In the news
Lee County begins Ortiz Avenue widening project
Lee County’s contractor, OHLA USA, begins work this month to widen Ortiz Avenue from Colonial Boulevard to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. The project will widen the roadway from two lanes to four travel lanes and include a 6-foot sidewalk on the east side of the road and a 10-foot paved trail on the…
Read MoreFEMA National Flood Insurance Program to be discussed at Tuesday meeting
Lee County will provide an update Tuesday related to FEMA’s announcement that it would alter discounts on National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) premiums by retrograding the county’s and four municipalities’ Community Rating System (CRS) classifications. This issue will be publicly discussed during the regularly scheduled Lee Board of County Commissioners meeting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday,…
Read MoreTwo SanCap Chamber ribbon-cuttings mark return of historic Sanibel businesses
The SanCap Chamber and islands community cheered this week as two iconic Sanibel businesses celebrated reopening their doors following hurricane recovery. They include Sanibel Siesta on the Beach at 1246 Fulgur Street on April 8 and the Bait Box at 1041 Periwinkle Way on April 9. “I guess you could say our official re-opening was…
Read MoreLaBelle partners with the National League of Cities and CAEL
Collaboratory announced the City of LaBelle has been selected to join the Municipal Action Cohort: Connecting Adults to Postsecondary and Workforce Success. This new peer-learning cohort is led by the National League of Cities (NLC) and CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning) to accelerate city efforts to design, develop, and launch an initiative to…
Read MoreFrank G. Daveler Foundation donates $1.9 million to establish entrepreneurship institute at FSW
A $1.9 million donation from the Frank G. Daveler Foundation, Florida SouthWestern State College’s (FSW) School of Business and Technology will establish the Frank G. Daveler Entrepreneurship Institute. The gift will enhance FSW’s entrepreneurship programming, evolving into an innovation hub that embraces multidisciplinary learning throughout the college, while fostering curiosity and opportunity. In the past…
Read MoreLee County offers update on FEMA National Flood Insurance Program issue
Lee County received a letter and an attached document from FEMA late Monday related to the National Flood Insurance Program issue. Staff subject matter experts are currently reviewing the information. Lee County Manager Dave Harner and city managers from impacted municipalities – Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, the Town of Fort Myers Beach and the Village…
Read MoreFlorida continues to lower tax burden for business owners
FloridaCommerce announced that thanks to Florida’s healthy economy, Florida’s Commercial Lease Sales Tax rate will be reduced from 4.5 percent to 2.0 percent, providing Florida employers with at least an estimated $1 billion in tax relief. Effective June 1, 2024, Florida business owners will have a 2.5 percent tax reduction. This reduction is a result…
Read MoreSanCap Chamber cuts the ribbon at new Sanibel Captiva Trust Company office
A SanCap Chamber ribbon-cutting on Sanibel Island this week celebrated the opening of a new office location for Sanibel Captiva Trust Company at 2450 Periwinkle Way, a relocation that had been set in motion before Hurricane Ian. “Sanibel Captiva Trust has been a major financial and philanthropic attribute of the community since 2001,” said John…
Read MoreFort Myers Small Business class now accepting applications
Individuals thinking about starting their own business, but need some mentoring, are invited to apply to the Goodwill Southwest Florida MicroEnterprise Institute, scheduled for April 15 – May 23, 2024. The MicroEnterprise Institute is a six-week training program to help emerging entrepreneurs start new ventures and grow small businesses. Graduates complete a comprehensive training course and…
Read MoreLee Commissioners address FEMA National Flood Insurance Program determination
The Lee Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, April 2, discussed the county’s response to the FEMA verbal notification late last week that it would eliminate Community Rating System current discounts on National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) premiums. The board voted to grant “any and all tools” needed by County staff to investigate and work…
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