Sibling rivalry brewing between SWFL Super Bowl championsFort Myers mother warns others after falling victim to ticket fraud
FORT MYERS Sibling rivalry brewing between SWFL Super Bowl champions Philadelphia may be known as the city of brotherly love, but here in southwest Florida, there’s a brotherly rivalry brewing between two of our own.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mother warns others after falling victim to ticket fraud A mother’s intended surprise turned into a disappointment when she paid for Savannah Bananas tickets but never received them. The tickets were meant to be a special gift for her son.
Legal expert weighs in on 17-year-old found not guilty of murder of mom Collin Griffith, a 17-year-old, has been found not guilty in the death of his mother, Catherine Griffith, who was fatally stabbed in the neck.
FORT MYERS $150k worth of equipment stolen from Lee Health Fort Myers police arrested a hospital employee accused of stealing more than 150 thousand dollars worth of medical equipment from Lee Health.
NAPLES Award-winning stylist to host event during Naples Automotive Experience On Friday, an Emmy Award-winning Hollywood stylist will host Forever Fabulous, a charity event with the St. Matthew’s House.
FORT MYERS Colonial and I-75 diverging diamond to be completed by spring The diverging diamond at Colonial Boulevard and Interstate 75 in Fort Myers is diverting drivers.
NAPLES 20th Annual Spring Home & Garden show coming to Naples The 20th semi-annual Spring Home & Garden show is coming to Naples.
NAPLES Collier Publix worker spreads joy with kindness cards In Collier County, one person stands out for his daily acts of kindness, bringing smiles to those around him.
FGCU FGCU softball pitcher ranked among the best in the country FGCU softball pitcher Allison Sparkman enters her sophomore season ranked as one of the top pitchers in the country.
Congress steps in as Port Charlotte widow searches for husband’s ashes A Port Charlotte woman continues to fight to find her husband’s ashes, lost in the mail. Members of Congress are now backing her efforts.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mom recounts dramatic chase to find kidnapped daughter A mother’s worst nightmare unfolded when her 2-year-old daughter was taken from her in Fort Myers on Monday.
ESTERO Copperleaf Community fights hunger through fundraising The Copperleaf Country Club community in Estero is making a significant impact in the fight against hunger.
NAPLES Collier County students explore trade careers at job fair Hundreds of Collier County students explored potential future careers at the Build My Future Job Fair.
NORTH NAPLES New orthopedic hospital nears completion in Collier County A new orthopedic hospital is nearing completion in Collier County, Florida, with an estimated cost of $140 million.
Real estate deals that shaped the SWFL landscape in 2024 The rise of online retail and continued regional population growth played a large role in a series of yin/yang real estate transactions that defined Southwest Floridaâs top deals of 2024.
FORT MYERS Sibling rivalry brewing between SWFL Super Bowl champions Philadelphia may be known as the city of brotherly love, but here in southwest Florida, there’s a brotherly rivalry brewing between two of our own.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mother warns others after falling victim to ticket fraud A mother’s intended surprise turned into a disappointment when she paid for Savannah Bananas tickets but never received them. The tickets were meant to be a special gift for her son.
Legal expert weighs in on 17-year-old found not guilty of murder of mom Collin Griffith, a 17-year-old, has been found not guilty in the death of his mother, Catherine Griffith, who was fatally stabbed in the neck.
FORT MYERS $150k worth of equipment stolen from Lee Health Fort Myers police arrested a hospital employee accused of stealing more than 150 thousand dollars worth of medical equipment from Lee Health.
NAPLES Award-winning stylist to host event during Naples Automotive Experience On Friday, an Emmy Award-winning Hollywood stylist will host Forever Fabulous, a charity event with the St. Matthew’s House.
FORT MYERS Colonial and I-75 diverging diamond to be completed by spring The diverging diamond at Colonial Boulevard and Interstate 75 in Fort Myers is diverting drivers.
NAPLES 20th Annual Spring Home & Garden show coming to Naples The 20th semi-annual Spring Home & Garden show is coming to Naples.
NAPLES Collier Publix worker spreads joy with kindness cards In Collier County, one person stands out for his daily acts of kindness, bringing smiles to those around him.
FGCU FGCU softball pitcher ranked among the best in the country FGCU softball pitcher Allison Sparkman enters her sophomore season ranked as one of the top pitchers in the country.
Congress steps in as Port Charlotte widow searches for husband’s ashes A Port Charlotte woman continues to fight to find her husband’s ashes, lost in the mail. Members of Congress are now backing her efforts.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mom recounts dramatic chase to find kidnapped daughter A mother’s worst nightmare unfolded when her 2-year-old daughter was taken from her in Fort Myers on Monday.
ESTERO Copperleaf Community fights hunger through fundraising The Copperleaf Country Club community in Estero is making a significant impact in the fight against hunger.
NAPLES Collier County students explore trade careers at job fair Hundreds of Collier County students explored potential future careers at the Build My Future Job Fair.
NORTH NAPLES New orthopedic hospital nears completion in Collier County A new orthopedic hospital is nearing completion in Collier County, Florida, with an estimated cost of $140 million.
Real estate deals that shaped the SWFL landscape in 2024 The rise of online retail and continued regional population growth played a large role in a series of yin/yang real estate transactions that defined Southwest Floridaâs top deals of 2024.
FILE – In this Thursday, March 5, 2015, file photo, Budweiser beer cans are seen at a concession stand at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Fla. World Cup organizers reportedly have made another late change in alcohol policy only two days before games start in Qatar by banning beer sales at the eight soccer stadiums in and around Doha. Media reports say Qatari authorities are pressing FIFA to ban all sales of long-time World Cup beer sponsor Budweiser at the eight venues. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) Qatar banned the sale of beer at World Cup stadiums on Friday, a sudden U-turn on the deal the conservative Muslim emirate made to secure the soccer tournament with only two days to go before the opening game. The move was the latest sign of the tension of staging the event, which is not just a sports tournament but also a monthlong party, in the autocratic country where the sale of alcohol is heavily restricted. Itâs also a significant blow to World Cup beer sponsor Budweiser and raised questions about how much control FIFA retains over its tournament. When Qatar launched its bid to host the World Cup, the country agreed to FIFAâs requirements of selling alcohol in stadiums â but the details were only released in September, just 11 weeks before the first kickoff, suggesting how fraught the negotiations may have been. Fridayâs statement from FIFA said non-alcoholic beer will still be sold at the eight stadiums, while champagne, wine, whiskey and other alcohol will be served in the luxury hospitality areas of the arenas. But the vast majority of ticket holders donât have access to those areas; they will be able to drink alcoholic beer in the evenings in what is known as the FIFA Fan Festival, a designated party area that also offers live music and activities. Outside of the tournament-run areas, Qatar puts strict limits on the purchase and consumption of alcohol, though its sale has been permitted in hotel bars for years. âFollowing discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from … stadium perimeters,â FIFA said in a statement. Several soccer fans took the decision in stride, with some noting that they knew the rules would be different in Qatar. âWeâre not here to drink beer,â said Adel Abou Hana, a fan from the United States. âWeâre here to watch the world-class soccer.â But Federico Ferraz lamented that the decision came on such short notice. âI think itâs a bit bad because for me, beer and football go hand in hand,â said Ferraz, who was visiting from Portugal. As the news broke, Budweiserâs Twitter account tweeted: âWell, this is awkward…â without elaborating. The tweet was later deleted. Ab InBev, the parent company of Budweiser, acknowledged in a statement that some of its plans âcannot move forward due to circumstances beyond our control.â The company pays tens of millions of dollars at each World Cup for exclusive rights to sell beer and has already shipped the majority of its stock from Britain to Qatar in expectation of selling its product to millions of fans. While the actual sales at the tournament might not be a significant percentage of the massive companyâs revenues, the World Cup nonetheless represents a major branding opportunity. The companyâs partnership with FIFA started at the 1986 tournament, and they are in negotiations for renewing their deal for the next World Cup in North America. Ronan Evain, the executive director of the fan group Football Supporters Europe, called the decision to ban beer sales at the stadiums in Qatar âextremely worrying.â âFor many fans, whether they donât drink alcohol or are used to dry stadium policies at home, this is a detail. It wonât change their tournament,â Evain wrote on Twitter. âBut with 48 (hours) to go, weâve clearly entered a dangerous territory â where âassurancesâ donât matter anymore.â Qatar, which is governed by a hereditary emir who has absolute say over all governmental decisions, follows an ultraconservative form of Islam known as Wahhabism like neighboring Saudi Arabia. In recent years, Qatar has transformed into an ultra-modern hub following a natural gas boom in the 1990s, but it has faced pressure from within to stay true to its Islamic heritage and Bedouin roots. Islam forbids the consumption of alcohol, and several Muslim residents of Qatar cheered the decision on Friday, noting that visitors should respect the countryâs customs. In the runup to the World Cup, rights groups have raised concerns about how the nation will host millions of foreign fans, some of whom might violate Islamic laws criminalizing public drunkenness, sex outside of marriage and homosexuality. Qatarâs government and its Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Fridayâs was not Qatarâs first backtrack â but it was the most significant. Last weekend, AB InBev was left surprised by a new policy insisted on by Qatari organizers to move beer stalls to less visible locations within the stadium compounds. And Qatar also changed the date of the opening match only weeks before the World Cup began. Previous World Cup hosts have been asked to make concessions. For the 2014 tournament, Brazil was forced to change a law to allow alcohol sales in stadiums â but the same cultural issues were not at play. AB InBevâs deal with FIFA was renewed in 2011 â after Qatar was picked as host. However, the Belgium-based brewer has faced uncertainty in recent months on the exact details of where it can serve and sell beer in Qatar. And some have balked at the price, which was confirmed at $14 for a beer. At the W Hotel in Doha â where the company will be based â workers continued putting together a Budweiser-themed bar planned at the site. Its familiar AB logo was plastered on columns and walls at the hotel, with one reading: âThe World Is Yours To Take.â