Pedestrian injured in crash on McGregor BoulevardFamily of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree
FORT MYERS Pedestrian injured in crash on McGregor Boulevard The Fort Myers Police Department is investigating a crash that left at least one person injured Saturday night.
Family of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree Saturday marked a special day for Florida Gulf Coast University as more than 1,800 students graduated. For one student-athlete, graduating from FGCU runs in the family.
lehigh acres LCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
FORT MYERS Pedestrian injured in crash on McGregor Boulevard The Fort Myers Police Department is investigating a crash that left at least one person injured Saturday night.
Family of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree Saturday marked a special day for Florida Gulf Coast University as more than 1,800 students graduated. For one student-athlete, graduating from FGCU runs in the family.
lehigh acres LCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Fort Myer’s first black council member Veronica Shoemaker has died at the age of 86. A family member said Shoemaker passed around 3:15 p.m. and was surrounded by loved ones. Her niece, Nikki Stewart, said her first job was at Shoemaker’s flower shop located at the corner of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and a street in her namesake. “To the public she was Veronica Shoemaker, councilwoman, florist, legendary,” Stewart wrote in an email. “To me, she was just my beloved Aunt Ronnie.” Shoemaker was a longtime activist in Southwest Florida. She was elected to Fort Myer’s city council in 1982 on her seventeenth consecutive run, according to WGCU. Former local NAACP president Carletha E. Griffin said she respects Shoemaker, who also held the role as NAACP president, for her ability to overcome adversity. “Veronica Shoemaker was an inspiration and positive figure for African Americans and the entire Lee County community,” Griffin said in a statement. “She faced a lot of conflicts and was able to resolve them. She was an inspiring motivator and fought hard to make sure everyone was treated equally.” “You are going to be loved and very missed,” said Fredrick Booker, a close family friend who says there was just something about Shoemaker that brought everyone together. “Her character, her charisma, her goals. When you have a goal in life, and other people see your vision, you become like a magnet.” Traveling across the city, you will see evidence of Shoemaker’s work. She played a major role in bringing the City of Palms Park and Boston Red Sox spring training to Fort Myers, the Imaginarium to Dunbar, and the Harborside Event Center to downtown. Sawyer Smith, a lawyer in downtown Fort Myers, said he grew up buying prom corsages from Shoemaker’s floral shop. But he said it was her legacy as both a fighter for equality and lover of people that will leave a lasting impact. “What she did, she did for the greater good: for black, for white. She did it. She loved everybody she came in touch with,” Sawyer said. “We wouldn’t be here where we are today without Ms. Shoemaker. She is a true legend. She is the true mother of the city of Fort Myers.” Lee County Sheriff’s Office tweeted their condolences, also calling Shoemaker a “legend.” A legend has passed but our community is a much better place because of her. Rest in Peace Veronica Shoemaker! https://t.co/F1l6vKUPu2 — Lee County Sheriff (@leesheriff) January 22, 2016 Shoemaker spoke about the importance of working together to combat poverty, which she considered a major contemporary issue. “We continue to live in poverty, despite what you might think, we are continuing to live in poverty until we learn to help one another,” she said. When she became a recipient of the Hodges University Luminary Award in 2010, Shoemaker spoke about her pride in serving the community and the struggle it took her to get to city council. “I am proud to have been that vessel running up and down making noise. It took me years, years to get there,” she said. “After 17 long years of knocking on the front door, the back door, whatever door they’d let me – I finally got there.”