ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
Governor Ron DeSantis held a briefing Monday afternoon in Tallahassee. DeSantis signed a $92.2 billion budget after a veto of more than $1 billion of the $93.2 billion legislature-approved version. As an example of the vetoes, he said they include $20 million for the Job Growth Grant Fund, an economic-development program. Lawmakers passed the budget in March, just as the economic impacts of coronavirus were beginning to be felt. In the midst of the pandemic, the Governor ensured Floridians that the state will be fiscally stable for the year to come. “Despite the present challenges Florida faces due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Budget ensures the state’s priorities are protected and funded,” said Governor DeSantis. “Our current economic landscape is vastly different since the Legislature passed this budget in March. As Governor, I must remain a mindful steward of taxpayer dollars. This budget reflects a steadfast commitment to Floridians by safeguarding important investments in key areas including education, the environment, infrastructure, public safety and more. As we move forward with our Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step. Plan for Florida’s Recovery, we will overcome the adversities before us and emerge stronger than before,” he added. In terms of education, the budget includes $500 million to raise the starting salary for new teachers in K-12 schools. Also included is $4 billion for both the Florida College System and the State University System. There is also an increase of $18.9 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Florida. Environmentally, the budget includes $625 million for Everglades restoration and protection of water sources. Additionally, $160 million was added for targeted water quality improvement. More provisions in the budget include $138.1 million to fight the opioid crisis in Florida, $117 million for families and children that receive assistance from Florida’s child welfare system and more than $8 million to expand the state’s crime databases. Lastly, pay increases for most state employees, namely correction officers. The state budget includes a $17.3 million for a program that transitions these officers form 12 to 8.5-hour shifts. Below is a partial list of vetoes that specifically impact Southwest Florida: Collier Community Abstinence Program, CCAP (HB 4377) (Senate Form 1359) $200,000 City of Cape Coral – Real-Time Crime Center (HB 9059) (Senate Form 1615) $250,000 Arcadia Rodeo Multi-Functional Facility (HB 3217) (Senate Form 1739) 200,000 Charlotte County Countryman Ackerman Septic-to-Sewer (HB 4315) (Senate Form 1236) $1,000,000 Collier County Cocohatchee River Critical Dredge Project (HB 4829) (Senate Form 1042) $100,000 Collier County Golden Gate City Outfall Restoration Project Phase 1 (HB 3369) (Senate Form 1040) $100,000 Fort Myers Beach Estero Boulevard Water Improvements (HB 9051) (Senate Form 1689) $200,000 Naples Design of Phase 2 – Naples Bay Red Tide Septic Tank Mitigation Program (HB 4835) (Senate Form 1039) $1,100,000 Punta Gorda Boca Grande Area Water Quality Improvements (HB 4317) (Senate Form 1743) $100,000 Charlotte County Firefighter Decontamination Equipment (HB 4313) – 300,000 Marco Island Regional Maritime, Fire, EMS Training and Operations Facility (HB 4825) (Senate Form 1055) – $650,000 Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue Service District – New Station 106 (HB 4877) (Senate Form 2037) $1,250,000 Special Categories – Glades County E-911 Public Safety Facility 700,000 —– Statewide Comprehensive Flood Plain Model $2,000,000 Mental Health Assistance Allocation for Florida Virtual Schools (Senate Form 2420) $625,000 PDF: Read the full list of line-item vetoes The News Service of Florida also contributed to this report. Watch the press conference here: