Sandra Viktorova

A parent of a Charlotte County school student speaks against the banning of books at a recent school board meeting.

Education

Nearly 80 book titles pulled from Charlotte County public school libraries for district review

Sandra Viktorova

Many attending the school board aired complaints about book removal aimed at adhering to a new state law.

Lee County spends tens of millions of dollars to deliver sand to county beaches like this one in Sanibel.

Hurricane Recovery

Rebuilding Lee beaches after Hurricane Ian could cost up to $50M

Sandra Viktorova

Lee County spends tens of millions of dollars to replace sand Hurricane Ian washed away

Life-threatening storm surge will be one of the greatest impacts and watches are posted from the Panhandle to the south Peninsula. Across this area, inundations will average 3-7 feet to include Tampa/St. Pete. But the Big Bend Coast is much more susceptible and will need to plan for inundations possibly up to 10 feet. Based on Idalia’s current track, areas closest to the path can expect 3-7”of rain on average, and locally up to 10 or more inches. Areas well inland across the Panhandle and Peninsula could possibly receive 2-5” of rain with locally higher amounts.

Hurricane

Tropical Storm Idalia's potential impacts to Southwest Florida

Tara Calligan

Senior meteorologist Megan Borowski gives an update on what Southwest Florida can expect from Idalia.

Health

FGCU adopts student-created app to help university students improve their mental health

Sandra Viktorova

Jack Hellmer hopes to distribute UBYou to college campuses statewide and beyond.

Weather

Repairing damage to Punta Gorda's seawalls could take 18 months

Sandra Viktorova

Southwest Florida and municipalities are still trying to race the clock to repair damage that Hurricane Ian left behind. In Punta Gorda, crews trying to repair thousands of damaged seawall panels throughout the city to minimize damage.

Business/Economy

Business owners learn to be nimble to manage financial impact of red tide blooms

Sandra Viktorova

Charlotte County business owners and tourism experts explain how red tide impacts the bottom line.

Sarasota ranked number one among U.S. cities for Startups in Recycling, Waste Management and Pollution Control per capita -- that according to a report by Promo Leaf with data from CrunchBase.

Business/Economy

Report: Sarasota ranked among top cities for green start-ups

Sandra Viktorova

Sarasota ranked number one among U.S. cities for Startups in Recycling, Waste Management and Pollution Control per capita -- that according to a report by Promo Leaf with data from CrunchBase.

Kim Davis, an employee with the US Army Corps of Engineers, helps a Charlotte County resident with roof damage thru Operation Blue Roof.

For some federal workers, helping SWFL recover is more than just a job

Sandra Viktorova

Many homeowners have signed up for the Army Corps of Engineers’ Operation Blue Roof, a free program that sends out crews to cover damaged roofs with a tarp to temporarily protect it.

Southwest Floridians have more time to apply for free Blue Roof Program

Sandra Viktorova

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Extends Application Deadline for the Blue Roof Program Until November 1.

Residents Learn the Hard Way that Their Home Insurance Policy Isn’t the Same as Flood Insurance

Sandra Viktorova

A South Lee County couple learns the hard way that their home insurance policy doesn't cover them for all their Hurricane Ian damage