Tim Aten Knows: Collier details road projects in Estates Design of the Randall Boulevard widening and Randall-Immokalee Road intersection project in Golden Gate Estates began in mid-2022, but construction is not expected to start for another two years.
FGCU hosts emergency disaster drill training The FGCU is hosting an emergency disaster drill training to educate students on how first responders prepare for crises.
the weather authority Few showers along a front moving through this Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a cold front dropping temperatures along with a few afternoon showers this Friday.
the weather authority Tracking Tropical Storm Sara; likely to dissipate over Central America The Weather Authority is monitoring Tropical Storm Sara, which is expected to strengthen slightly before dissipation over Central America.
NAPLES “Don’t give up. You’re worth it. God sees you.” St. Matthew’s graduates speak out Susan and Dustin Cheatwood credit the Justin’s Place recovery program for saving their lives and stopping them from becoming a statistic.
ENGLEWOOD EAST FEMA relocation notice shocks mobile home park residents The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued relocation notices to residents living in one of their temporary housing parks in Englewood East.
Six dogs rescued after being left in a box by SR-29 Six dogs, including four puppies and two adult dogs, were found stranded in an empty box on the corner of Experimental Road and State Road 29 in Immokalee.
FORT MYERS Players of the Week: Dunbar’s Ken’Dahrius Green and Jeremy Ware Dunbar High School’s Special Teams unit has shown out these past two weeks, scoring a special teams touchdown in wins over South Fort Myers and Fort Myers.
NAPLES Collier County golfer lands shot on the back of an alligator “Play it safe.” That’s what Greg Irving thought he may be doing when he swung his puck Wednesday morning while golfing with his friend Joe Pack.
PUNTA GORDA Southwest Florida veterans honored during round trip honor flight Veterans from Southwest Florida made a round trip to Washington, DC, and back in honor of their service.
NAPLES Path to freedom: From Cuban prison to NCH operating room It’s rare that a serious heart condition is a blessing, but that was the case for a Naples man. The surgery he received at NCH saved his life in more ways than one.
SANIBEL Changing landscape after hurricanes Many of you know what saltwater surge does to your homes after surviving hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton. It’s highly corrosive and destructive. It also has a similar impact on plants and wildlife, but that’s not all bad news.
Former FGCU basketball player talks Karl Smesko joining WNBA Las Vegas Aces guard Kierstan Bell made a lot of memories playing at FGCU. From winning ASUN championships to playing for one of the winningest coaches in the sport Karl Smesko.
LEHIGH ACRES Suspicious fire sparks at Lehigh Acres church Daycare services at one church are canceled after a small fire at Victory church in Lehigh Acres.
State of Florida sues FEMA for ‘conspiracy to interfere with civil rights’ The State of Florida is suing the Federal Emergency Management Agency for “conspiring to interfere with civil rights,” according to an official complaint filed by Florida Attorney General Ashely Moody.
Tim Aten Knows: Collier details road projects in Estates Design of the Randall Boulevard widening and Randall-Immokalee Road intersection project in Golden Gate Estates began in mid-2022, but construction is not expected to start for another two years.
FGCU hosts emergency disaster drill training The FGCU is hosting an emergency disaster drill training to educate students on how first responders prepare for crises.
the weather authority Few showers along a front moving through this Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a cold front dropping temperatures along with a few afternoon showers this Friday.
the weather authority Tracking Tropical Storm Sara; likely to dissipate over Central America The Weather Authority is monitoring Tropical Storm Sara, which is expected to strengthen slightly before dissipation over Central America.
NAPLES “Don’t give up. You’re worth it. God sees you.” St. Matthew’s graduates speak out Susan and Dustin Cheatwood credit the Justin’s Place recovery program for saving their lives and stopping them from becoming a statistic.
ENGLEWOOD EAST FEMA relocation notice shocks mobile home park residents The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued relocation notices to residents living in one of their temporary housing parks in Englewood East.
Six dogs rescued after being left in a box by SR-29 Six dogs, including four puppies and two adult dogs, were found stranded in an empty box on the corner of Experimental Road and State Road 29 in Immokalee.
FORT MYERS Players of the Week: Dunbar’s Ken’Dahrius Green and Jeremy Ware Dunbar High School’s Special Teams unit has shown out these past two weeks, scoring a special teams touchdown in wins over South Fort Myers and Fort Myers.
NAPLES Collier County golfer lands shot on the back of an alligator “Play it safe.” That’s what Greg Irving thought he may be doing when he swung his puck Wednesday morning while golfing with his friend Joe Pack.
PUNTA GORDA Southwest Florida veterans honored during round trip honor flight Veterans from Southwest Florida made a round trip to Washington, DC, and back in honor of their service.
NAPLES Path to freedom: From Cuban prison to NCH operating room It’s rare that a serious heart condition is a blessing, but that was the case for a Naples man. The surgery he received at NCH saved his life in more ways than one.
SANIBEL Changing landscape after hurricanes Many of you know what saltwater surge does to your homes after surviving hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton. It’s highly corrosive and destructive. It also has a similar impact on plants and wildlife, but that’s not all bad news.
Former FGCU basketball player talks Karl Smesko joining WNBA Las Vegas Aces guard Kierstan Bell made a lot of memories playing at FGCU. From winning ASUN championships to playing for one of the winningest coaches in the sport Karl Smesko.
LEHIGH ACRES Suspicious fire sparks at Lehigh Acres church Daycare services at one church are canceled after a small fire at Victory church in Lehigh Acres.
State of Florida sues FEMA for ‘conspiracy to interfere with civil rights’ The State of Florida is suing the Federal Emergency Management Agency for “conspiring to interfere with civil rights,” according to an official complaint filed by Florida Attorney General Ashely Moody.
Florida forward Colin Castleton (12) blocks the shot of Virginia Tech guard Tyrece Radford (23) in the second half of a first round game in the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Friday, March 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Florida overcame playing short-handed most of the season after preseason SEC player of the year Keyontae Johnson was lost because of a scary medical episode. The Gators did it again, getting through to the second round for an eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance — and doing it without two key contributors. “This team just continues to show character,” Florida coach Mike White said. “No one’s been through what they’ve been through.” Colin Castleton scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Tre Mann hit a step-back 3-pointer with 23 seconds left in overtime and the seventh-seeded Gators held off No. 10 seed Virginia Tech 75-70 in a first-round game on Friday. Florida was cheered on by Johnson, who has turned into a de facto assistant coach since returning to the team following a December game in which he collapsed on the court and was hospitalized. He is still recovering from the episode, and doctors told him he could not play again this season. The Gators had plenty of time to learn how to play without Johnson. But they opened the NCAAs without key forward Omar Payne, who was benched by White, and lost starting guard Tyree Appleby midway through the second half after an inadvertent elbow opened a gash on his forehead. Enter Castleton, who was dominant on the inside. And Mann came through with a pair of key 3-pointers late to send the Gators (15-9) into the second round to face Oral Roberts after it stunned No. 2 seed Ohio State. “It just shows who we are as a team, our character,” said Castleton, a transfer from Michigan. “We went through a lot of other stuff off the court, and this game today we went through a lot on the court.” Mann hit a 3 with 2:49 left in regulation, a shot that became huge as Virginia Tech rallied in the closing seconds and forced overtime on Nahiem Alleyne’s 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds left. Mann’s second big 3-pointer gave the Gators a 74-70 lead and proved enough after Cordell Pemsel’s missed jumper with 10 seconds left. Mann, an all-SEC performer, finished with 14 points. Scottie Lewis added 15 for the Gators. Alleyne was brilliant for the Hokies (15-7) through regulation but was held to just one basket in overtime. He finished with 28 points and scored the final 12 of regulation for Virginia Tech. “I mean it was a crazy feeling. Everybody’s dream is to hit a big shot. Big-time players made big-time plays,” Alleyne said of the tying 3-pointer. “It was just a crazy feeling. I mean that wasn’t really the play. We were supposed to give the ball to Tyrece (Radford), but they were shading his side so Keve (Aluma) passed it to me and I just knocked it down.” Tyrece Radford added 16 points for the Hokies and Hunter Cattoor finished with 11 off the bench. Virginia Tech hit 5 of its first 10 3-point attempts, but made just two the rest of the way. Florida held Keve Aluma, Virginia Tech’s leading scorer at 15.6 points per game, to just seven points before he fouled out early in overtime. Aluma appeared to believe the foul was only his fourth. Virginia Tech coach Mike Young said he considered keeping Aluma on the bench to start overtime. “That was a poor choice on my part,” Young said. The opener of the tournament at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse didn’t disappoint for drama as the short-handed Gators trailed by 10 in the first half and faced a 44-36 deficit with 15 minutes left before chipping away. “We weren’t losing the game,” Castleton said. “I mean that’s just what it comes down to. You’ve got to have a mindset of ‘We’re not losing this game.’ We don’t want to go back to Florida just yet.” NO PAYNE Payne was ejected from the SEC Tournament quarterfinals early in the second half for a flagrant-2 foul against Tennessee’s John Fulkerson. Fulkerson suffered a concussion and facial fracture and is uncertain for Tennessee’s opener against Oregon State. Payne started eight of 23 games and averaged 3.7 points. White declined to say if he will allow Payne to play in the second round. “It was the right thing to do. That’s it. Omar handled it like a champ. Omar’s very remorseful,” White said. HINKLE’S LIGHT The first NCAA Tournament game at Hinkle Fieldhouse in 81 years was rife with history, nostalgia and … sunlight. A cloudless day had sun pouring in through the windows at the top of the arched, steel-truss roof. Windows on the concourse level along the South side of the building had shades pulled down to block the sun, but there were sunspots dotting the north end of the court. The only previous NCAA Tournament action inside Hinkle occurred on March 23, 1940, when Indiana beat Duquesne 39-30 to win the East Regional. UP NEXT The Gators will try and reach the round of 16 for the first time since 2017 facing No. 15 seed Oral Roberts. The schools have never met before.