$150k worth of equipment stolen from Lee HealthAward-winning stylist to host event during Naples Automotive Experience
FORT MYERS $150k worth of equipment stolen from Lee Health Fort Myers police arrested a hospital employee accused of stealing more than 150 thousand dollars worth of medical equipment from Lee Health.
NAPLES Award-winning stylist to host event during Naples Automotive Experience On Friday, an Emmy Award-winning Hollywood stylist will host Forever Fabulous, a charity event with the St. Matthew’s House.
FORT MYERS Colonial and I-75 diverging diamond to be completed by spring The diverging diamond at Colonial Boulevard and Interstate 75 in Fort Myers is diverting drivers.
NAPLES 20th Annual Spring Home & Garden show coming to Naples The 20th semi-annual Spring Home & Garden show is coming to Naples.
NAPLES Collier Publix worker spreads joy with kindness cards In Collier County, one person stands out for his daily acts of kindness, bringing smiles to those around him.
FGCU FGCU softball pitcher ranked among the best in the country FGCU softball pitcher Allison Sparkman enters her sophomore season ranked as one of the top pitchers in the country.
Congress steps in as Port Charlotte widow searches for husband’s ashes A Port Charlotte woman continues to fight to find her husband’s ashes, lost in the mail. Members of Congress are now backing her efforts.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mom recounts dramatic chase to find kidnapped daughter A mother’s worst nightmare unfolded when her 2-year-old daughter was taken from her in Fort Myers on Monday.
ESTERO Copperleaf Community fights hunger through fundraising The Copperleaf Country Club community in Estero is making a significant impact in the fight against hunger.
NAPLES Collier County students explore trade careers at job fair Hundreds of Collier County students explored potential future careers at the Build My Future Job Fair.
NORTH NAPLES New orthopedic hospital nears completion in Collier County A new orthopedic hospital is nearing completion in Collier County, Florida, with an estimated cost of $140 million.
Real estate deals that shaped the SWFL landscape in 2024 The rise of online retail and continued regional population growth played a large role in a series of yin/yang real estate transactions that defined Southwest Florida’s top deals of 2024.
New Florida law governs oversight, brings financial bite A new law has transformed the condominium market in Florida, forcing owners to change their financial plans. The laws have been prompting many owners to sell their condos now, because the bills have come due and they cannot afford to pay them.
Punta Gorda imposes moratorium on car washes, storage facilities Approvals for new car washes and storage facilities in Punta Gorda will be put on pause for a period of 180 days during a moratorium begininng after the next City Council meeting Feb. 19.
Stephen Deutsch, Charlotte County commissioner, accused of using racial slur A Charlotte County commissioner is involved in an investigation after being accused of using a racial slur.
FORT MYERS $150k worth of equipment stolen from Lee Health Fort Myers police arrested a hospital employee accused of stealing more than 150 thousand dollars worth of medical equipment from Lee Health.
NAPLES Award-winning stylist to host event during Naples Automotive Experience On Friday, an Emmy Award-winning Hollywood stylist will host Forever Fabulous, a charity event with the St. Matthew’s House.
FORT MYERS Colonial and I-75 diverging diamond to be completed by spring The diverging diamond at Colonial Boulevard and Interstate 75 in Fort Myers is diverting drivers.
NAPLES 20th Annual Spring Home & Garden show coming to Naples The 20th semi-annual Spring Home & Garden show is coming to Naples.
NAPLES Collier Publix worker spreads joy with kindness cards In Collier County, one person stands out for his daily acts of kindness, bringing smiles to those around him.
FGCU FGCU softball pitcher ranked among the best in the country FGCU softball pitcher Allison Sparkman enters her sophomore season ranked as one of the top pitchers in the country.
Congress steps in as Port Charlotte widow searches for husband’s ashes A Port Charlotte woman continues to fight to find her husband’s ashes, lost in the mail. Members of Congress are now backing her efforts.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mom recounts dramatic chase to find kidnapped daughter A mother’s worst nightmare unfolded when her 2-year-old daughter was taken from her in Fort Myers on Monday.
ESTERO Copperleaf Community fights hunger through fundraising The Copperleaf Country Club community in Estero is making a significant impact in the fight against hunger.
NAPLES Collier County students explore trade careers at job fair Hundreds of Collier County students explored potential future careers at the Build My Future Job Fair.
NORTH NAPLES New orthopedic hospital nears completion in Collier County A new orthopedic hospital is nearing completion in Collier County, Florida, with an estimated cost of $140 million.
Real estate deals that shaped the SWFL landscape in 2024 The rise of online retail and continued regional population growth played a large role in a series of yin/yang real estate transactions that defined Southwest Florida’s top deals of 2024.
New Florida law governs oversight, brings financial bite A new law has transformed the condominium market in Florida, forcing owners to change their financial plans. The laws have been prompting many owners to sell their condos now, because the bills have come due and they cannot afford to pay them.
Punta Gorda imposes moratorium on car washes, storage facilities Approvals for new car washes and storage facilities in Punta Gorda will be put on pause for a period of 180 days during a moratorium begininng after the next City Council meeting Feb. 19.
Stephen Deutsch, Charlotte County commissioner, accused of using racial slur A Charlotte County commissioner is involved in an investigation after being accused of using a racial slur.
Credit: WINK News. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference on Tuesday to announce the creation of ‘Homeless Outreach Teams’ – or ‘HOT’ teams – in partnership with the county government. The teams will consist of a trained civilian, a crisis-intervention deputy from the sheriff’s office, and a licensed mental health professional provided by the county. They will be placed throughout the county, including in downtown Fort Myers, where Centennial Park was recently closed, leaving many homeless people without a place to gather and sleep. Sheriff Carmine Marceno said they have been in contact with Fort Myers police but they are not one of the partners for this initiative. The goal of the five ‘HOT’ teams is to proactively seek out those in need of help and to learn from them. “We are going to seek them out. We’re going to earn their trust we’re going to learn their stories and their needs and then we’re going to connect them with the services that make sense for them,” said Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman. Among other things, they’ll be providing treatment services and helping to fill housing needs if possible. By giving the homeless access to services, programs, and benefits, they hope to combat the homeless problem in Lee County and give them a better life. “The hot teams make contact whenever we see someone who may be in crisis and members of the hot team first address the individuals’ medical and housing needs,” said Sheriff Marceno. “We also provide transportations information and treatment facilities if needed.” Hamman brought up that families contacted him after seeing the homeless, wondering if they’re getting the help they need, so he felt he had to be a part of the ‘HOT’ Teams initiative. Commissioner Ray Sandelli said, “It’s very personal for me in some ways.” People in Lee County are also concerned about their own safety and the safety of those who are living on the streets. However, Hamman did point out that some of the homeless people do not want the county’s help and in fact, refuse it. Commissioner Ray Sandelli pointed out that while this isn’t a “one size fits all solution,” they are doing what they can. Marceno said they are “not ignoring it.” According to Marceno, homelessness seems to be growing across Lee County. This could be exacerbated by the economic impacts of the pandemic. Commissioner Sandelli worries that as the pandemic continues, the issue will only get worse. “I wanted to hear from them tell me your story where do you go so on and so forth and then we took that information and we broke it down. And that’s when we found that there’s differences,” he said. Sherriff Marceno said the conversations between people and the ‘HOT’ team members will be judgment-free. If anyone has a substance abuse issue, that will not prevent them from getting the help they need. You can watch the stream below or by following this link.