ALVA Woodpeckers build home in woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
MGN SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Nine months after Mathew Ajibade died alone in a jail cell while strapped to a chair, two sheriff’s deputies have been acquitted of involuntary manslaughter in his death but still face prison sentences for related crimes. The partial convictions Friday in Chatham County Superior Court did little to satisfy the 21-year-old Savannah man’s family. An attorney representing Ajibade’s relatives blamed prosecutors for targeting rank-and-file jailers instead of investigating lapses by Sheriff Al St. Lawrence and his senior staff — adding that a civil lawsuit will likely follow. “I knew that that same system that failed Mathew would not be the system that got him justice,” Chris Oladapo, a cousin of Ajibade, said in a statement provided by the family’s attorneys. “I had already warned my family not to expect anything. We expected nothing, and we got nothing.” District Attorney Meg Heap said her prosecutors had no choice but to focus on deputies whose actions were directly responsible for Ajibade’s death. After eight days of trial testimony and two days of deliberations, the jury convicted former Cpl. Jason Kenny of cruelty to an inmate for shocking Ajibade four times with a Taser while his hands and legs were restrained. The charge carries one to three years in prison. Kenny was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and perjury charges punishable by up to 40 years in prison combined. Despite being acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, ex-Cpl. Maxine Evans could face up to 40 years in prison after being found guilty of public records fraud and three counts of perjury for lying to a grand jury. Prosecutors accused her of failing to check Ajibade’s medical condition and faking jail logs to make it appear the checks were performed. Sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 6. Ajibade was found dead in a cell hours after being arrested Jan. 1 on a domestic violence charge. Before he was booked, a fight broke out between Ajibade and several jailers. Though Ajibade was bloodied by punches and kicked in the head, no deputies involved in the fight were charged with crimes. Investigators concluded deputies were justified to use deadly force during the fight because Ajibade injured two jailers and grabbed a Taser. Prosecutors focused their criminal case on what they said were reckless acts by the two ex-deputies after the fight. They said the acts played key roles in Ajibade’s death. An autopsy found no single cause and Dr. Kris Sperry of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Ajibade was “stressed to death.” “We knew from the beginning the cause of death was going to be an issue,” Heap said. “But I just felt with the inhumane treatment, this needed to go to a jury. You wouldn’t even treat a dog this way.” Kenny told investigators he shocked Ajibade with a Taser while Ajibade was being placed into a restraint chair with his hands already cuffed and legs chained. Evans was accused of failing to ensure Ajibade’s condition was checked every 15 minutes, as the jail required. Surveillance video showed he was left alone for 90 minutes before Evans found him dead. Evans’ attorney, Bobby Phillips, said it “seemed like a vindictive prosecution.” Kenny’s attorney, Willie Yancey, said he wouldn’t second-guess the jury. “We accept it and we’re going to try to get Jason on with his life,” he said. Kenny told investigators Ajibade was “combative” as jailers tried to strap him into the chair, but prosecutor Christy Barker said video from the Taser’s built-in camera showed him “slumping in the chair. There is no fight in him.” Jail nurse Gregory Brown had also been charged with involuntary manslaughter. But the judge acquitted him on that charge Wednesday after an investigator testified he gave incorrect information about Brown’s duties to the grand jury that indicted him. Brown was convicted Friday of making false statements to investigators. Attorneys for Ajibade’s family say he suffered from bipolar disorder and they suspect he had a manic episode at the jail. The sheriff fired eight deputies, including Kenny and Evans, in connection with Ajibade’s death.