Good morning, Naples.

Freedom Park is a 50-acre urban oasis on Golden Gate Parkway offering a 5-acre lake, boardwalk trails, and an education facility that honors retired U.S. Army veteran Fred Coyle and Sept.

11 victims+ the park also serves as a natural water filter for stormwater runoff.

Today, Maestro Ramon Tebar of Opera Naples makes his Metropolitan Opera debut by conducting Puccini’s La bohème.

The performance is the first of 13 scheduled through Oct. 31 and marks a major milestone for the company.

In January 2026, Carl Jackson and his family captured a 202-pound Burmese python that remains the heaviest this year and the second heaviest on record (the 215-pound record was set in 2022).

No heavier python has been caught amid ongoing elimination efforts.

After nearly three hours of presentations and community input Tuesday night, Marco Island City Council postponed its decision on the Hilton Marco Island Resort and Spa expansion — deferring the vote to the next meeting.

The Florida Department of Health in Collier County issued a water quality advisory for Residents Beach on Marco Island after tests showed bacteria levels above state guidelines, so swimmers & beachgoers are advised to avoid water activities until conditions improve.

Sizzle Dining, a month-long event offering prix fixe menus at 140 local restaurants, will end Sept.

30. The promotion supports Blessings in a Backpack SWFL by donating a dollar per meal to help local students facing food insecurity.

Foreclosure activity in Southwest Florida rose during early 2026 as higher insurance costs and mortgage pressures strained homeowners.

Charlotte recorded the nation’s highest rate while Lee and Collier counties also saw increases, and experts predict filings will remain 15-20% above 2025 levels by year-end.