The measure prohibits motorists from driving in the fast lane on highways and interstates unless they’re passing a slower driver. Opponents say the bill is just a license to speed and penalizes people who drive the speed limit. Speaking on W-G-C-U’s Gulf Coast Live program, Lee County Sheriff’s Sergeant Larry King said any legislation helps.

“These types of initiatives allow us to have another tool in our belt, so to speak, give us some stronger sanctions that sometimes will effect the drivers on the roadways...either thinking about their actions ahead of time or once the punitive action takes place, will effect their behavior from then on.”

The governor vetoed a similar measure last year. But the bill’s backers have changed it slightly to win his approval this session. It’s currently being heard in the Senate Criminal Justice committee.

This weekend marks the 26th Florida International Airshow at the Charlotte County Airport in Punta Gorda. This year’s Air Show “Pioneer In Aviation” is retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger Junior of Orlando. He’ll be honored today (March 31st ).

Colonel Kittinger is best known for his accomplishments as an early "space hero," a characterization which first appeared in the cover story of the August 1960 issue of Life magazine. He still holds the record for the highest parachute jump and first man to exceed the sound barrier in free-fall. He was born in 1928 in Orlando…

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More than 479-thousand passengers used the International airport in October. That’s down one-percent from the same time last year. Lee County Port Authority spokeswoman Susan Sanders says the dip is not worrisome. She notes the opening of the new terminal and a rebound in tourism numbers. Sanders blames the decline on one thing: Hurricane Wilma, which hit southwest Florida on October 24th.

“We really think that this isn’t indicative of any kind of a trend because we can pretty much see the impact of Hurricane Wilma by looking at these numbers. We actually were impacted much more by Wilma than we were by Charlie.”

The airport closed for one day and airlines canceled more than 250 flights before, during and after the storm. Sanders says the airport is still ahead of last year’s record numbers by 14-percent and is on-track to pass 7-million passengers by year-end.

Commissioners from Lee and Collier Counties voted to ratify a resolution creating the SW Florida Expressway Authority. The purpose is to speed the widening of I-75 by funding the project with tolls. Valerie Alker has more.

The new terminal at Southwest Florida International Airport is open. With 27 gates and the capacity to expand to 35 it nearly doubles the capacity of the old terminal. The first flight left from there Friday at six a.m. The first plane landed at about 8:40. Valerie Alker was there – along with host of officials and other folks to record the event for posterity.

Work on the new bridges—linking mainland Lee County to the barrier Islands of Sanibel and Captiva—is on schedule. On Wednesday some officials boarded a barge and went on a tour of the work-in-progress. Valerie Alker has this report. (AUDIO)

The new midfield terminal at Southwest Florida International Airport is scheduled to open Friday September 9th. An army of workers is on the job - hustling to meet the deadline. On Tuesday, reporters got a sneak peek. Valerie Alker was one of them.

If a category four or five hurricane were to threaten south Florida, plans could call for the reverse-laning of Interstate 75. The Florida Department of Transportation met today to discuss how to get information to motorists during such an event. Amy Tardif was there. (Audio)