SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday morning his administration is moving forward with a proposal to expedite 20 major interstate and roadway projects across the state of Florida in the next four years.

A law enforcement officer’s “sharp” vision helped with a drug bust Tuesday in Southwest Florida, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

With more than 35,000 homes damaged or destroyed in Lee County, Fla., residents are concerned about housing affordability – and changes to their communities – as developers become involved.

Beaches in Southwest Florida are dealing with red tide fish kills and warnings as the harmful algal bloom makes its way from the Gulf of Mexico. Here's what people should know.

A snake-wrangling couple got a big surprise the other day in Southwest Florida.

As Florida lawmakers try to stabilize the troubled property-insurance system next month, they could face worsening problems with reinsurance, a critical part of the system.

It’s been an active 2022 hurricane season in Florida, with both Ian and Nicole slamming the state.

Despite pounding parts of the East Coast, Hurricane Nicole will not hit Florida’s insurance market as hard as Hurricane Ian.

Nicole is expected to bring heavy wind, storm surge and flooding.

DeSantis's victory over Democrat Charlie Crist gives him a second term and a national platform as he eyes a potential run for the 2024 Republican Presidential nomination.

Subtropical Storm Nicole is strengthening as it heads toward Florida's East Coast, but tropical storm conditions could affect Sarasota and Manatee.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group Lynyrd Skynyrd will headline a Hurricane Ian Benefit Concert at Hertz Arena next month, according to a release.

We have pushed into November, and we already have a new storm in the Atlantic.

"Outnumbered" panelists sounded off on the "noisy extremists online" who attempted to cancel Luke Bryan for bringing Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis onstage.

Hurricane Ian cleanup continues on Fort Myers Beach after the Category 4 hurricane slammed Southwest Florida on Sept. 28, 2022.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida at the worst possible time for many in the agricultural community, cutting a path through Florida’s citrus belt and hitting tomato fields just before the start of seasonal harvests.

A state economist said Friday that October numbers likely will show an impact from the Category 4 storm, which made landfall Sept. 28 in Southwest Florida, but wouldn’t speculate on potential changes.

A winning lottery ticket worth a share of a $494 million Mega Millions jackpot was purchased in a southwest Florida city hammered by Hurricane Ian late last month.

There are three proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution that the Florida Legislature voted to place on the ballot this November.

It made it through the rain — as well as the punishing wind, terrifying floods and catastrophic storm surge.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday visited Flagler Beach, surveying the damage left in wake of Hurricane Ian.

Two weeks after Hurricane Ian, Florida utility operators report only a few thousand customers remain without power. Hard-hit areas like Fort Myers Beach will nonetheless be tough to repair.

More than two weeks since Category 4 Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida, residents are trying to rebuild, but it’s a slow process.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that he was initiating an executive order to help ensure voters in Charlotte, Lee and Sarasota counties have adequate access to voting in the 2022 election after Hurricane Ian ripped caused major devastation in those areas.

As people work to recover from the devastation Hurricane Ian left behind, they have helping hands from Northeast Florida. Several law enforcement and rescue agencies from our area sent teams to help with everything from rescues to clean up.

A convoy of truck drivers left the fairgrounds around 6 a.m. They are heading to areas including Pine Island, Punta Gorda, and Cape Coral.

After Hurricane Ian, residents in the hardest hit areas in Southwest Florida have a long way ahead of them.

After Hurricane Ian tore through Southwest Florida, people are still struggling for basic needs like power, water and a place to stay.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attended a Naples High School football game Friday night 10 days after Hurricane Ian devastated Southwest Florida.

Election officials in Florida say they are meeting a Thursday deadline to send out mail ballots, despite the hurricane. But in-person voting sites remain a concern.

Hurricane Ian slammed Southwest Florida as a major hurricane, producing winds rarely seen anywhere on Earth.

Tropical Depression Thirteen was upgraded to Tropical Storm Julia in the southern Caribbean Friday morning.

So many people responded to Millennium Physician Group’s call for vital supplies for those affected by Hurricane Ian that the group of medical clinics in Northeast Florida had to order a second truck to load with the donations for Southwest Florida.

In Northeast Florida, most school districts reopened Monday, but temporary closures because of Ian have forced the state to make some changes.

Images of storm-ravaged coastlines and ruined buildings have dominated headlines for a week since Hurricane Ian made landfall. It’s not the image the state’s tourism marketing agency wants to project to the rest of the country.

One week after Hurricane Ian battered Southwest Florida, we take a look back at how some locations around Fort Myers fared after the Category 4 storm.

As Millennium Physician Group continues to collect vital supplies to send to Southwest Florida following Hurricane Ian, staff members now say they’ve gotten more goods than they can imagine.

Jacksonville is playing a major role in the Hurricane Ian recovery efforts in Southwest Florida.

No, I don’t care if Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shows up to a disaster wearing white boots evocative of the go-go dancer footwear I adored in junior high school, now sold online as a Halloween costume.

A 96-year-old Charlotte County man found trapped under a car in high water is the oldest victim of Hurricane Ian’s deadly course through Southwest Florida, whose wrath is now revealed in a grim spreadsheet compiled by the state’s medical examiners’ commission.

Supplies are coming in to help the people in Southwest Florida who were impacted by Hurricane Ian.

As the push to survey storm damage in Southwest Florida continues, it is becoming clear what was Ian’s most powerful and deadly characteristic -- storm surge.

After many Florida residents obtained sandbags ahead of Ian, which made landfall Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane in Southwest Florida, several counties are offering some information on what to do with those after the storm.

Almost a week after Hurricane Ian slammed Southwest Florida, boats that were displaced by the storm surge have become reminders of the damage.

Throughout a southwest Florida devastated by Hurricane Ian, Jews plan to hold worship services for Yom Kippur starting Tuesday night.

Hurricane Ian could have another impact on Florida.

An illicit early morning joy ride ended in tragedy Sunday in Southwest Florida, an area still reeling from Hurricane Ian.

The Florida Department of Emergency Management held a news conference Monday morning to give an update on recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

In an effort to support Southwest Florida residents affected by Ian’s wrath, the Clay County Fairgrounds opened its RV area to offer a place to stay for those rebuilding who have an RV.

Feeling increasingly isolated in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Fort Myers Beach residents and renters continued to exit their devastated island by foot Sunday, four days after a 10-foot storm surge driven by 150 mph winds inundated Southwest Florida’s coastal communities.

Local authorities ordered a mandatory evacuation for part of Lee County on Tuesday, just one day before the Category 4 storm made mainland landfall.

Manatee County has some good news for beach lovers after Hurricane Ian.

In an effort to support Southwest Florida residents affected by Ian’s wrath, the Clay County Fairgrounds opened its RV area to offer a place to stay for those rebuilding who have an RV.

The images that have come out of Southwest Florida — during and after Hurricane Ian — are jarring.

For many in Florida, Hurricane Andrew is the bar that’s used for devastating damage.

A financial ratings agency said Thursday that an initial analysis indicates insured losses from Hurricane Ian could range from $25 billion to $40 billion, putting additional pressure on Florida’s troubled property-insurance market.

The hurricane ravaged Florida from west to east, then gained strength over the Atlantic as it prepared to hit South Carolina on Friday.

As Hurricane Ian took aim on Pine Island, the largest barrier island off Florida’s Gulf Coast, Jackie Monahan and her neighbor Bernee Brawn headed to the opposite side of the state and safety.

Mike Boylan, the founder and media personality behind Mike’s Weather Page, tells Fox News Digital that early preparation is what helps people survive hurricanes like Hurricane Ian.

As Ian continued its destructive trek across Florida, over a million households across the state awoke on Thursday without electricity as residents and emergency crews along the Gulf Coast began to assess the toppled buildings, flooded streets and crippled infrastructure.

Joe Raedle/GettyThe full scale of the disaster unleashed by Hurricane Ian on Florida began to emerge Thursday with hundreds feared dead after catastrophic flooding trapped residents in their homes, destroyed critical infrastructure, and left over 2 million people without power.The fifth-strongest hurricane to ever hit the U.S. when measured by wind speed, Ian tore into the Southwest Florida coast with violent gales, an epic storm surge, and as much as a foot of rain being dropped over some areas

The storm took no mercy on Southwest Florida.

Hurricane Ian’s center made landfall Wednesday near Cayo Costa, a protected barrier island just west of heavily populated Fort Myers.

One of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the United States slammed into southwest Florida on Wednesday with Category 4-level winds.

Though Tampa, Florida has struggled with past storms, one historian says it's now better prepared ahead of Hurricane Ian.

Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday in Southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., packing winds just shy of Category 5 strength.

Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday in Southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., packing winds just shy of Category 5 strength.

Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday in Southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., packing winds just shy of Category 5 strength.

Five years ago, forecasters warned of a 15-foot storm surge as Hurricane Irma approached Southwest Florida. With Ian, the region wasn't as lucky.

It didn't take long for Hurricane Ian to unleash its wrath on Florida's power grids.

Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday in Southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., swamping city streets with water and smashing trees along the coast.

The journalists for The News-Press and Naples Daily News are spread out across SWFL. This is what they are seeing from their neighborhoods.

Hurricane Ian slammed Southwest Florida on Wednesday, making landfall as an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm just after 3 p.m.

Publix is closing stores in 11 Florida counties and modifying store hours as Hurricane Ian approaches, News4JAX sister station WKMG reported.

The Columbia County Board of County Commissioners declared a state of emergency for the county effective at 9 a.m. Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Ian.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said residents along the Gulf Coast, especially in Southwest Florida, can expect “catastrophic flooding” and a “life-threatening storm surge” when Hurricane Ian hits.

Here’s what to know Tuesday as Bradenton and Manatee County prepare for a possible major hurricane.

The hurricane’s biggest threat may be its storm surge, or a rise in ocean water over normally dry land that is caused by low air pressure and winds.

A disturbing incident occurred at a restaurant in Southwest Florida on Wednesday.

Desirability and affordability mentioned as two factors for Sunshine State cities dropping year-over-year in U.S. News and World Report rankings.

This house is not quite move-in ready...

At least six tornadoes were reported in Southwest Florida on Sunday as a powerful winter storm system moved through the state.

Dash camera video from a Florida Highway Patrol cruiser reportedly captured a tornado crossing Interstate 75 on Sunday morning.

More than just a beach destination, there's something for everyone waiting in the islands around Fort Myers.

Gambling on sports is off the table in Florida, at least for now, after the Seminole Tribe suspended its online sports-betting operations Saturday morning.

Kyle Rittenhouse chose the right state to let his hair down after his acquittal last week. It’s not because he gets to enjoy Florida’s 70-degree fall weather while Kenosha, Wisconsin — where he shot three men, two to death — sees freezing temperatures. It’s not because of Florida’s party scene, which the average teenager is more interested in than semi-automatic rifles.

A female black bear that had a plastic container stuck on her head for 28 days was freed with the help of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

The population of the Florida panther once dwindled to below two dozen, but has since rebounded to more than 200. Photographer Carlton Ward Jr. has made it his mission to photograph their progress.

The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court in Fort Myers, Florida, charges Harwin for participating in a criminal conspiracy with a competing oncology group in Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties (Southwest Florida). Beginning as early as 1999 and continuing until at least 2016, Harwin and his co-conspirators entered into an illegal agreement to allocate medical oncology treatments, such as chemotherapy, to FCS and radiation oncology treatments to a competing oncology group. The conspiracy allowed FCS and the competing oncology group to operate with minimal competition in Southwest Florida and limited valuable integrated care options and choices for cancer patients. The Antitrust Division and FCS resolved the charge with a deferred prosecution agreement, under which the company admitted to conspiring to allocate treatments for cancer patients and agreed to pay a $100 million criminal penalty. The charge in the indictment carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals.

FCS and its co-conspirators agreed not to compete to provide chemotherapy and radiation treatments to cancer patients in Southwest Florida. This conspiracy allowed FCS to operate with minimal competition in Southwest Florida and limited valuable integrated care options and choices for cancer patients. FCS has agreed to pay a $100 million criminal penalty the statutory maximum and to cooperate fully with the Antitrust Divisions ongoing investigation. For almost two decades, FCS and its co-conspirators agreed to cheat by limiting treatment options available to cancer patients in order to line their pockets. The Florida Office of the Attorney General separately announced today that, in connection with its own independent investigation, FCS agreed to settle civil claims that it violated Florida antitrust laws.

Several cities in Florida have started to close down beach access in an effort to slow down the spread of coronavirus, which has infected at least 328 Florida residents and visitors. The Clearwater City Council voted to close down Clearwater Beach for two weeks, starting March 23 at 6 a.m. City of #Clearwater City Council votes to close public beaches on #ClearwaterBeach for two weeks starting March 23 at 6 a.m. pic.twitter.com/f5gMHkZvmb City of Clearwater, FL (@MyClearwater) March 18, 2020On Tuesday, helicopter footage and social media posts showed Clearwater Beach packed with people. According to Florida's Department of Health, there are 299 Florida residents confirmed to have COVID-19, and eight residents who have died from the virus.

Watch: Massive gator appears in Florida neighborhood A Florida woman captured a monster gator in her neighborhood on video. A wildlife expert estimates it is at least 15 years old. Southwest Florida affiliate WINK has the story.