FORT MYERS BEACH Revive The Vibe Fest returns to Fort Myers Beach The Revive The Vibe festival is returning to Fort Myers Beach, bringing in a tidal wave of local artists, musicians and businesses.
SARASOTA Mosquito-borne illness advisory issued in Sarasota Florida’s recent rainy climate has created a breeding ground for mosquitoes, raising concerns over the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY Man sentenced to 15 years in prison for attacking Charlotte County inmate A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to attack another inmate with a weapon in Charlotte County.
MARCO ISLAND Boater missing after departing from Marco Island A boater has been missing since Monday after departing from Rose Marina in Marco Island and traveling between Sanibel and Stump Pass.
COLLIER COUNTY Lehigh Acres man accused of reckless driving, fleeing on foot A Lehigh Acres man has been arrested after allegedly driving recklessly and then fleeing on foot in Collier County.
CAPE CORAL 18yo Cape Coral woman arrested for driving over 100 mph, drug possession The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested a woman who stands accused of reckless driving, drug possession and running from law enforcement.
CAPE CORAL Duo arrested for Cape Coral armed robbery, fleeing from officers Two people have been arrested after allegedly breaking into a Cape Coral arcade armed with guns earlier this week.
FORT MYERS Massive police presence reported at Schandler Hall Park Several Lee County Sheriff’s Office vehicles were seen responding to Schandler Hall Park in Fort Myers.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County increasing school police presence over social media threats As parents send their kids to school Thursday, they’ll see extra police and deputy presence on campuses due to threats posted on social media.
The Weather Authority More rain and storms for your Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking an increased chance of rain and storms throughout this Thursday afternoon.
Pet cat recovering after being shot in Port Charlotte A pet cat that had been missing for several days turned up at his Port Charlotte home in rough shape.
NAPLES Man accused of exposing himself at Naples Pier The Naples Police Department arrested a man who stands accused of exposing himself publicly at the Naples Pier.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral focusing on evacuation routes for hurricanes The city of Cape Coral is focusing on evacuation routes to make things smooth and safe for residents leaving during severe weather events.
Fort Myers talks about proposed parking lot in Dean Park Residents are trying to stop the warehouse in the Dean Park Historic District from becoming a parking lot for the city’s truck fleet.
Former New York officer speaks to students on 9/11 Master officer for Naples police department Sean Phillips, who at the time was a New York police officer, shared what that day was like for him with students at the community school of Naples.
FORT MYERS BEACH Revive The Vibe Fest returns to Fort Myers Beach The Revive The Vibe festival is returning to Fort Myers Beach, bringing in a tidal wave of local artists, musicians and businesses.
SARASOTA Mosquito-borne illness advisory issued in Sarasota Florida’s recent rainy climate has created a breeding ground for mosquitoes, raising concerns over the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY Man sentenced to 15 years in prison for attacking Charlotte County inmate A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to attack another inmate with a weapon in Charlotte County.
MARCO ISLAND Boater missing after departing from Marco Island A boater has been missing since Monday after departing from Rose Marina in Marco Island and traveling between Sanibel and Stump Pass.
COLLIER COUNTY Lehigh Acres man accused of reckless driving, fleeing on foot A Lehigh Acres man has been arrested after allegedly driving recklessly and then fleeing on foot in Collier County.
CAPE CORAL 18yo Cape Coral woman arrested for driving over 100 mph, drug possession The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested a woman who stands accused of reckless driving, drug possession and running from law enforcement.
CAPE CORAL Duo arrested for Cape Coral armed robbery, fleeing from officers Two people have been arrested after allegedly breaking into a Cape Coral arcade armed with guns earlier this week.
FORT MYERS Massive police presence reported at Schandler Hall Park Several Lee County Sheriff’s Office vehicles were seen responding to Schandler Hall Park in Fort Myers.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County increasing school police presence over social media threats As parents send their kids to school Thursday, they’ll see extra police and deputy presence on campuses due to threats posted on social media.
The Weather Authority More rain and storms for your Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking an increased chance of rain and storms throughout this Thursday afternoon.
Pet cat recovering after being shot in Port Charlotte A pet cat that had been missing for several days turned up at his Port Charlotte home in rough shape.
NAPLES Man accused of exposing himself at Naples Pier The Naples Police Department arrested a man who stands accused of exposing himself publicly at the Naples Pier.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral focusing on evacuation routes for hurricanes The city of Cape Coral is focusing on evacuation routes to make things smooth and safe for residents leaving during severe weather events.
Fort Myers talks about proposed parking lot in Dean Park Residents are trying to stop the warehouse in the Dean Park Historic District from becoming a parking lot for the city’s truck fleet.
Former New York officer speaks to students on 9/11 Master officer for Naples police department Sean Phillips, who at the time was a New York police officer, shared what that day was like for him with students at the community school of Naples.
U.S. President Donald Trump addresses his administration’s daily coronavirus task force briefing as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence listen at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 20, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst U.S.-Mexico border will be temporarily closed Federal tax deadline delayed until July 15 Standardized testing requirements won’t be enforced for students in grades K-12 Evidence that a malaria drug will work as an effective treatment for COVID-19 is “anecdotal” and needs more research, leading infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the White House Friday, after President Trump expressed hope on Thursday that the drug could be a solution. During Thursday’s briefing, Mr. Trump spoke at length about the drug Hydroxychloroquine, suggesting it has “tremendous promise.” Fauci insisted Friday there isn’t distance between his message and the president’s “feeling” about how the drug might play out. Health officials have pointed to the need for more thorough, clinical studies of the drug on coronavirus patients. “There really isn’t that much of a difference in many respects with what we’re saying. The president feels optimistic about something — his feeling about it,” Fauci said on Friday. “What I’m saying is that it might, it might be effective, I’m not saying that it isn’t. It might be effective. But as a scientist, as we’re getting it out there, we need to do it in a way as while we are making it available for people who might want the hope that it might work, you’re also collecting data that will ultimately show that it is truly effective and safe under the conditions of COVID-19. So it really isn’t different, it’s just the question of how one feels about it.” On Friday, Mr. Trump announced he’s temporarily closing the U.S.-Mexico border to non-essential traffic, as the U.S. and Mexico both look to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. CBS News had previously reported the restrictions, which exclude traffic for work and other essential needs. The restrictions go into effect at midnight, but Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said border patrol will “immediately” return all migrants attempting to cross both the Mexican and Canadian borders “without delay.” On another front, Mr. Trump, announced that last night he put the Defense Production Act “into gear” to boost the production of ventilators and masks. Mr. Trump had said as recently as Thursday he would only do so if necessary, but Democrats and governors had urged him to implement the DPA, which he invoked earlier this week. Moments before the briefing, a spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the senator urged Mr. Trump to implement the DPA, and the president directed someone in the room to do so immediately. Health care workers are sounding the alarm that they need more ventilators, more masks and more respirators now, not weeks or months from now. “We have millions of masks that we’ve ordered. They will be here soon, we’re having them shipped directly to states,” Mr. Trump said on Friday. The president also announced standardized testing requirements won’t be enforced for students in grades K-12, as schools across the nation shutter due to the coronavirus pandemic. The administration is also pushing back Tax Day, to July 15. “We’ll be stronger than ever before, and we’ve learned a lot,” the president told reporters Friday. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are meeting to discuss provisions in a bill proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that would provide rebates of up to $1,200 for most Americans. Several Republican committee chairs are set to meet with their Democratic counterparts today, while Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow will be visiting the Capitol to discuss the legislation. “There’s tremendous spirit to get something done, so we’ll see what happens,” Mr. Trump said Friday. While McConnell has said he wants to move at “warp speed” to negotiate and pass the bill, he is facing some opposition from members of his own party, as well as Democrats. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, an ally of the president, voiced opposition to the idea of direct cash payments to Americans on Thursday. Schumer also raised concerns in a joint statement Thursday that the proposal “is not at all pro-worker and instead puts corporations way ahead of workers.” Senator Lindsey Graham, after a meeting with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, said the federal government needs to “tell the public the truth,” and the ultimate aid to Americans needs to be much more than $1 trillion. “We gotta tell the public the truth, we’re going to be floating probably 70% of the nation’s payroll .. . it’s gonna be a hell of a lot more than $1 trillion,” Graham said. Dr. Deborah Birx, a point person on the Coronavirus Task Force, told reporters Friday that one “concerning trend” they’re seeing is that the mortality death rate for males seems to be twice that of females, across age groups. The president said he doesn’t foresee a national lock down, as New York and California are doing. “I don’t think so,” Mr. Trump responded when asked about such a possibility. Asked what his message is to Americans who are scared, the president responded that the incidence of death is low. Member of vice president’s office tests positive for coronavirus A member of Vice President Mike Pence’s office has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) per Pence’ press secretary. “This evening, we were notified that a member of the Office of the Vice President tested positive for the coronavirus,” said Katie Miller, press secretary to Vice President Mike Pence. “Neither President Trump nor Vice President Pence had close contact with the individual. Further contact tracing is being conducted in accordance with CDC guidelines.”