ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
Jim Hewitt (CREDIT: Courtesy of family) Hospitals reported a spike in injuries after Ian as people started to clean up storm debris. Cuts, along with broken bones and sprains, are the most common thing they’re treating. But in one instance, a dangerous bacteria found in salt or brackish water took the life of a man who came here to help the recovery. Jim Hewitt was home in Michigan but felt an urgent need to help. He told his kids, Kendall Smoes and Josh Hewitt, he was driving to Naples along with a friend who owned property there. “He was devastated by what he saw down here,” Smoes said. “He, he would call all of us and just try to explain it and couldn’t even find the words to talk about what he was seeing. He was, he was thrilled that he could help, though.” Hewitt was the kind of person with a big heart and a big presence. He threw himself into everything he did. His loved ones said that was his downfall. “He called me probably a few hours before the accident happened, where he cut his leg and just said that he is glad he was down here to help and that you walk down the street and see fans drying out houses and people just trying to clean up the entire neighborhood he was in,” Hewitt said. Hewitt mentioned that he fell in the water and cut his leg while salvaging a boat. He applied antibacterial and moved on. The next day he realized something was wrong when his leg became extremely painful and swollen. He went to the hospital. In a matter of hours, health workers at NCH were deep in a battle to save his life. “They weren’t really sure how things were going to go and that they really, they encouraged us to get down here as soon as possible,” Smoes said. A bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus entered his body through the open wound. It’s found in warm, salty water that includes brackish estuaries. About one in five people who become infected don’t survive. Vibrio can lead to sepsis and organ failure, which is what happened to Hewitt. NCH Chief Nursing Officer Ilia Echevarria said it is a serious threat to people are working around coastal stormwater. “It’s not clean water,” Echevarria said. “It’s saltwater with a lot of debris and other things that it might have carried in. So if you have an open wound and you’re immersed in water that is contaminated with bacterial growth, it poses a higher risk as well of infection.” It’s something no one saw coming. His children are devastated. Within three days, Hewitt was gone. They barely made it to Florida to be by his side. “I think he fought, he fought until we all could be there. For him to pass, he wanted us all to be able to see him and, you know, share stories and express our, your love for him and surround him,” Smoes said. His children and fiancee are left with memories and the comfort of knowing Hewitt was one of the helpers. “He did not like to see anybody suffering. It hurt him to see the suffering in this world,” said his fiancee Leah Delano. This bacteria is extremely vicious. It can also be fatal when someone eats a raw oyster tainted by it. As for being around the water, health experts say that is why it is so important to protect any wounds or sores.