Deputies with the Lee County Sheriff's Office arrested Amuria Monique Mixon, 25, on Tuesday, and she faces a grand theft charge. A lead asset protection employee at the US-41 Target reported that she was hired Sept. 23 and fired Oct. 21 for poor attendance, after Target Headquarters found $11,126.39 missing from registers she handled over nine days. Surveillance video reportedly showed her hiding cash in her bra on Oct. 10, and investigators said she used a $400 gift card, loaded without the matching cash, to buy merchandise at other Target stores.
The Coalition of South County Food Pantries has launched its Feed the Hungry drive, which runs through November 25 and supports five Venice food pantries. The group is asking for nonperishable shelf-stable food, boxed milk, pet food and diapers. Donations can be dropped off at Venice City Hall, the Venice Police Department and all three city fire stations, with addresses listed in the source. The coalition says every donation goes directly to people in the local community who need it.
The Englewood Review took a preview tour of the newly built Publix Store #2091 at Merchant's Crossing on Placida Road ahead of its grand opening crowds. The original store had served the community for 33 years before it was demolished and rebuilt from the ground up. The new building offers roughly 55,000 square feet, a Publix Liquors next door, an indoor cafe and seating area, and upgraded bakery, deli, produce and pharmacy sections. Doors are set to open Thursday, November 5.
A FiledToday.com report shows that new business registrations in Florida reached a record high for January through September, with 474,039 Florida-based companies filed with the state. That total is up 5.8% from the same stretch in 2025 and sits 4.4% above the 2021 pandemic-era boom. Charlotte County is among the fastest-growing counties in the state this year, with filings up more than 16% over the past year. The report also cautions that many new firms do not last, noting that 47% of 2023 companies remain active.
Venice police officers and Sarasota County Sheriff's Office deputies worked together to herd several cows that had broken out of an enclosure, according to the Venice Police Department. Police said heavy rain and strong winds were behind the escape. Deputies from the sheriff's office Agricultural Unit helped officers and assisted in reaching the cows' owners.
Englewood residents are increasingly upset as FDOT installs concrete bike lane separators and median barriers along State Road 776, which has drawn complaints about tire damage, blocked left turns, and narrow lanes. A online petition had 3,760 signers as of Wednesday, about 18% of Englewood's projected population of 20,800.
The Barrier Island Parks Society hosted its monthly Brew with a View event on Wednesday. Ashley Cook of the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center gave a presentation on Vertical Oyster Gardens.
Suncoast Waterkeeper, an environmental nonprofit, has sent All Scrap - Nokomis Inc. and related owners a notice of intent to sue, alleging Clean Water Act violations at its scrapyard on Riverview Drive South. The group says contaminated stormwater from the site reaches Dona Bay and Roberts Bay. The notice comes as the company is already fighting a land-use dispute with Sarasota County in state courts. The company did not return calls and emails seeking comment, and the group says it would seek civil penalties in federal court.
Two people survived a small plane crash at a rural intersection in DeSoto County on Thursday, and emergency crews pulled both from the aircraft. Deputies and DeSoto County Fire Rescue responded to the area near SE County Road 760A and SE County Road 763 after reports of a downed plane. The DeSoto County Sheriff's Office said officials have not released the crash's cause because the investigation remains open and active. The Federal Aviation Administration has also been notified.
Laffs2Go is hosting a stand-up show on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Cultural Park Theatre in Cape Coral. Headliner Mike Rivera, a longtime teacher, will perform alongside comedian Johnny C. Rivera once won the "America's Most Hilarious Teacher" title on ABC's "The View" and has also appeared on HBO and Showtime. Attendees may optionally donate dry food, pet supplies or toys to local charities, and tickets are available at culturalparktheatre.org.
The Peace River has roughly doubled in height over the past day, and the National Weather Service expects it to crest overnight Wednesday into Thursday before levels slowly drop. Per the NWS, the river along State Road 70 in Arcadia rose from about 7 feet to nearly 14 feet, placing it in major flood stage. De Soto County Emergency Operations Center officials said it will be a lengthy stretch in major flood stage, with a forecast peak near 16.5 feet. Flooding has submerged benches, monuments and parking lots at De Soto Veterans Memorial Park in Arcadia.
Scouting America's Southwest Florida council will hold a Bourbon & Bowties event at Loaded Cannon Distillery in Lakewood Ranch on Wednesday, November 11. Proceeds go toward programs that teach leadership, character and citizenship to local youth. The council says it served more than 16,000 young people in 2025, and its Scouts logged over 32,000 community service hours, which the council estimates as $1.12 million in economic impact. Tickets and a limited number of sponsorships remain available through the council's website.
