Students react to threat made at Florida Gulf Coast UniversityMissing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres
Students react to threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Ian.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
LABELLE City of LaBelle under precautionary boil water notice A water main break has the City of Labelle under a precautionary boil water notice.
ESTERO FGCU student wins ice dancing national championship FGCU sophomore Lucas Appel wins his second US Senior Solo Dance National Championship in three years.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office: Parent brings weapon to Lehigh Acres school According to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office report, there is probable cause to believe a woman unintentionally brought a firearm to school.
Students react to threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Ian.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
LABELLE City of LaBelle under precautionary boil water notice A water main break has the City of Labelle under a precautionary boil water notice.
ESTERO FGCU student wins ice dancing national championship FGCU sophomore Lucas Appel wins his second US Senior Solo Dance National Championship in three years.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office: Parent brings weapon to Lehigh Acres school According to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office report, there is probable cause to believe a woman unintentionally brought a firearm to school.
Credit: WINK News. A federal investigation into the Fort Myers Police Department began after the City of Fort Myers hired the Freeh Group International Solutions to look for problems within the department. In early 2017, the Freeh Group released an audit report that included a recommendation to have an outside agency investigate potential misconduct at the police department. The same day, the department placed Sergeant Rick Notaro, Sergeant Michael Forbes, Officer Jason Jackson and Captain Melvin Perry on paid administrative leave. FMPD continues to claim the officers are under investigation but will not link the ongoing federal investigation to the officers. The United States Attorney’s Office will not confirm the existence of any investigation into the officers. However, in a follow-up report issued by the Freeh Group in May 2018, it stated the department had achieved a recommendation by allowing for an outside agency to conduct a criminal investigation into the police department. Notaro retired in August 2017, and Forbes retired in March 2018 amid the ongoing investigation. Perry and Jackson are still collecting salary and benefits, totaling more than $360,000 as of April 26, 2019. “(The amount of money spent on paid leave) does beg the question that maybe we should just move on, dismiss the officers, set that aside and move on, hire some others,” Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson said. “We may get to a day when that is recommendation for us.” Henderson said if the council were to get sound legal recommendation that it was appropriate to remove the officers, they would consider it. He also said he had no indication of what was being investigation by the U.S. attorney. An internal investigation conducted after the release of the Freeh Group report details problems within the department’s special investigations group. The SIG was responsible for conducting drug enforcement in the city and often used confidential informants. All four men placed on leave were involved with SIG operations at one point or another. Perry and Notaro were actually at the top of it before the department restructured in 2017. Forbes was at one point a detective as part of the SIG, but his personnel records show that he asked to be moved to patrol in 2010. He was promoted to sergeant of patrol and seemed to excel. A recent evaluation showed that he was eligible for promotion. Jackson assisted in drug operations with the SIG several years ago and was eligible to become a detective in the team at one point, but his file shows he was also part of patrol when he was suspended. A few months before that suspension, Chief of Police Derrick Diggs named Jackson as one of the officers of the month. Notaro and Perry were subjects of an internal investigation into the SIG in the months after they were placed on leave. A report conducted between April and October of 2017 found problems with how the SIG handled dealings with confidential informants. The IA found that the department was not following Rachel’s Law, which was set up to protect police informants after a young college student was murdered after acting as an informant. FMPD was not keeping a log of who accessed informant files. When Notaro was confronted about this, the agency said he was untruthful and claimed there was a log. Captain Perry ultimately took the blame as Notaro’s superior for relying on Notaro to keep the log but never verifying that one existed. The city agreed with the police department to demote Perry from captain to lieutenant in January 2018, and his salary while on leave was decreased. In March, City Manager Saed Kazemi wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney Maria-Chapa Lopez asking for an update on the investigation into the police department, citing concerns over the amount of time the officers remain on paid suspensions. Chapa-Lopez wrote back in early April, stating that federal policy prohibited her from commenting or even confirming the existence of an investigation. Diggs and Kazemi told us they had no comment. Mayor Henderson emphasized the need for patience in the situation. “We’re talking about people’s lives here,” Henderson said. “We’re talking about getting to the truth and doing the right thing. There’s no future in rushing through that.”