16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier CountyNew bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
Credit: WINK News. Widespread problems are coming from Florida Department of Economic Opportunity as people continue to battle the unemployment system. The state promised things were getting better, since the pandemic overwhelmed the website and kept people from their payments. It might feel like a broken record at this point, but the question remains: How is this still happening? In an email, a woman wrote us she tried to log on to the website hundreds of times and never got on. Another woman we spoke to told us she’s missing 17 weeks of backpay. Countless people have reached out to us saying they’re waiting hours on the phone for help only to be hung up on. They say the website won’t stop crashing, causing them to have to wait in the queue, start all over and delay their benefits. Sandra Wurm is grateful to be back to work now, but she says she needs that backpay to catch up on her bills. “This is overwhelming. I was so scared I was gonna end up living out of my car,” Wurm said. “I want my money that is due me. I paid into that. That was what that was for. For in case something like this was to happen.” Keep in mind, the department just received nearly $100 million in funding to make improvements that DEO says it’s been making since last year. We asked DEO and the governor for concrete answers about how and when these issues will end. The governor’s office responded and told us to contact DEO, and the department said it’s doing its best. Below is the full response from the Department of Economic Opportunity: Hi Sara, Thanks again for reaching out. You may view the number of unique claims received each day through the Reemployment Assistance Dashboard, here. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department has worked diligently to modernize the CONNECT system to process claims more efficiently. You can see the timeline of events and technology expansions in the presentations Secretary Eagle presented in front of both the House and Senate committees, here. This past Legislative session, the Department received $92.4 million in state and federal funds as part of the state’s 2021-2022 budget for continued operations and to continue modernizing the state’s unemployment system. This funding will allow DEO to provide a more user-friendly experience for claimants applying for Reemployment Assistance benefits, as well as hire an additional 435Reemployment Assistance staff members to assist with call center support and processing claims. However, fully enhancing the overall Reemployment Assistance system involves detailed coordination, discussion, and processes that take time. The Department has been and remains committed to this improvement for a more efficient program for all Floridians. Currently, the Department has more than 1,300 Reemployment Assistance staff working to make sure all eligible claimants are paid the benefits they are owed as quickly as possible. Utilizing internal DEO employees, instead of contracted call center staff, will allow these employees to better assist claimants with any issues. Regarding work-search issues, if the claimant was unable to enter their required weekly work searches in CONNECT, the Department will provide direct communication to the claimant with directions to complete the required work searches. Once the claimant receives the communication with their Issue ID, they will be able to provide their weekly work searches through the Work Search Form found in the Reemployment Assistance Help Center. Claimants can also access their Issue ID in CONNECT. For more information about how to locate an Issue ID or guidance on completing the Work Search Form, click here. If claimants already verified their identity with ID.me and their CONNECT account remains locked, claimants now have the ability to notify the Department. Claimants may visit the Reemployment Assistance Help Center to notify the Department that their Reemployment Assistance claim is locked. In the Reemployment Assistance Help Center, claimants should select “I am a Claimant,” and then select “Account Login Assistance,” then select the next series of options that match their login issue to notify the Department. The Department remains committed to making sure all eligible claimants are paid the benefits that they are owed. If you are aware of any other issues claimants may be experiencing, please let us know.