Black bear spotted in downtown Fort MyersHot and dry Monday afternoon before isolated storms pop up this evening
FORT MYERS Black bear spotted in downtown Fort Myers A Florida black bear had been spotted in downtown Fort Myers early Monday morning. FWC is responding to relocate the bear.
WINK NEWS Hot and dry Monday afternoon before isolated storms pop up this evening On Monday morning, the weather is starting mild and humid with temperatures in the upper 60s and lower 70s.
FORT MYERS Caught on Camera: Firefighters respond to dumpster fire at FGCU San Carlos Park Fire District responded to a dumpster fire Sunday afternoon.
FORT MYERS FGCU students affected by Covid celebrate first commencement ceremony Graduation is a right of passage from school to the real world, but for these students, reality hit them in 2020.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcycle crash leaves 1 dead One person has died after a motorcycle crash in Charlotte County.
LEE COUNTY Lee Deputies work to track down transient sex offenders who fail to register WINK News Anchor Corey Lazar goes on patrol with Lee County Deputies in search of transient sex offenders who don’t register.
National Hurricane Preparedness Week: Know your risk Hurricane season starts on June 1st, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has designated the week of May 5 through May 11 as National Hurricane Preparedness Week. Each day, Meteorologist Lauren Kreidler will be highlighting ways to stay prepared ahead of this year’s hurricane season.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Stay alert – chance of showers and storms on Sunday Hot, humid, and more rain for parts of Southwest Florida on Sunday.
CAPE CORAL What we learned about Cape Coral’s water crisis after a ride along On Friday, WINK News got to ride along to see just what people are doing that could be wasting water.
The Weather Authority: A wet Saturday evening as storms move through Southwest Florida A rainy Saturday evening across much of southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Lee Health Touch-A-Truck event educates families on Trauma Awareness On Saturday morning, sirens were ringing to celebrate Lee Health Trauma Center’s 30 years of service and to provide the public with trauma education and prevention methods.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (CBS) CDC says bird flu viruses “pose pandemic potential,” cites major knowledge gaps Bird flu continues to appear to pose a “low risk to the general public” for now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. But the agency’s scientists ran into roadblocks investigating a human case of this “pandemic potential” virus this year, they said in a new report.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard set to open in late May A new place to hang out in Downtown Fort Myers is opening this spring.
Aetna agrees to settle lawsuit over fertility coverage for LGBTQ+ customers Aetna has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the health insurer of discriminating against LGBTQ+ customers in need of fertility treatment.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Robbery, Pawn Shops, and Child Porn This week’s segment of Wink Neighborhood Watch features an armed robber, fraud at a pawn shop, and possession of child pornography.
FORT MYERS Black bear spotted in downtown Fort Myers A Florida black bear had been spotted in downtown Fort Myers early Monday morning. FWC is responding to relocate the bear.
WINK NEWS Hot and dry Monday afternoon before isolated storms pop up this evening On Monday morning, the weather is starting mild and humid with temperatures in the upper 60s and lower 70s.
FORT MYERS Caught on Camera: Firefighters respond to dumpster fire at FGCU San Carlos Park Fire District responded to a dumpster fire Sunday afternoon.
FORT MYERS FGCU students affected by Covid celebrate first commencement ceremony Graduation is a right of passage from school to the real world, but for these students, reality hit them in 2020.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcycle crash leaves 1 dead One person has died after a motorcycle crash in Charlotte County.
LEE COUNTY Lee Deputies work to track down transient sex offenders who fail to register WINK News Anchor Corey Lazar goes on patrol with Lee County Deputies in search of transient sex offenders who don’t register.
National Hurricane Preparedness Week: Know your risk Hurricane season starts on June 1st, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has designated the week of May 5 through May 11 as National Hurricane Preparedness Week. Each day, Meteorologist Lauren Kreidler will be highlighting ways to stay prepared ahead of this year’s hurricane season.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Stay alert – chance of showers and storms on Sunday Hot, humid, and more rain for parts of Southwest Florida on Sunday.
CAPE CORAL What we learned about Cape Coral’s water crisis after a ride along On Friday, WINK News got to ride along to see just what people are doing that could be wasting water.
The Weather Authority: A wet Saturday evening as storms move through Southwest Florida A rainy Saturday evening across much of southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Lee Health Touch-A-Truck event educates families on Trauma Awareness On Saturday morning, sirens were ringing to celebrate Lee Health Trauma Center’s 30 years of service and to provide the public with trauma education and prevention methods.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (CBS) CDC says bird flu viruses “pose pandemic potential,” cites major knowledge gaps Bird flu continues to appear to pose a “low risk to the general public” for now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. But the agency’s scientists ran into roadblocks investigating a human case of this “pandemic potential” virus this year, they said in a new report.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard set to open in late May A new place to hang out in Downtown Fort Myers is opening this spring.
Aetna agrees to settle lawsuit over fertility coverage for LGBTQ+ customers Aetna has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the health insurer of discriminating against LGBTQ+ customers in need of fertility treatment.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Robbery, Pawn Shops, and Child Porn This week’s segment of Wink Neighborhood Watch features an armed robber, fraud at a pawn shop, and possession of child pornography.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has completed its sexual assault kit project after three years. The project aims to process older sexual assault kits that were submitted by local law enforcement to FDLE labs following a 2016 Sexual Assault Kit Assessment. More than 8,000 kits were processed resulting in more than 1,800 Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) hits. The system helps federal, state and local agencies compare DNA profiles electronically, linking crimes to each other and known offenders. To avoid another backlog, Florida law now mandates that agencies submit kits within 30 days, and the state has 120 days to process them. In Southwest Florida, 538 kits were submitted into the backlog system and 131 of those came back with a potential “hit,” according to FDLE. “A hit means that matches DNA from somebody who has come into the law enforcement circle somewhere before,” said Rich Kolko, WINK News Safety and Security Specialist. “As an investigator, if you’ve had a case where you don’t have a subject, or somebody to interview, this is obviously a great tip.” But a DNA match does not always equal an arrest. This may be because of other factors or evidence, or even a survivor’s decision not to press charges. WINK News reached out to all the agencies in the area that submitted kits to find out how many matches ended in arrests. We will update this story once we receive that information. “Ensuring that law enforcement has the appropriate tools to properly process sexual assault kits in a timely manner is important in helping solve crimes in Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Victims deserve our support, and they should know that under my administration justice will prevail.” “This is an extraordinary accomplishment and I am grateful to FDLE and all our law enforcement partners who worked diligently to eliminate the backlog of previously untested sexual assault kits,” said Attorney General Ashley Moody. “Not only was the backlog eliminated, procedures were adopted and advances made in an effort to prevent future backlogs.” DOCUMENT: County-by-county breakdown of kits processed by FDLE “I applaud Commissioner Swearingen and his team at FDLE for completing this important project and implementing process improvements to ensure sexual assault kits are processed timely and efficiently,” said CFO Jimmy Patronis. “This DNA data is a vital tool used by our dedicated law enforcement personnel to ensure perpetrators of sexual assault are apprehended, held accountable and victims receive the justice they deserve.” “DNA evidence is critical to solving sexual assault crimes,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried. “Thanks to the dedicated professionals at FDLE, Florida has taken a leap forward in securing justice, helping victims to heal, and holding perpetrators accountable for their despicable actions. Today, a clear message has been sent that time may pass, but justice will be served.” “I am proud of our FDLE scientists and law enforcement partners who worked diligently on this project ensuring older sexual assault kits were processed and the results entered into the DNA database,” said FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen. “The more information we have and can share, the stronger the possibility of solving these crimes.” “We are in the law enforcement business to protect citizens and enforce the law. Today, the Sheriffs of Florida applaud the efforts of FDLE’s scientists and our fellow law enforcement partners,” said Pinellas County Sheriff and FSA President Bob Gualtieri. “Now that the DNA database has been updated with over 8,000 sexual assault kits, we look forward to solving these crimes and delivering swift justice.” “I am very pleased with the work that has been conducted by local law enforcement and FDLE on submitting and processing older sexual assault kits,” said Temple Terrace Police Chief and President of the Florida Police Chiefs Association, Chief Kenneth Albano. “Our Police Chiefs consider sexual assault as one of the most heinous crimes that can be perpetrated on an individual. We are committed to projects like this, that assist us in getting dangerous and violent criminals off our streets.” “Victims of sexual assault who choose to get a forensic exam not only want justice for themselves, they want to ensure that their assailant isn’t going to remain free to assault someone else,” said Florida Council Against Sexual Violence Executive Director Jennifer Dritt. “FDLE’s processing of more than 8,000 previously unsubmitted rape kits in three years is remarkable, and gives hope to victims of a crime that has made their bodies evidence.” “I am extremely proud of our work to ensure that the State of Florida put an end to the sexual assault kit backlog,” said Florida Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto. “During the last three years over 8,000 previously untested rape kits were tested across the state. The results of many of those tests could lead to justice for attackers and closure for victims. We have also seen over the last three years that based on the clearance of the backlog that multiple cold case arrests have been made. I thank the FDLE for their hard work to ensure this project was carried out and that new kits are tested within 120 days of being submitted. Victims no longer have to fear that their rape kit will sit on a shelf while their attacker walks the street.” Local law enforcement agencies submitted these sexual assault kits from 2015 through June 2019. Some Florida agencies, however, did not submit their evidence to FDLE labs and instead use private labs or their own lab systems. Sexual assault kit statistics (FDLE)