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.
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
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.
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.
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.
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
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.
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.
Ryan Crouser, of United States, celebrates after winning the final of the men’s shot put at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Ryan Crouser wrote the note and brought it to the stadium just in case. “Grandpa. We did it. 2020 Olympic champion!” it said. The world’s best shot putter had a feeling he’d win. After he did just that on Thursday, he pulled out that piece of paper and showed it to the world. Crouser’s second straight Olympic gold medal was a tribute to his grandfather, Larry, who died shortly before Crouser left for Tokyo. “To lose him the week before the Olympics was obviously sad,” Crouser said. “But I feel like he was able to be here in spirit.” It was years ago in Larry Crouser’s backyard that Ryan attempted his first toss with the heavy metal ball that would shape his life. What a journey it produced. Crouser has seen the world thanks to that shot put. Dominated it, too. He set the world record earlier this summer at the Olympic trials. On Thursday, he raised his own Olympic record as well, to 23.30 meters (76 feet, 5½ inches). He earned the first track and field gold medal for the American men at the Tokyo Games, coming later than anyone expected — on Day 7 of the meet. It was too late for his grandpa to see it, though Crouser and his family have a feeling he knows. “The same time that you’re cheering the most fantastic thing, there’s just that little bit of, ‘I wish grandpa was here,’” said Ryan’s mom, Lisa, while celebrating at a watch party back in Redmond, Oregon. “You know he’s watching.” On Crouser’s big day, U.S. teammate Joe Kovacs finished second and Tomas Walsh of New Zealand was third. That was the exact same podium as five years ago at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. It marks the first time in any Olympic individual track and field event that there’s been a repeat podium in back-to-back Summer Games — the same three athletes in the exact same positions, according to Olympic historian Bill Mallon. “We just keep pushing each other,” said Kovacs, the 2019 world champion whose farthest toss was 22.65. Crouser’s childhood throws in his grandfather’s backyard were unpredictable at times. Once, he lobbed one through the top of the garden shed. “I went back the next day and replaced that,” Crouser said. Time marched on. Eventually, Larry Crouser lost his hearing. Ryan started writing notes. “They had a letter correspondence going back and forth,” his mother explained. The last one might have been the most important. Crouser put pen to paper in his room a few days ago to calm his nerves. Not so much about the event — he wasn’t nervous — but about possibly testing positive for the coronavirus. The positive test that knocked pole vaulter Sam Kendricks out of the Olympics rattled him. Even for the world record-holder and defending champion, the note was something of a leap of faith. But Crouser figured that, at worst, no one would ever find out about it. Turns out, he was spot-on. After the win, he proudly displayed it as he paraded around in his cowboy hat. Crouser’s grandpa was alive June 18 to see him break a 31-year-old world record at the U.S. Olympic trials. “He watched that throw on the iPad, thousands and thousands of times,” Crouser said. “He’s been my biggest fan.” The note he wrote after that one was simple: “World-record holder.” Asked how far that throw might have gone at his grandfather’s place, Crouser laughed and said: “It would have been into the neighbor’s yard. I don’t know if it would have hit a building, maybe a house.” On a steamy day in Tokyo, Crouser clapped his hands after his final attempt — sending chalk dust into the air. Later, he went over and shared a hug and a handshake with his father, Mitch, who serves as his coach. This win, though, was for Grandpa Larry. “He always told me to stop and enjoy the moment,” Crouser said. “He knows for me, I’m always super goal-oriented and looking long term. His thing that he always told me was to stop and smell the roses.” ___ AP video journalist Manuel Valdes contributed to this report from Redmond, Oregon.