Caught on Camera: Firefighters respond to dumpster fire at FGCUFGCU students affected by Covid celebrate first commencement ceremony
FORT MYERS Caught on Camera: Firefighters respond to dumpster fire at FGCU San Carlos Park Fire District responded to a dumpster fire Sunday afternoon.
FORT MYERS FGCU students affected by Covid celebrate first commencement ceremony Graduation is a right of passage from school to the real world, but for these students, reality hit them in 2020.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcycle crash leaves 1 dead One person has died after a motorcycle crash in Charlotte County.
LEE COUNTY Lee Deputies work to track down transient sex offenders who fail to register WINK News Anchor Corey Lazar goes on patrol with Lee County Deputies in search of transient sex offenders who don’t register.
National Hurricane Preparedness Week: Know your risk Hurricane season starts on June 1st, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has designated the week of May 5 through May 11 as National Hurricane Preparedness Week. Each day, Meteorologist Lauren Kreidler will be highlighting ways to stay prepared ahead of this year’s hurricane season.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Stay alert – chance of showers and storms on Sunday Hot, humid, and more rain for parts of Southwest Florida on Sunday.
CAPE CORAL What we learned about Cape Coral’s water crisis after a ride along On Friday, WINK News got to ride along to see just what people are doing that could be wasting water.
The Weather Authority: A wet Saturday evening as storms move through Southwest Florida A rainy Saturday evening across much of southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Lee Health Touch-A-Truck event educates families on Trauma Awareness On Saturday morning, sirens were ringing to celebrate Lee Health Trauma Center’s 30 years of service and to provide the public with trauma education and prevention methods.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (CBS) CDC says bird flu viruses “pose pandemic potential,” cites major knowledge gaps Bird flu continues to appear to pose a “low risk to the general public” for now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. But the agency’s scientists ran into roadblocks investigating a human case of this “pandemic potential” virus this year, they said in a new report.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard set to open in late May A new place to hang out in Downtown Fort Myers is opening this spring.
Aetna agrees to settle lawsuit over fertility coverage for LGBTQ+ customers Aetna has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the health insurer of discriminating against LGBTQ+ customers in need of fertility treatment.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Robbery, Pawn Shops, and Child Porn This week’s segment of Wink Neighborhood Watch features an armed robber, fraud at a pawn shop, and possession of child pornography.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Sun, clouds, humidity, rain – it’s all in your weekend forecast Saturday afternoon will be hot and humid, with a mix of sun and clouds.
LEHIGH ACRES Chaotic lake getting fence and security Now, with all the negative attention it has gotten, some think putting up a fence is a great way to keep that bad activity out.
FORT MYERS Caught on Camera: Firefighters respond to dumpster fire at FGCU San Carlos Park Fire District responded to a dumpster fire Sunday afternoon.
FORT MYERS FGCU students affected by Covid celebrate first commencement ceremony Graduation is a right of passage from school to the real world, but for these students, reality hit them in 2020.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcycle crash leaves 1 dead One person has died after a motorcycle crash in Charlotte County.
LEE COUNTY Lee Deputies work to track down transient sex offenders who fail to register WINK News Anchor Corey Lazar goes on patrol with Lee County Deputies in search of transient sex offenders who don’t register.
National Hurricane Preparedness Week: Know your risk Hurricane season starts on June 1st, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has designated the week of May 5 through May 11 as National Hurricane Preparedness Week. Each day, Meteorologist Lauren Kreidler will be highlighting ways to stay prepared ahead of this year’s hurricane season.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Stay alert – chance of showers and storms on Sunday Hot, humid, and more rain for parts of Southwest Florida on Sunday.
CAPE CORAL What we learned about Cape Coral’s water crisis after a ride along On Friday, WINK News got to ride along to see just what people are doing that could be wasting water.
The Weather Authority: A wet Saturday evening as storms move through Southwest Florida A rainy Saturday evening across much of southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Lee Health Touch-A-Truck event educates families on Trauma Awareness On Saturday morning, sirens were ringing to celebrate Lee Health Trauma Center’s 30 years of service and to provide the public with trauma education and prevention methods.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (CBS) CDC says bird flu viruses “pose pandemic potential,” cites major knowledge gaps Bird flu continues to appear to pose a “low risk to the general public” for now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. But the agency’s scientists ran into roadblocks investigating a human case of this “pandemic potential” virus this year, they said in a new report.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard set to open in late May A new place to hang out in Downtown Fort Myers is opening this spring.
Aetna agrees to settle lawsuit over fertility coverage for LGBTQ+ customers Aetna has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the health insurer of discriminating against LGBTQ+ customers in need of fertility treatment.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Robbery, Pawn Shops, and Child Porn This week’s segment of Wink Neighborhood Watch features an armed robber, fraud at a pawn shop, and possession of child pornography.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Sun, clouds, humidity, rain – it’s all in your weekend forecast Saturday afternoon will be hot and humid, with a mix of sun and clouds.
LEHIGH ACRES Chaotic lake getting fence and security Now, with all the negative attention it has gotten, some think putting up a fence is a great way to keep that bad activity out.
Former Toledo, Ohio, Police Chief Derrick Diggs, who was selected as Fort Myers’ next police chief on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Toledo Police Department) FORT MYERS, Fla. – City council members unanimously confirmed Derrick Diggs as Fort Myers’ next police chief Thursday afternoon, officially ending a six month process by selecting Saeed Kazemi’s first major hire since becoming city manager in February. Described as “historic” by Mayor Randy Henderson, Diggs will become the city’s first police chief from outside the department in 21 years and the department’s first African-American leader in more than a decade. Diggs, following his confirmation, stressed the importance of officers working with children. “As firm and as focused on violent crime that I am, I’m just as firm, I’m just as focused, and I’ll work just a hard to make sure our kids have other opportunities outside the criminal justice system,” he said. “The quickest way to reduce crime in a community is not throwing people in jail, but making sure people have a chance, get a job.” Diggs spoke briefly with media after being greeted by community members: But not every council member was happy with Kazemi’s selection. “Being the person I am, I can accept change, and I can think about giving Mr. Diggs a chance,” said councilwoman Terolyn Watson, who wanted finalist Anthony Williams, formerly the police chief of the Broward County School District. “I won’t go against him. I don’t think it would be something good for me or something good for the community.” The remaining council members, including Teresa Watkins Brown, emphatically supported Diggs. “The city manager has done his job in bringing up the best he can bring to support us,” she said. “But it’s going to still be up to us as a community to surround ourselves and support him in the efforts that’s going on in this community. He can’t do it all by himself.” The confirmation, generally a celebratory event, turned slightly confrontational when resident Anthony Thomas called out Henderson and council member Johnny Streets Jr. for not being involved during various stages of the selection process. “Give this brother some time to develop,” Thomas said of Diggs. “Give him a good three-year contract, but also let him develop his own team.” Streets was quick to respond. “I don’t need to give any explanation about what I do,” he said. “First of all, this man don’t live in my ward, so don’t come at me with false pretenses. Let’s not grandstand. With me, play period is over.” Henderson also had a few words. “It has been a great process and I’ve been privileged to review a massive amount of documentation and one-on-one interviews,” he said. Diggs beat out seven other finalists for the position, including former Interim Chief Dennis Eads, who was praised by city council members and received a standing applause from the more than 50 residents and police officers inside city council chambers. Kazemi said his selection addresses three things he wanted in the next chief: Involving the community with the department. Offering fresh perspectives and having experience with dealing with people “from all walks of life and different backgrounds.” “Challenge both myself and everyone around him to do the hard things that need to be done.” Formerly the police chief in Toledo, Ohio, Diggs was a strong supporter of utilizing technology to fight crime, including placing 150 cameras in high-crime areas. Some credited the effort with reducing crime while others deemed it an invasion of privacy. Diggs also implemented ORION (Observation Research Intelligence Operations Network), a data-driven policing project. The effort helped deter and solve crimes while improving officer response times, Diggs said in a 2013 article. He also credited the effort with a drop in burglaries and an increase in solved homicides. After 37 years with Toledo police, becoming chief in 2011, Diggs stepped down in January 2014 due to “irreconcilable differences in policing philosophy” with the incoming mayor, according to news reports. Diggs replaces Doug Baker, who was fired in August 2015 amid controversy surrounding the wrongful arrest of NFL player Nate Allen.