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Hard News

Explore a section of my hard news clips below.

Naples Daily News •

Naples pride sues city over 'family-friendly' drag show permit

Naples Pride has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Naples after officials denied a permit to allow it to present the 2025 Pride Fest drag show, one of its main moneymakers, outdoors. The outdoor drag shows have created a rift in the community, leaving some residents, officials and proponents at odds. "Our right to free speech does not disappear just because some people don’t like the message — or the people delivering it," Cori Craciun, executive director of Naples Pride, said in a press...
The News-Press •

Jury sentences murderer of 2-year-old to life in prison, votes against death penalty

A Lee County jury spared the life of convicted child-killer Nicholas Canfield. After a three-week long trial and less than an hour of deliberation, the 12 jurors serving in the capital murder trial of Canfield decided against the death penalty on Wednesday morning. He is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He must also pay over $20,000 in fees and fines. Canfield, 30, of North Fort Myers, was arrested on April 30, 2020, and charged with the first-degree murder and sexual...
The News-Press •

Lead detective in capital murder trial says suspect's story "didn't add up"

The suspect in the murder of Jaliyah Rose Ramos became "combative" when questioned about the toddler's injuries, sharing versions that would constantly evolve and shift. The lead detective in the death investigation interviewed Nicholas Canfield, 30, of North Fort Myers, for almost 12 hours soon after authorities responded to his home. Sgt. Sarah Rodriguez of the Lee County Sheriff's Office took Canfield's initial interview on April 29, 2020, the day that 2-year-old Jaliyah went to the hospital w...
Fort Myers News-Press •

Juror response to explicit photos in capital murder trial pauses testimony

Darkness filled Courtroom 8A of the Lee County Courthouse on Tuesday, illuminated by the glow of a television.

With blinds closed and lights switched off, members of a jury saw for the second time graphic photos of 2-year-old murder victim Jaliyah Rose Ramos.

While viewing the photos, a member of the jury became ill and nearly collapsed.

Nicholas Canfield is charged with the April 29, 2020 sexual battery and murder of the toddler, and faces a possible death penalty if he is found guilty by th...
Fort Myers News-Press •

Slain toddler's siblings detail abuse on witness stand in Nicholas Canfield murder trial

The mother of slain toddler Jaliyah Rose Ramos testified against her former boyfriend — the man accused of killing the toddler on Monday, hours after her other children detailed their abuse.

Jasmine Rivera told jurors that Nicholas Canfield, of North Fort Myers, had called her on her lunch break via video call April 29, 2020, hours before the child sustained the injuries that killed her two days later.

He told her that Jaliyah tripped and a paintball gun fell on her.

Canfield is facing a poss...
The News-Press •

Trial in murder of North Fort Myers toddler opens with graphic photos of child's body

Tears welled in the eyes of Jaliyah Rose Ramos’s mother and father, who sat in the gallery of Nicholas Canfield’s capital murder trial on Friday, as a jury saw photos of the 2-year-old girl’s body. Canfield faces the death penalty on charges of first-degree murder, sexual battery on a child younger than 12 and three counts of aggravated child abuse. The first day concluded a couple of hours later, with a total of nine witnesses answering questions regarding the death and sexual battery of Jaliyah...
The News-Press •

Capital murder trial of Nicholas Canfield, accused of brutal murder of toddler, has begun

With opening arguments starting mid-morning Friday, the capital murder trial of Nicholas Canfield began in earnest after four days of jury selection. Canfield, of North Fort Myers, is accused of brutally killing a 2-year-old girl, Jaliyah Rose Ramos in April 2020. She died from her injuries two days later, on May 1, 2020. With selecting and seating a 12-member jury, attorneys expect that witness testimonies will last up to five days. He faces the death penalty on charges of first-degree murder, sex...
Naples Daily News •

Collier County brushfire 98% contained Thursday, officials monitor 6-acre site

With the brush fire at 95% containment by 6 p.m., Michael Harris, the public information officer for the local division of Florida Forest Service, said most agencies were starting to clear out and leave the local officials to monitor the blaze. As of Tuesday, March 24, there were 12 Florida counties with an average Keetch-Byram Drought Index over 500, which means drought or increased fire danger. Lake County was the newest addition Monday. Twelve counties in Florida are suffering from drought co...
Naples Daily News •

Collier County cracks down on speeding, reckless driving, issue 60 citations

A crackdown on targeted speeding and aggressive driving in Collier County led authorities to issuing more than 60 citations with one person driving 104 mph. The Safety and Traffic Enforcement Bureau conducted a traffic operation between 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. March 4 along State Road 82, State Road 29 and the surrounding areas, according to the Collier County Sheriff's Office. The operation targeted the major roadways leading in and out of Immokalee.Deputies patrolled the section of State Road 82 be...
Fort Myers News-Press •

An A+ surprise: six Lee County teachers honored with Golden Apples

Cheers of shock and excitement filled up the classrooms of six Lee County teachers who were caught off guard with the big news — that they are this year's Golden Apple Award winners.

The Golden Apple Awards are given to teachers who exemplify excellence, innovation and high-impact teaching practices.

"If you're going to have a good public school system, you have to have outstanding teachers. Afte...
The News-Press •

Southwest Florida remembers homicide victims at 15th Annual Community Prayer Service

Among glowing candles and voices united in song, members of the community came together in remembrance of Southwest Florida's homicide victims from the last year at the Dunbar Neighborhood Watch's 15th Annual Community Prayer Service on Thursday. Taunya Cola, the president of the Dunbar Neighborhood Watch and coordinator for the annual prayer service, said that she hoped to make people feel heard. "I wanted to make a difference for those families that lost loved ones. And I just wanted the people...
The News-Press •

Troopers stop 100 drivers from Fort Myers to Immokalee in reckless driving crackdown

Florida Highway Patrol officers took reign of State Road 82 on Wednesday night, cracking down on dangerous driving practices with a wave of traffic stops, citations and arrests after growing complaints about safety. The "Slow your Ride 82" operation was intended to send a proactive message to traffic law breaking motorists, according to the troopers. State Road 82 transects Lee, Collier and Hendry counties and is used by thousands of motorists daily. Between 2021 and 2024, authorities have counted...
The News-Press •

'Nobody voted for Elon': Protesters show concern at No Kings Day Rally

Chants rang out, flags snapped in the wind and bold-lettered signs waved in the arms of protesters hoping to voice their discontent with the current presidential administration. On Monday afternoon, downtown Fort Myers became the stage for Southwest Florida residents to take a stand against their policymakers and to elicit change. Sarah Parker, the executive director of Voices of Florida, said that she is "hopeful today that people will make their voice heard across the county, and it'll be loud."...
Fort Myers News-Press •

Anti-abortion protesters, once arrested in Fort Myers, pardoned by Trump

President Donald Trump has pardoned three anti-abortion protesters, once arrested at a Fort Myers Planned Parenthood clinic, for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act in Michigan and Tennessee.

On Thursday, the president granted pardons for 23 people accused of blocking access to abortion clinics, according to the Thomas More Society, a pro-life law firm that represented 21 of the 23 anti-abortion activists.

Three of these protesters were Calvin Zastrow, Eva Zastrow and Chest...
Fort Myers News-Press •

Cause of Lehigh Acres church fire still unknown; pastor pledges to move forward

Flames shot through the windows of the main sanctuary in a church in Lehigh Acres on Sunday night. Dark smoke left a layer of residue on the small desks of the church's school building for children with autism.

At approximately 6 p.m. Sunday, the Lehigh Acres Fire District responded to a structure fire at the Christ at Crossroads Church at 1430 Homestead Road, just off Lee Boulevard.

Within about one hour of responding to the fire, Lehigh Acres firefighters controlled the fire, allowing invest...
Orlando Sentinel •

Voters decide: Maitland will have a new library

Brushing aside some unexpected opposition, city voters approved a $14 million bond referendum that will pay for a state-of-the-art Maitland Public Library.

The bond referendum won with just under two-thirds of the vote, well over the required 50 percent-plus-one.

Maitland council member Lindsay Hall Harrison said she was “in great spirits” Tuesday evening as ballots came in.

“I am thrilled that the residents of Maitland came out in great numbers to reflect the will of the community, to show u
Orlando Sentinel •

Dirty tricks in Maitland library campaign? Hit mailer flouts political laws

A mystery mailer that appears to flout Florida campaign laws has inflamed the campaign for a $14 million library bond in Maitland, making exaggerated claims about the true costs of the city’s library project.

There is no record that the group taking credit for the mailer — which dubs itself Maitland’s Folly but uses a seemingly bogus address in St. Petersburg — has registered as a campaign committee as required. That leaves the source of its funding unknown as well as any actual connection to the Orange County city of 19,000.
Orlando Sentinel •

Music, arts and politics lure crowds to downtown Orlando for MadSoul festival

Music, arts and politics brought thousands of people from across Florida together Saturday afternoon and into the night in downtown Orlando.

Headliners at the MadSoul Music & Arts Festival included the band MUNA; songwriter, actor and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda; and Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

Other performers and speakers included state Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando; singer Melanie Faye; and Democratic state Rep. Justin Jones of Tennessee. Jones was one of two Bla
Orlando Sentinel •

After electrified debate, Winter Park postpones enforcing ban on gas-powered leaf blowers

Murmurs, declarations and angered shouts filled Winter Park’s city commission chamber Thursday as displeased residents and business people voiced their grievances about one of the biggest issues in town: a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers.

After enduring the onslaught, the board of commissioners voted 3-2 to delay enforcing the already-30-month-old ordinance 3230-22 — for another six months.

The split vote came after pleas from landscapers who said the cost of switching to quieter, electric blo
NSM.today •

State Sen. Jason Pizzo on Florida's governor race: 'If Matt Gaetz is running, I’m running.'

As part of his Campus Conversations tour across Florida, State Sen. Jason Pizzo visited UCF on Thursday to listen to the political and legislative concerns and ideas of students.

Pizzo, who was chosen as the next Senate Democratic Leader, said in an interview that he would make a good candidate for Florida governor, although it depends on who runs for GOP candidate.

“If Matt Gaetz is running, I’m running,” Pizzo said. “I would rather somebody else do it. I just don’t think anybody else can bea
NSM.today •

UCF Military and Veteran Student Success Center hosts first 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony

The sky was still golden from the sunrise, and the American flag waved high with the warm morning wind on Monday as students, faculty and staff gathered in front of the marble columns of the Veterans Commemorative Site for the university's first annual 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony.

UCF's Military and Veteran Student Success Center joined forces with the UCF Community Veterans History Project and the Ginsburg Center for a solemn presentation to honor the lives lost in the Sept. 11 attacks on the
Fort Myers News-Press •

Nonprofit seeks more transparency from Fort Myers on affordable housing fund

A Lee County nonprofit continues to push for more transparency from the city of Fort Myers.

Members of the Lee Interfaith for Empowerment Inc. spoke at the July 17 City Council meeting on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and asked for more information about funding.

“LIFE has been told by some officials that the fund is being used, but we feel a responsibility to LIFE members to hold the city accountable for the ongoing and appropriate use of the fund," Rusty May, a LIFE member and former pas
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