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.
Florida panther standing outside of a wildlife crossing. CREDIT: florida-panther-east-collier.jpg, fStop Foundation, Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved – Used by Permission, https://www.fws.gov/banner/florida-panther-east-collierjpg For the fourth time since the start of 2020, wildlife officials recorded two endangered Florida panther deaths on the same day. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Panther Pulse, a 4-year-old female Florida panther reportedly died after getting hit by a vehicle on Oil Well Road in Collier County. Cimarron, the Florida Panther at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary. CREDIT: Paul Dolan It’s rare that Panther Pulse reports same-day mortalities. Below is a list of every same-day Florida panther mortalities since the start of 2020. Nov. 12, 2023 Sept. 28, 2021 – three same-day mortalities April 1, 2021 Feb. 19, 2020 Officials say the 4-year-old panther was struck by a vehicle on Oil Well Road a little less than a mile west of Oil Well Grade in Collier County. This marks the seventh time in 2024 that authorities have discovered a dead Florida panther after a vehicle struck it, bringing the confirmed death toll of the endangered animal to nine for the year. Male panther at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by FWS, 2018. “Vehicle collisions are the primary cause of death for Florida panthers,” FWC says in a press release. “The FWC encourages motorists to slow down and observe all posted speed limits, especially in panther zones, which are in place in several counties across South Florida and coincide with areas where panthers are known to cross. These panther speed zones help ensure the survival of the endangered Florida panther and protect motorists from personal injury.” RELATED: Train strikes endangered Florida panther in Glades County, fifth death of 2024 RELATED: 12 endangered Florida panther deaths in 5 months, latest on Alligator Alley Also, on Monday, wildlife officials discovered a second dead Florida panther. This was a 2-year-old male panther reportedly struck on Highway 70, about four miles west of Southwest County Road 721, in Glades County. In the last two months, wildlife officials have discovered five dead Florida panthers. On Feb. 1, a panther was discovered after getting struck by a train in Glades County. Then on March 8, another was found in the Picayune Strand State Forest. The third was discovered on Alligator Alley near the Broward and Collier County line, also struck by a vehicle. A female panther and her kitten, seen one month after being reunited in Naples by FWC biologists. Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Monday’s discoveries were the second in Glades and Collier County. In years past, the majority of dead panthers have been discovered in Collier County. However, Hendry County accounts for the most in 2024 with three discoveries. Vehicle collisions are the most common way FWC discovers dead panthers. RELATED: Florida Panther Conservation: Protecting the State Animal of Florida “Early measures to reduce panther deaths from vehicle collisions included lowering the speed limit at night in critical stretches of highways, widening road shoulders to increase visibility, experimenting with special reflectors intended to make animals wary as headlight beams were reflected in their direction, public information campaigns and rumble strips,” says the FWC website. In 2023, all 13 reported deaths were the result of vehicle collisions. In 2022, 25 of the 27 discovered deaths were due to Florida panthers getting struck by a vehicle, while the other two were from unknown causes. In 2021, 21 of the 27 deaths were the result of a panther getting struck by a vehicle. Vehicle strike statistics for Florida panthers. CREDIT: FWC That means dating back to the start of 2021, 66 of the last 76 documented dead panthers by wildlife officials were the result of vehicle strikes. “The most effective but also the most expensive measure was adding wildlife crossings to highways,” says the FWC website. Panther Crossing is a Naples Zoo campaign that is designed to make roads a safer place for the state animal of Florida. Athena, the endangered Florida panther at Naples Zoo. CREDIT: PAUL DOLAN Panther crossing signs on the road remind drivers to slow down. While driving in a panther zone at night, drivers should slow down from 60 to 45 mph. The Florida panther has been on the Endangered Species List since 1967. Officials report just over 200 are left in the wild. “The subspecies is so critically endangered that it is vulnerable to just about every major threat,” says the National Wildlife Federation. Florida panther. CREDIT: NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION To report dead or injured panthers, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or #FWC or *FWC on a cell phone.