LCEC to stage outreach tent in Sanibel LCEC announced that they will stage an outreach tent at 1700 Periwinkle Way on Monday, October 14.
Fort Myers Beach works to recover from Hurricane Milton For the first time since Hurricane Milton ravaged the area, Fort Myers Beach officially reopened to the public Saturday morning.
North end of Manasota Key open to residents and businesses According to Charlotte County, the north end of Manasota Key opened to residents and businesses at 4 p.m on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Harry Chapin Food Bank holds emergency food distributions after Milton In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, many Southwest Florida residents are facing increased hardship, including food insecurity.
Charlotte County to hold news conference regarding Milton Charlotte County is set to hold a news conference to provide an update on its response to Hurricane Milton.
President Biden approves federal aid for Florida after Hurricane Milton President Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Florida following the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Milton.
ENGLEWOOD Hurricane Milton survivors face delays as FEMA aid remains unavailable In the wake of Hurricane Milton, many Floridians are facing the daunting task of rebuilding their lives, but financial assistance from the government is in short supply.
FORT MYERS Debris drop-off sites in Lee County In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Lee County officials have announced the planned opening of multiple public debris drop-off sites to aid residents in managing storm damage.
The weather authority A drier start to the weekend with a few showers expected The Weather Authority says we are starting out the day with temperatures feeling rather pleasant in the low 70s under partly cloudy skies.
What’s open and closed after Hurricane Milton In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, services and businesses in Southwest Florida are beginning to reopen.
SANIBEL/CAPTIVA Recovery efforts on Sanibel and Captiva after Milton Crews have opened the Sanibel causeway to everyone, even those without a hurricane re-entry pass, but the city asks that people avoid the island unless they live there or need to travel there for business.
CAPE CORAL Boat pulled away by storm surge lands in Cape Coral backyard A boat built by a father and son smashed into pieces after Hurricane Milton. Not only did the boat wash onto shore, but it washed into the seawall of someone’s home on McGregor Boulevard.
MANASOTA KEY Residents hope to return home to Manasota Key Life will never be the same for people living on Manasota Key. Right now, only emergency services and county officials are allowed on the island.
Man rescued by two Charlotte County residents during Milton Two Charlotte County men saved an evacuee during Hurricane Milton on Wednesday night.
MATLACHA Impact on local businesses on Matlacha after Milton Residents are focused on rebuilding one brick at a time.
LCEC to stage outreach tent in Sanibel LCEC announced that they will stage an outreach tent at 1700 Periwinkle Way on Monday, October 14.
Fort Myers Beach works to recover from Hurricane Milton For the first time since Hurricane Milton ravaged the area, Fort Myers Beach officially reopened to the public Saturday morning.
North end of Manasota Key open to residents and businesses According to Charlotte County, the north end of Manasota Key opened to residents and businesses at 4 p.m on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Harry Chapin Food Bank holds emergency food distributions after Milton In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, many Southwest Florida residents are facing increased hardship, including food insecurity.
Charlotte County to hold news conference regarding Milton Charlotte County is set to hold a news conference to provide an update on its response to Hurricane Milton.
President Biden approves federal aid for Florida after Hurricane Milton President Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Florida following the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Milton.
ENGLEWOOD Hurricane Milton survivors face delays as FEMA aid remains unavailable In the wake of Hurricane Milton, many Floridians are facing the daunting task of rebuilding their lives, but financial assistance from the government is in short supply.
FORT MYERS Debris drop-off sites in Lee County In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Lee County officials have announced the planned opening of multiple public debris drop-off sites to aid residents in managing storm damage.
The weather authority A drier start to the weekend with a few showers expected The Weather Authority says we are starting out the day with temperatures feeling rather pleasant in the low 70s under partly cloudy skies.
What’s open and closed after Hurricane Milton In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, services and businesses in Southwest Florida are beginning to reopen.
SANIBEL/CAPTIVA Recovery efforts on Sanibel and Captiva after Milton Crews have opened the Sanibel causeway to everyone, even those without a hurricane re-entry pass, but the city asks that people avoid the island unless they live there or need to travel there for business.
CAPE CORAL Boat pulled away by storm surge lands in Cape Coral backyard A boat built by a father and son smashed into pieces after Hurricane Milton. Not only did the boat wash onto shore, but it washed into the seawall of someone’s home on McGregor Boulevard.
MANASOTA KEY Residents hope to return home to Manasota Key Life will never be the same for people living on Manasota Key. Right now, only emergency services and county officials are allowed on the island.
Man rescued by two Charlotte County residents during Milton Two Charlotte County men saved an evacuee during Hurricane Milton on Wednesday night.
MATLACHA Impact on local businesses on Matlacha after Milton Residents are focused on rebuilding one brick at a time.
Nouman Raja sits between defense attorney Scott Richardson, left, and paralegal Debi Stratton as attorney Richard Lubin gives his closing arguments in Raja’s trial, Wednesday, March 6, 2019 in West Palm Beach, Fla. Raja, a former Palm Beach Gardens police officer, is charged with the fatal 2015 shooting of stranded motorist Corey Jones. (Lannis Waters/Palm Beach Post via AP, Pool) A fired Florida police officer was found guilty of manslaughter and attempted murder Thursday for the fatal 2015 shooting of a stranded black motorist, becoming the first officer in the state to be convicted of an on-duty shooting in 30 years. Nouman Raja, 41, now faces a possible life sentence for the death of Corey Jones, 31. A four-man, two-woman jury had deliberated for about four hours. Raja did not react as verdict was read, while about 25 relatives and supporters of Jones looked on, some weeping quietly. One said “the sweetest sound was the click of those handcuffs” after Raja was led from the courtroom. Judge Joseph Marx set sentencing for April 26. Prosecutors said Raja, one of very few police officers across the nation to be convicted of an on-duty shooting, escalated what should have been a routine interaction into a deadly confrontation. Working in plain clothes, he drove his unmarked van the wrong way up an off ramp, stopping feet from Jones’ broken-down SUV at 3:15 a.m. on Oct. 18, 2015. The prosecutor said Raja never identified himself and acted so aggressively that Jones must have thought he was about to be carjacked or killed. That caused Jones, a concealed weapons permit holder, to grab his gun and run as Raja repeatedly opened fire, they said. Jones, a housing inspector and part-time drummer, had been returning home from a nightclub performance when his vehicle stalled. He had purchased the .38-caliber handgun days earlier to protect his $10,000 drum set, which was in the SUV. Raja was wearing jeans, a T-shirt and a baseball cap as part of an auto burglary investigation team when he spotted Jones’ SUV. He said he first thought it was empty, but then saw Jones inside. Raja’s supervisor testified the officer had been told to don a police vest to identify himself if he approached a civilian. He did not. Prosecutors also questioned why Raja didn’t pull out the badge he had in his pocket. What police didn’t know at first was that Jones was talking to a tow truck dispatcher on a recorded line. That recording shows Jones saying “Huh?” as his door opens. Raja yells, “You good?” Jones says he is. Raja replies twice, “Really?” with Jones replying “Yeah.” Suddenly, Raja shouts at Jones to raise his hands, using an expletive. Jones replies “Hold on!” and Raja repeats his demand. Prosecutors believe Jones pulled his gun and tried to get away. Raja fired three shots and Jones ran down an embankment. Prosecutors said he threw his gun, which was found 125 feet from his body, but Raja fired three more times, 10 seconds after the first volley. Jones was killed by a bullet through his heart. A medical examiner testified that Jones would have dropped feet from where the fatal shot struck him. He also had been shot once in each arm. Prosecutors said Raja, not knowing of the tow-truck dispatcher recording, tried to deceive investigators. He told them in a video-recorded interview hours after the shooting he said “Police, can I help you?” as Jones jumped from the SUV. He told investigators Jones then leapt backward and pointed his gun, forcing him to fire. Raja said Jones ran but turned and again pointed his gun, forcing him to fire the second volley. Prosecutors charged Raja with manslaughter because they believed his actions created the confrontation and showed “culpable negligence,” meaning a “reckless disregard” or “conscious indifference” for Jones’ life. They charged him with attempted first-degree murder because they believed that while they couldn’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt which of the six shots killed him, the second volley was a conscious effort to kill Jones as he ran away. Raja’s attorneys said Jones’ initial “Huh?” shows he identified himself — the tape picked up something unintelligible and faint. The last Florida officer tried for an on-duty killing was Miami’s William Lozano in 1989. The Hispanic officer fatally shot a black motorcyclist who he said tried to hit him. A passenger died when the motorcycle crashed. The deaths resulted in three days of rioting. Lozano was convicted of two manslaughter counts in a Miami trial, but an appeals court dismissed the verdict, saying the case should have been moved because of racial tensions. Lozano was acquitted at a 1993 retrial in Orlando. Palm Beach Gardens fired Raja shortly after the shooting. He had been under house arrest since he was charged in 2016.