Port Charlotte’ s Jacqueline Kirk (17) puts a late tag on Cypress Lake’s Madison Henderson (21) on Tuesday Port Charlotte’s Hayden Flanagan (21) bats against Cypress Lake on Tuesday Port Charlotte starting pitcher Jaylin Pinedo (29) faces Cypress Lake on Tuesday Port Charlotte’s Jacqueline Kirk (17) rounds third after hitting a two run home run during the third inning against Cypress Lake on Tuesday Port Charlotte’s Jaylin Pinedo (29) congratulates Jacqueline Kirk (17) on her home run against Cypress Lake on Tuesday Port Charlotte’s Rihanna Rosario (1) scores during the third inning against Cypress Lake on Tuesday Port Charlotte catcher Brianna Weidner (27) takes a late throw as Cypress Lake’s Mackenzy Stouffer (4) scores the first run of the game on Tuesday Port Charlotte’s Rihanna Rosario (1) makes a play in right field during the second inning against Cypress Lake on Tuesday Port Charlotte’s Abigail Donahue (12) drives in a run during the third inning against Cypress Lake on Tuesday Port Charlotte’s Juliana Parolisi (23) doubles during the third inning against Cypress Lake on Tuesday Port Charlotte’s Destynee Mitchell (26) attempts a bunt during the third inning against Cypress Lake on Tuesday Port Charlotte’s Alyvia Schubiger (20) bunts during the third inning against Cypress Lake on Tuesday PORT CHARLOTTE — Jaylin Pinedo wants to make sure her younger teammates know how to compete before she graduates next month and she couldn’t have drawn up a better example on Tuesday night The Port Charlotte softball senior pitcher gritted her way through an early three-run deficit against Cypress Lake in the District 4A-12 semifinals long enough for her offense to put away the Panthers in a 16-5 mercy-rule win in five innings at Port Charlotte High School Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Cobbling together this year’s Sun Preps All-Area basketball teams was something akin to the comedy sketch game show Some new stars arrived to give programs some much-needed punch Those who have been here a while di… BABCOCK RANCH — The Babcock High softball team in 7-3 and has outscored its opponents Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Message Invalid character found in the request target [/ft-myers-naples/regional_/index.cfm?page\u003dPeter-the-Starcatcher-3856677 ] The valid characters are defined in RFC 7230 and RFC 3986 Description The server cannot or will not process the request due to something that is perceived to be a client error (e.g. Note The full stack trace of the root cause is available in the server logs Based on a recommendation from Bulloch County Engineer Brad Deal county commissioners authorized hiring an engineering firm to design a full replacement for the Dry Branch bridge on Cypress Lake Road that has been closed since Feb 26 after a single-vehicle accident damaged its support structure Deal told commissioners during last Tuesday’s regular meeting that replacing the 55-year-old bridge would take two years or more keeping a detour on Cypress Lake for the entire timeline but he deemed that a better long-term option than a repair that would be less expensive and close the bridge for approximately 12-18 months “We do know that this does create an inconvenience for the public,” Deal said “(We) do have a couple of neighborhoods that are right at the bridge are using Riggs Mill Road to go to Pulaski Highway to get around it.” Deal said he received a preliminary estimate of about $1.5 million to build a new bridge and after some discussion commissioners voted unanimously to pursue hiring an engineering firm as the first step in a full replacement for the Dry Branch bridge “I’m surprised its lasted as long as it did,” Commissioner Ray Davis said “It’s been hit about 20 times in my life.” 26 after a pickup truck was discovered in Dry Branch Law enforcement determined the truck had been stolen the night before and though it is not known what happened the truck veered off Cypress Lake Road and smashed into one of the support structures under the bridge An engineer with the Georgia Department of Transportation did a quick inspection of the bridge and determined it was unsafe and it was closed to traffic Detours around the small bridge that crosses Dry Branch on Cypress Lake Road have been in place since that day Deal said a similar incident on Akins Pond Road in 2018 closed that bridge for six months while it was repaired and he initially thought that might be the case on Cypress Lake Road “the GDOT bridge office came and did a more thorough inspection on the bridge,” he said at Tuesday’s meeting go under the bridge and they can look at a lot of things that we don't have the ability of doing “This bridge had a lot of pre-existing issues before the accident that damaged it … The damage (from the wreck affected) some piles that were put in a few years ago to replace the rotten piles that had decayed There is a steel beam on top of those piles that got struck by the vehicle That beam rotated and now there is not a clear connection to the replacement piles that were put in.” DOT officials recommended Bulloch County get a structural engineer to evaluate the bridge Deal said “a bridge engineer who works on a lot of bridges in Georgia” looked at the bridge and helped Deal and his department better understand the repair and replacement options we're estimating that cost around $500,000,” Deal said “We would have to go through a full design GDOT would have to review the design and approve it And then we would get into the actual work to construct it “We want to bring it up to the correct safety standards I would say it probably would take more than a year to complete because you've got to go through the full design and bid it out to a contractor to do the work.” Deal then laid out for commissioners why he believes building a new bridge is the better option which is the lowest rated bridge in Bulloch County A bridge that has timber supports the way this one does You're getting to the end of the useful life of the bridge the cost we're estimating is about $1.5 million The difference is the bridge is going to have to be closed for more than likely a couple years or more to do that “A much longer time period (than a repair) but we end up with a bridge that doesn't have weight restrictions on it We can bring it up to the current safety codes what we're saying is that due to the age and condition of this bridge my recommendation is that it's not worthwhile to try to rehabilitate it Deal said he has looked into several options to pay for the bridge replacement The Department of Transportation has two funding programs targeting problem bridges – the Low Impact Bridge Replacement Program and the Local Bridge Replacement Program “We feel that it's going to take several years to get anything approved where GDOT would actually move forward with doing it,” he said “I don't think we can afford to wait that long “I do know that we have right now $200,000 in bridge maintenance that would help us to get started with design on it we would have to look at shifting some T-SPLOST funds around to pay for the actual construction we're estimating about a $1.5 million cost.” After being assured that T-SPLOST funds were available and could be used on the project Commissioner Nick Newkirk made a motion to authorize Deal to find an engineering firm to do a new bridge design All commissioners voted in favor of the motion “I think in the in the essence of time going ahead (with an engineering firm) and bring a contract proposal back to (the board) for approval so they can get moving would be the best way to go,” Deal said it's going to be closed until we do something about it.” UPDATE:The Lee County Sheriff's Office arrested a Cypress Lake High School student after deputies say he had a killer’s manifesto and researched mass shootings on his school-issued laptop Fox 4’s Austin Schargorodski went to the school to talk with parents about the arrest but first went to court Schargorodski was the only reporter inside a Lee County courtroom Wednesday morning when Jack Warrick made his first appearance a student at his school told a school resource officer that Warrick said he killed a kitten on Valentine’s Day and showed them a gun magazine.Watch Austin's report: The report says the SRO at Cypress Lake High then searched Warrick’s school-issued Chromebook and found searches for a killer’s manifesto and mass shootings Detectives later searched his phone and laptop and say they found messages where Warrick described violent plans he fantasized about carrying out Parents and grandparents outside the school said the case left them uneasy you’re concerned about your grandchild,” said Carmalita Dowling and he was apprehensive about actually going to school today.” The Lee County Sheriff’s School Threat Enforcement Team says they’ve handled more than 200 threat investigations and made nearly 50 arrests just this school year Warrick is charged with transmitting an electronic threat to conduct an act of terrorism a judge ordered him to remain in secure detention for 24 days you’re to have no possession of firearms or ammunition and you’ll have no unsupervised use of electronic devices,” said Judge Tracy Redd Warrick will have another hearing on February 26 when a judge will decide if he should stay in detention longer Cypress Lake High School said the students who spoke up helped prevent potential danger And parents told Fox 4 they’re thankful for that “I’m just glad that someone saw something and said something,” Spomar said The judge in this case found probable cause to keep Jack Warrick in secure detention for 24 days he won’t be allowed to have any firearms or ammunition You can watch video from the court proceedings here: He also cannot use electronic devices without supervision A public defender was also appointed to represent him A follow-up hearing has been scheduled for February 26 to review whether Warrick should stay in detention for a longer term Another court date is set for March 10 at 9 a.m The Lee County Sheriff's Office has arrested a student of Cypress Lake High School for making threats against the school The office reports someone told the school resource officer that the student had said some concerning things and had a magazine about different types of firearms The officer and detectives looked into his search history and even communications about plans he fantasized about carrying out Authorities charged him for transmitting an electronic threat to conduct an act of terrorism They will continue to investigate the matter the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) announced and awarded winners and finalists in the 11th annual “Ding” Darling-Theodore Cross High School Photography Contest at the J.N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel the competition invites high school students from Lee Glades and Hendry counties to compete for prizes one-year subscription to Adobe photography software and one-year pass to the refuge Martin Luther King Jr.; advised the Johnson and Nixon administrations on anti-poverty programs; wrote the book “Black Capitalism,” among others; and created Birders United a birding Web site that ranked legislators according to their record of bird protection support Cross decided to indulge his love for birds and photography and traveled the world to collect stunning portraits and stories to chronicle his adventures He photographed often at the Sanibel refuge and a number of the images in his book reflect his love for it Cross published “Waterbirds: Portraits and Anecdotes from Birding Adventures” in 2009 at age 85; he passed away shortly after that in 2010 His family established the contest in his memory in 2013 professional photographer and refuge volunteer Jim Bennight and Sanibel islander Nick Linsmayer judged this year’s contest They reviewed 255 images taken by students from eight schools and selected three winners and 12 honorable mentions First place went to an image titled “Great Blue Heron on the Lake Side” by JuliAnn Davis from Cypress Lake High School in Fort Myers “This is quintessential ‘Ding’ Darling,” Barry said of the photographer’s composition and the lines in the background with the lines in its feathers.” earned second place for her portrait “Sunset.” “I can just perceive it as a 20-by-30 wall hanging,” Bennight said took third place with “Calm as a Butterfly.” “I love the fact that it’s almost camouflaged The honorable mention winners are as follows in alphabetical order: Interns Claire Keeley and Jake Kelly coordinated the contest this year the quality of photos we get from these young adults,” Keeley said “We marvel at the unique perspectives and angles,” Kelly added “The judges had a difficult time deciding the best photos.” “Theodore Cross’ family made this contest possible and it has become a solid success story,” DDWS Executive Director Ann-Marie Wildman said “We couldn’t be more thrilled the family wants its donations used in this way — to reach an age group that often falls through the cracks of conservation education high school teachers and judges who made this all happen.” To view the winning images and for more information about the 2026 contest, visit dingdarlingsociety.org/photo-contests Copyright © SANIBEL-CAPTIVA - Island Reporter, Islander and Current | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Our Website will be reviewed and tested on an ongoing basis utilizing assistive technologies by users who have knowledge of and depend on the performance of these technologies Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More - The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a teenage girl and has announced an arrest a body was found by a passerby at around 9:35 a.m Thursday just off Ridge Manor Boulevard in Ridge Manor Deputies say the victim snuck out of her house around 1:30 a.m Investigators believe she was murdered shortly after that I will tell you that it tugs at the heartstrings of everyone involved whether they have children or not but if they have children obviously it’s even more heartwrenching.” A 16-year-old has been charged with first-degree murder Sheriff Al Nienhuis said he couldn't release many details about the relationship between the suspect and victim The suspect lives close to the city limits of Brooksville The sheriff added that the suspect for now is being charged as a juvenile Spectrum News is not releasing the suspect's name due to company crime guidelines Nienhuis said an "edged" weapon was used in the killing and that it was "nothing short of violent." He said the charges may be changed to charge the suspect as an adult The investigation is still under way, Nienhuis said Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (352) 754-6830 and ask to speak to Detective J This is a developing story and any additional information will be provided as it becomes available.  PORT CHARLOTTE — Jaylin Pinedo wants to make sure her younger teammates know how to compete … A portion of Cypress Lake Road will be closed for a yet-to-be determined time after damage to a support column of the small bridge that crosses Watering Hole Branch was discovered Tuesday while extricating a pickup truck from the water next to the bridge the 911 Center received a call about noon reporting a truck in the water at the bridge located on Cypress Lake Road between Country Club Road and Old Riggs Mill Road along with the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office and county fire and EMS,” Scott said “(We found) a black Nissan Frontier upside down in the water “We were able to get the tag information and when we entered it it came back as a stolen vehicle reported Sunday night through Bulloch County.” Scott said the truck was submerged in the mud and sediment in the water which made it difficult for the tow truck to remove it from the water there are no bodies or persons inside the vehicle,” Scott said the investigation will be ongoing back to the registered owner who reported it stolen through the county we'll see what it leads to as far as who may have stolen it.” Scott said it is not known what happened or how long the vehicle had been in the water A preliminary investigation did show “the vehicle ran off onto the north shoulder overcorrected and struck a pillar of the bridge as the vehicle went off onto the shoulder.” The Georgia Department of Transportation sent a regional inspector to the bridge and he found that one of the support columns that passes under the pavement was significantly damaged “He inspected the bridge and determined it was structurally unfit for traffic and that it needed to be closed immediately,” he said Scott said the initial assessment is to set up detours from “Country Club Road to Parrish Road to Pulaski Road and back to Old Riggs Mill until DOT determines how they're going to repair the bridge and then repairs it “I have no estimate on when that would be.” With the demolishing underway of the school constructed when John F. Kennedy was president featuring a classic outdoor finger layout "It's a bittersweet moment of losing the school that we loved with an exciting view of the future," Principal Matt Miller said But as you move further into this 21st century about 150.000 square feet of newly constructed space for 1,000 students in up to three stories will emerge on the 17 acres at 8901 Cypress Lake Drive "It was a half-penny sales tax," Miller said "That went a long way in funding this project so it was a welcome thing for this part of the community but a little more customized for our specific needs it was very important to us to have very high-level art areas in close proximity to our raised stage which will be kind of on the side of the gym and also we really wanted to make sure that the traffic patterns were smooth." "First and foremost we have to think about the safety and security of our students and with that comes student supervision so we fixed some of the traffic pattern issues that you might see at other schools and really paid very close attention to the quality," Miller said and I'm thoroughly excited about of the design and the quality of the building that we're about to build in this community of students "It sort of started as a similar prototype of some of the other middle schools you'll see in our county We had a little bit less land side to side on campus but it is well worth it: Given the condition of the building There are few in the school district that might be a little bit older." "It actually felt old when I attended '83-86," said Fort Myers resident Liz Abbott a sentiment echoed by others who went there like Jason Smith: "It was old when I was there in 1978." and then onto Cypress Lake High School," said Nick Kuefler "But I remember one year we had summer band camp at Cypress Middle who eventually went on to the University of Florida liked the outside feel: "I always thought the open-air corridors and courtyards were a nice design Education: Too many Americans think colleges 'must all be crazy,' not part of U.S. success everybody was pleasantly surprised," Miller said "I was understandably a little nervous when we opened schools in our temporary campus in January ― we moved at winter break I started to ask a lot of students and a lot of teachers and support staff what they thought we're going into portables.' But they're just different classrooms The renovated portables are the same ones used last year while Franklin Park Elementary building was going on as part of recycling efforts by the school system The overall total cost of the venture led by Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. includes more than $2 million for furniture public records reviewed by In the Know show In the Know: As stockpile of SW Florida homes explodes, what role are Canadians playing? pops up throughout the 40-page agreement between O-A-K and the school system there is some demo where the portables are and site clean up that will still need to be done." The Bulloch County commissioners last week awarded a $924,900 construction contract for replacement of a bridge-like culvert on Nevils-Denmark Road and a $387,300 design contract for replacement of a closed bridge on Cypress Lake Road as well as an application for a $2.25 million state grant expected to more than pay for that project A portion of Nevils-Denmark Road just south of State Route 46 has been closed since floodwaters from Tropical Storm Debby washed the culvert out in August a portion of previously heavily trafficked Cypress Lake Road has been closed since a vehicle hit the 50-year-old Dry Branch Bridge in an accident the evening of Feb April 15 during in his final appearance at a commissioners meeting as county engineer presented these steps toward reopening both roads Deal had resigned effective Friday is now returning to work for the city of Statesboro this time as its public works and engineering director With commissioners’ 6-0 approval of the construction contract to Reeves Construction for the Nevils-Denmark Road work is on track to meet Assistant County Engineer Ron Nelson’s previously prediction that the road could be open by late summer interim County Manager Randy Tillman announced that Nelson who previously retired from a career with the Georgia Department of Transportation will now be serving as interim county engineer The Nevils-Denmark culvert replacement will be funded for now from the county’s Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax But the  engineers reported that the  county has applied for mitigation assistance funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Georgia’s state-level analogue “We are still going through the process with FEMA and GEMA,” Deal told commissioners “All indications seem to point to we’re going to get reimbursement of more than 50 percent of the cost of this project We don’t have the exact figures at this point from them but we’re planning to move ahead with the project at this time Commissioner Nick Newkirk asked how this project compares to the previously completed Brannen Pond Road drainage restoration following damage to the road caused by an August 2023 hurricane But once awarded to a construction contractor “We’ve got a 120-day contract time on this contract which I believe is the same as what Brannen-Pond Road was but one difference in the project is that this box culvert will be cast in place as opposed to the one at Brannen Pond Road which was precast … I think that may affect the cost a little bit but not so much the schedule.” where the flood waters caused the old “double-barrel” culvert with its two 6-by-10-foot passages to settle and slightly rotate Reeves is to build a “triple-barrel” culvert with three 8-by-7 channels the new structure will feature “wing walls” to either side but the plan will add an “apron” below the culvert to resist erosion there Reeves’ $924,900 price was the lowest from four sealed bids the county received The three companies offered prices ranged from $1.1 million to $1.44 million Reeves’ tasks will include removing the old culvert and damaged pavement handling the earthwork and paving and installing guardrails Deal said the FEMA and GEMA reimbursement should fully cover “the cost of putting it back the way that it was,” but the county’s plan exceeds that Since the damage to the bridge over Dry Branch on Cypress Lake Road was caused by a vehicle crash repairs there are not eligible for FEMA funding But the county has found a source of state funding is again making a “supplemental” round of funding  available to counties and cities local governments receive Local Maintenance and  Improvement Grants which the county directs toward resurfacing and paving the governor and Legislature have provided additional funds for local governments as Local Road Assistance grants using the  same formula – based on a county’s or city’s road mileage and population – as for LMIG As he suggested and the commissioners approved on another 6-0 vote the county will apply for it by citing the replacement and upgrade of the bridge on Cypress Lake Road as the intended project “We were not expecting to get this money,” Deal said so we felt like it would be a good use of these funds  to put it towards also an issue that we were not expecting.” Newkirk asked if the bridge can be rebuilt the way the county engineers propose for $2.2 million we think that it would be less than that amount,” Deal said If any of the GDOT funding allocated to Bulloch County is left Commissioners also approved a $378,300 contract with the Marietta-based firm Heath & Lineback Engineers for engineering and design work on the Cypress Lake Road bridge replacement The scope of work will include the surveying This firm was recommended by the county staff which did not take bids or request quotes from other firms Chairman David Bennett asked Deal to explain why county didn’t have to seek bids at this point Deal noted that the engineering and design work is considered a “professional service,” for which no bids are required under the county purchasing policy Construction falls under different rules and requires sealed bids But county staff members were familiar with the work of the firm which has done bridge replacement projects for other counties  “We felt that Heath & Lineback was qualified … and this would speed up the process a good bit in terms of getting it under design instead of going through a two- to three-month procurement process,” Deal said But that didn’t shorten the expected overall timeline from his previous prediction of how long that segment of Cypress Lake Road may remain closed and detoured “We do think it is a two-year process,” he said “There is some unknown in the environmental permitting It’s another case where the intent is to build back better the lowest limit of any bridge in Bulloch County and local officials have said farm machinery and dump trucks that exceed that weight previously crossed it The engineers propose a replacement bridge with no weight restriction (All bridges have a theoretical weight limit this exceeds the rated capacity of vehicles’ axles.) The proposed new bridge would have two 12-foot-wide traffic lanes “I think it would be much more well-suited for the traffic that goes through that area,” Deal said Typical ebbs and flows of the single-family home market do not have much of an impact on the ultra Four restaurant chains and a cake shop will join seven other businesses coming this year to the new Tree Farm.. the May 5 opening of the Hospital for Special Surgery at NCH takes the health care.. A Lee County high schooler faces charges after authorities say he had a magazine depicting various types of firearms and made several concerning statements while on school grounds the school resource officer at Cypress Lake High School was notified by an individual of concerning behavior by the accused student the officer learned the 15-year-old student had a magazine depicting various types of firearms and made several concerning statements while on school grounds The sheriff's office said a review revealed a "deeply concerning" search history that included a killer's manifesto and articles on violent incidents and shootings School Threat Enforcement Team detectives responded and assumed the investigation conducted numerous searches about school shootings and mass casualty incidents Sheriff's deputy convicted: Ex-Hendry County sheriff's deputy convicted in federal court of using excessive force Since the student's actions disrupted several individuals during normal school functions detectives established probable cause to issue a delinquency citation for disruption of a school function detectives obtained search warrants for the student's cellphone and laptop where they discovered he communicated plans he fantasized about carrying out The sheriff's office said detectives had probable cause to arrest the student for transmitting an electronic threat to conduct an act of terrorism Authorities said the incident remains active as the sheriff's office's School Threat Enforcement Team continues to investigate this matter alongside the State Attorney’s Office Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBULLOCH COUNTY (WTOC) - The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for a dam failure at Cypress Lake in Bulloch County Local law enforcement reported the imminent dam failure warning at 12:18 p.m They report that in the event of the dam breaking flash flooding will happen immediately and impacts the Cypress Lake Mobile Home Park and Cypress Lake court and all areas downstream of the dam Officials say that if you are a resident of low lying areas below the Cypress Lake Dam you should move to higher ground as soon as possible Neighbors who live along the shore say they took every precaution they could reducing the lake’s levels and opening the dam’s gates but Debby’s relentless rainfall was too much The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security shared images of the dam in a social media post To find out what to do during a flash flood event, click here. “We’re uncertain about where the water may be going but we know it has breached,” said Bulloch County’s Emergency Management Agency Director Corey Kemp The NWS has issued a flash flood warning for those living downstream as relentless waters from Tropical Storm Debby jeopardize the dam “There house is flooded and the water is rising It’s time to go,” said Sandra Tobin who is evacuating her parents While the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office says the dam has held so far One neighbor estimates 80 percent of the homes around Cypress Lake are flooded “I think everyone is still in a little bit of shock,” said four-year resident Rhett Baker “We’ll pull it together and help each other best we can but there’s a lot of damage going on.” Shane Scott is evacuating to higher ground after his home filled with more than six inches of water believing his house missed the worst flooding compared to some his neighbors “Some of those [homes] may have to be torn down completely Some of the words officials have used to describe the damage in Bulloch County from Tropical Storm Debby are “unprecedented” and “catastrophic.” A county official put the situation at Cypress Lake simply A roundup of FHSAA regional semifinal high school football games played by Southwest Florida teams on Friday Riverdale head football coach Kendoll Gibson’s been preaching to his players they have what it takes to be a top-tier team Facing traditional tormentor Fort Myers in a Class 5A Riverdale (10-2) scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to erase an eight-point deficit and down the Green Wave 18-14 just the fifth for the Raiders in 42 all-time meetings with Fort Myers catapults Riverdale into a regional final for the first time in the program’s 55-year history so proud of my coaching staff,” Gibson said We work so well together and we pour life into the boys “We’ve been believing since the summertime we had 98% attendance at our workouts I’m just glad they get to reap the benefits of that.” the Raiders vaunted running game found its legs in the second Junior Lovensky Blanchard was the catalyst rushing for 150 of his 180 yards in the final two quarters who added 135 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries wore down an undermanned Green Wave front without three interior starters due to illness and injury including star junior tackle Kendall Guervil “It’s probably the worst night to have three linemen out against a team like them but that’s no excuse; we have every chance to win the game,” Fort Myers coach Sam Sirianni Jr They wear on you and we just couldn’t get enough separation to get them out of their game plan.” Plagued by untimely turnovers and penalties for much of the season the Green Wave (8-3) handed the Raiders an early advantage when a punt bounced off a Fort Myers blocker and Riverdale sophomore Latroy Pender Jr recovered the ball at the Green Wave 8-yard line snuck into the end zone and fourth-and-goal from the 1 to put the Raiders up 6-0 with 5:25 left in the first quarter The score stayed that way until late in the second when a poor snap on a Riverdale punt attempt led to a shanked kick that netted just eight yards and gave Fort Myers the ball at the Raiders 25 Junior Mac Thompson capped a five-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown run that gave the Green Wave a 7-6 lead at halftime despite Fort Myers mustering just 43 total yards in the first two quarters “The message at halftime was let’s play all three phases; let’s play Riverdale football,” Gibson said “We felt like it was in arm’s reach and that’s a good feeling for us because we know one of our backs can take it at any time.” The Raiders defense continued its strong play in the third quarter stopping Fort Myers senior Madrid Tucker short of the goal line on a fourth down to keep the score 7-6 But the Green Wave defense answered with a huge play of its own as senior Jeremiah Samuels picked up a fumbled pitch and raced 16 yards for a touchdown to put Fort Myers in front 14-6 with 1:01 left in the third quarter That’s when Riverdale’s running game got going On the Raiders’ first offensive play following Samuels’ momentum-changing play Riverdale grabbed it right back as Blanchard ripped off a 41-yard run Hayes raced around the left side for a 13-yard touchdown to pull Riverdale within 14-12 with 11:50 left to play Pender then intercepted a deep pass attempt by Green Wave quarterback Dom Ardezzone at the Raiders' 15-yard line Riverdale moved the ball to the Fort Myers 49 but consecutive penalties left them facing a second-and-20 at their own 41 with about six minutes remaining That’s when the Raiders dialed up just their second pass attempt of the game and Harris connected with senior Jermaine Redden Jr he had a great week of practice,” Gibson said “He found me in my office and said he was going to have something good happen because of that In my eyes that was the play of the game.” Hayes scored from 2 yards out and Riverdale had its first lead of the game with 3:24 left to play After an intentional grounding penalty forced Fort Mayers into a third-and38 from its own 11 senior Jamar Underwood intercepted another deep pass attempt by Ardezzone at the Green Wave 41 Two runs by Blanchard moved the ball to the Green Wave 14 Blanchard sealed the game by powering for six yards and a first down allowing the Raiders to run out of the clock “I’ve been preaching all year that we have the two best running backs in the area,” Gibson said “We call them salt and pepper because they each give us something different They were able to key in on Cole a little bit and (Blanchard) stepped up He doesn’t cry or complain that he’s not getting his; he just waits his turn and tonight he went off.” will travel to top-seeded Bradenton Manatee (9-1) for next week’s region final “It feels good to do something that’s never been done here before,” Blanchard said BRADENTON – Manatee coach Jacquez Green – the ex-Florida Gator and NFL receiver who has seen just about possible formation on a football field – took one look at Immokalee’s wing-T offense on film and came to a somewhat obvious conclusion then their defense must not practice much against the pass Manatee quarterback Andrew Heidel completed 12 of 16 passes including nine on the Hurricanes’ first 15 offensive snaps for 225 yards and four touchdowns Friday night allowing a talented receiving corps to pile up a 30-point lead in the game’s first 9 minutes The result was a painfully one-sided Class 5A-Region 3 semifinal – the Hurricanes (9-1) took a 54-0 lead to the intermission and coasted through a running-clock second half “We knew we could throw the ball on them,” said Heidel 210-pound senior whose tender right knee remained well-protected in the pocket throughout a sack-free night we thought our receivers were better than their defenders.” Five different players reached the end zone before halftime we were trying to get Farrakhan (Shannon) a touchdown.” with Heidel throwing a 5-yard TD pass to the senior tight end that upped Manatee’s lead to 51-0 with 3:54 left in the second quarter added a 28-yard field goal after a pass interference penalty on the final play of the half and Torey Gilley (42) had three receptions apiece as Heidel skillfully kept everyone well-fed Manatee will host Riverdale in next week’s 5A-3 title game after the Raiders (10-2) upset Fort Myers 18-14 Heidel found Gilley three times for 42 yards on the game’s opening drive setting up Kei’shawn Smith’s 5-yard scoring run He looked Smith’s way twice on the next one including a screen pass that turned into a 15-yard score and a 14-0 lead We’ve just got to protect him and let him throw the football.” Senior defensive lineman Ean Johnson-Kelley recovered a fumbled snap by the punter – leading to Heidel’s 28-yard TD pass to Bryant on the next play – then blocked another punt for a safety Manatee’s offense needed only four plays after the free kick to score again this time on Smith’s 6-yard run up the middle his third touchdown in less than 10 minutes “A lot of Wing-T teams don’t really see passing much in practice throughout the summer,” Green said of Immokalee’s defense “We knew we had a chance throwing the ball against those guys early on we got a chance to save the running backs for another week had combined for 2,789 yards and 36 TDs in 11 games period,” said Immokalee coach James Delgado you get exposed and the game gets away from you fast Everybody’s good and you can’t make up for it Smart coaches take advantage of the guys they have and they play to their strengths That cat (Green) doesn’t make many mistakes.” The Indians finally got on the board with about four minutes to play when a snap sailed over the Manatee punter’s head and out of the end zone junior quarterback Chris Germinal (4-of-18 60 yards) fired a 44-yard flea flicker pass to sophomore Marshon Jackson setting up 275-pound lineman Izzy Lobe for a 1-yard TD as time expired “I think it meant a lot to our kids (to score a touchdown),” Delgado said “What’s even cooler was they wanted a lineman to get it Needing one win to advance to a regional final against Cardinal Mooney was a driving force for the Bishop Verot football team this week putting together a strong defensive performance that included six sacks and two interceptions Verot (9-3) escaped with a 25-12 win over Lakewood (6-6) in a game that saw tensions flare late from the losing side in the handshake line Verot players were forced to sprint to their locker room when trying to leave their own stadium “We talk about how to handle yourself and do the right thing on the field and off the field in every capacity,” Verot coach Richie Rode said don’t let this take away what you guys just accomplished and things like that in the handshake line 77-yard scripted drive to open was capped off by a Carter Smith touchdown pass to Ayden Gonzalez from 8 yards out Deshon Jenkins opened the game with 46 yards rushing on the first drive would then link up with Gonzalez once again with 42 seconds remaining in the first half floating a pass over the Lakewood secondary that stretched the lead to two scores following a successful two-point conversion Smith completed 10 of 14 passes for 71 yards “We thought that we could have success in the trenches We wanted to get Shon going again and wanted to lean on our o-line I thought we had a great game plan coming in I thought (offensive coordinator) Josh (Vogelbach) had a great first series scripted in a big playoff game when we were the team with experience You couldn’t let them get any momentum going I thought we did a good job of not letting that happen thanks in part to two key plays on third-and-23 and fourth-and-7 which the Spartans eventually scored on thanks in part to a 3-yard touchdown run from Tayshawn Bell Bell finished with 8 rushes for 63 yards and a score the Verot defense adjusted and made life difficult for Lakewood quarterback Ayden Wallace the standout quarterback was unable to escape from pressure by Dwyer Camron Jadrien Carmo and Marquis Young came away with picks of Wallace in the secondary both of which came at the end of each half while Peterson and Anderson split a sack that resulted in a safety “We thought we were going to have to bring pressure to make him uncomfortable,” Rode said of Wallace We thought we had to gamble here and there to generate pressure where we just ran by some things with bad angles 16 guys on defense right now where they can maximize their performance I’ve been pleased with their buy-in and execution of the game plan tonight.” Feeding off the strong defensive performance in the middle two quarters whose nickname could very well be “The Closer” who eclipsed 4,000 yards rushing on the season methodically wore down the Spartans defense with bruising run after bruising run Jenkins went for 171 yards Friday night on 24 rushes with a touchdown bringing his total to 1,671 yards on the season “He had almost 100 yards in the first half,” Rode said “When you’ve got 15 for 98 in the first half And nobody wants to tackle him in the fourth quarter He continues to pound and grind and lean on you as the game goes on Verot will make the same trip it did just over two months ago to Sarasota where it will take on a Cougars team that hasn’t lost over their previous 18 games dating back to a 50-14 loss to Verot on Oct “Not at all,” Rode said when asked about any difficulty motivating his team and wanting another shot after such a poor performance the first time They’re playing extremely good football this season There’s no question that our boys will be ready and we’ve kinda been on a collision course for this The turkey will definitely taste better on Thanksgiving.” It’s become a tradition for the Naples football team to practice on Thanksgiving The Golden Eagles trounced the Green Devils to advance to their third consecutive regional championship game on Friday night Despite the program’s long and consistent history of success it wasn’t something head coach Rick Martin and company took for granted after the blowout Martin took the time to thank everyone behind the scenes who help make his program into a Southwest Florida powerhouse year in and year out “From our guidance counselors to our principals to our desk staff our athletic director – they just play such a huge part in this thing and I don’t get a chance to say thank you enough,” he said running back Shawn Simeon made state playoff history when he rushed for 387 yards and seven touchdowns There was still some of that magic in the air as he fielded the opening kickoff at the goal line and sprinted down the sideline to the opposing end zone “I know he’s special and I watch him do special things all the time and then he does something like that to get us on the board,” Martin said “You get momentum like that in the second round of a playoff game and you just keep rolling with it The Naples defense had to contend with the slippery St who has accounted for more than 70 percent of the Green Devils’ total yards this season LaCarlos McGee and Khari Bendolph leading the way Petersburg to less than 100 yards of offense Tariq Arbyummi and Andre Ferdinand both came up with fumble recoveries in key moments “Our defense played lights out tonight,” Martin said “They knew exactly what that quarterback was all about – we know he’s the real deal and we stepped up to that challenge all week long during practice and it showed out on the field Simeon and Trayvon Jean combined for 165 rushing yards and two touchdowns Jamar Jerome added 85 yards on three carries Junior quarterback Alijah Molina hit James Lachance downfield in one-on-one coverage for a 47-yard touchdown to add to the onslaught in the fourth quarter It was the pair’s 21st connection this season and seventh that went for a score Naples will get a rematch of the district title game against Port Charlotte after the Pirates took care of Jesuit with a 45-31 win “I’m extremely proud of our boys stepping up to the challenge and getting this thing done,” Martin said “We are going to our third regional championship in a row and that talent was on full display on both sides of the ball in a 34-20 win over Benjamin in the Class 1A-Region 3 semifinal Freshman quarterback Brady Quinn led the charge Quinn started the game going 7-for-7 on the Lions’ opening drive capped off with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Petit Quinn finished the win 25-of-35 for around 320 yards with no interceptions Bradley Martino and Petit accounted for 267 receiving yards and three touchdowns combined really tough plays,” said head coach Billy Sparacio Martino came up with a critical pass breakup on 3rd and long that forced a Benjamin field goal and then reeled in a 65-yard touchdown pass from Quinn two plays later that extended the Lion lead to 12-6 Quinn snuck in one more touchdown pass as time expired in the half this time connecting with Sam Sparacio from three yards out Micah Fils-Aime disrupted the Buccaneer offense often in the first half He tallied a pair of sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss and registered a sack and quarterback hurry while Logan Bartley was a pest in the secondary as well Of Benjamin’s 10 incompletions in the loss five were directly broken up by a Lion defender “I thought our defense played absolutely lights-out in the first half,” Sparacio said so they came out in the second half and did some good things and I love the way our offense responded in the second half with our scores.” Benjamin pieced together rhythm on offense in the second half but First Baptist had a response for every Buccaneer score Benjamin scored on their opening possession of the second half with a 61-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Vega to Julian Luiz The Lions came back on the ensuing possession with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Dominick Davis The Buccaneers responded two minutes later with a 5-yard touchdown carry from Terrion Ivey-Akins this time with Petit catching a deep-ball touchdown from Quinn two minutes later that gave First Baptist their two-score lead back “Our guys played hard,” said Benjamin head coach Eric Kresser “They didn’t let the game get away from them And just a couple scores less than the others Sam Sparacio caught an interception with five minutes left that sealed the deal for First Baptist Petit finished with two touchdown catches and had a 68-yard touchdown catch called back Martino had a touchdown catch with a pair of pass breakups Benjamin’s Preston Douglas was consistent in the loss Buccaneer starting running back Phoenix Donghia went down early in the contest and did not return “I’m just very proud of our players,” Sparacio said we’ve got some dudes - they really came to play tonight And all the other guys who aren’t four-stars or whatever they stepped up their game and did an incredible job.” top-seeded Cardinal Newman crunched Community School of Naples 42-0 in the regional semifinals with a dazzling display of skill Cardinal Newman will host First Baptist Academy (Naples) in the Region 1A-3 championship game to decide who gets that berth in the state final four a dual quarterback and the fastest man in Florida," said star running back Jaylin Brown who earlier this week decommitted from Louisville Brown was referring to wide receiver Zamarii Sanders who arguably is the fastest high school football player in the nation based on his record-setting sprint times on Newman’s track team Brown and Sanders each scored two touchdowns Friday Quarterback Jyron Hughley added another TD on the scorching first play of the second half when he sprinted 59 yards to make it 28-0 “We didn’t start the game the right way and it blew our leg off," Community School coach Michael Stannard said We had to execute on every play and couldn’t get it done." they compiled four first downs and marched deep into Cardinal Newman territory behind the nifty tackle-breaking jaunts of their star running back Jayvian Tanelus But the Naples school went for it on fourth-and-12 at the 25 gained 8 yards and fell short of the first down at the 17 The Crusaders took over but were about to punt from their own territory when Community’s Emrhe Pray burst through the line and was a half-second too late running into Crusaders star punter/kicker Jack Beylo Cardinal Newman kept possession and made the best of it Hughley scrambled for a first down to get into Community territory Hughley threw it high and deep and a blazing Sanders caught a 37-yard pass in stride to put Newman on the scoreboard with 11:06 left in the half “(Community) had a nice long drive to start the game," Cardinal Newman coach coach Jack Daniels said “We held them without any points and got a score on our first possession They had another nice drive and we got a fumble and got up 14-0 They want to pound you running the ball and they kind of got out of their game." “We took a big step up for this program – the hardest schedule we’ve attempted to play It’s just the beginning stages but it will take us a little longer to get us exactly where we want to go." After a long road trip to a hostile environment Cypress Lake fought back from a mistake-prone first half to win in dramatic fashion defeating second-seeded Key West 24-21 Friday night in the region 3A-4 semifinals The scoring started on Key West’s first drive as sophomore Kamarien McKay blocked the Conchs’ punt in the end zone and senior Nate Lynn recovered for the touchdown The two teams would trade blows for the remainder of the first quarter Panthers senior quarterback Joey Dube-Garrett found Chartrael Jenkins for a 65-yard touchdown pass The score was tied 14-14 at the half after a scoreless second quarter “I just told the kids at half that the score is 0-0 again and to treat this as the last half of football they may ever play,” said Cypress Lake head coach Joey Mendes “We wanted to go out and prove to everyone what we’ve always been capable of.” The third quarter seemed firmly in the Conch’s control as the Key West offense ate up more than 8 minutes of clock before a crucial fourth-and-goal stop on the 1-yard line by Cypress Lake Dube-Garrett would find brother Zeke Dube-Garrett for a 12-yard TD pass to get the lead back After Key West tied the score at 21 on another long drive the brothers connected again on third-and-long for a 30-yard gain that would set up a field goal by Zeke from 32 yards out giving the Panthers the eventual game-winner The Panthers (7-5) will travel to Traz Powell Stadium in Miami to take on Northwestern Senior High School for the regional final I’m so proud of our kids and the heart they played with tonight,” said Mendes “We get to practice on Thanksgiving and not many people get to do that.” Ridge Manor — A hiker discovered the body of a teenage girl yesterday at around 9:35 a.m on a trail at Cypress Lakes Preserve in Ridge Manor on March 27 to meet someone—only to be tragically murdered later The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office identified Abbriella after an individual approached them while they were working at the crime scene Her body was discovered 50 to 100 feet inside the Cypress Lakes Preserve Trailhead where investigators believe she was killed in a “very violent” altercation involving an edged weapon As deputies worked to piece together the case they found that one of the individuals they interviewed had lied about his whereabouts This deception led them to focus on 16-year-old Cameron Cubel as their main suspect was subsequently arrested in connection with Abbriella’s murder Sheriff Al Nienhuis stated that the evidence suggests this was not a random act and that Abbriella knew her killer “We could tell pretty quickly that there was a lot of passion and a lot of violence involved in the particular death,” Nienhuis said The grandmother of Abbriella stated on social media “My granddaughter Abby didn’t have a chance to grow into what you supposed to be Cubel is currently being charged with first-degree murder as a juvenile but Nienhuis said it is likely he will end up being charged as an adult Contact us: [email protected] 2025 at 1:09 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A teen girl whose body was found Thursday near a preserve in Ridge Manor is believed to be the victim of “homicidal violence,” the Hernando County Sheriff's Office said FL — A teenage girl found dead Thursday morning in Ridge Manor is believed to be the victim of “homicidal violence,” the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office said by a passerby off Ridge Manor Boulevard near Cypress Lake Preserve Though she hasn’t been publicly identified her next of kin have been notified about her death No other details about her death are available while the investigation continues Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 352-754-6830 and ask to speak to Detective J To remain anonymous and eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000, tips can be submitted to Hernando County Crime Stoppers by calling 1-866-990-TIPS (8477) or by texting **TIPS from a mobile device. Tips can be submitted online here Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. — A shooting at an apartment complex across from Cypress Lake Middle School sent two people to the hospital Saturday night Watch as Fort Myers Community Correspondent speaks with neighbors and relatives of the victim: The Lee County Sheriff's Office confirmed the suspected gunman identified as 35-year-old Roger De Le Cruz was arrested Monday morning in Mississippi Deputies responded to the Cypress West Apartments Two people were found at the scene with multiple gunshot wounds and were rushed to the hospital Both victims are currently in stable condition Neighbors described a chaotic scene unfolding late at night Michael Atkinson lives right next door and described the moment he realized what was happening the police had gotten here," Atkinson said Somebody literally opened fire over here in Cypress West said she didn't hear the gunshots but grew concerned once deputies arrived at her door around 11 p.m "I'm terrified for the mother's sake because she does have a little seven-to-eight-year-old," the neighbor explained "I'm just so thrilled to hear that they caught the guy and that he's being held accountable for what he did." A family member of one of the victims confirmed to Fox 4 that she is recovering in the hospital and "doing better." The family is relieved that the shooter has been apprehended The next door neighbor expressed hope for the victims’ recovery "I just hope that she has a fast healing recovery—both ladies—and that the boy gets his mom gets to see his mom soon," the neighbor said Lee County Sheriff's Office confirmed the suspect as 35-year-old Roger De Le Cruz who fled to Mississippi after the shooting He was apprehended Monday morning by deputies from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office near Gulfport De Le Cruz now faces two counts of attempted second-degree murder and authorities say he also has an ICE hold Sheriff Marceno praised the cooperation of law enforcement in capturing De Le Cruz "My team is working with our State Attorney's Office and the Harrison County Sheriff's Office to bring Roger De Le Cruz back to Lee County where he will face the consequences of his heinous crime." Detectives confirmed this shooting was isolated and there is no ongoing threat to the public or nearby Cypress Lake Middle School Further updates will be provided as additional information becomes available (WTOC) - The waters at Cypress Lake have not breached the dam as of Thursday morning but officials in Bulloch County are still asking people that live in the area to be on alert as there is a flash flood warning until this afternoon That flash flood warning expires at 3:15 p.m flash flooding could devastate several communities in the area including the Cypress Lane Mobile Home Park and Dry Ranch Village A look inside the dam itself shows just how high the waters really are but the good news The president of the company that built and maintains the dam says it doesn’t look like a breach will happen There was a couple of minor rush outs in the back So we’re looking really great at this point and we’re happy that everything is steady,” said Louie Giossehueslewiesche considering the unprecedented amounts of water that are coming through the dam even after Tropical Storm Debby has left the area We just flooded out,” said Giossehueslewiesche Bulloch County officials are asking people that live in the area to still keep any eye on their properties while the lake levels recede “I think everybody looks at the dam and can breathe a sigh of relief that we were able to handle that flood the way we did,” said Giossehueslewiesche WTOC will bring you the latest updates as the Flash Flood Warning continues Key West improved to 8-3 with a decisive playoff win against visiting Estero Nov The FHSAA 3A Region 4 quarterfinal win was the first postseason win in nearly 30 years for the Conchs who seem to just keep getting better as the season wears on.  The Wildcats struggled early on to stop the Conchs’ run-heavy offensive unit and that did not change throughout four quarters of play Jaden Fox was particularly vexing for Estero; Fox scored 4 touchdowns in the game surpassing 1,500 yards on the season in the victory.  “He’s the engine that makes everything go,” said head coach Johnny Hughes who was extremely happy with his team’s play last week.  connecting with Cole Jackson for a touchdown pass Van Loon took over quarterback duties midway through the season when starter Teak Guyet suffered a season-ending injury The Conchs’ offense was on a roll last week but Key West’s defense was downright devastating to the Wildcats.  The defense took care of the other seven points but instead of punching it in and closing the gap in the score allowing Key West defensive end Josh Johnson to scoop the ball and rumble into the opposite end zone.  “That’s the best I’ve seen our defense play as far as physicality,” Hughes said.  Both teams have prolific scoring offenses and stingy defenses and the teams had similar outcomes against their only shared opponent will enjoy the home-field advantage against the sixth-seeded Panthers of Cypress Lake At stake is a chance to move on toward a state title with the regional final game scheduled for Nov Should Key West win this week against Cypress Lake their most likely opposition in the regional final game would be an unfortunately  familiar opponent: Miami Northwestern.  The powerful Bulls of Northwestern defeated the Conchs 50-14 earlier in the season; however the Conchs have seen marked improvement since that matchup and managed to stay within striking distance until the final quarter https://issuu.com/keysweekly/docs/keys_weekly_sports_wrap_25-0424?fr=sMDZlYTgzODMwMjc Get Keys Weekly delivered right to your inbox along with a daily dose of Keys News Show Breaking News BarCloseFloridaDaniel Dahm RIDGE MANOR, Fla. – A teenage girl was found dead Thursday morning near Cypress Lake Preserve in Hernando County by a passerby off Ridge Manor Boulevard in Ridge Manor The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office said the girl was killed with an “edged weapon.” nothing short of very violent,” said Sheriff Al Nienhuis during a news conference Friday afternoon Investigators would not release the girl’s name or age the sheriff said it was determined that she had left her home in the middle of the night — around 1:30 a.m “We were relatively confident that it was not a random act,” the sheriff said because she did sneak out in the middle of the night we were confident that she likely knew her killer.” Nienhuis said deputies arrested Cameron Cubel The boy faces a charge of first-degree murder The sheriff did not say how the boy and the victim knew each other He is currently being charged as a juvenile it’s very likely he will be charged as an adult If they haven’t already done that,” the sheriff said and the sheriff’s office said it will hold a Friday afternoon news conference to update the case Anyone with information about the girl’s death is asked to call the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office at 352-754-6830 and ask to speak to Detective J Hernando County Crime Stoppers can be reached by phone at 866-990-TIPS (8477) or by texting **TIPS from a mobile device Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved Daniel started with WKMG-TV in 2000 and became the digital content manager in 2009 When he's not working on ClickOrlando.com Daniel likes to head to the beach or find a sporting event nearby TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Cypress Lake Middle School is in the midst of a significant transformation as part of a $101 million renovation project designed to address lingering problems and position the campus for future growth Backed by a half-penny sales tax initiative passed by voters in 2018 the project entails demolishing the old 60-year-old school and building a new three-story The new building is expected to house 1,000 students Construction is slated to be completed by October 2026 while all renovations will be completed by February 2027 The project manager is Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. and more than $2 million has been allocated to furniture said the construction and use of portable classrooms is disruptive but the transition has gone better than he expected The temporary units are air-conditioned with all the bells and whistles so learning can continue with minimal disruption Safety and functionality are central to the new school's design. “We have to think about the safety and security of our students,” said Miller. “So we fixed some of the traffic pattern issues you might see in other schools and really paid very close attention to the quality of the instructional areas in the new school.” The redesign also resolves persistent concerns about inadequate classroom space and outdated infrastructure These upgrades mark the culmination of more than a decade of planning by Lee County school district leaders Community members said they're excited about the new Cypress Lake Middle School campus  the community will have a safe learning place for years to come Download the app to LISTEN LIVE wherever you are and connect with us like never before Cypress Lake 28: Maia Berdebes led the Bulldogs with a double-double J’Kayla Thomas had 18 points and Jocelyn Hernandez added seven points Copyright © Cape Coral Breeze | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy