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Southwest Florida is celebrating everyone’s favorite eagle mom laying an egg, but could this be the last time Harriet does it?

If experts are correct, she’s nearing the end of her egg-laying cycle in life.

Dianna Flynt with Audubon says they’ve banded 648 eagles since 1979, but Harriet doesn’t have one, which makes talking about her age and her egg-laying future tricky.

“We don’t really know how old Harriet is. We’ve been seeing a female eagle around that area for 25 years but is it her? Not absolutely sure without a band,” Flynt said.

“If it is indeed her, she could be still productive, absolutely.”

Flynt says Harriet could have been “raising chicks for 20 of those years. That’s an amazing life if she did because it’s not common for eagles to survive to 25 years of age.”

The oldest banded eagle was 38 years old.

“How long will she be able to breed? I’m really not sure; she might still have another good five years in her,” Flynt said.

That would be another five years of some really cute eaglets – and lots of worldwide fans.

The Southwest Florida Eagle Cam is live 24/7.

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If you plan to spend the weekend at the beach, those plans could be changing if you’re susceptible to breathing problems from red tide.

The latest red tide map shows high levels near Pine Island and between Bonita Beach and Naples.

We checked out Barefoot and Vanderbilt beaches Thursday morning and we’ve noticed impacts getting worse on Barefoot Beach throughout the day.

We saw a few dead fish washed ashore in the afternoon.

Amber Bigica of Collier County said, “I was really surprised when I showed up because I immediately started getting a tickle in my throat and started having a cough and of course in today’s day and age it’s kind of concerning, and I didn’t even realize it was red tide.”

We have seen signs popping up around Southwest Florida beaches warning people about the presence of red tide, but some are taking their chances at a beach day anyway.

You can click HERE for an interactive respiratory forecast map.

 

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Cape Coral police are looking for a man they say used a stolen credit card to make purchases.

The CCPD on Thursday released surveillance images of the man, who they say used a Cape Coral resident’s stolen card Dec. 7 and 8 at the Best Buy and Target stores at Gulf Coast Town Center.

The suspect appears to be 5’11” to 6’0” tall and between 200 and 220 pounds.

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Cape Coral Police Department by calling (239) 574-3223; submitting an anonymous tip at www.capecops.com/tips or https://new.tipsubmit.com/en/create-report/anonymous; sending us a message through our social media platforms or calling Crimestoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS. Please use Case Report #20-023139.

Cape Coral police are looking for a man they say used a stolen credit card to make purchases. (Photo provided by CCPD)

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One local interior designer is a nationally recognized talent who gives back to his community, making him an inspiration to future designers.

Walking into Dwayne Bergmann’s Fort Myers studio is like walking into a high-end luxury magazine.

This year he launched Dwayne Bergman Cabinetry, which he says is a unique bespoke line of cabinetry.

From decor to cabinets to furniture, Bergmann’s talent has taken him around the world.

So why did he stay here?

“I’ve been asked this so many times, why Fort Myers?” he explained. “‘You’re talented you could be anywhere’ … and I think we deserve this level of talent, and quite frankly it was a little bit of a challenge.”

And fort Myers is home to Bergmann, his husband, and their two seven-year-old boys.

When asked if either of them has taken on dad’s appreciation for design yet, Bergman said, “[We] definitely have one that we argue about the clothes they’re wearing every day, and one, who just wants to wear his gym shorts and t-shirt every day.”

His own children are one of the reasons Bergmann gives back to so many charities, including Ronald McDonald House.

He just decorated a room at the newly expanded house donating his time and all the materials.

Bergman said, “Giving back to the community is one of the most important things that we do and we feel like it’s our responsibility to the community.”

This visionary designer is keeping his vision right here in Southwest Florida.

Bergmann was just recognized by our partners at Gulfshore Life magazine as one of the men of the year.

As for what the latest home design trends are, Bergmann says the design industry is moving to more neutrals to create a soothing, calming space in homes.

Read the full Gulfshore Life magazine story below.

Dwayne Bergmann
The Visionary Designer

Dwayne Bergmann doesn’t think like many other interior designers.

For one, he grew up in a family of custom home builders and spent the formative years of his career working with HD Supply, the wholesale arm of Home Depot.

Not only has the Fort Myers-based designer mastered aesthetics, he also understands the nuts and bolts that go into making a home.

That know-how gives him an edge in his field (most of his work comes from referrals from contractors who appreciate his order and savvy), but it’s the heart he puts into his projects that sets him apart. “I don’t run my business as if I have the only right perspective,” he says. “I don’t go in with a predisposed style or aesthetic.” The personal attention and drive to deliver on individuality contributes to Bergmann’s distinctive aesthetic.

Even his commercial projects, like The Southwest Florida Community Foundation Collaboratory, are proof of this. At the hands of another, the center may have been a nice office space. But with Bergmann’s vision, the renovated train station-turned-community hub exudes style.

Bergmann’s life is the perfect example of using one’s talents and influence to better the world around us. The same heart that goes into his work is reflected in the roster of community initiatives he supports.

Look at any list of philanthropic affairs for a season and you’ll see Bergmann’s name on many committees. He and his husband, Luis, donate their talents and funds to Pace Center for Girls, Lee County; Better Together; SWFL Children’s Charities—the list goes on. “I really don’t think you understand the level of happiness you can achieve until you’re giving back,” he says. And, while he values and supports national organizations, he prefers to invest his dollars and time locally.

He is also growing his business locally. This year, marks the transition from Dwayne Bergmann Interiors as a design business to Dwayne Bergmann as a brand. The designer just opened a showroom on Naples’ Third Street South, where he also introduced his new cabinet line—a range of custom styles that take built-ins beyond the “boxes-and-doors” concept that is common form, combining luxe materials into functional designs. Next comes his own furniture line in 2021 and a yet-to-be-announced licensed design collection the year after that.

We couldn’t think of a better brand to get behind. —Stephanie Granada

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The family of 21-year-old Trevor Smith gathered for a candlelight vigil Thursday night, a day after he was killed while trying to help others on I-75 in Charlotte County.

Smith, a Navy airman from Port Charlotte, pulled over on southbound I-75 Wednesday evening when two people in a car got into a crash with a driver in a semi-truck.

Smith got out of his car to help those involved in the crash. While he was working to help others, an oncoming pickup truck went off the roadway and hit and killed him as well as hitting the vehicles involved in the original crash.

Loved ones gathered at Charlotte High School, Smith’s alma mater, where he was incredibly missed.

His father told us he never imagined he’d have to bury one of his children, but said he was thankful for the community’s support.

One of Smith’s former instructors said he was always selfless and always willing to go above and beyond to help others.

“A lot of people would have kept driving or whatever, but that just wasn’t him,” said Chief Scott Williams, a naval science instructor. “I’ve already heard from at least two dozen ex-cadets that are long gone from Charlotte High School who are just in shock.”

Williams said, whether it was volunteering in the community, helping other cadets or risking his life for the people in the crash that took his life, Smith was always putting others first.

“A very selfless young man. I mean, he understood the whole thing about putting, you know, some things that are bigger than yourself above your own priorities from time to time,” Williams said.

Dozens of friends and family members gathered for Smith’s celebration of life. They released sky lanterns and tried comforting one another.

A close friend talked about how Smith was always selfless from a young age.

“We’d go down to the baseball fields, and we didn’t have gloves or bats or anything, and he would bring his own and be willing to share,” David Yanni said.

Yanni says he already misses his friend, Trevor Smith, someone he says always showed his true character.

“He, obviously, just went to help out in any way that he can when he saw the opportunity,” Yanni said.

Loved ones will try to move forward while missing a bright spot in their lives.

“It’s hard when you see these young men and women, you know, with their whole lives in front of them not get to live those lives out,” Williams said. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Williams told us Smith stopped by the school about a year ago, and he caught up with him at that time. He said Smith was very proud of making it through the air crew program and being in the Navy Reserve.

Williams plans to reach out to the family soon to see how he and current and former cadets can help them during this time.

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In a relatively rare move, the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection on Thursday announced approval of a plan to hand over federal permitting authority to Florida for projects that affect wetlands.

Supporters praised the move as helping reduce duplicative state and federal permitting and giving Florida more control over such decisions. Florida is only the third state, joining Michigan and New Jersey, that have received the authority, according to the EPA.

“Our waters and wetlands are critical to our economy and way of life in Florida. As such, it is important for the state to be in charge and take the lead in their protection,” state Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein said in a statement released by the EPA. “We are pleased that with the assumption, Florida scientists and permitters will now be accountable for state and federal wetlands permits. DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) staff know the state’s resources best and have the expertise to ensure their protection.”

But Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only statewide elected Democrat, and some environmental groups criticized the decision, saying it will reduce protections for wetlands. They also pointed to the announcement’s timing as Republican President Donald Trump is slated to leave office next month.

“This is a parting gift to developers from the outgoing administration in Washington in coordination with the sitting administration in Florida,” Tania Galloni, managing attorney for Florida for the environmental law group Earthjustice. “The fact is that Florida’s proposed program to take over wetlands permitting doesn’t comply with federal environmental laws. It’s about destroying wetlands faster and cheaper at a time when we need more protection, not less. We’re considering our options.”

FGCU Professor Dr. Don Duke, Environmental Studies at The Water School, said, “I think the issue about federal versus state control is a long and deeply fought one and there’s advantages and disadvantages,”

The issue involves permitting dredge and fill activities under part of the federal Clean Water Act. Such activities, for example, can occur in building homes, commercial developments and utility projects, according to the Department of Environmental Protection.

“I would say that historically as in over the past 50 years or so, if there hadn’t been a federal leadership on protecting the environment; we saw the states through the 1960s and ’70s did very little,” Duke explained. “That may be ancient history to many of viewers, but those of us who lived through it saw a tremendous degradation really turned around in the 1970s, so those federal protections were absolutely crucial. Federal-state partnerships that grew from that are what we’re most accustomed to today, and states have varying degrees to which they take control.”

Florida lawmakers in 2018 overwhelmingly approved a bill that was an initial step in trying to move authority for the permitting from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the state. This August, Gov. Ron DeSantis submitted a package to the EPA seeking approval.

The Department of Environmental Protection also administers what is known as the state Environmental Resource Permitting program. On its website, the department said the change approved Thursday will reduce duplicative reviews of projects because about 85 percent of review requirements overlap between the state and federal programs.

“This designation is great news for the state of Florida — it gives our state the ability to make the best decisions for our unique environment, with input from the public and environmental stakeholders,” U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, who was governor at the time the 2018 bill passed, said in a prepared statement. “The duplicative rules on the state and federal levels were a waste of taxpayer dollars and created confusion for everyone involved, which is why I fought to streamline this process.”

But Fried called it a “dangerous mistake” to transfer permitting authority from the Army Corps of Engineers to the Department of Environmental Protection, which she described as underfunded and understaffed.

“Both the DeSantis and Trump administrations have demonstrated a disregard for transparency and disinterest in protecting our waters,” Fried said in a statement. “Those concerned with Florida’s environment have no reason to believe the state of Florida is prepared to manage critical wetlands permitting in a transparent, apolitical manner.”

Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani, added. “The problem that I have is that the state’s already woefully behind on water quality restoration projects and the legislature’s notorious for underfunding regulatory programs, so this just looks like a bad outcome to me.”

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A home in Cape Coral is destroyed after a fire broke out Thursday morning.

A woman at the home fled, but became distraught, worried that her husband was trapped inside, said Will Rogers, a neighbor who arrived at the home to help.

“I grabbed whatever I could, busted as many windows as I could,” he said. “Smoke started pouring out of everywhere.”

Cape Coral Fire Chief Ryan Lamb said one person was transported for smoke inhalation. The fire broke out shortly before 11 a.m., Lamb said. The home is located in the 400 block of NE 2nd Avenue.

Lamb said firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and a report that someone might still be inside.

After two searches, they found no one, Lamb said.

Lamb said hurricane shutters were on the windows which made the home harder to access. Firefighters had to remove the garage door to get inside, he said.

The home is uninhabitable, he said.

The state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the blaze.

“The house is a complete loss,” Rogers said.

Rogers said he felt relief when first responders told him no one else was home at the time.

“I’m just thankful everyone is safe,” he said.

Nearby neighbor Annia Collado said she took in the woman’s dog.

“She lost everything,” Collado said.

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As of 2:30 p.m. Thursday, there have been 1,168,483 positive cases of the coronavirus recorded in the state. The case count includes 1,149,126 Florida residents and 19,357 non-Florida residents. There are 20,305 Florida resident deaths reported, 289 non-resident deaths, and 59,291 hospitalizations at some point during illness, according to the Florida Department of Health.

*Numbers are released by the DOH every afternoon.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS

Total number of recorded cases: 1,168,483 (up from 1,155,335)
Florida resident deaths: 20,305 (up from 20,204)
Non-resident deaths: 289 (up from 286)
Total deaths in state (Fla./non-Fla. residents combined): 20,574 (up from 20,475)

  • 13,148 total new cases reported Thursday
  • 99 new resident deaths reported Thursday
  • 3 new non-resident deaths reported Thursday
  • Percent positive for new cases in Fla. residents: 8.84%
    • This percent is the number of people who test PCR- or antigen-positive for the first time divided by all the people tested that day, excluding people who have previously tested positive. 

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA NUMBERS

Total recorded cases in SWFL: 68,909 (up from 68,123)
Deaths: 1,257 (up from 1,255)

  • 786 total new cases reported Thursday
  • 2 new deaths reported Thursday

Lee County: ​35,759 cases (up from 35,353) – 626 deaths
Collier County: 20,482 (up from 20,294) – 314 deaths (2 new)
Charlotte County: 6,313 (up from 6,207) – 212 deaths
DeSoto County: 2,694 (up from 2,644) – 48 deaths
Glades County: 732 (up from 728) – 11 deaths
Hendry County: 2,929 (up from 2,897) – 46 deaths

Click HERE* for a case-by-case breakdown – updated daily.

*If not linked, the final report has not yet been made available.

TESTING DATA

Effective Oct. 27, the Florida Department of Health ceased releasing data showing overall testing numbers. Their statement: “The Florida Department of Health is making adjustments to the COVID-19 dashboard and daily report to provide clear, accurate information for Florida families. Moving forward, the daily report will focus on the number of tests reported to the state by day and the corresponding positivity rate by day. The previously reported cumulative number did not reflect the current status of the pandemic in Florida. This change is in line with the CDC recommendation that calculation of percent positivity [is] applied consistently and with clear communication, will allow public health officials to follow magnitude and trends effectively, and the trends will be useful for local public health decision making.”

RESOURCES

NOW HIRING: SWFL companies adding jobs

FOOD PANTRIES: Harry Chapin mobile food pantry schedule, week of Dec. 14

REPORT COVID-19 DIAGNOSIS/TEST: International self-reporting system

IF YOU FEEL SICK:

The Florida Department of Health has a 24-hour COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov. Email responses will be sent during call center hours.

LINK: Florida Department of Health COVID-19 updates

*The map is best viewed on a desktop computer. If you don’t see the map above tap HERE for a fullscreen version.

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At least eight inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at Charlotte County Jail.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, which operates the jail, said these were the first positive cases for the facility, according to a news release.

The agency said since the start of the pandemic there has been extensive cleaning and sanitizing procedures in place to avoid a spread. Temperatures and taken daily and inmates are placed into a 14-day quarantine upon entering the jail.

“The number is low, with eight inmates experiencing minor symptoms who are being treated by on-site medical professionals,” according to the sheriff’s office.

The eight cases are within two housing units which have since been locked down. The inmates are in isolation.

The jail is monitoring the rest of the population, the agency said.

“We want to acknowledge concerns the public may have with loved ones within our facility. We assure you we are taking every precaution necessary provided by the CDC to ensure the safety and health of your loved ones,” the agency said.

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President Donald Trump’s expected move to his Mar-a-Lago club after he leaves office next month is being challenged by a lawyer who says a 1990s agreement allowing Trump to convert the Florida property into a business prohibits anyone from living there, including him.

Attorney Reginald Stambaugh sent a letter this week to the Town of Palm Beach saying he represents a neighbor who doesn’t want the president to take up residence at the 17-acre property because it would decrease the area’s property values. He also asserts that a microwave security barrier operated by the Secret Service is harming his client, who he says is exhibiting symptoms of microwave exposure. He did not give the client’s name.

The president and first lady Melania Trump changed their legal residence from New York City to Palm Beach last year. Stambaugh says that violates the 1993 agreement between Trump and the town that allowed him to turn Mar-a-Lago from a private home into a club that has 10 guest rooms for rent.

The agreement says only members can stay overnight and for no more than 21 days per year, divided into three one-week stays that cannot run consecutively. The question is whether Trump is a club member and covered by those rules. Stambaugh believes he is – and comments Trump’s lawyer made in 1993 back that up.

“In order to avoid an embarrassing situation for everyone and to give the President time to make other living arrangements in the area, we trust you will work with his team to remind them” of the agreement, Stambaugh wrote. “Palm Beach has many lovely estates for sale and surely he can find one which meets his needs.” He did not immediately respond to a call and email Thursday seeking further comment.

The Trump Organization issued a statement Thursday saying, “There is no document or agreement in place that prohibits President Trump from using Mar-A-Lago as his residence.”

Town Manager Kirk Blouin declined comment Thursday through an aide, and Mayor Gail Coniglio did not respond to an email and phone call seeking comment. Mar-a-Lago manager Bernd Lembcke also did not return a phone call.

Trump purchased Mar-a-Lago for $10 million in 1985 from the estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post, the owner of General Foods. The 126-room mansion had deteriorated after her death in 1973, when she left it to the U.S. government as a possible presidential vacation home. The government gave it back in 1981.

After Trump bought it, he spent millions upgrading the property while living there part-time, usually between November and May when Florida’s weather is temperate.

By the early 1990s, however, Trump was in financial straits as real estate prices dropped and several of his businesses flopped, including a New Jersey casino. He told the town he could no longer afford the $3 million annual upkeep and it was unfair that he was shouldering the costs alone. He proposed subdividing the property and building mansions. The town rejected the proposal.

In 1993, Trump and the town agreed he could turn the estate into a private club. It would be limited to 500 members – the initiation fee is now $200,000 and annual dues are $14,000. The agreement has strict restrictions on parking and noise and specifically bars Trump from operating a casino or an animal circus. The town did not respond to questions about why the latter prohibition was added.

According to 1993 Palm Beach Post articles, Trump attorney Paul Rampell told the town council Trump would no longer reside at the mansion if the agreement were approved.

“Another question that’s often asked to me is whether Mr. Trump will continue to live at Mar-a-Lago,” Rampell told the council, according to the Post. “No, except that he will be a member of the club and therefore will be entitled to the use of guest rooms.”

Rampell did not respond to an email and phone call Thursday.

The length of Trump’s stays at Mar-a-Lago before his presidency are unknown, but since taking office he has spent more than 21 days per year there, including visits of about two weeks during the Christmas holidays. He has hosted several world leaders there, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Before he became president, Trump and the town often clashed over the club’s operation. Neighbors complained about noise and a car lot-sized U.S. flag and its 80-foot pole that Trump erected in 2006 without the proper permits. The two sides eventually settled: Trump got his pole, and his foundation gave $100,000 to veteran charities. He unsuccessfully sued Palm Beach County because jetliners taking off from the nearby international airport flew over the mansion.

Since his 2016 election, his visits have created traffic snarls as vehicles are diverted away from Mar-a-Lago when he is there. Palm Beach is one of Florida’s most exclusive towns, with a median home price of over a million dollars.

There have been numerous protests by Trump opponents and rallies by supporters near Mar-a-Lago in the last four years and several incidents that resulted in arrests. Those include:

– A Chinese businesswoman illegally gained admission last year when Secret Service agents thought she was the daughter of a member. She was found guilty on federal trespassing charges and deported after spending eight months in jail.

– A University of Wisconsin student got inside by mingling with a group entering for a party. He apologized and got probation.

– A Connecticut opera singer sped through a Secret Service checkpoint on the road outside the estate in January, drawing gunfire from agents and sheriff’s deputies. She is awaiting trial. Her attorney says she will mount an insanity defense.

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