NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Male panther at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by FWS, 2018. Another endangered Florida panther has been found dead, marking 12 deaths for the state animal of Florida since November. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission‘s Panther Pulse, a 4-year-old uncollared female panther died from a vehicle strike near mile-marker 50 along Alligator Alley, Thursday. “As the Florida panther population increases, the number of panthers killed by collisions with vehicles also has increased,” says the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s website. “Prior to the year 2000, yearly panther roadkills were four or fewer, but beginning in 2000, these numbers have ranged from six to 34 annually.” Vehicle strike statistics for Florida panthers. CREDIT: FWC Wildlife officials discovered the endangered panther’s corpse inside Collier County, near the Broward County line on Thursday. Between Jan. 9 and Feb. 1, authorities reported five deaths. These last two deaths happened within two weeks of each other. Add on top of that the five deaths in Nov. 2023, which was the deadliest month for the endangered species. That total is nearly the same number of deaths over the last five months that happened in all of 2023. RELATED: Third endangered Florida panther death reported in 8 days RELATED: Train strikes endangered Florida panther in Glades County, fifth death of 2024 The last panther death discovered on Alligator Alley was in 2022. That year, two female panthers were struck by vehicles. The first happened on July 21, and the second death was found on Jan. 31. Authorities say the best way to improve safety for the species on the road is by adding Wildlife crossings. However, adding those crossings is expensive. “The planning for these crossings began with the 1972 Environmental Impact Statement for creating I-75 between Naples and Fort Lauderdale,” says the FWC’s website. “Twenty-four wildlife crossings and 12 other bridges modified for panther use were completed in the early 1990s within a 40-mile stretch of I-75.” Authorities have put a lot of work in over the years and have since built more than 60 crossings. While expensive, wildlife crossings are clearly effective. Authorities say panther deaths are considerably lower in areas with crossings. Panthers out in wild. CREDIT: WINK News. “Panther deaths caused by vehicle collisions have been sharply reduced in areas where crossings and fencing are in place,” says the FWC’s website. Authorities say approximately only 200 wild adults are left in Florida, and you can’t find them anywhere else on the planet. Since reported deaths are vastly due to vehicle strikes, it’s important to always be vigilant on the road so the state animal of Florida can flourish for a long time to come. Click here to learn more ways to keep roads safe for the endangered Florida panther. Click here to learn about the species from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.