American Sand Sculpting Competition returns to Fort Myers BeachEnglewood nonprofit gives hope to residents amid hurricane recovery
FORT MYERS BEACH American Sand Sculpting Competition returns to Fort Myers Beach After a year’s long wait, the American Sand Sculpting Competition on Fort Myers Beach returned on Thursday.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood nonprofit gives hope to residents amid hurricane recovery Many people in Charlotte County were hit hard by storms this hurricane season, but that won’t stop them from giving back to their community.
NAPLES CSN’s Jayvian Tanelus and offensive line erupt in round one Community School of Naples’ offensive line and Jayvian Tanelus put on a show in round one of the playoffs earning them player of the week.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral family opens home up for the holidays A Cape Coral family has gotten over 1,000 interactions on a Facebook post after opening up their home for the holidays.
SANIBEL Sanibel police trained and certified to catch alligators by FWC Pinning an apex predator down with little more than bare hands and tape: That’s what the Sanibel Police Department went through during alligator-catching certification training.
Southwest Florida welcomes first proton beam therapy center This is a big week in cancer care for patients in Southwest Florida and beyond.
PUNTA GORDA Whats next after Punta Gorda city manager’s resignation? Punta Gorda city manager Greg Murray said he resigned Monday but told the council on Wednesday. Now, Melissa Reichert is the interim city manager.
FORT MYERS BEACH 34th annual American Sand Sculpting Championship begins on Fort Myers Beach After a years long wait, the American Sand Sculpting Competition on Fort Myers Beach returned on Thursday.
CAPE CORAL City council members talk about decision to repeal stipend ordinance A vote of 5 to 3 ends the saga over the Cape Coral City Council stipend and new members of the city council are sending a message they’re doing things differently.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers food pantry provides Thanksgiving meals to neighbors Dozens of people stopped by Sunshine Health’s food pantry one week before Thanksgiving. Sunshine Health is delivering hope.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach loses FEMA insurance discount The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has placed Fort Myers Beach (FMB) on probation.
FORT MYERS WINK News Game of the Week: Riverdale at Fort Myers Our WINK News Game of the Week is the regional semifinal matchup between Fort Myers and Riverdale, a rematch from the regular season finale two weeks ago.
NAPLES Hope for the Holidays turkey distribution event in Collier County A Naples nonprofit is expected to feed nearly 2,000 families.
Parts of Lee County to keep FEMA discount According to the Lee County Government, residents in parts of Lee County will keep their FEMA discount.
New blue-light system to be implemented to flag red-light runners Green means go, red means stop and blue means you just ran a red light.
FORT MYERS BEACH American Sand Sculpting Competition returns to Fort Myers Beach After a year’s long wait, the American Sand Sculpting Competition on Fort Myers Beach returned on Thursday.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood nonprofit gives hope to residents amid hurricane recovery Many people in Charlotte County were hit hard by storms this hurricane season, but that won’t stop them from giving back to their community.
NAPLES CSN’s Jayvian Tanelus and offensive line erupt in round one Community School of Naples’ offensive line and Jayvian Tanelus put on a show in round one of the playoffs earning them player of the week.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral family opens home up for the holidays A Cape Coral family has gotten over 1,000 interactions on a Facebook post after opening up their home for the holidays.
SANIBEL Sanibel police trained and certified to catch alligators by FWC Pinning an apex predator down with little more than bare hands and tape: That’s what the Sanibel Police Department went through during alligator-catching certification training.
Southwest Florida welcomes first proton beam therapy center This is a big week in cancer care for patients in Southwest Florida and beyond.
PUNTA GORDA Whats next after Punta Gorda city manager’s resignation? Punta Gorda city manager Greg Murray said he resigned Monday but told the council on Wednesday. Now, Melissa Reichert is the interim city manager.
FORT MYERS BEACH 34th annual American Sand Sculpting Championship begins on Fort Myers Beach After a years long wait, the American Sand Sculpting Competition on Fort Myers Beach returned on Thursday.
CAPE CORAL City council members talk about decision to repeal stipend ordinance A vote of 5 to 3 ends the saga over the Cape Coral City Council stipend and new members of the city council are sending a message they’re doing things differently.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers food pantry provides Thanksgiving meals to neighbors Dozens of people stopped by Sunshine Health’s food pantry one week before Thanksgiving. Sunshine Health is delivering hope.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach loses FEMA insurance discount The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has placed Fort Myers Beach (FMB) on probation.
FORT MYERS WINK News Game of the Week: Riverdale at Fort Myers Our WINK News Game of the Week is the regional semifinal matchup between Fort Myers and Riverdale, a rematch from the regular season finale two weeks ago.
NAPLES Hope for the Holidays turkey distribution event in Collier County A Naples nonprofit is expected to feed nearly 2,000 families.
Parts of Lee County to keep FEMA discount According to the Lee County Government, residents in parts of Lee County will keep their FEMA discount.
New blue-light system to be implemented to flag red-light runners Green means go, red means stop and blue means you just ran a red light.
A Lee County Veteran seals the deal on a home in Fort Myers Wednesday. The dream of owning a home for a local veteran came true this week thanks to Habitat for Humanity. Greg served as a combat medic in the U.S. Army. He said being a veteran and having a home isn’t always easy without the help from others. Members of the community congratulate Greg on his new home in the Habitat Humanity neighborhood, Journey Together. “Veterans need help, and sometimes veterans tend not to ask for help, so Habitat was very, very helpful, and to get me into this program, and then all the sponsors that came out, I didn’t realize this many people. So veterans are in need, and I’m one of them, and I’m very thankful,” he said. Habitat for Humanity’s Veterans Build Initiative built their first home of the program for Lee and Hendry counties for Greg. Vice President of Strategic Partnership Team for Habitat for Humanity, Elisha Baird, said the goal of the initiative is to bring awareness to the need for affordable housing for veterans. This past fall is when Baird was first introduced to Greg, as they put up the framework for his home. She said, since then, she knew how much this project meant to him. Baird said, “He was just beaming with so much excitement to be able to finally have a solution to affordable housing, and so his partnership has meant a lot to so many supporters here in Lee County that have come alongside of him to help build this home to raise funds to help pay for the home to make his mortgage affordable.” A Vet’s “Dream” Key Wednesday, with the help of Habitat for Humanity volunteers, community leaders with the City of Fort Myers and friends of Greg, he was handed a symbolic key to his home. Greg signed the closing paperwork to his home in the coming days, but Wednesday his new place was celebrated. “Each one of our homeowners received a symbolic key and has a word imprinted on it,” said Baird, “and his work was a dream because he’s achieved the American dream of homeownership, and so when he goes to the closing table as soon as possibly tomorrow, he can have that key cut into his home key, his first front door.” People at the dedication for Greg’s home pray over his new asset and the memories to be made there. RELATED: Six days to honor veterans Working towards this dream has a process. It’s a process that comes with owning property, but Greg has found beauty in the journey, knowing he is one step closer to his forever home. He said, “When I started this journey, I didn’t know that it would be, you know, so hard to go through, but it’s worth [it]. I had the opportunity to pay into myself and help build my credit and pay into building my own home. That’s the most important thing and a place to stay for my kids when they do return. That’s important to me.” From One Veteran to Another City of Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson has seen Greg’s home come together from start to finish. As a veteran himself, he knew when he heard Habitat for Humanity was helping Greg build his dream home he wanted to have a hand in the hard work. During the dedication of Greg’s home, Anderson gave the following speech saying, “Your house is built with construction materials, wood, screws, nails and all the different materials. But the home is built with love, and right from the very first day when those walls went up, you could tell this house was being built with love, and I know that Greg and his family are just going to have years of making great memories and happiness over the years, for years and years.” RELATED: Veteran shares journey of overcoming substance abuse at Hope and Honor Gala Anderson said he knows that buying a home in this market in Fort Myers is no easy feat, furthermore for a veteran. The “Journey Together” community where Greg’s home is, is also home to dozens of other new homeowners who were helped at the hands of Habitat for Humanity. Along with his home, Greg received a number of goodies including an American flag and metal Habitat for Humanity emblem. This newly built community is something the Mayor of Fort Myers is happy to see come to fruition. “While this project is only 29 homes, that’s 29 more homes that we didn’t have yesterday that may come in handy now,” said Anderson, “so it’s just very, it touches the heart to see someone like Greg especially is then able get their first home.” Greg will soon be handed the official keys to his home once the closing papers are finalized. He is the first veteran of this initiative with the Lee and Hendry counties’ Habitat for Humanity to become a homeowner. Another veteran will be moved into their home thanks to this initiative by this summer.