Halloween brightens patients day at Golisano Children’s

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Halloween may still be a couple weeks away but Wednesday it was Halloween at the Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Volunteers from Spirit Halloween in conjuration with the Spirit Children Program spent their afternoon throwing a Halloween party for children and their families who are spending October in the children’s […]

Small patch of red tide spotted along Sarasota beaches

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) – A red tide has caused some respiratory irritations in some people along beaches in the Sarasota area. According to Mote Marine Laboratory, some dead fish were reported Tuesday at Venice North Jetty. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune (http://bit.ly/1GGXBNW ) reports the laboratory found medium concentrations of red tide in water samples collected Monday […]

Big 3 airlines flexing their political muscle in Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. airlines have ramped up an aggressive lobbying campaign that seeks nothing less than converting the government from industry regulator to business ally. The big three legacy carriers – Delta, American and United – want the Obama administration to protect them from competition from foreign airlines, arguing those rivals can undercut ticket […]

Wal-Mart expects profit to fall amid transformation push

NEW YORK (AP) – Wal-Mart expects its profit to take a hit as the world’s biggest retailer works to fend off intensifying competition by perking up customer service and adapting to changing shopping habits. The company that is known for its low prices and sprawling supercenters also forecast sales for its full fiscal year to […]

Everblades Hockey returns for 18th season

ESTERO, Fla. – October is in full swing and that means Hockey is back, including right here in Southwest Florida. For the 18th season the Florida Everblades return to home ice at Germain Arena for another exciting and thrilling season of ECHL hockey. The Everblades are looking for another successful year, having made the playoffs […]

Attorneys: Law forced woman to sue nephew over medical bills

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – A woman who sued her 12-year-old nephew for $127,000 over injuries she received when he exuberantly greeted her at his birthday party four years ago was forced to go to court over her medical bills, her lawyers said Wednesday as backlash against her on social media sites poured in. A jury […]

QB Andrew Luck making throws in practice for Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Luck is starting to look like his old self after missing the last two games with a sore right throwing shoulder. The Colts quarterback was dressed in pads and participated in all of the throwing drills during the early portion of Wednesday’s practice, which is open to the media. It is […]

David Price not available for Blue Jays in Game 5

TORONTO (AP) — Blue Jays left-hander David Price will not be available out of the bullpen in Game 5 of the AL Division Series against Texas. Price threw 50 pitches in a three-inning relief stint in Game 4, which Toronto won 8-4. Left-hander Aaron Loup is also unavailable Wednesday. Loup is away from the team […]

Egypt elects new parliament, first under el-Sissi

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian voters head to the polls Sunday to elect a parliament, the first since the military-led ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in 2013. The vote will mark the final step in what has been billed as a post-Morsi transition to democracy. But critics here and abroad describe it as part of […]

Pilot student aid expansion for non-traditional education

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of students could be eligible for federal student aid as part of a new pilot program that will offer certificates and college credit for non-traditional programs like boot-camp style computer science training. The Education Department announced the experimental three-year pilot Wednesday, saying it hopes to reach several thousand people, particularly low-income […]