Year in review: 2021 was a tough year for Florida’s environment

Florida is made up of iconic creatures and arteries of waterways which make the Sunshine State unique. It’s also no stranger to the triumphs and challenges of protecting its environment. From a record-breaking year for manatee deaths to the leak at the Piney Point, Florida’s environment made headlines throughout 2021. More than 1,000 manatees have […]

CDC advise to avoid cruise ships not stopping many from booking trips

The CDC now says to avoid cruises even if you’re vaccinated. In Southwest Florida, travel agents say the recommendation isn’t stopping people from booking their next trip. “They go back and forth with the instructions on what they are providing, and it’s confusing a lot of people and I think, at this point, people are […]

evereonna sankey

Family of shooting victim calls for cancellation of Brown Sugar Festival

A grieving family is calling on organizers to cancel a tradition in Hendry County after a young woman was killed during that festival in May. The family of 20-year-old Evereonna Sankey is demanding that the Brown Sugar Festival be canceled after Sankey was shot and killed during the festival in May of 2021. Teresa Sankey, […]

Florida

Looking back at 2021’s new Florida laws

From education to sports betting, the Florida state legislature was busy in 2021. However, many issues it discussed received pushback. State leaders proposed changing the Bright Futures scholarship program Every year, Bright Futures awards tens of thousands of scholarships to students. Florida senate Republicans wanted to grant scholarship money to students who get college credit […]

Mother seeks justice for daughter killed at Brown Sugar Festival

A mother is looking for justice after her daughter was gunned down at Clewiston’s Brown Sugar Festival in May. Evereonna Sankey’s life was cut short by a bullet at 20 years old. Her sister was also shot, said Evereonna’s mother Teresa Sankey. Evereonna’s sister performed CPR on her but it took an ambulance 30 minutes […]

Promising drug trials and treatments for cancer patients in Southwest Florida

Doctors in Southwest Florida are involved in clinical trials that could advance cancer drugs and help patients live longer. The cure for cancer will never be a single event but rather a series of milestones. These improvements in treatment get patients one step closer to living cancer-free forever. The Florida Cancer Specialists research division is […]

COVID-19 cases in children growing ahead of their return to the classroom

Nearly two years into the pandemic, the number of kids hospitalized with COVID-19 nationwide is approaching the peak levels reached in September. Pediatric urgent care facilities in Southwest Florida are much busier than pediatric hospitals because there are a lot of kids getting COVID-19 with mild symptoms. As the number of cases rises, so does […]

COVID-19 testing wait times reach hours at CenturyLink as cases climb in SWFL

Lines for COVID-19 testing continue to grow as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are once again on the rise in Southwest Florida. Many of the people in line for a test were exposed over the holiday weekend. Others want to make sure they are negative before making New Year’s plans, and some are feeling symptoms. The […]

Demand vastly outpacing supply in the SWFL housing market

Southwest Florida is facing a housing crisis. Realtors in the area say inventory is low. That forces you to pay more for a home and make compromises when you buy. Buying a home in Southwest Florida is a goal for many people. “A lot of people are flocking to Florida. And they’re kind of buying […]