16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier CountyNew bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
MGN If you haven’t even started your holiday shopping, don’t despair. This year, some of the country’s biggest retailers are keeping their doors open late on Christmas Eve. While some traditionalists might balk at the idea of shopping close to midnight on Christmas Eve, retailers are banking on the fact that consumers will still need to stock up on last-minute presents. Walmart (WMT), the country’s biggest retailer, will keep its doors open until 8 p.m., while rival Target (TGT) will welcome shoppers until 11 p.m. on Dec. 24. With competition for consumers’ wallets tougher than ever, retailers are relying on a combination of discounts and special hours to lure people through their doors. Shopping is increasingly shifting to online retailers such as Amazon (AMZN), with Adobe Systems (ADBE) finding that Cyber Monday spending was 3.2 percent higher than forecasted. Indeed, some are even predicting that bricks-and-mortar retailers may start opening their doors on Christmas Day within three years, thanks to Americans’ desire to get a head start on post-holiday sales and returns. Target, for one, is responding to this year’s cutthroat competition by slashing prices. Its toys were priced 1.3 percent lower than Walmart’s and 5.2 percent below Amazon’s on Black Friday, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. More than 9 out of 10 Americans have resorted to last-minute holiday shopping, often because they were busy earlier in the month or couldn’t figure out what to get their friends or family, according to retail coupon site RetailMeNot. Six out of 10 of those down-to-the wire shoppers prefer to shop in stores rather than online because of the risk of having a late delivery, RetailMeNot said. Of course, if you’re waiting until Christmas Eve to stock up on gifts, you’re probably too late for anything but in-store shopping or to use online ordering with in-store pickup. If you fall into that category, you’ll still have shopping options available as late as 11 p.m. on Dec. 24. To check on hours, consumers can use a shopping app from RetailMeNot that provides info on whether a local store is open or closed. Here are the Christmas Eve shopping hours for five of the country’s top retailers. Walmart: The largest U.S. retailer will keep its namesake stores open until 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and its Neighborhood Markets stores will remain open until 6 p.m. For in-store pickup, customers can order as late as 6 p.m. on Dec. 23, the company said. Online delivery orders need to be placed by Dec. 22 for rush deliveries. Target: Its stores will stay open until either 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. on Christmas Eve. For shoppers who want to get an early start on returns or sales, Target locations will open at 7 a.m. on Dec. 26. Customers can expect free shipping with delivery before Christmas if they place online orders before 11:59 p.m. PT on Dec. 21. Best Buy: The electronics retailer will close at 6 p.m. on Dec. 24, but it will have extended hours in the days leading up to Christmas Eve. Locations will be open until 11 p.m. on Dec. 21, 22, and 23. Online shoppers can expect free two-day shipping if they order by 10:30 a.m. CT on Dec. 22. Kohl’s: It’s pulling not just one all-nighter, but several. The retailer will remain open for 170 hours straight before closing at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. So, if you want to buy that special someone flannel PJs at 2 a.m. on Dec. 23, Kohl’s will oblige. The retailer says online orders placed by 1 p.m. CT on Dec. 22 will be delivered by Christmas Eve, as long as customers pick one-day shipping. Toys ‘R’ Us: The company’s stores will remain open for 87 hours straight starting at 6 a.m. on Dec. 21. That means locations will close at 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The company is offering free shipping for online orders of $19 and above until 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 19. Online shoppers can also order as late as 4 p.m. local time on Christmas Eve as long as they can pick up in-store before 9 p.m. that day. *This report was edited to correct Walmart stores are expected to be open until 6 p.m.