Colonial Boulevard continuous flow intersection opens Sunday in Fort MyersSun and clouds with a stray shower possible
FORT MYERS Colonial Boulevard continuous flow intersection opens Sunday in Fort Myers Drivers along Interstate 75 near Colonial Boulevard can expect changes soon.
the weather authority Sun and clouds with a stray shower possible The Weather Authority says sun and clouds overhead will lead to another day with above-average temperatures.
FORT MYERS LCSO offering youth boxing program The Lee County Sheriff’s Office youth boxing program is your kid’s golden ticket to mastering the art of self-defense.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man speaks on helping apprehend armed 13-year-old The man who helped apprehend an armed 13-year-old spoke on the incident.
NAPLES Naples Cars on Fifth event fuels $2M for local charity efforts For over two decades, car enthusiasts in Southwest Florida have gathered on Fifth Avenue in Naples.
MARCO ISLAND Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island set to reopen Collier County announced the reopening of the Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Animal Shelter to host Puppy Bowl 3 ahead of big game Ahead of the big game on Sunday, Cape Coral Animal Shelter will be featuring its very own Puppy Bowl III.
FORT MYERS From the ballpark to the beach: the Minnesota Twins are back for Spring Training 1700 miles later the Twins truck is here and the team from Minnesota is ready to spend the next six weeks here in Fort Myers.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
FORT MYERS Colonial Boulevard continuous flow intersection opens Sunday in Fort Myers Drivers along Interstate 75 near Colonial Boulevard can expect changes soon.
the weather authority Sun and clouds with a stray shower possible The Weather Authority says sun and clouds overhead will lead to another day with above-average temperatures.
FORT MYERS LCSO offering youth boxing program The Lee County Sheriff’s Office youth boxing program is your kid’s golden ticket to mastering the art of self-defense.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man speaks on helping apprehend armed 13-year-old The man who helped apprehend an armed 13-year-old spoke on the incident.
NAPLES Naples Cars on Fifth event fuels $2M for local charity efforts For over two decades, car enthusiasts in Southwest Florida have gathered on Fifth Avenue in Naples.
MARCO ISLAND Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island set to reopen Collier County announced the reopening of the Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Animal Shelter to host Puppy Bowl 3 ahead of big game Ahead of the big game on Sunday, Cape Coral Animal Shelter will be featuring its very own Puppy Bowl III.
FORT MYERS From the ballpark to the beach: the Minnesota Twins are back for Spring Training 1700 miles later the Twins truck is here and the team from Minnesota is ready to spend the next six weeks here in Fort Myers.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a news conference at Orlando Regional Medical Center Tuesday, June 23, 2020, in Orlando, Fla. DeSantis spoke about Florida’s caseload of coronavirus topping 100,000. (AP Photo/John Raoux) The Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics wrote a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis citing reasons why children should not be back in classrooms next month. Many of the parents and school administrators in Southwest Florida are hoping that the word of doctors will help sway the governor’s position on schools reopening. Susan Patti, an elementary school counselor in Lee County, said, “I think it really clearly defines what the risks are and I think that’s super important because parents are making a life or death decision in some cases.” In the letter FCAAP released on Thursday, doctors said the governor and the education commission misconstrued the words of the American Academy of Pediatrics. When they said “children do best when they are in schools,” the president of FCAAP meant when schools are safe to go to. The letter also mentions that in the past two weeks, positive viral infection rates have been at 14.2%. Doctors say children should return to school when rates are between 3 and 5 percent in a two-week period and warn that rates could skyrocket if schools reopen too early. Many parents think that the advice of these pediatricians means they should have a say in whether or not they send their children back to school. “If this is their advice then that is going to play a big impact in the way parents choose to have their children attend school,” said Eva Ruiz, a parent and special education teacher in Lee County. One teacher hopes the word of several pediatricians will change the decision to reopen schools come August. “I definitely hope that it will change people’s views,” said Julie Abalos, an eighth grade history teacher in Collier County. Even members of the Lee County School Board are taking a look at the letter sent out by FCAAP and hope that the governor is willing to do the same. “I hope the governor listens. I hope he sees that it’s coming from professionals that are in the health care business,” said Gwynetta Gittens, a school board member. Another school board member, Mary Fischer, added, “I think it should impact not only the state level but all of us locally.” While a lot of parents, like Diana Smith, have not decided whether or not their children will be back in school this fall, she thinks parents should definitely take the words of the pediatricians into account when making their decisions. “Each parent needs to look at it with a critical eye,” said Smith. Also in the letter, FCAAP mentions that kids may not get as severe of symptoms with the coronavirus as adults do but there’s still much unknown about how the virus acts in children. For that reason, there are also concerns about how the virus may impact kids. At Saturday’s press conference, DeSantis was asked about the letter to which he replied that he has not yet reviewed it.