“One kiss wouldn’t hurt”: Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior releasedDry, warm, and humid morning before isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening
CAPE CORAL “One kiss wouldn’t hurt”: Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released A Cape Coral volunteer softball coach stands accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
the weather authority Dry, warm, and humid morning before isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking a dry and humid Wednesday morning before afternoon isolated storms in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach to test hurricane emergency messaging alert The Town of Fort Myers Beach is set to test its CodeRED alert system as hurricane season begins in 31 days.
FORT MYERS Students make goodie bags for kids fighting Cancer A special delivery, straight from the heart, to Galisano’s Children’s Hospital. Three 8th graders from Lexington Middle School delivered 100 goodie bags to bring smiles to kids fighting cancer.
TICE Large police presence at park in Tice Deputies and K9s are investigating Schandler Hall Community Park on Palm Beach Boulevard in Tice.
CAPE CORAL Lee County superintendent candidates face off in debate These three people, Denise Carlin, Morgan Wright and Sheridan Chester, are making it clear that they want the job.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA DEA to reclassify Marijuana as Schedule Three drug When you think of marijuana in Florida, You might think of an illegal drug seized by law enforcement. Kim Rivers, the CEO of Florida-based cannabis retailer Trulieve, says when used medicinally, it can help a lot of people.
FORT MYERS Expect more delays on Colonial and Fowler due to intersection project Work on the Colonial Fowler intersection in Fort Myers is underway, and there are many moving parts.
FORT MYERS Possible pay-by-text scam in downtown Fort Myers may have cost woman nearly $1,000 Pay-by-text parking may have cost one woman nearly a thousand dollars after her credit card was hacked.
FORT MYERS Lee County STET team protecting our schools with cameras There are cameras in our kid’s schools, dozens of them, but did you know that Lee County Schools sends those live video feeds to the sheriff’s office, and it’s someone’s job to watch them?
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Six-week abortion ban to take effect soon A stricter abortion ban will take effect in Florida on Wednesday.
Estero’s Golf Coast Driving Range shuts down, visitors devastated A place to relax, let loose and hit a few drives, has come to the end of an era for this community. “This is the first place we came to,” said Roxanne Henningsen, a Bonita Springs resident. “And it like became our second home. The people are wonderful. It’s just a great atmosphere. And we’ve […]
CAPE CORAL Business owners reeling after massive fire in Cape Coral “Very scary” are the words Denise Creacy used to describe what she felt when she saw plumes of black smoke, firefighters, and police fill her neighborhood.
LEHIGH ACRES Changing how you are represented in Lee County Leaders want to hear your thoughts this week at a town hall on how you elect county commissioners.
FORT MYERS Frontier Airlines announces nonstop flights from RSW to San Juan, PR These flights will take off on June 2 and run 3 times a week.
CAPE CORAL “One kiss wouldn’t hurt”: Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released A Cape Coral volunteer softball coach stands accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
the weather authority Dry, warm, and humid morning before isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking a dry and humid Wednesday morning before afternoon isolated storms in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach to test hurricane emergency messaging alert The Town of Fort Myers Beach is set to test its CodeRED alert system as hurricane season begins in 31 days.
FORT MYERS Students make goodie bags for kids fighting Cancer A special delivery, straight from the heart, to Galisano’s Children’s Hospital. Three 8th graders from Lexington Middle School delivered 100 goodie bags to bring smiles to kids fighting cancer.
TICE Large police presence at park in Tice Deputies and K9s are investigating Schandler Hall Community Park on Palm Beach Boulevard in Tice.
CAPE CORAL Lee County superintendent candidates face off in debate These three people, Denise Carlin, Morgan Wright and Sheridan Chester, are making it clear that they want the job.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA DEA to reclassify Marijuana as Schedule Three drug When you think of marijuana in Florida, You might think of an illegal drug seized by law enforcement. Kim Rivers, the CEO of Florida-based cannabis retailer Trulieve, says when used medicinally, it can help a lot of people.
FORT MYERS Expect more delays on Colonial and Fowler due to intersection project Work on the Colonial Fowler intersection in Fort Myers is underway, and there are many moving parts.
FORT MYERS Possible pay-by-text scam in downtown Fort Myers may have cost woman nearly $1,000 Pay-by-text parking may have cost one woman nearly a thousand dollars after her credit card was hacked.
FORT MYERS Lee County STET team protecting our schools with cameras There are cameras in our kid’s schools, dozens of them, but did you know that Lee County Schools sends those live video feeds to the sheriff’s office, and it’s someone’s job to watch them?
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Six-week abortion ban to take effect soon A stricter abortion ban will take effect in Florida on Wednesday.
Estero’s Golf Coast Driving Range shuts down, visitors devastated A place to relax, let loose and hit a few drives, has come to the end of an era for this community. “This is the first place we came to,” said Roxanne Henningsen, a Bonita Springs resident. “And it like became our second home. The people are wonderful. It’s just a great atmosphere. And we’ve […]
CAPE CORAL Business owners reeling after massive fire in Cape Coral “Very scary” are the words Denise Creacy used to describe what she felt when she saw plumes of black smoke, firefighters, and police fill her neighborhood.
LEHIGH ACRES Changing how you are represented in Lee County Leaders want to hear your thoughts this week at a town hall on how you elect county commissioners.
FORT MYERS Frontier Airlines announces nonstop flights from RSW to San Juan, PR These flights will take off on June 2 and run 3 times a week.
People Trust claims its customers broke their policies by repairing their own homes after Hurricane Ian. But, one homeowner’s lawyer believes the State of Florida needs to get involved. People’s Trust sued Mary Stewart in September, 2023, nearly a year after Ian. She still lives with the damage in her Port Charlotte home and the suit centers around her trying to get her home back together. RELATED: Insurance company suing its customers, Hurricane Ian victims “It’s just too much. The depression, I have to fight it every day because of the number of things coming my way,” said Stewart. Abidemi Oladipo of the Mubarak, Sharif and Oladio Law Firm agreed to take Stewart on as a client. “What People’s Trust is saying in the lawsuit is that because Ms. Stewart allegedly carried out some repairs in her home for damage to her home caused by Hurricane Ian that they should no longer be able or be responsible for paying any part of her claim,” Oladipo explained. Before fighting for policyholders, he used to represent insurance companies, including People’s Trust. He told WINK News Consumer Investigator Andryanna Sheppard that the firm represents at least five homeowners People’s Trust has sued for repairing their homes with their own contractors. “Once People’s Trust invoked their right to repair through rapid response team, that the individuals from People’s Trust would tell the homeowner that that rapid response team could not get to their repairs for a period of eight to 12 months in varying degrees from different clients,” said the lawyer. I don’t understand why our government allows them to do stuff like this. Mary Stewart People’s Trust told Sheppard they have an exclusive contract with a preferred contractor, Rapid Response Team or RRT. On its website, it claims to be the state’s largest insurance restoration general contractor made up of more than 200 full-time employees that operate out of 9 response centers around the state. People’s Trust’s COO said both the insurance company and RRT are owned by the same person, President and CEO George Schaeffer. He also said the insurer received more than 12,000 Hurricane Ian claims. “As the homeowner, you’re sitting there in your damaged home, with a tarp on your roof, trying to protect your family and your property,” said Oladipo. “If they cannot perform the repairs within a reasonable period of time, you have to question why they invoked the right to repair on so many homeowners policies.” Sheppard brought those concerns to People’s Trust. Initially, the company said the COO Tom Gallagher would do an interview. When he called, he was hesitant to talk on the record. “I’m doing a story on this so I wanted to give you guys the opportunity to speak on the record about what’s going on. Are you able to do an interview on the record?” Sheppard asked. After a little back and forth, he went on the record later that same day. People’s Trust Chief Operating Officer Tom Gallagher State Insurance Commissioner from 1989 to 1995 and 2001 to 2007 2008, he helped start an insurance agency Government consultant for the past five years for insurance regulation and litigation law firm Joined People’s Trust full-time 6 years ago. “We don’t take pleasure suing our policyholders,” explained Gallagher. “I can tell you that a very small percentage that happens in, but we do try to get claims settled as soon as possible. And when we have people that aren’t following what the contract says, we’ve tried to encourage them to go along with us and let us fix the home.” “Why is People’s Trust insurance company suing dozens of homeowners?” asked Sheppard. “If our policyholders follow what the contract calls for – many times, they don’t follow it, because they’re getting bad advice by a damage consultants, loss consultants or public adjuster,” said Gallagher. “Some cases a lawyer tells them to do certain things, and not follow what the policy says. It causes them not to get their home repaired the way it should be.” We have the right to repair. We don’t write checks. Tom Gallagher, People’s Trust, COO “Are homeowners supposed to wait a year after Ian hit in order for their homes to be fixed?” Sheppard questioned. “We would hope not. We’d rather not,” Gallagher answered. He feels that bad advice from others, is why People’s Trust customers end up in court. “We have the right to repair. We don’t write checks. We repair the homes,” explained Gallagher. “And so that’s what the policy says. And that’s what we plan on doing.” Oladipo believes the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation should do some digging. “The question is, when will they be made whole? When would their home be restored back to its pre-loss condition?” asked Oladipo. Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky told me his office is looking into it. “That’s really what we want to mostly look at is whether or not the service is being performed is up to up to the standards that one would expect to receive from their insurer,” said Yaworksy. As for Stewart, her family will have to live in their Hurricane Ian-damaged home until the lawsuit is resolved. She is not allowed to make any repairs. “I don’t understand why our government allows them to do stuff like this,” she questioned. “It’s just not fair. It’s just not fair.” Sheppard reached out to People’s Trust President and CEO George Schaeffer for comment. A spokesperson sent a statement which read in part that People’s Trust policyholders see the preferred contractor endorsement as a “tremendous benefit, since they don’t need to scramble finding reliable contractors and service workers to complete work.” And, their “affiliate rapid response team provides a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee on workmanship.” To read the full People’s Trust statement, CLICK HERE.