Advocates urge safety measures for retention ponds after boy drownsNaples Winter Wine Festival kicks off
FORT MYERS Advocates urge safety measures for retention ponds after boy drowns The tragic drowning of a little boy in Fort Myers is starting a conversation.
NAPLES Naples Winter Wine Festival kicks off Wine, music and making a difference! On Tuesday evening 40 couples joined together to kick off the 25th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival.
PUNTA GORDA Blue Angels returning for 2025 Florida International Air Show The Blue Angels will finally return for the first time in over 12 years to next year’s Florida International Air Show at Punta Gorda Airport.
Lee County Commissioners discuss LCSO Budget and Sheriff Marceno federal investigation In light of recent investigations into Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, a Lee County Commissioner proposed a change at Tuesday’s commissioner’s meeting that would separate the county budget from the sheriff’s. This potential change is a long way from being implemented because it isn’t necessarily a proposal, but more like the beginning steps of one. […]
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers cheerleaders push for Nationals with community’s help The North Fort Myers Pop Warner cheer team has the talent to compete on the biggest stage but lacks the money.
Victim identified in Charlotte County shooting A victim has been identified after a shooting on Nasturtium Drive early Monday morning.
Advanced care for lung cancer patients in Lee County The outlook for lung cancer is typically not good, mostly because it’s often picked up in late stages. However, Lee Health hopes to change that trajectory by launching a new advanced care center focusing on lung disease.
CHARLOTTE PARK After the storm: Harbor Belle RV Resort faces a slow path to recovery Here on WINK News, we have told you about the devastation at the Harbor Belle RV Resort in Charlotte Park and how, for months, many people did not have power.
New K-9 honors fallen Fort Myers officer A Fort Myers police officer who made the ultimate sacrifice serving southwest Florida gets a unique honor.
Websites to help you avoid charity rip-offs The holiday season is a popular time for people to open their wallets and make donations to charities, but how can you be sure your money is going to the right place?
Southwest Florida celebrates Giving Tuesday It’s a day of giving to the ones who need it the most. Giving Tuesday is the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
FORT MYERS BEACH Pink Shell developers plead their case against Fort Myers Beach To build up and out or to not. That is the debate going on right now on Fort Myers Beach. The Pink Shell wants to expand on the island.
NAPLES Naples football set for first state semifinal appearance in six years The Naples Golden Eagles are the lone Southwest Florida football team still standing in the drive to the 305.
FSW FSW volleyball celebrates history with third straight national title The FSW volleyball team became the first team ever to win three straight NJCAA national titles at the Division I level.
FORT MYERS Police report reveals how child with autism got out of house before drowning in Fort Myers pond A police report has been released revealing new details on how a 7-year-old boy with autism was able to leave his home before drowning in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS Advocates urge safety measures for retention ponds after boy drowns The tragic drowning of a little boy in Fort Myers is starting a conversation.
NAPLES Naples Winter Wine Festival kicks off Wine, music and making a difference! On Tuesday evening 40 couples joined together to kick off the 25th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival.
PUNTA GORDA Blue Angels returning for 2025 Florida International Air Show The Blue Angels will finally return for the first time in over 12 years to next year’s Florida International Air Show at Punta Gorda Airport.
Lee County Commissioners discuss LCSO Budget and Sheriff Marceno federal investigation In light of recent investigations into Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, a Lee County Commissioner proposed a change at Tuesday’s commissioner’s meeting that would separate the county budget from the sheriff’s. This potential change is a long way from being implemented because it isn’t necessarily a proposal, but more like the beginning steps of one. […]
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers cheerleaders push for Nationals with community’s help The North Fort Myers Pop Warner cheer team has the talent to compete on the biggest stage but lacks the money.
Victim identified in Charlotte County shooting A victim has been identified after a shooting on Nasturtium Drive early Monday morning.
Advanced care for lung cancer patients in Lee County The outlook for lung cancer is typically not good, mostly because it’s often picked up in late stages. However, Lee Health hopes to change that trajectory by launching a new advanced care center focusing on lung disease.
CHARLOTTE PARK After the storm: Harbor Belle RV Resort faces a slow path to recovery Here on WINK News, we have told you about the devastation at the Harbor Belle RV Resort in Charlotte Park and how, for months, many people did not have power.
New K-9 honors fallen Fort Myers officer A Fort Myers police officer who made the ultimate sacrifice serving southwest Florida gets a unique honor.
Websites to help you avoid charity rip-offs The holiday season is a popular time for people to open their wallets and make donations to charities, but how can you be sure your money is going to the right place?
Southwest Florida celebrates Giving Tuesday It’s a day of giving to the ones who need it the most. Giving Tuesday is the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
FORT MYERS BEACH Pink Shell developers plead their case against Fort Myers Beach To build up and out or to not. That is the debate going on right now on Fort Myers Beach. The Pink Shell wants to expand on the island.
NAPLES Naples football set for first state semifinal appearance in six years The Naples Golden Eagles are the lone Southwest Florida football team still standing in the drive to the 305.
FSW FSW volleyball celebrates history with third straight national title The FSW volleyball team became the first team ever to win three straight NJCAA national titles at the Division I level.
FORT MYERS Police report reveals how child with autism got out of house before drowning in Fort Myers pond A police report has been released revealing new details on how a 7-year-old boy with autism was able to leave his home before drowning in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Some Florida Gulf Coast University students are preparing to protest their university’s response to the writing of a racial slur outside a professor’s office on Thursday. The words “KILL (N-word)” were written in capital letters above the depiction of a black stick figure being hung on a tree. The drawing was on a whiteboard located outside a professor’s office at Seidler Hall, which is the building for FGCU’s arts and sciences program. The professor, Maria Rodgriguez, reported the incident to police on Oct. 12. Campus police believe the slur was written at some time after 6 p.m. but before 10 a.m. on that day, according to an incident report. Police are not looking to arrest anyone for the incident, which they say was neither a hate crime nor vandalism. No video of the incident exists, according to campus police. Patrols of the area were increased, but students say the university is not doing enough to address the situation. “They lynched the person on the tree,” one student, who did not want to be named in fear of retaliation, said of the drawing in a phone conversation. “We just found that out last night.” A photo of the racial slur began circulating in students’ group messages as early as Wednesday evening. On Thursday, President Wilson Bradshaw sent a letter to students, faculty and staff, calling the incident “personally distressing.” “While occurrences such as this are rare at Florida Gulf Coast University, we strongly condemn this hateful expression which is contrary to the civil and mutually respectful culture of our campus community,” Bradshaw wrote. The student agrees that the drawing was shocking, but said many black students are concerned about the timing of the university’s response. “We always thought that this would be the last campus where this would happen, but the fact that this is happening and they’re trying to sweep it under the rug is disturbing,” the student said. It took the university exactly two weeks to notify its students of the incident. Students said Bradshaw’s letter only came after they saw images of the drawing. Something could have happened during those two weeks, one student said; now black students are growing fearful. “It said ‘Kill them,'” the student said. “Whoever has this mentality — this person could be in my class secretly plotting.” Students said they understand racism will continue to be an issue but that they wants their university to do more to protect students and punish those who threaten others. One student said the university administration took the incident lightly. “I believe they tried to sweep it under the rug because they pride themselves in diversity. They probably thought it wasn’t that big of a deal,” one student said. Students are holding a peaceful protest at 1 p.m. at FGCU. They hope to encourage the school to adopt severe repercussions for hateful language and mandatory lessons about racism.