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Ordered by Florida to clean up its act, Fort Myers works to fix its water pollution problem
With swelling demand straining its antique wastewater infrastructure, it’s no wonder Fort Myers has water pollution problems. Fecal bacteria in its creeks, fountains "of raw sewage”, dirty construction runoff and dangerous spills have plagued the city for years. ...
Joe Biden drops out: Details on his five visits to Naples, Fort Myers since 2008
Since 2008 Joe Biden has visited Southwest Florida five times − once as the President of the United States and four times when he was the vice-president. Biden came to Naples and Fort Myers for a variety of reasons, including one time for some rest and relaxation on an island off the SWFL coastline.
Community comes together to rescue stray dog
LEE COUNTY, Fla. — A group of people in Lee County teamed up to help rescue a stray dog who needed medical attention. In May, a stray dog who was dubbed River started showing up around the Port Sanibel Marina in south Fort Myers, and he was surviving on scraps. Trapping experts Lori Briggs and Lori Berroa stepped in. They set up a camera and food, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. They saw the dog but struggled to capture him and began to get worried after also spotting a bobcat on the camera. After several attempts, they finally got River.
FEMA confirms Lee County and its municipalities can have their flood insurance discount
Residents of Lee County are breathing a sigh of relief as FEMA has agreed to allow homeowners to maintain their flood insurance discount. FEMA confirmed Friday that Cape Coral, Fort Myers Beach, Estero, Bonita Springs and portions of unincorporated Lee County will maintain its flood insurance discount of 25% (Estero’s discount is back to 20%, due to it being a younger, incorporated municipality).
Bonita Springs firefighter opens community pub
A new establishment that’s been the talk of the town for a few months officially had its grand opening in South Fort Myers. The Milhous Pub, named and owned by a Bonita Springs firefighter, opened its doors on Saturday, July 20. Located at 15200 S Tamiami Trail #114 in...
Resurgence Brewing, Central Rock Gym celebrate groundbreaking in south Fort Myers
Resurgence Brewing Co. and Central Rock Gym celebrated the impending groundbreaking on their 25,000-square-foot facility that should be open by the end of next summer. Seagate Development Group will manage construction, which should begin by the end of October, said Doug Hrabik, senior project manager. “We’re excited to get it...
Fort Myers Beach homeowners relieved as town keeps flood insurance discount
FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla — FEMA announced the continuation of critical flood insurance discounts - a decision that affects the lives of countless homeowners striving to rebuild in the wake of devastation. Susan Haynes, a resident of Fort Myers Beach, has weathered numerous storms. "Flood insurance? Probably 10-12 thousand...
Deadline arrives for primary voting registration
The deadline to change your party affiliation or register for the Aug. 20 primary election in Southwest Florida has arrived. By Florida law, voter registration closes 29 days before an election—the deadline to register to vote by mail is on Aug. 20. Registrants have until midnight on Monday to...
Sanibel City Council To Consider Day Passes for Sundial
Council member Holly Smith suggested for future consideration whether Sundial should be able to sell day passes to its facilities. This would be on a short-term basis and is now prohibited by the Land Development Code. “We need to do everything we can to help businesses recover,” said Mayor Richard...
Cape Coral City Council to hold public hearing over Jaycee Park redesign
The Cape Coral City Council will hold a meeting regarding Jaycee Park next week. The meeting will be held Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. and will mark the first public hearing regarding changes to the redesign of Jaycee Park in November. Some Cape Coral residents have opposed the park’s redesign and...
Letters to the editor for Sunday, July 21, 2024
Letters to the editor should be 250 words or less. Include your name and city or community of residence. Guest opinions should be 600 words or less and include a brief summary of the author’s credentials relevant to the topic. Guest opinions may include a head shot of the author. For the Fort Myers News-Press, email submissions to mailbag@news-press.com and for the Naples Daily News to letters@naplesnews.com.
Sanibel City Council Sets Proposed Maximum Operating Millage Rate
City Council unanimously approved the proposed operating millage rate for the 2024 tax year at 2.5 mills, which is no increase from last year. The rolled-back rate for the City of Sanibel 2024 tax year is 2.4848 mills. The proposed aggregate millage rate is 2.6369 mills. The millage levy for the sewer voted debt service is 0.0169 mills, and the millage levy for the Recreation Center voted debt service is 0.1200 mills.
From the Archives: 10 years ago – Estero potential recognized on road to incorporation
Ten years ago today, the headline in the Naples Daily News read “After Estero incorporation legislation, developers speeding up projects.”. Estero’s population had grown 144% from 2000 to 2010, from 9,261 to 22,612, according to one study. The south Lee community’s population was expected to grow at a higher-than-average rate than the rest of the county, according to an Estero market assessment released in September 2013.
Sanibel City Council Considers E-Bike Restrictions
In May, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee was provided sample e-bike policies from other communities, a shared-use path incident report summary, and current e-bike and bike safety information from the City website. This information provided background and a basis for committee members to discuss the following six areas related to e-bikes:
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