NAPLES Turtle Club in Naples reopens Following a 19-month closure because of Hurricane Ian, the Turtle Club has reopened.
FORT MYERS BEACH Hurricane season preparations at Lee County construction sites Many already know the drill when hurricane season is around the corner.
SANIBEL Bones found on Sanibel concern beachgoers A husband and wife found what appeared to be bones. What type and where they came from is being investigated.
FGCU FGCU president reflects on first year with graduating class Alico Arena was packed this weekend as Florida Gulf Coast University graduated 1,900 students in four ceremonies.
Reverse shoulder replacement offers new approach to pain management Shoulder replacement is the third most common replacement in the US, following hip and knee replacement.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Lee County teachers bargain for new raises Kevin Daly is the voice of the Lee County Teachers Union, and he says he knows firsthand the struggle teachers experience across the state.
FORT MYERS New Starbucks off Colonial expected to add to traffic headaches It’s a venti-sized traffic nightmare. That’s how Gina O’Donnell envisions the future of this plaza.
NAPLES Feeding families through Meals of Hope They’re a Naples-based non-profit organization whose mission is to alleviate hunger both locally and throughout the country.
Family dealing with two losses in quick succession A teenager will not get to celebrate turning 21 years old with friends, can’t put a smile on his family member’s faces and will never get to see his mother again.
JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli leaders have approved a military operation into the Gaza Strip city of Rafah Israeli leaders approved a military operation into the Gaza Strip city of Rafah, and Israeli forces were striking targets in the area, officials announced Monday, hours after Hamas announced it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal.
FORT MYERS Middle school tech worker uses CPR skills to save pickleball player’s life It was the right place, at the right time, and that right place was near the pickleball court.
EVERGLADES Big Sugar’s lawsuit for control over Lake Okeechobee water A local non-profit is calling one lawsuit a battle for who controls the water in the State of Florida. Three major sugar companies filed a lawsuit in 2021 against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the design and intended use of the Everglades Agriculture Area (EAA) Reservoir.
NAPLES Annual Holocaust Remembrance Day program returns to Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Sunday was a day to remember the six million men, women and children lost in the Holocaust.
COLLIER COUNTY 13th dead Florida panther of 2024 found Saturday; deaths now match 2023’s annual total Wildlife officials discovered the 13 dead endangered Florida panther of the year, matching 2023’s total reported mortalities less than halfway into the year.
NORTH PORT Entryway work temporarily closes North Port Library The North Port Library will be closed through Saturday while work is being done to the entryway. During the closure books and other borrowed items can be returned to nearby locations.
NAPLES Turtle Club in Naples reopens Following a 19-month closure because of Hurricane Ian, the Turtle Club has reopened.
FORT MYERS BEACH Hurricane season preparations at Lee County construction sites Many already know the drill when hurricane season is around the corner.
SANIBEL Bones found on Sanibel concern beachgoers A husband and wife found what appeared to be bones. What type and where they came from is being investigated.
FGCU FGCU president reflects on first year with graduating class Alico Arena was packed this weekend as Florida Gulf Coast University graduated 1,900 students in four ceremonies.
Reverse shoulder replacement offers new approach to pain management Shoulder replacement is the third most common replacement in the US, following hip and knee replacement.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Lee County teachers bargain for new raises Kevin Daly is the voice of the Lee County Teachers Union, and he says he knows firsthand the struggle teachers experience across the state.
FORT MYERS New Starbucks off Colonial expected to add to traffic headaches It’s a venti-sized traffic nightmare. That’s how Gina O’Donnell envisions the future of this plaza.
NAPLES Feeding families through Meals of Hope They’re a Naples-based non-profit organization whose mission is to alleviate hunger both locally and throughout the country.
Family dealing with two losses in quick succession A teenager will not get to celebrate turning 21 years old with friends, can’t put a smile on his family member’s faces and will never get to see his mother again.
JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli leaders have approved a military operation into the Gaza Strip city of Rafah Israeli leaders approved a military operation into the Gaza Strip city of Rafah, and Israeli forces were striking targets in the area, officials announced Monday, hours after Hamas announced it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal.
FORT MYERS Middle school tech worker uses CPR skills to save pickleball player’s life It was the right place, at the right time, and that right place was near the pickleball court.
EVERGLADES Big Sugar’s lawsuit for control over Lake Okeechobee water A local non-profit is calling one lawsuit a battle for who controls the water in the State of Florida. Three major sugar companies filed a lawsuit in 2021 against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the design and intended use of the Everglades Agriculture Area (EAA) Reservoir.
NAPLES Annual Holocaust Remembrance Day program returns to Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Sunday was a day to remember the six million men, women and children lost in the Holocaust.
COLLIER COUNTY 13th dead Florida panther of 2024 found Saturday; deaths now match 2023’s annual total Wildlife officials discovered the 13 dead endangered Florida panther of the year, matching 2023’s total reported mortalities less than halfway into the year.
NORTH PORT Entryway work temporarily closes North Port Library The North Port Library will be closed through Saturday while work is being done to the entryway. During the closure books and other borrowed items can be returned to nearby locations.
Credit: All American Gator Products/Facebook Across America, people are making coronavirus masks with everything from t-shirts and pillowcases to vacuum cleaner bags. Because it’s Florida, one guy is using python skin. Brian Wood, owner of All American Gator Products in Dania Beach, is crafting decorative mask coverings from the skin of the Burmese python, the infamous invasive species wreaking havoc on the native wildlife of the Everglades. “People are going to have to cover their faces, and unfortunately the situation may last longer than we imagined,” said Wood, owner of All American Gator Products in Dania Beach. “Some people want to make a fashion statement even during this pandemic, so I want to give them options.” The python skin itself doesn’t provide protection but his designing a mask allows for a filter or a lining to be inserted and removed. He said he is is in talks with suppliers of filters and is considering using cloth because surgical-grade materials are scarce and in high demand by medical professionals. He said that some masks may come with a filtration system like the N95 mask, which blocks very small airborne particles and currently is advised for use only by medical professionals treating patients with COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The python masks will be made with holes framed by black, silver or gold metal rings, which will add a hint of luxury to the items, he said. They will probably be secured with a band with a VELCRO closure, and will come in different colors and finishes. A metal nose clamp will help ensure a good fit, Wood said. “The designs are still in the early stages and I want to take advantage of the supply we have here not only of python skin, but also alligator and crocodile,” said Wood, who also has a pest control business that specializes in invasive iguanas. The prices will be “reasonable,” Wood said: about $20 to $40 for the skins plus the cost of manufacturing. Alligator skin, “the diamond of leathers,” would be more expensive, he added. In line with recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more and more people are wearing masks in public settings. On social media, many people are making fashion statements with colorful hand-made face coverings with original prints and even embroidery. YouTube, Facebook and other social media are teeming with DIY videos on how to make cloth masks, allowing for some self-expression during the pandemic. Miami-Dade ordered county residents to wear a mask in public spaces, defining a mask as a “covering which snugly covers the face and mouth” and which is secured with “ties or ear loops.” Earlier in the week, the city of Miami stepped up the battle to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic when officials mandated that everyone inside grocery stores, pharmacies and convenience stores wear face coverings. The measure also requires all delivery workers to don masks, as well as all construction workers on job sites. Other cities around the country have issued similar orders, igniting demand for a full range of products, from basic handmade cotton masks sold on e-commerce site Etsy and on Amazon, to leather, monogrammed and lace-covered face coverings offered through online channels and social media. There are even designer knockoffs, like a Louis Vuitton monogram mask that has circulated on Instagram. Self-described Russian influencer Tair Marassulov posed outside a Louis Vuitton store in Paris wearing what appears to be a leather mask with the iconic French luxury house’s monogram, along with a monogrammed jacket. The company confirmed the mask in Marassulov’s selfie is not a legitimate Louis Vuitton product. Earlier this week Louis Vuitton said it repurposed some of its workshops in France to produce non-surgical masks to donate to healthcare workers in the frontline of the battle against COVID-19, said spokeswoman Emily Huang. Though state lands are now closed for public use as part of the social distancing campaign, python removal agents for the state are still at work, and Wood hopes to do brisk business with them if the masks take off. Wood, who also hunts alligators and used to supply luxury goods maker Hermes, said one 10-foot snake could potentially yield as many as 10 masks. “People are telling me they want to buy 5, 12 of these masks, so I’ll definitely be buying snakes from local hunters.” Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.