New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashesNew leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans
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.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
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.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
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.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
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.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
(Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / MGN) LOS ANGELES (AP) – The forgetful blue fish of “Finding Dory” is box office gold. The Pixar sequel far surpassed its already ocean-sized expectations to take in $136.2 million in North American theaters, making it the highest-grossing animated debut of all time, not adjusting for inflation, according to comScore estimates Sunday. The 2007 film “Shrek the Third” was the previous record-holder, with a $121.6 million debut. “Finding Dory,” which comes 13 years after “Finding Nemo,” is also the second-largest June opening of all time, with “Jurassic World” at No. 1. The well-reviewed film features the voices of Ellen DeGeneres and Albert Brooks. Going into the weekend, analysts expected “Finding Dory” to draw big, $100 million-plus numbers, but never this big. “The thought was: ‘Could this be the movie to eclipse “Toy Story 3’s” opening?’ not, ‘Could it become the biggest animated opening of all time?'” said Paul Dergarabedian, comScore’s senior media analyst. “That’s the power of the Pixar brand.” Until now, “Toy Story 3” was Pixar’s biggest opening ever, with $110.3 million. Disney Executive Vice President of Distribution Dave Hollis was particularly heartened that the film did such robust late-night business on Friday and Saturday. “That’s really a testament to this being a picture for everyone – not just for families,” Hollis said. “Finding Dory” has the animated seas to itself until “The Secret Life of Pets” opens July 8. The Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson buddy comedy “Central Intelligence” also had a relatively muscular weekend, with a better-than-expected $34.5 million, putting it in second place. “It’s a real home run,” said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros.’ executive vice president of domestic distribution. “These two comedians are just stars. They connect with their audience and each other in such a strong way. You just laugh when you watch them.” “Central Intelligence” cost a reported $50 million to make and scored especially well with younger audiences, who the studio hopes will propel word-of-mouth business in weeks to come. The next major comedy releases don’t come until mid-July, with “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” and “Ghostbusters.” In third place, the James Wan horror pic “The Conjuring 2” fell 62 percent in its second weekend in theaters, earning $15.6 million and bringing its domestic total to $71.7 million. Rounding out the top five were “Now You See Me 2,” with $9.7 million, and “Warcraft,” with $6.5 million. Overall, the weekend is down nearly 5 percent from last year, when “Inside Out” launched with $90.4 million and “Jurassic World” earned $106.6 million in its second weekend in theaters. Still, Dergarabedian says the comparatively big audiences this weekend are good for business in the long run because they’ll be exposed to trailers for upcoming summer films. The success of “Finding Dory” and “Central Intelligence” also comes after a few weekends of underwhelming sequels and all-out flops. “A movie like ‘Dory’ can reinvigorate a marketplace that has been in the doldrums for the last few weeks,” he said. ___ Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday. 1.”Finding Dory,” $136.2 million ($50 million international). 2.”Central Intelligence,” $34.5 million ($6.8 million international). 3.”The Conjuring 2,” $15.6 million ($41.9 million international). 4.”Now You See Me 2,” $9.7 million ($15.8 million international). 5.”Warcraft,” $6.5 million ($17.7 million international). 6.”X-Men: Apocalypse,” $5.2 million ($12.8 million international). 7.”Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows,” $5.2 million ($10.5 million international). 8.”Me Before You,” $4.2 million ($13.5 million international). 9.”Alice Through the Looking Glass,” $3.6 million ($8 million international). 10.”Captain America: Civil War,” $2.3 million. ___ Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to comScore: 1. “Finding Dory,” $50 million. 2. “The Conjuring 2,” $41.9 million. 3. “Warcraft,” $17.7 million. 4. “Now You See Me 2,” $15.8 million. 5. “Me Before You,” $13.5 million. 6. “X-Men: Apocalypse,” $12.8 million. 7. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows,” $10.5 million. 8. “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” $8 million. 9. “Central Intelligence,” $6.8 million. 10. “The Angry Birds Movie,” $6.3 million.