Largest Lee County land deal closes, $100M for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape CoralMajor 2 vehicle crash shuts down NB lanes of U.S. 41 in Charlotte
Largest Lee County land deal closes, $100M for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral The most lucrative land deal in Lee County history just closed at a price of $100 million for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral, where building up to 3,500 homes and commercial property to support it has been in the planning stages for almost two years.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Major 2 vehicle crash shuts down NB lanes of U.S. 41 in Charlotte After a major traffic accident near Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte County, all Northbound lanes of U.S. 41 were closed.
FORT MYERS Apple AirPods lead LCSO to an arrest ; over $100,000 worth of stolen items recovered Through the use of Apple Airpods, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was able to locate nearly $100,000 worth of stolen items, leading to an arrest.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral officials approve replacement funding for hurricane-damaged stop signs The Cape Coral City Council has approved funding to replace stop signs damaged during Hurricane Milton, resulting in an emergency purchase.
Holiday events happening in Southwest Florida Southwest Florida is embracing the holiday spirit with a variety of festive events this Christmas season.
Collier man accused of supplying fentanyl-laced pills, enough to kill 531,500 people The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of supplying more than 10,000 fentanyl-laced pills disguised as prescription painkillers.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral council supports construction of I-75 interchange into city The Cape Coral City Council has approved a resolution requesting support from Lee and Charlotte counties to prioritize state and federal funding for the Interstate 75 Interchange at Slater Road.
PUNTA GORDA Crews removing derelict boats from Gilchrist Park Crews are working to remove derelict boats from Gilchrist Park after several of them washed ashore during Hurricane Milton in October.
33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County Another Florida panther has been killed by a vehicle, this time in Hardee County, increasing the death toll of the endangered species to 33 for 2024.
the weather authority Cool and breezy for your Thursday afternoon After waking up to a cold morning, the Weather Authority is tracking warming conditions to the low 70s this Thursday.
Police release threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
Largest Lee County land deal closes, $100M for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral The most lucrative land deal in Lee County history just closed at a price of $100 million for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral, where building up to 3,500 homes and commercial property to support it has been in the planning stages for almost two years.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Major 2 vehicle crash shuts down NB lanes of U.S. 41 in Charlotte After a major traffic accident near Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte County, all Northbound lanes of U.S. 41 were closed.
FORT MYERS Apple AirPods lead LCSO to an arrest ; over $100,000 worth of stolen items recovered Through the use of Apple Airpods, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was able to locate nearly $100,000 worth of stolen items, leading to an arrest.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral officials approve replacement funding for hurricane-damaged stop signs The Cape Coral City Council has approved funding to replace stop signs damaged during Hurricane Milton, resulting in an emergency purchase.
Holiday events happening in Southwest Florida Southwest Florida is embracing the holiday spirit with a variety of festive events this Christmas season.
Collier man accused of supplying fentanyl-laced pills, enough to kill 531,500 people The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of supplying more than 10,000 fentanyl-laced pills disguised as prescription painkillers.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral council supports construction of I-75 interchange into city The Cape Coral City Council has approved a resolution requesting support from Lee and Charlotte counties to prioritize state and federal funding for the Interstate 75 Interchange at Slater Road.
PUNTA GORDA Crews removing derelict boats from Gilchrist Park Crews are working to remove derelict boats from Gilchrist Park after several of them washed ashore during Hurricane Milton in October.
33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County Another Florida panther has been killed by a vehicle, this time in Hardee County, increasing the death toll of the endangered species to 33 for 2024.
the weather authority Cool and breezy for your Thursday afternoon After waking up to a cold morning, the Weather Authority is tracking warming conditions to the low 70s this Thursday.
Police release threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
FILE – A group calling for the end of deportations marches in the Dominican Day Parade, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017, in New York. A new report released Monday, May 2, 2022 by Pew Research Center says about 6 million adults in the United States identify as Afro Latino, a distinction with deep roots in colonial Latin America. That’s about 2% of the adult U.S. population and 12% of the adult Latino population in the U.S. Many Hispanic people identify themselves based on their ancestral countries of origin, their Indigenous roots or racial background. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File) About 6 million adults in the United States identify as Afro Latino, a distinction with deep roots in colonial Latin America, according to a new report by Pew Research Center. That’s about 2% of the adult U.S. population and 12% of the country’s adult Latino population. The center released its latest report on Afro Latino identity Monday, revealing the multiple dimensions of Latino identity. Afro Latinos’ life experiences are shaped by factors including race and skin tone in ways that differ from other Hispanics. Most but not all identify as Hispanic or Latino, the survey found. Being Afro Latino is “distinct and exists along a person’s racial identity, national origin and includes or is tied to culture, ancestry and maybe also physical features,” said researcher and report author Ana Gonzalez-Barrera. “But it is much more than just a label and much more than just a race.” The report’s results reflect Latin America’s long colonial history, during which mixing occurred among Indigenous Americans, white Europeans, Asians and enslaved people from Africa. Melissa Dunmore, 32, a writer and poet living in Phoenix, said she embraces both her father’s African and Cherokee roots and the Puerto Rican ancestry from her mother’s side. “I identify mostly as Black, but I also feel close to the island,” said Dunmore, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, but moved with her family to Arizona as a high school student after 9/11. She was excited to discover a restaurant near her Southwest home that serves mofongo, a traditional Puerto Rican dish made with fried plantains. “Outside of class, I grew up mostly speaking Spanish after school and during the summer with my maternal grandparents,” said Dunmore. Now she speaks Spanish to her 5-month-old baby girl, Flora. “I want her to have that as well.” A previous survey published in 2016 showed about one-quarter of all U.S. Latinos self-identify as Afro Latino, Afro Caribbean or of African descent with roots in Latin America. But Gonzalez-Barrera said the results cannot be compared to the more recent report because the previous survey was conducted over the phone, with an interviewer, and the questions were different. Well-known Afro Latinos in the U.S. include actress Rosario Dawson, rapper Cardi B and former professional baseball player David Ortiz, a Dominican American nicknamed “Big Papi.” Many Hispanic people identify themselves based on their ancestral countries of origin, their Indigenous roots or racial background. The survey asked adults whether they self-identify as Afro Latino separate from other questions on race or ethnicity. As a result, the number also varies from U.S. Census Bureau sources, which count Afro Latino as anyone who identifies as Hispanic and Black in a two-step race question. The 2020 census show there are 1.2 million people of all ages that identify as such, much lower than the 6 million estimated in the latest center report. “The thing to consider here is that Afro Latino identity transcends racial identity and cannot be captured by a checkbox-type of question where you mark your ethnicity,” said Gonzalez-Barrera, who has studied Latinos for about 15 years and has worked with Pew Research Center for about 12 years. She identifies as Mexican American and Latina. The survey asked a census-style question about race to display the complexity of identity. Twenty-eight percent of all Afro Latino people selected white as their race, 25% selected Black and 23% selected “some other race.” According to the report, 59% of Afro Latino people who did not identify as Hispanic selected Black as their race, compared to the 17% who did identify as Hispanic. A March 2021 Pew Research Center survey of Latino adults said Afro Latino adults who identify as Hispanic were more likely to say they would be seen as multiracial, mixed-race or Black when walking past them on the street, a concept known as street race. It also said Afro Latino adults who identify as Hispanic were more likely to say their skin color is darker than other Hispanic adults. A complementary report released this week said having darker skin and being born outside the U.S. is associated with an increased chance of experiencing discrimination or unfair treatment from other Latino adults. Still, Hispanic people are just as likely to say they personally experienced discrimination or unfair treatment from someone who is not Hispanic. ___ The estimates of the Afro Latino adult population are based on a survey of 68,398 adults across the U.S. conducted from Nov. 19, 2019, to June 3, 2020. The margin of sampling error for estimates of the Afro Latino adult population is plus or minus 600,000 people. The 2021 survey of 3,375 Hispanic adults was conducted March 15-28 using samples drawn from Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel and Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel, which are designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for the full sample is plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.