WGCU

Temporary Protected Status is eliminated for Haiti, along with numerous other countries, forcing nationals who were once in the United States legally under the program to lose their status. Florida is home to the largest Haitian population in the U.S., with more than 27,000 living in Southwest Florida alone, mostly in Lee and Collier counties, where there are myriad opportunities for work. Now, however, Haitians who were here under TPS can no longer work to support their families and are at risk of being sent home to unlivable conditions. This reality is unfolding across the country.

The last place you would normally expect to find a firefighter is at the ocean. But that’s exactly where they were recently as North Collier Fire Control and Rescue unveiled the first ocean rescue tower in Collier County.

The Cape Coral City Council approved $500,000 in Wednesday's meeting to address a sinking roadway in the northwest region of the city. This comes as residents living along the impacted area face U.S. Postal Service delivery delays.

The Collier County School Board may have three races coming up in the 2026 Florida primaries, but only one is contested, District 5. Learn more about who is running against incumbent Tim Moshier, and why.

Some local community members are speaking out ahead of Florida's 2026 primary election cycle, harping on how the divisive and polarizing political rhetoric across the country is causing harm in an area one may not expect it to: Public school systems.

The Fort Myers City Council recently approved a change impacting parking rates at all three of downtown Fort Myers' parking garages. Visitors are now entitled to two free hours followed by a hourly rate.

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.

Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will host the 24th Annual Burrowing Owl Festival on Feb. 28, bringing conservation groups, tours and family activities to Rotary Park.

Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will host a Southwest Florida Birding Specialty Tour on Saturday, Feb. 28 as part of the 24th Annual Burrowing Owl Festival. The four-hour guided tour runs from 7 to 11 a.m., with participants asked to arrive by 6:45 a.m. at Rotary Park, 5505 Rose Garden Road.The tour will travel by bus to multiple birding locations in Cape Coral and surrounding areas, with short walks expected at select stops. Organizers say participants may see burrowing owls and other bird species common to Southwest Florida, including bald eagles, herons and egrets.Tickets cost $70 and include admission to the Burrowing Owl Festival. Advance purchase is required through ccfriendsofwildlife.org. The festival’s Wildlife and Environmental Expo will also take place Feb. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Rotary Park, featuring tours, vendors, speakers and family activities.

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.