NAPLES Veterans hit the water in Naples Every September, a local group of captains and anglers hosts an event to take soldiers on the water. More than 130 troops and 65 captains were at the Naples Take a Soldier Fishing event.
Collier County teachers reach contract agreement Collier County teachers have come to an agreement with the school district in their contract negotiations.
NORTH PORT North Port Police searching for man who struck officer with car The North Port Police Department is on the search for a man who committed battery on an officer, among other charges.
FORT MYERS Victim of childhood sexual abuse speaks out after abuser receives 3 life sentences A survivor of childhood sexual abuse finally feels free after her abuser receives three life sentences.
No bond for Tice man accused of kidnaping and sexual assault A man accused of kidnapping and sexual assault will be held without bond.
CAPE CORAL 13th annual 239 Fest to showcase 16 local punk, ska and reggae bands The 13th edition of 239 Fest is coming next month and will feature 16 local punk, ska and reggae bands.
FORT MYERS BEACH Witnesses react to boat getting stuck under Matanzas Pass Bridge While the boat has since gotten out from underneath the bridge, it’s raised some questions about safety for onlookers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Splash the otter, the unlikely hero bringing families closure Mike Hadsell has trained many animals in his lifetime, but the newest member of Peace River K9 Search and Rescue dive team, Splash the Asian small-clawed otter, is a first, even for him.
FORT MYERS Scrolling on your cell phone may be bad for your health; FGCU professor weighs in Scrolling through your phone might seem like a fun way to pass the time, but new research shows it can actually make you feel even more bored and unhappy.
WEST PALM BEACH DeSantis launches investigation into 2nd assassination attempt on Trump Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he will personally oversee the investigation into the second assassination attempt on former President Trump.
FHP reveals details behind crash that killed 4 young people A mangled car is all that remains from a crash that took the lives of four young people.
FORT MYERS 2 fires in 24 hours displace families in Fort Myers Two vicious fires left families’ homes and lives in ruins. Now, we are learning what help they are getting until their lives can be put back together.
Trump assassination attempt suspect removed serial number from gun Law enforcement is holding a press conference on the attempt of former President Donald Trump’s life at his West Palm Beach golf course.
FORT MYERS BEACH Matanzas Pass Bridge reopens after boat crashes into it, closing it for hours The Matanzas Pass Bridge has reopened to traffic after it was shut down for hours when a boat crashed into it.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island Bridge in Matlacha to temporarily close The Florida Department of Transportation has announced the temporary closure of the Little Pine Island Bridge.
NAPLES Veterans hit the water in Naples Every September, a local group of captains and anglers hosts an event to take soldiers on the water. More than 130 troops and 65 captains were at the Naples Take a Soldier Fishing event.
Collier County teachers reach contract agreement Collier County teachers have come to an agreement with the school district in their contract negotiations.
NORTH PORT North Port Police searching for man who struck officer with car The North Port Police Department is on the search for a man who committed battery on an officer, among other charges.
FORT MYERS Victim of childhood sexual abuse speaks out after abuser receives 3 life sentences A survivor of childhood sexual abuse finally feels free after her abuser receives three life sentences.
No bond for Tice man accused of kidnaping and sexual assault A man accused of kidnapping and sexual assault will be held without bond.
CAPE CORAL 13th annual 239 Fest to showcase 16 local punk, ska and reggae bands The 13th edition of 239 Fest is coming next month and will feature 16 local punk, ska and reggae bands.
FORT MYERS BEACH Witnesses react to boat getting stuck under Matanzas Pass Bridge While the boat has since gotten out from underneath the bridge, it’s raised some questions about safety for onlookers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Splash the otter, the unlikely hero bringing families closure Mike Hadsell has trained many animals in his lifetime, but the newest member of Peace River K9 Search and Rescue dive team, Splash the Asian small-clawed otter, is a first, even for him.
FORT MYERS Scrolling on your cell phone may be bad for your health; FGCU professor weighs in Scrolling through your phone might seem like a fun way to pass the time, but new research shows it can actually make you feel even more bored and unhappy.
WEST PALM BEACH DeSantis launches investigation into 2nd assassination attempt on Trump Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he will personally oversee the investigation into the second assassination attempt on former President Trump.
FHP reveals details behind crash that killed 4 young people A mangled car is all that remains from a crash that took the lives of four young people.
FORT MYERS 2 fires in 24 hours displace families in Fort Myers Two vicious fires left families’ homes and lives in ruins. Now, we are learning what help they are getting until their lives can be put back together.
Trump assassination attempt suspect removed serial number from gun Law enforcement is holding a press conference on the attempt of former President Donald Trump’s life at his West Palm Beach golf course.
FORT MYERS BEACH Matanzas Pass Bridge reopens after boat crashes into it, closing it for hours The Matanzas Pass Bridge has reopened to traffic after it was shut down for hours when a boat crashed into it.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island Bridge in Matlacha to temporarily close The Florida Department of Transportation has announced the temporary closure of the Little Pine Island Bridge.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris participate during an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept.10, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Donald Trump and Kamala Harris faced each other on the debate stage for the first — and possibly the last — time. The Democratic vice president opened Tuesday night’s faceoff with a power move, marching across the stage to Trump’s lectern to shake his hand. “Kamala Harris,” she said, introducing herself as the pair met for the first time ever. “Let’s have a good debate.” “Nice to see you. Have fun,” the former Republican president responded. The exchange set the tone for the 90-minute debate to come: Harris controlled the conversation at times, baiting Trump with jabs at his economic policy, his refusal to concede his 2020 election loss and even his performance at his rallies. Trump, while measured early on, grew more annoyed as the night went on. And one significant moment played out after the two candidates left the stage, when megastar Taylor Swift said she’ll vote for Harris. Some takeaways from this historic debate: Harris took the fight to Trump in a way that Biden could not In her first answer, the former prosecutor said Trump’s tariffs would effectively create a sales tax on the middle class. She soon accused Trump of presiding over the worst attack on American democracy since the Civil War — the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. She charged him with telling women what they could do with their bodies. And she mocked Trump’s praise of dictators “who would eat you for lunch.” Harris effectively controlled much of the conversation with such attacks and baited Trump into responses that were at times vents, and at others, reminders of his wild rhetoric and fixation on the past. “You did in fact lose that election,” Harris said of the 2020 race that Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden but still insists he won. “Donald Trump was fired by 81 million people,” she said, referring to Biden’s winning vote total. But Harris may have got under her opponent’s skin the most when she went after his performance at his rallies, noting that people often leave early. Growing visibly irritated, Trump insisted that his rallies were larger than hers. A smiling Harris frequently shifted her message from Trump back to the American people. “You will not hear him talk about your needs, your dreams and your needs and your desires,” Harris said. “And I’ll tell you, I believe you deserve a president who actually puts you first.” Trump had a label for Harris: ‘She is Biden’ Trump was often on defense, but he did drive the core message of his campaign: Inflation and immigration are hammering Americans. Immigrants, Trump said, have “destroyed the fabric of our country.” He repeatedly tied Harris to Biden. “She is Biden,” he said. “The worst inflation we’ve ever had,” Trump added. “A horrible economy because inflation has made it so bad. And she can’t get away with that.” Harris responded: “Clearly, I am not Joe Biden and I am certainly not Donald Trump. And what I do offer is a new generation of leadership for our country.” Trump also went after Harris for moving away from some of the progressive positions she took in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, urging voters not to believe the more moderate tone she’s striking in this campaign. “She’s going to my philosophy now. In fact, I was going to send her a MAGA hat,” he said, referring to the red “Make America Great Again” baseball caps that many of his supporters wear. “But if she ever got elected, she’d change it.” One of the most consequential moments came in a post on one of the most followed accounts on Instagram moments after the debate ended. Swift has a loyal following among young women, a demographic Harris needs to turn out in big numbers. She called Harris a “gifted leader,” telling her fans to do their research and make their own decisions, but “I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice.” Trump on race and Harris on the attack ABC moderator David Muir asked Trump point-blank about his allegation last month that Harris had belatedly “ turned Black.” Harris is Black and South Asian and a graduate of Howard University, a historically Black school in Washington. Trump tried to play down the matter. “I don’t care what she is, you make a big deal out of something, I couldn’t care less,” Trump said. Harris, however, had her opening and she rattled off a long list of Trump’s racial controversies: his legal settlement for discrimination against prospective Black tenants at his New York apartment buildings in the 1970s; his ad calling for the execution of Black and Latino teenagers — who were wrongly arrested — in the Central Park jogger case in the 1980s; and his false claims that former President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. “I think the American people want something better than that, want better than this,” Harris said. Trump accused Harris of trying to “divide” people and dismissed her claims as dated and irrelevant. “This is a person that has to stretch back 40, 50 years ago because there’s nothing now,” he said. Harris and Trump dug in on abortion positions Harris came out swinging in defense of abortion rights, perhaps the strongest issue for Democrats since Trump’s nominees created a Supreme Court majority to overturn the constitutional right to an abortion. Her sharp arguments provided a vivid contrast to President Joe Biden’s rambling comments on the issue during his June debate with Trump. “The government, and Donald Trump, certainly should not be telling a woman what to do with her body,” Harris said. She painted a vivid picture of women facing medical complications, gut-wrenching decisions and the need to travel out of state for an abortion. Trump was just as fierce in defense, saying he returned the issue to the states, an outcome he said many Americans wanted. He struggled with accuracy, however, repeating the false claim that Democrats support abortion even after babies are born. He stuck to that even after he was corrected by moderator Linsey Davis. “I did a great service in doing that. It took courage to do it,” Trump said of the overturning of Roe v. Wade and its constitutional protections for abortion. “And the Supreme Court had great courage in doing it. And I give tremendous credit to those six justices.” Polls has shown significant opposition to overturning Roe and voters have punished Republicans in recent elections for it. Trump traded on a Harris talking point Trump took a Harris talking point and directed it right back at her. It happened when he objected after Harris interrupted him. “Wait a minute, I’m talking now,” Trump said. “Sound familiar?” He was putting his own spin on a line Harris used famously against Mike Pence in the 2020 vice presidential debate when she rebuked Pence for interrupting, saying, “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking.” Harris made a pitch to Republican voters In a divided nation, the election will ultimately be decided by a small slice of swing voters in only a handful of states. And in a nod toward that fact, Harris made an explicit appeal to voters across the political spectrum — including Republicans. She noted that she is a gun owner. She cited the “late, great John McCain,” a reference to the Arizona Republican senator and war hero whom Trump criticized for being captured by enemy soldiers. And she listed the many Republicans who formerly served in the Trump administration who have now endorsed her campaign. Trump, meanwhile, offered little outreach to voters in the middle, ignoring the calls for unity that framed his summertime convention speech. Harris seized on the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol to make another explicit appeal to undecided voters. “It’s time to turn the page,” she said. “And if that was a bridge too far for you, well, there is a place in our campaign for you.” Trump was restrained, except when he wasn’t Democrats hoped and Republicans feared that Trump would lose his cool on stage. At first he didn’t, but as Harris increasingly got under his skin, he went to some dark places. Trump amplified false rumors that Haitian immigrants in Ohio are eating pets — ABC’s Muir noted that local officials say that is not happening — as he argued that the Biden-Harris administration was admitting dangerous immigrants. When Harris pressed him on the array of criminal and civil cases against him, Trump similarly fumed. He accused Harris and Biden of planting all the cases. “I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things they said about me,” Trump said, referencing the assassination attempt in July by a gunman whose motives are unknown. When pressed on whether he had any responsibility for Capitol riot, Trump raised his voice, blaming both Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, who was the House speaker at the time, and the Democratic mayor of Washington. He said the rioters have “been treated so badly” and once again denied he lost the 2020 election. Harris replied, “Donald Trump was fired by 81 million people, let’s be clear about that, and clearly he’s having a very difficult time processing that.” There was an in-the-weeds exchange on the economy The debate opened with an unexpectedly wonky exchange on the economy: Harris took on Trump for his plan to put in place sweeping tariffs and for the trade deficit he ran as president; Trump slammed Harris for inflation that he incorrectly said was the worst in the country’s history. Trump said people look back on his presidency’s economy fondly. “I created one of the greatest economies in the history of our country,” he said. Harris flatly told viewers, “Donald Trump has no plan for you.” Americans are slightly more likely to trust Trump over Harris when it comes to handling the economy, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs poll from August. Gender was an afterthought in the back-and-forth Harris would be the nation’s first female president. But her gender was an afterthought during the debate. She made no references to the historic nature of her candidacy. Neither did Trump. And there were no performative moments in which gender was an issue. Who could forget Trump’s decision to stand behind his last female opponent, Hillary Clinton, during a 2016 debate? He also called Clinton a “nasty woman.” Afterward, Clinton said she was creeped out. But on Tuesday night, both candidates stayed behind their podiums as instructed and there were no explicit jabs regarding gender.