Hurricane Helene causes rental car shortagesSanibel woman says she received divine sign from mother 2 years after Hurricane Ian
FORT MYERS Hurricane Helene causes rental car shortages Hurricane Helene has left a lasting impact on Southwest Florida, including the rental car situation at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW).
SANIBEL Sanibel woman says she received divine sign from mother 2 years after Hurricane Ian Two years after Hurricane Ian, a Sanibel woman said she received a divine sign after moving back into her home.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SWFL shares concerns over emergency funding after Helene On the heels of Helene, there’s some anxiety surrounding FEMA. This comes after comments from the Homeland Security secretary, who said the agency can meet immediate needs but does not have enough money to make it through the rest of hurricane season.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs urging residents to be safe ahead of potential flooding The City of Bonita Springs is urging people who live near the Imperial River and canals to be cautious ahead of a potential tropical system and rainmaker.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers High School assistant football coach under investigation An assistant coach with the Fort Myers High School football team is under investigation.
Awake kidney transplant: a medical breakthrough There are more than 780,000 people living with kidney disease. On average, 25,000 people will get a transplant each year.
The Islander gift shop reopens on Fort Myers Beach, 2 years after Hurricane Ian Hurricane Helene’s storm surge spared Santini Marina Plaza on Fort Myers Beach, where The Islander Gift Gallery & Boutique reopened Oct. 4
Citizens form group to protest Charlotte County development When residents living in Charlotte County’s Peace River Shores and surrounding communities learned that nearly 140 acres in their area were being rezoned to allow for a 1,188-unit development, they joined forces to oppose it.
Gas leak shuts down power grid in Lee County neighborhood A gas leak has forced the shutdown of a neighborhood power grid in Lee County.
Free sandbag locations available ahead of this weekend’s heavy rainfall The Weather Authority has been tracking a potential rainmaker that will impact our area from Sunday through Wednesday.
PORT CHARLOTTE Man accused of fraudulently buying over $4K in paint supplies in Port Charlotte A man has been arrested after allegedly purchasing over $4,000 worth of paint supplies in Port Charlotte using a fraudulent business account.
ENGLEWOOD Suncoast Humane Society receives $50K grant to sustain life-saving operations Suncoast Humane Society announced that it received a $50,000 grant from an anonymous philanthropic supporter.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers Post Office temporarily closed again The downtown Fort Myers Post Office is closed once again after reopening at the end of May due to Hurricane Ian.
Tim Aten Knows: Naples welcomes colorful new brewpub The Naples taproom for Riptide Brewing Co. changed hands in early September and is now the family owned and operated Kaleidoscope Beer at 987 Third Ave. N.
The Weather Authority Scattered rain and storms Friday afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking more scattered rain and storms that may impact your Friday afternoon and evening plans.
FORT MYERS Hurricane Helene causes rental car shortages Hurricane Helene has left a lasting impact on Southwest Florida, including the rental car situation at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW).
SANIBEL Sanibel woman says she received divine sign from mother 2 years after Hurricane Ian Two years after Hurricane Ian, a Sanibel woman said she received a divine sign after moving back into her home.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SWFL shares concerns over emergency funding after Helene On the heels of Helene, there’s some anxiety surrounding FEMA. This comes after comments from the Homeland Security secretary, who said the agency can meet immediate needs but does not have enough money to make it through the rest of hurricane season.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs urging residents to be safe ahead of potential flooding The City of Bonita Springs is urging people who live near the Imperial River and canals to be cautious ahead of a potential tropical system and rainmaker.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers High School assistant football coach under investigation An assistant coach with the Fort Myers High School football team is under investigation.
Awake kidney transplant: a medical breakthrough There are more than 780,000 people living with kidney disease. On average, 25,000 people will get a transplant each year.
The Islander gift shop reopens on Fort Myers Beach, 2 years after Hurricane Ian Hurricane Helene’s storm surge spared Santini Marina Plaza on Fort Myers Beach, where The Islander Gift Gallery & Boutique reopened Oct. 4
Citizens form group to protest Charlotte County development When residents living in Charlotte County’s Peace River Shores and surrounding communities learned that nearly 140 acres in their area were being rezoned to allow for a 1,188-unit development, they joined forces to oppose it.
Gas leak shuts down power grid in Lee County neighborhood A gas leak has forced the shutdown of a neighborhood power grid in Lee County.
Free sandbag locations available ahead of this weekend’s heavy rainfall The Weather Authority has been tracking a potential rainmaker that will impact our area from Sunday through Wednesday.
PORT CHARLOTTE Man accused of fraudulently buying over $4K in paint supplies in Port Charlotte A man has been arrested after allegedly purchasing over $4,000 worth of paint supplies in Port Charlotte using a fraudulent business account.
ENGLEWOOD Suncoast Humane Society receives $50K grant to sustain life-saving operations Suncoast Humane Society announced that it received a $50,000 grant from an anonymous philanthropic supporter.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers Post Office temporarily closed again The downtown Fort Myers Post Office is closed once again after reopening at the end of May due to Hurricane Ian.
Tim Aten Knows: Naples welcomes colorful new brewpub The Naples taproom for Riptide Brewing Co. changed hands in early September and is now the family owned and operated Kaleidoscope Beer at 987 Third Ave. N.
The Weather Authority Scattered rain and storms Friday afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking more scattered rain and storms that may impact your Friday afternoon and evening plans.
CBS News In South Florida, the death of a 22-year-old honor student is prompting Florida state lawmakers to take a closer look at the largely unregulated airboat industry. They are considering legislation to tighten regulations for the popular tourist activity after Ellie Goldenberg died in an airboat crash last year. A lawmaker backing the Florida House bill says there have been seven airboat-related deaths and 102 serious injuries in the last three years. The engines on many airboats are similar to those powering race cars; they can get the boat moving up to 50 miles per hour. Captains at some companies are certified by the Coast Guard, but at others, drivers aren’t required to have any type of training or certification, reports CBS News’ Manuel Bojorquez. Last May, David and Renee Goldenberg’s daughter Ellie, an aspiring Broadway singer, graduated from the University of Miami. A day after graduation, the family signed up for an airboat tour that turned tragic. “We decided to go out on a celebratory airboat tour in the Everglades,” David said. “A short while into the tour the driver sped up to overtake another airboat that was either stuck or had stopped…. And he flipped our airboat.” The couple’s daughter Dana was thrown under the boat and burned. She survived, but Ellie became trapped facedown and drowned. “The grated part of the boat that covers the engine fell on top of her and pinned her down. So I watched her take her last breath,” Renee said. “It happened so fast, it was just unbelievable. I think we never imagined to be in that position.” According to the company that gave the tour, the airboat captain had given more than 10,000 rides and was CPR trained. CPR training along with taking a safety course approved by the state are two provisions of a new safety bill that Florida state representative Joe Abruzzo is co-sponsoring. “We’re talking about being out in the middle of the Everglades,” Abruzzo said. “You’re far away from any type of first responders to get there immediately and you need somebody trained to treat these injuries.” “You have some unique challenges with an airboat. There are no brakes, there’s no reverse,” said Sam Haught, co-owner of Wild Florida, which gives airboat rides to 350 people per day. “People don’t hear the specific airboat company got in an accident, they just hear airboats. And so it really puts kind of a black cloud over people’s desire to come out,” Haught said. The proposed legislation is named Ellie’s Law. But David Goldenberg doesn’t want it to define his daughter’s legacy. “It’s an unfortunate byproduct that we are putting in place to try and make sure that no other family has to lose a loved one,” David said. “If you’ve ever heard her sing, some of that smile — that’s her legacy.” The proposed law would impact commercial airboat captains and not those who take them out recreationally. The company involved in Ellie Goldenberg’s death told CBS News it supports the bill, which is still making its way through the Florida legislature.