Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole programNorth Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
Hurricane season is one month away The outlook for the 2024 Hurricane Season is for it be active, potentially even hyperactive.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead after crash on SR 31 and Busbee Rd. in North Fort Myers At around noon Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol said a PT Cruiser and a car hauler collided on State Road 31 and Busbee Road, near the Lee/Charlotte County line.
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for molesting Lee County child A Florida man will spend the next 25 years in prison for molesting a child in Lee County.
LEHIGH ACRES Man accused of using stolen credit card from car burglary at Lehigh Acres CVS Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man who allegedly used a stolen credit card at the CVS in Lehigh Acres.
ARCADIA Family of flea market murder victim struggles to find closure The family of a woman who was murdered at an Arcadia flea market continues to seek justice as the accused killer awaits trial.
NAPLES Naples man accused of possessing child porn After an investigation, a Naples man has been arrested after allegedly having child pornography in his home.
CAPE CORAL Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released New details have been released about the arrest of a Cape Coral volunteer softball coach accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
The Weather Authority Isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening Afternoon of 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 Deputies respond to shots fired at park in Tice Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies and K-9s were seen investigating at Schindler Hall Community Park on Palm Beach Boulevard in Tice.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
Hurricane season is one month away The outlook for the 2024 Hurricane Season is for it be active, potentially even hyperactive.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead after crash on SR 31 and Busbee Rd. in North Fort Myers At around noon Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol said a PT Cruiser and a car hauler collided on State Road 31 and Busbee Road, near the Lee/Charlotte County line.
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for molesting Lee County child A Florida man will spend the next 25 years in prison for molesting a child in Lee County.
LEHIGH ACRES Man accused of using stolen credit card from car burglary at Lehigh Acres CVS Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man who allegedly used a stolen credit card at the CVS in Lehigh Acres.
ARCADIA Family of flea market murder victim struggles to find closure The family of a woman who was murdered at an Arcadia flea market continues to seek justice as the accused killer awaits trial.
NAPLES Naples man accused of possessing child porn After an investigation, a Naples man has been arrested after allegedly having child pornography in his home.
CAPE CORAL Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released New details have been released about the arrest of a Cape Coral volunteer softball coach accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
The Weather Authority Isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening Afternoon of 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 Deputies respond to shots fired at park in Tice Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies and K-9s were seen investigating at Schindler Hall Community Park on Palm Beach Boulevard in Tice.
FILE – In this Oct. 26, 2020 file photo, an election worker sorts vote-by-mail ballots at the Miami-Dade County Board of Elections, in Doral. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) Democrats and Republicans in Florida have engaged legions of lawyers ready to rush to court at any sign of voter suppression, fraud or other political shenanigans in this year’s election. So far, the lawsuits have been few, but Florida is well-known for its legal battles in past elections. The main hot-button legal issue this year is the use and counting of mail-in ballots, which President Donald Trump has criticized as a potential source of fraud, but which both parties have promoted in Florida — especially during the coronavirus pandemic. Juanica Fernandes, executive director of the nonprofit State Voices Florida group that promotes voting and civic engagement, said hundreds of Florida mail-in ballots have already been rejected because of issues such as new addresses and mismatched signatures. Voters do have the right to “cure” these problems, but that may not be enough. “This leaves a voter without an opportunity to have their voice heard, and that’s not acceptable,” Fernandes said. “What’s happening is they are not counting the ballots at all.” A week ahead of Tuesday’s election, advocates said about 21,000 mail-in ballots had been flagged in Florida because of a signature problem. About a third of those had already been fixed. More than 4.2 million votes had been cast by mail statewide, according to the Florida Secretary of State’s office. FILE- In this Oct. 26, 2020, file photo, Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections Christina White, right, examines signatures on vote-by-mail ballots with members of the Canvassing Board Judge Raul Cuervo, left, and Judge Betsy Alvarez-Zane, center, at the Miami-Dade County Board of Elections in Doral. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) As yet, there has not been widespread litigation in Florida related to the election. One battle fought earlier this year was over felons regaining their right to vote after the passage of a 2018 amendment, which ended in an appeals court ruling affirming a state law stating they must first satisfy any fines or fees in addition to a prison sentence. But given Florida’s history and its prized 29 electoral votes, anything is possible. Of course, perhaps the most famous legal battle in presidential election history came in 2000, when Republican George W. Bush wound up defeating Democrat Al Gore in Florida by 537 votes — handing Bush the presidency after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in his favor. Tallahassee attorney Barry Richard, who represented Bush in 2000, said that experience casts a long shadow over elections in Florida, although voting practices and laws have changed markedly since then. “My primary premise is that there’s a lot more angst about what could happen as opposed to what may actually happen this time,” Richard said. “I think the biggest problem we might have would be delay. We don’t have that as much in Florida because ballots have to be in by Election Day.” Richard Hasen, a law and political science professor at the University of California-Irvine and election law expert, said Florida may not be quite in the forefront of the nation’s election-related legal battles as in past years. “It’s still in my top five,” Hasen said. “It’s not as high on my list as it has been in the past. It’s that other states, especially during a pandemic, are doing a worse job and are more likely to be pivotal.” Yet the GOP and the Trump campaign, as well as the Democrats and presidential nominee Joe Biden, are taking no chances. Florida Republicans, for example, have trained attorneys and volunteers in advance of the election. Some will be poll watchers, some will observe canvassing boards where votes are counted, and others will monitor legal developments, state party spokeswoman Alia Faraj said. “Our efforts include ensuring that supervisors of elections are following the law and observing and documenting any potential fraud or irregularities that could impact the election,” Faraj said in an email. “Our top priority remains ensuring that every legal vote is counted, that no voter is disenfranchised, and that voters understand election laws and procedures.” There are very few cases of election fraud in the U.S., despite Trump’s many claims to the contrary. Similarly, the Biden campaign is training volunteers and lawyers to watch for evidence of voter suppression, especially among Black and Hispanic voters. “Voting as a fundamental right is under attack from a range of bad actors,” said Mone Holder, voter protection advocate for the Advancement Project, a civil rights and voting rights organization. “These voting suppression tactics highly impact voters of color.” Richard, the Bush lawyer from 2000, said he thinks Florida courts have learned how to deal quickly with election challenges and changes in state laws make a lengthy delay less likely. But, he added, you never know. “In my business, nothing is out of the realm of possibility,” Richard said. “The kind of fraud you would need to affect the election would have to be massive. A lot of what people are freaking out about this time is just the fact we had that experience in 2000.”