Students react to threat made at Florida Gulf Coast UniversityMissing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres
Students react to threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Ian.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
LABELLE City of LaBelle under precautionary boil water notice A water main break has the City of Labelle under a precautionary boil water notice.
ESTERO FGCU student wins ice dancing national championship FGCU sophomore Lucas Appel wins his second US Senior Solo Dance National Championship in three years.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office: Parent brings weapon to Lehigh Acres school According to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office report, there is probable cause to believe a woman unintentionally brought a firearm to school.
Students react to threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Ian.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
LABELLE City of LaBelle under precautionary boil water notice A water main break has the City of Labelle under a precautionary boil water notice.
ESTERO FGCU student wins ice dancing national championship FGCU sophomore Lucas Appel wins his second US Senior Solo Dance National Championship in three years.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office: Parent brings weapon to Lehigh Acres school According to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office report, there is probable cause to believe a woman unintentionally brought a firearm to school.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Had Mark DeFriest just waited a couple of months to collect his inheritance, he never would have gone to prison. Had he just behaved while he was there, he would have been released more than 30 years ago. But the man dubbed Florida’s “prison Houdini” kept escaping instead of simply serving out a sentence for stealing the very mechanic tools his father left him in a will. His original four-year-sentence almost turned into a life sentence – until this week. Giving DeFriest, 54, a chance to be free after 35 years in prison, Florida’s parole commission voted Wednesday to move up his release date to March 2015 from 2085, when DeFriest would have been 124 years old. A documentary filmmaker calls it a case of a man who got trapped in a prison system that can’t handle people with mental health issues and said he hopes DeFriest’s example will inspire change. His lawyer calls the case a family matter that got out of hand. “I don’t think there was a crime committed,” said DeFriest’s attorney, John Middleton. After DeFriest’s father died, the 19-year-old didn’t wait for the will to be read before collecting the mechanic tools, using a key to get them from his father’s shed, Middleton said. His stepmother reported him to the police, and when they questioned him, he ran. It didn’t help that he had a gun, though he never pulled it. Things snowballed from there and during his first escape he climbed over razor wire and ran. In all, he had seven successful escapes in 13 attempts. He was also charged with stealing a car at gunpoint and breaking into a friend’s home after one escape. Each offense added more time to his sentence, and behavior problems gave the parole commission no reason to move up his release date. He has nearly 400 disciplinary reports on file, including 65 from 1983 alone. Middleton said that in one incident, DeFriest duplicated the master key at Florida State Prison, the toughest in the state’s system, and let out fellow inmates to roam around. Filmmaker Gabriel London, who has made a documentary called “The Life and Mind of Mark DeFriest,” argues that DeFriest’s troubles stem from his mental health issues. London and Middleton believe DeFriest has autism, but also functions at a high level. They call him a genius and a savant. “He has a meticulous, disciplined, incredibly skilled mechanical mind that can pick up anything,” London said. After glancing at keys dangling from guards’ belts, London said DeFriest was able to memorize the patterns and fabricate his own key. But he also uses his skills to create intricate art out of materials like paper chip bag foil and Popsicle sticks. After a 1981 escape, Bay County prison authorities placed DeFriest in total darkness with no clothes, no blankets, no toilet paper and no human contact for 11 days. Middleton said DeFriest has been assaulted several times in prisons and at one point spent years without being allowed yard time. That’s why he kept trying to escape – not because he wasn’t willing to complete his sentence, the lawyer said. DeFriest has been kept in out-of-state prisons for his own protection since 1999 after witnessing guards beat another prisoner to death. State prison officials won’t disclose where he is and did not immediately comment on DeFriest’s case. While DeFriest still has time to serve for prison offenses in Alabama and California, Middleton is working to have the remaining sentences reduced or dropped. In a best case scenario, DeFriest will be free sometime next year. At worst, sometime in 2018, he said. DeFriest’s wife, Bonnie, married him while he was serving his sentence. She is lining up work for him using his mechanical skills. Middleton is confident he will succeed outside of prison. “Mark is not going to go out there and rob stores,” he said. “This man is not stupid. He’s extremely intelligent, and very talented.” After the hearing London called Bonnie DeFriest to tell her the news. “Mark’s gonna get out of prison,” London said. “That’s marvelous!” she said. “That’s really great. That’s what we hoped for.”