Florida
Florida hospital sues to evict a patient who won’t leave room 5 months after discharge
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The patient in Room 373 refuses to leave.
Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare earlier this month sued the patient, saying she has refused to depart her hospital room since being discharged last October. The hospital also has asked a state judge in Tallahassee for an injunction ordering the patient to vacate the hospital room and authorizing the county sheriff’s office to assist if necessary.
The hospital said that resources have been diverted from helping other patients because of her occupation of the room.
“Defendant’s continued occupancy prevents use of the bed for patients needing acute care,” the hospital said in the lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, the woman was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and a formal discharge order was issued Oct. 6 after it was determined that she no longer needed acute care services. The hospital has repeatedly made efforts to coordinate her departure with family members and offered transportation to obtain necessary identification, the lawsuit said.
Rachel Givens, an attorney for the hospital, said Wednesday that the hospital had no comment. Hospital spokeswoman Macy Layton said Wednesday that the hospital couldn’t discuss active legal matters, in response to emailed questions, including about what type of identification the patient needed. The lawsuit doesn’t say what the patient was treated for, what her hospital bill was or how she was able to stay at the hospital for more than five months despite being discharged.
No attorney was listed for the patient, who is representing herself. Phones numbers listed in an online database for the patient were disconnected. No one answered the phone when a call was put through to her room at the hospital.
An online court hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for the end of the month.
Under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, hospitals that receive Medicare funds must provide treatment that stabilizes anyone coming to an emergency department with an emergency medical condition, even if the patient doesn’t have insurance or the ability to pay. Hospitals can be investigated by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for violations.
The patient can be discharged when the clinicians have determined that any further care can be provided as an outpatient, “provided the individual is given a plan for appropriate follow-up care as part of the discharge instructions,” the federal agency said in an operations manual.
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Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @mikeysid.bsky.social.
The corporate website lists the store as coming soon.
But that’s not quite right.
Ever so quietly, Swig opened its first Cape Coral location on Monday, May 4, at 1121 Solaris Drive.
Word has spread quickly, and a steady stream of cars has been pulling in and out ever since.
“We’re so excited to be in Cape Coral,” said Monique LeRoy, the franchise owner of this and the recently opened Fort Myers locations. “People have been asking us to come to Cape Coral for months now.”
You’ll find it in the new Shops at Del Sol, off Pine Island Road, just west of Del Prado Boulevard. It’s in the same development as the newly opened Chicken Salad Chick and the yet to come Cigar Bar and Burrito Shak.
Swig — an extremely popular drive-thru drink chain known for its trending “dirty soda” concept — doesn’t need any advertising or social media announcements for fans of the brand to know when a new shop is open.
“People see the big inflatable cup outside, and they know,” LeRoy said.
When she opened the Fort Myers Swig in the Publix-anchored University Crossing on the northeast corner of Summerlin Road and Cypress Lake Drive back in February, there was no advertising then either. She just turned on the open sign.
“We won’t officially advertise until our grand opening,” said LeRoy, who also has a franchise in Bradenton. “That should be the weekend of (May) 29th or 30th.”
It’s during the grand opening when free drinks (24-ounces only, no blenders) and cookies (chocolate chip only) will be given to everyone who drives through.
“In Fort Myers, we gave away more than 1,200 free drinks,” she said. “We were doing over 100 orders an hour.”
In the meantime, though, Swig in Cape Coral is in its soft opening phase, with the drive-thru now open seven days a week (the lobby is closed until after the grand opening) with a full menu offered. And that menu is a lot.
Just what is Swig’s dirty soda?
Swig’s dirty soda begins with a base soda, and then a customizable mix of flavored syrups, fresh fruits, purees, and creams are added to it.
Base options include Mountain Dew (regular, diet, zero), Sprite (regular and zero), Dr. Pepper (regular, diet, zero, blackberry), Coke (regular, diet and zero), Pepsi (regular and zero), ginger ale and Fresca.
Flavors and fruits run the gamut from blue raspberry and butterscotch to toasted marshmallow and watermelon.
Then come the purees (like mango, peach and raspberry) and creams (as in coconut, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla and whipped), chills (iced or blended) and sweetness (lite, extra or extra-extra).
You can choose from one of the signature sodas like the popular Texas Tab, with Dr. Pepper, vanilla and coconut cream or the Shark Attack with Sprite, lemonade, blue raspberry and a gummy shark.
“Mojito Mamma (lemonade, mojito mint, coconut puree, coconut cream and fresh lime available for a limited time) is one of my new favorites,” LeRoy said.
Or you can pick and choose your favorite flavors to create your own customized combination. The possibilities are endless.
Drinks come in four sizes — 16, 24, 32 and 44 ounces.
But wait. There’s more.
“We also have refreshers — our water-based beverages,” LeRoy said. We have tea (sweet and unsweet), revivers, which are Swig’s version of energy drinks, cookies and pretzels. If I need a reviver, I get Drama Queen (sugar-free reviver, lemonade, with sugar-free strawberry, peach and coconut).”
And our personal favorite — frozen hot chocolate!
Cookies — sugar swirl, mini chocolate chip, and birthday cake — are served cold.
“It’s based on cookie dough,” LeRoy said. “They’re served fresh, but cold.”
And when it comes to Swig, she knows just about all there is to know.
More Swigs coming to Southwest Florida
Swig originated in St. George, Utah, where LeRoy happens to be from.
“I grew up going to Swig,” she said. “In middle school, when life was sad, I remember going and getting some pick-me-up pretzels.”
When it opened in 2010 (happy Sweet 16!), its “dirty soda” became an extremely popular alternative to coffee and alcohol in the Mormon community. Since then, the company has expanded to nearly 150 locations in 16 states.
LeRoy, who went to Utah State University with the founder of Crumbl, has personally opened three locations in the last year and aims to open 15 total.
“We’re so excited,” she said. “We haven’t found our next location yet. We’re looking in Port Charlotte, Lakewood Ranch. We’re looking in Estero and Naples. I would like to get multiple locations in Naples ASAP.”
For now, though, she’s focused on Cape Coral.
“We trained all the staff at our Fort Myers location,” LeRoy said, adding that her locations are always hiring. “So we will be able to move everyone along quicker. We always have a line ambassador outside to help you.”
And with all those options, that’s a very good thing.
Swig, 1121 Solaris Drive, Cape Coral; open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday; swig.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram. Find the Fort Myers location at 13401 Summerlin Road at University Crossing
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyer.gannett.com
Please support local community journalism and stay informed about Southwest Florida news by subscribing to The News-Press and Naples Daily News; download the free News-Press or Naples Daily News app, and sign up for daily briefing email newsletter, food & dining and growth & development newsletters here and here.
The quick-firing Eta Aquarids will shoot across Florida skies in the early hours between May 5 and May 6.
Floridians who are willing to stay up to see the Eta Aquarid meteor shower may be able to see spectacular incandescent bits of debris from passing meteors, according to NASA.
Unlike last month’s Lyrid meteor shower, the Eta Aquarids will only have about 10 meteors per hour due to the moon’s brightness. Here’s what Florida Panhandle residents need to know to catch a peek at the meteor shower.
What makes the Eta Aquarids meteor shower special?
Eta Aquarid meteors hail from Halley’s comet, which was last seen by casual observers in our solar system in 1986, according to NASA.
The meteors are known for being quite fast, shooting across the sky at 40.7 miles per second. Their speed is responsible for the long trains of debris that follow in the wake of the meteors.
Stargazers can usually catch the Eta Aquarids meteor shower when they peak in early May.
When is the best time to see Eta Aquarids meteor shower in the Florida Panhandle?
The Eta Aquarids meteor shower will peak in the early morning hours between May 5 and May 6. The sky over the Florida Panhandle will be darkest around 12:45 a.m., but the moon’s luminosity and moderage cloud coverage will obscure views of the shower.
Where to look for Eta Aquarids meteor shower in the sky?
Look for Eta Aquarid meteors in the eastern sky, near the constellation Aquarius. The meteors originate from the area of the constellation that features one of its brightest stars, Eta Aquarii, according to NASA.
Here’s some more specific information regarding where to look in Pensacola, provided by TimeandDate.com.
Time (May 6)
Direction
Altitude
3 a.m.
95° east
7.6°
4 a.m.
103° east-southeast
20.3°
5 a.m.
113° east-southeast
32.6°
6 a.m.
125° southeast
43.9°
The direction is in reference to true north, and the altitude measures height in degrees over horizon.
How cloudy will it be?
View of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower will be further obscured by sky coverage, according to the National Weather Service. Sky coverage is forecast to be about 55% at 1 a.m. on May 5, and 48% by 4 a.m.
Tips to see Eta Aquarids meteor shower
Seeing the Eta Aquarids meteor shower will require a bit of luck in the Panhandle. Here are some tips to help you have the best chance of catching a meteor:
- Skies in the Florida Panhandle should be darkest around 12:45 a.m., making it the best time to see the Eta Aquarids.
- Find a spot with as little light pollution as possible, like the beach or rural areas.
- Bring something comfortable to sit or lie on, like a lawn chair, blanket or sleeping bag.
- Give your eyes about 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
When is the next meteor shower?
There will be a gap between meteor showers following the Eta Aquarids. The Southern delta Aquarids will peak on the night of July 30.
2026 meteor shower calendar
Popular showers, like the Perseids, Alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids, are just a few months away.
The following meteor showers are still ahead in 2026, according to the American Meteor Society:
- Southern delta Aquarids – July 12 to Aug. 23; peaks on the night of July 30
- Alpha Capricornids – July 3 to Aug. 15; peaks on the night of July 30
- Perseids – July 17 to Aug. 24; peaks on the night of Aug. 12
- Orionids – Oct. 2 to Nov. 7; peaks on the night of Oct. 21
- Southern Taurids – Sept. 20 to Nov. 20; peaks on the night of Nov. 4
- Northern Taurids – Oct. 20 to Dec. 10; peaks on the night of Nov. 11
- Leonids – Nov. 6 to Nov. 30; peaks on the night of Nov. 16
- Geminids – December 4, 2026 to Dec. 17; peaks on the night of Dec. 13
- Ursids – Dec. 17 to Dec. 26; peaks on the night of Dec. 21
- Quadrantids – Dec. 28, 2026 to Jan. 12, 2027; peaks on the night of Jan. 3, 2027
His goals include making Stuart’s economy one based on tourism.
MARTIN COUNTY — Sensing chaos in the city, former Stuart Mayor Merritt Matheson has filed to run again for a seat on the City Commission.
So far, he has one opponent: Johnny Cealmov.
Matheson served as mayor from December 2021 to August 2022, when former Mayor Christopher Collins defeated him by a slim margin of 95 votes or 2.6% in the election that year. He began his service as a city commissioner in 2018.
“I’m running to bring back integrity, respectful, responsible leadership and stability to the city of Stuart,” Matheson said. “I’d like to stop the chaos that we’ve seen in the city.”
Collins, in his first term on the commission, quit as mayor April 30 to run for Martin County Commission. Stuart Vice Mayor Sean Reed automatically becomes mayor.
The chaos includes going through four city managers in six months and departures of high-level staff, such as the finance director, as well as other finance department staff, Matheson said.
The chaos also includes, he said, the unnecessary lawsuits the city has faced and others it lost, such as one with Polk Street Hotels. It includes, too, the severance paid to former City Manager Michael Mortell, who was fired without cause.
The city remains out of compliance with Senate Bill 180, a state law prohibiting changes to land development regulations between August 1, 2024, and October 1, 2027, because it’s still implementing the changes it made after August 1, 2024.
The state, Matheson said, has reacted to the chaos by taking away Stuart’s ability to govern itself — by enacting laws like SB 180 — which made changes to Stuart’s land development regulations null and void.
What prompted Matheson to run?
Nothing in particular prompted him to run for City Commission this time, he said. The chaos certainly played a part.
Collins’ push to use Martin County Forever funds to buy a historic school building was another reason, Matheson said. Martin County Forever funds are meant for improvements to water quality and to conserve environmentally sensitive land.
Stuart is getting about $2 million a year for 10 years from the Martin County Forever initiative that voters passed in 2024.
“The best way to manage growth in Martin County is grow our conservation land,” Matheson said. He helped lead the work to get the Martin County Forever initiative passed and he sits on the Martin County Environmental Lands Oversight Committee, which helps direct the use of those funds.
What he would like to accomplish
Calling himself a “slow-growth proponent,” Matheson said he follows the law and understands property rights, too, he said.
“The job of a commissioner, more often than not, is choosing the best of two bad outcomes,” Matheson said.
He would like to improve the city’s infrastructure, such as sidewalks, bike lanes and landscaping. And he wants to find solutions to ease traffic. He’s a proponent of other ways of getting around, which might include a water taxi, for example.
And he would like Stuart to become a tourism-based economy, rather than a growth-based economy, he said.
Keith Burbank is a watchdog reporter for TCPalm, usually covering Martin County. He can be reached at keith.burbank@tcpalm.com.
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