Plans for Aquarius Hotel receive final design approval in NaplesWhat you need to know for FEMA transitional sheltering assistance
Plans for Aquarius Hotel receive final design approval in Naples A proposed 18-unit boutique hotel with a restaurant received unanimous final design approval Jan. 22 by the Naples Design Review Board.
What you need to know for FEMA transitional sheltering assistance Many in Southwest Florida are dealing with unlivable conditions after a series of hurricanes hit the area last fall.
FORT MYERS BEACH Suspect wanted for stealing electric bike in Fort Myers Beach Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect who stole an electric bike in Fort Myers Beach.
Kelly’s Roast Beef, Oar & Iron continue SWFL expansion A Massachusetts-based restaurant company is bringing a taste of its home state to Southwest Florida, plus a new surf and turf concept aimed at people who call the region home.
GOLDEN GATE Investigation at Golden Gate Middle School after overnight burglary An overnight burglary at a middle school had deputies rushing to the scene, causing parents to have to wait to drop their children off.
Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann court date rescheduled Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann is set to appear in court after pleading not guilty to her drunk driving charge.
Bonita springs “Cold stunned” evening bat rescued by CROW amid frigid Florida weather The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife rescued an evening bat in Bonita Springs suspected of being “cold-stunned.”
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Morning showers move out for your Wednesday afternoon plans The Weather Authority is tracking Wednesday morning showers, then chillier conditions remain throughout the afternoon.
CAPE CORAL Demolition begins on Bimini East properties Demolition has begun on the Bimini East properties that are part of the city of Cape Coral’s revitalization development.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
LEHIGH ACRES Lee County cousins arrested for street racing at 90 mph in Lehigh Acres Lee County deputies arrested two men after witnessing them racing down Lee Boulevard at nearly 90 mph.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers activist reacts to shutdown of government reproductive rights website The website ReproductiveRights.gov, which offered resources on abortion and reproductive rights, is no longer accessible.
2 Southwest Floridians involved in Jan. 6 attack pardoned and commuted by President Trump Two men involved in the January 6th attack are now back in southwest Florida, thanks to a series of pardons from President Trump.
ESTERO Local teen golfer to play at Augusta National One drive at a time, 14-year-old Jesus Bethencourt is doing something most only dream of: playing at Augusta National.
AI traffic cameras helping Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office solve crimes Artificial intelligence has been helping the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office solve crimes.
Plans for Aquarius Hotel receive final design approval in Naples A proposed 18-unit boutique hotel with a restaurant received unanimous final design approval Jan. 22 by the Naples Design Review Board.
What you need to know for FEMA transitional sheltering assistance Many in Southwest Florida are dealing with unlivable conditions after a series of hurricanes hit the area last fall.
FORT MYERS BEACH Suspect wanted for stealing electric bike in Fort Myers Beach Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect who stole an electric bike in Fort Myers Beach.
Kelly’s Roast Beef, Oar & Iron continue SWFL expansion A Massachusetts-based restaurant company is bringing a taste of its home state to Southwest Florida, plus a new surf and turf concept aimed at people who call the region home.
GOLDEN GATE Investigation at Golden Gate Middle School after overnight burglary An overnight burglary at a middle school had deputies rushing to the scene, causing parents to have to wait to drop their children off.
Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann court date rescheduled Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann is set to appear in court after pleading not guilty to her drunk driving charge.
Bonita springs “Cold stunned” evening bat rescued by CROW amid frigid Florida weather The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife rescued an evening bat in Bonita Springs suspected of being “cold-stunned.”
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Morning showers move out for your Wednesday afternoon plans The Weather Authority is tracking Wednesday morning showers, then chillier conditions remain throughout the afternoon.
CAPE CORAL Demolition begins on Bimini East properties Demolition has begun on the Bimini East properties that are part of the city of Cape Coral’s revitalization development.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
LEHIGH ACRES Lee County cousins arrested for street racing at 90 mph in Lehigh Acres Lee County deputies arrested two men after witnessing them racing down Lee Boulevard at nearly 90 mph.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers activist reacts to shutdown of government reproductive rights website The website ReproductiveRights.gov, which offered resources on abortion and reproductive rights, is no longer accessible.
2 Southwest Floridians involved in Jan. 6 attack pardoned and commuted by President Trump Two men involved in the January 6th attack are now back in southwest Florida, thanks to a series of pardons from President Trump.
ESTERO Local teen golfer to play at Augusta National One drive at a time, 14-year-old Jesus Bethencourt is doing something most only dream of: playing at Augusta National.
AI traffic cameras helping Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office solve crimes Artificial intelligence has been helping the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office solve crimes.
FILE- In this March 27, 2020 photo, customers practice social distancing in adherence to the new coronavirus guidelines, as they wait to enter the Warrior Gun Range and Shop in Doral, Fla. Background checks for new gun purchases in Florida during March – when the coronavirus pandemic worsened dramatically – surged to set records, according to the latest figures the FBI released Wednesday, April 1, 2020. The March number of more than 192,000 checks reflecting gun purchases in Florida is higher than any month in more than two decades. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) Background checks for new gun purchases in Florida during March – when the coronavirus pandemic worsened dramatically – surged to set records, according to the latest figures the FBI released Wednesday. The March number of more than 192,000 checks reflecting gun purchases in Florida is higher than any month in more than two decades. Nationally, the FBI said, it conducted more than 9 million background checks during the first three months of the year – also a record. Angel Serrano, 24, of Bonita Springs, bought his first firearm on March 20 – the busiest day of the busiest month ever for background checks in the United States. Everyone in the crowded gun store was talking about the virus, he said in an interview. Serrano said his purchase of a Sig Sauer P365 9mm handgun wasn’t entirely due to coronavirus concerns, but the outbreak motivated him to purchase sooner. He said he was concerned that law enforcement may not be able to help him or his family quickly in an emergency. “They won’t be able to be there in a second,” Serrano said, echoing concerns among gun buyers. “It does take some time. So having that mindset of knowing that I’m the first line of defense for myself was my initial reason to want to purchase a firearm.” The FBI’s new figures – for checks conducted through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System – reflect fears many feel about the virus and its implications. The numbers announced Wednesday were the first to reflect sales through the end of March, as the U.S. suffered more than 3,800 deaths from the virus. The 192,000 checks in Florida during March were 54,000 higher than the previous record in 2018. The three-month total in Florida was more than 418,000 background checks. The number of background checks does not directly correlate with the number of firearms sold. Some buyers purchase multiple guns, accounting for a single background check, and others are disqualified after checks from buying. Serrano said he researched his pistol purchase online but most were sold out. In his local gun store, he saw long lines to fill out paperwork and employees juggling multiple customers at a time. “(Coronavirus) was definitely number one topic of the conversation,” Serrano said. “The people behind me, in front of me, were talking about it, about what could happen, about people getting ready, things like that.” “At the end of the day, you always hope that nothing happens,” he said. “But if it does, and you’re not ready, that could mean your life.” Background checks surged around the time the total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States reached 18,000, according to the CDC. There are now over 186,000 cases nationwide. Three of the four weeks in March individually set records nationwide for highest numbers of background checks, the FBI said. The week starting March 16 was the highest in history, with nearly 1.2 million checks completed. The record-breaking numbers in Florida came the same week Gov. Ron DeSantis banned all on-site dining at restaurants, the state’s largest county closed its beaches and the numbers of COVID-19 cases ballooned here from 4,000 to over 18,000. DeSantis bowed to pressure and issued a statewide stay-at-home order Wednesday. The order required people starting Friday to limit their interactions outside of their homes only to necessary and essential activities. The order will last 30 days. Victor Jubran, a salesman at Wild West Guns and Gold in Jacksonville, said the stores’ prices for guns and ammunition have remained flat, but March traffic in the store increased and the number of people purchasing handguns and ammunition exceeded expectations. Jubran said gun buyers were preparing for looting or other unexpected emergencies coronavirus may bring. “People are just scared, and they’re trying to prepare themselves for the worst,” he said. In other states, background checks in March exceeded 200,000 in Texas, Kentucky and Illinois. They exceeded 100,000 in March in California, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Utah. ___ This story was produced by Fresh Take Florida, a news service of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. The reporter can be reached at adimichele@freshtakeflorida.com.