“One kiss wouldn’t hurt”: Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior releasedDry, warm, and humid morning before isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening
CAPE CORAL “One kiss wouldn’t hurt”: Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released A Cape Coral volunteer softball coach stands accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
the weather authority Dry, warm, and humid morning before isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking a dry and humid Wednesday morning before afternoon isolated storms in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach to test hurricane emergency messaging alert The Town of Fort Myers Beach is set to test its CodeRED alert system as hurricane season begins in 31 days.
FORT MYERS Students make goodie bags for kids fighting Cancer A special delivery, straight from the heart, to Galisano’s Children’s Hospital. Three 8th graders from Lexington Middle School delivered 100 goodie bags to bring smiles to kids fighting cancer.
TICE Large police presence at park in Tice Deputies and K9s are investigating Schandler Hall Community Park on Palm Beach Boulevard in Tice.
CAPE CORAL Lee County superintendent candidates face off in debate These three people, Denise Carlin, Morgan Wright and Sheridan Chester, are making it clear that they want the job.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA DEA to reclassify Marijuana as Schedule Three drug When you think of marijuana in Florida, You might think of an illegal drug seized by law enforcement. Kim Rivers, the CEO of Florida-based cannabis retailer Trulieve, says when used medicinally, it can help a lot of people.
FORT MYERS Expect more delays on Colonial and Fowler due to intersection project Work on the Colonial Fowler intersection in Fort Myers is underway, and there are many moving parts.
FORT MYERS Possible pay-by-text scam in downtown Fort Myers may have cost woman nearly $1,000 Pay-by-text parking may have cost one woman nearly a thousand dollars after her credit card was hacked.
FORT MYERS Lee County STET team protecting our schools with cameras There are cameras in our kid’s schools, dozens of them, but did you know that Lee County Schools sends those live video feeds to the sheriff’s office, and it’s someone’s job to watch them?
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Six-week abortion ban to take effect soon A stricter abortion ban will take effect in Florida on Wednesday.
Estero’s Golf Coast Driving Range shuts down, visitors devastated A place to relax, let loose and hit a few drives, has come to the end of an era for this community. “This is the first place we came to,” said Roxanne Henningsen, a Bonita Springs resident. “And it like became our second home. The people are wonderful. It’s just a great atmosphere. And we’ve […]
CAPE CORAL Business owners reeling after massive fire in Cape Coral “Very scary” are the words Denise Creacy used to describe what she felt when she saw plumes of black smoke, firefighters, and police fill her neighborhood.
LEHIGH ACRES Changing how you are represented in Lee County Leaders want to hear your thoughts this week at a town hall on how you elect county commissioners.
FORT MYERS Frontier Airlines announces nonstop flights from RSW to San Juan, PR These flights will take off on June 2 and run 3 times a week.
CAPE CORAL “One kiss wouldn’t hurt”: Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released A Cape Coral volunteer softball coach stands accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
the weather authority Dry, warm, and humid morning before isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking a dry and humid Wednesday morning before afternoon isolated storms in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach to test hurricane emergency messaging alert The Town of Fort Myers Beach is set to test its CodeRED alert system as hurricane season begins in 31 days.
FORT MYERS Students make goodie bags for kids fighting Cancer A special delivery, straight from the heart, to Galisano’s Children’s Hospital. Three 8th graders from Lexington Middle School delivered 100 goodie bags to bring smiles to kids fighting cancer.
TICE Large police presence at park in Tice Deputies and K9s are investigating Schandler Hall Community Park on Palm Beach Boulevard in Tice.
CAPE CORAL Lee County superintendent candidates face off in debate These three people, Denise Carlin, Morgan Wright and Sheridan Chester, are making it clear that they want the job.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA DEA to reclassify Marijuana as Schedule Three drug When you think of marijuana in Florida, You might think of an illegal drug seized by law enforcement. Kim Rivers, the CEO of Florida-based cannabis retailer Trulieve, says when used medicinally, it can help a lot of people.
FORT MYERS Expect more delays on Colonial and Fowler due to intersection project Work on the Colonial Fowler intersection in Fort Myers is underway, and there are many moving parts.
FORT MYERS Possible pay-by-text scam in downtown Fort Myers may have cost woman nearly $1,000 Pay-by-text parking may have cost one woman nearly a thousand dollars after her credit card was hacked.
FORT MYERS Lee County STET team protecting our schools with cameras There are cameras in our kid’s schools, dozens of them, but did you know that Lee County Schools sends those live video feeds to the sheriff’s office, and it’s someone’s job to watch them?
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Six-week abortion ban to take effect soon A stricter abortion ban will take effect in Florida on Wednesday.
Estero’s Golf Coast Driving Range shuts down, visitors devastated A place to relax, let loose and hit a few drives, has come to the end of an era for this community. “This is the first place we came to,” said Roxanne Henningsen, a Bonita Springs resident. “And it like became our second home. The people are wonderful. It’s just a great atmosphere. And we’ve […]
CAPE CORAL Business owners reeling after massive fire in Cape Coral “Very scary” are the words Denise Creacy used to describe what she felt when she saw plumes of black smoke, firefighters, and police fill her neighborhood.
LEHIGH ACRES Changing how you are represented in Lee County Leaders want to hear your thoughts this week at a town hall on how you elect county commissioners.
FORT MYERS Frontier Airlines announces nonstop flights from RSW to San Juan, PR These flights will take off on June 2 and run 3 times a week.
The pandemic left millions of people out of work around the country, and for some of us losing a job meant losing health care too. That’s why, with the insurance marketplace from the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) opening on Nov. 1, experts expect a surge in enrollment. One Lehigh Acres woman is preparing to find a plan for the first time. Sharon Kudingo, 64, has always had health insurance when she needed it—until now. “I worry every day,” Kudingo said. “I do.” After major surgery in 2019, she took an early retirement. All it took was one trip to the emergency room in September, and her finances got scary. “Here I am trying to stay healthy, but it didn’t turn out too well,” Kudingo said. What she thought was a bug bite turned into a swollen hand, chest pains and at least $4,000 in bills. “I’m just scared that I’m not gonna be able to afford health insurance until I’m 65,” Kudingo said. “And I’m afraid I might have another heart issue, or I might not be able to afford my medications.” But experts like Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms, say there are options. “People might actually be surprised what they will qualify for,” she said. “I study health insurance and help people access affordable comprehensive insurance coverage.” Corlette says about 80% of people shopping in the marketplace in Florida will qualify for some kind of subsidy. Her three pieces of advice to those shopping for the first time: Make sure you’re on HealthCare.gov. “Unfortunately, there are these sort of fake websites that have been created to look a lot like the Obamacare marketplaces,” Corlette said. Look for premium tax credits. “You can actually be eligible for subsidies up to about a little over $100,000 in income per year for a family of four. So the subsidies do get more generous as you go down in income,” she said. If you can’t find a price that works for you, click “find local help“ “Even though the budget has been cut for in-person or one-on-one assistance, Florida actually has some terrific navigators,” she said. “These are folks who are really expert in eligibility and enrollment.” The one caveat for especially low-income folks is an issue called the “Medicaid gap.” “Florida has not expanded Medicaid, which now most states have done under Obamacare,” Corlette said. “And so there is this real sort of inequity in that if you were very low income, you don’t qualify for anything at all. Where slightly higher-income people could get these Obamacare tax credits.” But she says not to let that stop you from trying. Kudingo says she would love to work a part-time job to make things more affordable, but she’s at high risk of serious impacts from coronavirus. “I’m on six different medications,” Kudingo said. “If the coronavirus was not around, I would be working. I’m a workaholic.” Come Nov. 1, she hopes to find a plan for 2021 that will end her health care nightmare. “What else am I supposed to do?” she said, adding she’ll have to pray every day to stay healthy or shop insurance another way. “I have bills to pay.” Corlette says the many people who lost their jobs and health care during the pandemic could even qualify for plans beginning in 2020. Unemployed people should also consider COBRA coverage as another option.