Crews removing derelict boats from Gilchrist Park33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County
PUNTA GORDA Crews removing derelict boats from Gilchrist Park Crews are working to remove derelict boats from Gilchrist Park after several of them washed ashore during Hurricane Milton in October.
33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County Another Florida panther was killed by a vehicle, this time in Hardee County, increasing the death toll of the endangered species to 33 for 2024.
the weather authority Cool and breezy for your Thursday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking cold morning conditions before temperatures warm up to the low 70s this Thursday.
Students react to threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Milton.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Crews removing derelict boats from Gilchrist Park Crews are working to remove derelict boats from Gilchrist Park after several of them washed ashore during Hurricane Milton in October.
33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County Another Florida panther was killed by a vehicle, this time in Hardee County, increasing the death toll of the endangered species to 33 for 2024.
the weather authority Cool and breezy for your Thursday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking cold morning conditions before temperatures warm up to the low 70s this Thursday.
Students react to threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Milton.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
Malcom Wilcox, 6, was shot while in a Fort Myers apartment complex Monday night. (A’Lani R Mendez/Facebook) FORT MYERS, Fla. – As an emergency room physician, Dr. David E. Goldner is prepared for just about any medical situation. But things are different when a child is rushed into the ER with a gunshot wound. “Children are definitely a special population,” said Goldner, who works at Lee Memorial Hospital. “It has to do with their level of comprehension of what’s going on. You obviously treat a 5-year-old different than a 15-year-old.” Child gunshot victims are not a regular occurrence at Lee Memorial. Out of nearly 2,000 trauma cases last year, only a few involved children. But community leaders, residents and others point to such instances as an indication of how crime has grasped a community: Malcolm Wilcox, 6, was shot while standing outside a building at the Landings at East Point Apartments in Fort Myers on Jan. 15. Investigators believe the shooters were targeting a man standing next to Malcolm’s mother, Jartravia Isom. Isom and Malcolm’s cousin, Tazyhion Matthews, 5, were both shot while inside a vehicle near the intersection of Dale Street and Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard in Sept. 2015. Malcolm was in the vehicle but was not injured. A two-year-old girl was shot in Oct. 2015 on the 500 block of Alabama Road in Lehigh Acres. Andrew Faust Jr., 5, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Oct. 2014. Treating a child with a bullet inside them makes an already stressful situation more challenging, said Rachel Hoopes, an ER nurse at Lee Memorial. “I think you go through all the emotions,” she said. “You feel sad. You feel sad for the family, empathy for them. You might feel upset with yourself that maybe you missed something or something didn’t go the way it should have gone.” Working in an emergency room requires handling a lot of moving parts, said Kristy Dutton, Lee Memorial’s director of emergency services. Knowing the medical procedures, physically moving equipment and people, keeping the flow of care moving and being compassionate and caring about the patients are among the responsibilities of medical professionals in the ER. “There’s always a feeling of, you know, ‘Did we do everything,'” Dutton said. “Could we have done anything more? Even though in their minds they know that they did. But it’s very hard, especially with children or people who are victims of violence who you know could not help this. It’s just really hard to take.” Ultimately, helping young gunshot victims is part of the job, said Shannon Biddix, a nurse who also works in Lee Memorial’s ER. “You get to see people at the worst moments of their life, help them go through that, help them deal with that stress,” she said. “But not everything’s the most horrible time. We get to see a lot of good things happen. We get to see a lot for families, things happen for the best of them. We get to see them go home, take their loved ones home. You know, help them get through the pain and suffering.”