FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach Library to reopen following Hurricane Ian The Fort Myers Beach Library plans to reopen its doors to the public on March 16.
FORT MYERS Save This Life pet microchips closes down For many, protecting your pet is as important as keeping your kids safe.
Rosie, dog lost during I-75 crash, back home with family New information has been released about Rosie, the dog that went missing in a car crash last weekend and was found Wednesday.
Gatorama owner loses fingers at feeding show The owner of Gatorama in Palmdale was bitten by one of his gators during a feeding show over the weekend, losing two fingers.
WWII Veteran hits 100th birthday milestone Hundreds of people came to celebrate WWII veteran Vernon Nelson’s 100th birthday.
FORT MYERS Volunteers boost Harry Chapin Food Bank’s reach The Harry Chapin Food Bank relies heavily on its volunteers to make a significant impact in the community.
SOUTH FORT MYERS Twins’ superfan attends Spring Training for more than two decades Twins’ superfan Neil Pierce lives more than one thousand miles away from Hammond Stadium and never misses a game in Lee County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers gears up for Edison Festival of Light with safety in focus The parade will begin at Fort Myers High School, travel up U.S. Highway 41, and conclude in downtown Fort Myers.
Byron Donalds accused of voter fraud U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds is being accused of voter fraud. A fellow lawmaker on Capitol Hill is making the allegations.
NAPLES FWC seeks Naples community’s help for derelict boat removal The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is searching for derelict boats in Southwest Florida and is asking for community assistance.
FORT MYERS Red dye ban and Valentine’s Day Red is synonymous with Valentine’s Day, seen in everything from roses to candy. However, some red sweets may not be as appealing this year due to a recent ban on a common dye linked to cancer risks.
FORT MYERS Savannah Bananas at JetBlue Park this weekend Are you heading out to watch the Savannah Bananas this weekend? This is what you need to know.
Punta Gorda Historic District home set for demolition, rebuild When builder T.J. Thornberry was hired by clients to demolish and build two new homes on their Chasteen Street properties within the Punta Gorda Historic District, little did he realize he would be embarking on an odyssey laden with roadblocks lasting nearly three months.
PORT CHARLOTTE Rays begin Spring Training ahead of season away from home The Charlotte Sports Park is home to the Tampa Bay Rays for the next six weeks for, but after that they don’t actually get to go home.
Eligible taxpayers in Florida file for free with IRS Direct File The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers in Florida they can file their taxes for free with the agency using IRS Direct File.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach Library to reopen following Hurricane Ian The Fort Myers Beach Library plans to reopen its doors to the public on March 16.
FORT MYERS Save This Life pet microchips closes down For many, protecting your pet is as important as keeping your kids safe.
Rosie, dog lost during I-75 crash, back home with family New information has been released about Rosie, the dog that went missing in a car crash last weekend and was found Wednesday.
Gatorama owner loses fingers at feeding show The owner of Gatorama in Palmdale was bitten by one of his gators during a feeding show over the weekend, losing two fingers.
WWII Veteran hits 100th birthday milestone Hundreds of people came to celebrate WWII veteran Vernon Nelson’s 100th birthday.
FORT MYERS Volunteers boost Harry Chapin Food Bank’s reach The Harry Chapin Food Bank relies heavily on its volunteers to make a significant impact in the community.
SOUTH FORT MYERS Twins’ superfan attends Spring Training for more than two decades Twins’ superfan Neil Pierce lives more than one thousand miles away from Hammond Stadium and never misses a game in Lee County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers gears up for Edison Festival of Light with safety in focus The parade will begin at Fort Myers High School, travel up U.S. Highway 41, and conclude in downtown Fort Myers.
Byron Donalds accused of voter fraud U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds is being accused of voter fraud. A fellow lawmaker on Capitol Hill is making the allegations.
NAPLES FWC seeks Naples community’s help for derelict boat removal The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is searching for derelict boats in Southwest Florida and is asking for community assistance.
FORT MYERS Red dye ban and Valentine’s Day Red is synonymous with Valentine’s Day, seen in everything from roses to candy. However, some red sweets may not be as appealing this year due to a recent ban on a common dye linked to cancer risks.
FORT MYERS Savannah Bananas at JetBlue Park this weekend Are you heading out to watch the Savannah Bananas this weekend? This is what you need to know.
Punta Gorda Historic District home set for demolition, rebuild When builder T.J. Thornberry was hired by clients to demolish and build two new homes on their Chasteen Street properties within the Punta Gorda Historic District, little did he realize he would be embarking on an odyssey laden with roadblocks lasting nearly three months.
PORT CHARLOTTE Rays begin Spring Training ahead of season away from home The Charlotte Sports Park is home to the Tampa Bay Rays for the next six weeks for, but after that they don’t actually get to go home.
Eligible taxpayers in Florida file for free with IRS Direct File The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers in Florida they can file their taxes for free with the agency using IRS Direct File.
COVID-19 cases are going up across the country. At least 19 states have seen an increase in cases reported daily in the last two weeks, and six states have reported a record number, including Florida. As states continue to reopen, more and more people are meeting face to face, whether it’s at the grocery store or in the office – but the latest research says that’s how the coronavirus is spreading. Karen Breidert loves to sing and loves music. She’s a director and singer with “Spirit of the Gulf,” a woman’s acapella group that has been in Fort Myers for 20 years. “We love getting together; we have women of all ages, all races, all walks of life, all religions. The thing that ties us together is our love for singing, our love for each other,” Breidert said. But, thanks to COVID-19, practices and performances have been canceled. “When you sing, the aerosol and the droplets are worse than ever – and the person next to you is taking in a good deep singer’s breath and it’s dangerous.” “Singing produces far more aerosols than talking does and so we have to be really cautious of that and make the right decisions for our singers,” said Shannon Arnold, artistic director of the Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers. It isn’t just singers and their audience members who are at risk. “The latest research tells us that it is predominantly from personal contact,” Dr. Bindu S. Mayi, professor of microbiology at Nova Southeastern University’s College of Medical Sciences. Mayi said that even simple actions like laughing or enunciating certain words help the virus spread, whether that’s at work, a bar or restaurant, or the gym. That’s why barriers like masks can work, she said, and it’s a lesson we can learn from Taiwan. “They actually never shut down. The kids went to school and they all wore masks. At lunchtime, these three-sided plastic dividers would go up, the kids would take off their masks, eat their lunch, and put their masks back on. And their cases are so few, their deaths the last time I looked was seven.” While barriers keep local artists from getting together, as they say, the show must go on. “There are things we can still work on to become good singers. We take that very seriously even though we’re sitting home alone,” Breidert said. “Hopefully someday we’ll be out there singing again.” As they say, the show must go on. “We do it obviously for ourselves and the singers, but we also do it for the people who need the music in their lives,” Arnold said. Mayi said one way to make your cloth mask more effective is to add another layer. She said research shows that using nylon, like from a stocking, under your mask helps minimize leakage on the sides. RELATED LINKS Research on masks: On respiratory droplets and face masks Turbulent Gas Clouds and Respiratory Pathogen Emissions: Potential Implications for Reducing Transmission of COVID-19 Aerosol Filtration Efficiency of Common Fabrics Used in Respiratory Cloth Masks Quantitative Method for Comparative Assessment of Particle Filtration Efficiency of Fabric Masks as Alternatives to Standard Surgical Masks for PPE