Drug bust at Collier County home leads to triple arrest Three people are accused of running a drug house that held opioids, fentanyl and other illicit narcotics in Collier County.
Charlotte County’s first Grain & Berry opens Fast-growing organic vegan restaurant franchise Grain & Berry opened in Port Charlotte, making it the 19th in the state out of a total of 23 nationwide.
GOLDEN GATE Body found in Collier County canal prompts death investigation Collier County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation after a body was discovered in a canal.
FORT MYERS DeSantis’ new Boater Freedom Initiative would end random FWC boat safety inspections Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the new Boater Freedom Initiative will protect Sunshine State residents’ right to boat.
CAPE CORAL Couple celebrates their lifelong love on 62nd Valentine’s Day together Hollis and Linda Nash might be living proof that love doesn’t fade with age.
PUNTA GORDA CROW rescues, rehabilitates 2 orphaned baby River Otters Two orphaned baby North American River Otters were rescued by the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife.
FORT MYERS Southwest Florida Reading Festival brings bestselling authors Romance is in the air this Valentine’s Day as we look forward to the Southwest Florida Reading Festival taking place in March.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Florist offers lower prices on roses for Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day is the busiest day of the year for florists in Southwest Florida, and one florist is offering lower prices on roses.
Tim Aten Knows: Landert Bread rolling out local retail store Landert Bread’s European rolls, bread, cakes and pastries will be available to more Naples area residents starting this month. A wholesale operation for more than 12 years, Naples-based Landert is launching a retail store in Collier County.
the weather authority Isolated rain can impact your Valentine’s Day evening plans The Weather Authority is tracking isolated rain that may impact your Friday or Valentine’s Day outdoor plans.
Ponte Vedra Beach Gov. DeSantis holds news conference in Ponte Vedra Beach Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Ponte Vedra Beach.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte woman accused of running over man after vandalizing his car with condiments A Port Charlotte woman is accused of vandalizing her ex-boyfriend’s car by throwing eggs and condiments and then running him over with her car.
FORT MYERS Dog rescue in Fort Myers holds fundraiser as founder fights cancer A beloved dog rescue service in Fort Myers is facing uncertainty as its founder, Carey Kendzior, battles cancer.
Woman arrested for stealing $3,400 in goods from Target in Collier County More than 150 items worth thousands of dollars were reportedly stolen from a Target in Collier County. Deputies arrested Kimberly McDonnell, 36, on charges of grand theft.
Drug bust at Collier County home leads to triple arrest Three people are accused of running a drug house that held opioids, fentanyl and other illicit narcotics in Collier County.
Charlotte County’s first Grain & Berry opens Fast-growing organic vegan restaurant franchise Grain & Berry opened in Port Charlotte, making it the 19th in the state out of a total of 23 nationwide.
GOLDEN GATE Body found in Collier County canal prompts death investigation Collier County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation after a body was discovered in a canal.
FORT MYERS DeSantis’ new Boater Freedom Initiative would end random FWC boat safety inspections Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the new Boater Freedom Initiative will protect Sunshine State residents’ right to boat.
CAPE CORAL Couple celebrates their lifelong love on 62nd Valentine’s Day together Hollis and Linda Nash might be living proof that love doesn’t fade with age.
PUNTA GORDA CROW rescues, rehabilitates 2 orphaned baby River Otters Two orphaned baby North American River Otters were rescued by the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife.
FORT MYERS Southwest Florida Reading Festival brings bestselling authors Romance is in the air this Valentine’s Day as we look forward to the Southwest Florida Reading Festival taking place in March.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Florist offers lower prices on roses for Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day is the busiest day of the year for florists in Southwest Florida, and one florist is offering lower prices on roses.
Tim Aten Knows: Landert Bread rolling out local retail store Landert Bread’s European rolls, bread, cakes and pastries will be available to more Naples area residents starting this month. A wholesale operation for more than 12 years, Naples-based Landert is launching a retail store in Collier County.
the weather authority Isolated rain can impact your Valentine’s Day evening plans The Weather Authority is tracking isolated rain that may impact your Friday or Valentine’s Day outdoor plans.
Ponte Vedra Beach Gov. DeSantis holds news conference in Ponte Vedra Beach Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Ponte Vedra Beach.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte woman accused of running over man after vandalizing his car with condiments A Port Charlotte woman is accused of vandalizing her ex-boyfriend’s car by throwing eggs and condiments and then running him over with her car.
FORT MYERS Dog rescue in Fort Myers holds fundraiser as founder fights cancer A beloved dog rescue service in Fort Myers is facing uncertainty as its founder, Carey Kendzior, battles cancer.
Woman arrested for stealing $3,400 in goods from Target in Collier County More than 150 items worth thousands of dollars were reportedly stolen from a Target in Collier County. Deputies arrested Kimberly McDonnell, 36, on charges of grand theft.
Credit: MGN The number of new jobless claims in Florida again fell — dipping by 67,070 last week, according to federal data — as job losses from the coronavirus pandemic continued to slow. But there were fresh worries that the ranks of the unemployed could again swell as restaurants and other establishments re-close to stave off new infections. On Thursday, Florida marked another grim milestone when it reported 120 new deaths from COVID-19, pushing the statewide total to more than 4,000. The number of new cases rose by nearly 9,000 to a cumulative total of more than 229,000. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of jobless Floridians could face deepening financial turmoil as their unemployment benefits run out. Those filing for unemployment aid are limited to 12 weeks of benefits over a 12-month period, under Florida’s unemployment compensation program. However, the recently unemployed can apply for $600 federal payment until July 24 under the U.S government’s pandemic relief package. Some federal aid, including jobless benefits for gig workers, runs through Dec. 26. As of Thursday, restaurants in Miami-Dade County won’t be allowed to serve patrons at indoor tables. Mayor Carlos Gimenez also ordered banquet halls and ballrooms to close until further notice, but he allowed gyms and fitness centers to remain open to customers who wear masks. Meanwhile, Bank of America earlier this week shuttered dozens of its branches in central and South Florida. But in a ray of sunshine amid the gloom, two of Disney World’s four parks are expected to reopen Saturday. The majority of Florida’s roughly 229,000 cases of COVID-19 have been concentrated in Florida’s most populous regions, with the Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas among the state’s most intense hot spots. Restaurants, bars and the hospitality industries have been especially hard hit. “It comes down to our ability to survive,” said Sunil Bhatt, the chief executive officer of the Genuine Hospitality Group, which runs some of the Miami area’s most highly regarded restaurants. “Anybody who thinks that the crisis is going to be over in a few weeks is probably delusional.” In a news conference Thursday morning, Bhatt joined others from the restaurant industry to push for a $120 billion federal bailout package to offset losses. The National Restaurant Association said more than 8 million workers have become unemployed because of the virus. Bradley Kilgore, the chef and owner of the Kilgore Culinary Group, said he has had to close five of his restaurants and laid off more than 100 employees. “It will be extremely difficult, as it already is, to look these people in their eyes,” he said, “and let them know that they don’t have a job anymore and we don’t have any answers.” He called the recent restrictions a “nail in the coffin” for some restaurants. Since mid-March, more than 2.3 million Floridians have sought unemployment benefits from the state’s Department of Economic Opportunity. The department said it has paid out about $9 billion in benefits on nearly 1.7 million processed claims, according to the state’s unemployment dashboard. Nearly 199,000 Floridians are still waiting for their applications to be verified, while hundreds of thousands have been deemed ineligible under the state’s unemployment compensation program — although some might be eligible for help under the federal government’s pandemic relief package. Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.