Erika Jackson

Grace Community School in Charlotte Harbor closed its daycare and pre-school on Tuesday. Now, some Southwest Florida parents are struggling to find daycare for their children. They worry about the overall availability of childcare in the area. “It’s just kind of harder that you can’t get the care you need because it’s so much money,” said […]

The City of Punta Gorda notified 13,000 utility customers Thursday in the city and the outskirts of Charlotte County they need to use bottled water because a cancer-causing chemical may be in the city water. “I thought, ‘Holy cats,’” neighbor Elaine Tressler said. Tressler said she was shocked to find the letter in her mailbox […]

We take water for granted. But think about a day without it. Hospitals and fire stations would shut down. You could not shower or brush your teeth. That is why Charlotte County is joining a campaign to bring awareness to conservation. Pat Sarver, who lives in Burnt Store Village, said we would not exist without […]

Hundreds of home owners in Charlotte County have to switch from septic to the county sewer system, and they don’t have a choice. The switch could cost home owners as much as $11,000, but the county says these changes will help prevent another algae and water crisis. Residents of Charlotte County are not thrilled with […]

Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda is taking care of six gopher tortoises that were seriously hurt by dogs recently. “Most people are very responsible pet owners, so we are not pointing any fingers,” Dr. Robin Jenkins with the wildlife center said. Jenkins says the half dozen injured tortoises that were brought to the […]

Community leaders in Charlotte County want your thoughts about what changes the Florida Dept. of Transportation needs to make to U.S. 41. FDOT will hold meetings Tuesday afternoon, on this week and the next, showing off some ideas for your feedback. For some people, driving on U.S. 41 can be a challenge. Ask Bill Simmons […]

Recent child drownings throughout Southwest Florida have sparked initiative by prevention advocates. And we spoke to a family, whose child is among the four recent drownings, warning others about the consequences. Kimberley Martin is normally helping her son, 2-year-old Wayne Schaefer Jr., pick out his Halloween costume during this time of year. Instead, she is […]

What started as a call to 911, ended with the birth of Sandra Castaneda’s baby boy. “It got pretty intense quite quickly. I just told them they had to pull over and to call 911,” said Castaneda. Ready or not, baby Anthony made his way into the world on Sept. 29 near the corner of […]

Kurds living in Syria are scrambling to get away as the Turkish military invades the region. “We’ve been doing this actually over a period of time, over a very long period of time. And we’ve been working with the people in this room and our soldiers have been coming back over that period of time,” […]

Who says learning can’t be fun? “The best way to connect with kids is through games, getting them involved, hands on interaction,” says Charlotte County mother a former educator with a Marine Science institute in the Florida Keys, Katharine Baumgartner. She goes near shark-infested waters to make sure kids have the right idea about the […]