FORT MYERS BEACH Revive The Vibe Fest returns to Fort Myers Beach The Revive The Vibe festival is returning to Fort Myers Beach, bringing in a tidal wave of local artists, musicians and businesses.
SARASOTA Mosquito-borne illness advisory issued in Sarasota Florida’s recent rainy climate has created a breeding ground for mosquitoes, raising concerns over the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY Man sentenced to 15 years in prison for attacking Charlotte County inmate A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to attack another inmate with a weapon in Charlotte County.
MARCO ISLAND Boater missing after departing from Marco Island A boater has been missing since Monday after departing from Rose Marina in Marco Island and traveling between Sanibel and Stump Pass.
COLLIER COUNTY Lehigh Acres man accused of reckless driving, fleeing on foot A Lehigh Acres man has been arrested after allegedly driving recklessly and then fleeing on foot in Collier County.
CAPE CORAL 18yo Cape Coral woman arrested for driving over 100 mph, drug possession The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested a woman who stands accused of reckless driving, drug possession and running from law enforcement.
CAPE CORAL Duo arrested for Cape Coral armed robbery, fleeing from officers Two people have been arrested after allegedly breaking into a Cape Coral arcade armed with guns earlier this week.
FORT MYERS Massive police presence reported at Schandler Hall Park Several Lee County Sheriff’s Office vehicles were seen responding to Schandler Hall Park in Fort Myers.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County increasing school police presence over social media threats As parents send their kids to school Thursday, they’ll see extra police and deputy presence on campuses due to threats posted on social media.
The Weather Authority More rain and storms for your Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking an increased chance of rain and storms throughout this Thursday afternoon.
Pet cat recovering after being shot in Port Charlotte A pet cat that had been missing for several days turned up at his Port Charlotte home in rough shape.
NAPLES Man accused of exposing himself at Naples Pier The Naples Police Department arrested a man who stands accused of exposing himself publicly at the Naples Pier.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral focusing on evacuation routes for hurricanes The city of Cape Coral is focusing on evacuation routes to make things smooth and safe for residents leaving during severe weather events.
Fort Myers talks about proposed parking lot in Dean Park Residents are trying to stop the warehouse in the Dean Park Historic District from becoming a parking lot for the city’s truck fleet.
Former New York officer speaks to students on 9/11 Master officer for Naples police department Sean Phillips, who at the time was a New York police officer, shared what that day was like for him with students at the community school of Naples.
FORT MYERS BEACH Revive The Vibe Fest returns to Fort Myers Beach The Revive The Vibe festival is returning to Fort Myers Beach, bringing in a tidal wave of local artists, musicians and businesses.
SARASOTA Mosquito-borne illness advisory issued in Sarasota Florida’s recent rainy climate has created a breeding ground for mosquitoes, raising concerns over the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY Man sentenced to 15 years in prison for attacking Charlotte County inmate A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to attack another inmate with a weapon in Charlotte County.
MARCO ISLAND Boater missing after departing from Marco Island A boater has been missing since Monday after departing from Rose Marina in Marco Island and traveling between Sanibel and Stump Pass.
COLLIER COUNTY Lehigh Acres man accused of reckless driving, fleeing on foot A Lehigh Acres man has been arrested after allegedly driving recklessly and then fleeing on foot in Collier County.
CAPE CORAL 18yo Cape Coral woman arrested for driving over 100 mph, drug possession The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested a woman who stands accused of reckless driving, drug possession and running from law enforcement.
CAPE CORAL Duo arrested for Cape Coral armed robbery, fleeing from officers Two people have been arrested after allegedly breaking into a Cape Coral arcade armed with guns earlier this week.
FORT MYERS Massive police presence reported at Schandler Hall Park Several Lee County Sheriff’s Office vehicles were seen responding to Schandler Hall Park in Fort Myers.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County increasing school police presence over social media threats As parents send their kids to school Thursday, they’ll see extra police and deputy presence on campuses due to threats posted on social media.
The Weather Authority More rain and storms for your Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking an increased chance of rain and storms throughout this Thursday afternoon.
Pet cat recovering after being shot in Port Charlotte A pet cat that had been missing for several days turned up at his Port Charlotte home in rough shape.
NAPLES Man accused of exposing himself at Naples Pier The Naples Police Department arrested a man who stands accused of exposing himself publicly at the Naples Pier.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral focusing on evacuation routes for hurricanes The city of Cape Coral is focusing on evacuation routes to make things smooth and safe for residents leaving during severe weather events.
Fort Myers talks about proposed parking lot in Dean Park Residents are trying to stop the warehouse in the Dean Park Historic District from becoming a parking lot for the city’s truck fleet.
Former New York officer speaks to students on 9/11 Master officer for Naples police department Sean Phillips, who at the time was a New York police officer, shared what that day was like for him with students at the community school of Naples.
Governor Ron DeSantis’ environmental agency is considering plans to turn some of Florida’s park spaces into areas that feature more recreational amenities, and people are not happy. “This is not good,” said Renee LePere. “The purpose of state parks is to preserve the wild places. This is not preserving wild places. This is further development.” The plans include more lodges, golfing, pickleball courts and disc golf courses. “I’m worried about the pesticides and the herbicides that are used to maintain a golf course. They are affecting the animals that live there, and not only that but eventually getting into our own water supply again,” LePere added. What we know is plans involve at least nine parks, including two in the Tampa Bay area; Honeymoon Island and Hillsborough River state parks. “The fear is the nine parks that are slated to have changes to come to it’s kind of like a testing ground for how this is going to work,” said LePere. Environmental groups like the Florida Wildlife Federation and the Florida Native Plant Society are encouraging people to make their voices heard and protect their parks. “A lot of local residents aren’t on board with it either. They’re like, ‘Look, we go to these parks to get away from noise and to commune with nature.’ I mean, there’s certainly plenty of literature out there about what being in a natural setting does for people’s not only mental but physical health. And we keep taking these places away more and more. There needs to be a balance. Renee LePere has lived in Port Charlotte since 1986 and is totally against the changes. “As we know, Florida is being developed at a rapid pace. Right now, we’re running out of wild places. I’m not necessarily anti-pickleball or anti-golf course, but Visit Florida advertises that we have more golf courses than any other state,” LePere explained. She said we live in this beautiful natural state, but then we’ve paved it over and put up a parking lot. She said she misses what Florida used to look like and doesn’t want it to continue changing.