Traffic nightmare due to road and lane closures near eventful night in downtown Fort MyersFEMA gives Lee County another deadline extension for the flood insurance discount
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – The state has launched a hotline to help residents give updates on the water issues fouling rivers and beaches on both coasts. Residents can call a toll-free at 1-855-305-3903 or report information online at www.reportalgalbloom.com. Smelly algae blooms developed on the east coast while Southwest Florida has dealt with brown, murky water. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson have asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to stop the flow of water between the river and Lake Okeechobee. Residents and business owners blame the issues on pollutants streaming from the lake. The Army Corps started reducing the flow Friday, targeting the Caloosahatchee Estuary and the St. Lucie Estuary. Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency fpr four counties, including Lee, and politicians and residents are blaming the federal government. Scott says state officials will to conduct routine sampling.