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 arrested 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.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
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 arrested 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.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
FILE – This July 21, 2012, file photo shows signage at the corporate headquarters of Equifax Inc., in Atlanta. Equifax will pay up to $700 million to settle with the Federal Trade Commission and others over a 2017 data breach that exposed Social Security numbers and other private information of nearly 150 million people. The proposed settlement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, if approved by the federal district court Northern District of Georgia, will provide up to $425 million in monetary relief to consumers, a $100 million civil money penalty, and other relief. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File) Anyone looking for compensation from the massive Equifax data breach that affected nearly 150 million people has until Wednesday to prove you’re among those impacted and deserve either a cash payment or free credit monitoring for a decade. However, consumers should be aware it is unlikely they’ll receive a $125 payment that was first dangled when the settlement was announced, said Ted Frank, director of litigation for Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute, a public interest law firm. He estimated that consumers who have claimed the payment will receive no more than $7 each after all the settlement’s legal costs are covered. The 2017 data breach exposed Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers and home addresses of up to 147 million people. Equifax officials agreed last July to pay up to $700 million to settle a class action lawsuit, according to the Federal Trade Commission, with up to $425 million of the sum to be set aside for compensating the millions of people who were affected. Anyone seeking compensation must submit a claim by the end of January 22, 2020. Here’s what you need to know: About that $125 Equifax is offering three types of compensation — and one of them is cold, hard cash. Those affected could receive up to $125, but the exact amount isn’t finalized because it depends on how many people actually file a claim for cash. The more people who claim, the lower the amount may fall for each individual. The problem sits with the relatively small pool of money set aside for victims, Frank said. About $31 million “was made available for $125 claims (the rest was set aside for financial losses and credit monitoring), and even a tiny claims rate would exhaust the fund,” he noted. “The people who claimed $125 will receive less than $7, and that will likely drop further as people make more claims by the January 22 deadline.” Another issue that’s taking a bite out of the settlement: A federal judge in December awarded almost $80 million to the attorneys representing consumers against Equifax. Another caveat: Consumers must prove they already have a credit monitoring service to get the cash. It’s unclear how many people have filed a claim so far, but the FTC last July said there has been overwhelming interest in the cash settlement, suggesting a lower per person payout than $125 might be expected. A smarter option for consumers, the FTC argues, is signing up for the free credit monitoring. Why free credit monitoring may be better deal The settlement is also offering a decade of free credit monitoring from Equifax (for six years) and Experian (the other four years). Credit monitoring includes, among other things, notices of changes in your credit report from the three major credit bureaus and up to $1 million in insurance covering costs related to identity theft or fraud. The credit monitoring “is worth a lot more – the market value would be hundreds of dollars a year,” Robert Schoshinski, assistant director of the FTC’s division of privacy and identity protection wrote in a July blog post. “If you haven’t submitted your claim yet, think about opting for the free credit monitoring instead.” Up to $20,000 for fraud victims Finally, consumers can claim up to $20,000 to be reimbursed for money they already spent trying to restore their identity from misuse of their personal information that can be tied to the Equifax data breach. Consumers can claim any money spent on or before September 7, 2017, that went toward freezing their credit reports. They can also claim any money spent on or before May 13, 2017, that was used to resolve theft or fraud activities. Even smaller miscellaneous costs incurred from completing those tasks — like postage, long-distance phone calls or notary services — can be claimed as long as you have proof of those expenses. More information is available here.