July 28, 2026

Crescent Beach Family Park to reopen Wednesday

Fire chief predicts millage rate hike if homestead exemption referendum passes

Collins, Donalds, Renner talk the issues in Republican primary for Florida Governor

Photos from Mullet Madness

Lee County commissioners approve repairs for Bowditch Point Regional Park

Mullet Madness returns to Fort Myers Beach this Saturday

July 21, 20263 min read

What's Up FMB, the Fort Myers Beach business association, is bringing back the mullet festival to the island this Saturday. A daylong pub crawl and interactive competition will take place, with a dozen participating businesses. The daylong event is expected to include prizes and contests, a ...

Beach Kids Foundation honors students with scholarships

July 21, 20261 min read

The Beach Kids Foundation held their annual Scholarship Awards Dinner this past week by giving out $28,000.00 in scholarships to students with ties to Fort Myers Beach. More than 60 people attended the ceremony at the Comfort Hall of St. Raphael's Episcopal Church on Fort Myers Beach, at a ...

Sailboat totaled in fire off Fort Myers Beach

July 21, 20262 min read

Multiple agencies responded to a fully-involved fire on a 25-foot sailboat off Fort Myers Beach last Wednesday. A call for help went out at 10:07 a.m. for a boat on fire in Hurricane Bay near San Carlos Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach Fire Chief Scott Wirth said. Fort Myers Beach firefighters ...

Arrest report details shootout on I-75 between officers and suspect

July 28, 2026 5 min read

An arrest report from the Florida Highway Patrol filed with Lee County Court details how officers took a man sought in a St. Petersburg homicide into custody following a wild shootout after a standoff on I-75 that shut the highway down for hours outside of Fort Myers last Wednesday. The ...

Libertarian Party of Lee County to host two candidate forums

July 23, 2026 2 min read

The Libertarian Party of Lee County will hold two forums in the upcoming weeks to provide a platform for 2026 Candidates and School Board Candidates to address the community. With a school board meeting scheduled on Monday, Aug. 3, the Libertarian Party of Lee County aims to engage with ...

FHP arrests homicide suspect in Lee County

July 22, 2026 4 min read

State troopers took a man sought in a St. Petersburg homicide into custody following a standoff on I-75 that shut the highway down outside of Fort Myers Wednesday, and which has widely been reported to have involved guns being fired. The Florida Highway Patrol has released little information ...

Guest Commentary | Property tax reform amendment threatens conservation measures

June 22, 2026 4 min read

In an abbreviated two-day special session on June 1-2 to discuss property tax reform, the Legislature passed the governor’s proposed state constitutional amendment to increase the existing property tax homestead exemption from the current $50,000 to an eventual $250,000. The amendment, which ...

Proposed homestead property exemption expansion gives illusion that government can be free

June 9, 2026 6 min read

Appropriately coinciding with the official start of hurricane season Gov. Ron DeSantis called for a special legislative session to push his “Save Our Homes From Excessive Property Taxes” plan to slash, if not eliminate, property taxes The State Legislature obliged, passing a ...

E-EDITIONS

Fort Myers Beach Observer (07/29)

Local Living (2026)

Fort Myers Beach Observer (07/22)

Fort Myers Beach Observer 7/15

Fort Myers Beach Observer (7/8)

Observer (07/01)

Fort Myers Beach Observer 7/1

SWFL News

Business

Arts & Entertainment

Letters to the Editor

Local Columns

Editorials

New poll question for Fort Myers Beach Observer Do you support the proposed state constitutional amendment up for referendum to give homestead property owners an exemption from local municipal government taxes for up to $250,000 of their property's value?

Contact Information

www.fortmyersbeachtalk.com