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.
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.
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.
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.
COVID-19 continues to spread across Southwest Florida. (CREDIT: WINK News) Eighteen COVID-19 patients died at Lee Health on Monday, the highest number of deaths since the start of the pandemic. “We see too many of our friends, neighbors and family members, young people, otherwise healthy people on ventilators, who are dying,” Lee Health CEO Dr. Larry Antonucci said. The patients ranged in age from 24 to 93, according to the hospital system. Only one of the patients who died was fully vaccinated. “The amount of death our community has experienced from COVID-19 is tragic, and with the Delta variant, the coronavirus is spreading quicker and killing more people,” the hospital system said. “Today, we have 92 patients with COVID-19 on ventilators, and we know that many of them will not make it home. Most of these deaths could have been avoided through vaccination.” As of this morning, Lee Health has 626 COVID-19 patients isolated in their hospitals (inpatient). Of these patients, 14 of them are children being treated at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Yesterday, there were 62 new COVID-19 hospital admissions and 60 COVID-19 discharges. 45% of ventilators and 4% of ICU rooms are available for use. There are 92 COVID-19 patients on ventilators and 111 in the intensive care unit. This morning, census was at 99% of staffed operational bed capacity. Since the start of the pandemic, 927 patients have lost their lives at Lee Health hospitals to COVID-19, including 18 yesterday. “Are we tired of hearing all the reasons why the COVID-positive patients won’t get the vaccine?” said Dr. Timothy Dougherty, who is the man in charge of Lee Health’s emergency rooms. “Or listen as they question themselves out loud, should they have gotten it sooner? Yes.” The same is true for Dr. Stephanie Stovall, who specializes in infectious disease. “We absolutely see a difference,” Stovall said. “If you’re vaccinated and you wind up in our hospital, you are not nearly as sick as those unvaccinated people in our hospital. And very few vaccinated people wind up in our hospital.” These three doctors are frustrated, but they want you to know they will not give up. “We are going to keep doing our job,” Stovall said. “That’s what we are here for, but at the same time, we want people to make good choices. There are safe vaccines that can prevent deaths.” “Are we too tired to do our jobs? Absolutely not,” Dougherty said. “We are steadfast and unwavering and our commitment to care for this community’s needs.” The doctors said if you are sick—if you have a true emergency—go to the hospital, and they will take care of you, but the best preventive medicine for COVID-19 is the vaccine. Lee Health offers the vaccine to anyone 12 and older at its walk-in Community Vaccination Clinic from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at Gulf Coast Medical Center.