SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
Hurricane season is one month away The outlook for the 2024 Hurricane Season is for it be active, potentially even hyperactive.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead after crash on SR 31 and Busbee Rd. in North Fort Myers At around noon Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol said a PT Cruiser and a car hauler collided on State Road 31 and Busbee Road, near the Lee/Charlotte County line.
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for molesting Lee County child A Florida man will spend the next 25 years in prison for molesting a child in Lee County.
LEHIGH ACRES Man accused of using stolen credit card from car burglary at Lehigh Acres CVS Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man who allegedly used a stolen credit card at the CVS in Lehigh Acres.
ARCADIA Family of flea market murder victim struggles to find closure The family of a woman who was murdered at an Arcadia flea market continues to seek justice as the accused killer awaits trial.
NAPLES Naples man accused of possessing child porn After an investigation, a Naples man has been arrested after allegedly having child pornography in his home.
CAPE CORAL Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released New details have been released about the arrest of a Cape Coral volunteer softball coach accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
Hurricane season is one month away The outlook for the 2024 Hurricane Season is for it be active, potentially even hyperactive.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead after crash on SR 31 and Busbee Rd. in North Fort Myers At around noon Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol said a PT Cruiser and a car hauler collided on State Road 31 and Busbee Road, near the Lee/Charlotte County line.
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for molesting Lee County child A Florida man will spend the next 25 years in prison for molesting a child in Lee County.
LEHIGH ACRES Man accused of using stolen credit card from car burglary at Lehigh Acres CVS Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man who allegedly used a stolen credit card at the CVS in Lehigh Acres.
ARCADIA Family of flea market murder victim struggles to find closure The family of a woman who was murdered at an Arcadia flea market continues to seek justice as the accused killer awaits trial.
NAPLES Naples man accused of possessing child porn After an investigation, a Naples man has been arrested after allegedly having child pornography in his home.
CAPE CORAL Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released New details have been released about the arrest of a Cape Coral volunteer softball coach accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
Zak Khogyani and his family fled Afghanistan. But he eventually moved to the U.S. and fulfilled his dream of becoming a pilot. Courtesy of United Airlines Growing up, Zak Khogyani always loved airplanes. He says his grandfather, who learned to fly in 1924, was one of the first pilots in Afghanistan and influenced his fascination with flight. Khogyani loved building model airplanes and watching them from afar. “Whenever we flew, my parents would say I would vanish mid-flight. I’d be going and checking out the galley, the lavatories, talking to the flight attendants,” he told CBS News. Sometimes, he’d even end up in the cockpit, hanging out with the pilots for as long as they’d let him. But before he reached his goal of becoming a pilot, Khogyani and his family had to flee Afghanistan. His father was a politician, and a target of the Soviets during their invasion of the country in the 1970s. The family faced many obstacles in trying to leave the country. “They allowed us to get on a fight and we flew to Tehran and when we got to Iran, my father met us there. And that’s the first time my brother and I found out we’d never be able to go back,” Khogyani said, tearing up at the thought of leaving his home. The family eventually made their way to the United States and Khogyani had a family of his own – and fulfilled his dream of becoming a pilot. He now lives in Phoenix and has flown for 27 years – more than half of those with United Airlines. He says he loves experiencing new places and meeting new people. “And it’s not lost on me the tremendous responsibility of flying people from A to B,” he said. “Reuniting families, reuniting couples, you know, bringing meetings together, it truly makes the world a much smaller place.” In the summer of 2021, Khogyani got to take some life-changing flights. When Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, United Airlines helped fly refugees to the U.S. “We all watched the news as the situation in Afghanistan was unraveling and I heard the Department of Defense might trigger the CRAF flying,” Khogyani said, referring to the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, which helps the Department of Defense with airlifts in emergencies. “I knew I had to do something.” “I was in a very unique position where I thought maybe I could make a difference whether big or small. And I couldn’t just simply sit on the couch and watch it happen without doing something to help the situation,” he continued. United was able to fly 8,500 passengers on at least 30 international and 30 domestic flights, a spokesperson for the airline told CBS News. Khogyani was on three round-trip flights – sometimes in the cockpit, sometimes in the cabin, translating for people. “For many, many of them this was their first time on a passenger aircraft, so there was a lot of unfamiliarity, there was a language barrier,” he said. “Not to mention the emotional aspects they were experiencing.” Khogyani knows what it is like to flee your home and he had the opportunity to relate to the refugees on the humanitarian mission. CRAF at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, VA. August 26, 2021. Khogyani helped on three round trip flights from Afghanistan to the U.S.Chris Kleponis via United Airlines. “Many individuals came up to me. First of all, they were maybe amused that someone in a pilot uniform spoke their language and was from Afghanistan. But the overwhelming thing that they conveyed was that one, that they were very proud of me, which was very humbling,” he said, getting emotional again. “And also that I gave them a lot of hope to see that someone who left under similar circumstance and had overcome similar obstacles…and succeeded in life.” Khogyani said he was glad he could comfort the refugees, many of whom left with nothing but the clothing on their backs. “It became very evident that they needed everything,” he said, adding 8,000 volunteers from the airline helped donate goods. “By the second flight, we had pacifiers on board, baby bottles, formula, diapers,” he said. “By the third flight we had nurses on board, we had paramedics on board, to meet all their needs.” Khogyani also said individual crew members brought bags of candy with them, and toys for the kids on board. “To walk to the aft galley to just check to see how things are going and to see five little girls sitting on the galley floor and flight attendants braiding their hair is a moment I will never forget,” he said.