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.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society raises concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
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.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society raises concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
14-year-old fights for his life as he awaits a bone marrow transplant. (Credit: WINK News) A simple swab of your cheek could help save a local boy. That is the message a Naples mom is desperate to get out. “It all started with him getting sick on a Saturday morning with the flu,” Grae Salerno said. “By Sunday, we had to rush him to the ER.” Grae’s son, Dalton Sidener, is fighting for his life after a sudden diagnosis of aplastic anemia in April. The condition is when the bone marrow stops working. Dr. Craig McCarthur works at Golisano Children’s Hospital, where Dalton, 14 years old, was diagnosed. He said aplastic anemia, a rare disease seen once a year at the hospital, is when the patient does not have enough blood cells and suffers medical consequences. A bone marrow transplant is the only way to fix the problem. It is unique because it is one of the few things living donors can share with patients. The procedure is similar to kidneys and partial liver transplants. But the solution is proving to be difficult in Dalton’s case. “In the nationwide registry, right now, we don’t have a matched donor,” Craig said. Not having a matched donor is not a unique problem. There is a perception that getting a donor is as simple as matching a person’s blood type with the patient in need. But, bone marrow tissue varies from person to person. The challenge is to find someone who matches the patient’s tissue type the closest. Jay Feinberg, founder and CEO of the Gift of Life, which matches donors with patients, said there is an urgent need for donors. Jay is a bone marrow recipient himself. “It took me four years to find a match,” Jay said. He told WINK News there are about 30 million marrow donors around the world. None of them match Dalton because of his rare and unique condition. But, bone marrow is not the only thing patients are waiting for years. When it comes to organs, more than 113,000 patients were waiting for things, such as kidneys, livers and lungs, as of January, according to the U.S. government. It also said 20 people a day die while waiting for a transplant. Grae does not want her son to become another statistic. Right now, Dalton is isolated because of his risk of infection. He has medicine that can help boost his immune system. But he needs that transplant to live a long, healthy life. “He’s got a bright future ahead of him,” Grae said. “He just needs some help at this time.” Help people can provide by registering through Gift of Life as a potential donor. It will send you a kit to swab the inside of your cheek for cells to see if you are a match. Donations through organizations, like the Gift of Life, are paid for by the patient’s insurance or the organization itself. “For a very minimal effort,” Grae said, “you can help save someone’s life.” ______ For more information on donations visit the Gift of Life Marrow Registry online HERE. Dalton is receiving cards at this address: Cornerstone United Methodist Church 8200 Immokalee Rd Naples, Fl. 34119.