Bonita Springs residents alarmed after car break-insLee Deputies work to track down transient sex offenders who fail to register
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs residents alarmed after car break-ins A Bonita Springs homeowner is sleeping with one eye open after her social security card was stolen from her car, an incident caught on video.
LEE COUNTY Lee Deputies work to track down transient sex offenders who fail to register WINK News Anchor Corey Lazar goes on patrol with Lee County Deputies in search of transient sex offenders who don’t register.
FORT MYERS Exclusive: Florida Warriors president talks misunderstanding with city On Friday, the president of Florida Warriors Hockey got a letter saying that starting July 1, his program’s rink access at the Fort Myers Skatium would be cut from 48 hours a month to only eight hours a month.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) 3 law officers killed, 5 others wounded trying to serve warrant in North Carolina, authorities say Three law enforcement officers serving a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm were killed and five other officers were wounded Monday in a shootout at a Charlotte, North Carolina, home, police said.
CAPE CORAL Massive fire leaves Cape Coral businesses in shambles Several fire rescue trucks are responding to a structure fire at a commercial building in Cape Coral.
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers residents concerned over abandoned boat A day out in the water turned into an alarming discovery for one North Fort Myers family.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers first responders stress safety after rollover crash Fort Myers fire department officials are pointing to safety and awareness following a recent rollover crash on Palm Beach Blvd. and Oasis Way.
NAPLES FSU pitcher Jacob Marlowe’s determined heart is on the mound Former Barron Collier ace, now FSU pitcher Jacob Marlowe is recovering from two open heart surgeries in five days.
Contrasting Lee, Collier and Charlotte homicide rates to nationwide numbers The Wall Street Journal says nationwide homicide rates have dropped by 20% compared to the numbers from 2023.
New program to make life more manageable for Parkinson’s patients A new program, backed by research, was created using the power of spin cycling to redefine the fight against Parkinson’s.
Medicaid class action gets go-ahead A federal judge has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit that alleges Florida did not properly inform people before dropping them from the Medicaid program after a COVID-19 public health emergency ended.
FORT MYERS New downtown Fort Myers parking options coming soon Two new spots are coming for you to park on nights and weekends in downtown Fort Myers, but you’ll still have to pay.
LEHIGH ACRES Caught on Camera: Family ‘sucker-punched’ in Lehigh Acres brawl A woman is speaking out about a conflict she was involved in at Barefoot Lake.
Miracle Moment: Christina Soriero Doctors diagnosed 22-year-old Christina Soriero with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma when she was just 18. A time in her life when the only thing she should have been dealing with was senioritis and getting ready for life after high school.
DeSantis signs bill impacting new mothers and jury duty Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill that will impact new mothers and their eligibility to serve on jury duty.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs residents alarmed after car break-ins A Bonita Springs homeowner is sleeping with one eye open after her social security card was stolen from her car, an incident caught on video.
LEE COUNTY Lee Deputies work to track down transient sex offenders who fail to register WINK News Anchor Corey Lazar goes on patrol with Lee County Deputies in search of transient sex offenders who don’t register.
FORT MYERS Exclusive: Florida Warriors president talks misunderstanding with city On Friday, the president of Florida Warriors Hockey got a letter saying that starting July 1, his program’s rink access at the Fort Myers Skatium would be cut from 48 hours a month to only eight hours a month.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) 3 law officers killed, 5 others wounded trying to serve warrant in North Carolina, authorities say Three law enforcement officers serving a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm were killed and five other officers were wounded Monday in a shootout at a Charlotte, North Carolina, home, police said.
CAPE CORAL Massive fire leaves Cape Coral businesses in shambles Several fire rescue trucks are responding to a structure fire at a commercial building in Cape Coral.
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers residents concerned over abandoned boat A day out in the water turned into an alarming discovery for one North Fort Myers family.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers first responders stress safety after rollover crash Fort Myers fire department officials are pointing to safety and awareness following a recent rollover crash on Palm Beach Blvd. and Oasis Way.
NAPLES FSU pitcher Jacob Marlowe’s determined heart is on the mound Former Barron Collier ace, now FSU pitcher Jacob Marlowe is recovering from two open heart surgeries in five days.
Contrasting Lee, Collier and Charlotte homicide rates to nationwide numbers The Wall Street Journal says nationwide homicide rates have dropped by 20% compared to the numbers from 2023.
New program to make life more manageable for Parkinson’s patients A new program, backed by research, was created using the power of spin cycling to redefine the fight against Parkinson’s.
Medicaid class action gets go-ahead A federal judge has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit that alleges Florida did not properly inform people before dropping them from the Medicaid program after a COVID-19 public health emergency ended.
FORT MYERS New downtown Fort Myers parking options coming soon Two new spots are coming for you to park on nights and weekends in downtown Fort Myers, but you’ll still have to pay.
LEHIGH ACRES Caught on Camera: Family ‘sucker-punched’ in Lehigh Acres brawl A woman is speaking out about a conflict she was involved in at Barefoot Lake.
Miracle Moment: Christina Soriero Doctors diagnosed 22-year-old Christina Soriero with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma when she was just 18. A time in her life when the only thing she should have been dealing with was senioritis and getting ready for life after high school.
DeSantis signs bill impacting new mothers and jury duty Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill that will impact new mothers and their eligibility to serve on jury duty.
As of 6 p.m. Thursday, there are 2,484 positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Florida. The case count includes 2,352 Florida residents and 125 non-Florida residents. There are currently 29 deaths reported in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Health. Five new deaths reported Thursday morning were those who tested positive for the virus in Clay, Hillsborough and Orange counties. STATEWIDE NUMBERS Total number of cases: 2,484 (up from 2,355) Number of Florida residents: 2,352 (up from 2,235) Number of non-Florida residents: 125 (up from 120) Deaths: 29 (up from 28) SOUTHWEST FLORIDA NUMBERS Total number of cases: 142* Lee County: 66 (up from 56) Collier County: 67 (up from 65) Charlotte County: 4 (up from 3) DeSoto County: 5 (up from 4) Glades County: 0 Hendry County: 0 *Click HERE for a SWFL case-by-case breakdown – updated daily. As of the most recently revealed numbers, there have been 28,644 total tests administered in the state of Florida, with 2,359 positive tests. 24,553 tests have come back negative, and the remainder are pending, according to the FDOH website. NOW HIRING: SWFL companies adding jobs as business picks up amid coronavirus crisis LATEST CLOSURES: Southwest Florida business updates and store closings THURSDAY COVID-19 HEADLINES What goes into teaching kids virtually? Lee County school district answers that question Senate passes $2 trillion coronavirus relief package. Here’s what’s in it Lee County leaders: Stay home or we’ll take action US jobless claims hit 3.3 million, quadruple previous record WATCH THURSDAY’S NEWS CONFERENCES: Previous livestreams: 5PM: White House Coronavirus Task Force daily briefing – WATCH it here 2 p.m.: Lee County government press conf. – WATCH it here 10:45 a.m.: Speaker Pelosi talks about the stimulus package – WATCH it here US leads world in confirmed coronavirus cases The United States now leads the world in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases. According to a running count by Johns Hopkins University, the number of people infected in the U.S. topped 82,000 on Thursday. That’s just ahead of the 81,000 cases in China and 80,000 in Italy. Italy has the most confirmed deaths of any country with more than 8,000. More than 1,000 people have died in the U.S. -Associated Press President sends letter to America’s Governors Credit: White House Press Office. Credit: White House Press Office. Naples police ramping up beach patrol Despite beaches being closed in Naples, people are still making there way onto the shorelines, disregarding the yellow tape and no trespassing signs. Naples officers say they turned away 400 people from the beach Thursday in just a two hour span. They’re not stepping up patrols to catch trespassers. If you’re caught, you could face a fine of up to $500. -Gina Tomlinson ‘Stay home:’ LCSO on patrol for those gathered together In a news conference on Thursday, the Lee County government and sheriff’s officer were begging people to please, just stay home. Sheriff Carmine Marceno said he will have deputies patrolling air, land and sea looking for “hot spots” of people gathered together. When they find them, they’ll be armed with fliers hoping to get people to go their separate ways. If not, and the situation warrants, deputies will have the authority to make arrests. -Andryanna Sheppard Lee County makes changes to marriage license issuance The Lee County Clerk’s Office has closed its face-to-face customer service counters and stopped performing wedding ceremonies. Marriage licenses will be issued on an essential, limited, need-only basis, effective March 30. For more information, visit www.leeclerk.org. DeSantis extending telehealth, immunizations for state employees Gov. DeSantis issued an executive order Thursday extending telehealth benefits and immunization benefits for all state employees. Additionally, the cost for influenza vaccines will be waived for those employees. 2 Lee Health employees test positive for COVID-19 Two Lee Health employees who were exposed at work have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Dr. Antonucci. “Doctors and nurses are the heroes on the frontlines of this fight, putting themselves at risk to care for their patients. I am incredibly thankful for the tireless work they do and their willingness to provide care during these extraordinary circumstance. We wish them a speedy recovery,” he said. At present, there are 118 employees being quarantined. The hospital currently has 11 COVID-19 patients in isolation. Senate passes $2 trillion coronavirus relief package. Here’s what’s in it The Senate passed a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package late Wednesday. The vote was 96-0. It was approved almost 24 hours after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced on the Senate floor shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday that a bipartisan agreement had been reached. He proclaimed that the measure would provide help for health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak and for American families and businesses. READ MORE US jobless claims hit 3.3 million, quadruple previous record Nearly 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week – more than quadruple the previous record set in 1982 – amid a widespread economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus. The surge in weekly applications was a stunning reflection of the damage the viral outbreak is doing to the economy. Filings for unemployment aid generally reflect the pace of layoffs. READ MORE IF YOU FEEL SICK: The Florida Department of Health has opened a 24-hour COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov. Email responses will be sent during call center hours. LINK: Florida Department of Health COVID-19 updates <span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span> *The map is best viewed on a desktop computer. If you don’t see the map above tap HERE for a fullscreen version.