NAPLES FC Naples signs local soccer star Joffre followed his dream across continents after graduating from Gulf Coast. Now he’s back on the professional soccer pitch in his hometown.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach businesses face floodplain compliance deadline Fort Myers Beach’s businesses face pressure to comply with floodplain regulations or leave the island by March 1.
NAPLES Persistent red tide bloom off Naples to Boca Grande raises concerns As the weather warms up, more people are heading to the beach. However, those with beach plans in Southwest Florida should be aware of the persistent red tide affecting the coastline.
FORT MYERS Community aids in search for missing pitbull after Lee County crash A crash on I-75 near Daniels Parkway in Lee County turned a routine drive into a heartbreaking search for a missing pet.
LEHIGH ACRES Community supporting Lehigh Acres church after destructive fire A massive fire recently burned the Christ at Crossroads Church in Lehigh Acres, and the community is rallying to support the church’s recovery.
FORT MYERS Kids battling cancer in Fort Myers receive cuddly companions from donor Children battling cancer in Fort Myers are finding comfort in a special friend thanks to a generous donor.
2 SWFL veterans find relief at Harry Chapin Food Bank Two veterans in Southwest Florida routinely receive vital support through local food distributions, highlighting a significant issue affecting many who have served our country.
Researchers found lasting effects from COVID-19 COVID-19 cases today are less severe than five years ago, but new research indicates severe infections may have lasting impacts on the heart.
PORT CHARLOTTE Connecting service dogs with veterans A 76-year-old veteran is transforming lives by connecting fellow veterans with support dogs, and the results have been life-changing.
Peace River Wildlife Center celebrates reopening Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda reopened at Ponce de Leon Park after being closed since hurricanes Helene and Milton flooded the center and its hospital that treats injured wildlife.
2 dolphins found dead in Collier County amid red tide warnings Red tide is affecting multiple beaches in Collier County, and most recently, a dolphin was found dead in an area that turned up positive samples for red tide from Collier County Pollution Control.
Fort Myers riverfront condo One breaks ground Almost 20 years have passed since the last riverfront condominium project rose along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers.
Former Hendry County deputy found guilty after knocking handcuffed man unconscious A former Hendry County Sheriff’s Office deputy could face prison time for his use of unreasonable force on a man who was being held for a domestic violence call.
1 killed in Collier County crash, FHP investigating The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a single-vehicle crash on I-75 at the 97-mile marker in Collier County.Â
Lehigh Acres Man arrested for crashing into Lehigh Acres duplex, damages several vehicles The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of crashing his vehicle into a Lehigh Acres duplex.
NAPLES FC Naples signs local soccer star Joffre followed his dream across continents after graduating from Gulf Coast. Now he’s back on the professional soccer pitch in his hometown.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach businesses face floodplain compliance deadline Fort Myers Beach’s businesses face pressure to comply with floodplain regulations or leave the island by March 1.
NAPLES Persistent red tide bloom off Naples to Boca Grande raises concerns As the weather warms up, more people are heading to the beach. However, those with beach plans in Southwest Florida should be aware of the persistent red tide affecting the coastline.
FORT MYERS Community aids in search for missing pitbull after Lee County crash A crash on I-75 near Daniels Parkway in Lee County turned a routine drive into a heartbreaking search for a missing pet.
LEHIGH ACRES Community supporting Lehigh Acres church after destructive fire A massive fire recently burned the Christ at Crossroads Church in Lehigh Acres, and the community is rallying to support the church’s recovery.
FORT MYERS Kids battling cancer in Fort Myers receive cuddly companions from donor Children battling cancer in Fort Myers are finding comfort in a special friend thanks to a generous donor.
2 SWFL veterans find relief at Harry Chapin Food Bank Two veterans in Southwest Florida routinely receive vital support through local food distributions, highlighting a significant issue affecting many who have served our country.
Researchers found lasting effects from COVID-19 COVID-19 cases today are less severe than five years ago, but new research indicates severe infections may have lasting impacts on the heart.
PORT CHARLOTTE Connecting service dogs with veterans A 76-year-old veteran is transforming lives by connecting fellow veterans with support dogs, and the results have been life-changing.
Peace River Wildlife Center celebrates reopening Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda reopened at Ponce de Leon Park after being closed since hurricanes Helene and Milton flooded the center and its hospital that treats injured wildlife.
2 dolphins found dead in Collier County amid red tide warnings Red tide is affecting multiple beaches in Collier County, and most recently, a dolphin was found dead in an area that turned up positive samples for red tide from Collier County Pollution Control.
Fort Myers riverfront condo One breaks ground Almost 20 years have passed since the last riverfront condominium project rose along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers.
Former Hendry County deputy found guilty after knocking handcuffed man unconscious A former Hendry County Sheriff’s Office deputy could face prison time for his use of unreasonable force on a man who was being held for a domestic violence call.
1 killed in Collier County crash, FHP investigating The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a single-vehicle crash on I-75 at the 97-mile marker in Collier County.Â
Lehigh Acres Man arrested for crashing into Lehigh Acres duplex, damages several vehicles The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of crashing his vehicle into a Lehigh Acres duplex.
Photo via Michael Vadon / CC BY 2.0 WASHINGTON (CNN) The White House is considering withdrawing from NAFTA in the coming days, though President Donald Trump has not yet decided how to proceed, two senior administration officials confirmed to CNN Wednesday. The White House is currently mulling an executive order declaring intent to withdraw from NAFTA, a move that could trigger a renegotiation of the trade pact rather than outright withdrawal, the officials said. But Trump could also simply launch the US into re-negotiations of the trade pact with Canada and Mexico rather than making a bold move declaring the US’ intent to withdraw. Politico first reported Wednesday that the White House is mulling an executive order on withdrawing the US from NAFTA. One senior administration official stressed that this is something Trump has “always been considering” and while the White House is currently considering an executive order, the official stressed a lot could change in the coming days. Trump has not made any decisions and a range of options are still on the table, the official said. ‘Shot across the bow’ The potential move comes after Trump imposed a 20% tariff on softwood lumber imports from Canada, which a second senior administration official described as only a “first shot across the bow.” Trump has repeatedly railed against the NAFTA trade pact and said he plans to renegotiate the trade deal or withdraw from it altogether, though his administration has yet to formally announce those plans. Trump must give 90-days notice before formally entering negotiations to reform the trade deal. Trump is also under pressure to take action on NAFTA before Saturday, the 100th day of his presidency, by which point he pledged to make good on a slew of campaign promises. Trump has signed several executive actions on trade — the most significant of which was withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership — but movement on NAFTA has been scarce, despite Trump’s ongoing criticism of the deal. Trump in recent months has labeled NAFTA as a “one-sided deal,” called it a “disaster” for the US and has argued that the deal has led to the loss of millions of US manufacturing jobs. But many Republicans on Capitol Hill have expressed concerns about Trump’s hardline on free trade deals. Sen. John McCain on Wednesday urged Trump not to pull the US from NAFTA. “It will devastate the economy in my state,” McCain said. “I hope he doesn’t do that.” 90-day trigger “Getting a deal done by early 2018 or the end of this year was wishful thinking,” said Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a trade expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Trump’s trade team, led by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, was expected to begin the negotiating process for NAFTA soon and must trigger a 90-day consultation period before diving into trade talks with Canada and Mexico. Ross said Tuesday at the White House that he hasn’t triggered the 90-day consultation because US Trade Representative nominee Robert Lighthizer, a longtime trade expert and former Reagan adviser, hasn’t been confirmed by a full Senate vote yet. Lighthizer did get approved by the Senate Finance Committee this week and a full vote could come within a few weeks. But Mexican leaders are eager to finalize NAFTA negotiations this year before the country’s presidential campaign heats up ahead of July 2018 election. President Enrique Peña Nieto can’t run because of term limits, and there’s no telling whether the next Mexican president will cooperate with Trump on trade. “It will be in the best advantage of the countries involved that we finish this negotiation within the context of this year,” Mexico’s economy secretary Ildefonso Guajardo told CNN on April 6. Jobs Nonpartisan congressional research found in 2015 that NAFTA isn’t responsible for an exodus of jobs south of the border, nor for a big jobs boom in the US. Researchers concluded the deal has had a minor impact on the US economy. Still, about 14 million US jobs depend on trade with Mexico and Canada, according to the US Chamber of Commerce. Canadian and Mexican officials say they are already ready to renegotiate. They’re waiting on the US to come to the table. “We are ready to come to the table anytime, but the United States, in fact, has yet to actually initiate the negotiating process,” Canada’s Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told CNN on Tuesday. The Mexican economic ministry declined to comment.