Single-member vs. at-large voting debate intensifies in Lee CountyEmails show beginnings, contradictions of South Seas resort amendment
Single-member vs. at-large voting debate intensifies in Lee County Three members of Southwest Florida’s state Legislature delegation hosted a public forum May 1 at Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District, established by the state in 2015.
Emails show beginnings, contradictions of South Seas resort amendment South Seas resort ownership group’s engineer proposed a land-use amendment for Lee County’s government at least six months before the first public discussions and at least seven weeks before the county’s official timeline began, emails between the resort’s representatives and county show.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County deputy subdues convicted felon with Taser at North Fort Myers Walmart Lee County deputies used a Taser on a man after they raced through a North Fort Myers Walmart searching for him.
FORT MYERS 2 posing as Target Corporate employees steal over $6K at Fort Myers Target SWFL Crime Stoppers seeks information on two men who allegedly claimed to be employees of Target Corporate and stole over $6,000 at Target.
Punta Gorda cosiders fate of historic A.C. Freeman House It was built by politician and businessman Augustus C. Freeman whose name the house bears, and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested for armed robbery in Cape Coral The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a man for armed robbery and falsifying his name to law enforcement.
Jacksonville Gov. DeSantis signs bills to provide financial options for Floridians Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that will provide financial options to Floridians and another bill that curates the state public school curriculum.
BONITA SPRINGS LCSO seeks information on missing 77-year-old kayaker LCSO seeks information on a missing kayaker after responding to a call about a missing kayak off the coast of Bonita Beach.
FORT MYERS Tim Tebow speaks at annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast Former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow took the stage at Hammond Stadium for the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council to provide update on Fowler Street construction project The Fort Myers City Council is set to provide an update on the progress of the Fowler Street intersection project.
the weather authority Hot and humid Thursday before evening isolated storms impact coastal communities The Weather Authority is tracking a humid Thursday morning with high afternoon temperatures and evening coastal isolated storms.
FORT MYERS BEACH Sea turtle nesting season begins in Fort Myers Beach Sea turtle nesting season has officially begun, and the FWC wants to remind visitors about the fragility of the young reptiles.
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
Single-member vs. at-large voting debate intensifies in Lee County Three members of Southwest Florida’s state Legislature delegation hosted a public forum May 1 at Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District, established by the state in 2015.
Emails show beginnings, contradictions of South Seas resort amendment South Seas resort ownership group’s engineer proposed a land-use amendment for Lee County’s government at least six months before the first public discussions and at least seven weeks before the county’s official timeline began, emails between the resort’s representatives and county show.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County deputy subdues convicted felon with Taser at North Fort Myers Walmart Lee County deputies used a Taser on a man after they raced through a North Fort Myers Walmart searching for him.
FORT MYERS 2 posing as Target Corporate employees steal over $6K at Fort Myers Target SWFL Crime Stoppers seeks information on two men who allegedly claimed to be employees of Target Corporate and stole over $6,000 at Target.
Punta Gorda cosiders fate of historic A.C. Freeman House It was built by politician and businessman Augustus C. Freeman whose name the house bears, and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested for armed robbery in Cape Coral The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a man for armed robbery and falsifying his name to law enforcement.
Jacksonville Gov. DeSantis signs bills to provide financial options for Floridians Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that will provide financial options to Floridians and another bill that curates the state public school curriculum.
BONITA SPRINGS LCSO seeks information on missing 77-year-old kayaker LCSO seeks information on a missing kayaker after responding to a call about a missing kayak off the coast of Bonita Beach.
FORT MYERS Tim Tebow speaks at annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast Former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow took the stage at Hammond Stadium for the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council to provide update on Fowler Street construction project The Fort Myers City Council is set to provide an update on the progress of the Fowler Street intersection project.
the weather authority Hot and humid Thursday before evening isolated storms impact coastal communities The Weather Authority is tracking a humid Thursday morning with high afternoon temperatures and evening coastal isolated storms.
FORT MYERS BEACH Sea turtle nesting season begins in Fort Myers Beach Sea turtle nesting season has officially begun, and the FWC wants to remind visitors about the fragility of the young reptiles.
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FILE – This Feb. 19, 2013, file photo shows OxyContin pills arranged for a photo at a pharmacy. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File) About one in four Florida health care providers failed to take a two-hour continuing education course on proper opioid prescribing by the required Jan. 31 deadline, according to state officials. The Florida Department of Health now is preparing to send non-compliance letters advising the providers that they have 15 days to take the mandated course or face disciplinary action, agency spokesman Brad Dalton told The News Service of Florida. “If the department does not receive a response within 15 days from receipt of the notice, a formal complaint will be initiated,” he said. The health department does not know how many providers took the course, only the overall compliance percentage, according to Dalton. In Florida, physicians, podiatrists, dentists, physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners can prescribe controlled substances for the treatment of pain. But prior to a law passed last year, only physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners were required to take continuing education courses on controlled substances as part of their licensure requirements. The new mandate impacts an estimated 114,000 Florida health-care providers. While the state did not have a breakout that showed compliance rates for each profession, Dalton said overall compliance among all professions was 74.2 percent. The mandate was included in sweeping legislation on opioids that put limits on prescriptions for opioids and required providers check a statewide prescription-drug database before prescribing potentially addictive pain medications to patients. The 2018 law specifically required all health care professionals registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and authorized to prescribe controlled substances to take an education course on opioids. The course covers the current standards for prescribing controlled substances, particularly opiates; alternatives to the standards; nonpharmacological therapies; prescribing emergency opioid antagonists; and the risks of opioid addiction following all stages of treatment in the management of acute pain. The state sent reminders about the requirement throughout the year to affected providers, Dalton said. The state medical quality division sent 13 emails to all affected practitioners advising they were required to take the course. Nine of the messages were sent in December and January, Dalton said. The course was required to be offered by a “statewide professional association of physicians that is accredited to provide educational activities” for the American Medical Association or the American Osteopathic Association. According to research, 80 percent of heroin users first abused prescription drugs, whether their own or someone else’s. Other studies show that a patient’s chances of addiction increase as the number of days a first prescription for opioids lengthens. A former neonatal nurse from Ft. Lauderdale, Janet Colbert cared for the drug-addicted infants born to heroin-addicted mothers. She also helped console friends who had lost children to drug overdoses, and eventually helped launch the anti-opioid advocacy group Stop the Organized Pill Pushers Now, known by its acronym, STOPP Now. Colbert says that she’s disappointed with the continuing education compliance rate but she’s not surprised. She is hopeful, though, that the state takes enforcement seriously. “We need to make sure folks keep with this because way too many people are dying,” Colbert said. While lawmakers lauded most of the changes in the sweeping opioid bill, the continuing-education requirement faced criticism. One legislator accused the bill sponsor of including it in the bill in order to gain the support of the Florida Medical Association, which had balked at imposing prescribing restrictions on doctors. State Rep. Cary Pigman, an Avon Park Republican who is a doctor, said medical boards could make millions of dollars by charging members between $100 and $200 for the courses. Pigman said that was the reason the continuing education requirement was tucked into the bill. But Florida Medical Association general counsel Jeff Scott called the accusation absurd and predicted that groups other than the FMA would qualify to offer the course. He was right. The Florida Board of Medicine has approved eight different providers — including Informed, a for-profit company based in Jacksonville, and Baptist Health South — to offer the course. The board also approved the Florida Psychiatry Society, the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, the Florida Academy of Family Physicians (FAFP), the Florida Medical Association and the Florida College of Emergency Room Physicians to provide the course.