State health officials reported 5,556 new COVID-19 infections and 70 deaths on Wednesday. So far more than 6.6 million people in Florida have been vaccinated including more than 2.7 million people who have received a first dose and more than 3.9 million people who have completed the series or received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.Lee County’s COVID-19 vaccination site is moving next week to the old Sears location at the Edison Mall. Starting Friday, eligible Sarasota County residents will be able to receive the vaccine without an appointment at the county’s vaccine clinic site at Sarasota Square Mall.Governors of other states across the political spectrum have publicly received a vaccine in an effort to combat vaccine hesitancy and assure people that the shots are safe, but Governor Ron DeSantis’ office confirms that DeSantis received the vaccine last week in private.Florida is beginning to provide COVID-19 vaccine doses to prison inmates.The Norwegian Cruise line
Sudden death of Mayor Joe Coviello leaves gap in leadership
Published: January 13, 2021 6:16 PM EST
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The sudden death of Joe Coviello has left a hole in the largest city’s mayoral seat.
Cape Coral city councilmembers, due to the Sunshine Law, won’t be able to discuss how to fill the seat for at least a week until they meet again. They are scheduled to meet on Jan. 20.
Tom Hayden, who was elected to Cape Coral city council in November, said Coviello was really welcoming to him.
“He didn’t have to say it but he said he was really looking forward to working with me and that I would make a difference,” Hayden said. “Those kinds of welcoming words for me were important but that’s who he was as a person.”
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Good Thursday morning.
The daily rundown Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the number of Florida coronavirus cases increased by 13,990 (0.9 percent), to 1,517,472; active hospitalizations went down by 136 (nearly 1.8 percent), to 7,584; deaths rose by 169 (0.7 percent), to 23,396.
Predictable The impeachment vote of Florida man and President Donald Trump went as expected. Florida’s congressional delegation partisan and hyperbolic did not stray from their corners and voted on a straight party line.
Decision on Judd Creek delayed to April
By CHUCK BALLARO - | Jan 13, 2021
Despite the approval from two city agencies, the Cape Coral City Council on Wednesday decided to continue to April 7 an ordinance that would have amended the Comprehensive Plan by removing the Judd Creek Sub-district. The action came after hearing from concerned residents and from the city’s community development director.
Wyatt Daltry, planning team coordinator for the city, said the reason for the removal is to remove restrictions within the sub-district from areas presently mapped as such.
The sub-district, 190 acres on the border of Cape Coral and North Fort Myers, was created in 2003 after the city annexed the site.
Published: January 13, 2021 9:18 AM EST
Updated: January 14, 2021 11:56 AM EST
Cape Coral mayor Joseph Coviello has died, according to a spokesperson for the City.
The statement reads: “It is with profound sadness and grief that we confirm that Mayor Joe Coviello, 65, passed away unexpectedly today. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Diane, his two sons, Ross and Alex, and the rest of his family.
We ask that you please respect the privacy of his family while they mourn their loss.
Mayor Coviello was elected in November 2017 and was a pillar of the community and served the citizens of Cape Coral with dignity and respect. His passing was due to an unexpected medical incident. Any further details will be announced as they become available.