3 charged for major theft organization targeting luxury vehiclesMan arrested for DUI after slamming into Port Charlotte home’s garage
LEHIGH ACRES 3 charged for major theft organization targeting luxury vehicles Three men, one from Lehigh Acres, has been charged for their role in a major theft organization targeting luxury vehicles.
port charlotte Man arrested for DUI after slamming into Port Charlotte home’s garage The North Port Police Department has arrested a man accused of DUI and crashing into a Port Charlotte home’s garage.
CAPE CORAL New information on nurse accused of starving premature baby New information has been released about what happened behind closed doors when a nurse allegedly starved a premature baby.
BONITA SPRINGS World’s largest bounce castle to spring into Bonita Springs The Big Bounce America, the world’s largest inflatable bounce castle is set to appear in Bonita Springs.
palmdale Gatorama owner bitten during alligator feeding show Gatorama owner Allen Register was sent to hospital after being bitten by an alligator during a feeding show.
CAPE CORAL Man accused of Cape Coral DUI accident with serious injuries A man has been arrested after allegedly causing an accident with injuries while driving under the influence in Cape Coral.
wink news Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
the weather authority Another warm afternoon for your Tuesday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a warm Tuesday afternoon with stray rain showers expected in our inland communities.
NORTH FORT MYERS Cape Coral man faces 16 charges after fleeing multiple traffic stops Marcus Selby, 24, is facing multiple charges after a dramatic series of events involving Cape Coral police and Florida Highway Patrol troopers.
SANIBEL Sanibel residents brace for traffic surge with new advisory and app aid Sanibel residents are bracing for increased traffic as the city issued a “heavy traffic advisory” for the entire week.
FGCU FGCU’s Casey Santoro battles back from Achilles injury FGCU women’s basketball player Casey Santoro is back on the floor after suffering an Achilles injury a season ago.
BABCOCK RANCH Heaviest Florida panther ever recorded located in Babcock Ranch Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists recently captured and collared the heaviest Florida panther ever recorded.
Lee County deputies using VR for safe high-risk training scenarios The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has taken a significant step forward in training by incorporating virtual reality technology.
NAPLES FC Naples signs local soccer star Joffre followed his dream across continents after graduating from Gulf Coast. Now he’s back on the professional soccer pitch in his hometown.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach businesses face floodplain compliance deadline Fort Myers Beach’s businesses face pressure to comply with floodplain regulations or leave the island by March 1.
LEHIGH ACRES 3 charged for major theft organization targeting luxury vehicles Three men, one from Lehigh Acres, has been charged for their role in a major theft organization targeting luxury vehicles.
port charlotte Man arrested for DUI after slamming into Port Charlotte home’s garage The North Port Police Department has arrested a man accused of DUI and crashing into a Port Charlotte home’s garage.
CAPE CORAL New information on nurse accused of starving premature baby New information has been released about what happened behind closed doors when a nurse allegedly starved a premature baby.
BONITA SPRINGS World’s largest bounce castle to spring into Bonita Springs The Big Bounce America, the world’s largest inflatable bounce castle is set to appear in Bonita Springs.
palmdale Gatorama owner bitten during alligator feeding show Gatorama owner Allen Register was sent to hospital after being bitten by an alligator during a feeding show.
CAPE CORAL Man accused of Cape Coral DUI accident with serious injuries A man has been arrested after allegedly causing an accident with injuries while driving under the influence in Cape Coral.
wink news Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
the weather authority Another warm afternoon for your Tuesday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a warm Tuesday afternoon with stray rain showers expected in our inland communities.
NORTH FORT MYERS Cape Coral man faces 16 charges after fleeing multiple traffic stops Marcus Selby, 24, is facing multiple charges after a dramatic series of events involving Cape Coral police and Florida Highway Patrol troopers.
SANIBEL Sanibel residents brace for traffic surge with new advisory and app aid Sanibel residents are bracing for increased traffic as the city issued a “heavy traffic advisory” for the entire week.
FGCU FGCU’s Casey Santoro battles back from Achilles injury FGCU women’s basketball player Casey Santoro is back on the floor after suffering an Achilles injury a season ago.
BABCOCK RANCH Heaviest Florida panther ever recorded located in Babcock Ranch Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists recently captured and collared the heaviest Florida panther ever recorded.
Lee County deputies using VR for safe high-risk training scenarios The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has taken a significant step forward in training by incorporating virtual reality technology.
NAPLES FC Naples signs local soccer star Joffre followed his dream across continents after graduating from Gulf Coast. Now he’s back on the professional soccer pitch in his hometown.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach businesses face floodplain compliance deadline Fort Myers Beach’s businesses face pressure to comply with floodplain regulations or leave the island by March 1.
Photo via MGN You might be walking around with a parasite living in you and have no idea. And now researchers are trying to find out if it could be causing changes in your brain! No—this isn’t an ad for a new sci-fi movie, it’s real science. It’s microscopic. It’s parasitic and a third of the world’s population is infected with this, 60 million people in the United States alone: Toxoplasma Gondii. “Most people don’t know whether they’re infected or not,” Emma Wilson, Ph.D., who is a professor in biomedical sciences from the University of California, Riverside tells us. That’s because if you get Toxoplasmosis, the disease caused by the parasite, you may have no symptoms— or just feel like you have a mild flu. But if you’re immunocompromised it can cause more severe problems, like seizures, and if you’re pregnant, the disease can harm the fetus. You can get it by eating contaminated raw or under-cooked meat. And cats get a bad rap because the parasite only reproduces in felines and can be spread in their waste. “Cats are the definitive host of toxoplasma,” Veterinarian Lori Teller, who is also on the Board of Directors for the American Veterinary Medical Association, tells us. And here’s where it gets cat creepy: This study demonstrates that when rodents are infected with toxoplasma it can change their brains. “A mouse will normally run as fast as possible away from the smell of cat urine. But if the mouse is infected it will run directly towards the smell of cat urine,” Wilson said. That could mean toxo is eerily smart, making rodents more likely to be eaten by cats, ensuring its survival. Could toxo also cause behavioral changes in infected humans ? Scientists, like Dr. Wilson, are trying to unlock more clues about the mysterious parasite. “There are correlative studies that suggest people with some neurological diseases like Schizophrenia are more frequently infected than not. But the link between toxoplasma neurological disease is still very tenuous at best,” she says. Research is still ongoing, but Dr. Teller says if you’re one of the 85 million cat owning American households– don’t freak out and don’t give away your feline. Toxoplasma has been around for 100 years and there’s still many questions that need to be answered. “Right now we know that toxoplasma can appear in the brain but we cannot determine if there is any cause and effect from that,” Dr. Teller says. There are tests available to detect if you or your cat have been exposed to toxoplasma–ask your doctor or veterinarian. Experts say the best way to avoid it is to clean your cat’s litter box every day and avoid eating raw or undercooked meat and washing fruits and vegetables. For more information: https://www.Avma.Org/public/petcare/pages/toxoplasmosis.Aspx https://medlineplus.Gov/toxoplasmosis.Html https://www.Cdc.Gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/disease.Html