3 To Know: Multi-county police chase; Winter Wine Fest raises millions
1. POLICE CHASE: Starts in Charlotte and concludes in Collier. A Miami man fled authorities across multiple Southwest Florida counties on a rare chilly Saturday afternoon. The Florida Highway Patrol responded to a request for assistance from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and North Port Police Department...
Bayshore Live Oak Park in Port Charlotte Opens New Amenities After Shoreline Renourishment
Residents of Port Charlotte and visitors alike have cause for celebration, as Bayshore Live Oak Park, located on Bayshore Road, has just announced the opening of new amenities following a recent phase of shoreline renourishment. According to an official release from Charlotte County, the park's additions include...
School District says it has met goal of filling teacher vacancies
The School District of Lee County says it has filled its April 2025 baseline of 575 identified instructional vacancies. “I am so proud of the work of all the groups. It truly is a new day in the School District of Lee County. It really stabilizes the instructional workforce,” Chief of Human Resources Shanna Johnston...
Jammin’ for James: SW FL rallies for guitarist battling terminal cancer
Rock guitarist James Wilder doesn’t know how much time he has left. But he does know this: He has friends who love him. And for that, he says, he’s deeply thankful — even if that word seems inadequate. “‘Thankful’ sounds like such a little word for what’s happening and what’s been happening,” Wilder, 52, says from...
Cape Coral Bald Eagle Nears Release After Healing at Sanibel’s CROW
A male bald eagle rescued in Cape Coral is bouncing back at Sanibel’s Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW). Admitted in late December, this big raptor has been healing well, and release is just around the corner. Volunteers found the adult eagle grounded and unable to fly. They...
State confirms measles in SW Florida a week after outbreak
The Florida Department of Health has updated its reportable disease website and says Collier County has had four cases of measles in January, the first acknowledgment of a measles outbreak that began a week ago. Lee County has one case of measles, according to the state agency. Statewide there have been 15 cases of...
Students stage walk out at Ida S. Baker High School in Cape Coral to...
Students stage walk out at Ida S. Baker High school to protest ICE enforcement as Florida's Department of Education warns against protesting at school.
Southwest Florida Housing Hits Price Correction: Punta Gorda Down 25.3% Since July 2022
Southwest Florida’s housing market is still working through a price correction, and it’s been a rough ride for sellers. Home prices in Punta Gorda have dropped 25.3% since July 2022, and North Port isn’t far behind, down 17.4%. Compare that to the rest of the country; U.S. home prices actually went up 1.9% over the...
Land use application for Redfish Pointe withdrawn
An application for a land use change for Redfish Pointe, a first step needed for development, has been withdrawn. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, who represents ZZW Development LLC, sent the letter Feb. 3 to city Development Services Department Director Brett Limbaugh, withdrawing the Redfish Pointe Future Land Use Map...
Study underway to decide City of Palms Park redevelopment options
FORT MYERS, Fla. — A feasibility study is underway to determine the best use for the vacant City of Palms Park property, with the potential to bring hundreds of thousands of tourists to Fort Myers, according to Cole Peacock, a Florida consultant working with Card & Associates on the project.
