Apple AirPods lead LCSO to an arrest ; over $100,000 worth of stolen items recoveredHendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones
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.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
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.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
Keeping the holiday joyous and less stressful means keeping a firm rein on our spending. Photo via CBS Money. The holidays are a huge deal in the Weston household – and every year, the expenses threatened to gallop out of control. Keeping the holiday joyous and less stressful means keeping a firm rein on our spending. Here’s what we do, as well as smart frugal tips from others: BUDGET FOR EVERY EXPENSE By early November, I set up a spreadsheet with budgeted amounts for: – Gifts, with names and how much we expect to spend on each person. – Holiday tips, again with names and amounts. – Travel expenses, including gas, hotel and meals. – The tree, lights and other decorations. – Food, drinks and treats for holiday gatherings. – Holiday cards, postage and wrapping supplies. Spreadsheets aren’t exactly warm, fuzzy and cinnamon-scented. But they allow us to see our total expected holiday spending and to make adjustments as necessary. (Adjustments are always necessary.) We’ve used various ideas over the years to curb expenses, as our fortunes and the size of family gatherings change. One year the adults drew names for gifts. We’ve also asked friends and more distant relatives to exchange cards instead of presents. We set an overall budget for our daughter’s presents, then have her prioritize her wish list. Learning to prioritize is an important life skill, so this exercise does double parenting duty. CHECK THE ‘CUSHIONS’ Remember the days when you ransacked the couch cushions for loose change? There are better places to hunt for forgotten money. Some places to look: YOUR GIFT CARD STASH. Pass them along, use them to buy presents or cash them in at sites such as Gift Card Granny or Raise. CREDIT CARD REWARDS. Rewards points can be used to buy gift cards and merchandise. We typically use our rewards for travel, but I sometimes turn points from little-used or orphaned accounts into gift cards. THE COIN JAR. Some banks and credit unions will count change for free, or you can use the CoinStar machines found at many grocery and drugstores. We avoid CoinStar’s exchange fee by opting for electronic gift cards from Amazon, Starbucks and other retailers. THE GIFT STASH. Surely I’m not the only person to tuck away the perfect gift for someone, only to find it years later. Now I keep a bin in the closet to stash presents year-round. The bin also includes some all-purpose gifts (candles, scented soaps, fancy corkscrews) that can be used to thank a hostess or give to the friend who ignored the “no gifts this year” agreement. THE HEIRLOOMS. Consider passing along a treasured object while you’re still around to enjoy the recipients’ pleasure. It could be something you inherited or that the other person admired: a piece of artwork or jewelry, a beloved toy, a musical instrument, a grandparent’s toolbox or baking supplies. TAKE A HATCHET TO OTHER EXPENSES Our holiday spending surge requires cutting other expenses to keep our budget in balance. Ahead of the holidays, we: – Eat out less and plan meals that mostly use items from our pantry. – Scour our recurring bills for possible savings, such as pausing subscriptions or canceling an unused gym membership. – Look for cheap entertainment, such as free community concerts or baking cookies with friends. We’re also changing how we make charitable donations, since the 2017 tax overhaul likely means we’ll no longer get a tax deduction. Instead of rushing to make big year-end contributions, we’ve set up monthly payments to our favorite charities. That provides them with a steady source of income and avoids another big December dent in our budget. KEEP THE BUDGET UPDATED A budget should be a living document, regularly updated and adjusted. I log our spending every week or so and use apps such as Santa’s Bag or Christmas List that I can update on my phone. This approach does more than keep us honest about our spending. At the end of the season, I have a realistic idea of how much to save for next year. I divide that total by 12, and set up a monthly transfer to an online savings account labeled “Christmas.” Having the money to pay for the holidays in cash every year may be the best gift of all.