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.
Cape Coral Police body cam FORT MYERS, Fla. Images from police body cameras showed police on the Las Vegas strip rush into danger when a gunman opened fire on a country music festival in early October. Similar eerie images emerged in the months after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. They have also captured controversial encounters, like a fatal shooting in Utah in August that reinvigorated a national debate on police use of force. In Southwest Florida, the agencies who’ve adopted the technology said active shooting scenes and police accountability are just one small piece of how useful the cameras can be. “We live in a world where everybody wants to see the video – video or it didn’t happen. You see that saying all the time,” said Corporal Phillip Mullen of the Cape Coral Police Department. The agency was the first in the area to start using body cameras, and in June they showed their worth. Cape Coral Police said Christopher Moran killed two people, fled police, and then got into a shoot-out with responding officers. The agencies entire response, including the shootout that ended in Moran’s death was captured on body cameras. Mullen said its just one example of where they add a layer of protection for police officers and the public. The Fort Myers police department said it embraced the technology for the same reason. With the emergence of bystander cell phone videos anytime officers use force, the body cameras allow the entire story to be told. Story continues below video “Thirty seconds before that what they didn’t capture, or purposely are not showing, is the suspect reaching for a gun in his waistband… the body cameras capture the entire thing.” said Captain Jay Rodriguez. When FMPD responded to an apartment complex with reports of shots fired, several body cameras show how the officers worked together to find out what was going on and make an arrest. The cameras captured the officers talking to a neighbor who said the man rushed into her apartment to hide from police and then dropped his gun. The video captured her raw reaction and the gun laying on the floor. Eventually suspect Derrick Kinchen was located and arrested. He is now awaiting sentencing on federal felony gun possession charges. “That’s obviously a very valuable tool for criminal proceedings and also for the officer for reporting purposes, “ said Rodriguez. The Fort Myers Police Department will spend more than a million dollars over the course of five years for the cameras and video storage associated with them. The Cape Coral Police Department’s price tag for a similar timeframe is $700,000. Both departments were able to take advantage of some grant money for the initial purchase and implementation of the cameras. Other agencies in Southwest Florida, said cost was a major drawback to getting their officers outfitted with cameras. The Naples police department said that grants do not fund the storage costs associated with the cameras, but so far the department has not entertained any plans to purchase them. The Collier County and Charlotte County Sheriff’s offices also pointed to cost and storage concerns as they consider adopting cameras. Both agencies also pointed out a concern of responsible release of footage under Florida’s public records law. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said it does not have any immediate plans to utilize the cameras, but it’s open to any and all new technology in the future. The Punta Gorda police department said the cameras have been up for discussion, but so far it’s not utilizing them.