Friday’s Furry Friends: Rhett, TagRecall issued for ground beef sold with possible E. coli at Walmart
FORT MYERS Friday’s Furry Friends: Rhett, Tag For this week’s Friday’s Furry Friends, WINK visits the Gulf Coast Humane Society to showcase two adorable animals ready to be adopted.
WINK NEWS Recall issued for ground beef sold with possible E. coli at Walmart The Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a recall for several ground beef products distributed from Pennsylvania to Walmart’s nationwide.
The Weather Authority Hotter and more humid this Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a mild Friday morning with dry afternoon conditions and isolated storms appearing in the evening.
PUNTA GORDA ‘Party’s Over’: Dirt biking ends at Barefoot Lake The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has made it clear, the party at Barefoot Lake is over.
ESTERO Crews battle 2.5-acre brush fire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive San Carlos Park Fire District is on the scene fighting a 2.5-acre brushfire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive.
FORT MYERS Jake’s story: A mother’s mission to share her son’s story and help other young people One Fort Myers mom is turning her pain into purpose after her son, who she refers to as her “heavenly Angel,” took his own life.
CAPE CORAL New renderings for the Cape Coral Yacht Club promise a bright future The Cape Coral Yacht Club, which has been part of this community since the 1960s, will now have a new look after Hurricane Ian’s devastating effects.
LEHIGH ACRES Owner bars public from Barefoot Lake, LCSO installs Watch Tower Every weekend, roughly 200 people go to Barefoot Lake in Lehigh Acres to relax, fish, swim and have a good time.
CAPE CORAL Concern over water shortage in Cape Coral Concern is flowing through Cape Coral as neighbors are seeing their canal levels low and their wells run dry.
FORT MYERS FSW softball swinging for success in the postseason Now their focus shifts to states which means the newbies are looking to the experienced sophomores for advice.
BONITA SPRINGS Young SWFL tennis player competing with professionals You may not know her name now, but you might want remember it because 16-year-old Cookie Jarvis-Tredgett is already competing with professionals.
NORTH NAPLES ‘It’s all about connection,’ Statement Peace makes jewelry with sustainability in mind The brand Statement Peace, once started inside founder Jessica Lee’s home, is now in 2,700 stores across the country
Pine Manor 2 arrested for firing gun at birthday party in Pine Manor A party ended with two people behind bars.
FORT MYERS Shooting investigation on busy Fort Myers street Police are conducting a shooting investigation that involves a traffic crash near Michigan Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.
FGCU New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis ready to build on department’s success New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis talks about the department’s future amid the age of NIL and the transfer portal.
FORT MYERS Friday’s Furry Friends: Rhett, Tag For this week’s Friday’s Furry Friends, WINK visits the Gulf Coast Humane Society to showcase two adorable animals ready to be adopted.
WINK NEWS Recall issued for ground beef sold with possible E. coli at Walmart The Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a recall for several ground beef products distributed from Pennsylvania to Walmart’s nationwide.
The Weather Authority Hotter and more humid this Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a mild Friday morning with dry afternoon conditions and isolated storms appearing in the evening.
PUNTA GORDA ‘Party’s Over’: Dirt biking ends at Barefoot Lake The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has made it clear, the party at Barefoot Lake is over.
ESTERO Crews battle 2.5-acre brush fire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive San Carlos Park Fire District is on the scene fighting a 2.5-acre brushfire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive.
FORT MYERS Jake’s story: A mother’s mission to share her son’s story and help other young people One Fort Myers mom is turning her pain into purpose after her son, who she refers to as her “heavenly Angel,” took his own life.
CAPE CORAL New renderings for the Cape Coral Yacht Club promise a bright future The Cape Coral Yacht Club, which has been part of this community since the 1960s, will now have a new look after Hurricane Ian’s devastating effects.
LEHIGH ACRES Owner bars public from Barefoot Lake, LCSO installs Watch Tower Every weekend, roughly 200 people go to Barefoot Lake in Lehigh Acres to relax, fish, swim and have a good time.
CAPE CORAL Concern over water shortage in Cape Coral Concern is flowing through Cape Coral as neighbors are seeing their canal levels low and their wells run dry.
FORT MYERS FSW softball swinging for success in the postseason Now their focus shifts to states which means the newbies are looking to the experienced sophomores for advice.
BONITA SPRINGS Young SWFL tennis player competing with professionals You may not know her name now, but you might want remember it because 16-year-old Cookie Jarvis-Tredgett is already competing with professionals.
NORTH NAPLES ‘It’s all about connection,’ Statement Peace makes jewelry with sustainability in mind The brand Statement Peace, once started inside founder Jessica Lee’s home, is now in 2,700 stores across the country
Pine Manor 2 arrested for firing gun at birthday party in Pine Manor A party ended with two people behind bars.
FORT MYERS Shooting investigation on busy Fort Myers street Police are conducting a shooting investigation that involves a traffic crash near Michigan Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.
FGCU New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis ready to build on department’s success New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis talks about the department’s future amid the age of NIL and the transfer portal.
Credit: WINK News. In November 2018, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment that restored voting rights to nearly 1.4 million ex-felons. Republican lawmakers, however, say they want to more narrowly define which ex-inmates are able to cast a ballot, a move critics consider “racist and unconstitutional.” Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he plans to sign the S.B. 7066, which would require all financial obligations be paid off before an individual can vote. This includes restitution, as well as court ordered fees and fines. He has until next week to put it on the books. Supporters said it helps properly implement Amendment 4, which gave back voting eligibility to convicted felons “after they complete all terms of their sentence.” It excluded those convicted of murder or sexual offenses. The measure also classifies what types of crimes can be considered a “sexual offense” and defines what would fall under “murder.” Some lawmakers said the amendment’s language was too vague. So, both Republican-controlled chambers passed legislation in what they said is an attempt to clear up any ambiguity. “If it’s not defined, we leave it to the judge, the government to discriminate on a case-by-case basis and I think that’s a recipe for rampant discrimination,” said Rep. James Grant, a Tampa Republican, who championed the bill and is the chairman of the House Criminal Justice Committee. Some critics, however, believe the bill is designed to discourage ex-felons from registering to vote. Myrna Perez, the head of the Brennan Center for Justice’s Voting Rights and Elections project, said Republican lawmakers are “trying to undermine” what 65 percent of voters decided last year. “I think that’s one of the things politicians who are throwing up all these roadblocks are trying to do, which is create this risk. To create this uncertainty for folks who are trying to keep their noses clean and trying to make good on a second chance that they were given,” Perez said. More than 2,000 people with felony convictions added their names to the Florida voting rolls during the first three months of 2019, according to a recent study by the Brennan Center. Of those, the average income was $15,000 less than that of the average Florida voter. Critics said the bill will disproportionately impact low-income individuals who can’t afford to pay their financial obligations after their release, prompting fears of permanent disenfranchisement. Florida is one of a handful of states where fees and fines are the sole source of funding for the courts. “Every state does it, but Florida relies exclusively on fees and fines to fund court operations,” said Ashley Thomas, Florida state director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center. “They are often mandatory, there is no discretion given to a judge to waive them for somebody who is indigent.” Thomas said not every charge has fines, but every charge does have fees. This includes, for example, $50 for applying to have a public defender represent your case. According to the most recent data by the Measures for Justice, the average amount of fines and fees a convicted defendant paid in Florida was $923. The bill does grant a judge the ability to either waive fees and fines completely, such as in exchange for community service. But it doesn’t appear to be so easy. Thomas said the bill does not outline criteria a judge can weigh when deciding to issue a waiver, thus leaving discretion to the courts. The process also presents additional financial barriers. When the House passed its initial version of the bill, 2020 Democratic candidate and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders called it “racist and unconstitutional.” The same day, another presidential hopeful, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker said it amounted to a Jim Crow-era law that forced black people to pay additional fees at voting booths. Grant sharply rebuked claims of voter suppression. He said Democrats were “disingenuous” and using the issue for “politics and self-gain.” “My belief is that the political impact of Amendment 4 is not going to be what Florida Democrats believe,” he said. “They’ve taken a posture that all felons who had their rights restored are automatically Democrats. I just don’t think we should ever be in a place where one political party is suggesting that whoever breaks the law has the propensity to vote one way or another.”