Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquartersCharlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
Punta Gorda Man accused of indecent exposure at school bus stop in Punta Gorda The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of indecent exposure at a school bus stop in Punta Gorda.
estero Firefighters to perform 76-acre prescribed burn at Koreshan State Park San Carlos Park Fire Protection & Rescue Service District will perform a 76-acre prescribed burn at Koreshan State Park.
Tim Aten Knows: 2 new eateries coming to East Naples After operating La Rosa Pizzeria for more than 15 years, owners Bill and Alda Rosa decided to sell their local business and restaurant space.
the weather authority Warmer with sun and clouds for your Friday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a warmer day ahead, with a mixture of sun and clouds expected this Friday afternoon.
FDOT opens all lanes of Caloosahatchee Bridge year ahead of construction schedule The Florida Department of Transportation announced all lanes of the Caloosahatchee Bridge are open, a year ahead of its original pedestrian sidewalk project estimate.
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
Punta Gorda Man accused of indecent exposure at school bus stop in Punta Gorda The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of indecent exposure at a school bus stop in Punta Gorda.
estero Firefighters to perform 76-acre prescribed burn at Koreshan State Park San Carlos Park Fire Protection & Rescue Service District will perform a 76-acre prescribed burn at Koreshan State Park.
Tim Aten Knows: 2 new eateries coming to East Naples After operating La Rosa Pizzeria for more than 15 years, owners Bill and Alda Rosa decided to sell their local business and restaurant space.
the weather authority Warmer with sun and clouds for your Friday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a warmer day ahead, with a mixture of sun and clouds expected this Friday afternoon.
FDOT opens all lanes of Caloosahatchee Bridge year ahead of construction schedule The Florida Department of Transportation announced all lanes of the Caloosahatchee Bridge are open, a year ahead of its original pedestrian sidewalk project estimate.
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
FILE- In this June 15, 2018, file photo, twenty dollar bills are counted in North Andover, Mass. Default on your federal student loans and the government can take up to 15 percent of each paycheck to satisfy your debt. The Education Department can also withhold federal benefits like tax returns and Social Security payments. Garnishment is an effective tool to recoup unpaid loans, private collection agencies enlisted by the Education Department took in over $841.6 million via wage garnishment in the 2018 fiscal year, but it inflicts serious financial strain on borrowers who are already struggling. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File) Struggling to pay off your student loans? Your employer may be able to help. The number of companies offering student loan repayment has doubled in the past year, according to the 2019 Employee Benefits Report, a survey by the Society for Human Management. Brittany Hamilton is the first person in her family to graduate college. She walked away with her degree, and a mountain of student loans. “While my parents worked really hard my whole life, I knew that them paying for my school wasn’t an option,” she says. So Hamilton cut costs where she could, working through college and going to state school near her hometown in northern Kentucky. Still, she graduated with $32,000 in debt. “When you’re in college, you have a huge expectation that you’re going to be making a lot when you first start,” said Hamilton. She got a job at Fidelity Investments and enrolled in the student loan repayment program. It offers eligible employees up to $2,000 annually, maxing out at $10,000. “That’s a lot for me so far,” she said. “They’ve paid $7,300 in the past four and a half years, which is great.” One in three adults under the age of 30 have student loan debt, according to PEW Research. Hamilton says friends with loans usually have to make a choice: pay off existing debt, or save for the future. And that ultimatum is something that Fidelity Investments Branch Manager Adam Weiner says it couldn’t ignore. “It seems to come up more and more regularly that this is a burden for people and people are having to make life choices and changing things they would want to do,” said Weiner. While more companies are beginning to offer the perk, it’s still hard to come by. Just 8% of employers have a program. Kelsey Sheehy at Nerdwallet says not to be surprised if you see more companies jump on board. “Don’t be surprised to see other employers jump on this bandwagon. Student loan repayment assistance is proving to be a popular perk and it’s something that benefits new job seekers as well as people who are established in their careers,” said Sheehy. Other companies offering the perk? Office supply store Staples, insurance giant Aetna and the U.S. Government. Nerdwallet says in a competitive job market, it’s all attracting talent and hanging on to them.