WGCU Staff

Lee, Charlotte and Manatee counties are in the top 10 Florida counties for manatee deaths so far in 2025, a new report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission shows.The report shows that of the 148 manatees that have died this year in Florida as of Feb. 14, Lee County has had the most with 31 deaths.

Sarasota County Emergency Management officials have coordinated with municipal and community partners to provide cold weather shelter for those individuals in need due to the predicted drop in temperatures. Those attending should bring their own sleeping materials.

One Charlotte County business's offer didn't pass the smell test for the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.A woman claiming to provide aromatherapy in Port Charlotte was arrested on charges of prostitution by an undercover deputy.

Fort Myers resident Annabelle Tometich’s compelling recounting of growing up biracial in Southwest Florida in her book The Mango Tree has been awarded the prestigious Southern Book Award.Her book joins two other Southern Book Award winners this year: Rednecks by Taylor Brown (St. Martin’s Press) in Fiction, and Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo (Bloomsbury YA) in Young Readers. Winning authors receive a donation in their name to the charity or nonprofit of their choice.

The Lee Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday received an update on the progress of building the new, larger and more resilient Fort Myers Beach Pier that accelerates the planned completion of the project.The estimated completion date of the pier is now in August 2027, ahead of the previous planned completion in summer 2028.

Lee Commissioners vote on improving county’s transportation network, including projects on Six Mile Cypress Parkway, Three Oaks Parkway and Cape Coral Bridge.