Apple AirPods lead LCSO to an arrest ; over $100,000 worth of stolen items recoveredHendry County rolls out cameras for new school zone safety program
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 new school zone safety program 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 new school zone safety program 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.
MGN If you stayed at one of Marriott’s Starwood properties, it’s possible your data has been compromised in the massive data breach disclosed by the company on Friday. The hotel chain said about 500 million guests who booked reservations at its Starwood properties could have had information such as their birthdates, addresses and even passport numbers stolen. That could let criminals open fraudulent accounts in your name, or even allow thieves to target your home if they know when you’re planning a trip. It’s wise to assume that your data is already available to fraudsters and take steps to protect yourself, said Mike Litt, consumer campaign director for the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, in an email. IMP tips from our consumer campaign director on how to protect your personal info in the wake of the #Marriott breach 👇👇👇 https://t.co/VbU4YXOGi5 — U.S. PIRG (@uspirg) November 30, 2018 Below are five tips from security experts on how to minimize your exposure after the Marriott breach. Change your passwords First, change your passwords for sites that store personal information, such as social networks and ecommerce sites. Make sure your passwords are distinct because hackers will try “credentials stuffing,” or using stolen usernames and passwords in automated requests for logins across different sites, said Anthony James, vice president of CipherCloud. He said the practice is now a “commonly used practice” among cyber criminals. “Passwords should be unique to each account and two-factor authentication should be enabled wherever possible,” said Paul Bischoff, a privacy advocate with Comparitech.com, in an email. Two-factor authentication is when a site asks for two pieces of data to verify your identity, such as a password and a PIN texted to your phone. Freeze your credit Security experts recommend freezing your credit to prevent fraudsters from opening new accounts in your name. “The info taken from Starwood is very significant. The worst thing bad guys could do with the kind of information that was stolen would be to use your name, address and date of birth to open a credit account,” said Ted Rossman of CreditCards.com. Credit freezes block new creditors from accessing your payment history, which means lenders won’t extend new credit. The good news is that credit freezes are now free for all consumers, thanks to a law that passed in the wake of the Equifax data breach. But it takes some legwork as consumers must place separate freezes at each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. And if you want to take out a new credit card, a mortgage or other credit product, you’ll need to lift the credit freeze at each bureau. Here’s where to reach each of the bureaus to request a freeze: Equifax Experian TransUnion Use contactless payment Experts suggest using contactless payment methods — such as Apple Pay — whenever possible. “Everytime you swipe your credit card, it will be tracked by a merchant’s system, so if they are hacked, your credit card will be accessed,” said Wallarm CEO Ivan Novikov. “I recommend using Apple Pay, Google Pay or whatever kind of contactless payment method is available on your phone.” Contactless credit cards, which are popular in Europe, work just as well, as do money transfer applications such as PayPal and Venmo, he added. Monitor credit card activity Every unauthorized charge should be reported, no matter the size. That’s because criminals make small charges to check whether a stolen card is still active. “Keep an eye on your credit card activity and report suspicious activity immediately. Small charges of a few cents should not be overlooked,” Bischoff said. Beware of suspicious emails Hackers could have access to the type of information Marriott relies on to create a customized experience, including your spouse’s name, number of children and even your sleeping habits. “All these things that hotels collect to make your experience more personalized are also things that sophisticated attackers can use to make their attacks more personalized,” said privacy attorney Paige Boshell. She added, “It can help a phisher figure out a way to address an email to you such that you will let your guard down. You are more likely to respond to someone who appears to know you.” Hackers may also try to impersonate Marriott in phishing campaigns to wheedle more information out of you. Marriott said it will notify impacted customers from this email address: starwoodhotels@email-marriott.com. Otherwise, ignore unsolicited requests for information by email, links, phone calls, pop-up windows or text messages, Litt of U.S. PIRG said.