Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot LakeThe story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
PUNTA GORDA Cracking down on vapes in Charlotte County schools Vaping is taking over, and that’s why three Charlotte County High schools are testing out vape sensors.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
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.
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
PUNTA GORDA Cracking down on vapes in Charlotte County schools Vaping is taking over, and that’s why three Charlotte County High schools are testing out vape sensors.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
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.
The cost of caring for your kids is anything but affordable for many families, and the pandemic made the nation’s already troubled child care system even worse. Around the country, surveys show 56% of child care providers say they’re losing money every day they stay open and 46% of parents say their current child care situation isn’t sustainable long-term. But new funding through the American Rescue Plan is supposed to bring the industry back, and those in and out of the business say they need the help now more than ever. Rachelle Kennedy, owner of Rainforest Academy in Fort Myers, says being a mom comes first. “I don’t operate this as a business, I operate this as a parent, and what I would want my children to go to,” she said. Long before she opened the center this year, she had to do a lot on her own as a single mom. She said she wanted to stay home with her daughter, but she had to work to put food on the table. “I could hardly afford childcare. But I put my daughter in a center due to price. I could afford it,” Kennedy said. “And it was a really poor experience, I pulled her out after about three weeks.” Now she calls Rainforest Academy her dream come true. She said she was inspired by two people: her grandmother, who used to own a child care center in Arcadia, and another woman who brought Kennedy’s daughter into her center when she needed it most. “Her name was Miss Gloria, the director, and I sat in her office and I just cried. And just like, I need her to come here,” Kennedy said. Kennedy said she’s seen all sides of the business, and she knows both providers and families need assistance. “We need resources, we need funding. We need support from our local DCF,” Kennedy said. “Parents need all the help they can get.” It’s a vicious cycle: care is an expensive operation that many families who need it can’t afford. According to a 2019 study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, only one out of every six kids eligible for child care assistance actually receives it. Overall, about half of American families with young children don’t have access to licensed child care, living in what’s called a child care desert, according to a 2018 study by the Center for American Progress. That’s all before the pandemic. “No matter what your income level is, it’s still a chunk of change. It’s almost a mortgage payment for some people,” Kennedy said. This year, President Joe Biden approved the American Rescue Plan. It includes $39 billion, in part to help families better afford childcare through Head Start and help providers cover expenses like payroll, rent and cleaning supplies. Plus, families got a boost in their child tax credit. Dr. Elizabeth Elliott, who runs the Little Eagles Learning Center and teaches early childhood education at FGCU, said she thinks the plan will help bring the industry back to where it was pre-pandemic, but it won’t solve all the issues it already had then. She says in this business it’s particularly hard to find qualified help, considering most child care workers are paid less than public school teachers. “If we charge enough to pay our teachers what they are worth, we charge ourselves out of business,” Elliott said. She calls the American Rescue Plan a step in the right direction. “Is there more work to do, yes, but I do think it is very valuable and I do think it is going to help our industry continue to come back,” Elliot said. As an industry so necessary to keep the country working, both Elliott and Kennedy think child care should be a public resource and funded that way. “Families cannot sustain themselves, care for a child, and have a job at the same time,” Elliott said. With that in mind, Kennedy says she does everything she can to keep costs low for her parents. In fact, as own and director of Rainforest Academy, she doesn’t collect paycheck in order to save money for things she considers to be more important. “Remember the magic school bus?” Kennedy said. “That’s what I want to be like. That teacher. I want the kids to want to be here and have fun.” Federally the issue of funding child care is largely bi-partisan. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have included dedicated child care relief in every stimulus bill since the beginning of the pandemic. But some critics of Biden’s plan cite too much spending in the wrong ways. On Monday, the White House told WINK News: “The Administration sent Florida its allocation of the $39 billion to address the child care crisis caused by COVID-19. The state received $2,473,487,137. Guidance is going out today on $1,523,107,778 of that funding, so that the state can immediately start sending it to providers and help them reopen to stay open and provide safe and healthy environments for children so parents who need to work can return to their job.” Read that guidance here.