The School District of Lee County and the University of Florida (UF) today announced an articulation agreement that will provide qualified high school juniors and seniors in the district’s 15 high schools with the only opportunity in Southwest Florida to register for dual-enrollment courses through UF. 68 students have already signed up to start classes […]
East Lee News
Florida 250 Student Contest Launches Ahead of Alva Museum’s 50th Anniversary Celebration
Students Invited to Share “What Being a Floridian Means to Me” Through Essays and Artwork Student Essay & Artwork Contest Students across Florida are invited to participate in the “What Being a Floridian Means to Me” Student Contest, a creative competition encouraging young Floridians to reflect on Florida’s culture, history, communities, landscapes, traditions, and identity […]
Victory Town Center 6th Annual Freedom Fest
Lehigh Acres’ 4th of July Tradition Is Back Join us on Friday, July 4, 2026, for the 6th Annual Freedom Fest at Victory Town Center in Lehigh Acres. This free community celebration brings families, neighbors, businesses, churches, nonprofits, and local organizations together for an evening of live music, food, games, vendors, family activities, and the […]
Letter to the Editor: Tom Beebe
In Lee County, public schools are the backbone, brains, and heart of your community. We get sports, we get music, we get drama, and we get places to exercise. Our civic leaders graduated from those schools. Public schools are a top economic driver, employing thousands and buying millions of dollars of goods and services. Most […]
7-Day Meal Kits Available During the Summer
The School District of Lee County and Summer BreakSpot are working together once again to provide free breakfast and lunch meal kits to feed children 18 and under for an entire week over the summer. Six schools and eight community-based locations will distribute the 7-day shelf stable meal kits on Mondays only between 8:00 and 9:30 a.m. […]
Lee County Domestic Animal Services Celebrates Take Your Pet to Work All Month
Lee County Domestic Animal Services plans to celebrate National Take Your Pet to Work Day for the entire month of June, with reduced adoption fees of $20 on all adult dogs and cats. Take Your Cat to work day is officially June 22; Take Your Dog to Work Day is officially June 26; but Domestic […]
Parks, Points & Perks Returns with New Locations, Prizes for Year Two
Lee County Parks & Recreation and the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau are launching year two of the popular Parks, Points & Perks Pass with new locations, updated rewards and added features to encourage residents and visitors to explore more of Lee County’s outdoor amenities. The free mobile pass highlights parks, preserves, beaches, recreation […]
500 Attend Florida 250 Festival at Alva Museum
By Katrina Salokar | EastLeeNews.com More than 500 people attended the Florida 250 Cracker Cowboy Festival at the Alva Museum during a weekend celebration honoring Florida’s original cow hunters and ranching families. The event marked the opening of the Florida 250 Cracker Cowboy Exhibit, now on display through July 4, 2026. Visitors traveled from across […]
Merrill Morrison’s Life Built on Craft and Service
By: James Kennedy | EastLeeNews.com ALVA, Fla. — Tucked along a rural stretch of Alva is a business that reflects both Old Florida practicality and decades of craftsmanship. But behind the stacks of rare hardwoods at Alva Hardwoods is a life story that stretches far beyond lumber. Merrill Morrison, owner of Alva Hardwoods, has spent […]
Finding Purpose Through Grief and End-of-Life Care
By: Jennifer Anger | Special to the East Lee News There are moments in life that quietly change everything, the kind you never prepare for. A final breath. An empty chair. The stillness that follows loss. In those moments, we come face to face with both the fragility and the depth of being human. We […]
