Cape Coral council supports construction of I-75 interchange into cityCrews removing derelict boats from Gilchrist Park
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral council supports construction of I-75 interchange into city The Cape Coral City Council has approved a resolution requesting support from Lee and Charlotte counties to prioritize state and federal funding for the Interstate 75 Interchange at Slater Road.
PUNTA GORDA Crews removing derelict boats from Gilchrist Park Crews are working to remove derelict boats from Gilchrist Park after several of them washed ashore during Hurricane Milton in October.
33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County Another Florida panther has been killed by a vehicle, this time in Hardee County, increasing the death toll of the endangered species to 33 for 2024.
the weather authority Cool and breezy for your Thursday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking cold morning conditions before temperatures warm up to the low 70s this Thursday.
Police release threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Milton.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral council supports construction of I-75 interchange into city The Cape Coral City Council has approved a resolution requesting support from Lee and Charlotte counties to prioritize state and federal funding for the Interstate 75 Interchange at Slater Road.
PUNTA GORDA Crews removing derelict boats from Gilchrist Park Crews are working to remove derelict boats from Gilchrist Park after several of them washed ashore during Hurricane Milton in October.
33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County Another Florida panther has been killed by a vehicle, this time in Hardee County, increasing the death toll of the endangered species to 33 for 2024.
the weather authority Cool and breezy for your Thursday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking cold morning conditions before temperatures warm up to the low 70s this Thursday.
Police release threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Milton.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
Kaial Hajik with his LifeBoKx prototype. Hajik worked with his father to devise the emergency kit prototype. (Joseph Hajik) Florida shores may soon become a bit safer thanks to the ingenuity of 13-year-old Kaial Hajik in Panama City Beach. After hearing of several drownings in the Gulf of Mexico over the past few years, Kaial, a Boy Scout and aspiring Air Force Academy cadet, worked with his father to devise a emergency kit prototype called the “LifeBoKx”. “It’s very simple… but it’s also very important in order to saving somebody’s life,” Kaial said in an interview with CNN affiliate WJHG. The LifeBoKx contains basic lifesaving equipment and educational material to be positioned along the shoreline of Panama City Beach. The idea, Kaial’s father, Joe Hajik, told CNN, is not just to save those drowning but to also provide resources for those responding to an emergency. The emergency kit includes two life vests, a tethered life preserver and visual aids including the “Drowning Chain of Survival,” a visual representation from the International Life Saving Federation detailing how to safely respond to a drowning. Kaial and his father say the story of Richard Stacey Redman is a major motivator for the creation of the LifeBoKx. Redman drowned on Panama City Beach in 2019 attempting to rescue a drowning child. “What we saw is that it’s not just people drowning. It’s actually the pursuers — working to help save these people — that are the ones that are perishing,” Joe Hajik told CNN. The LifeBoKx is just an idea for now, but the father-son team envisions positioning the emergency kits throughout the Panama City Beach shoreline. Each kit would be assigned a specific identifier to facilitate a quicker response from lifeguards and emergency personnel. Drownings in the area have increased over the years, with 10 in 2018 and 12 in 2019. This year, Panama City Beach has witnessed eight confirmed drownings, according to city officials, with strong rip currents a main factor. In response, the city implemented new protocols at the start of the year, including public education initiatives. And it expanded its lifeguard programs and emergency response presence along the beaches. Wil Spivey, director of the newly created Beach Safety unit — part of the city’s fire department — was a key part of the changes. Kaial and Joe Hajik presented the LifeBoKx to Spivey and his team. When CNN asked about the prototype, Spivey praised the motivation behind the project, especially from a 13-year-old. “Our main sentiment is that we just thought it was really exceptional — that a young man saw a need or problem in his community and tried to take initiative and stand up and do something proactive about it,” Spivey said. Spivey said his team supported Hajik and offered suggestions — potential improvements to the prototype. The LifeBoKx could not stand as a replacement to lifeguards and trained emergency responders — there was no “magic bullet” for that — but Spivey says it offers some useful tools, particularly the educational materials, and the potential to help expedite emergency response. “Prevention and education are really about 95% of what we do as beach safety and lifeguards,” Spivey said. “Thought it a good opportunity to work with Kaial and his idea.” For Kaial and Joe Hajik, the idea centers on providing the resources to save lives, both for those needing rescue and rescuers. “If you save one life by doing that, whether it be yours or somebody else… that system is paid for,” Joe Hajik said. After presenting their idea to the local Optimist Club of the Beaches, a national organization dedicated to youth empowerment, Kaial and Joe Hajik plan to present the LifeBoKx to other groups and ultimately to the city council.