Fort Myers roads close early for Edison Festival of Light paradeNear-record heat with sun and clouds for your Saturday
FORT MYERS Fort Myers roads close early for Edison Festival of Light parade Downtown Fort Myers is preparing for a big evening with the Edison Festival of Light Parade and 5K set to draw thousands of spectators.
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.
Donations helping young kids get fed Food insecurity is a pressing issue in the community, and organizations like the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Meals of Hope and the Guadalupe Center are stepping up to help.
New risk factors contribute to heart disease February is American Heart Month, a perfect time to assess your heart health.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte High School student arrested for possession of BB gun According to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, a student has been arrested after a BB gun was found in his backpack on Friday.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers roads close early for Edison Festival of Light parade Downtown Fort Myers is preparing for a big evening with the Edison Festival of Light Parade and 5K set to draw thousands of spectators.
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.
Donations helping young kids get fed Food insecurity is a pressing issue in the community, and organizations like the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Meals of Hope and the Guadalupe Center are stepping up to help.
New risk factors contribute to heart disease February is American Heart Month, a perfect time to assess your heart health.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte High School student arrested for possession of BB gun According to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, a student has been arrested after a BB gun was found in his backpack on Friday.
Florida Supreme Court in session. Credit: CBS The highest court in the land ruled Thursday that colleges can no longer use race as a factor in admissions. Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the opinion for the conservative majority, said Harvard and University of North Carolina admissions programs violated the Equal Protection Clause. However, affirmative action has been banned in Florida for two decades, leading many to question the decision’s impact in the Sunshine State. The Florida Board of Governors released this statement following the landmark decision: “This decision will have no impact on the State University System of Florida. The Free State of Florida has not utilized affirmative action in our higher education system since the One Florida Initiative in 1999.“ That’s when then Governor Jeb Bush issued an order called One Florida. Even then, the affirmative action debate was all over the news, making headlines in the New York Times, for example. Simply put, it prohibited public universities from using race as a factor in admissions. The Supreme Court’s ruling applies to all higher education, public and private. “This latest supreme court decision involves two different situations that involve the University of North Carolina public institution, but it also involved Harvard, a private institution,” said Dr. Aubrey Jewett, Political Science professor at the University of Central Florida. “So the U.S. Supreme Court has clearly said, no college, public or private, can use race or ethnicity as an admission factor.” Jewett also explained that Florida universities have implemented alternative approaches to promote diversity, like considering first-generation college status or family income as indicators. Regardless, he believes the ruling leaves some ambiguity, as justices debated the extent to which race-related factors could be considered. For example, Chief Justice John Roberts said the decision should not prohibit universities from considering “an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.” “There is a little wiggle room according to the conservatives who voted, you know, six to three to establish that rule,” Jewett said. “But exactly how much wiggle room there is, like in a personalized assay or an application, we don’t really know yet because even on the supreme court, they were arguing about what would be allowed and what wouldn’t be allowed.” Ultimately, Jewett believes this lack of clarity may lead to interpretation differences and potential legal challenges. “In my view, because there is disagreement between the majority and the minority on the Supreme Court about exactly what this ruling means, then there’s definitely going to be some further court action required at some point in the future,” Jewett said. According to this survey from the Pew Research Center, a majority of Americans say race should not be a factor in college admissions. Specifically, it found that “half of U.S. adults disapprove of selective colleges considering race and ethnicity in admissions, while a third approve.” What questions do you have about the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling? Email: kellie.miller@winknews.com