TALLAHASSEE (CBS) Governor DeSantis signs AI and vape bills Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed 28 bills, including a measure requiring disclaimers on certain political ads created using artificial intelligence and a bill about regulation of vape products.
ESTERO Gold Star Golf Tournament honors fallen veteran Behind each putt and swing of a golf club at the Gold Star Golf Tournament is someone who knew John Wirka Junior.
NEW YORK (AP) How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that’s probably because it has, at least if you’re measuring via internet time. What’s now in question is whether it will be around much longer and, if so, in what form?
FORT MYERS Man wanted for armed robbery at Fort Myers convenience store Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help identifying an armed robber who held up a convenience store Saturday morning.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Rifles, inappropriate texts and Donut shop debacle This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a scary mall trip, an inappropriate coach, and a Dunkin Donuts assault.
The Weather Authority: Sunny Saturday with a nice breeze; fire danger increases Warm temperatures for your Saturday with a nice breeze into the afternoon.
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas was surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society raises concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
TALLAHASSEE (CBS) Governor DeSantis signs AI and vape bills Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed 28 bills, including a measure requiring disclaimers on certain political ads created using artificial intelligence and a bill about regulation of vape products.
ESTERO Gold Star Golf Tournament honors fallen veteran Behind each putt and swing of a golf club at the Gold Star Golf Tournament is someone who knew John Wirka Junior.
NEW YORK (AP) How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that’s probably because it has, at least if you’re measuring via internet time. What’s now in question is whether it will be around much longer and, if so, in what form?
FORT MYERS Man wanted for armed robbery at Fort Myers convenience store Crime Stoppers is asking the public for help identifying an armed robber who held up a convenience store Saturday morning.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Rifles, inappropriate texts and Donut shop debacle This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a scary mall trip, an inappropriate coach, and a Dunkin Donuts assault.
The Weather Authority: Sunny Saturday with a nice breeze; fire danger increases Warm temperatures for your Saturday with a nice breeze into the afternoon.
NORTH NAPLES Senior Airman surprises cousin on Aubrey Rogers softball senior night Aubrey Rogers senior pitcher and infielder McKenzie Vargas was surprised by her Air Force cousin for Senior Night.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society raises concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
MGN FORT MYERS, Fla. – The wait for some forms of legal marijuana is almost over. State legislators legalized low-THC marijuana, also known as Charlotte’s Web, two years ago. The product should finally hit the market this summer. The Compassionate Care Act was signed into law in 2014. It regulates the use of low-THC marijuana, the kind that does not get you high, for people suffering from three types of illnesses: cancer, seizures, or muscle spasms. Just last month, full-strength marijuana was added to the act but only for people suffering from a terminal illness. Two years later, one of the growers approved by the state, Alpha Foilage, has a crop they say will be ready for patients this summer. Alpha Foilage joined with Surterra Therapeutics to manage its new marijuana business. “It’s been a long time but it’s been a long time for the patients the children that have been waiting for years,” said Susan Driscoll, president of Surterra Therapeutics and managing director of Alpha Foilage. “But do you know what the great news is? In June, or late June, early July, we’re going to have product available for those people and we are so excited about getting it to them.” But just because the product will be available, does not mean patients will immediately have access to the medication. Patients who qualify for Charlotte’s Web through the Compassionate Care Act must have a qualified doctor sign off on the prescription. One of the new rules signed into law last month requires that a person be a patient with that doctor for at least three months. The Compassionate Care Act also requires that any doctor prescribing marijuana in the state become certified through the state. “We really want to make sure those people who have been waiting so long to get the product that they go to their current physicians and ask their physicians to go and get registered take the course to get on the registry or look on the registry and start a relationship now with one of those physicians that has already taken the course and is approved,” Driscoll suggested. The Compassionate Care Act only covers patients suffering from four types of illnesses. In November, voters will once again decide whether or not to make full-strength medical marijuana available to anyone who is suffering from a debilitating disease. A similar measure, Amendment Two, didn’t pass two years ago. But Ben Pollara, an Amendment Two advocate and campaign manager for “United for Care,” believes this time will be different. “I think we learned from our mistakes, in 2014,” he said. “We’ve had the opportunity to go back and revise the amendment based on the input of the Supreme Court, based on the politics of the election, and I think we’ve written a much much stronger amendment. It should be much more palatable to voters, but bottom line is we got really broad strong support the last time despite a really, really low voter turnout and despite a really, really strong opposition campaign, and I think we’re going to do a heck of a lot better this time.” When addressing critics of Amendment Two, Pollara asked them to think of their loved ones. “If somebody you loved was dying or was really really ill and their doctor said that medical marijuana could help them, wouldn’t you want them to be able to receive that help,” he said. Some doctors in the state believe that medical marijuana is the answer and they are already prescribing it despite some in the state saying it is not yet legal. They are citing a law passed in 2001 that gives them the right to help their patients. WINK News will have that story on Thursday at 6 p.m.