SWFL NowVERIFIED NEWS. LOCAL IMPACT.83°F in Cape Coral,Sunny · Cape Coral
The Southwest Florida stories that are too local, too early or too ongoing for the evening news.
About 75% of voters in the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District voted against merging with the Iona-McGregor Fire District on Nov. 3, while about 57% of Iona-McGregor voters supported it. The merger needed a majority in both districts, so it fails and Fort Myers Beach keeps its own district. The district says plans for a new administration building and a returning fire boat will go ahead.
Source: WINK News and 3 more
A Cape Coral man has been arrested and is accused of drawing a swastika on a sign for U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, WINK News reports. Reports say the sign was a reserved parking sign outside the Lee County Tax Collector's office in Cape Coral and was marked on Election Day.
Source: WINK News and 1 more
Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson sent a written statement to The News-Press on Nov. 4, the day after losing his re-election bid to Amber Ware. He called serving the city an honor, thanked supporters and said Fort Myers' next chapter looks promising. Ware won about 54% of the vote in unofficial results.
Source: News-Press and 2 more
Friday, November 20
The City of Cape Coral is hosting a roundtable for retail business owners and operators on Friday, Nov. 20, at City Hall to discuss barriers to growth, expansion and attracting new retailers. Seating is limited; RSVP to the city's Economic and Business Development office at EDevOffice@CapeCoral.gov by Nov. 16.
Source: City of Cape Coral and 1 more
Challenger Amber Ware defeated incumbent Mayor Kevin Anderson in the Nov. 3 Fort Myers election, about 54% to 46% in unofficial results. Ware, a longtime city employee who directs the city's STARZ youth program, campaigned on ordering a full audit of city finances. The results become final once the county certifies them.
Source: WINK News and 2 more
Rick Erickson defeated Lisa Cohen-Adkinson for Cape Coral mayor, 39,218 votes (51.9%) to 36,378 (48.1%), in unofficial Nov. 3 results. Dave Newton won District 1 over Tom Shadrach, incumbent Jennifer Nelson-Lastra kept District 4 over James Vargas, and Annette Warren won District 6 over Liza King by 487 votes. Results become final once certified.
Source: Cape Coral Breeze and 1 more
LeeTran has started a pilot that cuts fixed-route fares in half for veterans who carry a new Veterans Discount TropiCard. Veterans can get the card on the spot at LeeTran headquarters on Metro Parkway or the Rosa Parks Transportation Station in Fort Myers by showing a veteran ID or a driver license with the veteran mark. The agency plans to review the program after 180 days.
Source: WGCU
Cape Coral City Council voted 4-1 on Monday, Nov. 2, to end City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn's contract without cause, effective at 11:59 p.m. that night; three council members had left the meeting before the vote. The council named Maureen Buice, assistant to the city manager, as interim city manager at a $290,000 salary. The city attorney said Ilczyszyn is entitled to four months' salary as severance.
Source: Cape Coral Breeze and 2 more
Cape Coral City Council on Monday, Nov. 2, approved an incentive package worth up to $10 million for the city's first Costco, planned at 600 Chiquita Boulevard South. As proposed, it includes up to $8 million in property tax recapture over as long as 25 years, up to $1.8 million in impact fee reimbursements and deferral of up to $200,000 in utility fees, with Costco adding turn lanes and a traffic signal on Chiquita. No opening date has been announced.
Source: WINK News and 2 more
Protesters led by the Lee County NAACP gathered outside Fort Myers City Hall before the Nov. 2 council meeting, again calling on Mayor Kevin Anderson to resign over sexual misconduct allegations made by two men. Anderson has denied the allegations, and a state law enforcement review of one complaint closed without charges; council member Fred Burson said he supports the mayor. Anderson faces challenger Amber Ware on Tuesday's ballot.
Source: WINK News and 1 more
Fort Myers police on Monday arrested a 19-year-old Fort Myers man, Rolando Velasquez-Castro, accused of spray-painting three limestone columns at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, the 1933 former post office downtown. He is charged with criminal mischief involving historic property, a third-degree felony, and police say surveillance footage led to the arrest. Conservators say the porous stone needs careful treatment so the paint isn't pushed deeper; no cost or timeline has been given.
Source: WGCU and 1 more
FDOT is closing the northbound outside lanes and shoulder of Business U.S. 41 on the Edison Bridge in Fort Myers from 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, for bridge plate maintenance. The lanes should reopen by about 6 a.m. Tuesday; drivers should slow down and allow extra time, with live updates on FL511.
Source: WINK News (citing FDOT) and 1 more
Southwest Florida International Airport's new 14-gate concourse is about two years into construction with roughly 12 to 14 months left, putting the opening around the 2027-28 holiday season, Lee Port Authority CEO Steve Hennigan said. The roughly $1 billion project comes as the airport set a record of 1.5 million passengers in March and says it is short on capacity in peak season.
Source: WGCU and 1 more
Lee County Sheriff's Office detectives arrested Noah Lils Alcantara on a charge of aggravated child abuse after a 9-day-old was brought to a children's hospital on Oct. 31 with severe breathing trouble. Deputies say doctors found injuries consistent with violent shaking. The infant remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition, WINK reported.
Source: Gulf Coast News and 2 more
Café YOU, a locally owned spot at 1423 SE 10th St. in Cape Coral, serves made-from-scratch breakfast and lunch with Australian touches, plus vegan and gluten-free choices and specialty coffee. Owner Marlies Laaper opened it in 2015. The café plans a vegan Thanksgiving dinner this month and is open Monday through Saturday, 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Source: WINK News
Cape Coral City Council is set to take up a resident's nomination of Four Freedoms Park as a historic resource at its 4 p.m. meeting Monday, Nov. 2. Part of the park, which has a playground, walking path and city-run preschool, would be used for the marina in the $500 million Bimini East redevelopment council approved Oct. 22, and a historic designation would make changes to the park much harder. City staff recommend declining the nomination and instead working with the Cape Coral Historical Society on a monument in the park; the developer has agreed to build a new one-acre park nearby.
Source: WINK News
Saturday, November 14
The Lee County Clerk & Comptroller will hold its seventh Big Shred from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Lee County Elections Center in Fort Myers. Residents can bring papers with sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers, for free professional shredding; documents must be in boxes, and bags and electronics won't be accepted. The events have destroyed more than 45,000 pounds of paper since 2023.
Source: WGCU and 1 more
Two Fort Myers residents, an 18-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man, died after a crash on eastbound I-75 near mile marker 45 in Broward County about 9:53 p.m. Saturday, Florida Highway Patrol said. Troopers said their car left the road, hit a parked U-Haul truck on the shoulder and then struck an SUV, which overturned; two Port Charlotte residents in the SUV were hurt, one seriously. FHP has not released names or said why the driver lost control.
Source: WINK News and 1 more
Someone spray-painted the exterior limestone columns of the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, the 1930s former post office at 2301 First Street in downtown Fort Myers, the center said in an Oct. 31 post. Because the historic stone is fragile, the paint can't simply be covered or scrubbed off, and the center is working with the city, which owns the building, and restoration professionals. No one has been identified as responsible.
Source: The News-Press (via Yahoo News)
Estero senior quarterback Maddox Stewart set Lee County records for passing touchdowns in a season and a career during the Wildcats' Oct. 26 win over East Lee County. He passed the career mark of 87 held by Bishop Verot's Carter Smith and the season mark of 31 held by Cypress Lake's Joey Dube-Garrett. He threw five more touchdown passes in Friday's 65-14 regular-season finale against Bonita Springs.
Source: WINK News and 2 more
Sanibel Public Works crews will spread mulch and refresh landscaping from Saturday, Nov. 7, through Friday, Nov. 20, weather permitting. The work covers planting beds along Periwinkle Way between the Lighthouse area and Tarpon Bay Road, along Palm Ridge Road and at city beach parks. The city expects only minor delays from deliveries and equipment and asks drivers to slow down near crews.
Source: WINK News and 2 more
Wednesday, November 11
Veterans and their families can ride the Lakes Park of South Florida Railroad in Fort Myers for free on Wednesday, Nov. 11, starting at 10 a.m. Riders should bring a DD-214, military ID or other proof of service. A flag-raising at the train station marking the nation's 250th anniversary is set for 2:50 p.m.
Source: WINK News
Cape Coral opened Yellow Fever Creek Preserve at 3115 Del Prado Blvd. N. with a ribbon-cutting and guided tours on Oct. 30. The preserve offers 23 campsites, nature trails, a fishing pond, the city's first disc golf course, an outdoor classroom, a welcome center and restrooms. It covers about 198 acres of city land, roughly 525 acres with adjoining county land, and the city plans bird walks and classes; an open house date hasn't been set.
Source: WINK News and 3 more
Fire and law enforcement leaders wrapped up a statewide 'Vote No on Amendment 3' tour in Cape Coral, warning the property tax measure could lead to budget cuts or new fees for services. Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said more than 90% of his agency's budget comes from property taxes and projected losses of about $26 million in fiscal 2028 and $47 million in 2029, while Bonita Springs Fire Chief Greg DeWitt said low-cost services such as CPR classes could cost more or be cut. Voters decide on Nov. 3, and the amendment needs 60% approval to pass.
Source: WINK News
Kolter Urban has topped out The Island at West Bay Club, a 24-story condominium tower at 5100 Baybridge Blvd. inside the West Bay Club community in Estero. The building will hold 86 residences, with prices starting around $3 million, and delivery is expected in mid-2027.
Source: Gulfshore Business and 2 more
Southwest Florida International Airport will run its RSWRemote lot on the north side of the airport from Nov. 23 to 29. Parking is a flat $60, must be reserved and paid in advance, and isn't refundable. Shuttles run to the terminal from 3 a.m. to 7 p.m. starting Nov. 23.
Source: Lee County Port Authority via Airport Improvement and 1 more
The Naples pizzeria LowBrow Pizza & Beer is building out a nearly 5,000-square-foot restaurant at the MidTown at Bonita development on Bonita Beach Road. The owner expects to open in late December, with a menu almost identical to the Naples spot. A hiring open house is set for Nov. 1 and 2.
Source: The News-Press and 1 more
Friday, October 30
The Community House on Periwinkle Way holds its free Fall Festival and Candy Carnival from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. Kids collect stamps at activity stations for candy and prizes, and a costume contest open to families starts at 5:30 p.m.
Source: Island Reporter (captivasanibel.com) and 1 more
Friday, October 30
Gulf Coast Symphony performs music from the Harry Potter films at the Music & Arts Community Center in Fort Myers on Friday, Oct. 30, with shows at 6 and 8 p.m. Tickets start at $76, and costumes are welcome.
Source: Gulf Coast Symphony and 1 more
Saturday, October 31
Farmer Mike's U-Pick on Morton Avenue ends its 12th annual fall festival on Saturday, Oct. 31. The farm offers a 5-acre family corn maze, a haunted maze on Friday and Saturday nights, pick-your-own pumpkins and sunflowers, and hayrides. Tickets are sold online only.
Source: Farmer Mike's U-Pick and 2 more
Saturday, October 31
The 34th Fort Myers Fall Craft Fair runs Saturday, Oct. 31, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers. Admission is $6, and children 12 and under get in free.
Source: Buckler Shows and 2 more
Saturday, November 7
Fort Myers Beach holds its Illuminations walking parade on Saturday, Nov. 7, with participants carrying lanterns and lights. The parade is free to join or watch, and registration is open through the Fort Myers Beach Chamber.
Source: Fort Myers Beach Chamber and 2 more
Saturday, October 31
Cape Coral Animal Shelter invites families to trick-or-treat from noon to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31. Visitors bring a treat for the animals and get one in return.
Source: WINK News
Lee County deputies arrested Leonardo Rivera, 28, on Oct. 22 at an I-75 rest area near Daniels Parkway, according to an arrest report cited by WINK News. He is charged with luring or enticing a child younger than 14. No details of the alleged incident have been released, and he remained in custody.
Source: WINK News
Crews have pulled the last of the old Fort Myers Beach pier's piles and are now driving production piles for the replacement, which may bring extra noise and vibration over the coming week. People are asked not to swim, wade, fish or boat near the site and to stay outside the construction fence. Pedestrians are being detoured across Estero Boulevard to the opposite sidewalk because of nearby Lynn Hall Memorial Park work.
Source: Fort Myers Beach Chamber (Lee County pier project update)
Thursday, October 29
Slipaway Food Truck Park & Marina at 1811 Cape Coral Pkwy. E. hosts a family Truck-or-Treat night market Thursday starting at 5 p.m., with decorated food trucks handing out candy, local vendors and pumpkin painting. A Halloween Fright Night with a $1,000 costume contest follows Saturday, Oct. 31.
Source: WINK News and 2 more
The News-Press toured the construction site of Southwest Florida International Airport's new Concourse E on Oct. 22 and published dozens of photos of the work. The roughly $1 billion second phase of the expansion will add 14 gates, nine TSA lanes and 37,000 square feet of shops and restaurants.
Source: The News-Press and 2 more
A task force that included Cape Coral police arrested Dominic Octavious Cichini in Lehigh Acres in connection with the Oct. 22 road rage shooting in the 800 block of Santa Barbara Boulevard that left two people hurt. He is charged with three counts of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm and one count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Source: WINK News and 1 more
Lee County deputies and the Florida Gaming Control Commission served search warrants Oct. 27 at five arcades in Fort Myers, North Fort Myers and Bonita Springs and at a home in Pennsylvania. Ten people were arrested on charges that include racketeering conspiracy, keeping a gambling house and money laundering, and officials seized 239 illegal slot machines and about $1.59 million in cash, gold and frozen bank accounts.
Source: Lee County Sheriff's Office via WINK News and 2 more
Riverdale High School girls basketball coach Ryan Magiera has been placed on leave while the Lee County school district investigates, the News-Press reported Oct. 28. No reason for the investigation has been released. Delair Osnac will serve as interim head coach until it concludes.
Source: News-Press and 2 more
