Vehicle pursuit in Charlotte County ends in crash A pursuit between the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and a vehicle on Interstate 75 ended in a crash.
Red tide looms off Southwest Florida coastline Beware of the beach! Red tide is making its way towards Southwest Florida once again.
FORT MYERS BEACH $1.2 million approved for repairs for FMB and Sanibel schools This hurricane season left an expensive mess at Fort Myers Beach Elementary and the Sanibel school, but who’s paying the $1.2 million price tag?
FORT MYERS Teen carjacks woman after escaping mental health facility A teenager accused of carjacking a woman in a church parking lot on Friday had just escaped from a facility where he was being held under the Baker Act, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Teachers union raises issues with Lee County School District after arbitration Being a teacher is just like any other profession. Teachers need to take days off, get sick, and sometimes cover for co-workers.
LABELLE LaBelle Animal Shelter hoping to raise money to avoid property being sold The owner of Animal Rescue Inc. in LaBelle is doing everything she can to prevent the shelter from disappearing in a matter of months.
County settlement allows Links of Naples golf course to redevelop into homes Collier County residents are vocalizing their concerns over the commissioner’s decision to develop housing on the Naples Golf Course.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mayor weighs in on possible city hall relocation With Lee Memorial Hospital scheduled to close in 2027, discussions over what will replace the building are in full swing and whether Fort Myers City Hall is the right choice.
Toys for Tots: A 77-Year tradition of service and holiday cheer Toys for Tots aims to bring gifts to children and their families who may not be able to afford them for the holidays.
Inside the mind of accused CEO gunman WINK News is learning more about the man accused of shooting and killing a health insurance CEO on a New York City sidewalk last week, and breaking down what he may think of himself based on the writings he left behind.
1 dead after crash on Airport-Pulling Road in Collier County The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash involving a sedan and pick-up truck that occurred near Airport Pulling Road.
bonita springs Prostate cancer treatment aims to freeze further development When it comes to cancer treatment, several options come to mind, such as chemotherapy, surgery, and or radiation; however, there is another option that may prove to be as effective.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man convicted of sexually assaulting teenager A Fort Myers man has been convicted of several charges, including the sexual assault of a 17-year-old teenager.
Red tide advisory issued for Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach The Florida Department of Health issued a red tide advisory after presence of the algae bloom was found near Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach in Collier County.
FORT MYERS RSW offering remote parking for the holidays Southwest Florida International Airport, RSW, is offering passengers RSWRemote, a reserved holiday parking option.
Vehicle pursuit in Charlotte County ends in crash A pursuit between the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and a vehicle on Interstate 75 ended in a crash.
Red tide looms off Southwest Florida coastline Beware of the beach! Red tide is making its way towards Southwest Florida once again.
FORT MYERS BEACH $1.2 million approved for repairs for FMB and Sanibel schools This hurricane season left an expensive mess at Fort Myers Beach Elementary and the Sanibel school, but who’s paying the $1.2 million price tag?
FORT MYERS Teen carjacks woman after escaping mental health facility A teenager accused of carjacking a woman in a church parking lot on Friday had just escaped from a facility where he was being held under the Baker Act, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Teachers union raises issues with Lee County School District after arbitration Being a teacher is just like any other profession. Teachers need to take days off, get sick, and sometimes cover for co-workers.
LABELLE LaBelle Animal Shelter hoping to raise money to avoid property being sold The owner of Animal Rescue Inc. in LaBelle is doing everything she can to prevent the shelter from disappearing in a matter of months.
County settlement allows Links of Naples golf course to redevelop into homes Collier County residents are vocalizing their concerns over the commissioner’s decision to develop housing on the Naples Golf Course.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mayor weighs in on possible city hall relocation With Lee Memorial Hospital scheduled to close in 2027, discussions over what will replace the building are in full swing and whether Fort Myers City Hall is the right choice.
Toys for Tots: A 77-Year tradition of service and holiday cheer Toys for Tots aims to bring gifts to children and their families who may not be able to afford them for the holidays.
Inside the mind of accused CEO gunman WINK News is learning more about the man accused of shooting and killing a health insurance CEO on a New York City sidewalk last week, and breaking down what he may think of himself based on the writings he left behind.
1 dead after crash on Airport-Pulling Road in Collier County The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash involving a sedan and pick-up truck that occurred near Airport Pulling Road.
bonita springs Prostate cancer treatment aims to freeze further development When it comes to cancer treatment, several options come to mind, such as chemotherapy, surgery, and or radiation; however, there is another option that may prove to be as effective.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man convicted of sexually assaulting teenager A Fort Myers man has been convicted of several charges, including the sexual assault of a 17-year-old teenager.
Red tide advisory issued for Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach The Florida Department of Health issued a red tide advisory after presence of the algae bloom was found near Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach in Collier County.
FORT MYERS RSW offering remote parking for the holidays Southwest Florida International Airport, RSW, is offering passengers RSWRemote, a reserved holiday parking option.
Courtesy of US Navy / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 PENSACOLA NAVAL AIR STATION, Fla. (AP) – For nearly 15 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and more than eight years since the mass shooting at Fort Hood in Texas, Pensacola Naval Air Station has remained an unusually open U.S. military base – until now. The nation’s first naval air station and home of the popular Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron this month has enacted strict new, permanent security measures intended to separate the nearly 1 million tourists who visit the base each year from the thousands of sailors, Marines and other military employees who work on the base. Security experts say the surprising thing is that base has remained relatively open for so long. “It appears they are late to the game on this,” said Scott White, a professor of homeland security and security management at Drexel University in Iowa and former intelligence officer for the Canadian defense department. White said the previously open environment at the base is a rare reminder of different era. “Nowadays every military installation is a potential target as is anyone in a uniform,” he said. Base officials say they have worked through the years to prioritize safety while accommodating the steady stream of tourists. But Cmdr. Shawn Dominguez, executive officer of the base, said the base had to align itself with Department of Defense security standards that physically separate tourists and other unauthorized visitors from military operations. Dominguez, who has been at the base for only a few months, said it was unusual that the public had become accustomed to relatively easy access there. “The base has been here for a long time and brings a tremendous economic benefit to the community,” he said. “But I think everybody understands that in this security environment, the changes are necessary.” The base now has separate entrance gates – one for military members and base employees and another for tourists and other visitors. The gates are about three miles apart. In the past, large warning signs made it clear that unauthorized people were not allowed on specific areas of the base and base security kept close watch on those areas. Under the new system, tourists will be denied access to military areas without passing internal guard booths and roadblocks. Visitors will also have to show identification and carry a visitor pass issued in their name. The pass must be presented to security officials at their destination. Anyone visiting military buildings or training areas must be issued a special visitor pass and be escorted. Thousands of tourists enter the base several mornings each week from March through October to watch the Blue Angels practice. The practices are often followed by pilot autograph signings inside the National Museum of Naval Aviation. Also located inside the base are two historic forts, which date to the late 1700s, a popular Civil War-era lighthouse, a sprawling military cemetery, an 18-hole military golf course and beach recreation area for active duty and retired military. Separating the tourists and recreational aspects of the base from its military operations has been complicated by the way the base is laid out with tourist and recreation areas near working military personnel, said Harold Saintcloud, the base’s anti-terrorism and security officer. The Department of Defense media office declined comment on base security issues in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. The department also declined to comment on whether the situation at Naval Air Station Pensacola is unique because of the large number of tourists visiting the base each year. Retired Navy pilot Mikal “Butch” Kissick owns Wings Aviation, a military memorabilia and supply store just outside the gates of the Naval Air Station Pensacola. Kissick said his customer base is mostly Naval aviators who work on the base and that he isn’t concerned about not having tourists passing by his store. “This was long overdue,” he said. “I have often thought about how easy it was to get onto the base. They needed to tighten security.”