Edison Festival parade lights up Fort Myers with floats and bandsCharlotte County Sheriff’s Office investigating shooting in Punta Gorda
FORT MYERS Edison Festival parade lights up Fort Myers with floats and bands The Edison Festival parade was a spectacle of lights and sounds, drawing crowds to celebrate the legacy of Thomas Edison.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office investigating shooting in Punta Gorda The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a road rage/shooting in the Punta Gorda area on Saturday night.
CAPE CORAL Goth Gala for the Forlorn; How the alt scene honored Valentine’s Day Love Your Rebellion hosted the Goth Gala for the Forlorn at Nice Guys Pizza in Cape Coral on Friday night.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers gears up for Edison Festival parade; road closures in place Downtown Fort Myers is buzzing with excitement as the Edison Festival of Light Parade is set to begin.
the weather authority Near-record heat with sun and clouds for your Saturday The Weather Authority says the above-normal temperatures that Southwest Florida has been experiencing will stick around yet again for Saturday.
LEE COUNTY Savannah Bananas bring fun on the diamond at JetBlue Park The Savannah Bananas amazed and entertained a sold out JetBlue Park Friday night for the first time in Southwest Florida.
CAPE CORAL Caught on Camera: Cape Coral mailbox hit by drifting car A Cape Coral homeowner was left in shock after a car sent her mailbox flying through the air and left tire tracks next to her home.
ARCADIA DeSoto County man sentenced for deadly DUI crash Justice for a mother and son killed by a man driving under the influence.
NAPLES Oldest Black-owned business in SWFL continues to serve community Cleveland Bass Movers, founded in 1969, stands as the oldest Black-owned business in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Broken gate on Lovers Key Beach Resort frustrating residents Residents of Lover’s Key Beach Club in Fort Myers Beach are frustrated with a gate that remains wide open, despite “No Trespassing” signs, since Hurricane Ian struck two years ago.
St. James City Church plans $700k flood-proofing project for future safety Hurricanes have caused flood after flood, and one island church, The First Baptist Church of Saint James City, wants to build higher.
Romance scams rise in the US, AARP warns residents to beware Romance scams are on the rise, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting over 64,000 cases in the U.S. in 2023.
Fort Myers Savannah Bananas make their way to Fort Myers for first time The Savannah Bananas have made their way to JetBlue Park for Friday’s sold-out game in Fort Myers to watch “the greatest show in sports.”
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Yacht Club receives key permit Cape Coral received a key permit for a Yacht Club Community Park. This permit opens up the necessary steps for the park to be built.
PORT CHARLOTTE Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church holds 31st annual Greek Fest The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Port Charlotte kicked off its 31st annual Greek Fest on Friday.
FORT MYERS Edison Festival parade lights up Fort Myers with floats and bands The Edison Festival parade was a spectacle of lights and sounds, drawing crowds to celebrate the legacy of Thomas Edison.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office investigating shooting in Punta Gorda The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a road rage/shooting in the Punta Gorda area on Saturday night.
CAPE CORAL Goth Gala for the Forlorn; How the alt scene honored Valentine’s Day Love Your Rebellion hosted the Goth Gala for the Forlorn at Nice Guys Pizza in Cape Coral on Friday night.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers gears up for Edison Festival parade; road closures in place Downtown Fort Myers is buzzing with excitement as the Edison Festival of Light Parade is set to begin.
the weather authority Near-record heat with sun and clouds for your Saturday The Weather Authority says the above-normal temperatures that Southwest Florida has been experiencing will stick around yet again for Saturday.
LEE COUNTY Savannah Bananas bring fun on the diamond at JetBlue Park The Savannah Bananas amazed and entertained a sold out JetBlue Park Friday night for the first time in Southwest Florida.
CAPE CORAL Caught on Camera: Cape Coral mailbox hit by drifting car A Cape Coral homeowner was left in shock after a car sent her mailbox flying through the air and left tire tracks next to her home.
ARCADIA DeSoto County man sentenced for deadly DUI crash Justice for a mother and son killed by a man driving under the influence.
NAPLES Oldest Black-owned business in SWFL continues to serve community Cleveland Bass Movers, founded in 1969, stands as the oldest Black-owned business in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Broken gate on Lovers Key Beach Resort frustrating residents Residents of Lover’s Key Beach Club in Fort Myers Beach are frustrated with a gate that remains wide open, despite “No Trespassing” signs, since Hurricane Ian struck two years ago.
St. James City Church plans $700k flood-proofing project for future safety Hurricanes have caused flood after flood, and one island church, The First Baptist Church of Saint James City, wants to build higher.
Romance scams rise in the US, AARP warns residents to beware Romance scams are on the rise, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting over 64,000 cases in the U.S. in 2023.
Fort Myers Savannah Bananas make their way to Fort Myers for first time The Savannah Bananas have made their way to JetBlue Park for Friday’s sold-out game in Fort Myers to watch “the greatest show in sports.”
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Yacht Club receives key permit Cape Coral received a key permit for a Yacht Club Community Park. This permit opens up the necessary steps for the park to be built.
PORT CHARLOTTE Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church holds 31st annual Greek Fest The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Port Charlotte kicked off its 31st annual Greek Fest on Friday.
FILE – Oranges rot on the ground on Oct. 12, 2022, at Roy Petteway’s Citrus and Cattle Farm after they were knocked off the trees from the effects of Hurricane Ian in Zolfo Springs, Fla. According to U.S. Agriculture Department estimates released Friday, Dec. 9, production of oranges in Florida is forecast to drop by 36% for this season compared with estimates from October, in part a reflection of twin hurricanes that battered growing regions. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara, File) Florida citrus officials are promoting the “grit of this industry” as the growing season is set to close with the lowest production in nearly a century. But they say growers are getting more anxious while continuing to wait for federal assistance approved after Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole uprooted trees and flooded fields last fall. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday released a report that estimated Florida will produce 15.75 million boxes of oranges this season. That would be down from 41.2 million boxes during the 2021-2022 season — a total that itself was the lowest production in decades. The department will release a final report for the 2022-2023 season in July. Hurricane Ian caused heavy damage to the industry after it made landfall in September in Southwest Florida and crossed the state, including barreling through major citrus-growing areas. But even before the hurricanes, the 2022-2023 harvest was expected to be smaller than in previous years, as an initial “fruit per tree” count was down. “It was a short crop to begin with, even before the hurricanes hit,” U.S. Department of Agriculture State Statistician Mark Hudson said. “The hurricanes made it even shorter.” The estimates released Friday showed Florida producing 1.82 million boxes of grapefruit this season, down from 3.33 million in 2021-2022. They also showed the state producing 490,00 boxes of specialty crops, mostly tangerines and tangelos, down from 750,000 in 2021-2022. The industry uses a standard of 90-pound boxes. The overall total of slightly more than 18 million boxes would represent the lowest production for Florida growers since 17 million boxes were filled in the 1927-1928 season. Matt Joyner, CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, said that while growers are resilient, “we must have the hurricane relief promised by our federal government in order to overcome the damages and losses inflicted by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole.” Congress passed a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill in December that included $3.742 billion for crop and livestock losses across the nation in 2022. Several Florida lawmakers have championed a block-grant process to help distribute money, but it awaits congressional approval. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has estimated Hurricane Ian inflicted up to $675 million in damage to the state’s citrus growers. Meanwhile, the industry faces development pressures and has grappled for two decades with deadly citrus greening disease, more formally known as huanglongbing. “We remain optimistic about the future, with new treatment methods making a real difference in our fight against greening,” Joyner said. “With hurricane relief, the dedication of our growers and the grit of this industry, I’m confident Florida citrus will come back.” State lawmakers last month passed a budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year that would increase funding for various aspects of the citrus industry from the current $37 million to $65 million. Gov. Ron DeSantis has not signed the budget or issued vetoes. The fiscal year will start July 1. The proposed state spending includes $49.5 million for citrus protection and research, including large-scale field trials on trees that are resistant to huanglongbing. Friday’s estimate for orange production would be the lowest since the 1932-1933 growing season. At that time, the state was still reeling from hurricanes that crossed Florida after hitting Miami in 1926 and West Palm Beach in 1928. Also, a Mediterranean fruit-fly invasion in 1929 affected the industry. Meanwhile, this year’s grapefruit crop is set to be the lowest since 1911-1912. The estimate for specialty crops is slightly above the levels in 1920-1921. Friday’s estimates represented a relatively small improvement for oranges and grapefruit compared to a May forecast. The estimate for oranges increased by 100,000 boxes, while the estimate for grapefruit increased by 20,000 boxes. The estimate for specialty crops, however, decreased by 10,000 boxes.