LCSO Deputies save man from burning homeStalking charges dropped against Bonita jeweler who had accusations against Marceno
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO Deputies save man from burning home A dramatic rescue unfolded in North Fort Myers as deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office saved a disabled man from a burning home.
Stalking charges dropped against Bonita jeweler who had accusations against Marceno A man at the center of accusations against the Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno won’t be charged in a separate case.
SANIBEL Historic Bailey’s Store in Sanibel plans comeback after storms Bailey’s General Store, a beloved Sanibel institution since the 1800s, is making a comeback after suffering significant damage from recent hurricanes.
ENGLEWOOD Lemon Bay High’s programs drive 98% graduation rate Lemon Bay High School in Englewood boasts an impressive 98% graduation rate, surpassing the state’s nearly 90% rate.
FORT MYERS Bishop Verot grad celebrates national title with Ohio State Former Bishop Verot safety Leroy Roker wins the national championship with Ohio State.
DORAL House Republicans focus on Trump agenda at annual retreat in Doral U.S. House Republicans have gathered at Trump National Doral for their annual retreat, known as the “Issues Conference.”
GAINESVILLE UF Title IX investigation into Todd Golden closed Title IX investigation into Florida Gators men’s basketball head coach is closed after the university found “no evidence” of a Title IX violation.
New surgical robot helps patients recover faster Robot-assisted surgeries are transforming the operating room by turning major operations into smaller, less invasive procedures.
TALLAHASSEE Lawmakers cancel special session called by Gov. DeSantis There was some chaos and defiance earlier this morning as a special session got underway in Tallahassee.
Sugarshack Downtown music venue goes live in Bonita Springs Following a series of private invitation-only events, the live music venue with a full-service restaurant and bars launches to the general public Jan. 31 across Old 41 Road from the city’s Riverside Park bandshell. A grand opening celebration is planned in early February.
Foxtail Coffee Co., Eagle Specialty Coffee open in Cape Coral The two coffee shops are almost identical in size, shape and layout. Both rely on drive-thru windows for more than half their business. Both are located off Pine Island Road in Cape Coral, and both are part of relatively small companies when compared to the behemoth that’s located roughly halfway between them.
Jury selection begins for Charlotte County teen accused of murdering his mother Jury selection begins for the 17-year-old accused of killing his mother, who could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.
PUNTA GORDA Quarter auction to benefit Sgt. Elio Diaz in Punta Gorda There will be a quarterly auction in Punta Gorda to benefit Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz, who died last year while conducting a traffic stop.
Charlotte deputies searching for armed suspect on the run The hunt is on for a suspect who fled from Charlotte County deputies when they went to arrest him on a Sarasota warrant on Sunday.
FORT MYERS Lee Health holds groundbreaking ceremony in Fort Myers Lee Health is expanding its reach and held an event for a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Fort Myers campus.
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO Deputies save man from burning home A dramatic rescue unfolded in North Fort Myers as deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office saved a disabled man from a burning home.
Stalking charges dropped against Bonita jeweler who had accusations against Marceno A man at the center of accusations against the Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno won’t be charged in a separate case.
SANIBEL Historic Bailey’s Store in Sanibel plans comeback after storms Bailey’s General Store, a beloved Sanibel institution since the 1800s, is making a comeback after suffering significant damage from recent hurricanes.
ENGLEWOOD Lemon Bay High’s programs drive 98% graduation rate Lemon Bay High School in Englewood boasts an impressive 98% graduation rate, surpassing the state’s nearly 90% rate.
FORT MYERS Bishop Verot grad celebrates national title with Ohio State Former Bishop Verot safety Leroy Roker wins the national championship with Ohio State.
DORAL House Republicans focus on Trump agenda at annual retreat in Doral U.S. House Republicans have gathered at Trump National Doral for their annual retreat, known as the “Issues Conference.”
GAINESVILLE UF Title IX investigation into Todd Golden closed Title IX investigation into Florida Gators men’s basketball head coach is closed after the university found “no evidence” of a Title IX violation.
New surgical robot helps patients recover faster Robot-assisted surgeries are transforming the operating room by turning major operations into smaller, less invasive procedures.
TALLAHASSEE Lawmakers cancel special session called by Gov. DeSantis There was some chaos and defiance earlier this morning as a special session got underway in Tallahassee.
Sugarshack Downtown music venue goes live in Bonita Springs Following a series of private invitation-only events, the live music venue with a full-service restaurant and bars launches to the general public Jan. 31 across Old 41 Road from the city’s Riverside Park bandshell. A grand opening celebration is planned in early February.
Foxtail Coffee Co., Eagle Specialty Coffee open in Cape Coral The two coffee shops are almost identical in size, shape and layout. Both rely on drive-thru windows for more than half their business. Both are located off Pine Island Road in Cape Coral, and both are part of relatively small companies when compared to the behemoth that’s located roughly halfway between them.
Jury selection begins for Charlotte County teen accused of murdering his mother Jury selection begins for the 17-year-old accused of killing his mother, who could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.
PUNTA GORDA Quarter auction to benefit Sgt. Elio Diaz in Punta Gorda There will be a quarterly auction in Punta Gorda to benefit Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz, who died last year while conducting a traffic stop.
Charlotte deputies searching for armed suspect on the run The hunt is on for a suspect who fled from Charlotte County deputies when they went to arrest him on a Sarasota warrant on Sunday.
FORT MYERS Lee Health holds groundbreaking ceremony in Fort Myers Lee Health is expanding its reach and held an event for a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Fort Myers campus.
Mother Roberta Tondarich with her daughter, Tonya Maslar. Tondarich is among 50 women who have been confirmed as murder victims of serial killer Samuel Little, who claims to have killed 93 women, including an unidentified woman in Fort Myers back in 1984. Credit: Photo shared with WINK News. Roberta Tondarich is one of serial killer Samuel Little’s victims. She is among 93 women Little has told law enforcement agencies across the country he has murdered. Roberta was identified by investigators based on a sketch Little drew of her, as he has drawn for all his victims. We spoke to Roberta’s daughter, who lives in Ohio, and got the latest from the FBI on the investigation. Back in 1991, Little left Roberta for dead in the woods of Akron, Ohio. Her daughter still wonders how she died. “Every time I’ve seen someone that looked like my mom, it made me think maybe she just left me and my sister,” Tonya Maslar told WINK News about her mother, Roberta. “You know, ‘This isn’t real.’ So it kind of played games with my head.” Akron police put an end to those head games 28 years later. Detectives told Tonya that Little confessed to killing a woman in Akron in 1991. His story matched Roberta’s case. Investigators showed Tonya the sketch. “I looked at him and told him that was my mom,” Tonya said. The FBI has verified 50 of Little’s confessed murders out of the 93 he has claimed to have committed. Roberta Tondarich is among those victims who are confirmed. Now, investigators are trying to close out the rest of the cases, including identifying a woman Little says he strangled to death in Fort Myers in 1984. “It will always be an open investigation up until the point that we have matched every confession and identified every victim,” said Christie Palazzolo with the FBI’s violent criminal apprehension program. As for Tonya, she had a message to share with us directed at Little. “He said in his interviews that his victims were not important to their families. He took victims who weren’t important,” Tonya said. “I would tell him that my mother was important to our family.”