The Florida Department of Health in Lee County announced that its COVID-19 testing sites will provide tests only by appointment now.
To meet the soaring demand for COVID-19 tests, both of Lee County’s testing sites will now only accept appointments. No walk-ins will be tested.
The health department hopes its change will cut down on long wait times.
Hours for the COVID-19 testing site at CenturyLink Sports complex are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The testing site at FDOH-Lee along Michigan Avenue will operate its appointment-only operations from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
To book an appointment at either COVID-19 testing site, go to Nomi Health’s website, nomihealth.com/fl.
Lee Health is offering free telehealth visits for community members to utilize telehealth services from the comfort of their homes.
Once again, Lee Health is making this service free due to the recent Omicron surge in COVID-19 cases throughout Southwest Florida.
This option allows anyone with non-life-threatening COVID-19 symptoms to avoid long COVID-19 testing lines, Lee Convenient Care locations and the emergency department. Lee Health emergency departments are not designated COVID-19 testing locations.
The normal cost of a visit is $49.
Lee TeleHealth is an on-demand medical service that connects patients directly with a physician or advanced provider and is available 24/7. All you need to use Lee TeleHealth is a smartphone, tablet or a computer with a webcam.
Most Lee County administrative operations will be closed Thursday, Nov. 25, and Friday, Nov. 26, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Other schedules will be adjusted. The adjustments include:
Solid Waste
Thursday, Nov. 25: All county facilities are closed and no garbage, yard waste or recycling will be collected. Collections will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.
Friday, Nov. 26: Thursday collections will be picked up. The Waste-to-Energy Facility in Buckingham will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to accept waste. All other Solid Waste facilities will be closed.
Saturday, Nov. 27: Friday collections will be picked up. The Buckingham facility will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to accept waste. All other Solid Waste facilities will be closed.
Parks & Recreation
Thursday, Nov. 25, Friday, Nov. 26, and through the holiday weekend: Beaches, boat ramps, parks and preserves will be open.
Administration offices, pools and recreation centers are closed Thursday, Nov. 25, and Friday, Nov. 26. Recreation centers and pools resume normal operating hours Saturday, Nov. 27. Administration offices resume normal operating hours Monday, Nov. 29.
LeeTran
Thursday, Nov. 25: No bus, trolley or Passport service.
Friday, Nov. 26: Normal service resumes.
Library System
Thursday, Nov. 25, and Friday, Nov. 26: All libraries will be closed. The online library is available at www.leegov.com/library.
Saturday, Nov. 27: Normal library hours resume.
Domestic Animal Services
Thursday, Nov. 25, and Friday, Nov. 26: The shelter, 5600 Banner Drive in south Fort Myers, will be closed.
Saturday, Nov. 27: The Lost & Found Pet Center will reopen for regular hours at 8 a.m. The adoption center will open at 10:30 a.m.
Utilities
The Call Center and the drive-thru window at 7391 College Parkway are closed Thursday, Nov. 25, and Friday, Nov. 26, and will reopen Monday, Nov. 29.
A drop-box is on-site at the front door and another accessible via the drive-thru for payments by check.
A drop-box is also available at the Lee County Community Development/Public Works Center located at 1500 Monroe Street, Fort Myers (near the Eastern entrance on Monroe Street).
A vehicle traveling southbound on NE 5th Place pulled out in front of a motorcyclist on Diplomat Parkway East. The motorcyclist was ejected and suffered life-threatening injuries.
DATE: November 17, 2021 TIME: 8:42 pm LOCATION: Diplomat Pkwy Ease and NE 5th Place
VEHICLE 1: 2017 Nissan Altima, Florida tag, driven by Yolanda Bon, DOB 03/07/1992, North Fort Myers. Bon suffered no injuries in the crash. Two juvenile passengers suffered no injuries in the crash. One juvenile passenger complained of head pain. Medics refused on scene.
VEHICLE 2: 1987 Suzuki LS650, Unregistered, driven by Frank E Sangster, DOB 04/9/1988, Cape Coral. Sangster suffered life-threatening injuries and is undergoing major surgery at the time of this press release.
VEHICLE 3: 2019 Toyota Rav 4, Florida tag, driven by Ysienay Lopez-Diaz, DOB 03/30/2002, Cape Coral. Lopez-Diaz suffered no injuries in the crash. Three passengers in the vehicle suffered no injuries in the crash.
SYNOPSIS
Vehicle 1 was traveling southbound on NE 5th Place, stopped at the stop sign at the intersection of Diplomat Pkwy E.
Vehicle 2 was traveling westbound on Diplomat Pkwy E in the outside travel lane approaching the intersection of NE 5th Pl.
Vehicle 3 was traveling westbound on Diplomat Pkwy E in the inside travel lane approaching the intersection of NE 5th Pl several hundred feet behind Vehicle 2.
The driver of Vehicle 1 stated that she did not see Vehicle 2 approaching and entered Diplomat Pkwy with the intention of turning left (eastbound) and pulled out directly in front of Vehicle 2.
Vehicle 2 applied heavy braking and skidded approximately 50 feet and laid the motorcycle on its left side and slid an additional 28 feet. While sliding on its side, Vehicle 2 struck the left side front quarter panel of Vehicle 1. Vehicle 2’s rider was ejected from the vehicle and came to final rest in the paved portion of the center median. Vehicle 2 came to final rest on its left side taking up the two westbound travel lanes facing north.
As Vehicle 3 approached the crash scene, the driver did not see Vehicle 2 laying in the middle of the roadway and struck Vehicle 2 with the front right quarter panel of Vehicle 3.
The driver of Vehicle 2 suffered serious injuries and was taken to the hospital via ambulance. While at the hospital the driver of Vehicle 2’s injuries was upgraded and he was transported to another hospital for emergency surgery. One juvenile passenger in Vehicle 1 complained of head pain but refused medical treatment. The remaining occupants of Vehicle 1 did not sustain any injuries in the crash. The occupants of Vehicle 3 did not sustain any injuries in the crash.
Alcohol/drugs are not a factor in this crash. Speed is not a factor in this crash. Next-of-kin HAVE BEEN notified.
The Traffic Homicide Unit deployed the Leica RTC360 scanner and laser mapped the scene of the incident.
If you witnessed this traffic crash or have information about this traffic crash, please contact the Cape Coral Police Department by calling 239-574-3223, submitting an anonymous tip at www.capecops.com/tips, or new.tipsubmit.com/en/create-report/anonymous , sending us a message through our social media platforms or calling Crime stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.
Several LeeTran bus routes will begin seasonal schedules.
Starting Sunday, Nov. 21, the seasonal schedules will begin, including the tram on Fort Myers Beach and the Fort Myers River District Trolleys.
The seasonal changes are:
Fort Myers Beach seasonal tram service will begin Sunday, Nov. 21. Beach Trolley service will begin more frequent arrivals and departures with expanded hours on Jan. 2.
Fort Myers River District Trolleys (Blue 500 and Gold 505 lines) will begin seasonal service on Sunday, Nov. 21.
The Blue Line runs through downtown Fort Myers. The route loops from the Oasis Condominiums to West First Street and McGregor Boulevard along First Street, then to Rosa Parks Transportation Center, Fowler Street and Second Street.
The Gold Line connects North Fort Myers to downtown Fort Myers. The route leaves from the Rosa Parks Transportation Center, travels over the Caloosahatchee Bridge, makes a left on Hancock Bridge Parkway, left on Moody Road, right on Skyline Drive, and right on Hancock Bridge Parkway. The route continues to Beau Drive, makes a left on North Key Drive, right on North Cleveland Avenue, then back across the bridge to First Street and returns to Rosa Parks Transportation Center.
Year-round changes are also planned to begin Nov. 21:
Route 600, Coconut Point to Creekside Transfer Center in Collier County, will transition to a year-round schedule that starts earlier in the day and ends later in the evening with increased frequency.
Beginning Nov. 21, two routes will be interlined on all trips – they are Routes 240, Bell Tower Shops to Coconut Point, and Route 600. Interlined routes allow riders to continue on to their destination without transferring buses. At the end of the Route 240, the bus will continue on to the Route 600 and vice versa. Riders on board will not have to pay an additional fare to continue on this interlined route. This route becomes the 600 without the need to transfer at Coconut Point. This is also the case when traveling northbound.
Route 40, from the Cape Transfer Center to Coralwood Shopping Center, will add 15 minutes to each arrival/departure throughout the day. Beginning and end times will not be affected.
Route 20, which serves east Fort Myers, will no longer enter the Eastgate Shopping Center on Palm Beach Boulevard but will continue to serve surrounding stops. There will be no changes to the route schedule.
Complete information about these changes can be found after the changes take place at RideLeeTran.com or by calling customer service team at 239-LEE-TRAN.
Due to a mechanical failure, the Chiquita lock is down.
The lock doors will be open and boaters may pass at their own risk. Boaters are advised to utilize the red light/green light function while transiting, to determine when it is your turn to go through.
There will be no operator after 10:00 p.m.
Please use caution while transiting the Chiquita Lock. Crews are working to determine the cause of the failure.
