ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
Florida roadways are no stranger to speeding drivers and revving engines. Illegal street takeovers and street racing have caught the attention of Florida State Representatives behind House Bill 449. House Rep. Kyian Michael and Rep. Douglas Bankson first filed the “Motor Vehicle Racing Penalties” bill in November of 2023. As of March 29, this bill was on its second read in the Florida Senate. According to the Florida Senate, the bill aims to raise fines and penalties for those a part of these dangerous vehicle crimes. RELATED: Man arrested for illegal street racing and evading police The state senate website describes the bill as, “Motor Vehicle Racing Penalties; Increases fine for specified offenses; increases criminal penalty & revising applicability of criminal penalty for second offenses of specified violations occurring within specified time period; provides penalties for impeding, obstructing, or interfering with an emergency vehicle while participating in drag race, street takeover, stunt driving, competition, contest, test, or exhibition; increases penalty for third or subsequent offenses of specified violations occurring within specified time period; increases fine for such violations; increases fine for acting as spectator at specified violations.” Residential roads see speeding in SWFL Parker Perry is a car enthusiast first but a neighbor second. He said his street in San Carlos Park sees lots of fast drivers speed by his home often. “People are kind of getting off work, and they’re just driving home. I know that people drive fast, but I would say it’s mostly when people get off of work,” Perry said. He knows fast cars because he has a fast car. One of the few cars sitting in his driveway is a Mark 4 Supra, originally from Japan. RELATED: Cracking down on Illegal Street Racing in Lee County He knows having a fast car means being responsible on the roadways. “If you do stuff on the street like there’s a time in place, and the track is the time in place, if you’re going to do it on the street, you might as well be ready to face the consequences,” he said. Hearing about House Bill 499, he’s supportive of it. He knows it will keep the roadways safer because he’s seen how dangerous illegal street takeovers can get. Perry, like many others, remembers the illegal street takeover that claimed two lives in Lehigh Acres last March. Raising awareness nationwide for reckless driving The nonprofit organization Street Racing Kills was started in 2013. The founder, Lili Trujillo Puckett, started the organization after losing her daughter, Valentina, to a street racing crash. “I didn’t want any parent to lose a child. That was like my first goal. The pain was different. What I was feeling was different than any other pain I’ve ever felt, and I knew that it was 100% preventable,” said Puckett. Today, she educates drivers, parents, and communities nationwide about the consequences of reckless driving and how to be a more responsible driver. Her passion for others makes preventing tragic crashes like this possible. “We’re going to go to the schools. We are very excited that we’re going to school, which is where we’re going to be talking about all the dangers, the consequences, how to save lives, give the students and young drivers these tools where they can start driving and not engage into this behavior. I do believe in mentoring our future drivers. It is so important,” Puckett said. RELATED: Neighbors start petition to stop speeding drivers in Naples She said illegal street takeovers and street racing is a trend she sees nationwide. Based out of California, she’s happy to see representatives from the state of Florida working towards a safer tomorrow for people on our roadways. More than improving conditions, Puckett said seeing this bill pass would bring justice to the lives lost from these dangerous accidents. “I am sure that as they hear this new bill and other bills that they have been Florida, they [will] feel a little bit of peace in their heart because they know there’s something being done about it,” she said. If this bill is passed, it will go into effect on July 1st. For more information on this bill or to track its progress, you can visit the Florida Senate’s website.