Family of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s DegreeLCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property
Family of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree Saturday marked a special day for Florida Gulf Coast University as more than 1,800 students graduated. For one student-athlete, graduating from FGCU runs in the family.
lehigh acres LCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
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.
Family of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree Saturday marked a special day for Florida Gulf Coast University as more than 1,800 students graduated. For one student-athlete, graduating from FGCU runs in the family.
lehigh acres LCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
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.
Woman shopping at a Lee County Target on Nov.. 4, 2019. (Credit: WINK News) Target is joining some of the nation’s largest retailers in changing its mask policies in parts of the U.S. facing another wave of COVID-19 infections linked to the so-called Delta variant. Minneapolis-based Target said Monday that, starting August 3, it will require all store workers in counties that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says faces a “substantial or high risk of transmission” to wear face coverings. The big-box retailer, which has more than 1,900 stores, also said it will continue recommending that customers wear masks in its locations, but stopped short of requiring face coverings. “We’ll follow all local mandates, as we have throughout the pandemic, and continue to monitor guidance from the CDC closely,” Target said in a notice posted on its website. “We will also maintain all of our health and safety protocols that include increased cleaning measures and social distancing.” Kroger, the biggest U.S. grocery chain, and Walmart altered their COVID-19 policies last week. Kroger is now “strongly” encouraging all individuals, including those who are vaccinated, to wear a mask when in its stores and facilities, the Cincinnati, Ohio-based supermarket operator said Friday, citing the latest CDC guidance. Previously, Kroger had required unvaccinated employees to wear masks and requested that unvaccinated shoppers do the same. “We will continue to abide by all state and local mandates and encourage all Americans to get vaccinated, including our associates,” the company said in an emailed statement. Kroger, the nation’s largest grocer, operates nearly 2,800 stores in 35 states. Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart said it will require all its workers — including vaccinated ones — to wear masks in areas with high COVID-19 infection rates. The country’s largest retailer also is encouraging its customers to wear masks in stores in areas with high infection rates from the Delta variant of the coronavirus, and will be adding back signs at entrances announcing its latest policies, according to a memo supplied by Walmart that was sent to its employees Friday. Walmart will also bring back its “health ambassadors” who will be positioned at the entrances and hand out masks to customers. Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, said Sunday that Americans who remain unvaccinated against the coronavirus are “propagating” the latest outbreak of cases of the highly contagious Delta variant. “We have 100 million people in this country … who are eligible to be vaccinated, who are not vaccinated,” Fauci said in an interview with “Face the Nation.” “We’ve really got to get those people to change their minds, make it easy for them, convince them, do something to get them to be vaccinated because they are the ones that are propagating this outbreak,” Fauci said. Walmart: Vaccination mandate On Friday, Walmart said it will require that all home office workers as well as management-level staff members who travel within the U.S. be vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 4 as part of a series of sweeping measures it announced to help curb the spread of the virus and drive more of its workers to get the shot in the arm. The vaccine mandate excludes frontline workers, who the company says have a lower vaccination rate than management. But it’s hoping that management will serve as an inspiration for its workers. The company, which employs 1.5 million people at more than 4,700 stores across the U.S., is also doubling to $150 its incentive for workers in its Walmart stores, Sam’s Club operations and transportation, distribution and fulfillment centers. Those who already received the $75 incentive will receive another $75 in their paycheck dated August 19. The moves come three days after the CDC changed course on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the Delta variant is fueling infection surges. Wherever Delta variant dominates The Delta variant is overwhelmingly the dominant strain across the country, according to CDC data. It now accounts for “83% of sequenced cases” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a July 20 hearing before the Senate. The highly contagious strain has also shut down Hollywood movie productions and return-to-office plans for tech companies like Twitter. “We continue to watch with deep concern the developments of the pandemic and the spread of variants, especially the [Delta] variant,” Donna Morris, Walmart’s chief people officer, wrote in the memo circulated to employees. “We know vaccinations are our solution to drive change. We are urging you to get vaccinated and want to see many more of you vaccinated.” Scott Pope, a Walmart spokesman, declined to comment on the percentage of Walmart workers who are vaccinated but told the Associated Press the retailer has seen a “positive response” to the first incentive and is anticipating the new incentive will drive a similar response from workers. Walmart said it is also implementing a new process for verification of vaccine status for U.S. workers. It says it will share those details in the future. Publix reverses masking rule, too The 1,200-store grocery chain Publix also joined the growing masks-up crowd on Friday when it announced that all store employees, vaccinated or not, must “wear face coverings over their noses and mouths while inside any Publix location” starting August 2. Publix is one of the most prominent brand-name grocers in the U.S. Southeast, with more than 800 stores alone in Florida, a state where the Delta variant has been spreading quickly. “Customers and associates should remain physically distanced from others inside any Publix store,” the company’s statement said. “We encourage all to do their part to slow the spread of COVID-19.”