Community members are invited to step back into the “Groovy 70’s” while supporting an important local cause at the 2nd Annual Celebrity Waiter/Waitress Dinner, benefiting Lehigh Community Services. The event will take place Saturday, April 18, 2026, at The Club at Gateway, located at 12091 Gateway Greens Drive in Fort Myers. Guests will enjoy an […]
East Lee News
Florida Cracker Cowboy Heritage Festival to Launch Florida 250 Exhibit at Alva Museum
By Katrina Salokar – The ROAR, East Lee County News Three-day heritage weekend will celebrate Florida’s original cow hunters with demonstrations, storytelling, music and a new exhibit at the Alva Museum. Long before the cattle drives of Texas and the Hollywood image of the American West, Florida had its own cowboys. This spring, the Alva […]
Lee County Housing Market Shifts Toward Buyers
By: Melissa Flexsenhar Lee County’s real estate market is entering a new phase, and it is one that increasingly favors buyers. After several years of a strong seller’s market that peaked in 2022, conditions are beginning to shift. Year-over-year sales have actually increased from 2024 to 2025 by roughly 450 transactions, which suggests buyers are […]
The Artists of Florida’s Cowboy Tradition, Hobby Campbell, Art With Roots
By: James Kennedy Lifelong cowboy and native Floridian Hobby Campbell is known for imagery so detailed it borders on photographic. But that description alone would miss the mark. A few months ago, he was kind enough to spend an afternoon with me. We talked not just about his work, but about Florida—its wild spaces, its […]
A Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Running on Slower Growth, Accountability, and Agriculture
By: James Kennedy Before the recorder was turned on, Bobby Williams was already working the crowd, shaking hands, answering questions, and moving from one conversation to the next. The setting was informal, but the message was consistent. “Its accountability. Its credibility. It’s what are they producing?” Williams said during the meet-and-greet. “The fruit tells you […]
Local Brightway Insurance Team Members Earn National Top 2% Recognition
By: Tyler Smith | Brightway Insurance, the Smith & Mitchell Agency Brightway Insurance is proud to announce that three members of Brightway Insurance, the Smith & Mitchell Agency-Michael Beeson, Kain Groves, and April Luettich- have been recognized nationally as Top Client Advisors, an honor awarded to the top 2% of advisors across the country. The […]
Why Year-round Volunteer Support Matters for Southwest Florida’s Nonprofits
By: Charlotte Miller, Manager of External Affairs for Fort Myers and Naples, Florida Power & Light Company Every day across southwest Florida, volunteers are powering strong communities. Consistent, hands-on service helps ensure families are supported, essential programs remain strong and local nonprofit organizations can continue serving those who depend on them. Yet many organizations are […]
Lee County District 5 At A Crossroads
By: Butch Swank | Goodlad & Swank You organize, you show up, you support someone who reflects your community, and when the votes are counted, the outcome is decided somewhere else. That is not a one-time occurrence. That is how the system is built. I have seen this firsthand. Through my work as President of […]
The System Behind the Seat
How appointments, primary elections, and a 2026 ballot question could shape the future of Lee County government By Katrina SalokarEast Lee News | The ROAR The appointment of Trish Petrosky to the Lee County Commission’s District 5 seat has renewed discussion about how local offices are filled and how election rules shape representation in Lee […]
