New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashesNew leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
Firefighters training at Franklin Park Elementary. CREDIT: WINK News The Fort Myers Fire Department is conducting drills at Franklin Park Elementary School before it is set to be demolished, using real hoses and water along with fake smoke. People who have worked with FMFD for decades say they’ve never been able to train in a real-life scenario inside a Lee County school. Even though the smoke you’re about to see is fake, it provides a realistic simulation of conditions inside a burning building. “This is a once-in-a-career opportunity for Fort Myers firefighters,” said Todd Poland, FMFD division chief. “I’ve been on the job 20 years, and I’ve never had the chance to train inside the actual school… being able to flow water… we’d never be able to do that in a, you know, real, working school. ‘Cause there’d be children there, and you’d ruin stuff.” Franklin Park Elementary is offering one last lesson before it gets demolished. The firefighters will fight in from outside to discover the alarm, taking them to the spot where the “fire” is raging. There, they will be met with fake smoke. Fort Myers Fire truck and van. CREDIT: WINK News “It’s like water-vapor smoke,” Poland said. “Same stuff you’d see at, like, a concert hall or a dance or something like that.” The firefighters have to find a way to see through the smoke in order to save lives. There is zero visibility within the fake plumes, but an infrared viewing tool shows where each firefighter is in the room. That’s how they find the fire and eliminate it. Capt. Jason Hawn is one of the firefighters involved in the drills. “Everything that you saw today… that is exactly the way we would handle it in a building like this,” Hawn said. “Check the control panel, find somebody that knows about the building, and hopefully find it and stop it before it goes any further.” Firefighters are taught to crawl on the ground when visibility is as low as it is during this training. You can see more obstacles under the smoke that way. FMFD has a crucial partnership with the School District of Lee County and others. “This is a great opportunity for Fort Myers firefighters,” Poland said. And behind that team is another team making this training day possible. “We have a long-time partnership with the school district, and being able to coordinate with the Fire Department is an amazing opportunity,” said Alesha Watchowski, Owen-Ames-Kimball’s director of operations. Firefighters suited up for training. CREDIT: WINK News “Five, ten, twenty years from now, they’re going to look back and remember going through Franklin Park,” said Rob Spicker, spokesman for the School District of Lee County. Those two entities, together combined with the Fort Myers Fire Department, understood Franklin Park Elementary School as an opportunity. It offered the chance for the fire department to train inside a Lee County school with the ability to use hoses, water, and fake smoke. FMFD responded to the alarm, fought through the fake smoke, found the fire, and eliminated the threat. The school is scheduled to be demolished as soon as next week. So one of the very last things that Franklin Park ever did will have a positive ripple effect on the community for years to come.