Rebuilding the Sanibel Causeway with a causeNo. 2 prospect in MLB Roman Anthony with Red Sox for Spring Training
SANIBEL Rebuilding the Sanibel Causeway with a cause Construction crews are hard at work making the Sanibel Causeway more resilient. The bridge is being fortified to withstand future storms.
LEE COUNTY No. 2 prospect in MLB Roman Anthony with Red Sox for Spring Training Roman Anthony, who is ranked as the second best in baseball, is with the Boston Red Sox for his first Spring Training.
MANASOTA KEY Popular Manasota Key restaurant reopens after storm damage Manasota Key is steadily recovering from a challenging hurricane season, and residents are celebrating the reopening of a beloved local spot.
PINE ISLAND Construction to start on hurricane-proof fire station on Pine Island A new hurricane-proof fire station is coming to Pine Island. The current station, over 40 years old, is in dire need of replacement.
NORTH PORT Braves’ Chris Sale on the mound in southwest Florida once again Spring Training is in full swing for the Atlanta Braves, who’s full squad reported on Tuesday, that means Chris Sale is back in SWFL.
NORTH NAPLES FDOT to hold discussion for upcoming Collier diverging diamond Construction on Southwest Florida’s third diverging diamond interchange is set to begin in March.
Charlotte County homeowners consider elevating homes Recent hurricanes and flooding events prompted some Charlotte County homeowners to either demolish or elevate their homes.
CLEWISTON Clewiston man shoots friend over alleged sexual crime against relative There is new information about a murder in Clewiston earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Bridge design vote aims to improve traffic flow Residents and drivers in Cape Coral have long shared a common frustration: traffic congestion, particularly on Cape Coral Parkway.
Symptoms and treatment for pleurisy, the inflammation of lungs’ lining This winter season in Southwest Florida has been rampant with illness, from flu to viral infections.
Lee county approves major road projects to improve traffic flow, safety The Lee Board of County Commissioners continued its commitment to improving the county’s transportation network.
NAPLES Young bobcat injured by car; rehabilitated, released into Naples A young bobcat has been released back into the wild after recovering from its injuries through the collaborative efforts of several Florida environmental agencies.
Florida house speaker appoints Charlotte County sheriff to state immigration enforcement council Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez has appointed two sheriffs, one of whom is Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, to the state immigration enforcement council.
Man sentenced to 15 years for drug trafficking in SWFL A drug dealer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in Southwest Florida.
Craft supplier Joann to shutter 3 SWFL stores, 500 nationwide The big box craft chain based in Hudson, Ohio, is closing its North Naples store at 6424 Naples Blvd., the Estero store at Coconut Point and the Fort Myers store in South Plaza on Cleveland Avenue.
SANIBEL Rebuilding the Sanibel Causeway with a cause Construction crews are hard at work making the Sanibel Causeway more resilient. The bridge is being fortified to withstand future storms.
LEE COUNTY No. 2 prospect in MLB Roman Anthony with Red Sox for Spring Training Roman Anthony, who is ranked as the second best in baseball, is with the Boston Red Sox for his first Spring Training.
MANASOTA KEY Popular Manasota Key restaurant reopens after storm damage Manasota Key is steadily recovering from a challenging hurricane season, and residents are celebrating the reopening of a beloved local spot.
PINE ISLAND Construction to start on hurricane-proof fire station on Pine Island A new hurricane-proof fire station is coming to Pine Island. The current station, over 40 years old, is in dire need of replacement.
NORTH PORT Braves’ Chris Sale on the mound in southwest Florida once again Spring Training is in full swing for the Atlanta Braves, who’s full squad reported on Tuesday, that means Chris Sale is back in SWFL.
NORTH NAPLES FDOT to hold discussion for upcoming Collier diverging diamond Construction on Southwest Florida’s third diverging diamond interchange is set to begin in March.
Charlotte County homeowners consider elevating homes Recent hurricanes and flooding events prompted some Charlotte County homeowners to either demolish or elevate their homes.
CLEWISTON Clewiston man shoots friend over alleged sexual crime against relative There is new information about a murder in Clewiston earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Bridge design vote aims to improve traffic flow Residents and drivers in Cape Coral have long shared a common frustration: traffic congestion, particularly on Cape Coral Parkway.
Symptoms and treatment for pleurisy, the inflammation of lungs’ lining This winter season in Southwest Florida has been rampant with illness, from flu to viral infections.
Lee county approves major road projects to improve traffic flow, safety The Lee Board of County Commissioners continued its commitment to improving the county’s transportation network.
NAPLES Young bobcat injured by car; rehabilitated, released into Naples A young bobcat has been released back into the wild after recovering from its injuries through the collaborative efforts of several Florida environmental agencies.
Florida house speaker appoints Charlotte County sheriff to state immigration enforcement council Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez has appointed two sheriffs, one of whom is Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, to the state immigration enforcement council.
Man sentenced to 15 years for drug trafficking in SWFL A drug dealer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in Southwest Florida.
Craft supplier Joann to shutter 3 SWFL stores, 500 nationwide The big box craft chain based in Hudson, Ohio, is closing its North Naples store at 6424 Naples Blvd., the Estero store at Coconut Point and the Fort Myers store in South Plaza on Cleveland Avenue.
Credit: MGN Florida lawmakers moved closer to requiring transgender athletes to undergo testosterone or genetic testing — as well as submit to having their genitalia examined — to participate on sports teams in public schools and colleges. The proposal in Florida, approved overwhelmingly Wednesday by the state’s Republican-led House, is part of a continuing national debate over transgender rights, including access to restrooms, locker rooms and other facilities. A companion bill in the Florida’s state Senate awaits another committee hearing. The latest battleground is in the arena of school athletics. Supporters asserted that the measure was about acknowledging biological and scientific differences between males and females, contending that it was about fairness and retaining a level playing field in competitive sports for student athletes born as girls. Allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports diminishes the protections and opportunities guaranteed by Title IX, the 1972 federal doctrine that barred discrimination against women in school programs, including sports, said Republican Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka. “It’s about giving women and girls an even chance to succeed,” said Persons-Mulicka, who had gone to college on a tennis scholarship. The passions that unfolded in Florida’s statehouse marked the latest battle in a national culture war over LGBTQ rights. “You call it policy, and I call this bill about humanity,” Democratic Rep. Michele Rayner said as she wept on the House floor in opposition. “You know the harm, you know the danger.” The Florida proposal mirrors an Idaho law, the first of its kind when enacted last year, that is now mired in legal challenges. If signed into law, the Florida measure would ban transgender women from playing on teams designated for biological females. But critics contend that the proposal is unnecessary and would harm transgender children already struggling with their gender identity. Just weeks ago, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican who may be considering a run for president in 2024, issued a pair of executive orders limiting participation in women’s and girl’s sports teams to biological females. She did so amid pushback from conservative groups decrying her partial veto of a measure sent to her by South Dakota lawmakers. She asked lawmakers to rewrite the bill so it could survive court challenges, but that effort died. In recent weeks, Republican governors in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee signed similar measures into law. Such legislation cropping up across the country prompted the NCAA earlier this week to warn that it could consider discrimination in its decision about where to hold championship contests. “Inclusion and fairness can coexist for all student-athletes, including transgender athletes, at all levels of sport,” the collegiate sports board said in its statement that did not mention any state by name. The NCAA currently requires transgender women to get drug treatment to lower their testosterone levels before they can compete in women’s sports, which is also a policy favored by the International Olympic Committee and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. “When determining where championships are held, NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected,” the organization said. Bill opponents warned of economic consequences, citing potential repercussions as in North Carolina when it plunged into a debate over transgender people’s access to bathrooms. They cited a 2017 Associated Press study that estimated that the state’s so-called “bathroom bill” would cost the state $3.8 billion over a dozen years. A settlement in 2019 prohibited North Carolina from barring transgender people from using bathrooms that conformed to their gender identity. The bill approved by the Florida House would resolve questions about a student athlete’s biological gender by allowing schools to ask the athlete to confirm her reproductive anatomy, which can be done during a routine physical. It could also require the student to undergo genetic testing or have testosterone levels measured.