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.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants as they cross the Rio Grande from Mexico, into Del Rio, Texas, Sunday, September 19, 2021. Credit: Felix Marquez / AP The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Monday pledged to “swiftly” conduct an investigation into what it called “extremely troubling” footage of Border Patrol agents on horseback aggressively dispersing Haitian migrants, saying the internal probe could lead to disciplinary actions. “The Department of Homeland Security does not tolerate the abuse of migrants in our custody and we take these allegations very seriously,” a department spokesperson said. “U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating the matter and has alerted the DHS Office of Inspector General.” Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also directed department personnel to deploy to Del Rio, Texas to ensure that border officials there carry out their duties “consistent with applicable policies and training and the Department’s values.” Over the weekend, news outlets captured photos and videos depicting mounted Border Patrol officials herding and chasing migrants who had crossed the Rio Grande near Del Rio, a small border community in southwestern Texas. Some footage showed Border Patrol agents on horseback swinging lariats, a rope used by horse riders, while trying to block the passage of Haitian border-crossers, actions that fueled concerns that agents were whipping or threatening to whip desperate migrants. In one video, a mounted agent is heard telling a migrant who huddled with a group of women and children, “This is why your country’s sh**, because you use your women for this.” The officer repeatedly tried to impede the man’s path. The collection of photos and videos provoked significant uproar. White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the videos “horrific” during a briefing Monday, saying, “I don’t think anyone seeing that footage would think it was acceptable or appropriate.” Congressman Bennie Thompson, the Democratic chair of the House Homeland Security committee, said the mistreatment of Haitian migrants was “disturbing” and contrary to U.S. values. “I call on Secretary Mayorkas to take immediate action to hold those responsible accountable and ensure that all migrants are treated in accordance with the law and basic decency, as this Administration has promised to do since day one,” Thompson said. Advocates for asylum-seekers were also alarmed. “The image of Border Patrol officers on horses chasing black immigrants was horrifying,” said Lee Gelernt, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney who has been leading a lawsuit against the expulsions of migrant families. Migrants wade across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, Texas, to Mexico, to shop for food and supplies before returning back to the US side of the border on Sunday, September 19, 2021. Credit: Felix Marquez / AP In just a matter of days, thousands of migrants, most of them from Haiti, crossed the southern border near Del Rio, overwhelming U.S. border officials and prompting them to establish a makeshift migrant processing encampment underneath an international bridge. The rapid arrival of thousands of migrants, coupled with the emergence of the massive encampment, prompted the Biden administration to surge hundreds of border agents to Del Rio and to announce a blitz of deportation flights to Haiti, a country reeling from political turmoil, widespread insecurity, crippling poverty and a deadly earthquake in August. “This is certainly distinct from the other large movements of migrants that we have observed,” Mayorkas said during a press conference in Del Rio on Monday. Gelernt, the ACLU attorney, expressed concern about the U.S. deporting Haitians, including families with young children, without allowing them to request asylum. The Biden administration has been using a public health authority, colloquially known as Title 42, to “expel” migrants without allowing them to apply for U.S. protection. The policy was first instituted in March 2020, but the Biden administration has kept it, citing the continued spread of the coronavirus and a 21-year high in migrant apprehensions. Last week, the ACLU convinced a judge to bar the government from using Title 42 to expel families with children. But the judge paused his order through September and the Biden administration has appealed it. “The situation of Haitian families at the Del Rio bridge is dramatically illustrating what has thus far been largely out of sight, which is that the Biden administration has not in fact distanced itself on asylum policy from the Trump administration,” Gelernt told CBS News.