Punta Gorda News

Dania Maxwell/Staff Mary Melendez, left, busses tables at Waffle House off Daniels Parkway on Monday, March 10, 2014 in Fort Myers, Fla.

The Crusaders beat Punta Gorda Charlotte 5-4 and Miami Coral Reef - ranked No. 2 in Class 8A - 12-1 in five innings via the mercy rule.

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.- The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office's Marine Patrol Unit seized more than 20 undersized or out of season fish and made eight arrests over a two-day period.

The office manager for an emergency response service in Charlotte County is accused of scamming the company out more than $27,000.

Punta Gorda Police arrested four suspects in a string of Home Depot thefts on Florida's west coast from Venice to Punta Gorda.

Punta Gorda Police arrested four suspects in a string of Home Depot thefts on Florida's west coast from Venice to Punta Gorda.

Under the heading of "'they'll do it every time" ... Went to the Strawberry Festival, in Plant City, last week and bought gas going up and coming back.

This is the original obituary written by Walter Bruhl with spaces left open to fill in the date of death.

It takes a strong stomach or holding your breath to walk through one Charlotte County neighborhood where a fish kill mystery is stinking up the area now, vultures are taking over and turtles disappearing.

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.- Charlotte County Sheriff's deputies arrested 30-year-old Ashley Polk for allegedly stealing more than $27,000 from her employer since November 2013.

Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers announced Wednesday that the reward in connection with three robberies at Waffle House restaurants in Lee and Charlotte County has been increased.

CHRISTY SWIFT/Kristie Popa stuffs bags for the county's fourth-graders who will participate in Ag-Venture this year.

People in Charlotte County are using and abusing the 911 call center after a reported rise last year, two recent, bizarre arrests show just how vulnerable false 911 calls can make real emergency situations.

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.- The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office assisted the Arcadia Police Department in locating and arresting an armed fugitive today.

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.- The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office responded to the Waffle House, located at 9092 Mac Drive, after employees reported that the business had been robbed at gunpoint by two men.

Link: Visit the spring break page for more stories, videos and galleries. Five years ago, Brad Hoffman got his first chance to torch up Fort Myers Beach as one of the Greater Cincinnati Firefighters show group dancers.

A food distribution company has broken ground on a center that ultimately could provide 380 jobs.

It's your money and people living in Charlotte County could be asked to pay ten million dollars in the name of public safety! The radios that emergency crews use to respond to calls are outdated and in just a few years, they won't work at all! 2500 radios across charlotte county help multiple agencies do their jobs.

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.- Charlotte County detectives are attempting to identify a woman who used a credit card that was taken from a woman's purse to purchase a television in January.

Inshore anglers from across Florida and surrounding regions will converge at Punta Gorda, Fla., March 8-9, for the season-opening events of 2014 for the IFA Kayak Fishing Tour Presented by Hobie Fishing.