Decreasing humidity and mostly sunny skies for your ThursdayThe Salvation Army of Collier County launches annual toy drive
the weather authority Decreasing humidity and mostly sunny skies for your Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking a cold front dropping humidity and temperatures on this Thursday afternoon.
The Salvation Army of Collier County launches annual toy drive The annual Toys for Tots donation drive in Collier County has officially begun, aiming to bring Christmas joy through generosity.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral’s new council eliminates stipend on day one People in Cape Coral are getting what they voted for: the new city council members were just sworn in, and they eliminated the stipend.
LEHIGH ACRES Man arrested for fatal hit-and-run crash with motorcyclist in Lehigh Acres A man has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed a motorcyclist on Tuesday night.
Latest details on fatal Alligator Alley crash ; 1 killed According to the arrest report, a man told troopers he got a minivan from a pastor but did not get permission to take it out because he left in the middle of the night
Enforcing state law on street camping in Punta Gorda More than a month since the new state law banning sleeping in public places went into effect the city of Punta Gorda voted on if an ordinance change was needed.
Cape Coral home vandalized; homeowner calls it a “hate crime” A man returned to his unfinished Cape Coral home to find it’s been violated and vandalized. Cape Coral police are searching for the suspect.
SWFL organizations putting donated money to good use 41 Southwest Florida organizations are still in shock about the millions of dollars they received from philanthropist Tom Golisano.
Utility scams awareness day: what you need to know Wednesday is utility scams awareness day. These types of scams target customers by going door-to-door, sending phone calls or texts and using false information online.
NAPLES Salvation Army of Collier County kicks off annual Christmas toy drive The Salvation Army of Collier County has kicked off its annual Christmas toy drive, and you won’t have to travel far to get involved.
Record Store Day Black Friday: Where to go in SWFL Record Store Day Black Friday is approaching quickly, and if you’re not looking for a new TV or a video game console, go to your local record store, as they will have exclusive deals to expand your record collection.
Manasota Key residents concerned over new development on the island Residents of a small island community are expressing their concerns about potential changes to their neighborhood.
FORT MYERS Resident reacts to plan for new Amazon facility in Fort Myers Amazon has paid $66.5M for 143 acres in Fort Myers to build a new warehouse. A resident who lives by the property said she has reservations about the facility.
ESTERO Caught on Camera: Woman accused of stealing from Kate Spade outlet A Cape Coral woman has been arrested for grand theft after she was allegedly caught on camera shoplifting at a Kate Spade store in Estero.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers basketball player returns to the court after two years Fort Myers High School basketball player Karsten Schafer played his first game in two years Tuesday night after having a spinal surgery.
the weather authority Decreasing humidity and mostly sunny skies for your Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking a cold front dropping humidity and temperatures on this Thursday afternoon.
The Salvation Army of Collier County launches annual toy drive The annual Toys for Tots donation drive in Collier County has officially begun, aiming to bring Christmas joy through generosity.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral’s new council eliminates stipend on day one People in Cape Coral are getting what they voted for: the new city council members were just sworn in, and they eliminated the stipend.
LEHIGH ACRES Man arrested for fatal hit-and-run crash with motorcyclist in Lehigh Acres A man has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed a motorcyclist on Tuesday night.
Latest details on fatal Alligator Alley crash ; 1 killed According to the arrest report, a man told troopers he got a minivan from a pastor but did not get permission to take it out because he left in the middle of the night
Enforcing state law on street camping in Punta Gorda More than a month since the new state law banning sleeping in public places went into effect the city of Punta Gorda voted on if an ordinance change was needed.
Cape Coral home vandalized; homeowner calls it a “hate crime” A man returned to his unfinished Cape Coral home to find it’s been violated and vandalized. Cape Coral police are searching for the suspect.
SWFL organizations putting donated money to good use 41 Southwest Florida organizations are still in shock about the millions of dollars they received from philanthropist Tom Golisano.
Utility scams awareness day: what you need to know Wednesday is utility scams awareness day. These types of scams target customers by going door-to-door, sending phone calls or texts and using false information online.
NAPLES Salvation Army of Collier County kicks off annual Christmas toy drive The Salvation Army of Collier County has kicked off its annual Christmas toy drive, and you won’t have to travel far to get involved.
Record Store Day Black Friday: Where to go in SWFL Record Store Day Black Friday is approaching quickly, and if you’re not looking for a new TV or a video game console, go to your local record store, as they will have exclusive deals to expand your record collection.
Manasota Key residents concerned over new development on the island Residents of a small island community are expressing their concerns about potential changes to their neighborhood.
FORT MYERS Resident reacts to plan for new Amazon facility in Fort Myers Amazon has paid $66.5M for 143 acres in Fort Myers to build a new warehouse. A resident who lives by the property said she has reservations about the facility.
ESTERO Caught on Camera: Woman accused of stealing from Kate Spade outlet A Cape Coral woman has been arrested for grand theft after she was allegedly caught on camera shoplifting at a Kate Spade store in Estero.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers basketball player returns to the court after two years Fort Myers High School basketball player Karsten Schafer played his first game in two years Tuesday night after having a spinal surgery.
In Fort Myers, a new business is being developed nearly everywhere you turn. The list goes on, from restaurants to jewelry stores and antique shops. However, some people say there is a lack of minority businesses in our area. Julian Wyatt, director of the Community Development Financial Institute (CDFI) program, wants to change that. “Our goal is to propel entrepreneurs and business owners to what we refer to as prosperity, economic liberation,” said Wyatt. “For the last six months, our team has been really intentional about reaching the business owners here in Fort Myers who can really use the capital that we have available for them.” The initiative is a joint effort between Urban Strategies, inc. and the Truist Foundation. Truist Foundation provided a $1.5 million grant to Urban Strategies Inc. (USI), a national nonprofit that focuses on the design and implementation of human capital development strategies in communities undergoing physical revitalization across the U.S. USI will use the funding to support its community development financial institution (CDFI) in establishing a bridge to capital and wealth creation for women, Black, Latino and Indigenous-owned small businesses. Through the CDFI program, they’ve created an equitable loan fund to help bridge the gap for small minority businesses. “If it was a startup or a business that’s been operating for five years, they all said they have problems accessing capital, So we are removing that barrier to make sure that we’re leveling the playing field,” said Wyatt. One of the applicants who received a loan from this initiative is Khandyce Mosely, owner and CEO of Balosi LLC, a wine and spirits business. “I thank God I was fortunate to find this organization that helped me through the process in order for us to be successful,” said Mosely. Mosely said the journey to start her business wasn’t easy as she endured many roadblocks to get her business started. “There were times when I was crying and didn’t know which way to go,” said Mosely. “It is very hard this day and age without making sure your paperwork is correct, making sure you have enough assets to probably try to get a loan or grant in order to fund your business.” Through faith, support and vision, Mosely refused to give up on her business. “Find someone who believes in you. And just take that leap of faith,” said Mosely. “There were times when my faith was shaken, but I took that leap of faith.” Mosely highly credits her family and mentor, Peter, for getting her through the incubator program offered at the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center. The program helps to equip business owners to receive the right amount of capital to keep their business sustained. Mosely was one of the lucky applicants to receive a $15,000 loan through the new initiative. Mosely said this loan will help to further expand her business and help her bridge the wage and racial gap. “One of the biggest things is having a seat at this table, where it’s very culturally starting to get culturally diverse. Well, back then, it wasn’t,” said Mosely. “I will want to own my own building and be able to help other businesses that want to get in this business as well.” Organizers gathered Wednesday evening until 7:30 p.m. to meet and greet potential clients and business owners. To learn more about how USI CDFI Business fund program, click here.