Dozens of renters could be forced out because of unlivable conditions. An apartment complex must prove conditions for families have improved, or families will have to find new places to live right before the holidays.

Sunrise Towers in Fort Myers is being held responsible to show its homes are up to par for living standards, or renters will be the ones facing consequences. If the complex doesn’t make the necessary improvements, the City of Fort Myers will brand the complex as unsafe.

“We’ll be out on the streets and then coronavirus is going around,” Johneshia Stevenson said. “I have a newborn baby. My kids have asthma,” Johneshia Stevenson said. “With Section 8, if you get evicted, you lose your voucher, and that’s what they’re trying to do to everybody.”

Three months ago, we showed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development what was happening at Sunrise Towers. That’s the agency that foots the bill for those critical vouchers.

After seeing our reports, the federal government asked the Housing Authority of Fort Myers to re-inspect the property.

Attorney Sawyer Smith represents the landlord.

“Why haven’t these fixes been done before? The fixes are now in place because code went out and let us know what we need to do,” Smith said. “Keep in mind that this is Florida, and sometimes we have a couple of bugs. The owner has known about these issues for years though. I can’t speak to that we are involved and we’re having them fixed.”

Despite the living conditions, people we spoke to are still upset they might need to move. It’s not easy to find a new place to live.

“It’s ridiculous of how many times you have to call them,” Asia Alston said. “They don’t respond back.”

Since 2004, the City has written Sunrise Towers more than 100 code violations. There are 10 more open cases under investigation.

“I hate it here for my kids,” Stevenson said. “It’s not a good environment, all kind of shootings and everything happens out here. It’s not a good place.”

Uptown Motors, a business along the 3900 block of Edwards Street, was raided by Fort Myers police Tuesday. The business is now shut down after multiple stolen vehicles were found at there.

Investigators think the legitimate business could have been a cover for a larger operation.

Just after 4 p.m., there were still some police at the scene, and they were referring to the property as a chop shop, but a detective we spoke to said he was not ready to label the business as such.

Investigators said they would stay at the scene until police could remove all of the stolen cars and trucks.

Details were not released about how much money the operation was worth or what types of vehicles were stripped down. Officers found two stolen semi-trucks at the auto parts shop.

Code Enforcement and Lee County Environmental Protection initially showed up to the scene to investigate a possible diesel fuel storage violation. That’s how they found multiple parts of the stolen semis.

They are also keeping people who left their cars here for legitimate reasons from picking them up.

Juan Batallon was a customer at the now-closed shop, and he can’t work without his vehicle. “No can do the work because they’re checking my truck,” Batallon said. “My business is my truck.”

“Yo dijo, I need to work tomorrow.’ They said, ‘No. I don’t care,'” Batallon said.

Batallon didn’t get any answers either.

Paul Morin is upset that he won’t have his van back. “I guess I won’t have my van on Friday,” Morin said.

Sgt. Glenn Thompson is a detective with Fort Myers Police Department. “I am hoping to get the vehicles out tonight, speak with the investigators and their jurisdictions and figure out how these vehicles got stolen and move on from there,” Glenn said.

We tried to speak with the business owner, but that didn’t happen.

Police did not arrest anyone Tuesday, and it was too early in the investigation for detectives to know if they’ve stumbled upon a major operation.

The School District of Lee County announced Tuesday that Tortuga Preserve Elementary ESE Teacher Alyssa Smith is the District’s Teacher of the Year.

Alyssa Smith is in her sixth year of teaching at Tortuga Preserve Elementary in Lehigh Acres. Her focus has always been on Exceptional Student Education and she is currently a Special Education teacher in a Social Functioning classroom.

“I grew up in a household with two sisters who have special needs on opposite ends of a need’s spectrum,” Smith says. “As long as I can remember, I have voiced that I wanted to be a teacher for children like my sisters. I believe that every student, no matter what their abilities, deserves every opportunity both in school and in life.”

Smith is the ESE Contact/Grade Level Chairperson at Tortuga Preserve this year. She developed a K-5 Social Functioning Blended Scope and Sequence to ensure all student levels are being met and the three social functioning teachers are on track.

Her attention to each student’s individual academic needs has led to every student in her classroom meeting their learning goals. Smith’s use of Zones of Regulation increased student compliance from 40% per day to 80%.

Students are able to take control of their emotions by being asked if they feel either Green (ready), Blue (sad), Yellow (worried) or Red (mad), asked why they feel that way, and then given the tools and strategies they need if they are not in the green zone.

“Alyssa makes every effort to be a child advocate,” says Tortuga Preserve Principal Jennifer Shonack. “Her beliefs and commitment to her students go above and beyond. While working with her and observing her with her students, I have been continually impressed with her driving commitment to excellence…for herself and her students.”

As Teacher of the Year Smith wins a prize package valued at more than $3,000.

Smith will now be nominated for Florida Teacher of the Year. The Florida Department of Education will announce the winner in the spring.

Teacher of the Year candidates are nominated by their school principals. Applications are reviewed by a team of District administrators and former Teachers of the Year.

Semi-Finalists are then interviewed and three Finalists have a second interview. The judges say this year was extremely competitive and wish to also congratulate the two other finalists

Miguel Teixeira is the Peer Collaborative Teacher of Social Science at Lehigh Acres Middle School.

He has been a teacher in the District and at LAMS since 2011.

Civics EOC scores have improved the last three years because of Teixeira’s leadership.

Sara Wechter is in her 7th year with the District as a teacher and first at Edgewood Academy.

She teaches 4th grade and is the teacher lead for her grade level.

She was previously at Orangewood Elementary and is credited with the school’s improved scores in math and reading.