Hurricane Ian

Almost three years after Hurricane Ian devastated Southwest Florida, Lee County’s Punta Rassa Boat Ramp at the foot of the Sanibel Causeway —is finally open to the public.Residents, community and state leaders, gathered to celebrate with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

New Punta Rassa boat ramp opens to the public at noon on Thursday.

The Lee Board of County Commissioners Tuesday addressed a number of issues including work on expanding the Cape Coral Bridge, repair of the Matlacha drawbridge, repair of boardwalks at several county park sites, and addressing illegal dumping in the county.

Following the series of storms that have battered Fort Myers Beach, the island community is slowly churning along on its massive rebuild.

A New WGCU Documentary, Rising: Surviving The Surge, captures the previous unheard stories from individuals who were stuck in the destruction that surrounded the area following Hurricane Ian.

Generators and gas. Mops, buckets and tarps. Food and water. These are Just some of the items being stockpiled and placed in strategic places around Pine Island. A non-profit group that has helped hundreds of people since Hurricane Ian is preparing for this hurricane season.

As new buildings go up along the flood-prone Gulf coast at 15 to 20 feet off the ground, the future of Florida's infrastructure "looks high."

A meeting Wednesday morning delved into the status of storm-ravaged Fort Myers Beach Elementary School. WGCU’s Cary Barbor was there.

The Causeway Islands Park opened Thursday morning on the Sanibel Causeway with its first phase of amenities, the first time that visitors were able to enjoy the shoreline since the devastation of Hurricane Ian in September 2022.The park had been closed due to the essential rebuilding activities by the Florida Department of Transportation, which used the site during the critical process of rebuilding the Sanibel Causeway to make it more resilient.

WGCU’s “Untold Stories: Sanibel Island’s Store” is an official selection of the Fort Myers Film Festival. The festival, in its 15th year takes place May 14-18 at various local venues.