Warm stretch continues throughout this weekendSanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
Charlotte County unlicensed contractor accused of fraud The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said that a contractor has been arrested after he was hired to build a room in a home without a license.
Studies show that menopause is linked to heart risks Menopause is a natural part of life for middle-aged women, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55. However, it can bring serious health complications, including an increased risk of heart disease.
FORT MYERS Local band Shy Blossom to open up for ’90s rockers Sister Hazel at The Ranch A Southwest Florida-based band will be opening for the legendary ’90s rock fusion group Sister Hazel.
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of possessing child pornography A Cape Coral man has been arrested after allegedly possessing several files of child pornography on devices.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
Charlotte County unlicensed contractor accused of fraud The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said that a contractor has been arrested after he was hired to build a room in a home without a license.
Studies show that menopause is linked to heart risks Menopause is a natural part of life for middle-aged women, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55. However, it can bring serious health complications, including an increased risk of heart disease.
FORT MYERS Local band Shy Blossom to open up for ’90s rockers Sister Hazel at The Ranch A Southwest Florida-based band will be opening for the legendary ’90s rock fusion group Sister Hazel.
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of possessing child pornography A Cape Coral man has been arrested after allegedly possessing several files of child pornography on devices.
Remko van Dokkum/ Flickr/ MGN WASHINGTON (AP) – Those automated phone calls during the dinner hour, late at night or to your wireless phone can be so frustrating – and the government is taking note. The head of the Federal Communications Commission circulated a proposal Wednesday designed to close loopholes, reaffirm current anti-robocall rules, and encourage wireless and wireline carriers to do more to fight against unwanted telemarketing calls and spam text messages to consumers. A key part of the plan: clearing up any confusion over whether the phone carriers can offer blocking services – so-called robo-blocking technology that could help people stop the unwanted calls. “We are giving the green light for robocall-blocking technology,” FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wrote in a blog-post on the commission website. Phone companies have said that they worry that automatic call-blocking might run afoul of laws requiring them to connect phone calls. In his blog, Wheeler said the technology can be offered without violating the rules. “The FCC wants to make it clear: telephone companies can – and in fact should – offer consumers robocall-blocking tools,” he said. Another part of the plan aims to make it easier for consumers to say “no” to robocalls and texts. People would simply be able to say “stop” and cannot be told that they need to fill out a form and mail it in to get the calls to cease. And for people who switch phones and inherit a new phone number, the Wheeler proposal says they should not be subjected to unwanted calls that the previous owner consented to. Unwanted robocalls, robotexts, and telemarketing calls are the biggest source of consumer complaints at the FCC, with the agency receiving more than 215,000 complaints last year alone. Consumer groups praised the Wheeler plan, which the commission will vote on at its June 18 meeting. “This should clear the way for companies to offer the call-blocking tools that people want to stop robocalls from invading their homes morning, noon and night,” said Delara Derakhshani, policy counsel for Consumers Union. An industry group, US Telecom, said it was studying Wheeler’s proposal. “USTelecom supports the FCC’s efforts to provide consumers with options to mitigate unwanted phone calls, and to take strong enforcement actions against illegal robocallers,” spokeswoman Anne Veigle said. She declined to say specifically whether the group supports Wheeler’s plan to allow or encourage the phone companies to offer the blocking technologies to consumers. Another group, CTIA-The Wireless Association, said there are a number of apps and features available to consumers to help stop robocalls and other intrusions. “While we are still reviewing the details of the chairman’s proposals, we remain committed to working with all interested parties to help protect consumers while preserving choice and promoting innovation,” the association’s statement said. A spokeswoman for AT&T referred a reporter to US Telecom for comment. Representatives of Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile didn’t immediately have a comment. Some lawmakers questioned parts of the proposal. Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, expressed concern about an exception in the proposal that would allow free calls or texts in some circumstances, such as to alert a consumer to possible fraud on a bank account or to remind a person about an important prescription refill. The proposed exemptions, he said in a statement, “will result in an increase in unwanted calls and texts to consumers without their consent.” The commission had received more than 20 petitions from companies – including bankers, debt collectors, app developers, retail stores, and others – seeking clarity on rules pertaining to robocalls. Dozens of state attorneys general also had asked the FCC to weigh in on whether blocking robocalls might violate any telecommunications statutes. Millions of people have placed their phone numbers on the federal Do Not Call Registry, which bars telemarketers from calling the numbers on the list. But scammers pay no attention to the registry, contributing to the many complaints about telemarketing calls to the FCC and the Federal Trade Commission. Often, it’s hard to track down the scammer making the automated calls since current technology allows them to fake or “spoof” caller ID information, so the number you see on your caller ID isn’t the real number and usually leads to a disconnected number or something other than the source of the original call.