From the ballpark to the beach: the Minnesota Twins are back for Spring TrainingWarm stretch continues throughout this weekend
FORT MYERS From the ballpark to the beach: the Minnesota Twins are back for Spring Training 1700 miles later the Twins truck is here and the team from Minnesota is ready to spend the next six weeks here in Fort Myers.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
Charlotte County unlicensed contractor accused of fraud The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said that a contractor has been arrested after he was hired to build a room in a home without a license.
Studies show that menopause is linked to heart risks Menopause is a natural part of life for middle-aged women, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55. However, it can bring serious health complications, including an increased risk of heart disease.
FORT MYERS Local band Shy Blossom to open up for ’90s rockers Sister Hazel at The Ranch A Southwest Florida-based band will be opening for the legendary ’90s rock fusion group Sister Hazel.
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
FORT MYERS From the ballpark to the beach: the Minnesota Twins are back for Spring Training 1700 miles later the Twins truck is here and the team from Minnesota is ready to spend the next six weeks here in Fort Myers.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
Charlotte County unlicensed contractor accused of fraud The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said that a contractor has been arrested after he was hired to build a room in a home without a license.
Studies show that menopause is linked to heart risks Menopause is a natural part of life for middle-aged women, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55. However, it can bring serious health complications, including an increased risk of heart disease.
FORT MYERS Local band Shy Blossom to open up for ’90s rockers Sister Hazel at The Ranch A Southwest Florida-based band will be opening for the legendary ’90s rock fusion group Sister Hazel.
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
Florida Capitol building. (State of Florida photo) The Florida legislature passed a state bill requiring pregnant minors to get consent from a parent or legal guardian for an abortion, sending the bill to the governor’s desk. Senate Bill 404, introduced by Republican senators, passed its final legislative hurdle Thursday when the Florida state House voted 75-43 to approve the bill. The measure now heads to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has previously signaled his support for the bill. The Florida bill comes as several other conservative-led states have sought to restrict access to abortion, with some bills passed in the hopes that it would be challenged before the US Supreme Court to eventually overturn Roe v. Wade. The bill would require physicians to obtain written consent from a parent or legal guardian before performing or inducing the termination of a pregnancy of a minor. The consenting parent or legal guardian would have to give the physician a copy of a government-issued proof of identification, and the parent must certify in a notarized document that they consent to the termination of the pregnancy of the minor. Under the bill, any doctor who performs an abortion on a minor without consent from a guardian could face up to five years in prison for a third degree felony. Exceptions for consent includes in cases of medical emergency or if the minor petitions the circuit court where she resides for a judicial waiver. Under current Florida law, a parent or legal guardian must be notified before a minor has an abortion. DeSantis said in January at his State of the State address that he hoped the parental consent bill would make its way to his desk during the session. CNN has reached out to the governor’s office. If DeSantis signs the bill, it will go into effect on July 1. On Thursday, five state House Democrats voted with their Republican colleagues to pass the bill, while two Republican female lawmakers voted “no” on the bill with Democrats. GOP state Rep. Erin Grall, one of the main sponsors for the House version of the bill, said in a statement that the bill will give a “child” the “support system she needs when she is in her most vulnerable state.” “A child cannot simply tell their parents they are going on a field trip or even playing a school sport. So, why would we accept that a child can simply inform their parents they intend to have an abortion?” Grall said. During the House floor debate before Thursday’s vote, Republican state Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, who voted against the bill, said that she wants an end to abortion, but she argued, “Terminating a pregnancy is an incredibly difficult decision, a very personal one, and one that I believe should remain a private one without government involvement.” An attorney, Fitzenhagen described how it could be nerve wracking and humiliating for a minor to seek a judicial waiver. “Sadly, I foresee a scenario where teenagers are going to try to subvert this law. They may try to run away. They may resort to crude and dangerous termination methods, or even suicide,” she said. Democratic state Rep. Kim Daniels, the other co-sponsor of the House companion bill and who voted in favor of SB 404, shared that she had an abortion when she was 15 without her mother’s consent. “Everything in my culture, everything in my faith, and the majority of my constituency puts a mandate on me that I support this legislation,” Daniels said Thursday. The bill was introduced in the Senate by GOP state Sen. Kelli Stargel in September and passed the chamber earlier this month by a 23-17 vote. The Florida Supreme Court in 1989 struck down a similar parental consent law, ruling that the state’s constitutional right to privacy protects a woman’s choice to have an abortion and those protections extend to minors, according to The New York Times. In a statement, Terrie Rizzo, the chair of the Florida Democratic Party, accused DeSantis and Republicans of not caring that the bill violates the state constitution, “because they expect conservatives on Florida’s Supreme Court to overturn the court’s previous 1989 decision.” Grall argued during Wednesday’s House debate that the bill does not infringe upon a minor’s right to privacy, pointing to the bill’s revised judicial waiver process. Thirty-seven states currently require the involvement of a parent in a minor’s decision to have an abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Florida would join five states — Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming — that currently require both parental notification and consent for a minor to have an abortion. The US Supreme Court in its 1989 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Danforth said parents of minor, unwed girls cannot be given an absolute veto over abortions.