Crews removing derelict boats from Gilchrist Park33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County
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 was 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 The Weather Authority is tracking cold morning conditions before temperatures warm up to the low 70s this Thursday.
Students react to 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.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Milton.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
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 was 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 The Weather Authority is tracking cold morning conditions before temperatures warm up to the low 70s this Thursday.
Students react to 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.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Milton.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
(Credit: Charlotte County) As Charlotte County cleans up the debris from Hurricane Ian and as power returns to the county, a number of services that had been interrupted because of the storm are resuming. Among the services returning is Charlotte County Transit. Charlotte County Transit is a shared-ride curb-to-curb transit service provided to the general public throughout the county. The service area consists of all of Charlotte County and the unincorporated Charlotte County portion of Englewood, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, and the surrounding areas, including Lake Suzy some of DeSoto County. To make a reservation, you can call 941-575-4000. Reservations are made on a first-come, first-serve basis. The reservation line is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with limited hours on Saturdays. The county’s Community Development Department telephone service has been restored, and the department will resume building inspections on Wednesday. Inspections scheduled before the hurricane have been canceled and will need to be rescheduled. Before rescheduling inspections, the department asks that you visit the job site to ensure it is ready to be inspected. For more information, you can call 941-743-1201. The County also announced that the Charlotte County Utilities Department is temporarily suspending late fees and water shut-offs for nonpayment until further notice. The Charlotte County Community Development Department is following the Department of Business Professional Regulation Emergency Declaration in the wake of Hurricane Ian. It makes it so certified and registered contractors are not required to subcontract roofing jobs in the county. Structures with roof damage are not required to have a permit for tarping. The same is true for roof damage that is less than 100 square feet. A roof that has damage to the rafters, trusses, or structural elements will need a renovation permit obtained by a contractor. The county says that if the existing roof covering was installed before March 1, 2009, and more than 25% of the roof covering is damaged, the whole roof covering will need to be replaced. If the existing roof covering was installed after that date, the owner could elect to repair only the damaged area. Among the places in the county that were damaged in the hurricane was the Charlotte County Jail. the county says the jail did not sustain major damage but did experience minor flooding and electric and water issues. The county says the jail’s phone systems are currently offline and is working to create an emergency workaround to allow detainees to communicate with their families. Until then, the jail is collecting numbers from the detainees and using staff to call the numbers given to create a method of communication. While some services are returning to normal, the county still has a 10 p.m. through 6 a.m. curfew and is under a county-wide boil water notice. Charlotte County Emergency Management Director Patrick Fuller held a press conference on Tuesday to provide an update on the recovery efforts in the county. You can watch the update by clicking here or in the player below.