Elevation grants for homes have been approved by FEMA for 25 homeowners on Fort Myers Beach, the town's consulting firm Tidal Basin told the town council on Monday. The town has been expecting the grants to elevate the homes, after a previous announcement from FEMA. Mark Boone, of Tidal Basin, told the town council that the homeowners approved for grants have had their eligibility approved by FEMA and the Division of Emergency Management after a cost effectiveness study. The elevation grants were applied for after Hurricane Ian to assist homeowners rebuild their homes at a higher elevation. Under the grants, homeowners will be required to elevate their homes by a minimum of at least ...
As the Lee County School District faces a budget crisis and employees face the likelihood of layoffs due to an expected $92 million operating deficit identified by the administration, Gov. Ron DeSantis stopped by Fort Myers High School and unleashed a verbal attack on teacher ...
Fly Heli Tours, the helicopter tour company which aroused widespread opposition to its flights over Fort Myers Beach from a vessel and landing pad in the bay, has announced they have stopped their tours for the season. The company stated on their website that their Fort Myers Beach tours are ...
The School District of Lee County is feeling the impact of students leaving its public schools for education elsewhere. Florida’s student-based funding model means dollars follow the student and funds are allocated based on each school’s enrollment. Fewer students mean fewer dollars and ...
The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) is accepting registrations for its Conservation Summer Camp, a program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade focused on wildlife, conservation and applied science learning. The camp takes place at CROW, 3883 Sanibel-Captiva ...
A multi-year, multi-agency effort to infiltrate and dismantle a large-scale drug operation that involved drugs being trafficked from Mexico and Puerto Rico to Southwest Florida has resulted in 15 arrests and the confiscation of drugs, guns and cash. The State Attorney’s Office and NETFORCE ...
Family Initiative’s 6th Annual Autism Acceptance Awards Gala raised more than $475,000 Saturday night at The Luminary in Fort Myers, drawing hundreds of supporters for an evening that honored community champions and marked the nonprofit’s 10th anniversary of serving families affected by ...
Last week, the Florida Legislature met to discuss three issues during its Congressional Map Redistricting Special Session. The Legislature passed a new congressional map that creates four more Republican-leaning seats. The map could face a legal challenge as it may violate Florida’s 2010 ...
For those of us old enough to remember the ‘60s, the times they aren’t a-changin.’ The current administration’s decision to wage a boots-on-the-ground “police action” is not the first time an administration, citing preservation and protection of country ideals, has been willing to ...