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.
The island that was one of the many places hit the hardest after Hurricane Ian is dealing with the fact that they are recently opened. Sanibel is still a place where it feels like the hurricane was just days ago in some spots, and in others, it feels like the island is miles ahead of where people may have thought it would be three months later. Too many businesses on the island were ripped out of the hands of business owners, managers, and employees who loved the place they worked. Some threw in the towel, while others pushed on and will continue to do so until they find a new normal. Three businesses shut down by Hurricane Ian are now working hard to survive. The Blue Giraffe Cafe, a Sanibel staple, is one of them. “Our lives have been completely uplifted in ways that the normal mind can’t just comprehend,” said Michael Puente, manager at the Blue Giraffe Cafe. The Blue Giraffe is currently doing as much as it can from a food truck. The Pecking Order, which boasted the best fried chicken on the island, is also fighting its way back, having to start from scratch. “I can’t sit and dwell on the devastation at all,” said Bridgit Budd, owner of The Pecking Order. A fisherman’s asylum, Whitney’s Bait and Tackle, is also pushing through the devastation toward the future. “All the hard work we put into it to get it to where it was… in just 24 hours, it was ruined,” said Jim Bryan of Whitney’s Bait and Tackle. “Totally devastated the island, which everybody knows. We were lucky we only had about 3 1/2 feet of water on in the building here.” When Bryan looks outside of Whitney’s Bait and Tackle, he sees and feels a constant reminder of the hurricane that spun Sanibel around and closed his business for months. With minimal damage, Bryan’s store was able to open again. Ninety percent of his merchandise survived Ian’s Category 4 winds and storm surge. Two minutes away, though, Puente can’t say the same, but giving up was never an option for him. “As soon as we were able to make landfall here on the island and assess it with ourselves, you know, we did come up with the commitment for rebuilding and stuff like that,” Puente said. “It’s not easy. And we’ll take those challenges as they come.” Puente, Budd and Bryan have something in common. They decided to push forward after the hurricane despite debris, loss, and overwhelming damage. A big challenge is the beaches that are closed which means fewer tourists and fewer customers. “We’re doing a little bit of business. We’re doing what we can. But nowhere near what it was on the island was booming before the hurricane,” said Bryan. The reality now won’t stop these three from doing what they do best; serving their customers. “I personally have just been looking forward to the future,” said Budd. The Blue Giraffe is operating out of a food truck on Periwinkle Way. Whitney’s Bait and Tackle is open, and Budd hopes to make fried chicken again by Mother’s Day. What they all need now is support. Bryan said if you have money to spend, spend it on Sanibel. “Just buy fishing stuff,” Bryan said. “We’re going to bounce back,” Puente said. “We’re gonna make things happen for the people that love the island.”