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.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said human life is its number one priority. The Corps is in charge of keeping the water level on Lake Okeechobee at a manageable level so that if a storm comes, the lake can handle the extra water. In February, the Corps implemented releases to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Estuary to bring lake levels down ahead of the 2024 hurricane season, which is already forecasted to be “extremely active.” The plan worked. Evaporation and those releases brought the lake down two and a half feet. As of Wednesday, May 15, 2024, Lake Okeechobee stands at 13.73 feet. Here is where you can check water levels for yourself. Thankfully, we did not have any major releases after Ian and Nicole because the lake was low enough before those storms. RELATED: Learn more about the Herbert Hoover Dike But this year, since we saw a good amount of rain in what would normally be considered our dry season, the lake rose at a time when it would normally recede, leading to those earlier releases. The Corps said we are in a good spot right now as we begin the rainy season. Now, they will monitor the timing of tropical activity near and over Lake O. “If we got that hurricane early in the season, we would be less prone to have to go to higher level releases. But if you’re late in the season, you’re almost assured that we’re going to take that rainfall and have to move that water off,” said Colonel James Booth, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The reason is that tropical activity combined with the rainy season can increase water levels. Another big concern is back-to-back or late season storms. Booth continued, “It’s not just because of that hurricane and that water sitting there; it’s moving the water off the lake in case there is another storm that comes in behind it.” Many of the same concerns that exist along the Gulf and our rivers exist on Lake O. It can experience storm surge and flooding. The Corps spent $2 billion on improvements to Herbert Hoover Dike in the past two decades. The 143-mile earthen dam system encircles Lake Okeechobee and is routinely inspected. It reduces impacts from flooding as a result of high lake levels for a large area of south Florida. Booth said the Dike is in better shape than it’s ever been. Still, when the lake reaches dangerously high levels, the Corps must release water to the estuaries. Historical perspective Historically, hurricanes have been an issue for the area. September 17, 1928, a hurricane crossed over Lake O. The scene was one of unimaginable loss. 2,500 people were killed. Dike after the 1928 hurricane. CREDIT: Florida Memory archives Pictured above are makeshift coffins stacked alongside the road between Belle Glade and Pahokee following the hurricane. 1947 – A major hurricane caused flooding, prompting Congress to authorize the widening and raising of existing levees and the construction of an additional 59 miles of levee. 1960 – The levees are renamed the Herbert Hoover Dike. On the cusp of this hurricane season, the Corps is prepared for it. Colorado State University forecasts 23 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and five major hurricanes. The Army Corps uses CSU’s predictions to prepare.