Crews battle 2.5-acre brush fire near Alico and Eagle Village DriveJake’s story: A mother’s mission to share her son’s story and help other young people
ESTERO Crews battle 2.5-acre brush fire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive San Carlos Park Fire District is on the scene fighting a 2.5-acre brushfire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive.
FORT MYERS Jake’s story: A mother’s mission to share her son’s story and help other young people One Fort Myers mom is turning her pain into purpose after her son, who she refers to as her “heavenly Angel,” took his own life.
CAPE CORAL New renderings for the Cape Coral Yacht Club promise a bright future The Cape Coral Yacht Club, which has been part of this community since the 1960s, will now have a new look after Hurricane Ian’s devastating effects.
LEHIGH ACRES Owner bars public from Barefoot Lake, LCSO installs Watch Tower Every weekend, roughly 200 people go to Barefoot Lake in Lehigh Acres to relax, fish, swim and have a good time.
CAPE CORAL Concern over water shortage in Cape Coral Concern is flowing through Cape Coral as neighbors are seeing their canal levels low and their wells run dry.
FORT MYERS FSW softball swinging for success in the postseason Now their focus shifts to states which means the newbies are looking to the experienced sophomores for advice.
BONITA SPRINGS Young SWFL tennis player competing with professionals You may not know her name now, but you might want remember it because 16-year-old Cookie Jarvis-Tredgett is already competing with professionals.
NORTH NAPLES ‘It’s all about connection,’ Statement Peace makes jewelry with sustainability in mind The brand Statement Peace, once started inside founder Jessica Lee’s home, is now in 2,700 stores across the country
Pine Manor 2 arrested for firing gun at birthday party in Pine Manor A party ended with two people behind bars.
FORT MYERS Shooting investigation on busy Fort Myers street Police are conducting a shooting investigation that involves a traffic crash near Michigan Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.
FGCU New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis ready to build on department’s success New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis talks about the department’s future amid the age of NIL and the transfer portal.
FORT MYERS More middle-aged women being treated for acne You probably thought you broke up with it after high school, but acne is rearing it’s ugly blackheads in adult women.
Lee County student ran up and hit teacher in head, report shows The report says a 13-year-old student ran up and smacked a teacher in the head because multiple classmates offered him money to do so.
NAPLES Collier Planning Commission continues discussion for apartments near Fiddler’s Creek The developer of Fiddler’s Creek wants to build hundreds of luxury apartments on a slice of a 600 acre-plus property known as section 29.
CAPE CORAL Fatigue sets in for third day of FEMA hearings Flying several hours to come to a FEMA code compliance hearing in Cape Coral is the reality for John Gasparini from Maryland.
ESTERO Crews battle 2.5-acre brush fire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive San Carlos Park Fire District is on the scene fighting a 2.5-acre brushfire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive.
FORT MYERS Jake’s story: A mother’s mission to share her son’s story and help other young people One Fort Myers mom is turning her pain into purpose after her son, who she refers to as her “heavenly Angel,” took his own life.
CAPE CORAL New renderings for the Cape Coral Yacht Club promise a bright future The Cape Coral Yacht Club, which has been part of this community since the 1960s, will now have a new look after Hurricane Ian’s devastating effects.
LEHIGH ACRES Owner bars public from Barefoot Lake, LCSO installs Watch Tower Every weekend, roughly 200 people go to Barefoot Lake in Lehigh Acres to relax, fish, swim and have a good time.
CAPE CORAL Concern over water shortage in Cape Coral Concern is flowing through Cape Coral as neighbors are seeing their canal levels low and their wells run dry.
FORT MYERS FSW softball swinging for success in the postseason Now their focus shifts to states which means the newbies are looking to the experienced sophomores for advice.
BONITA SPRINGS Young SWFL tennis player competing with professionals You may not know her name now, but you might want remember it because 16-year-old Cookie Jarvis-Tredgett is already competing with professionals.
NORTH NAPLES ‘It’s all about connection,’ Statement Peace makes jewelry with sustainability in mind The brand Statement Peace, once started inside founder Jessica Lee’s home, is now in 2,700 stores across the country
Pine Manor 2 arrested for firing gun at birthday party in Pine Manor A party ended with two people behind bars.
FORT MYERS Shooting investigation on busy Fort Myers street Police are conducting a shooting investigation that involves a traffic crash near Michigan Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.
FGCU New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis ready to build on department’s success New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis talks about the department’s future amid the age of NIL and the transfer portal.
FORT MYERS More middle-aged women being treated for acne You probably thought you broke up with it after high school, but acne is rearing it’s ugly blackheads in adult women.
Lee County student ran up and hit teacher in head, report shows The report says a 13-year-old student ran up and smacked a teacher in the head because multiple classmates offered him money to do so.
NAPLES Collier Planning Commission continues discussion for apartments near Fiddler’s Creek The developer of Fiddler’s Creek wants to build hundreds of luxury apartments on a slice of a 600 acre-plus property known as section 29.
CAPE CORAL Fatigue sets in for third day of FEMA hearings Flying several hours to come to a FEMA code compliance hearing in Cape Coral is the reality for John Gasparini from Maryland.
Skulls made and decorated with sugar decorate altars and are given as gifts for Día de los Muertos. (Omar Torres/AP/Getty Images) Families are spreading bulks of marigold petals, lighting up candles for their loved ones and some are even wearing colorful skull makeup. It’s Día de los Muertos. The Mexican holiday, also known as Day of the Dead, extends over the first two days of November and has nothing to do with Halloween. It’s an ode to the afterlife and a reminder that death is nothing to be afraid of. If you enjoyed Disney’s animated film “Coco,” here are the many ways people celebrate the Día de los Muertos holiday. Artisans make colorful sugar skulls Skulls were a powerful symbol in the Aztec culture, and some were used as tribute to Mictecacihuatl, the goddess of death. To celebrate the holiday, artisans spend hours turning sugar, hot water and lime into a sugar paste similar to caramel that they mold into skull-shaped treats of all sizes. These treats are then decorated with icing, multi-colored foil and sometimes feathers. Calaveritas are for the most part edible, but people mainly use them to decorate their altars. People carefully build altars for the dead The colorful multi-level memorials are built in homes, schools and public places as a tribute to deceased loved ones. The different levels represent the underworld, Earth and heaven. A large photo of the deceased is usually placed at the very top of the altar with papel picado. Sugar skulls, candles, pan de muerto (dead man’s bread) and Mexican marigolds are featured throughout the altar. The pungent scent and bright color of fresh marigold petals are meant to guide the spirits to their altars, and glasses of water are handy to quench the thirst of the dead after their long journey. The ofrendas (offerings), as the altars are called, are carefully assembled using many traditional elements, but each of them is unique on its own. They can be personalized with the dead person’s favorite food, mementos from their lives and their favorite items. Some altars have books, jewelry, music and clothes on display. Crowds descend on cemeteries People flock to cemeteries through the holiday to visit the graves of dead relatives and friends. But they are not mourning or empty-handed. After cleaning the graves and headstones, some decorate with flowers, marigold petals and light up candles. While some come to pray in silence, others serenade their lost loved ones with mariachis. People make their way to the gravesites every year to keep the memory of the deceased alive in their hearts and in the minds of their family members. They share stories, drink and eat together as if it were a party. Skeletons walk among the living People parade the streets with beautiful skulls painted on their faces and wearing costumes to commemorate Día de los Muertos. Women usually paint their faces, wear elegant dresses and hats adorned with feathers and flowers. They are actually evoking “La Catrina,” a rich skeleton lady in a fancy floral hat. The image, sketched by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in 1910, was political satire that mocked Mexico’s upper-class and their negative attitude toward indigenous people. Crowds dance in cheerful parades held during the day in numerous cities or parade together on their way to cemeteries the night of Halloween.