Collier County Schools postpones possible school zoning changesMan arrested after road rage incident in Collier County
Collier County Schools postpones possible school zoning changes The Collier County School Board voted four to one against two different proposals that could redraw school boundaries.
Man arrested after road rage incident in Collier County A Naples man has been arrested after deputies say he struck another vehicle on the road and fled the scene.
WASHINGTON (AP) Biden and Trump agree to 2 presidential debates, in June and in September President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Wednesday agreed to hold two campaign debates — the first on June 27 hosted by CNN and the second on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC — setting the stage for the first presidential face-off in just weeks.
FORT MYERS Dump truck knocks down power wires over Deleon Street, causing hours-long closure A dump truck knocked down power wires on Deleon Street, forcing a road closure and causing temporary outages in the surrounding area in Fort Myers.
GOLDEN GATE Woman arrested for stabbing boyfriend in the buttocks in Golden Gate Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputies have arrested a woman for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend several times in his behind.
clearwater Gov. DeSantis cancels news conference in Clearwater due to weather Due to severe weather in Northern Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis had to cancel a news conference in Clearwater.
COLLIER COUNTY FHP arrest Lehigh Acres driver accused of shooting at family in another car A man has been arrested after allegedly shooting into another car on Interstate 75 in Collier County and fleeing the scene.
Tableside American-Romanian restaurant launches in North Naples Tableside Restaurant opened in the 2,225-square-foot space that most recently was Alpine Restaurant for more than 10 years and, initially, was Bajio Mexican Grill in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt on the corner of Airport-Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach roads.
WINK NEWS Man accused of causing bus crash that killed 8 held without bond; 6 victims identified The man accused of causing a bus crash that killed eight people and injured 40 others in Marion County is being held without bond.
Charlotte tourism revenue to help fund Waterfest To help launch the event in prior years, the county gave in-kind funding of $50,000, thinking that eventually it would be self-sustaining.
WINK NEWS Tractor-trailer overturned on I-75N, traffic moved off-shoulder A tractor-trailer has overturned on I-75 North near mile marker 135, closing all lanes of traffic in Lee County.
PRAGUE (AP) Slovakian prime minister in life-threatening condition after being shot, his Facebook profile says Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shooting after a political event.
MARCO ISLAND Scheduled bridge work on Marco Island to reduce lanes An evaluation on a bridge will impact Marco Island’s traffic beginning Thursday, closing down one lane.
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) Punxsutawney Phil’s babies are named Shadow and Sunny. Just don’t call them the heirs apparent Punxsutawney Phil’s offspring now have names that just might help the famed weather-forecasting groundhog to predict when spring will begin.
Collier County Schools postpones possible school zoning changes The Collier County School Board voted four to one against two different proposals that could redraw school boundaries.
Man arrested after road rage incident in Collier County A Naples man has been arrested after deputies say he struck another vehicle on the road and fled the scene.
WASHINGTON (AP) Biden and Trump agree to 2 presidential debates, in June and in September President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Wednesday agreed to hold two campaign debates — the first on June 27 hosted by CNN and the second on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC — setting the stage for the first presidential face-off in just weeks.
FORT MYERS Dump truck knocks down power wires over Deleon Street, causing hours-long closure A dump truck knocked down power wires on Deleon Street, forcing a road closure and causing temporary outages in the surrounding area in Fort Myers.
GOLDEN GATE Woman arrested for stabbing boyfriend in the buttocks in Golden Gate Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputies have arrested a woman for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend several times in his behind.
clearwater Gov. DeSantis cancels news conference in Clearwater due to weather Due to severe weather in Northern Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis had to cancel a news conference in Clearwater.
COLLIER COUNTY FHP arrest Lehigh Acres driver accused of shooting at family in another car A man has been arrested after allegedly shooting into another car on Interstate 75 in Collier County and fleeing the scene.
Tableside American-Romanian restaurant launches in North Naples Tableside Restaurant opened in the 2,225-square-foot space that most recently was Alpine Restaurant for more than 10 years and, initially, was Bajio Mexican Grill in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt on the corner of Airport-Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach roads.
WINK NEWS Man accused of causing bus crash that killed 8 held without bond; 6 victims identified The man accused of causing a bus crash that killed eight people and injured 40 others in Marion County is being held without bond.
Charlotte tourism revenue to help fund Waterfest To help launch the event in prior years, the county gave in-kind funding of $50,000, thinking that eventually it would be self-sustaining.
WINK NEWS Tractor-trailer overturned on I-75N, traffic moved off-shoulder A tractor-trailer has overturned on I-75 North near mile marker 135, closing all lanes of traffic in Lee County.
PRAGUE (AP) Slovakian prime minister in life-threatening condition after being shot, his Facebook profile says Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shooting after a political event.
MARCO ISLAND Scheduled bridge work on Marco Island to reduce lanes An evaluation on a bridge will impact Marco Island’s traffic beginning Thursday, closing down one lane.
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) Punxsutawney Phil’s babies are named Shadow and Sunny. Just don’t call them the heirs apparent Punxsutawney Phil’s offspring now have names that just might help the famed weather-forecasting groundhog to predict when spring will begin.
An Israeli mobile artillery unit fired a shell from southern Israel towards the Gaza Strip, in a position a near the Israel Gaza border, Israel, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Erik Marmor) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed American support to Israel on Thursday as its military pulverized the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip with airstrikes and prepared for a possible ground invasion. As Palestinians tried to stock up on bread and groceries amid dwindling supplies, Israel said nothing would be allowed into Gaza until Hamas militants freed some 150 hostages taken during their deadly weekend incursion. International aid groups warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis after Israel halted deliveries of food, water, fuel and electricity to Gaza’s 2.3 million people and prevented entry of supplies from Egypt. The war has claimed at least 2,700 lives on both sides. RELATED: Concerns rise for loved ones in Israel amid war “Not a single electricity switch will be flipped on, not a single faucet will be turned on, and not a single fuel truck will enter until the Israeli hostages are returned home,” Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said on social media. Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli military spokesman, told reporters Thursday that forces “are preparing for a ground maneuver” should political leaders order one. A ground offensive in Gaza, where the population is densely packed into a sliver of land only 40 kilometers (25 miles) long, would likely bring even higher casualties on both sides in brutal house-to-house fighting. RELATED: WINK Exclusive: Holocaust survivor talks about Israel-Gaza war As Israel pounds Gaza from the air, Hamas militants have fired thousands of rockets into Israel. Amid concerns that the fighting could spread in the region, Syrian state media reported that Israeli airstrikes on Thursday hit international airports in the Syrian capital, Damascus, and in the northern city of Aleppo, putting them out of service. Palestinians fleeing airstrikes in Gaza could be seen running through the streets, carrying their belongings and looking for a safe place. The number of people who fled their homes reached 340,000 people by Wednesday night – roughly 15% of Gaza’s population. Most crowded into U.N.-run schools while others are staying with relatives or even strangers. In long lines at bakeries and groceries that dared open, people tried to stock up before shelves emptied. On Wednesday, Gaza’s only power station ran out of fuel and shut down, leaving only lights powered by scattered private generators. Hospitals, overwhelmed by a constant stream of wounded and running out of supplies, have only a few days worth of fuel before their power cuts off, aid officials say. The cut-off has also caused dire water shortages for over 650,000 people, according to the U.N. “Without electricity, hospitals risk turning into morgues,” said Fabrizio Carboni, regional director of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Newborn incubators, kidney dialysis machines, X-rays, and more, are all dependent on power, he said. Ambulance crews carrying bodies from the rubble of demolished buildings to the morgue at Gaza’s biggest hospital, Shifa, found no space left. Dozens of bodies in body bags were lined up in the hospital parking lot. Fourteen health facilities have been damaged in strikes, health officials said Thursday. “The situation is very critical,” said Shifa hospital director Mohammad Abu Selmia. “We’ve never seen days in Gaza like what we see now.” With Israel sealing off the territory, the only way in or out is through the crossing with Egypt at Rafah. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said it has not officially closed Rafah but airstrikes have prevented it from operating. Egypt has been trying to convince Israel and the United States to allow the delivery of aid and fuel through Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “crush” Hamas after the militants stormed into the country’s south on Saturday and massacred hundreds of people, including killings of children in their homes and young people at a music festival. Netanyahu alleged Hamas atrocities, including beheading soldiers and raping women. His allegations could not be independently confirmed. Amid grief and demands for vengeance among the Israeli public, the government is under intense pressure to topple Hamas rather than continuing to try to bottle it up in Gaza. Four previous conflicts ended with the group still firmly in control of the territory it has ruled since 2007. Israel has mobilized 360,000 reservists, massed additional forces near Gaza and evacuated tens of thousands of residents from nearby communities. A new war Cabinet, which includes a longtime opposition politician, is now directing the fight. A high-ranking Hamas official, Saleh Al-Arouri, warned on Thursday that any Israeli invasion of Gaza “will turn into a disaster for its army,” saying the group was prepared to respond. Blinken’s visit underscored American backing for Israel’s retaliation. “You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourselves, but as long as America exists you will never have to,” Blinken said after meeting with Netanyahu in Tel Aviv. “We will always be there by your side.” Blinken is to meet Friday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose authority is confined to parts of the occupied West Bank, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II. Israel captured the West Bank, along with Gaza and east Jerusalem, in a 1967 war. The Palestinians want all three territories for their future state, but there have been no peace talks in over a decade. In Gaza, the Israeli military said overnight strikes targeted Hamas’ elite Nukhba forces, including command centers used by the fighters in Saturday’s attack, and the home of a senior Hamas naval operative that it said was used to store unspecified weapons. Other airstrikes killed commanders from two smaller militant groups, according to media linked to those organizations. “Right now we are focused on taking out their senior leadership,” Hecht, the military spokesman, said of Hamas. “Not only the military leadership, but also the governmental leadership, all the way up to (top Hamas leader Yehia) Sinwar.” Israel is employing a new tactic of leveling whole neighborhoods, rather than just individual buildings. Hecht said targeting decisions were based on intelligence and civilians were warned. Even with the warnings, Palestinians say some are unable to escape or have nowhere to go, and that entire families have been crushed under rubble. Drone footage filmed by The Associated Press revealed extensive damage at the Shati refugee camp, in the north of Gaza, following overnight airstrikes. Residents used their bare hands to clear rubble, searching for survivors. A man who was informed his missing family members were dead collapsed in the arms of a fellow resident. Jaber Weshah, a 73-year-old rights activist, said there was no warning when a strike leveled a multi-story building neighboring his in the Bureij refugee camp early Wednesday. At least 12 people were killed, including a bookseller, his wife and two toddler daughters and six members of another family, residents said. “It was an inferno,” Weshah said. The Palestinian Health Ministry said two Palestinians were killed in the West Bank on Thursday when Israeli settlers sprayed bullets at a funeral for three people killed in a settler rampage the day before. Footage showed Jewish settlers in their cars swerving into the funeral procession and cutting off the road before stopping and opening fire. The Health Ministry says more than two dozen Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and two in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem since Saturday, most when police fired on stone-throwing protesters. The death toll in Gaza rose to more than 1,400 killed, the Palestinian health ministry said. The Israeli military said more than 1,300 people, including 247 soldiers, have been killed in Israel, a staggering toll unseen since the 1973 war with Egypt and Syria that lasted weeks. Thousands have been wounded on both sides. Israel says roughly 1,500 Hamas militants were killed inside Israel, and that hundreds of the dead inside Gaza are Hamas members. Shurafa reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Amy Teibel and Isabel DeBre in Jerusalem; Sam McNeil in Be’eri, Israel; Jack Jeffrey and Samy Magdy in Cairo; and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed to this report.