Community grieves as investigation continues into fatal Port Charlotte fireLocal influencer reacts to potential TikTok ban
PORT CHARLOTTE Community grieves as investigation continues into fatal Port Charlotte fire The state fire marshal has yet to confirm whether 70-year-old Roseanne Cantasano was the victim of a devastating house fire on Monday night.
Local influencer reacts to potential TikTok ban TikTok is more than just a place to dance, learn something new or just scroll. For the Manella family, the app is a place where they can be themselves.
Protecting the Florida Panther from urban expansion The endangered Florida Panther is the king of the Everglades but new developments could rip apart their core territory.
Local Rabbi reacts to Israel and Hamas ceasefire agreement While the news of hostages being freed has brought relief, one local rabbi who has been speaking with WINK News since the war broke out expressed mixed feelings
Tiger dams in Collier County new defense system to stop flooding Collier County is now on board with a new defense system to stop flooding.
CAPE CORAL Plans for Cape Coral airport presented to City Council An airport in Cape Coral? The idea was presented to the city council on Wednesday as part of a broader report addressing the city’s rapid growth.
CAPE CORAL Lake Kennedy Racquetball Center gets new name and logo The Lake Kennedy Racquetball Center in Cape Coral is rebranding.
NAPLES Naples Pride Fest gets green light from City Council The Naples City Council voted to approve the permit for Naples Pride Fest at Cambier Park.
Former Lee supervisor of elections candidate calls for Sheriff Marceno to resign More fingers are pointing at Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.
NORTH FORT MYERS City of Fort Myers wants progress on submerged boats at Old Bridge Marina It has become a headache for many: boats left submerged at the Old Bridge Marina, next to the Edison Bridge.
Dementia risk factors unveiled Eating healthy and staying active can help keep your brain sharp, but did you know your family’s wealth may also affect your dementia risk?
Another chance at FEMA assistance If you applied for FEMA assistance after hurricanes Helene and Milton and are not happy with the answer they gave you, they are giving you another chance.
NAPLES Naples City Council names Gary L. Young as next city manager The Naples City Council unanimously voted to appoint Deputy City Manager and CFO Gary L. Young as the new city manager.
BONITA SPRINGS Sugarshack, a haven for live music, food and community, coming to Bonita Springs Sugarshack, a haven for live music, food and community, coming soon to Downton Bonita Springs.
COLLIER COUNTY FC Naples holds first practice in club history Another first in a year of first for FC Naples as the club held its first practice in its history Wednesday morning.
PORT CHARLOTTE Community grieves as investigation continues into fatal Port Charlotte fire The state fire marshal has yet to confirm whether 70-year-old Roseanne Cantasano was the victim of a devastating house fire on Monday night.
Local influencer reacts to potential TikTok ban TikTok is more than just a place to dance, learn something new or just scroll. For the Manella family, the app is a place where they can be themselves.
Protecting the Florida Panther from urban expansion The endangered Florida Panther is the king of the Everglades but new developments could rip apart their core territory.
Local Rabbi reacts to Israel and Hamas ceasefire agreement While the news of hostages being freed has brought relief, one local rabbi who has been speaking with WINK News since the war broke out expressed mixed feelings
Tiger dams in Collier County new defense system to stop flooding Collier County is now on board with a new defense system to stop flooding.
CAPE CORAL Plans for Cape Coral airport presented to City Council An airport in Cape Coral? The idea was presented to the city council on Wednesday as part of a broader report addressing the city’s rapid growth.
CAPE CORAL Lake Kennedy Racquetball Center gets new name and logo The Lake Kennedy Racquetball Center in Cape Coral is rebranding.
NAPLES Naples Pride Fest gets green light from City Council The Naples City Council voted to approve the permit for Naples Pride Fest at Cambier Park.
Former Lee supervisor of elections candidate calls for Sheriff Marceno to resign More fingers are pointing at Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.
NORTH FORT MYERS City of Fort Myers wants progress on submerged boats at Old Bridge Marina It has become a headache for many: boats left submerged at the Old Bridge Marina, next to the Edison Bridge.
Dementia risk factors unveiled Eating healthy and staying active can help keep your brain sharp, but did you know your family’s wealth may also affect your dementia risk?
Another chance at FEMA assistance If you applied for FEMA assistance after hurricanes Helene and Milton and are not happy with the answer they gave you, they are giving you another chance.
NAPLES Naples City Council names Gary L. Young as next city manager The Naples City Council unanimously voted to appoint Deputy City Manager and CFO Gary L. Young as the new city manager.
BONITA SPRINGS Sugarshack, a haven for live music, food and community, coming to Bonita Springs Sugarshack, a haven for live music, food and community, coming soon to Downton Bonita Springs.
COLLIER COUNTY FC Naples holds first practice in club history Another first in a year of first for FC Naples as the club held its first practice in its history Wednesday morning.
GREELEYVILLE, S.C. (AP) – As investigators probe the cause of a fire that destroyed a rural South Carolina black church rebuilt after the Ku Klux Klan torched it 20 years ago, statistics show church fires are not unusual, and that the vast majority in recent years were not intentionally set. Of the blazes that occurred at houses of worship dozens of times a week across the nation, about 84 percent were not intentionally set and many arsons are probably not hate crimes, the data shows. Local and federal investigators said Wednesday that they haven’t ruled out any potential cause for the fire at the Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church. The fire happened late Tuesday as thunderstorms with frequent lightning rolled over Greeleyville, a small town about 50 miles north of Charleston. But a federal official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly, told The Associated Press that preliminary indications show the fire was not the result of arson. The fire was reported about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and happened as federal authorities have been investigating a series of fires at black churches in several Southern states. So far, there is no indication the fires are related. No one keeps an up-to-date tally of every church fire in the United States, making exact comparisons impossible. Yet if the six church fires around the Southeast were all that occurred in recent days, it would prove a relatively safe period for houses of worship. An average of roughly 31 congregations burned every week from 2007 through 2011, according to a 2013 estimate by the National Fire Protection Association. The association based its estimate on data collected by the U.S. Fire Administration and supplemented with survey results. Arson was relatively rare. Just 16 percent of the blazes estimated at religious and funeral homes were intentionally set during the five-year period. That means arsonists set fire to roughly five religious structures every week. Those figures do not break out predominantly white congregations from black congregations. Kitchen equipment and faulty heating or electrical systems were more likely to burn a church than an arsonist. White supremacists in the South have burned black churches over the years as a political terrorism tactic. Coming after the slayings of nine people June 17 at a historic black church in Charleston, the recent fires attracted scrutiny from police and the general public. “Perception matters,” said Marty Ahrens, an analyst for the fire protection association. “We don’t know all the causes of all the fires that have gone on this week. But if the church arsons had not happened so soon after the tragedy in Charleston, that horrible incident, would it have gotten the same level of attention?” Some attacks on black congregations defy simple racial motives. For example, a taskforce formed by then-President Bill Clinton found that 63 percent of the people arrested for bombing or burning black churches in the late 1990s were white. But 37 percent were black. The motives of the attackers varied widely, according to a taskforce report from 2000. Some suspects were vandals or pyromaniacs. Others were trying to cover up crimes such as burglary or financial theft. Others just held grudges. The Rev. John Taylor, who is in his ninth year as the pastor of Mount Zion, said when he heard of the fire, he immediately recalled the blaze two decades ago. “Of course we thought about it. We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t,” he said Wednesday as he stood in the hot sun outside the charred shell of the church. But as to the cause of the most recent fire, he said, “I really thought it probably was a lightning strike.” On Wednesday, only the brick walls of the church remained, the narrow windows had no glass in them and a white cross on the front of the church appeared charred. Taylor said the church was a total loss, but that the congregation will rebuild. He said offers of help from across the country are already coming in. Jesse Parker, the mayor of the community of about 400, said dealing with another church burning is a challenge but investigators will find out what happened. “We’ll just let them do their jobs and let them bring us the results of how it got started and we will accept the findings,” he said.