Largest Lee County land deal closes, $100M for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape CoralMajor 2 vehicle crash shuts down NB lanes of U.S. 41 in Charlotte
Largest Lee County land deal closes, $100M for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral The most lucrative land deal in Lee County history just closed at a price of $100 million for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral, where building up to 3,500 homes and commercial property to support it has been in the planning stages for almost two years.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Major 2 vehicle crash shuts down NB lanes of U.S. 41 in Charlotte After a major traffic accident near Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte County, all Northbound lanes of U.S. 41 were closed.
FORT MYERS Apple AirPods lead LCSO to an arrest ; over $100,000 worth of stolen items recovered Through the use of Apple Airpods, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was able to locate nearly $100,000 worth of stolen items, leading to an arrest.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral officials approve replacement funding for hurricane-damaged stop signs The Cape Coral City Council has approved funding to replace stop signs damaged during Hurricane Milton, resulting in an emergency purchase.
Holiday events happening in Southwest Florida Southwest Florida is embracing the holiday spirit with a variety of festive events this Christmas season.
Collier man accused of supplying fentanyl-laced pills, enough to kill 531,500 people The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of supplying more than 10,000 fentanyl-laced pills disguised as prescription painkillers.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral council supports construction of I-75 interchange into city The Cape Coral City Council has approved a resolution requesting support from Lee and Charlotte counties to prioritize state and federal funding for the Interstate 75 Interchange at Slater Road.
PUNTA GORDA Crews removing derelict boats from Gilchrist Park Crews are working to remove derelict boats from Gilchrist Park after several of them washed ashore during Hurricane Milton in October.
33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County Another Florida panther has been 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 After waking up to a cold morning, the Weather Authority is tracking warming conditions to the low 70s this Thursday.
Police release 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.
Largest Lee County land deal closes, $100M for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral The most lucrative land deal in Lee County history just closed at a price of $100 million for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral, where building up to 3,500 homes and commercial property to support it has been in the planning stages for almost two years.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Major 2 vehicle crash shuts down NB lanes of U.S. 41 in Charlotte After a major traffic accident near Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte County, all Northbound lanes of U.S. 41 were closed.
FORT MYERS Apple AirPods lead LCSO to an arrest ; over $100,000 worth of stolen items recovered Through the use of Apple Airpods, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was able to locate nearly $100,000 worth of stolen items, leading to an arrest.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral officials approve replacement funding for hurricane-damaged stop signs The Cape Coral City Council has approved funding to replace stop signs damaged during Hurricane Milton, resulting in an emergency purchase.
Holiday events happening in Southwest Florida Southwest Florida is embracing the holiday spirit with a variety of festive events this Christmas season.
Collier man accused of supplying fentanyl-laced pills, enough to kill 531,500 people The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of supplying more than 10,000 fentanyl-laced pills disguised as prescription painkillers.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral council supports construction of I-75 interchange into city The Cape Coral City Council has approved a resolution requesting support from Lee and Charlotte counties to prioritize state and federal funding for the Interstate 75 Interchange at Slater Road.
PUNTA GORDA Crews removing derelict boats from Gilchrist Park Crews are working to remove derelict boats from Gilchrist Park after several of them washed ashore during Hurricane Milton in October.
33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County Another Florida panther has been 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 After waking up to a cold morning, the Weather Authority is tracking warming conditions to the low 70s this Thursday.
Police release 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.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Florida is confronting an uproar over whether the state’s highway patrol is requiring troopers to meet ticket quotas for drivers, including millions of tourists each year who crowd its interstate highways. Top state officials insist quotas are not allowed, but the second-highest ranking official in the Florida Highway Patrol resigned on Monday amid an ongoing review. Lt. Col. Michael Thomas stepped down after it was discovered he sent an email in late May that encouraged troopers to write two tickets an hour. In his letter announcing his early retirement, Thomas called the email a “grave error” and said he was taking responsibility for his actions. “This error has negatively impacted the patrol’s image, which was never the intent, but I feel it is in the best interest of the patrol that I retire,” wrote Thomas, who earned $131,000 a year in his job as deputy director. Col. Gene Spaulding, the highway patrol director, said that while the email was sent with the goal of “providing enhanced public safety” it was still “inappropriate to request a specific number of citations from our members.” The Florida Highway Patrol is responsible for monitoring state highways, including interstates 10, 95 and 75 that link Florida to the rest of the country Thomas had been with the Florida Highway Patrol for 30 years. His last day on the job will be Sept. 1. His resignation marked the second at the Florida Highway Patrol this month related to traffic tickets. Maj. Mark Welch of Tallahassee’s Troop H resigned after he told troopers they weren’t writing enough tickets. His email became public because the Tampa Bay Times reported that Welch had told troopers under his command via email that “the patrol wants to see two citations each hour,” adding that it’s not a quota. Welch resigned hours after Attorney General Pam Bondi called his actions “reckless” and “stupid” during a public meeting with top officials in the Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. When drivers pay their ticket fine, the money doesn’t go back to the Florida Highway Patrol. Instead the money is turned back over to cities and counties where the ticket was written In his retirement letter, Thomas contended that no trooper has been disciplined or threatened due to how many tickets are written. Still he said in his personal opinion that it was “detrimental” to call goals a “quota.” Data provided by the department shows that the number of tickets written by troopers has been falling the last three years. Troopers wrote nearly 935,000 tickets in 2014, but that dropped to 749,000 in 2016. During the same time the Florida Highway Patrol has struggled to fill all of its trooper positions. As of the end of June, there were 162 vacancies, according to Beth Frady, a spokeswoman for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The department is authorized to have nearly 2,000 troopers statewide. State legislators and Gov. Rick Scott agreed this year to boost the starting pay of troopers and to give a 5-percent raise. Scott wants to give troopers another raise next year.