Ft Myers Beach - Good Neighbor

The storm may only last a few hours, but the hurricane insurance claim can drag on for months. We sit down with John A. Jacobsen from Final Analysis to get a clear, practical look at what Florida homeowners should do after storm damage, especially when the first insurance check is not enough or a claim gets denied outright. John explains what a public adjuster is, how the role differs from the ins...

They once stood like a promise at the edge of the island: drive through the Fort Myers Beach Arches and you knew you’d made it. I’m joined by Gina Sabiston from Restore Fort Myers Beach Arches to tell the full story behind one of Lee County’s most iconic landmarks and why a piece of it is on the path to returning at Bowditch Point. We walk through the Arches’ origins in the mid-1920s, how hurrican...

Spicy tequila, a bright Tequila Sunrise, and a beef taco built right in front of us, this is the kind of Fort Myers Beach food stop that turns a random Tuesday into a plan. We’re hanging at Lani Kai & Yo! Taco for Tequila And Taco Tuesday, keeping it simple: find the flavor, meet the makers, and point you to the taco spots actually worth your time when you’re craving something bold and beachy....

Thousands of vacant lots. A seven mile island still finding its footing after Hurricane Ian. One builder who decides the best way to join a community is to build something real and do it the right way. We’re talking with Bob Lund of Letson Lund LLC, a Fort Myers Beach newcomer with decades of nationwide construction experience, about how a consulting “backup plan” turns into a focused mission: tra...

Six weeks after Hurricane Ian put 14 to 16 feet of water inside their building, Wahoo Willies was back open and somehow felt like a familiar home base on Fort Myers Beach. Sitting down with Billy at the open-air tiki bar, we get the real story of what it takes to reopen when the island is still cleaning up, inspections are still happening, and basic things like electricity, Wi‑Fi, and a full kitch...

She left Frankfurt for a tiny motel steps from the Gulf, then helped bring it back to life after Hurricane Ian. We’re hanging out at the Flamingo Inn on Fort Myers Beach with Nicole, the on-site manager who knows exactly why people crave a smaller, quieter stay and why “Old Florida charm” is not just a slogan when you only have 12 rooms and the beach is about 100 feet away. We talk about what make...

A sandbar party is fun. A sandbar party that actually strengthens a community is something else entirely. We’re joined by Kassidy from Nauti Nation, the group that calls itself “America’s least exclusive yacht club,” to talk about why their boat-life culture is exploding and why Fort Myers Beach is the perfect place to bring it to life. If you’re craving a weekend that feels laid-back, welcoming,...

A tiki boat with bar stools, a big speaker, and the Back Bay sliding by in slow motion changes your whole definition of “Fort Myers Beach day.” Cabo Jim sits down with Bri and Taylor, the owners of Nautical Tiki Cruises, to talk about the leap from corporate life to running one of the most memorable on-the-water experiences behind Snug Harbor. We get into their origin story, from early roots in th...

Labor Day weekend at Fort Myers Beach is about to get louder, brighter, and a whole lot more fun. We’re gearing up for Bash on the Bay at Matanzas on the Bay, a waterfront festival where you can roll in by car or pull up by boat and settle in for a full day of live music, cold drinks, food, vendors, and on-the-water activities. If you’ve been searching for things to do around Fort Myers Beach that...

Botox and fillers aren’t the only path to looking refreshed, and they may not be the path you actually want. We sit down with Dr. Greet Baestaens from REnew Yu Natural Health and Beauty to unpack the “natural revolution” a growing shift toward natural rejuvenation that prioritizes how your body heals, communicates, and calms itself, not just how your face looks under bright lights. If you’ve ever...

A skin spot that “doesn’t hurt” is exactly the kind of problem people put off, and that delay is what we’re trying to interrupt. We sit down with Barry Frank, founder of Skin Triage, to unpack a platform built around early awareness and faster access to professional guidance when something on your skin feels off. Skin Triage is still in its onboarding stage and is currently inviting qualified, lic...

A long weekend on the water can either slip by fast or turn into a story you tell all year. We’re betting on the second one, and we’re laying out the plan for Bash on the Bay at Matanzas on the Bay near Fort Myers Beach, happening Labor Day weekend (Saturday through Monday, the 5th-7th). Think waterfront dining, cold drinks, big views, vendors, contests, and the kind of bayfront energy that makes...

Most people do not think about osteoporosis until a simple fall turns into a fracture that “shouldn’t happen.” We want to change that timeline. Bone density peaks around age 30, and from there the choices you make with movement, nutrition, sleep, and hormones can quietly shape your strength and independence for decades. We sit down with Dr. Greet Baestaens from Renew Yu, Natural Health and Beauty...

You can live in a town full of nice neighborhoods and still have hundreds of kids without a stable place to sleep. That’s the uncomfortable truth we sit with alongside Julie Lombardi, executive director of Cape Coral for the Children, as she explains why student homelessness is so often invisible and why the numbers in Cape Coral have climbed past 400 children. We trace the origin story that spark...

Empty streets, easier parking, and a table on the dock without a wait: that’s the Fort Myers Beach off-season most visitors never experience. We’re back at Snug Harbor with Jason to talk about what really changes when the crowds thin out and why locals can turn “slow season” into the best season for dockside dining, sunset chasing, and genuinely relaxed nights on the bay. We get specific about the...

A single bed can be the difference between chaos and stability for a child, and that is not a metaphor. We’re joined by Brent Hite, the founder of Connecting Blessings, to explain what he and his wife Kelsey are building in Southwest Florida: a practical, people-powered nonprofit that spots real needs and fills them fast. We talk through how CarePortal works in real life, including how social work...

A mobile clinic can feel like a small idea until you meet the people it’s built for. Gail Langner sits down with Dr. Nadine "Deanie" Singh, founder and CEO of Premier Mobile Health Services, to unpack the moment that made her stop accepting “that’s just how it is” in healthcare. After treating a 24-year-old in hypertensive urgency with kidney failure, Dr. Singh realized the real emergenc...

A no-kill shelter can’t run on good intentions alone, and Caloosa  Humane Society in LaBelle, Florida proves what it looks like when a community decides animals are worth the work. We sit down with Executive Director Erin Hitsman to hear how her career in zoos, wildlife conservation, fundraising, and rescue led her to a shelter that cares for 70 to 80 animals at a time, from big dogs needing room...

Fort Myers Beach is packed with beach energy, but the best stories often live just behind it on the back bay. We’re Cabo Jim and Sean, and we’re kicking off Buzz on the Bay with a simple promise: we’ll bring you the people, places, and waterfront experiences that make life on the water feel electric, easy, and unforgettable. We start with what’s happening right now at Matanzas on the Bay and the M...

Most people don’t need another motivational quote to start a business. They need a roadmap, someone who has been there before, and a reality check that doesn’t crush the dream. We sit down with Bill Robertson, Chapter Chair of SCORE Southwest Florida, to talk about what entrepreneurs actually struggle with when they launch, grow, or even restart a small business and how SCORE’s free mentoring help...

Cape Coral has more burrowing owls than anywhere else in Florida, and the empty lots they depend on are disappearing fast. We sit down with Janet Windisch from Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife to hear how a retired chemist turned a love of birding into hands-on wildlife conservation after Hurricane Ian, and why this all-volunteer organization has become a quiet force for habitat preservation in Sout...

Drowning is one of those risks people underestimate until it hits close to home, and in Florida, water is everywhere. I’m Gail Langner with State Insurance Cares, and I sat down with Terri Ballo, president of the Florida Drowning Prevention Foundation, to talk about what actually prevents child drowning and why “it only takes a second” is not just a saying. Terry shares the heartbreaking moment th...

A rent notice, a medical bill, a week without wages, or even higher grocery prices can knock a working family off balance fast, especially in Southwest Florida. We’re joined by Caily Martin, Executive Director of Bonita Assistance Office in Bonita Springs, to talk honestly about what crisis support looks like when you treat people like neighbors, not numbers. Gail Langner asks the questions many o...

A lot of people say they want to “give back,” but the real question is how. We sit down with Gary Israel, president of the Rotary Club of Estero, to get specific about what community service looks like when it’s organized, consistent, and welcoming. Rotary is one of the oldest service organizations in the United States, and Gary explains how local clubs take on real problems close to home while st...

Diapers sound small until you learn the truth: families can’t buy them with SNAP or WIC, daycares often require them, and running out can spiral into stress, missed work, and avoidable doctor visits. We sit down with Amanda Brunson, Associate Executive Director of Healthy Start Southwest Florida, to explain how one nonprofit is closing that gap and strengthening maternal and infant health across L...