Lee County

When most people think of a disaster situation, the first thought is first responders. However, there are folks who work side-by-side with those who run into situations that others run from.

Nearly a year after first sharing his story, Erick Tovar says life looks very different. Tovar, now 22, is a junior at Florida Gulf Coast University from Venezuela living in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status, or TPS. “Definitely, a lot of things have changed, as far as the government, as far as the politics, as far as the general hope that we have as of right now,” Tovar said. “My current hope is that the people of Venezuela that are still there get to experience freedom.”

There is an upward trend happening throughout Florida: a rise in single-parent homes. Roughly 38% of children live with a single parent and over 80% of those households are headed by a mother.

The Lee County Legal Aid Society will host a free legal clinic for seniors at the Fort Myers Beach library.

Matlacha artists have united to assist in the rebuilding process in the wake of Hurricane Ian and rekindle a popular tradition of the community's art walk to bring visitors back to the island.

In light of the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history, local nonprofit organizations are feeling the brunt of the impacts as a lapse in SNAP benefits persist causing individuals as well as families to function without food for extended periods of time. Find out how one organization in particular is taking extra steps to help not only its clients, but also other local organizations weathering the storm of SNAP uncertainty.

Temperatures are dropping this week, and local areas are stepping up with different warming stations for residents.

In Lee County, a new partnership is aiming to keep more families together before they enter the foster care system.

Florida is the land of sunshine and good vibes, but when the sun goes down on Downtown Fort Myers, something ghastly takes over.

In Florida, roughly 300,000 people live with vision impairment. Those dealing with vision impairment are forced to live with unfair stigmas, which include being described as helpless or incompetent.