Dead manatee found on Big Hickory Island; FWC conducts autopsyJunior Achievement of SWFL inducts 4 into Hall of Fame
BONITA SPRINGS Dead manatee found on Big Hickory Island; FWC conducts autopsy The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is conducting an autopsy on a manatee that washed ashore on Big Hickory Island.
Junior Achievement of SWFL inducts 4 into Hall of Fame A who’s who of the local business community celebrated four regional leaders March 25 at Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida’s annual banquet honoring this year’s Business Hall of Fame inductees.
fort myers beach Fort Myers Beach to implement temporary emergency traffic measure to assist EMS response The Town of Fort Myers Beach and the FMB Fire District have implemented a temporary emergency measure due to response time concerns with first responders and traffic.
PORT CHARLOTTE Charlotte County woman out on bond arrested again for drug trafficking, possession The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman who allegedly violated her bond as she was caught trafficking and possessing several forms of drugs.
FORT MYERS Florida Southwestern State College to hold free Spring Concert series Florida Southwestern State College is set to hold a series of free concerts throughout April.
the weather authority Mostly sunny, warmer for your Wednesday afternoon plans The Weather Authority is tracking mostly sunny conditions, bringing warmer temperatures throughout this Wednesday.
Collier County teen injured in violent parking lot incident A teenager is fighting for his life after a violent confrontation in Collier County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers recycling facilty catches fire; smoke visible for miles Thick smoke erupted from a Fort Myers recycling facility on Tuesday evening as flames tore through the building.
ROTONDA Rotonda residents worry as legal battle over bridge closure heats up Charlotte County is gearing up for a legal battle over the Rotonda Bridge, which has been closed since Hurricane Ian.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers’ Howard Sapp seeks to break GOP hold in district 19 race Howard Sapp has announced his candidacy to represent Southwest Florida in Washington, D.C. Sapp, a Democrat, aims to succeed Republican Congressman Byron Donalds, who is running for governor of Florida.
FORT MYERS Laser lockup: Teen arrested for pointing laser at LCSO aviation unit A Lee County teenager has been arrested for pointing a laser at an aircraft, a dangerous act that poses significant risks to aviation safety.
Southwest Florida Collier clinic lease fight leaves families fearing healthcare loss A legal battle is unfolding in Collier County as Lee Health Systems takes on Nicklaus Children’s Hospital over a lease dispute
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach FEMA probation could end sooner than expected Fort Myers Beach may soon see relief from high flood insurance bills. The town lost its FEMA flood insurance discount last fall and was placed on probation, putting homeowners at risk of higher costs.
ESTERO FGCU and UMASS working on environmental projects A new partnership between Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of Massachusetts Lowell is set to drive long-term improvements in Southwest Florida.
SANIBEL Sanibel Island’s Lighthouse Beach shines after restoration, visitors thrilled Lighthouse Beach Park on Sanibel Island has completed the final phase of its beach renourishment project.
BONITA SPRINGS Dead manatee found on Big Hickory Island; FWC conducts autopsy The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is conducting an autopsy on a manatee that washed ashore on Big Hickory Island.
Junior Achievement of SWFL inducts 4 into Hall of Fame A who’s who of the local business community celebrated four regional leaders March 25 at Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida’s annual banquet honoring this year’s Business Hall of Fame inductees.
fort myers beach Fort Myers Beach to implement temporary emergency traffic measure to assist EMS response The Town of Fort Myers Beach and the FMB Fire District have implemented a temporary emergency measure due to response time concerns with first responders and traffic.
PORT CHARLOTTE Charlotte County woman out on bond arrested again for drug trafficking, possession The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman who allegedly violated her bond as she was caught trafficking and possessing several forms of drugs.
FORT MYERS Florida Southwestern State College to hold free Spring Concert series Florida Southwestern State College is set to hold a series of free concerts throughout April.
the weather authority Mostly sunny, warmer for your Wednesday afternoon plans The Weather Authority is tracking mostly sunny conditions, bringing warmer temperatures throughout this Wednesday.
Collier County teen injured in violent parking lot incident A teenager is fighting for his life after a violent confrontation in Collier County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers recycling facilty catches fire; smoke visible for miles Thick smoke erupted from a Fort Myers recycling facility on Tuesday evening as flames tore through the building.
ROTONDA Rotonda residents worry as legal battle over bridge closure heats up Charlotte County is gearing up for a legal battle over the Rotonda Bridge, which has been closed since Hurricane Ian.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers’ Howard Sapp seeks to break GOP hold in district 19 race Howard Sapp has announced his candidacy to represent Southwest Florida in Washington, D.C. Sapp, a Democrat, aims to succeed Republican Congressman Byron Donalds, who is running for governor of Florida.
FORT MYERS Laser lockup: Teen arrested for pointing laser at LCSO aviation unit A Lee County teenager has been arrested for pointing a laser at an aircraft, a dangerous act that poses significant risks to aviation safety.
Southwest Florida Collier clinic lease fight leaves families fearing healthcare loss A legal battle is unfolding in Collier County as Lee Health Systems takes on Nicklaus Children’s Hospital over a lease dispute
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach FEMA probation could end sooner than expected Fort Myers Beach may soon see relief from high flood insurance bills. The town lost its FEMA flood insurance discount last fall and was placed on probation, putting homeowners at risk of higher costs.
ESTERO FGCU and UMASS working on environmental projects A new partnership between Florida Gulf Coast University and the University of Massachusetts Lowell is set to drive long-term improvements in Southwest Florida.
SANIBEL Sanibel Island’s Lighthouse Beach shines after restoration, visitors thrilled Lighthouse Beach Park on Sanibel Island has completed the final phase of its beach renourishment project.
RSW travelers wait in a security line at the airport. Credit: WINK News. A Southwest Florida mother was excited to see her son while he’s serving the U.S. military in Japan. But she received heartbreaking news, learning her flight had been canceled due to concerns regarding the current coronavirus. We spoke to mother Marci Noegel Saturday, who was hoping to fly overseas to visit her son, Jacob. But she learned her flight out of Southwest Florida International Airport connecting in Shanghai, China before reaching Japan is canceled due to concerns of coronavirus. “Being a military mom is extremely difficult,” Noegel said. “So, when they leave, you’re kind of leaving with them sort of, but you’re not.” Noegel says her family was supposed to fly out to Okinawa, Japan in April. But, now, she has no idea when the next time she’ll see her son. This comes after flight booking website JustFly alerted her to their canceled flight out of RSW. “He tells me I’m his best friend, so we’re very, very close,” Noegel said. Noegel says her son has been in the military for two years and misses his family. After finding a cancellation notice in her email, Noegel says she called and found out airlines she was planning to travel with will stop all flights to China until June 30. “Them being away for so long, never knowing when they’re coming home, it’s very hard,” Noegel said. Coronavirus was worrying travelers we spoke to at RSW over the weekend, as the virus continues to make headlines nationwide. “Especially with two little ones, I want to make sure I’m sanitizing everything,” Kat Miller said. “I have my Clorax wipes to wipe down the whole area in the plane before we sit down.” Dr. Gary Palmer is based in Ohio. He told us fears over coronavirus are overly heightened due to the unknown. “I think we’re a little bit overreacting because we don’t understand it,” Palmer said. Still, he said taking the steps to prevent an outbreak in the United States is important. “I think our country’s done a good job, the CDC, taking every precaution,” Palmer said. “I don’t think there’s a reason for us as a country to fear.” The Noegel family says JustFly gave them a full refund. But, with flight prices and work schedules, Noegel says she and her family won’t be able to reschedule the visit anytime soon. “I’m really upset,” Noegel said. “We were really looking forward to going, not only seeing him but an adventure for our family going to Okinawa. It’s smart to take some measures to keep yourself healthy and safe, but this has gotten out of control.” Noegel says she and her family are ready for their next opportunity to visit their son. “I’m very hopeful we will get to go over there eventually,” Noegel said.