Lee County Sheriff’s Deputies investigating North Fort Myers shootingBishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations by SWFL priest
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County Sheriff’s Deputies investigating North Fort Myers shooting A shooting investigation is underway in North Fort Myers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations by 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.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County Sheriff’s Deputies investigating North Fort Myers shooting A shooting investigation is underway in North Fort Myers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Bishop of the Diocese of Venice releases statement following sexual abuse allegations by 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.
Medical professionals. (Credit: MGN) Should doctors, specialists or surgeons apologize to patients if they think they’ve made a mistake that caused an injury? Many in the medical profession have feared that admitting to being wrong, even if unintentional, would subject a doctor to a malpractice lawsuit by one of the many TV lawyers stalking the airwaves. “The thought of apologizing for a bad result was anathema,” said Dr. Darryl Weiman, a professor at the University of Tennessee. “The apology may be … interpreted by the patient as physical negligence.” But now 37 states have adopted “apology laws” allowing medical professionals, which could include nurses or therapists, to admit an error — even in writing — without having the apology used against them in court. Proponents of these laws say they’re good because everyone can make a mistake. Admitting the error, even one as serious as failing to detect cancer early on, could help the relationship between doctor and patient, they say, and also clear the doctor’s conscience of unnecessary guilt. Insurers that provide medical malpractice coverage also hope such laws will minimize the number of resentment lawsuits. Indeed, the lack of “forthright communication” with the injured patient probably makes a malpractice suit more likely in the long run, according to Dr. Weiman. Does “apology legislation” work? But a recent study by Vanderbilt University entitled “Sorry Is Never Enough” indicates that all this “apology legislation” isn’t working. Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management analyzed malpractice claims for 90 percent of the nation’s health care providers in a single specialty, both surgeons and nonsurgeons. The study found that about two-thirds of the suits went to court and that state apology laws made no difference — at least for surgeons. For nonsurgeons in states with apology laws, however, these claims were 46 percent more likely to result in a lawsuit. The Vanderbilt researchers said this was “probably” due to the fact that surgical errors — such as leaving a sponge inside a patient — were more obvious than failing to diagnose a symptom such as a shadow that could represent a tumor or whether a patient is suicidal. “The truth is, one of the things that makes my clients suspicious is when the doctor is too nice to them,” said Allan Zelikovic, who heads the medical malpractice division at law firm Weitz & Luxenberg. “A normally gruff guy suddenly put his arm around you …” Medical malpractice lawsuits have dwindled in recent years and are now only about half of what they were at the turn of the century, according to a study by Dr. David Belk. One big reason: Everyone is angry about the cost of health care and looking to do something about it. One thing states and the federal government have done is tighten the requirements for filing a malpractice suit and proving wrongdoing. Fewer and smaller settlements The number of paid settlements against medical doctors (MDs) and doctors of osteopathy (DOs) declined from 16,000 in 2001 to around 8,500 in 2016. Settlement amounts also fell from more than $6 billion (in 2017 dollars) to less than $4 billion, according to Dr. Belk’s study. One reason is that many patients who suffer medical negligence never file suit. In a Harvard University study, only eight of 280 patients actually filed claims. The second reason is cost, which discourages lawyers from taking smaller cases because the lawyers would bear the initial burden of having the case heard in court, and that could amount to between $100,000 and $200,000. “The doctors’ lobby has convinced legislatures to cut our fees,” said attorney Zelikovic. “So it’s a heavy up-front load.” All of which means a bigger payday at the courthouse is needed to make the effort worthwhile. Dr. Belk’s study shows that while settlements in smaller cases are way down, the number of cases in which the payouts are $500,000 or more have remained relatively stable. Apparently, it’s all about the payout, not the apology. Many lawyers don’t really want doctors to apologize. As the website sorryworks.net said: “Personal injury attorneys often say they want no mention of ‘sorry’ in the courtroom.”