Lehigh Acres work trailer explosion injures one personTrump and DeSantis, once GOP rivals, meet in South Florida to talk about 2024 election
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres work trailer explosion injures one person The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District responded to a work trailer explosion that injured one person.
CBS News Trump and DeSantis, once GOP rivals, meet in South Florida to talk about 2024 election Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met privately with former President Donald Trump for several hours on Sunday morning to talk, in part, about fundraising ahead of the 2024 general election, several sources familiar with the meeting tell CBS News.
Jupiter Gov. DeSantis to hold news conference in Jupiter Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Jupiter.
WINK NEWS Florida Prepaid open enrollment deadline approaches All parents fear the expense of college for their children; however, the state offers a great option in the Florida Prepaid Plan.
The Weather Authority Few showers this Monday afternoon after a pleasant and dry morning The Weather Authority is tracking a cool and pleasant Monday morning start with the possibility of afternoon rain showers.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead, 1 arrested after North Fort Myers shooting While details are limited, what is available is that Lee County Sheriff’s deputies are actively investigating a shooting that killed one man.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations by SWFL priest The Bishop of the Diocese of Venice is speaking out after Charlotte County Reverend Leo Riley was arrested on five counts of sexual battery stemming from his past work as a priest in Iowa.
NEW YORK (AP) Biden officials indefinitely postpone ban on menthol cigarettes amid election-year pushback President Joe Biden’s administration is indefinitely delaying a long-awaited menthol cigarette ban, a decision that infuriated anti-smoking advocates but could avoid a political backlash from Black voters in November.
FORT MYERS Gone but not forgotten: Traveling Vietnam Memorial pays tribute to veterans A powerful symbol of honor and remembrance is standing proudly here in Southwest Florida. The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall is open to the public, a reminder of those we lost who served our country.
LEE COUNTY Two arrested for street racing in Lee County Two people have been arrested for street racing in Lee County according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
CAPE CORAL Boaters with rifles seen in Cape Coral canal On an average day, it’s pretty common to see people fishing or swimming in a canal. One neighbor in Cape Coral saw something unusual in his backyard Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Car flips, one sent to hospital after two car crash in Fort Myers A crash involving at least two vehicles sent one person to the hospital.
The Weather Authority: Clouds, sunshine, wind, and the possibility of a brief shower for your Sunday Clouds and occasional sunshine this Sunday. A few brief showers are possible late in the afternoon and this evening.
TALLAHASSEE (CBS) Governor DeSantis signs AI and vape bills Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed 28 bills, including a measure requiring disclaimers on certain political ads created using artificial intelligence and a bill about regulation of vape products.
ESTERO Gold Star Golf Tournament honors fallen veteran Behind each putt and swing of a golf club at the Gold Star Golf Tournament is someone who knew John Wirka Junior.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres work trailer explosion injures one person The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District responded to a work trailer explosion that injured one person.
CBS News Trump and DeSantis, once GOP rivals, meet in South Florida to talk about 2024 election Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met privately with former President Donald Trump for several hours on Sunday morning to talk, in part, about fundraising ahead of the 2024 general election, several sources familiar with the meeting tell CBS News.
Jupiter Gov. DeSantis to hold news conference in Jupiter Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Jupiter.
WINK NEWS Florida Prepaid open enrollment deadline approaches All parents fear the expense of college for their children; however, the state offers a great option in the Florida Prepaid Plan.
The Weather Authority Few showers this Monday afternoon after a pleasant and dry morning The Weather Authority is tracking a cool and pleasant Monday morning start with the possibility of afternoon rain showers.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead, 1 arrested after North Fort Myers shooting While details are limited, what is available is that Lee County Sheriff’s deputies are actively investigating a shooting that killed one man.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations by SWFL priest The Bishop of the Diocese of Venice is speaking out after Charlotte County Reverend Leo Riley was arrested on five counts of sexual battery stemming from his past work as a priest in Iowa.
NEW YORK (AP) Biden officials indefinitely postpone ban on menthol cigarettes amid election-year pushback President Joe Biden’s administration is indefinitely delaying a long-awaited menthol cigarette ban, a decision that infuriated anti-smoking advocates but could avoid a political backlash from Black voters in November.
FORT MYERS Gone but not forgotten: Traveling Vietnam Memorial pays tribute to veterans A powerful symbol of honor and remembrance is standing proudly here in Southwest Florida. The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall is open to the public, a reminder of those we lost who served our country.
LEE COUNTY Two arrested for street racing in Lee County Two people have been arrested for street racing in Lee County according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
CAPE CORAL Boaters with rifles seen in Cape Coral canal On an average day, it’s pretty common to see people fishing or swimming in a canal. One neighbor in Cape Coral saw something unusual in his backyard Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Car flips, one sent to hospital after two car crash in Fort Myers A crash involving at least two vehicles sent one person to the hospital.
The Weather Authority: Clouds, sunshine, wind, and the possibility of a brief shower for your Sunday Clouds and occasional sunshine this Sunday. A few brief showers are possible late in the afternoon and this evening.
TALLAHASSEE (CBS) Governor DeSantis signs AI and vape bills Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed 28 bills, including a measure requiring disclaimers on certain political ads created using artificial intelligence and a bill about regulation of vape products.
ESTERO Gold Star Golf Tournament honors fallen veteran Behind each putt and swing of a golf club at the Gold Star Golf Tournament is someone who knew John Wirka Junior.
Photo via Mark Nagi / Twitter GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) – A Tennessee mayor says three more bodies have been recovered after the wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains, bringing the death toll to seven. Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said Wednesday that officials believe more than 400 buildings have been damaged in the county. He also noted that three people who were trapped after the wildfires Monday night have been rescued. He did not go into details about the rescue, and said authorities have not positively identified the dead. He says search-and-rescue missions are ongoing. Buddy McLean watched from a deserted Gatlinburg street as flames surrounded his 26-acre hotel nestled in the mountains of eastern Tennessee. There was nothing he could do. The Lodge at Buckberry Creek was one of hundreds of buildings destroyed in the area by a deadly wildfire fanned by hurricane-force winds. The blaze turned a usually bustling tourist destination into a ghost town. Thousands of people were displaced Wednesday, nervously awaiting word of when they can get back in the city to see if they still have homes. “I have 35 employees,” McLean said. “All of them lost their jobs overnight.” There were severe thunderstorm warnings for the area as a line of storms moved across the Southeast. Those storms spawned suspected tornadoes in parts of Alabama and Tennessee, killing five people and injuring more than a dozen. Officials in the Gatlinburg area were worried about mudslides, rock slides and high winds knocking trees onto power lines, perhaps creating new fires similar to the deadly ones that sparked Monday night. Search and rescue teams were still scouring areas they couldn’t reach because they were blocked by trees and power lines. More fires broke out in Gatlinburg overnight, but more rains offered some relief. “The rain is going to help with the suppression of some of the active fires. The rain may help prevent some of the further brush fires. But I also want to say that unless that rain penetrates deep enough into that duff, into that leaf clutter, then those hotspots can still arise,” Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller said. The Rocky Top Sports World complex on the outskirts of town was serving as a shelter. Wolf McLellan stumbled into the facility after a day of wandering the streets. He was forced to evacuate a motel where he was staying. He grabbed his guitar, two computers and his social security card and tried to flee with his dog, Kylie. “She was too scared to move with the smoke and sirens and she just stood there. I didn’t want to drag her. I couldn’t drag her,” he said. “I figured the humane thing to do would be to just cut her loose.” Officials in nearby Pigeon Forge lifted the evacuation order there, but the order still stood in Gatlinburg, where more than 14,000 residents and tourists were forced to leave. Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner said officials were discussing re-opening the city on Friday so business owners can assess damage and hopefully begin paying their employees again. “You really can’t let everybody in yet because there are still areas that haven’t been searched, there are still areas where electric lines are down, power poles are down,” he said. “Search and safety is basically our main goal. We want to get back open as soon as we can.” The fire destroyed at least 150 buildings in the Gatlinburg area but left others intact. Almost nothing remained of the Castle, perhaps the largest and most iconic home overlooking Gatlinburg. Entire churches disappeared. So did the Cupid’s Chapel of Love wedding venue, though its managers promised to move scheduled weddings to a sister venue, Chapel at the Park. Officials surveying damage said the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa – with more than 100 buildings – is likely gone. The flames reached the doorstep of Dollywood, the theme park named after country music legend and local hero Dolly Parton, but the park was spared any significant damage and will reopen Friday. Much remained uncertain for a region that serves as the gateway into the Great Smoky Mountains, the country’s most visited national park. At The Lodge at Buckberry Creek, McLean isn’t giving up. His grandfather bought the land in 1945, and he developed a subdivision on part of the land and built the hotel 14 years ago on the mountainside to take advantage of the views of Mt. LeConte. In one night, it was gone. McLean said four rooms were booked and another 15 people were having a private dinner when the hotel’s chef and event coordinator told everyone to evacuate. McLean said he has not seen the property yet. “We’re going to plan to rebuild,” he said.