Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations of SWFL priestGone but not forgotten: Traveling Vietnam Memorial pays tribute to veterans
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations of SWFL priest The Bishop of the Diocese of Venice is speaking out after Charlotte County Reverend Leo Riley was arrested on five counts of sexual battery stemming from his past work as a priest in Iowa.
NEW YORK (AP) Biden officials indefinitely postpone ban on menthol cigarettes amid election-year pushback President Joe Biden’s administration is indefinitely delaying a long-awaited menthol cigarette ban, a decision that infuriated anti-smoking advocates but could avoid a political backlash from Black voters in November.
FORT MYERS Gone but not forgotten: Traveling Vietnam Memorial pays tribute to veterans A powerful symbol of honor and remembrance is standing proudly here in Southwest Florida. The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall is open to the public, a reminder of those we lost who served our country.
LEE COUNTY Two arrested for street racing in Lee County Two people have been arrested for street racing in Lee County according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
CAPE CORAL Boaters with rifles seen in Cape Coral canal On an average day, it’s pretty common to see people fishing or swimming in a canal. One neighbor in Cape Coral saw something unusual in his backyard Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Car flips, one sent to hospital after two car crash in Fort Myers A crash involving at least two vehicles sent one person to the hospital.
The Weather Authority: Clouds, sunshine, wind, and the possibility of a brief shower for your Sunday Clouds and occasional sunshine this Sunday. A few brief showers are possible late in the afternoon and this evening.
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.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations of SWFL priest The Bishop of the Diocese of Venice is speaking out after Charlotte County Reverend Leo Riley was arrested on five counts of sexual battery stemming from his past work as a priest in Iowa.
NEW YORK (AP) Biden officials indefinitely postpone ban on menthol cigarettes amid election-year pushback President Joe Biden’s administration is indefinitely delaying a long-awaited menthol cigarette ban, a decision that infuriated anti-smoking advocates but could avoid a political backlash from Black voters in November.
FORT MYERS Gone but not forgotten: Traveling Vietnam Memorial pays tribute to veterans A powerful symbol of honor and remembrance is standing proudly here in Southwest Florida. The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall is open to the public, a reminder of those we lost who served our country.
LEE COUNTY Two arrested for street racing in Lee County Two people have been arrested for street racing in Lee County according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
CAPE CORAL Boaters with rifles seen in Cape Coral canal On an average day, it’s pretty common to see people fishing or swimming in a canal. One neighbor in Cape Coral saw something unusual in his backyard Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Car flips, one sent to hospital after two car crash in Fort Myers A crash involving at least two vehicles sent one person to the hospital.
The Weather Authority: Clouds, sunshine, wind, and the possibility of a brief shower for your Sunday Clouds and occasional sunshine this Sunday. A few brief showers are possible late in the afternoon and this evening.
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.
There is little debate that bike helmets save lives. Government data shows that three quarters of all fatal bicycle crashes involve head trauma, and that helmets are up to 88 percent effective in mitigating head and brain injuries. But, while Americans are coming around to the use of helmets, experts are sounding the alarm about a frightening helmet con that could leave you and your family headed for disaster. Counterfeit bike helmets. Clint Mattacola, head of Helmet R&D for Specialized Bicycle Components, showed us how authentic and counterfeit helmets can look almost identical on the outside. But, he says, looks can be deceiving. What’s the big deal? Mattacola performed an impact test for us, required by law for all bicycle helmet certifications, which shows what happens when the helmet hits a solid surface head-on in a crash. The authentic helmet passed. It suffers a couple cracks, but the energy of the impact is absorbed by the helmet as it’s supposed to. As for the counterfeit? Mattacola says, “You can see how the counterfeit cleaves apart and has a catastrophic failure,” leaving your head basically unprotected. This is such a big issue Andrew Love, head of Brand Security and Investigations at Specialized, spends his days conquering counterfeiters. He says, “93 or 94 percent of the counterfeits will come out of China and Hong Kong. That’s where they’re coming from, but that’s not necessarily, as a consumer you will experience them. You might see them on ebay and the person might say they’re in illinois, or that person might say they’re in Spain.” Love says he regularly finds counterfeits from several brands on major digital marketplaces. He says online companies and the Federal government are doing what they can. Alexx Khu, The Director of the Intellectual Property Rights Center, part of Homeland Security, tells us the Feds made “146 seizures of counterfeit sporting goods, which presented a clear safety hazard” in the last fiscal year. And, that includes helmets. And in the trial of a Kentucky man arrested for peddling knock-off helmets, experts testified that consumers wearing one of the counterfeits who suffered a crash similar to that of impact testing “…might suffer a fractured skull, brain damage, or death.” Love says, “What I find so amazing is the counterfeiters spend so much energy making a product that looks just like ours. I mean, stunning attention to detail and paint and look but none of the safety features.” How can you spot a counterfeit?. All legit helmets contain a Consumer Product Safety Commission sticker as proof of passing Federal safety standards. Sizing charts should be american. And price matters. A high-end bike helmet can run $100 to over $300. If you see a deal too good to be true, Love says buyer beware. “This is safety equipment; you don’t want to bottom fish for price…They might look good to get past the sale moment, but they won’t do their job– protect your brain. And that kind of matters,” he says. While not all third party online items are counterfeits, the experts we talked to said the only way you can ensure an authentic helmet is to buy from a manufacturer website or an authorized bike shop. Khu tells us if consumers believe they have purchased a counterfeit, don’t use it! Contact the marketplace or retailer where it was purchased immediately and then report your purchase to the Intellectual Property Rights Center at either IPRCenterOutreach@ice.dhs.gov or 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. We also reached out to several other bike helmet manufacturers to see how they are handling the counterfeit issue, but did not get any responses.