Lead Photo by Ryutaro Tsukata from Pexels
NEW HOTEL, COMMERCIAL PARK COMING TO NORTHEAST CAPE CORAL
A new commercial park and hotel are coming to northeast Cape Coral. Victory Park will include a 125-room Wyndham Grand hotel, commercial space and 100,000 square feet of medical and industrial space at the intersection of NE 24th Avenue and Kismet Parkway/Littleton Road, Blue Waters Development Group LLC announced. The groundbreaking is scheduled for the second quarter of this year by pre-leasing already is taking place. The hotel will be the second to open in the northern part of the city. Fairfield by Marriott is set to open in March on Old Pondell Road, near the intersection of Del Prado Boulevard North and Pine Island Road, WINK News reports.
FDOT TO HOLD VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING ABOUT I-75/COLONIAL BLVD. IMPROVEMENTS
The Florida Department of Transportation will hold a virtual public meeting this week to discuss improvements to the Interstate 75 and Colonial Boulevard interchange. Officials will provide information and answer questions from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, online here. Crews are working to build what is known as a diverging diamond interchange, which officials say will enhance access to I-75, as well as improve overall safety, increase capacity, and help emergency evacuation in Lee County.
Video courtesy of WINK News
MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WANT INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Children are grasping to understand the new normal brought on by the pandemic. Golisano Children’s Hospital and providers across the region are reporting high increases in visits to their behavioral health facilities by youth. At the same time, the area is grappling with a shortage of mental health professionals to help kids in crisis. They also expect a cut in funding which could be disastrous for some families. To keep this from happening, medical professionals want families in Southwest Florida to write to their legislators to ask for more funds to support mental health services, WINK News reports.
Video courtesy of WINK News
NAPLES BUSINESSES HOPE TOURISM RETURNS SOONER THAN STATE ECONOMIST PREDICTS
Florida’s top economist warns it could take one to two years for the state’s tourism industry to recover from the pandemic, but businesses in downtown Naples hope to bounce back sooner. Businesses are staying optimistic, WINK News reports. “Let’s hope this spring is when everything will happen and get back to reality and living a normal life,” says Ava Bellon of The Blue Mussel, one of the original gift shops on Fifth Avenue South.
MUSCLE CAR CITY CLOSES IN PUNTA GORDA, SET TO AUCTION OFF CLASSIC CARS THIS WEEK
After 15 years of operation, the Muscle Car City classic car museum closed Sunday in Punta Gorda, but most of its collection is up for grabs this week. Owner Rick Treworgy plans to auction more than 200 of those high-speed sports cars on Friday. “They’re all the sport models, the beach models and the biggest performance range that’s available,” Treworgy tells WINK News. “It’s a special group of cars. I’ve handpicked these over a 50-year period.” Although he is retiring and ready to pass on the majority of his collection to others, Treworgy said he is keeping about 50 cars.
PPP AND EIDL LOAN ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE WITH FLORIDA SBDC AT FGCU
The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Capital Access Team (CAT) is available to assist small businesses with COVID-related funding that includes new PPP loans, PPP forgiveness applications, venue grants, SBA EIDL grants, SBA EIDL loans, and SBA EIDL reconsiderations. The team can help review and complete your loan package before you send it to your bank. The CAT is led by highly specialized SBDC consultants. All consulting services are confidential and at no cost. Request no-cost consulting by filling out the form by clicking here. For questions, email sbdc@fgcu.edu.
CAREERSOURCE SWFL TO HOST ‘TOMORROW’S WORKFORCE: A TRILOGY’
CareerSource Southwest Florida will host a three-part symposium called “Tomorrow’s Workforce: A Trilogy.” The free virtual event explores future skills of the workforce in three parts: “Future Workforce Needs,” held on Jan. 21; “Emerging Roles in Education,” held on March 25; and “Next Steps for Tomorrow’s Workforce,” held on May 27. The symposiums will take place from 8:30-10 a.m. For access, click here.
JONES-WALKER APARTMENTS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT COMPLETED
MK Architecture has completed of construction of the Jones-Walker Palm Garden Apartment renovation project, located on Blount Street in Midtown Fort Myers. The project consisted of full interior and exterior renovations of the 80 apartments to include new finishes, appliances, mechanical systems, and a new expanded community center with computer lab and fitness, new picnic and site improvements including ADA accessibility. The project developer was Redwood Housing of Austin, Texas. The general contractor was Heatherwood Construction Co. of Bonita Springs.
Edward Livingston
HENDERSON FRANKLIN WELCOMES IP EXPERT, EXPANDS TO SARASOTA
Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt P.A. Registered U.S. Patent Attorney Edward Livingston has joined the firm. He is a Florida Bar board-certified expert in intellectual property (IP) law, one of only five in Lee and Collier Counties. Livingston is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He is often sought-out as outside IP counsel and serves as an expert witness in such cases and has 40 years of experience. Livingston served as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and retired as a lieutenant colonel. With the addition of Livingston, Henderson Franklin announces the expansion of its services, by appointment, in downtown Sarasota at 1990 Main Street, Suite 750. For more information, visit henlaw.com.
Josh Carcopa
HODGES UNIVERSITY NAMES ASSISTANT VP OF STUDENT SERVICES
Joshua Carcopa has been promoted to assistant vice president of student services at Hodges University. Carcopa joined Hodges University in 2018 as the registrar. In his new role, he provides overall leadership and management for the university’s division of student services. These areas include admissions, student experience, registrar, financial aid, auxiliary services, first impressions, student accounts and veterans services. Prior to joining Hodges University, Carcopa was the director of enrollment services at LPF services in Lenexa, Kansas. In his more than 12 years of experience, his roles have included registrar, associate registrar, and transfer and prior learning assessment manager. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, before graduating with his master of business administration in international business from the University of Wales, Swansea, U.K. Carcopa is a member of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning.
Gustavo Botura
ELITE JETS CHARTER PROMOTES BOTURA TO DIRECTOR OF CLIENT SERVICES
Elite Jets Charters has promoted Gustavo Botura to the newly created position of director of client services. In his expanded role, Botura will lead a team responsible for all proactive communications with prospective clients. One of Botura’s primary responsibilities will be fostering new business-to-business relationships, as Elite Jets partners with companies and business executives in Southwest Florida and across the nation to schedule private, luxury transportation. Previously, Botura served as Elite Jets’ executive charter consultant. Botura is one of Elite Jets’ first employees, having been part of the Naples-based company’s launch team in 2015. Before joining Elite Jets, Botura worked in aviation sales and marketing, including several key roles with Brazilian-based manufacturer Embraer. Botura, who has also been a licensed helicopter pilot, earned a business management degree from Universidade Paulista in Brazil.
CHARITABLE NOTES
Artis—Naples announces $1 million matching gift has been met
Artis—Naples announced that the $1 million special matching gift pledged by an anonymous board member and his wife in November has been met. This gift was intended to inspire support during this season impacted by COVID-19. In total, more than 800 households contributed with gifts ranging from $2 to $50,000. The matching gift and commitments will be used to continue supporting operations and special initiatives related to the impact of COVID-19 as Artis—Naples continues to safely present visual and performing arts programming across the Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus during the reimagined 2020-21 season. For more information, visit artisnaples.org.
Guardian ad Litem Foundation raises $66,800 at Voices of Hope Gala
The Guardian ad Litem Foundation, 20th Judicial Circuit, raised $66,800 at its inaugural Voices of Hope Gala, a virtual event. Proceeds will help the Guardian ad Litem Foundation recruit, train and support volunteer child advocates, as well as provide financial assistance to help meet a child’s basic and developmental needs. The Guardian ad Litem Foundation’s supporters were encouraged to host watch parties in their homes and heard from volunteer child advocates, donors and board members, as well as appeals from three celebrity guests: rapper and actor Ice-T, “The Most Interesting Man in the World” Jonathan Goldsmith and The Blind Side’s real-life mother Leigh Anne Tuohy. Virtual attendees also had opportunities to bid during a live auction and pledge donations during a Fund-A-Need appeal. The Foundation continued to process donations well after the Nov. 12 event, allowing the nonprofit to exceed its annual fundraising goals. The Foundation presented its Helping Other People Excel Award, or HOPE Award, to Cynthia Shafer of the Bedz for Kidz Program. Jennifer Siegal-Miller and Peter Knize served as co-chairs for the Voices of Hope Gala. WINK News Anchor Corey Lazar was emcee and Rick Gallo was the auctioneer.
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