1 dead, 2 injured in four-vehicle crash on I-75 in Collier CountyLee County woman’s home transforms into Santa’s Workshop for families in need
1 dead, 2 injured in four-vehicle crash on I-75 in Collier County A collision involving four vehicles on northbound Interstate 75 near mile marker 108 resulted in one fatality, minor injuries to two others, and a large paint spill.
Lee County woman’s home transforms into Santa’s Workshop for families in need One Lee County woman’s home has looked like Santa’s workshop since June.
Chilly first day of winter with plenty of sunshine overhead The Weather Authority says Saturday is the first day of the winter solstice, and it feels like it across Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Kitten recovering after surviving horrific abuse At 12 pounds and 12 weeks old, this little kitty was snatched from her home and literally dragged through the unthinkable.
Losing loved ones in the line of duty; Community offers support to Diaz family Heartbreak over Sergeant Elio Diaz’s death consumed the Charlotte County community, after the fallen hero was laid to rest Friday.
CAPTIVA Impacts of hurricane season on fishing in SWFL Whipping winds and torrential downpours are all too common with hurricanes.
CAPE CORAL What to know before gifting pets this holiday season Gifting someone a pet for Christmas may sound like a good idea but not always. Animal experts remind us that owning an animal takes a big commitment.
Top rated prospects shine in City of Palms Classic In the third week of December, all eyes on college basketball recruiting are on the City of Palms Classic. Year after year, some of the top high school teams, featuring many of the top players in the country, compete in the Fort Myers Tournament. This year is no different. Take Long Island Lutheran versus Owasso, […]
NAPLES ‘Beverly’s Angels’ prepare holiday sacks for kids in need Beverly’s Angels in Naples is providing kids the essentials they need during the holiday season, and they got some help from high school students across Southwest Florida.
‘He was a phenomenal human being’: Woman says Elio Diaz inspired her to turn life around WINK News has shared stories about people greatly impacted by Deputy Sergeant Elio Diaz’s work. Now we hear from a woman whose life he affected for the better.
PUNTA GORDA ShorePoint Health in Punta Gorda to permanently close If people in Punta Gorda consider themselves patients of ShorePoint Hospital, they will have to look for an alternate place of healthcare.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue District gives holiday candle safety tips Holiday celebrations are a few days away, and nothing sets the mood better than candles. This warning is best given before the holidays.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers closes on first house through affordable home program Through its Affordable Home Construction Program, the city closed a contract for the first single-family home.
SANIBEL Homeowners share unique ways to fortify homes after storms Roof, walls and floors. There’s so much to think about when you’re rebuilding.
DeSoto teen found guilty for murder at fair A teenager has been convicted in a deadly shooting that occurred at the DeSoto County Fair.
1 dead, 2 injured in four-vehicle crash on I-75 in Collier County A collision involving four vehicles on northbound Interstate 75 near mile marker 108 resulted in one fatality, minor injuries to two others, and a large paint spill.
Lee County woman’s home transforms into Santa’s Workshop for families in need One Lee County woman’s home has looked like Santa’s workshop since June.
Chilly first day of winter with plenty of sunshine overhead The Weather Authority says Saturday is the first day of the winter solstice, and it feels like it across Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Kitten recovering after surviving horrific abuse At 12 pounds and 12 weeks old, this little kitty was snatched from her home and literally dragged through the unthinkable.
Losing loved ones in the line of duty; Community offers support to Diaz family Heartbreak over Sergeant Elio Diaz’s death consumed the Charlotte County community, after the fallen hero was laid to rest Friday.
CAPTIVA Impacts of hurricane season on fishing in SWFL Whipping winds and torrential downpours are all too common with hurricanes.
CAPE CORAL What to know before gifting pets this holiday season Gifting someone a pet for Christmas may sound like a good idea but not always. Animal experts remind us that owning an animal takes a big commitment.
Top rated prospects shine in City of Palms Classic In the third week of December, all eyes on college basketball recruiting are on the City of Palms Classic. Year after year, some of the top high school teams, featuring many of the top players in the country, compete in the Fort Myers Tournament. This year is no different. Take Long Island Lutheran versus Owasso, […]
NAPLES ‘Beverly’s Angels’ prepare holiday sacks for kids in need Beverly’s Angels in Naples is providing kids the essentials they need during the holiday season, and they got some help from high school students across Southwest Florida.
‘He was a phenomenal human being’: Woman says Elio Diaz inspired her to turn life around WINK News has shared stories about people greatly impacted by Deputy Sergeant Elio Diaz’s work. Now we hear from a woman whose life he affected for the better.
PUNTA GORDA ShorePoint Health in Punta Gorda to permanently close If people in Punta Gorda consider themselves patients of ShorePoint Hospital, they will have to look for an alternate place of healthcare.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue District gives holiday candle safety tips Holiday celebrations are a few days away, and nothing sets the mood better than candles. This warning is best given before the holidays.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers closes on first house through affordable home program Through its Affordable Home Construction Program, the city closed a contract for the first single-family home.
SANIBEL Homeowners share unique ways to fortify homes after storms Roof, walls and floors. There’s so much to think about when you’re rebuilding.
DeSoto teen found guilty for murder at fair A teenager has been convicted in a deadly shooting that occurred at the DeSoto County Fair.
Glenn Fawcett/ DoD/ MGN BAGHDAD (AP) – Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday he came away from meetings with Iraqi leaders with no agreement on the use of Apache attack helicopters or additional military advisers in the battle to retake the key city of Ramadi from Islamic State militants. But he said the U.S. was ready to provide such support if the Iraqis asked. Speaking to reporters after meetings with Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and others, Carter said that as military conditions change, the U.S. is prepared to increase its contributions to the fight. The Obama administration has been talking for days about “accelerating” the fight against IS, but that could be complicated by Iraq’s reluctance to a greater U.S. presence in the country, including tools such as Apache helicopters and more troops. “This is a very complex environment that we’re operating in and we have to be attentive to some of the political realities that surround us every single day,” said Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, top U.S. military commander for the Islamic State fight. “It’s kind of hard to inflict support on somebody. So we try to provide support.” The two countries at times differ on how to wage the war, and any military support “has to be consistent with the way Iraqi security forces fight,” said MacFarland, speaking to reporters at the Baghdad International Airport. Carter said MacFarland and Abadi believe there is no military need for the Apaches now. And those assets should only be used when they can make a critical, strategic contribution to the fight. But, he said, that doesn’t mean they won’t make a difference “sometime in the future.” A senior U.S. official said the U.S. has been making preparations and will be ready at any moment to dispatch the Apaches when requested. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, so spoke on condition of anonymity. At the start of his meeting with Abadi, Carter offered a short statement on the importance of Iraq’s independence “Everything we do … here is subject to the approval of the sovereign Iraqi government,” Carter said. “And I also wanted to emphasize to you, the respect for sovereignty and for Iraq’s territorial sovereignty is a principle that the United States strongly supports in every context.” Abadi said he believes Iraqi forces are making progress. “I think we are on the verge of breaking the back of Daesh,” he said, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. The Iraqi reluctance for U.S. assistance also could delay any move to embed U.S. military advisers with Iraqi brigade headquarters. The small advisory teams wouldn’t be on the front lines, but would provide better planning advice and coordination for the Iraqi units, said Army Col. Steve Warren, a U.S. military spokesman who noted that many Iraqis “don’t agree with the American presence in this country.” Carter also talked with MacFarland and the Iraqi leaders about the new U.S. plan to deploy a special commando force to Iraq. It will be designed to better capitalize on intelligence in order to target, capture and kill Islamic State leaders. Called an “expeditionary targeting force,” the special operations troops would be used to increase the pressure on the insurgents. Details of the plan have not been disclosed, and U.S. officials haven’t said when they may deploy to Iraq. The recent focus has been the battle in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, which IS militants took in May. Iraqi troops, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes, pushed into Ramadi earlier this week, have surrounded the city and have been preparing to try to take the city back. Warren said that Iraqi forces lost ground for a short time on Tuesday, but were able to eventually regain the territory and beat back the insurgents, with help from coalition airstrikes. Carter has been saying he wants to identify new ways that other coalition members can contribute to the campaign. One goal is to get allies to take on some of the missions being done by some of the approximately 3,500 U.S. troops in Iraq, so that those forces can take on more specialized roles. Carter’s trip had been planned for some time, but on Monday during a Pentagon visit, President Barack Obama vowed to accelerate the campaign against IS, lending more urgency to the visit.