Police Explorer Marcus Freeman remembered 14 years after North Port crashFort Myers Beach celebrates early St. Patrick’s Day with lively parade
NORTH PORT Police Explorer Marcus Freeman remembered 14 years after North Port crash The North Port Police Department is remembering a young life lost too soon.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach celebrates early St. Patrick’s Day with lively parade Fort Myers Beach celebrated St. Patrick’s Day early with a lively parade, bringing the island to life with Irish spirit.
the weather authority A breezy Saturday with near-record high heat in store The Weather Authority says a warm Saturday with near-record high heat is in store with sun and clouds overhead.
SANIBEL Sanibel Beach shines as a top 2025 destination for shelling Southwest Florida’s beaches are a major draw for visitors from around the world.
911 calls save two kayakers in distress on Caloosahatchee River After strong winds left them stranded, two kayakers were rescued from the Caloosahatchee River.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral woman tricked into romance scam, police seek recovery Cape Coral police are working to recover more than $250,000 from a bank account that may be tied to criminal activity.
Captiva’s Mucky Duck plans reopening after hurricane damage The Mucky Duck, a beloved restaurant on Captiva Island, is determined to clear up any rumors about its closure.
PORT CHARLOTTE Tampa Bay Rays’ future in Port Charlotte raises business concerns The Tampa Bay Rays are planning to stay at Tropicana Field for the 2026 season while they repair damage from Hurricane Milton.
Red tide health alert lifted in certain Lee County areas The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has lifted the red tide health alerts issued in certain areas.
Charlotte Sheriff elected as chair of Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell is stepping into a new role as chair of the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches.
NAPLES Naples groups unite to protect endangered Florida Panthers The third Saturday in March marks the official Save the Florida Panther Day.
New housing development in Collier County raises environmental concerns Instead of fields of oranges fueling the local economy, rows of homes could soon take their place in the region.
NAPLES La Gondola: Venice experience in Southwest Florida Imagine cruising down the Southwest Florida waterways in your very own gondola, bringing a touch of Italy to Naples.
FORT MYERS Bubbles for Bug; Carwash raising funds for furry friend A Southwest Florida dog named Bug needs help. His owner, Lex Montanaro, is hosting a carwash fundraiser to raise the $10,000 Bug needs for surgery.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda’s Celtic Ray preps for St. Patrick’s Day bash Punta Gorda is gearing up for a massive St. Patrick’s Day celebration this weekend.
NORTH PORT Police Explorer Marcus Freeman remembered 14 years after North Port crash The North Port Police Department is remembering a young life lost too soon.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach celebrates early St. Patrick’s Day with lively parade Fort Myers Beach celebrated St. Patrick’s Day early with a lively parade, bringing the island to life with Irish spirit.
the weather authority A breezy Saturday with near-record high heat in store The Weather Authority says a warm Saturday with near-record high heat is in store with sun and clouds overhead.
SANIBEL Sanibel Beach shines as a top 2025 destination for shelling Southwest Florida’s beaches are a major draw for visitors from around the world.
911 calls save two kayakers in distress on Caloosahatchee River After strong winds left them stranded, two kayakers were rescued from the Caloosahatchee River.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral woman tricked into romance scam, police seek recovery Cape Coral police are working to recover more than $250,000 from a bank account that may be tied to criminal activity.
Captiva’s Mucky Duck plans reopening after hurricane damage The Mucky Duck, a beloved restaurant on Captiva Island, is determined to clear up any rumors about its closure.
PORT CHARLOTTE Tampa Bay Rays’ future in Port Charlotte raises business concerns The Tampa Bay Rays are planning to stay at Tropicana Field for the 2026 season while they repair damage from Hurricane Milton.
Red tide health alert lifted in certain Lee County areas The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has lifted the red tide health alerts issued in certain areas.
Charlotte Sheriff elected as chair of Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell is stepping into a new role as chair of the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches.
NAPLES Naples groups unite to protect endangered Florida Panthers The third Saturday in March marks the official Save the Florida Panther Day.
New housing development in Collier County raises environmental concerns Instead of fields of oranges fueling the local economy, rows of homes could soon take their place in the region.
NAPLES La Gondola: Venice experience in Southwest Florida Imagine cruising down the Southwest Florida waterways in your very own gondola, bringing a touch of Italy to Naples.
FORT MYERS Bubbles for Bug; Carwash raising funds for furry friend A Southwest Florida dog named Bug needs help. His owner, Lex Montanaro, is hosting a carwash fundraiser to raise the $10,000 Bug needs for surgery.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda’s Celtic Ray preps for St. Patrick’s Day bash Punta Gorda is gearing up for a massive St. Patrick’s Day celebration this weekend.
As of 6 p.m. Saturday, there are 4,038 positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Florida. The case count includes 3,877 Florida residents and 161 non-Florida residents. There are currently 56 deaths reported in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Health. As of 7 p.m., FDOH confirms two new state deaths due to coronavirus were patients who tested positive for COVID-19 in Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties. The eight new deaths reported at 11 a.m. were those who tested positive for COVID-19 in Broward, Dade, Lee, Pasco, Pinellas and Volusia counties. The sixth death in Lee County was a 77-year-old male Florida resident. The case was not travel-related and he had no known contact with a confirmed case, according to FDOH. At 6 p.m., Hendry County confirmed its first positive coronavirus case, a 39-year-old woman in Clewiston. Travel and contact are unknown currently. FDOH confirms 44 new cases in total Saturday, 18 after 11 a.m. and 26 after 6 p.m. STATEWIDE NUMBERS Total number of cases: 4,038 (up from 3,736) Number of Florida residents: 3,877 (up from 3,608) Number of non-Florida residents: 161 (up from 155) Deaths: 56 (up from 54) SOUTHWEST FLORIDA NUMBERS Total number of cases: 238 (up from 212)* Deaths: 6 Lee County: 119 (up from 101) Collier County: 95 (up from 92 ) Charlotte County: 16 (up from 12) DeSoto County: 7 (up from 6) Glades County: 0 Hendry County: 1 (first confirmed case) *Click HERE for a SWFL case-by-case breakdown – updated daily. As of the most recently revealed numbers, there have been 43,071 total tests administered in the state of Florida, with 3,877 positive tests. 37,327 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 SATURDAY COVID-19 HEADLINES Lee County urges people to stay home this weekend, affects future decisions WATCH FRIDAY’S NEWS CONFERENCES: Today’s scheduled live streams: WATCH: Gov. Ron DeSantis gives live COVID-19 update: 1:25 p.m. President Trump gives remarks as hospital ship prepares to deploy for NY. Florida surgeon general urges Floridians to stay home Floridians with smart phones received an alert from the Florida surgeon general Saturday that urged those 65 and older as well as anyone with underlying medical conditions to stay home. The alert also encouraged all Floridians to practice social distancing. Hendry County confirms first positive COVID-19 case Hendry County officials have been notified by the Florida Department of Health that a resident of Hendry County has tested positive for COVID-19. The safety and well-being of Hendry County residents remains the highest priority, and Hendry County officials strongly urge residents to continue following the guidance provided by the CDC and health department to slow the spread of COVID-19. Stay home as much as possible Wash your hands often with soap and water Cover your coughs and sneezes Clean and disinfect surfaces often If you are sick, call your medical provider or local health department Orange County says infant tests positive for virus Orange County officials addressed the public Saturday and also tweeted confirmation of an infant in the county testing positive for the coronavirus. Orange County residents are currently under a stay-at-home order, and an 11 p.m. curfew until 5 a.m. is also in effect. The county has 206 positive COVID-19 case confirmed as of 11 a.m. Saturday. . @OrangeCoFL has 206 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including one infant. Median age: 47. 4 deaths. @HealthyFla continues to do tests and has assembled its own tests kits. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/OAgisVLuar — Orange County FL (@OrangeCoFL) March 28, 2020 Governor says more testing coming to the state During Gov. Ron DeSantis’ live stream address on COVID-19 in Florida Saturday, he said the state can expect to receive more rapid testing for the coronavirus. That includes 2,000 more 45-minute tests going to South Florida and Jacksonville. Friday, the FDA approved Abbott Labs’ devices that test patients positive for coronavirus in five minutes and negative in 15 minutes. DeSantis said he spoke with executives of Abbott and asked Florida receive their devices. “We believe this could be really game changing here in the State of Florida,” said DeSantis during the live presser. DeSantis said he also had a phone conversation with President Donald Trump and said Florida will pay for the devices but wanted to stress to the president he would like Abbott to send the devices as soon as possible. Lee Health reports sixth death Lee Health reported a sixth death in Lee County Saturday morning. They currently have 22 COVID-19 patients in their care and nine have been discharged. Of their employees, 136 are currently quarantined and three have tested positive for the virus. 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.