CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
PUNTA GORDA Cracking down on vapes in Charlotte County schools Vaping is taking over, and that’s why three Charlotte County High schools are testing out vape sensors.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
Hurricane season is one month away The outlook for the 2024 Hurricane Season is for it be active, potentially even hyperactive.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead after crash on SR 31 and Busbee Rd. in North Fort Myers At around noon Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol said a PT Cruiser and a car hauler collided on State Road 31 and Busbee Road, near the Lee/Charlotte County line.
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for molesting Lee County child A Florida man will spend the next 25 years in prison for molesting a child in Lee County.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
PUNTA GORDA Cracking down on vapes in Charlotte County schools Vaping is taking over, and that’s why three Charlotte County High schools are testing out vape sensors.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
Hurricane season is one month away The outlook for the 2024 Hurricane Season is for it be active, potentially even hyperactive.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead after crash on SR 31 and Busbee Rd. in North Fort Myers At around noon Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol said a PT Cruiser and a car hauler collided on State Road 31 and Busbee Road, near the Lee/Charlotte County line.
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for molesting Lee County child A Florida man will spend the next 25 years in prison for molesting a child in Lee County.
Nearly one out of five families adopted a pet during the pandemic, but now, there may not be enough veterinarians to take care of them all. More pets, on top of vets retiring and only so many accredited vet schools in the country have complicated this shortage that’s been brewing for years. It is impacting clinics in Southwest Florida, but there are possible solutions to the problem. The Perspective from Local Clinics The phones are always ringing at the Gulf Coast Humane Society Veterinary Clinic. People are calling to get appointments for their pets, but in the back, the exam rooms are filled, and sometimes there’s only one doctor working. “The need doesn’t slow down when we don’t have the ability to care for the pets,” said Gary Willoughby, Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Humane Society. “We’ve had to reduce our hours, so we don’t overwork our existing doctors as well.” So now the clinic is closed on Saturdays, and if you want to book an appointment, prepare to wait a month or more. Dr. Sharon Powell with Edison Park Animal Hospital hasn’t had to cut back hours or turn animals away, but … “I personally know of local clinics that have had to close down because of staffing shortages,” Powell said. “Sometimes clients don’t understand, ‘Hey, we can’t see you right away.’ If it’s a nonemergent case, we have to put them off.” The Vet School Compromise The University of Florida, one of only 33 accredited vet schools in the country, is trying to fill the need, but admission is tight. “Typically, we have had for the last couple years around 1,900 to 2,000 applicants into the program for 150 seats,” said Dr. Amanda House, Associate Dean For Academic And Student Affairs at UF’s veterinary program. “We have a lot of excellent and qualified applicants into veterinary school for about 150 seats, so it’s a very competitive program to get into.” That’s why Florida lawmakers are trying to take some of the pressure off. They’ve sent a bill to the governor’s desk that would let veterinarians use telehealth to see first-time patients and prescribe certain medications. “I mean that’s going to take your time up too, and we still have to take good medical records, regardless of its telehealth or in person,” Powell said. Another bill that didn’t make it through this legislative session would create a mid-level veterinarian position akin to a physician’s assistant. “There are many things doctors do every day that these folks with that master level program and all that experience will be able to do for them as well,” Willoughby said. An employee at Gulf Coast Humane Society is set to graduate in May with her veterinary clinical care degree. They believe she would be among the first in the country to go through it for shelter medicine.