Proposal to bring in police cameras to Marco IslandIncreasing deportation raises concerns for migrant workers in SWFL
MARCO ISLAND Proposal to bring in police cameras to Marco Island Marco Island city leaders are considering a proposal for police officers to wear body cameras. The idea aims to modernize the department and increase trust with citizens.
FORT MYERS Increasing deportation raises concerns for migrant workers in SWFL With the fear of mass deportations and raids many are wondering whether any will happen here. Any mass deportations could adversely affect construction and agriculture.
Lee County schools survey parents on classroom phone restrictions Lee County Schools is considering changes to its student code of conduct regarding the use of wireless communication devices during the school day.
NAPLES New NCH technology to destroy tumors NCH is upping its cancer-fighting game by becoming the first in Florida to acquire a new technology designed to destroy tumors.
FORT MYERS Alliance for the Arts to host 39th annual All Florida Juried Exhibition The Alliance for the Arts will be hosting the 39th Annual All Florida Juried Exhibit.
ESTERO FGCU softball coach David Deiros to retire after 2025 season FGCU softball head coach David Deiros will retire from coaching at the end of the 2025 season.
Tim Aten Knows: SWFL to see expansion of Oar & Iron, Kelly’s Roast Beef The restaurant franchise group for the Boston-based Kelly’s Roast Beef and Oar & Iron Raw Bar & Grill recently burst out of the gate in Collier and Lee counties with aggressive expansion plans for both dining concepts.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man gets life in prison for fatal fentanyl distribution A Fort Myers man will spend the rest of his life in jail for distributing a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Fort Myers council to discuss $11.5M bid for News-Press site redevelopment The Fort Myers News-Press building, a site with a long history and untapped potential, may soon undergo a transformation.
Collier mental health center building contract approved Collier County approved the construction contract for the roughly $50 million, 87-bed Collier County Behavioral Health Center, just two weeks before the contract was set to expire, and costs would rise by millions.
City of Fort Myers receives competing bids on former News-Press site The City of Fort Myers plans to vote Jan. 21 on whether to meet March 3 to consider Catalyst Community Development LLC as the buyer for almost 10 acres at 2442 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., former site of The News-Press newspaper.
Charlotte County awaits demolition plan for Cultural Center During a Jan. 21 commissioners workshop meeting, county Facilities Director Travis Perdue said a demolition consultant will provide a demolition plan sometime in March.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach town manager announces resignation Fort Myers Beach’s town manager has announced he will not renew his contract and plans to return to northern Florida.
WASHINGTON (AP) Senate confirms Marco Rubio as secretary of state, giving Trump the first member of his Cabinet The Senate confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state Monday, voting unanimously for President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
BABCOCK RANCH 2 juveniles accused of crime spree in Charlotte County and neighboring Lee County Two juveniles have been arrested after allegedly committing multiple vehicle thefts and burglaries in Babcock Ranch.
MARCO ISLAND Proposal to bring in police cameras to Marco Island Marco Island city leaders are considering a proposal for police officers to wear body cameras. The idea aims to modernize the department and increase trust with citizens.
FORT MYERS Increasing deportation raises concerns for migrant workers in SWFL With the fear of mass deportations and raids many are wondering whether any will happen here. Any mass deportations could adversely affect construction and agriculture.
Lee County schools survey parents on classroom phone restrictions Lee County Schools is considering changes to its student code of conduct regarding the use of wireless communication devices during the school day.
NAPLES New NCH technology to destroy tumors NCH is upping its cancer-fighting game by becoming the first in Florida to acquire a new technology designed to destroy tumors.
FORT MYERS Alliance for the Arts to host 39th annual All Florida Juried Exhibition The Alliance for the Arts will be hosting the 39th Annual All Florida Juried Exhibit.
ESTERO FGCU softball coach David Deiros to retire after 2025 season FGCU softball head coach David Deiros will retire from coaching at the end of the 2025 season.
Tim Aten Knows: SWFL to see expansion of Oar & Iron, Kelly’s Roast Beef The restaurant franchise group for the Boston-based Kelly’s Roast Beef and Oar & Iron Raw Bar & Grill recently burst out of the gate in Collier and Lee counties with aggressive expansion plans for both dining concepts.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man gets life in prison for fatal fentanyl distribution A Fort Myers man will spend the rest of his life in jail for distributing a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Fort Myers council to discuss $11.5M bid for News-Press site redevelopment The Fort Myers News-Press building, a site with a long history and untapped potential, may soon undergo a transformation.
Collier mental health center building contract approved Collier County approved the construction contract for the roughly $50 million, 87-bed Collier County Behavioral Health Center, just two weeks before the contract was set to expire, and costs would rise by millions.
City of Fort Myers receives competing bids on former News-Press site The City of Fort Myers plans to vote Jan. 21 on whether to meet March 3 to consider Catalyst Community Development LLC as the buyer for almost 10 acres at 2442 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., former site of The News-Press newspaper.
Charlotte County awaits demolition plan for Cultural Center During a Jan. 21 commissioners workshop meeting, county Facilities Director Travis Perdue said a demolition consultant will provide a demolition plan sometime in March.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach town manager announces resignation Fort Myers Beach’s town manager has announced he will not renew his contract and plans to return to northern Florida.
WASHINGTON (AP) Senate confirms Marco Rubio as secretary of state, giving Trump the first member of his Cabinet The Senate confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state Monday, voting unanimously for President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
BABCOCK RANCH 2 juveniles accused of crime spree in Charlotte County and neighboring Lee County Two juveniles have been arrested after allegedly committing multiple vehicle thefts and burglaries in Babcock Ranch.
Motorists line up at a COVID-19 vaccination site in Long Beach, Calif., Friday, March 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are up nationally but deaths are going down. That could be because younger people now make up a majority of the cases and more of the older population has been vaccinated. The recent holidays impacted more than just our social calendars. “We have seen a slight upward curve recently, and we’re trying to suppress that as much as we can,” said Joseph Pepe, administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County. Pepe said coronavirus cases in Charlotte County are rising, with similar trends happening across the state. “The reason why that’s a concern is we just had Easter holiday. And in Easter, you typically spend time with grandparents and other family members, so you run the risk of exposing those that are maybe more vulnerable,” he said. Dr. Cindy Prins, an epidemiologist with the College of Public Health and Health Professions at the University of Florida, said young people “tend to be less likely to be symptomatic and they may not even be aware that they’re spreading COVID.” Lee Health and NCH report an increase in the number of coronavirus patients they’re treating, but one positive: The numbers of deaths have trended down. Prins said vaccines are key. “If folks can get vaccinated, at least that’s going to help interrupt that chain of transmission within our younger populations.” “We know after H1N1, that the lowest level of adoption for vaccines was our college-aged kids. So they were less likely to get vaccinated,” Pepe said. The recent rise in cases and hospitalizations is a nationwide problem. The CDC said the seven-day average in new cases is up 7% compared to last week. Hospitalizations are up about 3% and deaths are down to about 800 a day. Pepe said it takes everyone to make a difference. “My wish is a maskless Fourth of July. So in order to do that, we need to work together on this.” Statement from Bayfront Health Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda: As you likely know, Charlotte County has experienced an increase in newly reported COVID-19 cases over the course of the last few weeks. We too have seen an increase in the number of individuals testing positive for COVID and requiring hospitalization, with the age of positive patients being treated remaining around age sixty and older. We do want to take this opportunity to remind viewers that masking and keeping a safe distance is still encouraged to slow the spread of the virus. Even with more people being vaccinated each day, these precautions remain CDC recommendations for everyone. Studies have shown that vaccinations significantly reduce the likelihood of becoming infected with COVID-19 but data is still being gathered that will inform future recommendations on when masking and other precautions will no longer be needed. For certain individuals recently diagnosed with COVID-19, Bayfront Health Punta Gorda is offering monoclonal antibody therapies for the treatment of some cases of COVID-19. The research is showing that this therapy may limit the amount of the virus in the body; therefore, helping symptoms improve sooner. To learn more about this treatment, please encourage your viewers to speak with their physician. They can also visit https://www.bayfrontcharlotte.com/covid-19 to learn more about this treatment and how Bayfront Health is taking extraordinary measures to provide COVID-safe care. R.D. Williams, CEO of Hendry Regional Medical Center, saw some of his most vulnerable neighbors in the ER when the pandemic first hit. “As the COVID infections were kind of sweeping through the nursing facilities in the area, we had a lot of admissions from those facilities.” Now, about 16 months in, the people coming to Hendry Regional for help have changed. “We haven’t seen a nursing home admission for COVID in months. So all of our COVID admissions are coming from within the community,” Williams said. Submit Copyright ©2025 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.