Vigil held for teen shot and killed at Collier partyFlorida Gulf Coast University holds “Night at the Nest” fundraiser
NAPLES Vigil held for teen shot and killed at Collier party Family, friends and loved ones gathered at a candlelight vigil to remember and honor the life of 18-year-old D’eisha Arthur.
FORT MYERS Florida Gulf Coast University holds “Night at the Nest” fundraiser FGCU is holding its “Night at the Nest” fundraiser and gala on Friday. The money raised will go toward university scholarships.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda Veterans Village helping veterans during the holidays Residents and businesses at the Punta Gorda Veterans Village are stepping up to make military transitions a little easier this holiday season.
NORTH PORT Family pushes for class action against Heritage Insurance A North Port family is battling against Heritage Insurance over the damage Hurricane Ian did to their home.
Trails End Drive suspected double murder hit man and organizers back in court There are new developments in the murder-for-hire case that made headlines for weeks at the start of the year. The defendants are back in court.
CAPE CORAL 4 arrested on drug-related charges after FBI investigation Some Cape Coral residents woke up in the early morning hours to their neighbors’ homes being raided by federal agents.
Hope Card program protects victims of domestic violence in Lee County Lee County has implemented the Hope Card Program, a new statewide initiative to help victims of domestic violence.
SANIBEL 36th annual Sanibel Luminary Festival begins The Luminary Festival kicked off on Sanibel Island on Friday. This community-wide holiday event puts residents and visitors in the holiday spirit.
FORT MYERS Future unsure for Rachel at the Well During Hurricane Ian, Rachel at the well was uprooted from its spot in front of the Edison Park neighborhood.
NAPLES Naples Yacht Club appoints first woman commodore After 78 years, the Naples Yacht Club has appointed its first woman commodore. Kathy Parks King is her name.
FORT MYERS Mano Santa Tattoos, a woman-owned tattoo shop, opens in Fort Myers Mano Santa Tattoos is the newest tattoo studio in Fort Myers, offering an immersive tattoo experience to clients. The shop is woman-owned and women-staffed.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda residents awaiting Gilchrist Park repairs The City of Punta Gorda has yet to complete repairs or remove the boats that remain stranded in Gilchrist Park after Hurricane Milton.
Unlocking Alzheimer’s mysteries Research shows that some older adults have signs of the disease in their brains after they die, even though they never had symptoms while they were alive. These cases could be key to developing new treatments.
IMMOKALEE 64-year-old drug dealer sentenced in Collier County A 64-year-old drug dealer has been sentenced in Collier County for possession and distribution of cocaine.
NAPLES Vigil held for teen shot and killed at Collier party Family, friends and loved ones gathered at a candlelight vigil to remember and honor the life of 18-year-old D’eisha Arthur.
FORT MYERS Florida Gulf Coast University holds “Night at the Nest” fundraiser FGCU is holding its “Night at the Nest” fundraiser and gala on Friday. The money raised will go toward university scholarships.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda Veterans Village helping veterans during the holidays Residents and businesses at the Punta Gorda Veterans Village are stepping up to make military transitions a little easier this holiday season.
NORTH PORT Family pushes for class action against Heritage Insurance A North Port family is battling against Heritage Insurance over the damage Hurricane Ian did to their home.
Trails End Drive suspected double murder hit man and organizers back in court There are new developments in the murder-for-hire case that made headlines for weeks at the start of the year. The defendants are back in court.
CAPE CORAL 4 arrested on drug-related charges after FBI investigation Some Cape Coral residents woke up in the early morning hours to their neighbors’ homes being raided by federal agents.
Hope Card program protects victims of domestic violence in Lee County Lee County has implemented the Hope Card Program, a new statewide initiative to help victims of domestic violence.
SANIBEL 36th annual Sanibel Luminary Festival begins The Luminary Festival kicked off on Sanibel Island on Friday. This community-wide holiday event puts residents and visitors in the holiday spirit.
FORT MYERS Future unsure for Rachel at the Well During Hurricane Ian, Rachel at the well was uprooted from its spot in front of the Edison Park neighborhood.
NAPLES Naples Yacht Club appoints first woman commodore After 78 years, the Naples Yacht Club has appointed its first woman commodore. Kathy Parks King is her name.
FORT MYERS Mano Santa Tattoos, a woman-owned tattoo shop, opens in Fort Myers Mano Santa Tattoos is the newest tattoo studio in Fort Myers, offering an immersive tattoo experience to clients. The shop is woman-owned and women-staffed.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda residents awaiting Gilchrist Park repairs The City of Punta Gorda has yet to complete repairs or remove the boats that remain stranded in Gilchrist Park after Hurricane Milton.
Unlocking Alzheimer’s mysteries Research shows that some older adults have signs of the disease in their brains after they die, even though they never had symptoms while they were alive. These cases could be key to developing new treatments.
IMMOKALEE 64-year-old drug dealer sentenced in Collier County A 64-year-old drug dealer has been sentenced in Collier County for possession and distribution of cocaine.
MGN Online NEW YORK (AP) – Black Friday used to kick off the holiday shopping season, but now that day has taken a backseat to Thanksgiving Day. Still, retailers have settled into times that don’t interfere with the turkey feast. After opening earlier and earlier on the holiday, this year, most of the more than a dozen major retailers like Macy’s, Target and Kohl’s are sticking with their 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. Thanksgiving openings. One big exception: J.C. Penney, which is opening two hours earlier at 3 p.m. on the holiday. Staples has reversed course and will close on the holiday. And sporting goods chain REI, which was always closed on Thanksgiving, is bowing out of Black Friday too. Still, stores aren’t waiting around to push discounts on holiday goods until the official weekend. Increasingly, they’ve been discounting holiday merchandise earlier in the month. In fact, according to the National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, nearly 60 percent of holiday shoppers have already started holiday shopping as of Nov. 10. That should take a bite out of the sales this weekend, though Black Friday should still rank either No. 1 or No. 2 in sales for the year. The National Retail Federation estimates about 135.8 million people will shop this weekend, compared with 133.7 million last year. The trade group expects about 30 million to shop on Thanksgiving, compared with 99.7 million on Black Friday. Overall, the group expects a 3.7 percent increase to $630.5 billion though the growth is much higher than the 10-year average of 2.5 percent. But grabbing those dollars will be tough. While overall economy has been improving, shoppers remain tight-fisted. Unemployment rate has settled into a healthy 5 percent rate, but shoppers still grapple with stagnant wages that are not keeping pace with rising costs for things like rent. Stores are also contending with an increasing shift to researching and buying online. In response, Wal-Mart and Target will be making all of the deals available later in the stores online Thanksgiving morning. New this year at Target: Shoppers who spend $75 or more on Friday will receive a 20 percent discount to use toward a future purchase on any day between Dec. 4 and Dec. 13. Saks Fifth Avenue pulled up its Black Friday sale to Wednesday to get a jump start to the holiday shopping season. Gerald Storch, CEO of Hudson’s Bay Company, which also operates Lord & Taylor, said the deals at the stores are even more aggressive than last year and include a $75 gift card with a $150 in-store purchase. Storch told The Associated Press that the luxury chain considered, and then rejected, opening on Thanksgiving, but it still wanted to do something special for its customers. “It’s a calm alternative to Black Friday,” said Storch, referring to the Wednesday store sale.