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4 days ago | 
gulfcoastnewsnow.com | Britt Leoni
Inside his Cape Coral home, Luke Umphries is doing something he never thought he could: teaching himself how to be a songwriter. "I've always admired songwriters. I've always been enamored by the songwriting process, I just didn't know how to do it," said Luke. Luke taught himself note by note and lyric by lyric. "I just kind of sang it in my head, trying over and over on how I want it to sound," said Luke.
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1 week ago | 
gulfcoastnewsnow.com | Britt Leoni
At EJ's Cafe in Naples, 15 friends gather to catch up over some morning scramble and cups of tea. Waitress Iris Lomas is used to serving large groups like this. "We have really kind, giving locals who do take care of us during off-season, which is nice," said Lomas. Even so, transitioning to work in the off-season is tough. "Our shifts do go down," said Lomas. "Rent is crazy, you know? I'm in the process of moving from Estero to Naples.
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1 week ago | 
gulfcoastnewsnow.com | Britt Leoni
In one Florida Gulf Coast University classroom, math and science take a backseat to a lesson that is far more fundamental. "I'm a crazy kindness creature," said class guest speaker Francesca Donlan, who teaches "The Kindness Effect."Donlan launched the first-ever kindness class at FGCU in 2020. Since then, she has returned as a guest teacher, still spreading the vital message of compassion. "I believe in the power of kindness and I believe that it is a solution to a cultural problem," said Donlan.
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2 weeks ago | 
gulfcoastnewsnow.com | Britt Leoni
Former Olympic diver Lesley Bush was drawn to the water from a young age. "I lived in a little town in New Jersey. Everybody went to one lake or another to learn how to swim. Or, a fishing pole wasn't so bad," Lesley said. But Lesley had her eyes on deeper waters.
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2 weeks ago | 
gulfcoastnewsnow.com | Britt Leoni
>> A TEACHER IN BABCOCK RANCH FOUND A WAY TO GET HER STUDENTS INVOLVED IN ONE OF HER BIGGEST MOMENTS, GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER BRITT LEONI SHOWS US HOW AND TONIGHT'S STORY TO SHARE. >> IN THIS BABCOCK NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL CLASSROOM THINGS. SO THAT'S ANOTHER G THESE KINDERGARTNERS ARE LEARNING THE BASICS. >> OF LOVE. LOVE IS MY FAMILY. THAT'S A GREAT ONE. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT? WOULD STARTED HIS TEACHER. JULIA MERTZ IS VALENTINE'S DAY CLASS FOR THE KIDS. I FIRST ENTERED IN CLASS. SO IT'S LIKE.
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2 weeks ago | 
gulfcoastnewsnow.com | Britt Leoni
Miranda Cabieses was swinging racquets before she could spell the word "pickleball." "I started playing tennis when I was like 3 years old," Cabieses said. The Peruvian player is now competing in her fifth professional tournament, the U.S. Pickleball Open in Naples. It's a moment that, at one point, she thought would never be possible. "I got in an accident when I was 9 years old, so I dislocated my hip and I couldn't play sports at all," Cabieses said.
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3 weeks ago | 
gulfcoastnewsnow.com | Britt Leoni
In the heart of every classroom, there's a teacher whose passion leaves a mark far beyond the final bell.For teachers, like Fort Myers High School English teacher Ryan Arciero, there's no accolade more golden than the Golden Apple Award."I love what I do," Arciero said. "It was such an overwhelming, wonderful experience."While the apple often takes the limelight, there's a quiet emblem of dedication created alongside it that makes a loud statement — the Golden Apple Award pin.
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3 weeks ago | 
abc-7.com | Britt Leoni
IN A WORLD FULL OF TECHNOLOGY. SOMETIMES THE OLD-FASHIONED WAYS OUR BEST GULF COAST IS REPORTER BRITT LEONI SHOWS US HOW IN TONIGHT'S STORY TO SHARE. >> MARCY. I KNOW THAT RATING LETTERS IS REALLY A LOST ART. >> AND AT 87, I'M SURE YOU'VE RECEIVED YOUR SHARE. JEREMIAH, SEE, I HEARD MERCY CAMERA. SEE, I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU BUT THIS MONTH. YOU CAN EXPECT A FEW SPECIAL DELIVERIES ARE WEATHER SITUATIONS ARE PRETTY OPPOSITE ME BEING IN MINNESOTA AND YOU IN FLORIDA. >> SHE'S NOT IN FLORIDA. I AM.
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3 weeks ago | 
gulfcoastnewsnow.com | Britt Leoni
IN A WORLD FULL OF TECHNOLOGY. SOMETIMES THE OLD-FASHIONED WAYS OUR BEST GULF COAST IS REPORTER BRITT LEONI SHOWS US HOW IN TONIGHT'S STORY TO SHARE. >> MARCY. I KNOW THAT RATING LETTERS IS REALLY A LOST ART. >> AND AT 87, I'M SURE YOU'VE RECEIVED YOUR SHARE. JEREMIAH, SEE, I HEARD MERCY CAMERA. SEE, I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU BUT THIS MONTH. YOU CAN EXPECT A FEW SPECIAL DELIVERIES ARE WEATHER SITUATIONS ARE PRETTY OPPOSITE ME BEING IN MINNESOTA AND YOU IN FLORIDA. >> SHE'S NOT IN FLORIDA. I AM.
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3 weeks ago | 
gulfcoastnewsnow.com | Britt Leoni
For many young girls in high school, there is nothing quite as special as going to the prom in the perfect dress. "I tried on this black one, but the slit was too high," said high school junior Ariana Wilson. "Then I saw that one and I decided that's my dress."Before shopping at Laura's Good Vibe Tribe, Ariana felt that finding a prom dress came at too high a cost. "Even homecoming dresses are $80 these days," said Ariana.
