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.
Many homes are still damaged nearly seven months after Hurricane Ian, with their owners struggling with the claims process so they can be made whole. Now the state hopes a series of insurance villages in Southwest Florida can help bridge that gap. You can put the phone down and stop waiting for an email in order to have a face-to-face talk about your problems with someone from your insurance company. People who visited the insurance village at the Charlotte County Event Center on Monday waited at most an hour and walked away with as many as four checks. Barry Shiflett was one Punta Gorda homeowner who left very happy. “It makes me feel great because now I can close out that claim account,” Shiflett said. Shiflett says his insurance company was great immediately after Ian. But the customer service virtually disappeared once his claim got into the hands of a desk adjuster. “I was not getting anywhere with some of the claims I have filed with my insurance company,” Shiflett said. So he gave this village a shot, hoping that speaking to someone in person would get results. “I came here today with all of my documentation, and I’m walking out with four checks,” Shiflett said. Citizens Property Insurance Spokesman Michael Peltier says there is an on-site claims adjuster to help people through their claims. They can even write checks for additional living expenses. “We can expedite a field adjuster to your house, maybe not today, but sometime this week, “Peltier said. “So we can speed things along. Basically, you have a face-to-face contact with someone from Citizens who has the authority to send your claim where it needs to go.” Shiflett says he was able to do more in one day at the insurance village than he was able to do in months relying on phone calls and emails. I got everything I needed today,” Shiflett said. Maybe not everyone will find Shiflett’s level of satisfaction, but it beats waiting for the phone to ring or the inbox to ping. Monday’s insurance village closes at 5 p.m. But all of these companies will be back in Fort Myers Beach at the DiamondHead Beach Resort on Tuesday. On Wednesday, they will return to the Charlotte County Event Center. Policyholders should bring as much documentation as they can, including: A driver’s license or other form of identification (Passport/State issued ID) Insurance cards and insurance policy information/documentation Pictures or documentation of the property being claimed as a loss resulting from Hurricane Ian Repair estimates Any additional insurance-related information that is readily accessible. NOTE: The insurance villages will exclusively focus on insurance related-issues, and staff from other agencies will not be present to assist with other post-storm benefits. PUNTA GORDA Monday, April 17th Charlotte County Event Center 75 Taylor St. Punta Gorda, Florida 33950 FORT MYERS BEACH Tuesday, April 18th Diamondhead Beach Resort (Ballroom) 2000 Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, Florida 33931 PUNTA GORDA Wednesday, April 19th Charlotte County Event Center 75 Taylor St. Punta Gorda, Florida 33950 The insurance villages will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. Complete list of the entities participating: Allstate Insurance Companies / Castle Key Insurance American Integrity Insurance Company of Florida American Traditions Insurance Company Citizens Property Insurance First Protective Insurance Company / Frontline Florida Peninsula Insurance Company / Edison Insurance Company Heritage P & C Insurance Company Homeowners Choice P & C Insurance Company / TypTap Insurance Monarch National Insurance Company People’s Trust Insurance Company Progressive Insurance / ASI – American Strategic SafePoint Insurance Company State Farm Insurance Companies Tower Hill Insurance Companies Universal P & C Insurance Company National Flood Insurance Program / FEMA Florida Insurance Guarantee Association Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation