Neighbors react to deputy-involved shooting of man with machete21st annual Caloosahatchee Celtic Festival underway in Fort Myers
Neighbors react to deputy-involved shooting of man with machete New body camera footage shows the moment Charlotte County deputies opened fire on a man armed with a machete.
FORT MYERS 21st annual Caloosahatchee Celtic Festival underway in Fort Myers The 21st Caloosahatchee Celtic Festival is underway. Despite the colder weather, visitors are enjoying the festivities in Fort Myers.
New video shows alternate angle of I-75 multi-county chase A theft ring in Lee County led to a dramatic car chase involving Paul Fritzson, who allegedly carjacked a couple in Collier County.
Meet the kids benefiting from Naples’ charity wine festival: Kolson’s story The Naples Winter Wine Festival, known as the largest charity wine auction in the world, kicked off on Friday with a focus on benefiting children in Collier County.
Iona Firefighter rescues homeowner from blaze A firefighter bravely rescued a homeowner from a burning house on Whiskey Creek Drive.
LEHIGH ACRES Father and son face off in hoops for the first time Gateway guard Quran Pettyjohn Jr. faced off against his dad, East Lee County head coach Quran Pettyjohn Sr., for the first time Thursday night.
NAPLES School burglars in Collier County make off with guns The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying four people who broke into Golden Gate Middle School and stole guns that were locked in a safe.
NAPLES Local veteran impresses Trump and Stallone with handcrafted flags A local veteran has always had a passion for art. After serving in the military, he found a new mission through his hobby of wood cutting.
FORT MYERS Dunbar High cross-country runner makes history as first girl in state finals A Dunbar High senior is making history. Jennifer Gonzalez is the first girl from the school to reach the state finals in cross country.
NORTH NAPLES Meet the Kids Day! Big dollar donors hear how their money helps Tooday is Meet the Kids Day. People who bid on high-dollar auction items at the Naples Winter Wine Festival get to see who benefits.
CAPE CORAL American Legion Post 90 to hold Four Chaplains ceremony American Legion Post 90 is holding the Four Chaplains ceremony commemorating the sinking of an American troop ship during World War II.
SUV crashes into Hendry County canal Hendry County Sheriff’s Office deputies are investigating after an SUV crashed into a canal in Hendry County.
Falling back on New Year’s resolutions Here we are in the last half of January, but the majority of people who made New Year’s resolutions have already given up.
Charlotte County Sheriff: suspect shot 12 times in Englewood deputy-involved shooting The suspect in a deadly deputy-involved shooting was shot 12 times after deputies fired 17 rounds when the man charged them with a machete.
ESTERO Officials working to get Estero Sports Park on fast track The Estero Village Council is looking to speed up the development of the Estero Sports Park.
Neighbors react to deputy-involved shooting of man with machete New body camera footage shows the moment Charlotte County deputies opened fire on a man armed with a machete.
FORT MYERS 21st annual Caloosahatchee Celtic Festival underway in Fort Myers The 21st Caloosahatchee Celtic Festival is underway. Despite the colder weather, visitors are enjoying the festivities in Fort Myers.
New video shows alternate angle of I-75 multi-county chase A theft ring in Lee County led to a dramatic car chase involving Paul Fritzson, who allegedly carjacked a couple in Collier County.
Meet the kids benefiting from Naples’ charity wine festival: Kolson’s story The Naples Winter Wine Festival, known as the largest charity wine auction in the world, kicked off on Friday with a focus on benefiting children in Collier County.
Iona Firefighter rescues homeowner from blaze A firefighter bravely rescued a homeowner from a burning house on Whiskey Creek Drive.
LEHIGH ACRES Father and son face off in hoops for the first time Gateway guard Quran Pettyjohn Jr. faced off against his dad, East Lee County head coach Quran Pettyjohn Sr., for the first time Thursday night.
NAPLES School burglars in Collier County make off with guns The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying four people who broke into Golden Gate Middle School and stole guns that were locked in a safe.
NAPLES Local veteran impresses Trump and Stallone with handcrafted flags A local veteran has always had a passion for art. After serving in the military, he found a new mission through his hobby of wood cutting.
FORT MYERS Dunbar High cross-country runner makes history as first girl in state finals A Dunbar High senior is making history. Jennifer Gonzalez is the first girl from the school to reach the state finals in cross country.
NORTH NAPLES Meet the Kids Day! Big dollar donors hear how their money helps Tooday is Meet the Kids Day. People who bid on high-dollar auction items at the Naples Winter Wine Festival get to see who benefits.
CAPE CORAL American Legion Post 90 to hold Four Chaplains ceremony American Legion Post 90 is holding the Four Chaplains ceremony commemorating the sinking of an American troop ship during World War II.
SUV crashes into Hendry County canal Hendry County Sheriff’s Office deputies are investigating after an SUV crashed into a canal in Hendry County.
Falling back on New Year’s resolutions Here we are in the last half of January, but the majority of people who made New Year’s resolutions have already given up.
Charlotte County Sheriff: suspect shot 12 times in Englewood deputy-involved shooting The suspect in a deadly deputy-involved shooting was shot 12 times after deputies fired 17 rounds when the man charged them with a machete.
ESTERO Officials working to get Estero Sports Park on fast track The Estero Village Council is looking to speed up the development of the Estero Sports Park.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (Credit: Pool) Touting Florida as a “free state,” Gov. Ron DeSantis gave a State of the State address Tuesday that outlined priorities for the 2022 legislative session — while criticizing the federal government on issues such as the economy and immigration. The 33-minute address formally launched the session, which is expected to be a forum for many of DeSantis’ priorities as he and dozens of Republican lawmakers run for re-election in November. DeSantis largely stuck to priorities that he has outlined in recent weeks, such as providing a $1 billion gas-tax break to motorists, boosting pay and providing bonuses for teachers, revamping elections laws and being a “law and order state.” “We will not allow law enforcement to be defunded, bail to be eliminated, criminals to be prematurely released from prison or prosecutors to ignore the law,” DeSantis said. “The fact is these soft-on-crime policies have been tried in communities throughout the country to disastrous results: Crime has skyrocketed, morale for police officers has plummeted, and the quality of life in some of our cities has been destroyed.” Democrats quickly criticized the governor, saying he is not addressing issues affecting Floridians, ranging from a refusal to expand Medicaid coverage to holding down property-insurance rates. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who is running for governor, said DeSantis showed he was more interested in “political theater” than on addressing kitchen-table issues. “Half of his speech was talking about immigration, talking about what’s happening in Washington, D.C.,” Fried, who was in the House chamber for the speech, told reporters. “There was less focus on the concerns and the issues that are happening every single day in families.” The State of the State address came amid the traditional pomp of the opening of the 60-day legislative session, with House and Senate members meeting jointly in a flower-filled House chamber. DeSantis, flanked by House and Senate leaders, was interrupted repeatedly by applause from GOP lawmakers and the audience in the House gallery. DeSantis, widely considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate, weaved policy issues with red-meat appeals to Republicans. A central theme was freedom, as DeSantis boasted about reopening the state and requiring schools to be open during the COVID-19 pandemic. “While so many around the country have consigned the people’s rights to the graveyard, Florida has stood as freedom’s vanguard,” he said. “In Florida, we have protected the right of our citizens to earn a living, provided our businesses with the ability to prosper, fought back against unconstitutional federal mandates and ensured our kids have the opportunity to thrive.” Without mentioning President Joe Biden by name, DeSantis also took aim at the federal government. For example, he linked his proposed gas-tax break to helping Floridians deal with inflation. “Freedom works. And while our economy is the envy of the nation and our state is well-prepared to guard against future economic turmoil, the truth is that our nation is facing economic problems stemming from reckless federal policies, especially the most sustained Inflation our country has witnessed in decades,” DeSantis said. “The federal government has borrowed and printed unprecedented sums of money, and the bill is coming due.” DeSantis also touted a proposal designed to step up immigration enforcement in the state, while bashing federal policies. “Rather than defend our sovereignty and enforce the border, the federal government has released hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens to communities across the U.S., shipping them to Florida at alarming rates, including by sending clandestine flights in the dark of night,” he said. “Now, as a state, we cannot be party to what is effectively a massive human smuggling operation run by the federal government.” Submit Copyright ©2025 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.