Trumparilla Boat Parade kicks off in Fort MyersThe Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropics
FORT MYERS Trumparilla Boat Parade kicks off in Fort Myers The Lee County GOP is hosting the Trumparilla Boat Parade in support of the Republican nominee.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropics Get ready for a typical Southwest Florida weekend. It’s going to feel like the triple digits before rain rolls in and we’re watching the tropics.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner charged for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
FORT MYERS Trumparilla Boat Parade kicks off in Fort Myers The Lee County GOP is hosting the Trumparilla Boat Parade in support of the Republican nominee.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropics Get ready for a typical Southwest Florida weekend. It’s going to feel like the triple digits before rain rolls in and we’re watching the tropics.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner charged for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
With the Equifax settlement reached this week, consumers have the chance to receive $125 in cash, prompting even Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to urge victims to “get your check from Equifax!” But the reality may not be as remunerative as she and others believe. Everyone: go get your check from Equifax! $125 is a nice chunk of change. Get that money and pay off a bill, sock it away, take a day off, treat yourself, whatever you’d like – but cash 👏🏿 that 👏🏽 check! 👏🏻 💸 It takes one minute. Do it here 💸: https://t.co/sy7eZCuLi6 https://t.co/OdgYrlJZbh — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 26, 2019 The $125 cash payment comes with several major strings attached. For one, it’s only available to people who already have credit-monitoring services, which typically cost between $10 to $30 a month. On top of that, you’ll have to provide proof you will continue to use the service for the next six months. But the biggest gotcha might be a small detail that’s been overlooked by many consumers eager to bank an extra $125: The pool of money to fund the payments is topped at $31 million. If the claims exceed that amount, the per person payout “will be lowered and distributed on a proportional basis,” the settlement site’s FAQs notes. The Federal Trade Commission added its two cents on Wednesday, pointing out that it’s seen an “overwhelming” interest in the settlement and pointing out that it could result in a lower payout than the $125 many are expecting. Its advice: pick the free credit monitoring offered by the settlement instead of the payout. “A large number of claims for cash instead of credit monitoring means only one thing: each person who takes the money option will wind up only getting a small amount of money,” Robert Schoshinski, the FTC’s assistant director, Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, said in a Wednesday blog post. 21 cents per person If more than 248,000 people make claims on the $31 million pot of money, the per person payout will be less than $125. If all 148 million victims claimed the award, the payout would be lowered to 21 cents per person. “I would caution folks it’s not $125 free money,” said Charity Lacey, vice president of communications at the Identity Theft Resource Center. “You have to prove you have credit monitoring in place and it will be active for the next 6 months.” Plus, she added, “If you don’t provide the proof, you may not get the $125. Or you may get a portion of it,” depending on how many people claim. Credit monitoring: Worth it? Consumers impacted by the data breach may receive up to 10 years of free monitoring of their credit reports. You can also sign up for at least four years of monitoring services provided by Experian at no cost. Consumers who don’t already have credit monitoring services — which in some cases are provided to consumers through their insurance or employers — may want to consider this option rather than claiming the $125 that may or may not arrive, Lacey noted. Keeping a close eye on your accounts can help forestall identity theft and catch problems before they grow into costly hassles, which may be more valuable in the long-term than up to $125 in immediate cash. The credit monitoring “is worth a lot more – the market value would be hundreds of dollars a year,” Schoshinski of the FTC wrote in his blog post. “If you haven’t submitted your claim yet, think about opting for the free credit monitoring instead.” But a free option that will help secure your data and your identity is to place a credit freeze at the major credit bureaus, noted Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. “A credit freeze stops thieves from opening new accounts in your name,” Velasquez said. “I think there is still this misconception that it’s a very long and arduous process and that it’s difficult to navigate.” The credit bureaus have made it an easier process, she added, noting that consumers report it requires about an hour to set up freezes at all three bureaus. Here are the links to where you can freeze your credit at the three credit-reporting agencies: Velasquez also recommends parents set up credit freezes for their children, which requires extra documentation, such as verification that you are the child’s parent or guardian, that must be mailed to each of the credit bureaus. “Kids’ Social Security numbers aren’t gold — they are diamond. They are so valuable to fraudsters,” she said. “It’s one more thing that we have to care of on behalf of our children.”