33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee CountyCool and breezy for your Thursday afternoon
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.
LABELLE City of LaBelle under precautionary boil water notice A water main break has the City of Labelle under a precautionary boil water notice.
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.
LABELLE City of LaBelle under precautionary boil water notice A water main break has the City of Labelle under a precautionary boil water notice.
FILE: In a press conference on the steps of the Orange County Courthouse, Florida Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala announces Thursday, March 16, 2017, that her office will no longer pursue the death penalty as a sentence in any case brought before the 9th Judicial Circuit of Florida. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)/Orlando Sentinel via AP) ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) A Florida prosecutor fired a double-barreled response to Gov. Rick Scott’s efforts to take almost two-dozen criminal cases away from her after she said her office would no longer seek the death penalty. State Attorney Aramis Ayala filed lawsuits Tuesday in federal court and with Florida’s highest court, challenging Scott’s ability to remove her from death-penalty cases in her district, which covers Orlando and its suburbs. Ayala’s complaint with the Florida Supreme Court asks the justices to declare her the prosecutor in the cases that were ordered taken away from her. If the justices won’t do that immediately, the lawsuit asks them to stop the transfer of cases from her office until the state’s highest court decides whether Scott’s actions were proper or if they violated the state’s constitution. Ayala’s federal lawsuit claims Scott’s actions violated the U.S. Constitution by disregarding the choice of Orlando-area voters who picked Ayala during last year’s election. The federal lawsuit also said Ayala’s due process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment were violated by the governor’s orders. “Earlier in her career as an Assistant State Attorney, Ayala had been willing to seek a death sentence in an appropriate case, and she held that belief throughout her campaign for State Attorney,” the federal complaint said. “However, although Florida law grants State Attorneys the authority to seek the death penalty in first-degree murder cases where aggravating factors are present, neither the Florida Constitution nor the Florida Criminal Statutes require them to do so.” Ayala’s attorney, Roy Austin, was asking the federal court to temporarily freeze any action on the complaint until the Florida Supreme Court lawsuit is resolved. Austin is a high-profile, Washington-based addition to Ayala’s fight against the governor. Austin was a former deputy assistant to President Obama for the White House’s office of urban affairs and worked as a deputy assistant general in the civil rights division of the U.S. Justice Department. Austin called the governor’s actions “unprecedented.” “While this is absolutely a Florida case, regarding the Florida Constitution, the implications for prosecutors around the country can’t be ignored,” Austin said in an interview. “If a governor can step in and replace the judgment of an elected prosecutor in Florida, then all prosecutors need to be concerned about prosecutorial discretion. It has national implications if the governor is allowed to conduct this unconstitutional conduct.” During last year’s election Ayala received more than $1 million in support from a Washington-based political action committee with ties to liberal Hungarian-born U.S. billionaire George Soros. Ayala, Florida’s first African-American state attorney, has come under fire since announcing last month she wouldn’t seek the death penalty, in its current structure, against Markeith Loyd, or any other defendant. Loyd is charged with killing an Orlando police lieutenant earlier this year and his pregnant ex-girlfriend late last year. Ayala said she would consider changing her mind only if the death-penalty system changes so it doesn’t drag out for years and delay a sense of closure for victims’ families. After Ayala’s announcement, Scott removed almost two dozen death-penalty cases from her office, and re-assigned them to another prosecutor. That prosecutor, Brad King, also was named a defendant in the federal lawsuit. Meanwhile, Florida lawmakers are moving ahead with plans to cut Ayala’s office’s budget by about $1.3 million. The Orlando prosecutor’s fight has attracted support from civil rights groups and legal scholars from around the country. When asked about Ayala on Tuesday, Scott said, “I just think every citizen deserves a state attorney that’s going to fully prosecute cases.”