LCSO Deputies save man from burning homeStalking charges dropped against Bonita jeweler who had accusations against Marceno
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO Deputies save man from burning home A dramatic rescue unfolded in North Fort Myers as deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office saved a disabled man from a burning home.
Stalking charges dropped against Bonita jeweler who had accusations against Marceno A man at the center of accusations against the Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno won’t be charged in a separate case.
SANIBEL Historic Bailey’s Store in Sanibel plans comeback after storms Bailey’s General Store, a beloved Sanibel institution since the 1800s, is making a comeback after suffering significant damage from recent hurricanes.
ENGLEWOOD Lemon Bay High’s programs drive 98% graduation rate Lemon Bay High School in Englewood boasts an impressive 98% graduation rate, surpassing the state’s nearly 90% rate.
FORT MYERS Bishop Verot grad celebrates national title with Ohio State Former Bishop Verot safety Leroy Roker wins the national championship with Ohio State.
DORAL House Republicans focus on Trump agenda at annual retreat in Doral U.S. House Republicans have gathered at Trump National Doral for their annual retreat, known as the “Issues Conference.”
GAINESVILLE UF Title IX investigation into Todd Golden closed Title IX investigation into Florida Gators men’s basketball head coach is closed after the university found “no evidence” of a Title IX violation.
New surgical robot helps patients recover faster Robot-assisted surgeries are transforming the operating room by turning major operations into smaller, less invasive procedures.
TALLAHASSEE Lawmakers cancel special session called by Gov. DeSantis There was some chaos and defiance earlier this morning as a special session got underway in Tallahassee.
Sugarshack Downtown music venue goes live in Bonita Springs Following a series of private invitation-only events, the live music venue with a full-service restaurant and bars launches to the general public Jan. 31 across Old 41 Road from the city’s Riverside Park bandshell. A grand opening celebration is planned in early February.
Foxtail Coffee Co., Eagle Specialty Coffee open in Cape Coral The two coffee shops are almost identical in size, shape and layout. Both rely on drive-thru windows for more than half their business. Both are located off Pine Island Road in Cape Coral, and both are part of relatively small companies when compared to the behemoth that’s located roughly halfway between them.
Jury selection begins for Charlotte County teen accused of murdering his mother Jury selection begins for the 17-year-old accused of killing his mother, who could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.
PUNTA GORDA Quarter auction to benefit Sgt. Elio Diaz in Punta Gorda There will be a quarterly auction in Punta Gorda to benefit Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz, who died last year while conducting a traffic stop.
Charlotte deputies searching for armed suspect on the run The hunt is on for a suspect who fled from Charlotte County deputies when they went to arrest him on a Sarasota warrant on Sunday.
FORT MYERS Lee Health holds groundbreaking ceremony in Fort Myers Lee Health is expanding its reach and held an event for a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Fort Myers campus.
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO Deputies save man from burning home A dramatic rescue unfolded in North Fort Myers as deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office saved a disabled man from a burning home.
Stalking charges dropped against Bonita jeweler who had accusations against Marceno A man at the center of accusations against the Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno won’t be charged in a separate case.
SANIBEL Historic Bailey’s Store in Sanibel plans comeback after storms Bailey’s General Store, a beloved Sanibel institution since the 1800s, is making a comeback after suffering significant damage from recent hurricanes.
ENGLEWOOD Lemon Bay High’s programs drive 98% graduation rate Lemon Bay High School in Englewood boasts an impressive 98% graduation rate, surpassing the state’s nearly 90% rate.
FORT MYERS Bishop Verot grad celebrates national title with Ohio State Former Bishop Verot safety Leroy Roker wins the national championship with Ohio State.
DORAL House Republicans focus on Trump agenda at annual retreat in Doral U.S. House Republicans have gathered at Trump National Doral for their annual retreat, known as the “Issues Conference.”
GAINESVILLE UF Title IX investigation into Todd Golden closed Title IX investigation into Florida Gators men’s basketball head coach is closed after the university found “no evidence” of a Title IX violation.
New surgical robot helps patients recover faster Robot-assisted surgeries are transforming the operating room by turning major operations into smaller, less invasive procedures.
TALLAHASSEE Lawmakers cancel special session called by Gov. DeSantis There was some chaos and defiance earlier this morning as a special session got underway in Tallahassee.
Sugarshack Downtown music venue goes live in Bonita Springs Following a series of private invitation-only events, the live music venue with a full-service restaurant and bars launches to the general public Jan. 31 across Old 41 Road from the city’s Riverside Park bandshell. A grand opening celebration is planned in early February.
Foxtail Coffee Co., Eagle Specialty Coffee open in Cape Coral The two coffee shops are almost identical in size, shape and layout. Both rely on drive-thru windows for more than half their business. Both are located off Pine Island Road in Cape Coral, and both are part of relatively small companies when compared to the behemoth that’s located roughly halfway between them.
Jury selection begins for Charlotte County teen accused of murdering his mother Jury selection begins for the 17-year-old accused of killing his mother, who could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.
PUNTA GORDA Quarter auction to benefit Sgt. Elio Diaz in Punta Gorda There will be a quarterly auction in Punta Gorda to benefit Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz, who died last year while conducting a traffic stop.
Charlotte deputies searching for armed suspect on the run The hunt is on for a suspect who fled from Charlotte County deputies when they went to arrest him on a Sarasota warrant on Sunday.
FORT MYERS Lee Health holds groundbreaking ceremony in Fort Myers Lee Health is expanding its reach and held an event for a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Fort Myers campus.
Antisemitic flyer found in a plastic bag, making specious claims about the Walt Disney Company. Credit: CBS Miami There was a 70% increase in antisemitic and extremist-related incidents in the state between 2020 and 2021, according to a report released by the Anti-Defamation League. In total, there were 207 extremist-related incidents in Florida in 2021, compared to 121 in 2020, according to the ADL Center on Extremism. According to the ADL, the incidents were driven, in part, by widespread disinformation and conspiracy theories that have “animated extremists and fueled antisemitism.” Florida is home to an extensive, interconnected network of white supremacists and other far-right extremists who often collaborate in planning and executing propaganda distribution campaigns, banner drops, and in-person demonstrations. The report found new white supremacist groups have formed in the state, including White Lives Matter, Sunshine State Nationalists, NatSoc Florida and Florida Nationalists, while other extremist groups such as Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys have shifted their strategies to focus on the local level. From January 2020 to August 2022, the ADL Center on Extremism recorded more than 400 instances of white supremacist propaganda in Florida. The overwhelming majority of these incidents involved the white supremacist groups Patriot Front and the New Jersey European Heritage Association “Extremist activity is surging across our state, which should be extremely troubling to all,” said Sarah Emmons, ADL Florida Regional Director. “It’s critical that our leadership, government officials and all Floridians firmly denounce hateful rhetoric and condemn antisemitism and extremism whenever and wherever it occurs and demonstrate allyship towards each other.” According to the FBI’s 2020 Hate Crime Statistics report (the most recent data available), 56.1% of nationally reported religion-based hate crimes in 2020 targeted the Jewish community. In Florida, hate crimes against Jews accounted for 80% of the religiously motivated incidents in 2020. Florida has also seen a dramatic rise in antisemitic incidents, according to ADL’s annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents. In 2021, the number of reported incidents increased 50% over 2020 numbers, rising from 127 to 190. This included 142 instances of harassment, 47 instances of vandalism and one antisemitic assault.