Heavy Cape Coral police presence on Skyline Boulevard; one person hospitalizedNear-record heat with isolated rain this Thursday afternoonÂ
cape coral Heavy Cape Coral police presence on Skyline Boulevard; one person hospitalized The Cape Coral Police Department is actively investigating a scene located on Skyline Boulevard.
the weather authority Near-record heat with isolated rain this Thursday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking near-record heat this Thursday, along with isolated rain throughout the afternoon.
Lee County School District sets town hall meeting Spring schedule The Lee County School District has released its Spring town hall schedule, during which parents and community members can voice their opinions regarding their children’s education.
SANIBEL Sanibel teen gearing up to reopen popular food truck The Sanibel Sprout, a beloved local spot, is gearing up for a hopeful reopening in mid-March after two years of rebuilding.
FORT MYERS Man arrested for prowling and enticing a child in Fort Myers A concerned citizen flagged down Florida Highway Patrol state troopers in Fort Myers to report an adult man was harassing his daughter, according to authorities.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte Girl Scout earns Gold Award for pet care project A Port Charlotte teenager has earned the prestigious Gold Girl Scout Award.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers couple’s love grows stronger despite Alzheimer’s diagnosis Jeff and Bunny Edwards of Fort Myers celebrated their 41st anniversary, showcasing a love that has grown stronger over the years.
BONITA SPRINGS Harry Chapin Food Bank volunteers deliver food and a smile Food distributions seem so simple but go a long way in changing people’s lives. In Southwest Florida, the need for food is everywhere.
NAPLES Naples man arrested for cocaine trafficking A Naples man is facing a narcotics trafficking charge after deputies say he pitched cocaine out of his vehicle while trying to elude deputies.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s new rangers educate cyclists on path rules and e-bike limits Sanibel is a popular destination for biking enthusiasts, especially during the busy winter season. With over 26 miles of paved paths, the island offers stunning scenery for cyclists.
Cape Coral residents voice concerns over rental noise and rule-breaking Cape Coral is once again buzzing with discussions on short-term rentals.
Exclusive: Collier County law enforcement using tech to fight traffic congestion Naples is turning to technology to tackle traffic troubles.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers charity loses donation pod after complaint from local realtor Doug Miller and Amy Eldridge watched as their storage pod was towed away, marking the end of an era for their charitable efforts.
dunbar Dunbar’s Southward Village set for affordable housing transformation Southward Village is set to become a new hub for affordable housing as companies prepare to build on the now-empty site.
BABCOCK RANCH Babcock Ranch showcases cutting-edge robot in home construction Neighbors, friends, and students gathered Wednesday morning to witness a groundbreaking event in their community.
cape coral Heavy Cape Coral police presence on Skyline Boulevard; one person hospitalized The Cape Coral Police Department is actively investigating a scene located on Skyline Boulevard.
the weather authority Near-record heat with isolated rain this Thursday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking near-record heat this Thursday, along with isolated rain throughout the afternoon.
Lee County School District sets town hall meeting Spring schedule The Lee County School District has released its Spring town hall schedule, during which parents and community members can voice their opinions regarding their children’s education.
SANIBEL Sanibel teen gearing up to reopen popular food truck The Sanibel Sprout, a beloved local spot, is gearing up for a hopeful reopening in mid-March after two years of rebuilding.
FORT MYERS Man arrested for prowling and enticing a child in Fort Myers A concerned citizen flagged down Florida Highway Patrol state troopers in Fort Myers to report an adult man was harassing his daughter, according to authorities.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte Girl Scout earns Gold Award for pet care project A Port Charlotte teenager has earned the prestigious Gold Girl Scout Award.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers couple’s love grows stronger despite Alzheimer’s diagnosis Jeff and Bunny Edwards of Fort Myers celebrated their 41st anniversary, showcasing a love that has grown stronger over the years.
BONITA SPRINGS Harry Chapin Food Bank volunteers deliver food and a smile Food distributions seem so simple but go a long way in changing people’s lives. In Southwest Florida, the need for food is everywhere.
NAPLES Naples man arrested for cocaine trafficking A Naples man is facing a narcotics trafficking charge after deputies say he pitched cocaine out of his vehicle while trying to elude deputies.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s new rangers educate cyclists on path rules and e-bike limits Sanibel is a popular destination for biking enthusiasts, especially during the busy winter season. With over 26 miles of paved paths, the island offers stunning scenery for cyclists.
Cape Coral residents voice concerns over rental noise and rule-breaking Cape Coral is once again buzzing with discussions on short-term rentals.
Exclusive: Collier County law enforcement using tech to fight traffic congestion Naples is turning to technology to tackle traffic troubles.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers charity loses donation pod after complaint from local realtor Doug Miller and Amy Eldridge watched as their storage pod was towed away, marking the end of an era for their charitable efforts.
dunbar Dunbar’s Southward Village set for affordable housing transformation Southward Village is set to become a new hub for affordable housing as companies prepare to build on the now-empty site.
BABCOCK RANCH Babcock Ranch showcases cutting-edge robot in home construction Neighbors, friends, and students gathered Wednesday morning to witness a groundbreaking event in their community.
Photo: Pixabay/MGN online On Thursday, changes are coming for a program that protects nearly 20,000 Florida Kids, and lawmakers want more accountability for the Florida Department of Children and Families. The DCF Accountability Act is 57 pages long, and here is the gist of it: If passed, DCF would create an office of quality assurance managed by an appointed chief. Annual reports would be published, and sent to the governor and would be posted online. That also includes documenting persistent failures and fixing them. We would see developed performance standards for service providers and law enforcement to protect children. A local foster parent who has opened up her home to nearly 40 foster kids in the last 18 years says she is critical of the bill and says she would like to see an outside agency step in to ensure that accountability. “I see in this bill a lot of effort being made for checks and balances and reports, but I don’t see accountability. I see it being done internally and that would be like asking high school students to grade themselves. Where’s the transparency?,” said foster parent and Executive Director of KKids inc., Karen Scott. The bill would also allow more discretion in investigating certain child abuse cases. DCF said in an emailed statement: “The safety of Florida’s children has always been the Department of Children and Families’ highest priority. When a child’s immediate or imminent safety is being threatened, the Florida Abuse Hotline assigns an “Immediate Response” priority to the investigation, and in most cases, law enforcement accompanies the child protective investigator (CPI) to the home. However, Immediate Response allows minimal, if any, time for pre-commencement activities to be completed, including reviewing prior child welfare reports, speaking with other CPIs or case managers who may have worked with the family in the past, and structuring the investigative activities to obtain the most reliable and relevant information from multiple interview subjects. Introducing an up to 72-hour commencement will enable CPIs to complete more of these information-gathering activities when it will not result in the endangerment of a child. For instance, reports made to the Florida Abuse Hotline often do not involve abuse or a child being hurt, but rather, indicate that a family is in need of services. With this extended timeframe, the CPI will begin working on the case (pre-commencement) as soon as he or she receives the report –holding a multidisciplinary team meeting to review the family’s needs or arranging for services with partner organizations – and then make face-to-face contact with the child when complete information about the situation has been obtained. Ultimately, extending commencement time, whenever it is safe to do so, allows CPI to develop a comprehensive understanding of the family’s history and focus solely on assessing child safety.”