Department of Health warns of blue-green algae in Alva canalCouple accused of drugging and molesting girl make court appearance
ALVA Department of Health warns of blue-green algae in Alva canal If you live on Sebastian Court along the canal in Alva, the Florida Department of Health in Lee County wants you to remain cautious. A blue-green algae bloom has been spotted there.
SAN CARLOS PARK Couple accused of drugging and molesting girl make court appearance A San Carlos Park couple accused of drugging and molesting a girl while covering it up for two years appeared in court.
FORT MYERS Lee County Schools receives over $2M in Juul settlement The Lee County School District has received over $2 million in a settlement with Juul, and now, it’s putting that money to use.
JERUSALEM (AP) Israel says it reopened a key Gaza crossing after a rocket attack but the UN says no aid has entered The Israeli military said Wednesday that it has reopened its Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza after days of closure, but the U.N. said no humanitarian aid has yet entered and there is no one to receive it on the Palestinian side after workers fled during Israel’s military incursion in the area.
ATLANTA (AP) Georgia appeals court agrees to review ruling allowing Fani Willis to stay on Trump election case A Georgia appeals court on Wednesday agreed to review a lower court ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue to prosecute the election interference case she brought against former President Donald Trump.
WASHINGTON (AP) Police clear pro-Palestinian protest camp and arrest 33 at DC campus as mayor’s hearing is canceled Police cleared a pro-Palestinian tent encampment at George Washington University early Wednesday and arrested demonstrators.
2 Collier County men arrested for street racing Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputies have arrested two men after catching them street racing.
CLEWISTON Lewis Boulevard in Clewiston closed after semi-trailer carrying palm trees loses load Lewis Boulevard in Clewiston from U.S. 27 to 13th Street is closed this morning while crews remove trees from the roadway.
ARCADIA Juvenile and 18-year-old arrested for stealing, burglarizing multiple cars in DeSoto County A juvenile and an 18-year-old have been arrested after allegedly stealing several cars and burglarizing them in DeSoto County.
IMMOKALEE Immokalee man arrested for child porn possession An Immokalee man has been arrested and charged on ten felony counts after allegedly being in possession of child pornography.
ESTERO Caught on Camera: Alligator chases after teen’s catch while fishing in Estero A 15-year-old teenager from Estero bit off more than he could chew while fishing for Peacock Bass as a hungry alligator chased after the fish and him.
Gainsville Gov. DeSantis responds to Pro-Palestinian protest held at University of Florida Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke about the dispersal of pro-Palestinian protestors at the University of Florida.
The Weather Authority Hotter and drier Wednesday with a few inland storms this afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a mild and drier Wednesday morning with rain expected inland this afternoon.
Cape Coral City Council to discuss repairs for yacht club pier The Cape Coral City Council will discuss and possibly decide upon three options to repair the damaged yacht club pier.
LEHIGH ACRES Kitchen fire causes substantial damage to a home in Lehigh Acres The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue responded to a kitchen fire at a Sunset Boulevard home on Tuesday night.
ALVA Department of Health warns of blue-green algae in Alva canal If you live on Sebastian Court along the canal in Alva, the Florida Department of Health in Lee County wants you to remain cautious. A blue-green algae bloom has been spotted there.
SAN CARLOS PARK Couple accused of drugging and molesting girl make court appearance A San Carlos Park couple accused of drugging and molesting a girl while covering it up for two years appeared in court.
FORT MYERS Lee County Schools receives over $2M in Juul settlement The Lee County School District has received over $2 million in a settlement with Juul, and now, it’s putting that money to use.
JERUSALEM (AP) Israel says it reopened a key Gaza crossing after a rocket attack but the UN says no aid has entered The Israeli military said Wednesday that it has reopened its Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza after days of closure, but the U.N. said no humanitarian aid has yet entered and there is no one to receive it on the Palestinian side after workers fled during Israel’s military incursion in the area.
ATLANTA (AP) Georgia appeals court agrees to review ruling allowing Fani Willis to stay on Trump election case A Georgia appeals court on Wednesday agreed to review a lower court ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue to prosecute the election interference case she brought against former President Donald Trump.
WASHINGTON (AP) Police clear pro-Palestinian protest camp and arrest 33 at DC campus as mayor’s hearing is canceled Police cleared a pro-Palestinian tent encampment at George Washington University early Wednesday and arrested demonstrators.
2 Collier County men arrested for street racing Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputies have arrested two men after catching them street racing.
CLEWISTON Lewis Boulevard in Clewiston closed after semi-trailer carrying palm trees loses load Lewis Boulevard in Clewiston from U.S. 27 to 13th Street is closed this morning while crews remove trees from the roadway.
ARCADIA Juvenile and 18-year-old arrested for stealing, burglarizing multiple cars in DeSoto County A juvenile and an 18-year-old have been arrested after allegedly stealing several cars and burglarizing them in DeSoto County.
IMMOKALEE Immokalee man arrested for child porn possession An Immokalee man has been arrested and charged on ten felony counts after allegedly being in possession of child pornography.
ESTERO Caught on Camera: Alligator chases after teen’s catch while fishing in Estero A 15-year-old teenager from Estero bit off more than he could chew while fishing for Peacock Bass as a hungry alligator chased after the fish and him.
Gainsville Gov. DeSantis responds to Pro-Palestinian protest held at University of Florida Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke about the dispersal of pro-Palestinian protestors at the University of Florida.
The Weather Authority Hotter and drier Wednesday with a few inland storms this afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a mild and drier Wednesday morning with rain expected inland this afternoon.
Cape Coral City Council to discuss repairs for yacht club pier The Cape Coral City Council will discuss and possibly decide upon three options to repair the damaged yacht club pier.
LEHIGH ACRES Kitchen fire causes substantial damage to a home in Lehigh Acres The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue responded to a kitchen fire at a Sunset Boulevard home on Tuesday night.
Photo: NASA On Jan. 28, 1986, seven astronauts lost their lives when the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after takeoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The explosion happened after the Challenger’s external fuel tank collapsed. The space shuttle then broke apart and fell approximately 46,000 feet to the Atlantic Ocean. It was later determined that cold weather, combined with a design flaw, led to the accident. A seal on one of the solid rocket boosters was not working properly. The tragedy unfolded on live TV as many students across the country watched. Christa McAuliffe, a high-school teacher from New Hampshire, was one of the seven crew members who died. She was the first civilian teacher ever chosen for a space mission. NASA had arranged a satellite broadcast of the full mission for students to watch the historic moment in schools across the nation. The rest of the Challenger crew, remembered fondly, include: Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Michael Smith, Francis (Dick) Scobee and Gregory Jarvis. Thirty-three years after the tragic accident, President Donald Trump signed into law a bill that will create a commemorative coin honoring McAuliffe. The coins will be minted in 2021 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the tragedy. Lawmakers said the coin reaffirms Congress’ commitment to invest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education. Today, more than 40 education centers around the country help millions of kids learn about science and space; there they are encouraged to reach for the stars. “That’s really the legacy I think of Challenger — that mission, that focus on outreach and education,” says Capt. Kenneth S. Reightler, a former astronaut. “I think (the Challenger crew members) would be very, very proud.” One man who helped in the recovery that day is U.S. Navy Veteran Captain John Arens. He was the commanding officer of a Navy ship that was just a half-mile from where the crash happened. “It was a disaster that wasn’t supposed to happen and then it did,” Arens said. An American tragedy that was seen on TV by many. “It was an awful day for the whole country because you see everybody was watching it,” Arens said. But Arens witnessed the historic event with his own eyes. “She came down a half a mile from my ship and hit the water,” he said. When asked if he realized the significance of that day as it was happening, he said, “We had no idea because it all happened so fast when it blew up into space.” Arens was the commanding officer of the USNS Redstone, anchored half a mile off the Florida coast the afternoon of Jan. 28, 1986. “I just couldn’t believe what I was looking at,” Arnes said. “It is remarkable that it hit a half a mile within my ship…It was 73 seconds into space when it blew up.” I directed the Coast Guard because I know that it was 150 feet of water because it’s under me…They called me an hour and a half later and said, ‘Thank you, Captain, for telling us where it was,’ and ‘We found it.’ They think that I was responsible for it and then I told them, I said, There’s nothing wrong with my equipment,’ and then the admiral answered back, ‘Oh, all right. It’s not you then.’ Thirty-four years later, Arnes still recalls every small detail from that day. “Even though it was years ago, nobody forgets it,” he said, “that day when they saw the thing happen,” and remembers the seven heroes who died making history. Before the explosion, Challenger had an impressive resume. The first American female astronaut and the first African American astronaut both reached space on the shuttle. In 1984, two women flew on one mission for the first time. It also had the first night launch and landing. Here are some fast facts about the Challenger crew: Francis R. (Dick) Scobee Spacecraft Commander Born on May 19, 1939 Birth place – Cle Elum, Washington Family – Wife, June, and two children Michael J. Smith Pilot Born on April 30, 1945 Birth place – Beaufort, North Carolina Judith A. Resnik Mission Specialist Born – April 5, 1949 Birth place – Akron, Ohio Ronald E. McNair Mission Specialist Born – October 21, 1950 Birth place – Lake City, South Carolina Family – Wife, Cheryl, and two children Ellison S. Onizuka Mission Specialist Born – June 24, 1946 Birth place – Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii Gregory B. Jarvis Payload Specialist Born – August 24, 1944 Birth place – Detroit, Michigan An engineer who worked for Hughes Aircraft Corp. Christa McAuliffe First teacher in space Born – September 2, 1948 Birth place – Boston, Massachusetts Information from CNN contributed to this report.