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Sailboat totaled in fire off Fort Myers Beach

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 ...

Petrosky, Cochran face off in universal primary for Lee County District 5 seat

Both District 5 Lee County Commissioner Trish Petrosky (R-Alva) and her Republican challenger Amanda Cochran have identified what they believe Lee County voters feel is the major issue facing the county: the threat of overdevelopment. Whichever candidate can convince voters they are the right ...

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Libertarian Party of Lee County to host two candidate forums

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 ...

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FHP arrests homicide suspect in Lee County

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 takedown operation began at approximately 12:30 p.m. ...

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DOW releases names of two soldiers killed in line of duty

The Department of War has released the names of two active-duty soldiers who were killed while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii was killed in action on July 18, 2026, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, was killed in ...

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Guest Commentary | Property tax reform amendment threatens conservation measures

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 ...

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?

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  • 2510 Del Prado Blvd. S
  • Fort Myers Beach, FL 33904
  • Phone: 239-574-1110