NAPLES Veterans hit the water in Naples Every September, a local group of captains and anglers hosts an event to take soldiers on the water. More than 130 troops and 65 captains were at the Naples Take a Soldier Fishing event.
Collier County teachers reach contract agreement Collier County teachers have come to an agreement with the school district in their contract negotiations.
NORTH PORT North Port Police searching for man who struck officer with car The North Port Police Department is on the search for a man who committed battery on an officer, among other charges.
FORT MYERS Victim of childhood sexual abuse speaks out after abuser receives 3 life sentences A survivor of childhood sexual abuse finally feels free after her abuser receives three life sentences.
No bond for Tice man accused of kidnaping and sexual assault A man accused of kidnapping and sexual assault will be held without bond.
CAPE CORAL 13th annual 239 Fest to showcase 16 local punk, ska and reggae bands The 13th edition of 239 Fest is coming next month and will feature 16 local punk, ska and reggae bands.
FORT MYERS BEACH Witnesses react to boat getting stuck under Matanzas Pass Bridge While the boat has since gotten out from underneath the bridge, it’s raised some questions about safety for onlookers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Splash the otter, the unlikely hero bringing families closure Mike Hadsell has trained many animals in his lifetime, but the newest member of Peace River K9 Search and Rescue dive team, Splash the Asian small-clawed otter, is a first, even for him.
FORT MYERS Scrolling on your cell phone may be bad for your health; FGCU professor weighs in Scrolling through your phone might seem like a fun way to pass the time, but new research shows it can actually make you feel even more bored and unhappy.
WEST PALM BEACH DeSantis launches investigation into 2nd assassination attempt on Trump Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he will personally oversee the investigation into the second assassination attempt on former President Trump.
FHP reveals details behind crash that killed 4 young people A mangled car is all that remains from a crash that took the lives of four young people.
FORT MYERS 2 fires in 24 hours displace families in Fort Myers Two vicious fires left families’ homes and lives in ruins. Now, we are learning what help they are getting until their lives can be put back together.
Trump assassination attempt suspect removed serial number from gun Law enforcement is holding a press conference on the attempt of former President Donald Trump’s life at his West Palm Beach golf course.
FORT MYERS BEACH Matanzas Pass Bridge reopens after boat crashes into it, closing it for hours The Matanzas Pass Bridge has reopened to traffic after it was shut down for hours when a boat crashed into it.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island Bridge in Matlacha to temporarily close The Florida Department of Transportation has announced the temporary closure of the Little Pine Island Bridge.
NAPLES Veterans hit the water in Naples Every September, a local group of captains and anglers hosts an event to take soldiers on the water. More than 130 troops and 65 captains were at the Naples Take a Soldier Fishing event.
Collier County teachers reach contract agreement Collier County teachers have come to an agreement with the school district in their contract negotiations.
NORTH PORT North Port Police searching for man who struck officer with car The North Port Police Department is on the search for a man who committed battery on an officer, among other charges.
FORT MYERS Victim of childhood sexual abuse speaks out after abuser receives 3 life sentences A survivor of childhood sexual abuse finally feels free after her abuser receives three life sentences.
No bond for Tice man accused of kidnaping and sexual assault A man accused of kidnapping and sexual assault will be held without bond.
CAPE CORAL 13th annual 239 Fest to showcase 16 local punk, ska and reggae bands The 13th edition of 239 Fest is coming next month and will feature 16 local punk, ska and reggae bands.
FORT MYERS BEACH Witnesses react to boat getting stuck under Matanzas Pass Bridge While the boat has since gotten out from underneath the bridge, it’s raised some questions about safety for onlookers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Splash the otter, the unlikely hero bringing families closure Mike Hadsell has trained many animals in his lifetime, but the newest member of Peace River K9 Search and Rescue dive team, Splash the Asian small-clawed otter, is a first, even for him.
FORT MYERS Scrolling on your cell phone may be bad for your health; FGCU professor weighs in Scrolling through your phone might seem like a fun way to pass the time, but new research shows it can actually make you feel even more bored and unhappy.
WEST PALM BEACH DeSantis launches investigation into 2nd assassination attempt on Trump Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he will personally oversee the investigation into the second assassination attempt on former President Trump.
FHP reveals details behind crash that killed 4 young people A mangled car is all that remains from a crash that took the lives of four young people.
FORT MYERS 2 fires in 24 hours displace families in Fort Myers Two vicious fires left families’ homes and lives in ruins. Now, we are learning what help they are getting until their lives can be put back together.
Trump assassination attempt suspect removed serial number from gun Law enforcement is holding a press conference on the attempt of former President Donald Trump’s life at his West Palm Beach golf course.
FORT MYERS BEACH Matanzas Pass Bridge reopens after boat crashes into it, closing it for hours The Matanzas Pass Bridge has reopened to traffic after it was shut down for hours when a boat crashed into it.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island Bridge in Matlacha to temporarily close The Florida Department of Transportation has announced the temporary closure of the Little Pine Island Bridge.
Attorney General Merrick Garland on September 9, 2021. J. Scott Applewhite / AP Thousands of federal inmates may be allowed to continue serving their sentences at home after the coronavirus pandemic comes to an end, the Justice Department announced Tuesday. The decision reverses a Trump-era decision that would have required the Bureau of Prisons to re-imprison the inmates. Now, more than 7,700 inmates will be able to remain on home confinement under the bureau’s control. “BOP’s interpretation avoids requiring the agency to disrupt the community connections these prisoners have developed in aid of their eventual reentry,” Christopher Schroeder, the assistant attorney general in the department’s Office of Legal Counsel, wrote in a new 15-page opinion. “Instead, it allows the agency to use its expertise to recall prisoners only where penologically justified, and avoids a blanket, one-size-fits-all policy.” In total, over 36,000 inmates have been released into home confinement since March 2020, many of whom have either completed their sentences or been sent back to prison for particular violations. The bureau’s rules still apply to inmates on home confinement: any violation or crime would land them back in prison. “Thousands of people on home confinement have reconnected with their families, have found gainful employment, and have followed the rules,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “In light of today’s Office of Legal Counsel opinion, I have directed that the Department engage in a rulemaking process to ensure that the Department lives up to the letter and the spirit of the CARES Act.” Garland added, “we will exercise our authority so that those who have made rehabilitative progress and complied with the conditions of home confinement, and who in the interests of justice should be given an opportunity to continue transitioning back to society, are not unnecessarily returned to prison.” In March 2020, former President Trump signed the CARES Act into law in response to the pandemic, which, among other things, expanded the Bureau of Prison’s ability to place more inmates on home confinement. The Trump administration under Attorney General William Barr released minimum-security inmates without prior violent offenses and no disciplinary issues while in prison. In April 2021, the Biden administration loosened the program’s criteria, allowing prison wardens to refer inmates for home supervision. Prison and criminal justice reform advocates, like the group Families Against Mandatory Minimums, have pushed for home confinement to continue after the pandemic. “There is no way the people on CARES Act home confinement should have been sent back to prison, and we are very grateful to the Biden administration for fixing this mistake,” FAMM President Kevin Ring said. “We hope clemency remains on the table for those who no longer warrant home confinement. But for now, today’s decision will ease a lot of concerns and fears.” Robert Legare contributed to this report.