The Weather Authority Hotter and more humid this Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a mild Friday morning with dry afternoon conditions and isolated storms appearing in the evening.
PUNTA GORDA ‘Party’s Over’: Dirt biking ends at Barefoot Lake The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has made it clear, the party at Barefoot Lake is over.
ESTERO Crews battle 2.5-acre brush fire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive San Carlos Park Fire District is on the scene fighting a 2.5-acre brushfire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive.
FORT MYERS Jake’s story: A mother’s mission to share her son’s story and help other young people One Fort Myers mom is turning her pain into purpose after her son, who she refers to as her “heavenly Angel,” took his own life.
CAPE CORAL New renderings for the Cape Coral Yacht Club promise a bright future The Cape Coral Yacht Club, which has been part of this community since the 1960s, will now have a new look after Hurricane Ian’s devastating effects.
LEHIGH ACRES Owner bars public from Barefoot Lake, LCSO installs Watch Tower Every weekend, roughly 200 people go to Barefoot Lake in Lehigh Acres to relax, fish, swim and have a good time.
CAPE CORAL Concern over water shortage in Cape Coral Concern is flowing through Cape Coral as neighbors are seeing their canal levels low and their wells run dry.
FORT MYERS FSW softball swinging for success in the postseason Now their focus shifts to states which means the newbies are looking to the experienced sophomores for advice.
BONITA SPRINGS Young SWFL tennis player competing with professionals You may not know her name now, but you might want remember it because 16-year-old Cookie Jarvis-Tredgett is already competing with professionals.
NORTH NAPLES ‘It’s all about connection,’ Statement Peace makes jewelry with sustainability in mind The brand Statement Peace, once started inside founder Jessica Lee’s home, is now in 2,700 stores across the country
Pine Manor 2 arrested for firing gun at birthday party in Pine Manor A party ended with two people behind bars.
FORT MYERS Shooting investigation on busy Fort Myers street Police are conducting a shooting investigation that involves a traffic crash near Michigan Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.
FGCU New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis ready to build on department’s success New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis talks about the department’s future amid the age of NIL and the transfer portal.
FORT MYERS More middle-aged women being treated for acne You probably thought you broke up with it after high school, but acne is rearing it’s ugly blackheads in adult women.
Lee County student ran up and hit teacher in head, report shows The report says a 13-year-old student ran up and smacked a teacher in the head because multiple classmates offered him money to do so.
The Weather Authority Hotter and more humid this Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a mild Friday morning with dry afternoon conditions and isolated storms appearing in the evening.
PUNTA GORDA ‘Party’s Over’: Dirt biking ends at Barefoot Lake The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has made it clear, the party at Barefoot Lake is over.
ESTERO Crews battle 2.5-acre brush fire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive San Carlos Park Fire District is on the scene fighting a 2.5-acre brushfire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive.
FORT MYERS Jake’s story: A mother’s mission to share her son’s story and help other young people One Fort Myers mom is turning her pain into purpose after her son, who she refers to as her “heavenly Angel,” took his own life.
CAPE CORAL New renderings for the Cape Coral Yacht Club promise a bright future The Cape Coral Yacht Club, which has been part of this community since the 1960s, will now have a new look after Hurricane Ian’s devastating effects.
LEHIGH ACRES Owner bars public from Barefoot Lake, LCSO installs Watch Tower Every weekend, roughly 200 people go to Barefoot Lake in Lehigh Acres to relax, fish, swim and have a good time.
CAPE CORAL Concern over water shortage in Cape Coral Concern is flowing through Cape Coral as neighbors are seeing their canal levels low and their wells run dry.
FORT MYERS FSW softball swinging for success in the postseason Now their focus shifts to states which means the newbies are looking to the experienced sophomores for advice.
BONITA SPRINGS Young SWFL tennis player competing with professionals You may not know her name now, but you might want remember it because 16-year-old Cookie Jarvis-Tredgett is already competing with professionals.
NORTH NAPLES ‘It’s all about connection,’ Statement Peace makes jewelry with sustainability in mind The brand Statement Peace, once started inside founder Jessica Lee’s home, is now in 2,700 stores across the country
Pine Manor 2 arrested for firing gun at birthday party in Pine Manor A party ended with two people behind bars.
FORT MYERS Shooting investigation on busy Fort Myers street Police are conducting a shooting investigation that involves a traffic crash near Michigan Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.
FGCU New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis ready to build on department’s success New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis talks about the department’s future amid the age of NIL and the transfer portal.
FORT MYERS More middle-aged women being treated for acne You probably thought you broke up with it after high school, but acne is rearing it’s ugly blackheads in adult women.
Lee County student ran up and hit teacher in head, report shows The report says a 13-year-old student ran up and smacked a teacher in the head because multiple classmates offered him money to do so.
FILE Photo of toxic algae from summer 2018. Credit: WINK News. Federal, state and local legislators are coming together in Southwest Florida to fight the water crisis, but you’re not invited. Congressman Francis Rooney is hosting a roundtable discussion at Florida Gulf Coast University on Tuesday. Among the attendees: scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and the NOAA’s National Central for Coast Ocean Science, the leaders of Florida DEP and Department of Economic Opportunity and a who’s who of local elected leaders. “We are bringing various federal, state and local agencies and entities together to share the best practices and discuss how to best deal with the adverse impacts of harmful algae blooms,” wrote Rooney in an emailed statement. The email further explained the event is not open to the public or the media because it is intended to help agencies meet face-to-face to form relationships. “To obtain the participants we have, the forum must be private and technically oriented,” wrote Rooney. The Congressman’s communications director Chris Berardi also wrote in a separate email that the office thoroughly researched the legality of the private discussion. “While the Sunshine law may also apply “to meetings of ‘two or more members’ of the same board or commission when discussing some matter, which foreseeably will come before the board or commission,” based on the list of attendees below, however, it does not appear that any two attendees serve on the same board or commission and therefore the law would not apply,” the email stated. There is a press conference following the roundtable. WINK News is considering legal action to try to have the roundtable opened to members of the public. WINK News reached out to the entire list of confirmed attendees to find out if any had objections with the public or media being present. Below is the response from each attendee: Federal Environmental Protection Agency Acting Regional Administrator for Region 4 Mary Walker “We appreciate being invited to the meeting, because the adverse impacts of harmful algae blooms are a relevant and important subject in communities in Florida.” Senior Scientist and Environmental Epidemiologist at the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Dr. Lorraine Backer No Response Program Manager of the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) Program and the Prevention, Control, and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms (PCM HAB) Program within NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Dr. Quay Dortch “Dr. Quay Dortch was invited by Representative Rooney’s office to participate in the harmful algae bloom (HAB) roundtable to represent her decades of scientific expertise on the topic. NOAA has no comment on the format of the meeting,” Brady Phillips, NOAA press office. State Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein “The event is hosted by Congressman Rooney’s office – please direct questions regarding the logistics to them,” Mara Gambineri, Director of Communications. Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Director Ken Lawson “This event is hosted by Congressman Rooney’s office. Please contact them for information about the event,” Tiffany Vause, spokesperson, Department of Economic Opportunity. Local Stakeholders FGCU: • Dr. Mike Martin – President “Dr. Martin plans to stop in to say hello to Congressman Rooney but he has another commitment and thus won’t be staying for the meeting. The president notes we are providing meeting space in response to a request from Congressman Rooney, and the particulars of the meeting are his to determine” – Susan Evans, Vice President and Chief of Staff, FGCU. • Dr. Parsons – Professor of Marine Science at Florida Gulf Coast University and Director of the Coastal Watershed Institute and Vester Field Station Did not respond Lee Health: • Dr. Larry Antonucci – CEO • Dr. Ashraf Khan – System Director of Epidemiology/Infection Control • Dr. MaryBeth Saunders – System Medical Director of Epidemiology and Infection Control “We have no objections to the public,” Johnathan Little, Lee Health communications. Collier County Government: • Commissioner Penny Taylor “Commissioner Taylor has stated that this is not her meeting and she cannot answer the questions as to why the public and the press are not invited to the roundtable. She therefore has no comment,” Sherry Greco, executive coordinator for Commissioner Taylor. • Dr. George Yilmaz, Department Head, Public Utilities Did not respond City of Cape Coral: • Mayor Joe Coviello • John Szerlag – City Manager “The Mayor and City Manager will be attending this event as guests of Congressman Rooney’s. The round table was organized by Congressman Rooney and his staff,” Maureen Buice, City of Cape Coral spokesperson. Lee County Government: Have not confirmed which representative will attend Did not respond City of Sanibel: • Mayor Kevin Ruane • James Evans – Director of Natural Resources Did not respond Town of Fort Myers Beach: • Mayor Anita Cereceda “This is not my meeting to organize or make decisions about and so I am leaving this entirely up to Mr. Rooney. Just as a FYI for you, there will not be multiple members of our board attending so as to avoid any appearance of Sunshine violation.” • Roger Hernstadt – City Manager Did not respond City of Fort Myers: • Mayor Randy Henderson • Saeed Kazemi – City Manager Did not respond City of Bonita Springs: • Mayor Peter Simmons • Matt Feeney – Assistant City Manager Did not respond Village of Estero: • Mayor Bill Ribble • Steven Sarkozy – Village Manager Did not respond City of Naples: • Council Member Reg Buxton Did not respond