Lower Than Normal Water On Caloosahatchee River

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District will begin to hold the pool lower than normal between the Julian Keen Jr. Lock & Dam (S-77) and the Ortona Lock & Dam (S-78) on the Caloosahatchee River/C-43 canal. 

Normal ranges are between 10.6 and 11.5 feet NGVD 1929 and the pool will be held at 10.4 feet NGVD 1929 for approximately one-week effective September 26, 2026 through to October 3, 2026.

The pool between Ortona Lock & Dam (S-78) and W.P. Franklin Lock & Dam (S-79) will not be affected and will be maintained at normal levels between 2.8 and 3.2 feet NGVD 1929.

All boaters are requested to exercise caution while navigating lower-than-normal channel depths, which are expected between lock sites.

Please contact the local lock operators for updates.

AAASWFL Health Fair Community Resource Day Sept. 25

Community Resource Fair Returns Tomorrow, Friday, September 25

If you’ve attended in previous years, you already know how valuable this event is sponsored by Area Agency On Aging in Southwest Florida. 

Join us on September 25, 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., at our offices at 2830 Winkler Avenue, Suite 112, Fort Myers, FL 33916, to connect with local resources, health screenings, raffles, and community partners ready to help.

For details on what is planned for 2026 ➜ https://aaaswfl.org/discover-local-support-at-aaaswfls-fourth-annual-community-resource-fair/

Obituary - Thelma Louise Deese

Thelma "GG" Louise Deese passed away at her home on September 19, 2026, after a lengthy illness. She was God a Fearing woman who always would tell everyone how great the Lord has been to her and her family.

GG was born on February 11, 1933, in De Soto City, Florida to the late Noah and the late Mary Williams Browning. GG married the love of her life Warren Deese on March 25, 1949, in Venus, Florida, they were married for 38 years before he preceded her in death. 

GG worked for the Hendry County Sheriff's Office as a Correctional Officer for almost 15 years before she retired. GG was a member of First Baptist Church for 71 years. 

GG was a tenacious woman who was always active in her church and being a full time mother and grandmother. She loved traveling, enjoyed crossword puzzles, and square dancing with Warren. Most of all GG enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

When GG was raising her children, she would always have a red plastic belt in her purse, she just had to show it to Linda, Ed and Karen and they knew they better behave when they were in church. She never actually had to use the belt on anyone, they just knew if she showed them the belt, they knew they were warned about their behavior.

GG leaves fond memories with her children; Linda Ruble, Ed Deese and his wife Roxie, granddaughters; Jennifer Ruble, Bethany Ruble, grandson; RP Middleton, and his wife Liz, ten great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, including niece Vi Wallace.

Thelma was preceded in death by her husband Warren Deese, daughter; Karen Middleton, grandson Rory Deese, sons-in-law; Bob Middleton, and Marvin Ruble, siblings; Eunice (Jimmie) Johnson, Albert (Bud) Browning, Mary Henderson and Miriam Partridge.

Thelma's life will be celebrated with a funeral service being held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the First Baptist Church of LaBelle, where Pastor Preston Long and Pastor Emeritus Frank Deerey, Jr presiding over the service. 

Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral service at the church. 

Thelma will be laid to rest next to her husband Warren, in Fort Denaud Cemetery in LaBelle.

Non-Profit Credit Counseling Available Free Or Low-Cost

A nonprofit credit counselor is available through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling at nfcc.org or call 833-746-7578

Their services are either completely free or very low cost, depending on your situation. They’ll work with you to build a budget from you income and expenses, and they can negotiate directly with your credit card companies. It's very common for them to be able to slash high interest rates which average around 25%  down to a much lower rate.

If you set up a debt management plan through them, it will call for making one monthly payment to the credit counselor, and they’ll then distribute the money to all your credit cards. Best of all, these plans are specifically designed to get you completely debt-free in 36 to 60 months

Bill Credits For Eligible FPL Seniors

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), is providing bill credits to help eligible seniors in need of assistance.

Through FPL Saving Steps, eligible customers who received assistance from the Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP) within the past 24 months will receive a one-time $200 bill credit and practical energy-saving education designed to help lower future energy bills.

"We're focused on making it easier for customers to get the help they need," said Dawn Nichols, vice president of customer service at FPL. "This effort provides immediate bill relief and simple, practical steps that customers can take to lower energy use over time. We want to reduce barriers and do the right thing, especially for older adults."

The credits are part of FPL's broader effort to connect customers with support through the FPL Assistance Center, a one-stop resource that brings together bill assistance, energy-saving programs and local community resources in one place.

What is FPL Saving Steps?

FPL Saving Steps is available through the FPL Assistance Center and helps eligible customers learn practical ways to reduce everyday energy use and better manage monthly expenses. The program combines energy-saving education with a one-time $200 bill credit and is available to a broad range of households, including seniors, working families and others. Customers who may not qualify for government assistance are encouraged to explore FPL Saving Steps and see if they qualify for support.

What is the FPL Assistance Center?

The FPL Assistance Center is a one-stop place for customers to find ways to get help and save. It brings together bill support options, energy-saving programs and local community resources so customers can more easily find the help that fits their needs.

How does the FPL Assistance Center help customers find short-term support?

For customers facing temporary financial hardship or who need more time to pay, the FPL Assistance Center highlights options that provide support or payment flexibility, including:

Payment Extension provides eligible customers with extra time to pay their bill.
Federal assistance, such as Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), for income-qualified customers to pay their energy bill.
FPL Care To Share provides emergency bill-payment assistance or support for qualified electrical repairs for customers experiencing hardship.
Bill Extender offers an extended due date for eligible customers who would benefit from more time between when their bill is issued and when payment is due.
Budget Billing helps customers manage monthly expenses by smoothing seasonal bill fluctuations into a more predictable monthly amount.

What other FPL programs can help customers save and lower their bills?

FPL offers programs and tools that can help customers use energy more efficiently, understand their household energy use and manage monthly expenses over time.

FPL On Call gives customers bill credits of over $90 a year to briefly pause certain appliances during periods of peak energy demand.

The free Energy Manager tool provides personalized insights and recommendations tailored to a customer's home to help them better understand and manage energy use.

Through the FPL Community Energy Saver program, qualifying households can access energy-efficient home upgrades that can help lower energy use.

How does the FPL Assistance Center help customers find additional support?

The FPL Assistance Center helps customers connect with resources that may support a variety of needs beyond the utility bill, including food, housing and other essential expenses featuring support dedicated to seniors. The goal is to make it easier to find the right help at the right time and connect customers with organizations that can help with these essential needs.

Customers can visit FPL.com/Assistance to explore available programs, community resources and support options in one place