ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
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.”