Bonita Springs residents shocked by random car vandalism spreeFire devastates Lehigh Acres church, community works to help rebuild
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs residents shocked by random car vandalism spree A man is in custody after allegedly vandalizing multiple cars, causing significant damage.
LEHIGH ACRES Fire devastates Lehigh Acres church, community works to help rebuild The investigation into what ignited the devastating fire that tore through this Lehigh Acres church continues. On Monday night, neighbors remembered the landmark that had meant so much to the community.
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO Deputies save man from burning home A dramatic rescue unfolded in North Fort Myers as deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office saved a disabled man from a burning home.
Stalking charges dropped against Bonita jeweler who had accusations against Marceno A man at the center of accusations against the Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno won’t be charged in a separate case.
SANIBEL Historic Bailey’s Store in Sanibel plans comeback after storms Bailey’s General Store, a beloved Sanibel institution since the 1800s, is making a comeback after suffering significant damage from recent hurricanes.
ENGLEWOOD Lemon Bay High’s programs drive 98% graduation rate Lemon Bay High School in Englewood boasts an impressive 98% graduation rate, surpassing the state’s nearly 90% rate.
FORT MYERS Bishop Verot grad celebrates national title with Ohio State Former Bishop Verot safety Leroy Roker wins the national championship with Ohio State.
DORAL House Republicans focus on Trump agenda at annual retreat in Doral U.S. House Republicans have gathered at Trump National Doral for their annual retreat, known as the “Issues Conference.”
GAINESVILLE UF Title IX investigation into Todd Golden closed Title IX investigation into Florida Gators men’s basketball head coach is closed after the university found “no evidence” of a Title IX violation.
New surgical robot helps patients recover faster Robot-assisted surgeries are transforming the operating room by turning major operations into smaller, less invasive procedures.
TALLAHASSEE Lawmakers cancel special session called by Gov. DeSantis There was some chaos and defiance earlier this morning as a special session got underway in Tallahassee.
Sugarshack Downtown music venue goes live in Bonita Springs Following a series of private invitation-only events, the live music venue with a full-service restaurant and bars launches to the general public Jan. 31 across Old 41 Road from the city’s Riverside Park bandshell. A grand opening celebration is planned in early February.
Foxtail Coffee Co., Eagle Specialty Coffee open in Cape Coral The two coffee shops are almost identical in size, shape and layout. Both rely on drive-thru windows for more than half their business. Both are located off Pine Island Road in Cape Coral, and both are part of relatively small companies when compared to the behemoth that’s located roughly halfway between them.
Jury selection begins for Charlotte County teen accused of murdering his mother Jury selection begins for the 17-year-old accused of killing his mother, who could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.
PUNTA GORDA Quarter auction to benefit Sgt. Elio Diaz in Punta Gorda There will be a quarterly auction in Punta Gorda to benefit Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz, who died last year while conducting a traffic stop.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs residents shocked by random car vandalism spree A man is in custody after allegedly vandalizing multiple cars, causing significant damage.
LEHIGH ACRES Fire devastates Lehigh Acres church, community works to help rebuild The investigation into what ignited the devastating fire that tore through this Lehigh Acres church continues. On Monday night, neighbors remembered the landmark that had meant so much to the community.
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO Deputies save man from burning home A dramatic rescue unfolded in North Fort Myers as deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office saved a disabled man from a burning home.
Stalking charges dropped against Bonita jeweler who had accusations against Marceno A man at the center of accusations against the Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno won’t be charged in a separate case.
SANIBEL Historic Bailey’s Store in Sanibel plans comeback after storms Bailey’s General Store, a beloved Sanibel institution since the 1800s, is making a comeback after suffering significant damage from recent hurricanes.
ENGLEWOOD Lemon Bay High’s programs drive 98% graduation rate Lemon Bay High School in Englewood boasts an impressive 98% graduation rate, surpassing the state’s nearly 90% rate.
FORT MYERS Bishop Verot grad celebrates national title with Ohio State Former Bishop Verot safety Leroy Roker wins the national championship with Ohio State.
DORAL House Republicans focus on Trump agenda at annual retreat in Doral U.S. House Republicans have gathered at Trump National Doral for their annual retreat, known as the “Issues Conference.”
GAINESVILLE UF Title IX investigation into Todd Golden closed Title IX investigation into Florida Gators men’s basketball head coach is closed after the university found “no evidence” of a Title IX violation.
New surgical robot helps patients recover faster Robot-assisted surgeries are transforming the operating room by turning major operations into smaller, less invasive procedures.
TALLAHASSEE Lawmakers cancel special session called by Gov. DeSantis There was some chaos and defiance earlier this morning as a special session got underway in Tallahassee.
Sugarshack Downtown music venue goes live in Bonita Springs Following a series of private invitation-only events, the live music venue with a full-service restaurant and bars launches to the general public Jan. 31 across Old 41 Road from the city’s Riverside Park bandshell. A grand opening celebration is planned in early February.
Foxtail Coffee Co., Eagle Specialty Coffee open in Cape Coral The two coffee shops are almost identical in size, shape and layout. Both rely on drive-thru windows for more than half their business. Both are located off Pine Island Road in Cape Coral, and both are part of relatively small companies when compared to the behemoth that’s located roughly halfway between them.
Jury selection begins for Charlotte County teen accused of murdering his mother Jury selection begins for the 17-year-old accused of killing his mother, who could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.
PUNTA GORDA Quarter auction to benefit Sgt. Elio Diaz in Punta Gorda There will be a quarterly auction in Punta Gorda to benefit Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz, who died last year while conducting a traffic stop.
American musician Prince performs in concert, New York, New York, circa 1989. (Photo by Larry Busacca/WireImage) The Minnesota town where one of the most famous scenes from Prince’s movie “Purple Rain” was filmed has unveiled a life-sized bronze statue of The Purple One in a garden filled with purple flowers and other tributes to the artist. A mural of Prince leaning on a Little Red Corvette looks down on the statue, which was installed on June 28 in Henderson, Minnesota. Fans of the 1984 film will recognize Henderson from the Lake Minnetonka scene where actress Apollonia Kotero’s character jumped into the frigid water only to learn that it was not Lake Minnetonka. The spot is on a banks of the Minnesota River, about 45 minutes from Minneapolis and Prince’s Paisley Park Studios. The statue cost $40,000, with most of the money coming from fans, who gave $100 to have their names included on a bronze donor plaque, according to Joel King of the Prince Legacy Henderson Project. King, a retired cinematographer and camera operator, worked on Prince’s “Graffiti Bridge” movie and some video projects. “It’s kind of giving back to Prince what Prince gave me,” King said. King says fans have been coming to Henderson for years because of “Purple Rain.” The project started with a granite bench carved with doves and Prince’s famous symbol guitar, and then it added the mural. There is a guest book in a purple mailbox with the address 1999. King says it’s been signed by more than 4,000 people from all over the world. He expects the statue to be an even bigger draw. Tour operator Randy “Capt. Randy” Luedtke was impressed when he came to see the statue. “It was such a beautiful commemorative opportunity for Prince’s legacy to continue to live on,” he said. His company has been taking fans to see landmarks from Prince’s rise to fame in Minneapolis for about four years. Luedtke says the company typically does two tours a week, plus smaller VIP tours. One popular stop is the real Lake Minnetonka, Luedtke said. “People just want to grab a vial of water, they want to baptize themselves,” he said. Luedtke hasn’t been able to run tours because of the coronavirus pandemic, but he says he’s adding Henderson to the itinerary once he is back in business. King says the Prince connection has been great for the community, and local businesses have embraced the garden and the tourists it attracts. They even host a music festival on his birthday called “Prince Fest.” King feels like it was the perfect time to unveil the statue, since so many controversial monuments are being taken down. “It’s kind of cool to have the statue now, especially when they’re tearing down all the statues in America, and then to have a Black man on a statue is pretty cool,” he said. “I think it’s kind of the right time, and Prince deserves it.”