Final streets need debris cleanup on Fort Myers ShoresPunta Gorda man actively searches for missing service dog
FORT MYERS SHORES Final streets need debris cleanup on Fort Myers Shores There’s not a lot, but some piles of storm debris left after Hurricane Milton are still on the side of the road in Fort Myers Shores.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda man actively searches for missing service dog A Punta Gorda man who lost almost everything following hurricanes Milton and Helene is now searching for his missing service dog.
Army veteran to honor fallen soldiers during Veterans Day weekend A local retired Army staff sergeant was one of just four selected to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Virginia.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Ward 4 candidate will not receive vote recount In the race for Fort Myers city council, Cindy Banyai lost the Ward 4 race to incumbent Liston Bochette.
Ron DeSantis: An unexpected winner in Florida’s 2024 elections There were a lot of winners on election night, but the biggest winner was a man who wasn’t even on the ballot: Ron Desantis.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers attorney named one of Gulfshore Life’s Men of the Year Fort Myers attorney Joe North has been named one of the Gulf Shore Life’s Men of the Year.
Veterans Day to impact weekend traffic in SWFL Veterans Day is on Monday; however, traffic impacts due to road closures are expected to be felt as soon as Saturday.
Enrollment opens for ranchers to join Florida Panther Ecosystem pilot program The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is launching the Florida Panther Payment for Ecosystem Services pilot program for ranchers.
New experimental treatment for Parkinson’s may help alleviate tremors Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder impacting millions of Americans; however, a new treatment may help alleviate some of its symptoms.
WASHINGTON (AP) Racist text messages referencing slavery raise alarms in multiple states including Florida Racist text messages invoking slavery raised alarm across the country this week after they were sent to Black men, women, and students, including middle schoolers, prompting inquiries by the FBI and other agencies.
FORT MYERS 10th annual Fair at Fenway to make its return to JetBlue Park A familiar favorite is set to make a return to Southwest Florida as the 10th annual Fair at Fenway in JetBlue Park.
2 Punta Gorda women face grand jury indictments for death involving meth Two Punta Gorda women have been accused of distributing meth causing death after being indicted by the Charlotte County Grand Jury.
CAPE CORAL Worker transported in Cape Coral after suffering ‘medical episode’ in bucket truck A worker on the lift of a bucket truck had to be transported to the hospital after suffering some sort of “medical episode” while in the lift said police.
FEMA’s Operation Blue Roof deadline approaching soon in Charlotte County The deadline for FEMA’s Operation Blue Roof is rapidly approaching for Charlotte County residents affected by Hurricane Milton.
FDA proposes to remove ingredient in medications The Food & Drug Administration proposes removing one ingredient after new data shows it is less effective than listed.
FORT MYERS SHORES Final streets need debris cleanup on Fort Myers Shores There’s not a lot, but some piles of storm debris left after Hurricane Milton are still on the side of the road in Fort Myers Shores.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda man actively searches for missing service dog A Punta Gorda man who lost almost everything following hurricanes Milton and Helene is now searching for his missing service dog.
Army veteran to honor fallen soldiers during Veterans Day weekend A local retired Army staff sergeant was one of just four selected to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Virginia.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Ward 4 candidate will not receive vote recount In the race for Fort Myers city council, Cindy Banyai lost the Ward 4 race to incumbent Liston Bochette.
Ron DeSantis: An unexpected winner in Florida’s 2024 elections There were a lot of winners on election night, but the biggest winner was a man who wasn’t even on the ballot: Ron Desantis.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers attorney named one of Gulfshore Life’s Men of the Year Fort Myers attorney Joe North has been named one of the Gulf Shore Life’s Men of the Year.
Veterans Day to impact weekend traffic in SWFL Veterans Day is on Monday; however, traffic impacts due to road closures are expected to be felt as soon as Saturday.
Enrollment opens for ranchers to join Florida Panther Ecosystem pilot program The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is launching the Florida Panther Payment for Ecosystem Services pilot program for ranchers.
New experimental treatment for Parkinson’s may help alleviate tremors Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder impacting millions of Americans; however, a new treatment may help alleviate some of its symptoms.
WASHINGTON (AP) Racist text messages referencing slavery raise alarms in multiple states including Florida Racist text messages invoking slavery raised alarm across the country this week after they were sent to Black men, women, and students, including middle schoolers, prompting inquiries by the FBI and other agencies.
FORT MYERS 10th annual Fair at Fenway to make its return to JetBlue Park A familiar favorite is set to make a return to Southwest Florida as the 10th annual Fair at Fenway in JetBlue Park.
2 Punta Gorda women face grand jury indictments for death involving meth Two Punta Gorda women have been accused of distributing meth causing death after being indicted by the Charlotte County Grand Jury.
CAPE CORAL Worker transported in Cape Coral after suffering ‘medical episode’ in bucket truck A worker on the lift of a bucket truck had to be transported to the hospital after suffering some sort of “medical episode” while in the lift said police.
FEMA’s Operation Blue Roof deadline approaching soon in Charlotte County The deadline for FEMA’s Operation Blue Roof is rapidly approaching for Charlotte County residents affected by Hurricane Milton.
FDA proposes to remove ingredient in medications The Food & Drug Administration proposes removing one ingredient after new data shows it is less effective than listed.
Michael Joseph Wasko (Credit: LCSO booking photo) A man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing an elderly veteran in south Fort Myers and trying to make it look like a suicide after a no-contest plea Monday morning. It wasn’t until Monday that we heard from Wasko. Some of the judge’s questions painted a picture of his life. Wasko told the judge he only made it to his junior year in high school and that he does not suffer from mental problems. Wasko did admit that he caused Lagatutta’s suffering. Lagattuta was an 80-year-old veteran who allowed Wasko to stay at his Jamacia Bay home. Michael Wasko, 47, faced one count of second-degree murder in the death of Ron Lagattuta. Lagattuta’s body was found in the bedroom closet of his home in the Jamaica Bay community in March 2021. A postmortem examination of Lagattuta found he suffered multiple blunt force trauma injuries to his face and head, fractures to his ribs and sternum, injuries to his heart and spine, a laceration to his liver and fractures to his hyoid bone (a bone located in the larynx). It was also determined the ligature had been placed around Lagattuta’s neck after he died. The arrest warrant states Wasko staged Lagattuta to make it appear he strangled himself while masturbating. Police say Wasko stole Lagattuta’s car before being found and arrested soon after in Port Wentworth, Georgia. He will serve a concurrent five-year sentence for one count of grand theft auto. Wasko was sentenced to 25 years in prison for second-degree murder and five years in prison for grand theft auto. Those sentences will run concurrently. “I’m not happy about it at all. I don’t think 25 years is nearly enough, it’s nothing. He needs to stay in there forever. I’m devastated because I don’t think he should ever be able to come out again. He should not be allowed in society,” said Ronae Lagattuta, Ron Lagattuta’s daughter. Submit Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.