Samuel Brucker

Local experts say that with an increase in tropical disturbances, and as the area progresses into a new hurricane season every year, mangroves have little time to recover, and therefore, lack strength to guard our coastlines from inclement weather.

The Town of Fort Myers Beach provides an outlet where stakeholders are able to convey their input on what they believe the island community needs to stay resilient long-term.

Hopsized Brewing Co., along Old US 41 Road in Bonita Springs, gained international recognition with its one-of-a-kind “Chargie,” dubbed the best golden or blonde ale around the globe, just in time for American Craft Beer Week from May 11 to 15. But earning this designation has brought a disconcerting trend to both owners’ attention that they said passionate craft beer connoisseurs cannot ignore.

In 2022, according to visitfortmyers.com, there were more than 4.4 million visitors, with the top three local attractions drawing crowds to the county being the beaches themselves at 66%, the Fort Myers Beach Pier at 36%, and the Sanibel Lighthouse at 26%. However, the year after Hurricane Ian, that number fell to nearly 3 million visitors. The pier’s visitation rate dropped to 15% while the beaches remained No. 1 at 51%. But now, with the promise of a new and improved pier on the horizon, those stats are starting to rebound.

About 30 people attended a Venezuelan advocacy event, held in Golden Gate at the Los Angeles Adult Day Care facility, where attendees expressed their gratitude to the Trump administration and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart for the support and actions taken to "help the Venezuelan people" bolster the base for a blossoming democracy.

Mullock Creek Preserve in Lee County and surrounding areas were submerged in more than 8 feet of water during Hurricane Ian. To address this, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) updated the emergency flood maps for residents and property owners surrounding the preserve, nearly four years after Ian’s landfall. But there’s a common misconception regarding these maps and why they are revised—one Donald Duke, Ph.D., a Florida Gulf Coast University professor in the Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies, said property owners in all areas need to remain privy to.

The Seven Islands development, a large-scale approximately 48-acre project dating back to 2015, is planning to break ground in Northwest Cape Coral on the east side of the Spreader Canal after it was unanimously passed by the Cape Coral City Council on Jan. 21. But as some residents are happy for the addition to the underdeveloped region of the city, others are circumspect as to how it will impact traffic, environment, infrastructure, and the charm.

Following a lengthy renovation, Lee County's South County Regional Library reopened. The return couldn’t come at a better time, since reading among Floridians has been on the decline.

Nearly 49,000 people took to the streets Tuesday afternoon to take part in more than 1,200 events across the U.S. Locally, the Free America Walkout, orchestrated by WomensMarch.com, brought nearly 40 people, waving signs, flags, and banners, to the I-75 Estero Overpass Bridge. Countless drivers in a variety of vehicles passed under on I-75, many honking horns as the demonstrators protested the Trump Administration's immigration policies, the conduct of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and what the organizer contended is a slippery slope toward fascism.

The South County Regional Library is back open after 14 months of renovations costing more than $10 million. A ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 7 celebrated the accomplishment.