The Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropicsWoodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropics Get ready for a typical Southwest Florida weekend. It’s going to feel like the triple digits before rain rolls in and we’re watching the tropics.
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.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropics Get ready for a typical Southwest Florida weekend. It’s going to feel like the triple digits before rain rolls in and we’re watching the tropics.
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.
We go to the beach for the sun, sand and saltwater, but it’s the people who bring life to Southwest Florida’s beaches and their livelihoods are on the line. Fortunately, FutureMakers Coalition has a job pipeline ready to help hospitality workers. From live music to donating sales, businesses like Fort Myers Brewing Company and Buckett’s Wings & More are doing what they can to help out-of-work hospitality workers. “We have so many people here in Southwest Florida that are ready to work; they just need the opportunity,” said Tessa LeSage with FutureMakers. LeSage sees that the need for help is great, but she understands there’s a more significant issue at play. “Our goal right now is that 55% of working-age adults have the credentials that are needed to fill in-demand jobs,” LeSage said. LeSage is part of an experiment that is bearing results. It started in 2015, well before Hurricane Ian, and is more necessary than ever. FutureMakers collaborates with different groups to fix major social issues. LeSage’s problem to solve? Getting adults in Southwest Florida qualified for jobs that are open and growing. “FutureMakers Coalition is a collective impact initiative,” LeSage said. “It’s a network that is working to transform the workforce in Southwest Florida.” LeSage acknowledges that words like “coalition,” “initiative” and “network” can make people’s eyes glaze over. “I always see all the problems, which is… I mean, I’m a realist,” LeSage said. But LeSage has a plan. She realizes Southwest Florida’s economy can’t grow if it has no business, and businesses can’t grow if they don’t have qualified employees. So, FutureMakers and Florida Gulf Coast University identified four industries that need workers: Teaching and healthcare have immediate openings, and manufacturing and logistics are growing in Florida. From there, they reach out to people who want better-paying jobs but lack the credentials. “Get a better job and change, really, the trajectory of their families’ lives for generations to come,” LeSage said. Navigators (essentially guidance counselors) strategically positioned at places like the Fort Myers Housing Authority find the people and connect them to job education. We met a woman who never got her GED… she wanted to go back to school,” LeSage said. “Her mother had been ill, and she had been at Lee Health with her working through that illness and saw how the nurses responded to her mom and knew that that’s something that she wanted to do. And so the navigator worked with her to help her earn her CNA, certified nursing assistant, and got her a job at Lee Health. And now she’s literally working on the floor where her mother received care.” Those navigators are now reaching out to Hurricane Ian survivors who lost jobs on the barrier islands. LeSage is also considering adding construction to the industries they train, since it will take years for Southwest Florida to rebuild. While she sees all the extant problems, she also looks to the future to find solutions. “We can literally do anything if we work together and are willing to sort of look at what the real issues are and tackle those,” LeSage said. That’s why Tessa LeSage is one of Gulfshore Life’s 2022 women of the year. The federal government thinks her idea is a good one. It just awarded a massive $23 million grant to FGCU and FutureMakers for training to fill 1,700 jobs. Of the 55% of working adults they need to be qualified for in-demand jobs by 2025, 42% have received the necessary training. FutureMakers says these new navigators will help them reach the goal in time.