Fort Myers Police respond to rollover crash; driver flees sceneWest End residents frustrated by security failures, lack of response
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Police respond to rollover crash; driver flees scene The Fort Myers Police Department responded to a crash involving one vehicle on Colonial Gardens Circle and Colonial Boulevard.
FORT MYERS West End residents frustrated by security failures, lack of response A nearly $64 million luxury apartment complex that close to 500 people call home, but somehow, security seems to fall through the cracks.
NAPLES Collier County nearly doubles tourism budget On Tuesday, Collier County Commissioners approved a nearly $12 million budget for a tourism marketing campaign.
Florida policyholders urged to contact OIR if policies are canceled or nonrenewed If your insurance has been canceled or is not being renewed due to this year’s storms, the state of Florida wants you to reach out to the Office of Insurance Regulation.
BAREFOOT BEACH Woman thinks QR code got hacked A Fort Myers woman says a fraudulent QR code at Barefoot Beach caused her credit card to be hacked. She’s on a mission to warn others.
CAPE CORAL Sticker shock: Cape Coral residents hit with unexpected property tax hikes This is the time of year when people start paying their property taxes, but what happens when you get your bill and it’s more than you expected?
SANIBEL Sanibel workshop teaches residents benefits of elevating homes and businesses With each hurricane that brings damage to our area, many people rush to be more resilient. On Sanibel, more than 300 people have RSVP’d to learn about raising their homes and businesses.
SANIBEL Sanibel Causeway construction causing confusion and costing local business Repairing the Sanibel Causeway after recent storms has caused more than just traffic back-ups.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Speakeasy in downtown Fort Myers honors local historic figures Everything inside the Escondido Lounge whispers an authentic speakeasy, from the dim red lights to the fancy vintage glasses.
ESTERO Caught on camera: Man steals money from tip jar in Estero A business manager feels violated after a man took money from a tip jar on Tuesday.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral ranked 13th for establishing small businesses A blog set out to find the top U.S. cities where aspiring business owners can thrive in 2024, Cape Coral was named 13th.
NAPLES Minimally invasive balloon procedure for sinus issues Battling a sinus infection is bad enough, but contending with chronic sinus infections can be a real problem.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024.
ESTERO Car crashes into restaurant window in Gulf Coast Town Center Authorities are investigating after an SUV crashed into a restaurant at the Gulf Coast Town Center in Estero.
WEST PALM BEACH Trump picks Sen. Marco Rubio as his Secretary of State President-elect Donald Trump named Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as his nominee for secretary of state on Wednesday.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Police respond to rollover crash; driver flees scene The Fort Myers Police Department responded to a crash involving one vehicle on Colonial Gardens Circle and Colonial Boulevard.
FORT MYERS West End residents frustrated by security failures, lack of response A nearly $64 million luxury apartment complex that close to 500 people call home, but somehow, security seems to fall through the cracks.
NAPLES Collier County nearly doubles tourism budget On Tuesday, Collier County Commissioners approved a nearly $12 million budget for a tourism marketing campaign.
Florida policyholders urged to contact OIR if policies are canceled or nonrenewed If your insurance has been canceled or is not being renewed due to this year’s storms, the state of Florida wants you to reach out to the Office of Insurance Regulation.
BAREFOOT BEACH Woman thinks QR code got hacked A Fort Myers woman says a fraudulent QR code at Barefoot Beach caused her credit card to be hacked. She’s on a mission to warn others.
CAPE CORAL Sticker shock: Cape Coral residents hit with unexpected property tax hikes This is the time of year when people start paying their property taxes, but what happens when you get your bill and it’s more than you expected?
SANIBEL Sanibel workshop teaches residents benefits of elevating homes and businesses With each hurricane that brings damage to our area, many people rush to be more resilient. On Sanibel, more than 300 people have RSVP’d to learn about raising their homes and businesses.
SANIBEL Sanibel Causeway construction causing confusion and costing local business Repairing the Sanibel Causeway after recent storms has caused more than just traffic back-ups.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Speakeasy in downtown Fort Myers honors local historic figures Everything inside the Escondido Lounge whispers an authentic speakeasy, from the dim red lights to the fancy vintage glasses.
ESTERO Caught on camera: Man steals money from tip jar in Estero A business manager feels violated after a man took money from a tip jar on Tuesday.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral ranked 13th for establishing small businesses A blog set out to find the top U.S. cities where aspiring business owners can thrive in 2024, Cape Coral was named 13th.
NAPLES Minimally invasive balloon procedure for sinus issues Battling a sinus infection is bad enough, but contending with chronic sinus infections can be a real problem.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024.
ESTERO Car crashes into restaurant window in Gulf Coast Town Center Authorities are investigating after an SUV crashed into a restaurant at the Gulf Coast Town Center in Estero.
WEST PALM BEACH Trump picks Sen. Marco Rubio as his Secretary of State President-elect Donald Trump named Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as his nominee for secretary of state on Wednesday.
Florida House of Representatives. (Credit: CBS) Florida could block teenagers from getting abortions unless their parents agree, under a bill that began moving forward Tuesday in the Republican-dominated House. The House Health Quality Subcommittee voted along mostly partisan lines for the proposal (HB 1335), which goes beyond current requirements that call for parents to be notified when their daughters seek abortions. Tuesday’s vote followed a confrontation between lawmakers and audience members, which led to two people being removed from a committee room. The legislation, if ultimately approved, could spark a lawsuit that could wind up before a revamped Florida Supreme Court. Bill sponsor Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, said her bill was not about creating a test case for the court but is about pursuing issues she believes in. Gov. Ron DeSantis in January appointed three new justices, moves that are expected to lead to a more conservative Supreme Court. “I think the new court can always make a difference,” Grall said. “But I think my track record as a member who is committed to pro-life issues. …  I’m just trying to draw attention to the abortion procedure and the availability in our country and what that might do to a minor who chooses to make the decision without having the advice of her parents moving forward. It’s just a natural place for me to be.” PROPOSED BILL: Should Florida teenagers be required to have permission from their parents to get an abortion? — WINK News (@winknews) March 20, 2019 VOTE: Twitter poll- Should Florida teenagers be required to have permission from their parents to get an abortion? A Senate version of the bill (SB 1774), sponsored by Lakeland Republican Kelli Stargel, has not been heard in committees. Florida for more than a decade has had a law requiring parents to be notified before minors get abortions. But Grall’s proposal would go further in requiring parental consent. The bill would ban physicians from performing or inducing abortions unless they have met the parental-notice and parental-consent requirements. The bill includes exemptions to the parental-consent requirement. For example, it would include exemptions for minors with medical emergencies and for minors who already are parents. Also, it would allow minors to go to court to ask judges for waivers to the parental-consent requirement, similar to waivers allowed under the parental-notification law. The Legislature passed a similar parental-consent law in 1988, but the Florida Supreme Court, relying on the privacy clause in the state Constitution, ruled it was unconstitutional. A staff analysis of Grall’s bill noted that the measure “may implicate the privacy rights” established by the state Constitution. In 2004, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment that authorized the Legislature to create a parental-notification law. The following year, lawmakers passed a parental notification law that was challenged and upheld. House Health Quality Chairwoman Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, ordered House staff to remove two audience members from the committee room Tuesday for speaking out during debate on Grall’s bill. Committee member Jennifer Sullivan, R-Mount Dora, said the “opposition that we have mostly heard from today is from people who financially stand to benefit from this procedure.” Though Burton warned audience members against speaking out, 19-year old Heather-Ann Irons, a Sante Fe College student, exclaimed from her seat that she wasn’t an abortion provider and had no financial gain. After the woman was removed from the committee room, Sullivan continued her remarks about opponents and people making money from abortions. That’s when longtime Florida National Organization for Women lobbyist Barbara DeVane also started shouting over Sullivan’s remarks. “That’s not true,” she shouted. DeVane said after the meeting that in her 46 years of lobbying the Legislature, she had never been removed from a committee room during debate. In addition to addressing the parental-consent issue, the bill also would increase the penalty for violating a 2013 law that provided protections for infants born alive due to failed abortions. Under the 2013 law, infants born after unsuccessful abortions are entitled to the same rights, powers and privileges as any other children. Physicians who violate the law are subject to first-degree misdemeanors. But Grall’s bill would increase the penalty to a third-degree felony.