ESTERO 1 injured after shooting at Coconut Point Mall According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, one person has been injured after a shooting at the Coconut Point Mall on Friday.
CAPE CORAL CCPD cruiser damaged after officer involved crash An officer-involved crash leaves a Cape Coral police cruiser smashed.
PORT CHARLOTTE Sweet’s Diner in Port Charlotte reopens After months of fundraising and rebuilding, this diner, which had a car fly-through it, is back open.
FWC pushing to protect Florida’s endangered manatees Florida Fish and Wildlife is pushing to protect endangered manatees. One danger that animals face is when boats bash into them, leaving deep scars across their backs.
FORT MYERS The Fort Myers Fire Department looks towards new year Fighting fires is always top of mind for the Fort Myers Fire Department. The Fort Myers Fire Department leads the way when it comes to protecting your property when a fire breaks out.
WINK NEWS Palisades Wildfire devastates SWFL family Just hours after evacuating their Malibu home, the Wohl family learned they would never go back.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral expands with development The Cove at 47th The Cove sits in south Cape Coral between Cape Coral Parkway and Southeast 47th Terrace right next to Cork Soakers.
FORT MYERS ‘Operation Ghost Buster’: 16 arrested in Fort Myers drug operation The Fort Myers Police Department Narcotics Unit conducted an operation targeting drug traffickers and individuals unlawfully selling and possessing firearms in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS ‘A Distinctive Honor’: Bank of America award benefits FSW Nursing Program Bank of America has been awarded Florida Southwestern State College the 2024 Neighborhood Champion Award.
CAPTIVA One step closer to decision on South Seas building density After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge said he stood by his earlier decision in favor of the Captiva Civic Association.
Governor signs death warrant for man accused of 1997 killing of 2 in Charlotte County Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the death warrant for a man accused of killing two people in Charlotte County in 1997.
Community input needed for renaming Challenger Boulevard While Lee Health continues construction on the area’s newest hospital, there are decisions to be made.
ESTERO SWFL Lady Hammerheads find community through rugby The southwest Florida Lady Hammerheads are the Florida Women’s Rugby Union’s newest team.
Heavy law enforcement presence near Arcadia Popeyes According to the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, there is a heavy law enforcement presence near a Popeyes restaurant.
Punta Gorda City Council searches for new home Punta Gorda City Council sought a temporary solution when it was unable to meet Jan. 9 at the Military Heritage Museum because elevators weren’t working, which would have been a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
ESTERO 1 injured after shooting at Coconut Point Mall According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, one person has been injured after a shooting at the Coconut Point Mall on Friday.
CAPE CORAL CCPD cruiser damaged after officer involved crash An officer-involved crash leaves a Cape Coral police cruiser smashed.
PORT CHARLOTTE Sweet’s Diner in Port Charlotte reopens After months of fundraising and rebuilding, this diner, which had a car fly-through it, is back open.
FWC pushing to protect Florida’s endangered manatees Florida Fish and Wildlife is pushing to protect endangered manatees. One danger that animals face is when boats bash into them, leaving deep scars across their backs.
FORT MYERS The Fort Myers Fire Department looks towards new year Fighting fires is always top of mind for the Fort Myers Fire Department. The Fort Myers Fire Department leads the way when it comes to protecting your property when a fire breaks out.
WINK NEWS Palisades Wildfire devastates SWFL family Just hours after evacuating their Malibu home, the Wohl family learned they would never go back.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral expands with development The Cove at 47th The Cove sits in south Cape Coral between Cape Coral Parkway and Southeast 47th Terrace right next to Cork Soakers.
FORT MYERS ‘Operation Ghost Buster’: 16 arrested in Fort Myers drug operation The Fort Myers Police Department Narcotics Unit conducted an operation targeting drug traffickers and individuals unlawfully selling and possessing firearms in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS ‘A Distinctive Honor’: Bank of America award benefits FSW Nursing Program Bank of America has been awarded Florida Southwestern State College the 2024 Neighborhood Champion Award.
CAPTIVA One step closer to decision on South Seas building density After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge said he stood by his earlier decision in favor of the Captiva Civic Association.
Governor signs death warrant for man accused of 1997 killing of 2 in Charlotte County Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the death warrant for a man accused of killing two people in Charlotte County in 1997.
Community input needed for renaming Challenger Boulevard While Lee Health continues construction on the area’s newest hospital, there are decisions to be made.
ESTERO SWFL Lady Hammerheads find community through rugby The southwest Florida Lady Hammerheads are the Florida Women’s Rugby Union’s newest team.
Heavy law enforcement presence near Arcadia Popeyes According to the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, there is a heavy law enforcement presence near a Popeyes restaurant.
Punta Gorda City Council searches for new home Punta Gorda City Council sought a temporary solution when it was unable to meet Jan. 9 at the Military Heritage Museum because elevators weren’t working, which would have been a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Scientists conducting a necropsy for a smalltooth sawfish. CREDIT: FWC Florida wildlife officials have updated the sawfish mortality numbers that have been happening during the ongoing abnormal fish behavior event in the Florida Keys. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 38 endangered sawfish mortalities have been reported to the commission as of Wednesday. Close up of an endangered smalltooth sawfish necropsy. CREDIT: FWC In the Florida Keys Abnormal Fish Behavior Event FWC report, 426 fish kill hotline reports have been filed, 211 fish samples have been collected and 163 water samples have been collected. These numbers have increased since the March 27 report. At that time, 365 fish kills had been reported, and 203 fish samples and 138 water samples had been collected. “The smalltooth sawfish was the first marine fish to receive federal protection as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act in 2003. They were historically found in coastal waters from Texas to North Carolina, but now generally only found in Florida,” says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries website. Smalltooth sawfish held up before necropsy. CREDIT: FWC “We suspect that total mortalities are greater, since sawfish are negatively buoyant and thus unlikely to float after death,” said Adam Brame, NOAA Fisheries’ sawfish recovery coordinator. “Given the limited population size of smalltooth sawfish, the mortality of at least two dozen sawfish could have an impact on the recovery of this species.” More than 50 species have been impacted by the bizarre Florida Keys mortality event. Some of the impacted species include the Atlantic Needlefish, Atlantic Stingray, Ballyhoo, Bigeye Scad, Blacktip Shark, Blue Runner, Blue Striped Grunt, Bonnethead Shark and many more. “Reports of spinning fish from the Florida Keys started in the fall of 2023 and smalltooth sawfish mortalities were first reported in January 2024. It is possible that these two events could be related,” says the FWC website. CREDIT: FWC 52 fish have been sent to the University of South Alabama for analyses from FWC. RELATED: Sawfish emergency response seeks answers to Florida Keys mortality event RELATED: 21 endangered smalltooth sawfish deaths spur fishkill investigation The updated report says after conducting all of the necropsies so far, “There are no signs of a communicable pathogen and specimens were negative for bacterial infection.” Authorities also don’t think dissolved oxygen, salinity, pH and temperature are the suspected reason for the fish’s behavior or kills. Scientists examining the animal. CREDIT: FWC FWC has conducted necropsies on several recovered smalltooth sawfish. They analyzed blood and tissue samples from the collected animals. Recently, the NOAA Fisheries began coordinating an emergency response for the endangered smalltooth sawfish mortality event. “If the opportunity presents itself, this would be the first attempt ever to rescue and rehabilitate smalltooth sawfish from the wild,” said Brame. “We’re hopeful for positive outcomes from these rescue attempts and grateful to our partners for their support as we work to protect this endangered species.” Necropsy of the endangered species. CREDIT: FWC Other organizations helping the emergency response include Havenworth Coastal Conservation, Ripley’s Aquariums, Mote Marine Laboratory and Dynasty Marine Associates, Inc. Report any fish kills to the Fish Kill Hotline at 800-636-0511. Authorities don’t recommend you swim where there are dead fish. It’s still unclear what is causing the endangered sawfish to die. You can help by reporting fish concerns, reporting sawfish concerns or other species. FWC locates the reported dead sawfish. CREDIT: FWC Click here to submit an online fish kill report. Click here for more information on reporting a sawfish sighting to FWC. Click here for more information on fish and wildlife health concerns. View this post on Instagram A post shared by U.S. Sawfish Recovery (@u.s.sawfishrecovery)