ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
An image of smoke billowing from Lee County Jail complex on Ortiz Avenue in Fort Myers Wednesday, May 20, 2021. It was determined to be an electrical fire that started on the rooftop of the jail. Credit: Fort Myers Fire Department. The NAACP Executive Committee, along with Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, held a press conference regarding a fire emergency and incident that happened Monday at the Lee County Jail Core Facility, 2501 Ortiz Avenue. The Lee County NAACP has requested Sheriff Carmine Marceno to join the news conference. After reports of poor conditions by inmates and families of inmates, the NAACP requested a walkthrough tour of the facility, which was granted by the sheriff. Inmates also claim that excessive force was used. NAACP President James Muwakkil said, “When doing the walkthrough, they were very thorough in pointing out everything. We went to where the fire started on the top of the roof. We went to the different floors where the inmates were being housed … There was no excessive force.” He went on to add that no one was denied medical attention or denied use of the phone. Muwakkil said while seeing inmates in the common area during the tour, no inmates said their rights were violated. They are confident the sheriff’s office did everything it could to keep inmates from the fire and smoke. But the families of the inmates were disturbed after the roof of the Lee County jail caught fire on Wednesday evening. Muwkkil says many of those families contacted him. “Probably like maybe, a couple of dozen,” Muwakkil said. All of them were anxious to hear that their loved ones were okay. Muwakkil says incarcerated or not, you deserve care. “One of the things you never lose, whether you’re incarcerated or not, is the right to healthcare,” Muwakkil said. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office actually encouraged the NAACP to request that tour and ask questions about what happened when those fire alarms went off. Sheriff Carmine Marceno said, “Deputies began moving inmates to a secure recreation yard obviously out of the way of any kind of harm and that was done immediately.” Sheriff Marceno says, within one hour they were able to relocate 268 inmates and provided medical treatment to those in need. Two inmates and two officers were treated for smoke inhalation at the hospital and quickly released. The sheriff credits the fire drills that are conducted quarterly for an orderly evacuation. The NAACP wants to reassure families about what they saw with their own eyes and what they heard for themselves, that their loved ones are okay. A few of the families say while it is good news that their loved ones are safe, some say they still haven’t heard from their loved ones inside the jail since the fire happened. President Muwakkil says there’s no reason to worry. “No reason for concern at all. We want to make sure we’re very clear no inmates ran to the windows trying to get our attention, regarding any type of violation of the rights of their physical bodies or their health,” Muwakkil said. MORE: 2 inmates, 2 deputies evaluated after fire on Lee County Jail rooftop Watch below or click here.