News

Lee Clerk completes property fraud prevention pilot program

01/29/2026

After being chosen as the only county in Florida to conduct a property fraud prevention pilot program, Lee County Clerk and Comptroller Kevin Karnes is proud to announce the program is complete and a legislative report outlining the pilot’s overview, successes, challenges, and further recommendations has been compiled and sent to state leaders. The two-year…

Five SWFL companies being honored as global innovators at 2026 Edison Awards

01/24/2026

Five Southwest Florida businesses are among the list of distinguished companies that will be hailed as global innovators during the 2026 Edison Awards, an international competition that culminates in April with a celebratory event in Fort Myers. The Edison Awards released its 2026 finalists on Jan. 20, noting the winners are a “curated collective of…

Avelo Airlines extends its Central Florida flight schedule through summer 2026

01/20/2026

Avelo Airlines announced today that it is extending its Central Florida flight schedule through Aug. 18, 2026. Avelo Airlines Head of Commercial Trevor Yealy said, “It’s time to start planning summer travel, and we are excited to extend Avelo’s Central Florida flight schedule through August 2026. With Avelo’s affordable fares and industry-leading reliability, it’s the perfect…

Leadership Collier Foundation applications now open

01/20/2026

The Leadership Collier Foundation, an affiliate of the Greater Naples Chamber, is excited to announce applications are now open for the 2027 class. Leadership Collier is a transformational community leadership experience for both participants and the organizations they lead. Through hands-on experiences and exclusive behind-the-scenes sessions, participants fully explore local government, education, economic development, the…

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida announces new CEO and President

01/09/2026

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida announced  Cheryl Kunkle will join as its CEO and President. With more than 23 years of experience, Kunkle is a seasoned leader in strategic growth and mission impact, recognized for building high-performing teams and securing impactful corporate alliances with mission-driven organizations. “We are excited to welcome Cheryl to lead Junior…

SWFL business group to address innovation, expansion at Feb. 5 event

01/07/2026

The Horizon Council, Horizon Foundation and the Lee County Economic Development Office will explore another year of business growth and opportunities at the 2026 Annual Meeting on Feb. 5. The 2026 Annual Meeting will feature a State of the Economy presentation, ‘Innovation Evolved: Fueling Business Expansion and Community Prosperity,’ recapping the tremendous growth in Lee…

Greater Naples Chamber Board of Directors approves 2026 public policy platform

01/05/2026

The Greater Naples Chamber ‘s Board of Directors has approved the organization’s public policy priorities. Updated annually, these priorities will guide the Chamber’s work at the local, state and federal levels throughout the coming year The 2026 agenda reflects input from Chamber members and was reviewed by the Chamber’s executive committee before going to the…

SBA relief still available to small businesses and private nonprofits affected by drought

01/02/2026

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Florida of the Feb. 2 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought occurring on May 6, 2025. The disaster declaration covers the counties of Charlotte, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River,…

Fort Myers Beach achieves major FEMA milestone, earns prestigious CRS Class 5 rating

12/29/2025

In a major milestone for the Town’s recovery and long-term resilience, the Town of Fort Myers Beach has earned a Class 5 rating in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System (CRS), a designation that delivers real financial relief to residents and national recognition for the Town’s flood mitigation and governance efforts. The rating was formally confirmed in…

Naples Airport Authority approves Phase II of North Road Terminal renovation

12/23/2025

The Naples Airport Authority’s Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 to award contracts to Curran Young Construction, Garland and Schenkel Schultz for Phase II of renovation work at the North Road Terminal. Phase I was recently completed and included exterior work to the North Road Terminal, including hardening the building envelope for better protection against future…