16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier CountyNew bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
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.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
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.
In addition to 58,600 square feet of research lab space, the four-story structure will also provide classrooms (23,400 square feet) and teaching labs (15,000 square feet). Credit: RG Architects/HuntonBrady Architects Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) broke ground on the new home for The Water School Thursday morning. The 117,000-square-foot facility will be the largest academic building on campus. Half of the space will be research labs dedicated to the school’s vital work on water quality issues in Southwest Florida. “This building and The Water School will be a place where investments can be made and solutions can be found,” said FGCU President Mike Martin. “We can interact with partners from across the state, from across the nation and around the world. It’s not just water in the most direct way, but also health implications of water, community development implications of water, long-term impacts on the environment, and, clearly, the impact on the economy.” The new building will support research and the professional preparation students need to tackle real-world problems. Credit: RG Architects/HuntonBrady Architects Slated to open in the fall of 2021, the building will simultaneously support research and the professional preparation students need to tackle real-world problems. In addition to 58,600 square feet of research lab space, the four-story structure will also provide classrooms (23,400 square feet) and teaching labs (15,000 square feet). The new academic center will also bring most of The Water School’s core faculty and staff under one roof. “This building is an exciting new resource for the university,” said Greg Tolley, executive director of The Water School at FGCU. “We want it to be a public space. There will be meeting rooms where we can invite people from local communities to come in and talk about issues of importance here in Southwest Florida. We want people to think of this as being Southwest Florida’s building as well.” Since it was announced March 22, The Water School has focused on the region’s water problems and what’s required to solve them. From pioneering work with ciguatera fish poisoning to the study of bacteria and algae in local waters, the impact of climate change on Florida’s shores to the implementation of educational programs in local middle schools, The Water School’s influence is far-reaching. But it’s just the start as The Water School is adding to its faculty expertise in a number of subjects and disciplines. Of the 117,000 square feet of space in the new building, half will be dedicated to research labs. Credit: RG Architects/HuntonBrady Architects “This space is more than just a space,” said Tolley. “It will also be the people who will be working there. They are interdisciplinary faculty and staff from across the university looking at water issues from a variety of approaches. This will allow us to have an integrated approach to solving our water issues.” The Water School’s new home is the campus’ ninth academic building. It will be built next to Parking Garage 1, a stone’s throw from Sugden Hall. The project budget is $57.9 million. Dozens of dignitaries attended the groundbreaking. In addition to members of the FGCU Board of Trustees, state Senators Lizbeth Benacquisto and Kathleen Passidomo and state Representatives Heather Fitzenhagen and Ray Rodrigues celebrated the new building. Community partners – Daniel Andrews, Captains for Clean Water; Amelia Horadam, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve; Catherine Bergerson, Conservancy of Southwest Florida; Ryan Orgera, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation – also welcomed the new facility. “Students will get exposed not only to laboratory work, where they can do the science, but they will learn about policy and education with respect to water in the region, and they will be interacting with local partners through internships and senior projects,” Tolley said. “So the building is a laboratory for students to get hands-on experience.” To learn more about The Water School, visit https://fgcu.edu/thewaterschool.