakob said. NOAA also has a Gulfstream IV that flies over storms and provides a detailed picture of upper atmosphere forecasts and steering currents during a hurricane. Last year, U.S. government scientists launched winged drones into Hurricane Edouard, hoping to collect data that could help forecasters understand what makes some storms strengthen into monsters while others fade away. It was the first time that unmanned aircraft were dispatched from the hurricane hunter planes flying through Atlantic tropical storms. Capt. Harris Halverson, the commanding officer of the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center in Tampa, says that while the planes’ mission is to aid research, it’s also to help the public. The data collected on the plane eventually filters to meteorologists, TV weather forecasters and the media. “People’s memories are short,” he said. “We’re helping people have a plan for hurricane season.”