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.
MGN FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – Nearly a dozen health insurers are proposing rate increases averaging 13 percent for 2017 Florida plans sold on the exchanges created under President Barack Obama’s health care law, according to federal officials, but that won’t necessarily mean big consumer price hikes. State insurance officials, meanwhile, estimated the average increase at closer to 18 percent, but neither state nor federal officials would say how they arrived at their figures other than to say they were both weighted. The largest increase is a whopping 44 percent requested by one Humana plan. Aetna wants a 29 percent increase for a plan, with AvMed requesting 26 percent and Coventry seeking 17 percent. Florida Health Care Plan requested modest increases for many of its products with most around only 2 percent, according to data released by federal health officials Wednesday. However, those figures only apply to specific plans in certain regions. Some may have only have 50 enrollees and are not representative of what consumers will actually pay. Still the numbers will likely be seized on by critics of so-called Obamacare. Proposed rate increases are a hot topic every year, with detractors of the Affordable Care Act using the figures as proof the law isn’t working. But rates have risen as much as 20 or 30 percent in recent years – even before the health law took effect. And federal health officials say it’s important for consumers to understand that if premiums increase, their tax credits will also increase proportionately. Premiums and subsidies vary widely by factors including age, income, gender and zip code. Florida Blue, the state’s largest insurer, requested a statewide average increase of 14 percent, compared to the 9 percent hike it won last year. Some of last year’s highest proposed rate hikes were 21 and 31 percent from some insurers, but the Obama administration said consumers didn’t see much of a difference. “Last year, the average monthly premium for people with Marketplace coverage getting tax credits increased just $2, from $82 to $84 per month, despite headlines suggesting big rate increases,” said Jonathan Gold, spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services. Florida also has the ability to negotiate lower rates with insurance companies, a power state officials exercised for the first time last year to help drive down rates. And even though United is leaving the Florida market, Cigna and Harken Health are joining the state, meaning consumers will have 11 options to choose from. The online federal marketplace makes it easier for consumers to shop around and compare prices. Last year, 38 percent of returning consumers in Florida switched plans, saving an average of $408 annually, according to federal health officials. But even if the increases don’t necessarily mean Florida residents will have to shovel out significantly more money, it is a signal that insurers are still searching for stability. The overhaul has been a financial drain for many companies entering their fourth year of the law. Florida Blue, like many other insurers, is struggling with the costs of a sicker than anticipated population. Aetna lost more than $100 million on its health law business last year but hopes to break even this year. Insurers typically make their money balancing the risk pool with healthy people to offset the cost of caring for the sick. But Paul Kluding, a spokesman for Florida Blue, said Wednesday that the newly enrolled consumers have higher rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease than people who already had insurance and those consumers are using a lot more services, including hospital, ER and doctor visits and prescriptions. Insurance companies frequently cite rising medical costs, especially the spike in prescription drugs, as another hurdle. Floridians have led the country in enrollment under the health law, with more than 1.7 million signing up for coverage. Ninety-one percent of those consumers receive tax credits.