Iconic Fort Myers statue to undergo repairsCollier County Salvation Army Thrift Store closing its doors
FORT MYERS Iconic Fort Myers statue to undergo repairs The iconic “Rachel at the Well” statue on McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers has been a landmark for 94 years. However, it became a casualty of Hurricane Ian in 2022, and discussions for its repair are ongoing.
Collier County Salvation Army Thrift Store closing its doors The Salvation Army has announced the permanent closure of the Naples Family Store on Davis Boulevard.
SANIBEL Rebuilding the Sanibel Causeway with a cause Construction crews are hard at work making the Sanibel Causeway more resilient. The bridge is being fortified to withstand future storms.
LEE COUNTY No. 2 prospect in MLB Roman Anthony with Red Sox for Spring Training Roman Anthony, who is ranked as the second best in baseball, is with the Boston Red Sox for his first Spring Training.
MANASOTA KEY Popular Manasota Key restaurant reopens after storm damage Manasota Key is steadily recovering from a challenging hurricane season, and residents are celebrating the reopening of a beloved local spot.
PINE ISLAND Construction to start on hurricane-proof fire station on Pine Island A new hurricane-proof fire station is coming to Pine Island. The current station, over 40 years old, is in dire need of replacement.
NORTH PORT Braves’ Chris Sale on the mound in southwest Florida once again Spring Training is in full swing for the Atlanta Braves, who’s full squad reported on Tuesday, that means Chris Sale is back in SWFL.
NORTH NAPLES Construction on Collier County diverging diamond begins in March Construction on Southwest Florida’s third diverging diamond interchange is set to begin in March.
Charlotte County homeowners consider elevating homes Recent hurricanes and flooding events prompted some Charlotte County homeowners to either demolish or elevate their homes.
CLEWISTON Clewiston man shoots friend over alleged sexual crime against relative There is new information about a murder in Clewiston earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Bridge design vote aims to improve traffic flow Residents and drivers in Cape Coral have long shared a common frustration: traffic congestion, particularly on Cape Coral Parkway.
Symptoms and treatment for pleurisy, the inflammation of lungs’ lining This winter season in Southwest Florida has been rampant with illness, from flu to viral infections.
Lee county approves major road projects to improve traffic flow, safety The Lee Board of County Commissioners continued its commitment to improving the county’s transportation network.
NAPLES Young bobcat injured by car; rehabilitated, released into Naples A young bobcat has been released back into the wild after recovering from its injuries through the collaborative efforts of several Florida environmental agencies.
Florida house speaker appoints Charlotte County sheriff to state immigration enforcement council Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez has appointed two sheriffs, one of whom is Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, to the state immigration enforcement council.
FORT MYERS Iconic Fort Myers statue to undergo repairs The iconic “Rachel at the Well” statue on McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers has been a landmark for 94 years. However, it became a casualty of Hurricane Ian in 2022, and discussions for its repair are ongoing.
Collier County Salvation Army Thrift Store closing its doors The Salvation Army has announced the permanent closure of the Naples Family Store on Davis Boulevard.
SANIBEL Rebuilding the Sanibel Causeway with a cause Construction crews are hard at work making the Sanibel Causeway more resilient. The bridge is being fortified to withstand future storms.
LEE COUNTY No. 2 prospect in MLB Roman Anthony with Red Sox for Spring Training Roman Anthony, who is ranked as the second best in baseball, is with the Boston Red Sox for his first Spring Training.
MANASOTA KEY Popular Manasota Key restaurant reopens after storm damage Manasota Key is steadily recovering from a challenging hurricane season, and residents are celebrating the reopening of a beloved local spot.
PINE ISLAND Construction to start on hurricane-proof fire station on Pine Island A new hurricane-proof fire station is coming to Pine Island. The current station, over 40 years old, is in dire need of replacement.
NORTH PORT Braves’ Chris Sale on the mound in southwest Florida once again Spring Training is in full swing for the Atlanta Braves, who’s full squad reported on Tuesday, that means Chris Sale is back in SWFL.
NORTH NAPLES Construction on Collier County diverging diamond begins in March Construction on Southwest Florida’s third diverging diamond interchange is set to begin in March.
Charlotte County homeowners consider elevating homes Recent hurricanes and flooding events prompted some Charlotte County homeowners to either demolish or elevate their homes.
CLEWISTON Clewiston man shoots friend over alleged sexual crime against relative There is new information about a murder in Clewiston earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Bridge design vote aims to improve traffic flow Residents and drivers in Cape Coral have long shared a common frustration: traffic congestion, particularly on Cape Coral Parkway.
Symptoms and treatment for pleurisy, the inflammation of lungs’ lining This winter season in Southwest Florida has been rampant with illness, from flu to viral infections.
Lee county approves major road projects to improve traffic flow, safety The Lee Board of County Commissioners continued its commitment to improving the county’s transportation network.
NAPLES Young bobcat injured by car; rehabilitated, released into Naples A young bobcat has been released back into the wild after recovering from its injuries through the collaborative efforts of several Florida environmental agencies.
Florida house speaker appoints Charlotte County sheriff to state immigration enforcement council Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez has appointed two sheriffs, one of whom is Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, to the state immigration enforcement council.
Naples City Hall. Credit: WINK News The City of Naples updated residents on the progress of its post-Hurricane Ian recovery in a press release. Naples confirmed one storm-related death: According to the medical examiner, a 73-year-old woman died of drowning and myocardial infarction. While the city’s boil water notice was lifted, water pressure fluctuations are expected due to higher-than-normal use. Officials ask that you call (239) 213-4745 if you observe anyone using fire hydrants illegally. As of Wednesday afternoon, 14% of Naples was without power. Several sections of the city that had power will continue to experience periodic blackouts while FPL continues to troubleshoot issues. Multiple properties sustained serious damage to electrical panels and meter cans that were submerged in water, so FPL cannot energize the private property equipment until they are repaired or replaced. Naples says its team is on the ground working very closely with the FPL team to understand which equipment on private property will need to be replaced and which can be energized. FPL executives will be present Thursday to help assess how things stand with equipment on private property so Naples officials can communicate realistic timeframes for restoration. Comcast Cable services continue coming back online but may fluctuate as power is turned off from time to time for FPL repairs. Cell service also continues to improve. As of Wednesday afternoon, Naples says all roads within the city were passable. Crews will continue to brush dried mud and run multiple street sweepers to pick up fine debris until all roads are back to normal. Storm basins continue to be cleaned and crews will soon begin cleaning alleys. Only one intersection, Gulf Shore Boulevard North and Park Shore Drive, remains dark, with a temporary stop sign. Six intersections are flashing and all others are operable. Officials ask that drivers continue to use care and watch for emergency crews. Debris removal trucks have begun full-scale operations in Naples and continue to address hotspot areas. Additional trucks will be added to the operation in the days ahead. City officials ask that people continue to pay close attention to instructions regarding separating material into various piles (horticulture, C&D – lumber, carpets, furniture), and white goods (appliances – please empty). Trucks will make as many passes as we need to collect all the debris, so don’t feel hurried to set everything out at once. A county-wide curfew remains in effect from midnight to 6 a.m. and the city’s curfew (specific to residential areas) remains in effect from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Police will strictly enforce this curfew for those who do not live in residential areas and remain on high alert while patrolling all corners of the community. Police will be at checkpoints after sundown to keep non-residents out of areas experiencing extended power outages. Naples will be distributing bottled water Thursday and Friday at the River Park Community Center, in the River Park East Neighborhood, at Fleischmann Park, at the Norris Center and at Seagate Park from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. FEMA officials hope to have survivor assistance teams on the ground before the end of the week. Residents can apply for federal assistance at the FEMA disaster assistance website or by calling (800) 621-3362. Small Business Administration disaster loans are available. Applicants may apply on the SBA website under declaration #17644. You can also call (800) 659-2955 or send an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Those who did not evacuate but now need to leave their home can visit the Florida Disaster website for open general and special needs shelters in Florida.