Genesis of Naples breaking ground on new car dealershipEmails show beginnings, contradictions of South Seas resort amendment
Genesis of Naples breaking ground on new car dealership A genesis—or new beginning—is under way for Genesis of Naples. The local franchise plans to break ground this summer on a new and expanded luxury auto dealership in North Naples.
Emails show beginnings, contradictions of South Seas resort amendment South Seas resort ownership group’s engineer proposed a land-use amendment for Lee County’s government at least six months before the first public discussions and at least seven weeks before the county’s official timeline began, emails between the resort’s representatives and county show.
CAPE CORAL 13-year-old arrested for allegedly getting involved in hit-and-run with stolen car, fleeing from Cape Coral police A teen was arrested on multiple charges after allegedly getting involved in a hit-and-run with a stolen car and then fleeing from police.
NORTH FORT MYERS Caloosahatchee River Bridge to close overnight for construction The Caloosahatchee River Bridge from First Street to North Key Drive in North Fort Myers will close so crews can perform bridge work.
CAPE CORAL Accused Cape Coral double murderer, Wade Wilson, will be in court to try to get death penalty off the table Wade Wilson, the man who allegedly murdered two women, will be in court to try to persuade the court to get the death penalty off the table.
Jupiter DeSantis announces funding for developmentally disabled individuals Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke on education for children with developmental disabilities at the Els Center of Excellence in Jupiter.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY Bradenton man arrested after allegedly masturbating inside Charlotte County Walmart A man from Bradenton has been arrested after he was allegedly masturbating inside a Walmart in Charlotte County.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres work trailer explosion injures 1 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.
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 The Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested one person following an evening shooting that killed a man in North Fort Myers.
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.
Genesis of Naples breaking ground on new car dealership A genesis—or new beginning—is under way for Genesis of Naples. The local franchise plans to break ground this summer on a new and expanded luxury auto dealership in North Naples.
Emails show beginnings, contradictions of South Seas resort amendment South Seas resort ownership group’s engineer proposed a land-use amendment for Lee County’s government at least six months before the first public discussions and at least seven weeks before the county’s official timeline began, emails between the resort’s representatives and county show.
CAPE CORAL 13-year-old arrested for allegedly getting involved in hit-and-run with stolen car, fleeing from Cape Coral police A teen was arrested on multiple charges after allegedly getting involved in a hit-and-run with a stolen car and then fleeing from police.
NORTH FORT MYERS Caloosahatchee River Bridge to close overnight for construction The Caloosahatchee River Bridge from First Street to North Key Drive in North Fort Myers will close so crews can perform bridge work.
CAPE CORAL Accused Cape Coral double murderer, Wade Wilson, will be in court to try to get death penalty off the table Wade Wilson, the man who allegedly murdered two women, will be in court to try to persuade the court to get the death penalty off the table.
Jupiter DeSantis announces funding for developmentally disabled individuals Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke on education for children with developmental disabilities at the Els Center of Excellence in Jupiter.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY Bradenton man arrested after allegedly masturbating inside Charlotte County Walmart A man from Bradenton has been arrested after he was allegedly masturbating inside a Walmart in Charlotte County.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres work trailer explosion injures 1 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.
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 The Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested one person following an evening shooting that killed a man in North Fort Myers.
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.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / MGN Tyler Woodward was a Star Wars fan long before his cancer diagnosis. His whole life, really. The 17-year-old says he was born “right when all the prequels were coming out” and grew up having lightsaber fights with his two older brothers. So after chemo took his hair last year, he knew what he wanted from the Make-A-Wish Foundation: A trip to “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” premiere. A week ago, he learned his wish had been granted. And on Saturday, after flying out from Ohio, Tyler put on a blazer and his BB-8 tie for the film’s world premiere in Los Angeles. He was one of seven teens with life-threatening illnesses to attend the star-studded premiere and elaborate after-party with Make-A-Wish. While the organization couldn’t promise personal interactions with celebrities, the kids and their parents had a special spot on the red carpet where they could see the stars arrive. “I’ve been telling people that like 50 percent of the reason I wished for this is just so I could meet Daisy Ridley,” Tyler said before the premiere from beneath his floppy blond curls. But no matter what happened that night, he said, “I don’t really see myself being disappointed.” Fourteen-year-old Olivia Sava, who, like Tyler, suffers from a form of leukemia, made a wish about “The Last Jedi” just after “The Force Awakens” came out in 2015. She said her dad got her into Star Wars when she was little. “I’m most excited to see Daisy Ridley,” said soft-spoken Olivia of Woodmere, New York, who wore a purse to the premiere that looked like the Death Star. “She’s an amazing actress and I really want to meet her.” Established in 1980, the nonprofit Make-A-Wish Foundation aims to grant a wish to every child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition. Disney, now the parent company of the Star Wars franchise, granted that very first wish: A trip to Disneyland. The company is now involved with almost half the wishes submitted each year, and is supporting the organization this month with a $5 donation for every photo of Mickey Mouse ears shared on social media with the hashtag #ShareYourEars. The Make-A-Wish group posed at “The Last Jedi” premiere wearing Star Wars-themed Mickey ears. The kids also bonded during their red carpet experience. When one boy sat down during all the excitement, one of the girls checked to see if he was feeling OK. When another boy was trembling too much to take a photo, the boy next to him helped steady his hands. And when the group spotted Ridley arriving on the red carpet, a buzz of collective excitement overcame them. “Daisy, I had cancer!” Tyler playfully shouted to the actress from too far away. “I’ve had brain surgery!” added Chris Alegria, a gregarious 18-year-old from Pembroke Pines, Florida, whose head is scarred from having tumors removed. He wore his prom tuxedo to the premiere. Both Tyler and Chris brought their moms along for the wish experience, which included a weekend in Hollywood and a trip to Universal Studios. “My mom led me through this whole cancer fight,” Chris said before the premiere. “Cancer sucks, to say the least, and I could always count on her… She would always comfort me. She’s my best friend.” Tyler’s mother, Karen Woodward, said she was just grateful to see her son so happy. “He’s been through a lot the last year-and-a-half, with the chemo and losing all his hair and missing school and all that, so this has really been a great event… just to be able to give him something that’s exciting to look forward to and that he’s going to remember forever,” she said. “It’s so much fun to watch the excitement in your child. I get a lot out of that.” The red carpet outside the Shrine Auditorium, where a giant Imperial Walker towered over guests, was crowded with stars. One by one – writer-director Rian Johnson, Andy Serkis, Laura Dern, Gwendoline Christie, Benicio del Toro, Laura Dern, John Boyega and Adam Driver – came over to meet the Make-A-Wish group. And Ridley, too. “Hi. You’re Daisy Ridley,” Tyler said, mostly to himself, when the actress approached. As she posed for a photo with Chris, Tyler fished a card from his mom’s purse that had Ridley, or Rey’s, face on it. “Can you sign this?” he asked her. “Sure,” Ridley said. “How are you guys doing?” “Great now,” Tyler said. It took him a second to snap a selfie because he was shaking, which he acknowledged aloud. “Is it weird if I ask for a hug?” he said. Ridley happily obliged. Then Chris wanted a hug, too. Olivia was content with a handshake and a selfie. Tyler was breathless and shaking as the actress walked away. “I just hugged Daisy Ridley,” he said. “That was Daisy Ridley.” “We just hugged her. I can’t believe it,” Chris said. “Daisy Ridley,” Tyler said. After watching “The Last Jedi” alongside the cast, the group went to the after-party, which was modeled after a casino-like city in the Star Wars galaxy. Guests could play table games to win souvenir Star Wars pins and pose for photos with characters from the new film. And the Make-A-Wish kids could celebrate being among the first fans in the world to see the anticipated eighth chapter in the core Star Wars saga. “I’m going to see it like hundreds of times before I’m dead, but it’s up there in terms of being not only the best Star Wars movie, but the best movie I’ve ever seen,” Tyler said. “Obviously, my experience is better than most, seeing the world premiere and getting to meet all the actors first, but it was amazing.”