Fort Myers debates fluoride in water as city council vote looms TuesdayGator stuck on Estero porch gives homeowner a wild surprise Sunday night
FORT MYERS Fort Myers debates fluoride in water as city council vote looms Tuesday The debate over fluoride in drinking water has been reignited following an announcement by the Florida surgeon general urging cities to halt fluoride treatment.
ESTERO Gator stuck on Estero porch gives homeowner a wild surprise Sunday night Imagine glancing out your back door and seeing a gator sliding around on your deck. That’s exactly what happened to an Estero homeowner who found an unexpected visitor on their property.
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers crash leaves motorcyclist with life-threatening injuries A motorcyclist is in critical condition following a collision with a sedan at the intersection of North East Pine Island Road and Judd Creek Boulevard in North Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH Hurricane Ian recovery delays impact tourism and local businesses Fort Myers Beach is still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which struck over two years ago.
FORT MYERS Alliance for the Arts hosting Jazz on the Green, celebrating historic music genre Catch Grammy winners and jazz virtuosos at the Jazz on the Green event hosted by the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS Twins host fans for open house and first full squad workout The Minnesota Twins held their first full squad workout of Spring Training as well as hosted fans for an open house.
Shingle roofs could phase out in the future Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky recently made comments at the Florida Chamber Insurance Summit about the potential phasing out of shingle roofs in the state.
SANIBEL Sanibel islanders rally to restore beloved fishing pier after Ian damage The Sanibel Fishing Pier, a beloved spot for many, has been in disrepair since Hurricane Ian struck more than two years ago. Now, dedicated fishers are pushing to restore it using private funding.
PUNTA GORDA Gunfire erupts on US 41 bridge in Punta Gorda; bikers arrested A road rage incident escalated into gunfire on the U.S. 41 bridge connecting Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, causing fear among drivers.
BONITA SPRINGS Will San Carlos Estates merge with Bonita Springs? Residents of San Carlos Estates in Bonita Springs are fighting to maintain their neighborhood’s independence.
PUNTA GORDA New flight routes at Punta Gorda Airport The Punta Gorda Airport is expanding its offerings, adding new flight options for travelers.
LEE COUNTY Bregman’s arrival and Devers’ denial highlight Red Sox first full squad The addition of Alex Bregman and Rafael Devers’ refusal to change positions highlighted the first full squad workout for the Red Sox.
NORTH FORT MYERS March to a Million Meals: Teaming up to help feed families Feeding a quarter of a million people each month requires a lot of money and help.
Charlotte County residents voice concerns over Burnt Store Road upgrades An emergency meeting was held to address concerns from residents about the development along Burnt Store Road in Charlotte County.
PORT CHARLOTTE Local nonprofit gives back to veterans for their service A military wife has found a heartfelt way to honor veterans and first responders.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers debates fluoride in water as city council vote looms Tuesday The debate over fluoride in drinking water has been reignited following an announcement by the Florida surgeon general urging cities to halt fluoride treatment.
ESTERO Gator stuck on Estero porch gives homeowner a wild surprise Sunday night Imagine glancing out your back door and seeing a gator sliding around on your deck. That’s exactly what happened to an Estero homeowner who found an unexpected visitor on their property.
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers crash leaves motorcyclist with life-threatening injuries A motorcyclist is in critical condition following a collision with a sedan at the intersection of North East Pine Island Road and Judd Creek Boulevard in North Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH Hurricane Ian recovery delays impact tourism and local businesses Fort Myers Beach is still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which struck over two years ago.
FORT MYERS Alliance for the Arts hosting Jazz on the Green, celebrating historic music genre Catch Grammy winners and jazz virtuosos at the Jazz on the Green event hosted by the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS Twins host fans for open house and first full squad workout The Minnesota Twins held their first full squad workout of Spring Training as well as hosted fans for an open house.
Shingle roofs could phase out in the future Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky recently made comments at the Florida Chamber Insurance Summit about the potential phasing out of shingle roofs in the state.
SANIBEL Sanibel islanders rally to restore beloved fishing pier after Ian damage The Sanibel Fishing Pier, a beloved spot for many, has been in disrepair since Hurricane Ian struck more than two years ago. Now, dedicated fishers are pushing to restore it using private funding.
PUNTA GORDA Gunfire erupts on US 41 bridge in Punta Gorda; bikers arrested A road rage incident escalated into gunfire on the U.S. 41 bridge connecting Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, causing fear among drivers.
BONITA SPRINGS Will San Carlos Estates merge with Bonita Springs? Residents of San Carlos Estates in Bonita Springs are fighting to maintain their neighborhood’s independence.
PUNTA GORDA New flight routes at Punta Gorda Airport The Punta Gorda Airport is expanding its offerings, adding new flight options for travelers.
LEE COUNTY Bregman’s arrival and Devers’ denial highlight Red Sox first full squad The addition of Alex Bregman and Rafael Devers’ refusal to change positions highlighted the first full squad workout for the Red Sox.
NORTH FORT MYERS March to a Million Meals: Teaming up to help feed families Feeding a quarter of a million people each month requires a lot of money and help.
Charlotte County residents voice concerns over Burnt Store Road upgrades An emergency meeting was held to address concerns from residents about the development along Burnt Store Road in Charlotte County.
PORT CHARLOTTE Local nonprofit gives back to veterans for their service A military wife has found a heartfelt way to honor veterans and first responders.
Photo: Mary Engleheart/Twitter If perseverance is a key to success, one 22-year-old refugee with a degree in rocket science should be a captain of industry in no time. Mohamed Elbarkey, a graduate of Britain’s Southampton University who is now finishing a masters in aerospace engineering at University College London, showed plenty of that quality after failing to land a single job interview despite sending out more than 70 applications. Taking a cue from a young software developer’s successful job-seeking stunt in California, Elbarkey “mustered up the courage” to stand outside London’s bustling Canary Wharf subway station for the morning rush hour with his own appeal for employment, he told CBS MoneyWatch by email. Making clear his desire to work in business and dressed for the job in a suit and tie, he held a sign stating: “Came as a refugee, just graduated from UCL in rocket science. Looking for a career in finance. Ask for CV.” “Ten minutes in I was stopped by security, who was so nice but he couldn’t let me stand there with my sign,” wrote Elbarkey, who immigrated to the U.K. with his parents from Libya when he was three. But “In those 10 minutes, I already met three business leaders, so I thought this was too good to pass up.” I met Mohamed coming out of the tube at Canary Wharf this morning. He came to the UK as a child refugee and has two degrees in Space Engineering. He's looking for a JOB IN FINANCE.Please RT! DM me for his CV if you want to hire someone smart who thinks outside the box🙌 pic.twitter.com/cgQ1lBfBNY — Mary Engleheart (@MaryEngleheart) August 14, 2018 Determined to get permission to display his sign but unable to get a reply from London’s transit agency, Elbarkey called the group that oversees management of the station, speaking initially to a receptionist. “She was really confused about what I was doing,” said Elbarkey, who eventually found himself explaining his plight to Canary Wharf’s head of security. “He asked what was on the sign, and when he found out there was nothing wrong, he told me, ‘Look, if you do it again, we won’t stop you’.” Then came the hard part. “Even though I finally got permission to do it after calling one person and then the next, it was difficult to muster the courage again,” he said. “Then I decided it was important I got over the fear. Even if I went home without a single business card, I would be proud of myself.” After standing outside the Canary Wharf stop with his sign for several hours earlier this month, Elbarkey thought, “OK, it’s been an amazing day. Come again tomorrow and we do the exact same thing again.” That’s when the internet intervened. After Mary Engleheart, who works for the International Rescue Committee, posted a photograph of Elbarkey on Twitter, her post was retweeted thousands of times. Elbarkey quickly got roughly 100 emails requesting his resume — that led to more than 20 job interviews in little more than a week. Engleheart’s appeal even drew the attention and support of billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, who encouraged Elbarkey to look at his company’s career page. Best of luck to refugee rocket scientist Mohamed on his job hunt & great to see thousands of people helping @IRCEurope's mission to #GetMohamedAJob! (it's worth taking a look at @virgingalactic's careers page too Mohamed… https://t.co/L1Y1TQpF1z) https://t.co/J1ZWGGxuUE — Richard Branson (@richardbranson) August 16, 2018 “I studied engineering because I was good at it, and it didn’t limit me in the future on what I could do,” said Elbarkey, who has always seen himself as entrepreneurial and has already lined up a short-term stint with a venture capital firm starting in September. “I want to learn everything about how to start a business, learn what makes a business valuable and eventually start my own.” Still, the experience wasn’t entirely positive. “Some people have just left nasty messages saying, ‘Well done, but now you can go back to where you came from,’ or nastier stuff I wouldn’t want to repeat,” he said. But Elbarkey is undeterred. “All I want to do is give back to the country that gave me so much. The vast majority have been so loving and encouraging. I am truly moved by the support.”