County commissioners to conduct workshop on Lee Health conversionDialum finalizes land purchase for glass factory in Ave Maria
County commissioners to conduct workshop on Lee Health conversion As the Lee County Board of Commissioners prepares to weigh the next step in the potential conversion of Lee Health from a public to private nonprofit with a workshop July 30, Fort Myers physician Dr. Raymond Kordonowy has asked the board to heed his calls for additional financial information.
Dialum finalizes land purchase for glass factory in Ave Maria Dialum, a Chilean company that processes glass for use in homes and businesses, has begun site work in Ave Maria for a 100,000-square-foot factory just east of Arthrex’s manufacturing plants.
FORT MYERS Rollover crash with injuries blocking NB lanes of Edison Bridge near Pondella Rd. The Florida Highway Patrol is responding to a vehicle rollover crash that occurred on North Tamiami Trail, blocking the northbound lanes of Edison Bridge.
SANIBEL Search and rescue for missing swimmer enters day 2 The search for a teenager who went missing while swimming at a beach in Sanibel continues as agencies expand their efforts.
FORT MYERS Man accused of breaking into Fort Myers home, shooting victim and himself A man has been arrested after allegedly breaking into a Fort Myers home and shooting a victim multiple times and then himself.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral named pet-friendly city The City of Cape Coral has been named a pet-friendly city through the Better Cities For Pets program from Mars Petcare.
NAPLES Local First Tee golfers going to Pebble Beach Spencer Ives secures spot at First Tee Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach along with two other local First Tee golfers.
FORT MYERS Woman wanted for stealing over $1K in beauty products from Fort Myers Publix Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a woman wanted for stealing over $1,000 worth of products from a Fort Myers Publix.
LEHIGH ACRES Leeland Heights Blvd. closed after power pole struck during crash This morning, a power pole was struck in a crash in Lehigh Acres, closing Leeland Heights Boulevard near 8th Avenue.
WINK NEWS Charlotte County commissioners launch Youth Civic Education Program The Charlotte County Commission has launched the Fall 2024 Junior Commission youth civic education program.
Founding father and first weatherman Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was a busy person during the week of July 4th.
WINK NEWS Collier County Public Schools provides free lunch update As Southwest Florida prepares for the 2024-2025 school year, the Collier County Public Schools announced its updates to the lunch program.
the weather authority Hurricane Beryl continues west through the Caribbean The Weather Authority is continuing its coverage of Hurricane Beryl as it continues to move through the Caribbean and the Yucatan Peninsula.
the weather authority Hotter day ahead with scattered rain and storms The Weather Authority is tracking a hot Wednesday afternoon along with scattered rain and storms to develop in the evening.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Rare noctilucent clouds appear in Southwest Florida after SpaceX launch A rare occurrence has appeared in the Southwest Florida skies, as noctilucent clouds have appeared following the Starlink satellite launch from SpaceX.
County commissioners to conduct workshop on Lee Health conversion As the Lee County Board of Commissioners prepares to weigh the next step in the potential conversion of Lee Health from a public to private nonprofit with a workshop July 30, Fort Myers physician Dr. Raymond Kordonowy has asked the board to heed his calls for additional financial information.
Dialum finalizes land purchase for glass factory in Ave Maria Dialum, a Chilean company that processes glass for use in homes and businesses, has begun site work in Ave Maria for a 100,000-square-foot factory just east of Arthrex’s manufacturing plants.
FORT MYERS Rollover crash with injuries blocking NB lanes of Edison Bridge near Pondella Rd. The Florida Highway Patrol is responding to a vehicle rollover crash that occurred on North Tamiami Trail, blocking the northbound lanes of Edison Bridge.
SANIBEL Search and rescue for missing swimmer enters day 2 The search for a teenager who went missing while swimming at a beach in Sanibel continues as agencies expand their efforts.
FORT MYERS Man accused of breaking into Fort Myers home, shooting victim and himself A man has been arrested after allegedly breaking into a Fort Myers home and shooting a victim multiple times and then himself.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral named pet-friendly city The City of Cape Coral has been named a pet-friendly city through the Better Cities For Pets program from Mars Petcare.
NAPLES Local First Tee golfers going to Pebble Beach Spencer Ives secures spot at First Tee Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach along with two other local First Tee golfers.
FORT MYERS Woman wanted for stealing over $1K in beauty products from Fort Myers Publix Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a woman wanted for stealing over $1,000 worth of products from a Fort Myers Publix.
LEHIGH ACRES Leeland Heights Blvd. closed after power pole struck during crash This morning, a power pole was struck in a crash in Lehigh Acres, closing Leeland Heights Boulevard near 8th Avenue.
WINK NEWS Charlotte County commissioners launch Youth Civic Education Program The Charlotte County Commission has launched the Fall 2024 Junior Commission youth civic education program.
Founding father and first weatherman Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was a busy person during the week of July 4th.
WINK NEWS Collier County Public Schools provides free lunch update As Southwest Florida prepares for the 2024-2025 school year, the Collier County Public Schools announced its updates to the lunch program.
the weather authority Hurricane Beryl continues west through the Caribbean The Weather Authority is continuing its coverage of Hurricane Beryl as it continues to move through the Caribbean and the Yucatan Peninsula.
the weather authority Hotter day ahead with scattered rain and storms The Weather Authority is tracking a hot Wednesday afternoon along with scattered rain and storms to develop in the evening.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Rare noctilucent clouds appear in Southwest Florida after SpaceX launch A rare occurrence has appeared in the Southwest Florida skies, as noctilucent clouds have appeared following the Starlink satellite launch from SpaceX.
Rescue personnel work in the rubble at the Champlain Towers South Condo, Friday, June 25, 2021, in Surfside. The seaside condominium building partially collapsed on Thursday. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) A judge gave final approval Thursday to a settlement topping $1 billion for victims of the collapse of a Florida beachfront condominium building that killed 98 people, one of the deadliest building failures in U.S. history. The decision by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman came a day before the one-year anniversary of the Champlain Towers South disaster in the Miami suburb of Surfside. The judge praised the dozens of lawyers involved for averting what could have been years of litigation with no sure outcome. “It will never be enough to compensate them for the tragic loss they have suffered,” the judge said. ”This settlement is the best we can do. It’s a remarkable result. It is extraordinary.” A member of the Israeli search and rescue team, left, salutes in front of the rubble that once was Champlain Towers South during a prayer ceremony, Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in Surfside. Members of search and rescue teams and Miami-Dade Fire rescue, along with police and workers who have been working at the site of the collapse gathered for a moment of prayer and silence next to the collapsed tower. (Jose A Iglesias/Miami Herald via AP) The bulk of the $1.02 billion total will go to people who lost family members in the collapse of the 12-story building. About $100 million is earmarked for legal fees, and $96 million set aside for owners who lost one of the 136 units in the building. No victims filed objections to the settlement or decided to opt out, said court-appointed receiver Michael Goldberg. Several people who lost family members or property said in court Thursday that they are grateful for such a swift conclusion to a horrific experience. Raysa Rodriguez, who survived the collapse in a ninth-floor unit that was initially left intact, had nothing but praise for the outcome. MORE ON SURFSIDE North Collier Fire Rescue speaks about experience at Surfside After the Surfside collapse, one rescuer has a message for families Families of condo victims bond together 2 USAR Task Force 6 team members recount lessons they’ve learned from Surfside “You have no idea what a relief this is to me personally,” Rodriguez said. “I am so exhausted. I just want this to be done. I want these souls to rest.” The ruling came during what’s called a fairness hearing, in which anyone with objections to the deal could raise them as the judge determined whether the settlement is “fair, reasonable and adequate,” according to court documents. The money comes from several sources, including insurance companies, engineering firms and a luxury condominium whose recent construction next door is suspected of contributing to structural damage of Champlain Towers South. None of the parties admit any wrongdoing. A billionaire developer from Dubai is set to purchase the 1.8-acre (1-hectare) beachside site for $120 million, contributing to the settlement. Leo Soto, who created this memorial with grocery stores donating flowers and candles, pauses in front of photos of some of the missing people that he put on a fence, near the site of an oceanfront condo building that partially collapsed in Surfside, Friday, June 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Champlain Towers South had a long history of maintenance problems and questions have been raised about the quality of its original construction and inspections in the early 1980s. Other possible factors include sea level rise caused by climate change and damage caused by salt water intrusion. A final conclusion on the cause is likely years away. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, which is leading the federal probe in to the collapse, recently said invasive testing will begin soon on samples of material from the collapse site. The tests will help investigators find potential flaws in structural elements of the building by looking into things such as density of the materials, how porous they were and if there was corrosion, NIST said. Florida will require statewide recertification of condominiums more than three stories tall under new legislation Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law last month in response to the disaster. The death toll in the Champlain Towers collapse ranks among the highest in U.S. history among similar disasters. The 1981 Hyatt Regency walkway collapse killed 114 people and a Massachusetts mill disaster in 1860 killed between 88 and 145 workers.