Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations by SWFL priestGone but not forgotten: Traveling Vietnam Memorial pays tribute to veterans
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations by SWFL priest The Bishop of the Diocese of Venice is speaking out after Charlotte County Reverend Leo Riley was arrested on five counts of sexual battery stemming from his past work as a priest in Iowa.
NEW YORK (AP) Biden officials indefinitely postpone ban on menthol cigarettes amid election-year pushback President Joe Biden’s administration is indefinitely delaying a long-awaited menthol cigarette ban, a decision that infuriated anti-smoking advocates but could avoid a political backlash from Black voters in November.
FORT MYERS Gone but not forgotten: Traveling Vietnam Memorial pays tribute to veterans A powerful symbol of honor and remembrance is standing proudly here in Southwest Florida. The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall is open to the public, a reminder of those we lost who served our country.
LEE COUNTY Two arrested for street racing in Lee County Two people have been arrested for street racing in Lee County according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
CAPE CORAL Boaters with rifles seen in Cape Coral canal On an average day, it’s pretty common to see people fishing or swimming in a canal. One neighbor in Cape Coral saw something unusual in his backyard Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Car flips, one sent to hospital after two car crash in Fort Myers A crash involving at least two vehicles sent one person to the hospital.
The Weather Authority: Clouds, sunshine, wind, and the possibility of a brief shower for your Sunday Clouds and occasional sunshine this Sunday. A few brief showers are possible late in the afternoon and this evening.
TALLAHASSEE (CBS) Governor DeSantis signs AI and vape bills Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed 28 bills, including a measure requiring disclaimers on certain political ads created using artificial intelligence and a bill about regulation of vape products.
ESTERO Gold Star Golf Tournament honors fallen veteran Behind each putt and swing of a golf club at the Gold Star Golf Tournament is someone who knew John Wirka Junior.
NEW YORK (AP) How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that’s probably because it has, at least if you’re measuring via internet time. What’s now in question is whether it will be around much longer and, if so, in what form?
FORT MYERS Man wanted for armed robbery at Fort Myers convenience store Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help identifying an armed robber who held up a convenience store Saturday morning.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Rifles, inappropriate texts and Donut shop debacle This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a scary mall trip, an inappropriate coach, and a Dunkin Donuts assault.
The Weather Authority: Sunny Saturday with a nice breeze; fire danger increases Warm temperatures for your Saturday with a nice breeze into the afternoon.
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas was surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations by SWFL priest The Bishop of the Diocese of Venice is speaking out after Charlotte County Reverend Leo Riley was arrested on five counts of sexual battery stemming from his past work as a priest in Iowa.
NEW YORK (AP) Biden officials indefinitely postpone ban on menthol cigarettes amid election-year pushback President Joe Biden’s administration is indefinitely delaying a long-awaited menthol cigarette ban, a decision that infuriated anti-smoking advocates but could avoid a political backlash from Black voters in November.
FORT MYERS Gone but not forgotten: Traveling Vietnam Memorial pays tribute to veterans A powerful symbol of honor and remembrance is standing proudly here in Southwest Florida. The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall is open to the public, a reminder of those we lost who served our country.
LEE COUNTY Two arrested for street racing in Lee County Two people have been arrested for street racing in Lee County according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
CAPE CORAL Boaters with rifles seen in Cape Coral canal On an average day, it’s pretty common to see people fishing or swimming in a canal. One neighbor in Cape Coral saw something unusual in his backyard Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Car flips, one sent to hospital after two car crash in Fort Myers A crash involving at least two vehicles sent one person to the hospital.
The Weather Authority: Clouds, sunshine, wind, and the possibility of a brief shower for your Sunday Clouds and occasional sunshine this Sunday. A few brief showers are possible late in the afternoon and this evening.
TALLAHASSEE (CBS) Governor DeSantis signs AI and vape bills Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed 28 bills, including a measure requiring disclaimers on certain political ads created using artificial intelligence and a bill about regulation of vape products.
ESTERO Gold Star Golf Tournament honors fallen veteran Behind each putt and swing of a golf club at the Gold Star Golf Tournament is someone who knew John Wirka Junior.
NEW YORK (AP) How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that’s probably because it has, at least if you’re measuring via internet time. What’s now in question is whether it will be around much longer and, if so, in what form?
FORT MYERS Man wanted for armed robbery at Fort Myers convenience store Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help identifying an armed robber who held up a convenience store Saturday morning.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Rifles, inappropriate texts and Donut shop debacle This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a scary mall trip, an inappropriate coach, and a Dunkin Donuts assault.
The Weather Authority: Sunny Saturday with a nice breeze; fire danger increases Warm temperatures for your Saturday with a nice breeze into the afternoon.
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas was surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
FORT MYERS, Fla. Airline industry officials are worried that passengers are getting their pets a free ride by claiming them as emotional support animals. One major U.S. carrier reported carrying more than 24,000 emotional support animals in its cabins in one year. That number is nearly double the amount of people who brought trained service animals on that same carrier in the same year. Airlines allow passengers to bring emotional support animals in the aircraft cabin as long as they present a letter signed by a medical professional attesting to their need for the animal. The letters must be signed by a licensed mental health professional stating that the passenger is under their care and that they have a diagnosable emotional disorder. Airlines normally charge fees, and have size restrictions, to bring animals into the cabin. Such fees are waived for those with emotional disabilities, according to the Air Carrier Access Act, as interpreted by the Department of Transportation. The measure allows emotional support animals to have the same access as trained service animals. For a gate attendant, deciphering which is which isn’t always easy. “You can imagine somebody coming to the gate, the plane is leaving soon and they have to decide relatively quickly, very quickly as to whether this is a pet or an emotional support animal,” said Doug Lavin, vice-president for North America for the International Air Transport Association. The process A WINK News investigation found that those letters can be obtained by filling out online questionnaires without seeing or speaking to a mental health professional. Lauren Sweeney and Katie Cribbs, a reporter and producer on WINK News’ investigative team, completed the questionnaires. Within two hours, both were sent letters from licensed mental health professionals. The cost ranged from $90 to $160. “It’s not really adequate to simply take in some survey information and issue somebody a letter that’s a real diagnosis or some disability other than the fact that we all like dogs,” said William Allen, a professor of medical ethics at the University of Florida College of Medicine. The letter Sweeney received was good enough to satisfy a ticket agent at Southwest Florida International Airport. She didn’t board due to her dog’s excitable nature. Pigs, horses and ducks Industry officials are aware of the practice, said Lavin, who added that pigs and miniature horses are extremely popular. A diaper-donning duck named Daniel made headlines in October 2016 when a passenger tweeted a photo of him. The duck’s owner said he helps with her post traumatic stress disorder. Daniel, the duck on my flight, likes to look at the clouds. pic.twitter.com/YiOjCvZ0NO — Mark Essig (@mark_essig) October 16, 2016 Industry officials asked to restrict emotional support animals to only dogs and to remove the medical letter requirement. “Because there is such fraud we actually agreed to eliminate the requirement for certification by a medical professional, but instead we said that the passengers would have to do a mandatory attestation that number one they suffered from AN emotional disability and number two they are under the care of a licensed professional and the licensed professional had seen them and they needed an ESA,” Lavin said. Appropriate method? The therapist who signed the letter for Cribbs did not respond to requests for comment. Instead, a representative from CertaPet responded, claiming that significant analysis went into the determination of the diagnosis and that their screening process is created to weed out fraudulent answers. The psychologist who signed the letter for Sweeney claimed her analysis conformed to the standard of care for “tele-medicine.” The Florida Department of Health, however, said “tele-medicine” typically involves meeting via telephone or some type of video conferencing, and that online surveys are only part of the treatment. The department encouraged anyone concerned about a professional’s standard of care to file a complaint.