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Hello Lehigh Acres! Hope your coffee’s especially good this morning.

In today’s bring-the-kiddos edition: Gold at record highs, baby rave, and free wine tasting + excuses to get the fam out and about this week.

Heads up for pet parents: An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.*

📰 In the news

Top accolade for rescue teams: Lee County EMS earned Florida PEDReady Gold Tier recognition for pediatric emergency care, training, and disaster readiness on March 9, a boost for families in Lehigh Acres and Lee County — see how they earned it.

Barbecue, heritage, and speakers: Southwest Florida Historical Society’s Cracker Dinner Fundraiser will be March 21 at Marion Hall, Fort Myers, with a program on South Florida’s 500 years of cattle history. Limited seating — see speakers and ticket info.

Guidance for women’s financial futures: Florida Trust’s WOW hosts Investing and Estate Planning for Women today at its offices in Sanibel or Fort Myers. SanCap Chamber’s luncheon happened March 18. Session is free with registration — see dates, locations, and speakers.

Gold just hit record highs. What about your savings? While traditional IRAs have been treading water against inflation, gold has gained over 50% in three years. That gap is why more retirees are rolling a portion of their savings into gold IRAs (the kind that hold physical metal). We compared the top five options and broke down who they’re best for. Check it out here →

Paying hundreds of dollars a month for car insurance? Switching providers could save you up to $600 a year, and shopping around is way faster than it used to be – free comparison tools like this one make it easy.*

Highlights this week:

• Explore LeeTran services plus BINGO fun
• Hunt eggs and meet farm animals
• Enjoy free wine tasting and shopping
• Unlock clinical-level wellness data from home*

💎 Local business spotlight

Go hear it live: If your week needs a jolt of onstage magic, Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW keeps the calendar packed—from touring Broadway to symphony concerts and can’t-sit-still tributes—so you can swap doomscrolling for seats, sound, and a proper “wow” moment.

Cozy tea escape: Wisteria Tea Room & Cafe turns a restored downtown bungalow into a proper pause button, with afternoon tea available, a scone of the day with Chantilly cream, and rotating little savory bites. Book a table, linger over a pot, and let inbox stress evaporate.

A quick art escape: Arts of the Inland Gallery keeps things fresh with rotating exhibits from Southwest Florida creatives and a little gift shop detour that’s dangerously browseable. Pop in this week to find something you’ll want to stare at longer than your streaming queue.

These aren’t ads or sponsored placements, just some cool nearby spots we think are worth a visit.

🫶 We got your back

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, *their curated kits are worth a look →

Own a piece of Apple for less than a coffee: Every time you buy something from Amazon or Starbucks, you’re putting money in their pocket. Fractional shares flip that: you can own a slice of those companies for as little as a dollar. Most investing apps make it incredibly easy, with zero commissions and no account minimums. See which ones we recommend →

Mom says she’s fine. You’re not so sure: “What if something happens when you’re home alone?” You’ve asked a hundred times, but the outcome’s always the same. I don’t need that. Life Alert’s for old people. The real struggle isn’t finding a medical alert system that’ll work… it’s finding one she won’t fight you on. We looked into five options designed to settle the standoff, from smartwatches to systems with nothing to wear at all. See which ones stood out →

Thinning hair? Your shampoo was never going to fix it: I’ve spent an embarrassing amount of money on hair-loss products, biotin, masks, sprays, you name it. Not one of them lasted. Turns out, most things target the strand, not the follicle (where thinning actually happens). Dermatologists have been prescribing treatments that work for years, but there are now plenty of options available with no office visits required. See our top picks for men and women →

Strangers can buy your personal data for $0.50: Data brokers sell your name, home address, phone number, estimated income, and other personal info to anyone willing to pay. Scammers and identity thieves use these databases to take advantage of you. There are dozens of affordable services that can help you protect yourself. These three are our favorites →

📆 Fun for the whole fam

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🎧 Baby Rave @ East County Regional Library | Wednesday (3/18) at 10:30 AM – Finally, a rave where glow sticks are teething-safe and the DJ breaks for snack time. Bring your babies, toddlers, and caregivers for upbeat music, colorful lights, and room to wiggle, shake, and bounce. Think playgroup meets dance floor, with fewer hangovers.

💸 Kids Read Down Fines @ East County Regional Library | Wednesday (3/18) at 3:00 PM – Got a kid or teen dodging the library over fines? March them in for Kids Read Down Fines, where reading trims $2 every 15 minutes, up to $8 a session. Free literacy, reduced debt, and a stretch of glorious, librarian-approved quiet for you.

🛍 Vintage + Handmade Spring Market @ M&M Farms Wedding Venue (Fort Myers) | Saturday (3/21) at 9:00 AM – Saturday on the farm means vintage finds, handmade goods, and enough photo ops to make your camera roll feel productive. Swing by M&M Farms in Buckingham, five minutes off 75, for local makers, farm animals, two food trucks, and free admission, with parking five bucks.

🍎 Lehigh Acres Farmer’s Market @ Victory Church | Saturday (3/21) at 9:00 AM – Skip the big-box shuffle and wander the Lehigh Acres Farmer’s Market for flavor and faces you recognize. Produce, fresh bread, honey, plants, coffee, and crafty odds and ends, all from folks who might fix your roof. Bring cash, bring your tote, and your gossip.

🐰 Easter on the Farm 3/28 @ M&M Farms Wedding Venue (Fort Myers) | Saturday (3/28) at 10:00 AM – Nothing says spring like feeding animals, hay rides, and an egg hunt while you coo at baby chicks and build a bouquet. You get flowers, they get tired. Tickets are per egg hunter, limited, rain or shine, so bring a basket.

⚡ Kids Zap-Free Zone @ East County Regional Library | Saturday (3/28) at 11:00 AM – Got a kiddo who thinks outlets are curiosity portals? LCEC’s Zap-Free Zone gives K-5ers front-row views of electrical arcs, hands-on demos, and the kind of safety tips that save your breakers, your nerves, and the toaster. Science thrills, no singed eyebrows.

🥚 Eastside Baptist Annual Egg Hunt @ Eastside Baptist Church (Labelle) | Saturday (3/28) at 11:00 AM – Nothing beats a hometown egg hunt where the kids sprint, the grandparents supervise, and somebody swears the golden egg was hiding in plain sight. Eastside Baptist keeps it classic with all-ages hunts, a short Easter message, sweet treats, and real neighborly fellowship.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Lehigh Acres report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 69°F – Low: 52°F – Precip: 7%

Partly sunny, with a high near 69. North northeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Later: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. North northeast wind around 9 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 77°F – Low: 52°F – Precip: 3%

Sunny, with a high near 77. North northeast wind 8 to 12 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 52. North northeast wind 6 to 10 mph.

This house is wild

Minutes from Lee Blvd, this move-in ready Florida gem pairs modern luxury finishes with spacious living areas and a private pool. Pavers wrap the entire exterior for crisp curb appeal. A garage with finished slab, door, and window opens to the backyard. Built-in closets maximize storage, and a smart washer and dryer stay. $10,000 closing-cost concession adds value.

Take a peek inside →