According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a crash happens every 44 seconds in the state. With April being Distracted Driving Awareness month, Southwest Florida is becoming more aware of its crash and accident fatality problem. The area has already had 94 deaths between Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Sarasota, Glades, and Hendry counties since Jan. 1.

In the midst of the Israel-Hamas conflict, a group of FGCU students has taken a stand to support the people of Gaza. FGCU For Palestine was founded last October following the thousands of Palestinian deaths after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel’s Gaza settlements that killed over a thousand Israelis and took hundreds hostage.It started when a member of the Biden administration doubted the Palestinian death count released by the Gaza Ministry of Health. A few people started reading the names of the killed Palestinians on FGCU’s library lawn, but the death toll became too large to share every casualty.

There were no structures in danger, fire officials said.

In this installment from the StoryCorps Mobile Tour visit to Fort Myers in Feb. 2024, Dr. Pierre Loredo tells his wife Elizabeth Loredo about his childhood, daring to dream big, defying others’ expectations, and becoming a pediatrician.

More than 50 pieces of heavy equipment as well as law enforcement vehicles including helicopters, ambulances and fire trucks, will be spread out inside Hertz Arena Saturday for what’s being called SW Florida’s Largest Touch-A-Truck Event.The event is a collaboration between the Florida Department of Transportation and the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

Military veterans who receive GI benefits may need to make a change in their banking this month.

Law in the Mall: Annual free legal clinic returns to Fort Myers with same name but a new location.Lee County Legal Aid Society to join six other nonprofits, government agencies at April 27 event.

In this first installment from the StoryCorps Mobile Tour visit to Fort Myers in Feb. 2024, Lucy Garcia tells her daughter Samantha Garcia her story of coming to the U.S. as an teenage undocumented immigrant, getting an education, and building a social work career in service to others.

A lawsuit filed by a Fort Myers man over the removal of weapons and ammunition, much of it antique, from his home by the Lee County Sheriff's Office in March 2020 claims there were violations of the state constitution as well as damage done to materials taken.The suit was filed by W. Alecs Dean March 29 in Lee County Court and seeks damages up to $100,000.

Two Florida legislators from opposite sides of the aisle came to Florida Gulf Coast University this week to discuss proposed legislation.