Erika Jackson

The family of a 12-year-old girl killed in a house fire Tuesday in Arcadia says she overcame a lot of obstacles in her young life. Laiellah Hatcher’s sister Kristina says the girl was born three months early, suffered from hearing loss, had autism, ADHD, and a genetic disease called “Turner syndrome.” Hatcher says her youngest […]

A 12-year-old girl and five dogs died in an Arcadia house fire early Tuesday. The fire broke out in a home on Levsky Avenue before 3 a.m. A mother and her two children lived there, along with some other family members. Everyone escaped the fire, but the girl, Laiellah, ran back into the burning home […]

The sunshine, palm trees and beaches seem to be the biggest selling points of Southwest Florida. A new report shows that while many are moving in, there are also quite a few people leaving for greener pastures. They cite the heat and the traffic as reasons for leaving. Paul Murray has always dreamed of spending […]

The family of a 15-year-old boy who died protecting his little sister is on a mission for justice. Khyler Edman was stabbed to death in his Port Charlotte home by a violent intruder in September 2019. Khyler’s father and grandmother spoke to us for the first time Thursday. Instead of celebrating Khyler’s 17th birthday with […]

A feud is becoming heated over gators. Neighbors in South Gulf Cove say there have been more calls for gator removal from the canal. Brenda Futch moved to South Gulf Cove for tranquility. “It’s beautiful. It’s serene, peaceful, we love our wildlife.” Her favorite neighbor has been dubbed “one-eyed Jack.” “We loved watching him, we […]

The two suspects that held up a Brink’s truck in Charlotte County on Monday dressed as garbage collectors, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. This happened at the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Port Charlotte. Witnesses say they had seen the two unidentified suspects loitering and seemingly picking up trash around the building, so they […]

The number of mall shoppers has been declining over the years, taking a complete dive during the pandemic. Some malls might not survive. According to a Bloomberg report, Washington Prime Group is preparing to file for bankruptcy — the parent company of  Port Charlotte Town Center mall in Port Charlotte and Edison Mall in Fort […]

K-9s have been used for years to sniff out drugs and help with investigations but now, they’re being used to find missing people. K-9 Copper is a four-legged hero. He’s had a busy first year on the job. This 5-year-old bloodhound is trained to find missing people and relies on his strong scent senses. Steven […]

Are you looking for simple and affordable living? One company wants to bring tiny homes to Southwest Florida with that promise. More than two hundred tiny homes could be coming to a new community in Charlotte County and it may be a game-changer for folks wanting to own on a budget. Mike McCann is the […]

It’s been a tough school year for high school seniors, with annual events canceled or events still up in the air. So parents are stepping in to make sure one spring tradition goes on, but not as we’re used to seeing it. It’s the last semester of Cheyenne Scena’s senior year at Charlotte High School. […]