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Plans for Lee Memorial Hospital site could include parks, homes

A linear park along Cleveland Avenue, rowhouses like those in Philadelphia, bike trails and a big civic green are some of the ideas for what the Lee Memorial Hospital site could look like when the hospital closes in 2028. Members of the Fort Myers Economic Development Advisory Board received an...

Fort Myers, FL · 1d
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gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Fort Myers library becomes refuge for homeless people as living costs rise

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The downtown Fort Myers library is increasingly serving as a haven for people experiencing homelessness, offering free internet access, phone charging stations and air conditioning. Community leaders say homelessness is growing in the city, citing inflation and the high cost of living as key factors....

Fort Myers, FL · 1d
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The News-Press

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Target plans new store in growing eastern Lee County

Target has secured land in eastern Lee County for a new store. Property records show Target Corp. purchased a nearly 21-acre site on the doorstep of Lehigh Acres, along the high-growth State Road 82 and Daniels Parkway corridor. The deal closed on Oct. 28. The price was $9 million for a future location at Creekside Marketplace, one of two shopping centers planned by The Sembler Company, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, in the same booming area. The dual retail centers are near the sister Timber Creek and Daniels Creek communities developed by Lennar, which will have a little over 2,900 homes. "The project represents a vital retail milestone for the rapidly expanding submarket bridging unincorporated Lee County and the western edge of Lehigh Acres. Positioned near the strategic convergence of State Road 82 and Daniels Parkway/Gunnery Road, Creekside Marketplace is designed to address the immense residential influx and rooftop growth that has surged across the corridor in recent years," said Paige Rausch, a commercial real estate and land analyst at Aslan Realty Advisors in Fort Myers. Situated on about 41 acres, Creekside is a planned 250,000-square-foot retail and medical-office destination with 11 outparcels. The planned development reflects Sembler’s longstanding approach:

Lee County, FL · 3d

gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Lee County voters approve term limits for sheriff, tax collector and other county officers

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Lee County voters have approved a county charter amendment to limit elected constitutional officers to three consecutive four-year terms, with the change set to take effect in November 2026. The measure applies to the sheriff, property appraiser, supervisor of elections, clerk of the circuit court,...

Lee County, FL · 3d
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gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Cape Coral mayor-elect and new city council face city manager termination fallout

CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Cape Coral's mayor-elect Rick Erickson and the newly elected city council are stepping into their roles amid significant changes, including the abrupt firing of city manager Michael Ilczyszyn without cause during the outgoing council's final meeting. "I'm not waiting to the 18th. I want to...

Cape Coral, FL · 2d

gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson responds after losing re-election bid to Amber Ware

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson has responded after his loss in the 2026 Fort Myers mayoral election Tuesday night. On Tuesday, it was announced that Anderson, the incumbent candidate, lost to Amber Ware, who received 54% of the vote. Ware will be the first Black woman to be mayor in the city's history, and only the second woman ever to hold the position. The only other woman to serve as Fort Myers Mayor was Florence Fritz from 1950 to 1951.

Fort Myers, FL · 3d

hoodline.com

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Lee County Voters Oust School Board Chair in District 5 Race

Crystal Johnson, a Lee County school district paraprofessional, defeated sitting School Board chair Armor Persons in the District 5 race decided Tuesday, winning 59 percent of the vote to his 41 percent. The result ends Persons’ tenure as chair and hands the northeast Lee County seat to a candidate who campaigned on discipline, academic accountability and parent engagement.

Lee County, FL · 3d

The News-Press

partner publisher · 40.5K followers

'Crown jewel' Edison estates welcomes first addition in 60 years

It has been 60 years since something was built at the venerable Edison Home. That’s going to change. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates Board of Trustees presented plans to the Fort Myers city council on Nov. 2 for a new welcome center. The city council gave a unanimous 6-0 blessing to the plans, with Councilman Liston Bochette absent for the vote. Council member Terolyn Watson did vote against one item, which is a letter from the city guaranteeing a $1.6 million loan the Edison board of trustees plans to help fund the project. Watson said she had met with former council member Mike Flanders, who chairs the board of trustees, and that banks may be willing to loan the money without a city guarantee. Council member Darla Bonk pointed out that since the city owns the 21-acre property it would be on the hook for any loan default regardless. Former city officials Flanders, Henderson part of Edison board The Edison non-profit board of trustees also includes former mayor Randy Henderson. The welcome center was designed by architect Joyce Owens, founder and principal of Architecture Joyce Owens, a 12-person firm in southwest Florida. Owens is the national American Institute of

Fort Myers, FL · 1d

gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Amendment 3 passed in Florida, but Lee County faces an $88M-plus revenue hit for fiscal 2027-28

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Florida homeowners will see significant property tax savings starting in 2027 after the passage of Amendment 3, which increases the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. Barbara Smith, a Fort Myers resident, shared her thoughts on the amendment's approval. "I voted...

Lee County, FL · 3d

The Financial Wire

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Lee Health says it will leave UnitedHealthcare’s networks, including Medicare Advantage, on Jan. 1, 2027 without a deal, as Florida members face a Dec. 7 deadline

Lee Health, the Fort Myers hospital system, says it will leave UnitedHealthcare’s networks on Jan. 1, 2027, including the Medicare Advantage network, unless the two sides sign a new contract first. UnitedHealthcare’s member page says Lee Health “intends to leave” its commercial and Medicare Advantage networks and notified the insurer in late August. Florida members... The post Lee Health says it will leave UnitedHealthcare’s networks, including Medicare Advantage, on Jan. 1, 2027 without a deal, as Florida members face a Dec. 7 deadline appeared first on The Financial Wire .

Fort Myers, FL · 3d

gulfshorebusiness.com

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Fishermen’s Village restaurant wins waterfront seating

The Islands Kitchen & Cocktail House will soon have raised outdoor seating 10 feet from the water after its owners were granted a variance by Punta Gorda City Council on Oct. 28. The restaurant’s company, PGFL Associates LLC, is owned by a local team consisting of managing partner Kurt Brown;...

Punta Gorda, FL · 5d

gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Target store to anchor new eastern Lee County shopping center at Daniels Parkway and SR-82

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Target will anchor the new Creekside Marketplace, alongside a medical office building at the intersection of Daniels Parkway and State Road 82. This shopping center will mean people who live here in eastern Lee County won't have to drive as far to shop. "We have...

Lee County, FL · 2d

WINKNEWS.com

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Cape Coral homeowners split after Amendment 3 property tax vote

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK)—Cape Coral residents reacted with both hope and concern after voters approved Amendment 3. Amendment 3 needed 60% approval to pass, and voters backed the property tax exemption by two points. WINK News heard mixed reactions from people in Cape Coral, including some who said they were moving out or had already moved to find financial relief.

Cape Coral, FL · 3d

WINKNEWS.com

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FDOT says traffic light needed at Gulf Coast Medical Center

LEE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK)—Heavy evening traffic near Gulf Coast Medical Center raised concerns about whether drivers could safely get in and out of the hospital. A Lee Health nurse came to WINK Listens concerned the problem was more than an inconvenience and had become a safety issue. Elizabeth Love-Cornell...

Lee County, FL · 1d

capecoralbreeze.com

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Veterans Day | Parade to step off the holiday

Cape Coral’s thank-you to its rich veteran population is back again this year, with the Veterans Day Parade to step off onto Cape Coral Parkway this Saturday. Marching down the parkway starting at 11 a.m. — right around the same time the armistice was signed and hostilities ended 108 years ago marking the end of World War I — Southwest Florida’s proud military and veteran community will be on full display as American flags are to be waved, red, white and blue garb worn, and military gear proudly displayed.

Cape Coral, FL · 3d

WINKNEWS.com

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Charlotte County starts 2028 budget triage after Amendment 3

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — With the passage of Amendment Three, which reduces the amount of property taxes Floridians pay, Charlotte County officials are discussing for major cuts to public safety budgets. The measure passed with 62% voter approval, clearing the 60% needed to pass. Charlotte County Sheriff Bill...

Charlotte County, FL · 3d

The Daily Sun

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Fall Festival planned for Mid-County Regional Library

PORT CHARLOTTE — Charlotte County Libraries & History has announced a free Fall Festival at Mid-County Regional Library that will feature a variety of music and an introduction to the programs at the newly rebuilt library.

Port Charlotte, FL · 16h

beachtalkradionews.com

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Trish is Out. Amanda is in.

An Inauguration Ceremony for three members elected to the Lee Board of County Commissioners will be held 8:30Am Tuesday, Nov. 17, in the Commission Chambers of the Old Lee County Courthouse in Fort Myers. A reception will follow at 9 a.m., and the regularly scheduled Board meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. The public is invited to attend.

Fort Myers, FL · 3d

gulfcoastnewsnow.com

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Charlotte County 2026 election results: Live updates

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Charlotte County’s 2026 election results will show how voters decide local representation, tax and conservation issues. The live results below track the County Commission District 4 race, Punta Gorda City Council Districts 1 and 4, the 1% local-option sales tax referendum, the water-quality and wildlife-habitat levy, the school district millage referendum and local special-district races.

Charlotte County, FL · 5d

capecoralbreeze.com

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My neighborhood is not your hotel

Why do we have residential zoning if a house in a quiet neighborhood can become a commercial lodging business?. People buy homes in Cape Coral to live, raise families, and enjoy some peace. Yet an absentee owner can buy the house next door and rent it to a revolving door of vacationers. Some guests are considerate. Others party until 2 a.m., leave dogs barking, and depart before the neighbors recover a decent night’s sleep.

Cape Coral, FL · 3d