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.

On the verge of the 2026 hurricane season emergency management workers from Florida and well beyond are in Palm Beach County this week for the annual Governor's Hurricane Conference. Attendees got to hear some first-hand experience from Lee County.

County, local and state officials celebrated with Matlacha residents Tuesday at a ribbon cutting ceremony for Lee County Parks & Recreation’s restored Matlacha Community Center and the Pine Island Art Building as well as for the conclusion of the Florida Department of Transportation’s Little Pine Island Bridge Reconstruction project.

Lee Commissioners approved two measures Tuesday to restore popular coastal areas: $245K to rebuild and landscape a beach dune and commit $2.1M to a Sanibel fishing pier. Commissioners also awarded a contract to provide construction engineering and inspection services on four disaster recovery projects that include work on Pine Island, Iona, Harlem Heights, San Carlos Park and more.

Income-eligible homeowners seeking assistance to repair, replace or reconstruct property that was damaged by Hurricane Helene and/or Milton have until March 31 to file applications to LeeCares before the application portal closes.

FEMA has confirmed that Fort Myers Beach has earned a Class 5 rating in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System, a step in the recovery from Hurricane Ian that could earn residents financial relief. The rating was formally confirmed in a December letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It is also a national recognition for the Town’s flood mitigation and governance efforts.

Middle-class families are struggling to afford insurance in southwest Florida. Realtors say a wave of foreclosures could be coming.

Lee County is setting a deadline for home owners to apply for federal money to repair damage from Hurricane Ian more than three years ago. Commissioners also are awarding money for more affordable housing.

The DHS chief has been widely criticized for slowing down FEMA’s response after natural disasters. Texts and emails obtained by ProPublica point to an effective way to get help faster: have one of Noem’s big donors make the ask.

Hurricane Helene breached the large dune between the Gulf and the old Midnight Pass channel. Hurricane Milton’s surge fully reopened and enlarged Midnight Pass