Cutting through the waters and chilly temperatures off Florida's Gulf coast just after sunrise early Tuesday, a trio of fishermen aboard a small boat experienced the catch of a lifetime: They spotted two 16-year-old friends who had spent the night adrift on a paddleboard waving down their rescuers from atop an oyster bar miles from shore.The teens, identified by family and friends on social media as Eva Aponte and Avery Bryan, survived 16 hours on the water in temperatures that dipped into the low 40s. Rescuers described them as shivering cold with cuts to their hands and feet from razor-sharp oyster shells but otherwise OK.

Mugshots to Headshots program puts former felons before the camera for professional headhots.

In celebration of Black History Month, we bring you moments in Black History in Southwest Florida.

For the entire month of March, Lee County Domestic Animal Services is lowering adoption fees on all adult dogs and cats to just $20 with an approved application.

In celebration of Black History Month, we bring you a moment in Black History in Southwest Florida.

Robert Mnookin has spent his career exploring exactly this conundrum: the ways interpersonal, and geopolitical, disagreements unfold — and how to handle really difficult disagreements mindfully and rationally rather than emotionally and thoughtlessly. He is the Samuel Williston Professor of Law, Emeritus at Harvard Law School – and he is the author and/or editor of at 10 books, including “Bargaining with the Devil: When to Negotiate, When to Fight” which was published in 2010. It offers practical advice on addressing tough conflicts analytically through examples that range from siblings fighting over an inheritance, to Winston Churchill’s decision to refuse to negotiate with Adolph Hitler.

The need for food assistance remained vital for many in Southwest Florida in 2024 as evidenced by a more than 10 percent increase in food distribution — more than 4 million pounds — reported by the Harry Chapin Food Bank.Additionally, Chapin reported large upticks in several children-focused food distribution programs.Chapin's distribution of 39.5 million pounds of food through its Feeding Network in 2024 equates to an additional 3 million meals served to neighbors across Southwest Florida.

People who've never struggled before now are having to pick between buying food, or medicine, or paying rent and utilities. Is there enough private and government aid to help Southwest Floridians in need?

In this installment from the StoryCorps Mobile Tour visit to Fort Myers in 2024, we hear Finzo Hall and his mother Marcia Robinson talk about immigrating from Jamaica to the U.S, Finzo’s determination to follow his dream of becoming a pilot, and helping other young people achieve their dreams through the powers of faith and resiliency.

Philanthropist Stephen Saks gives an additional $11 million to other Southwest Florida organizations.