ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
FILE Photo of convicted killer Jimmy Rodgers during his December 2019 sentencing in Lee County in the 2015 murder of Dr. Teresa Sievers at her home in Bonita Springs. Credit: WINK News. Thursday, one of the men hired to kill Doctor Teresa Sievers learned how long he will spend in prison. Jimmy Rodgers was sentenced to life in prison with no parole by Judge Bruce Kyle. He was facing 25 years to life after a jury convicted him of Second Degree Murder in October. The jury agreed Rodgers carried out the 2015 murder with Curtis Wayne Wright, Mark Sievers’ childhood friend. Judge Bruce Kyle agreed with the State, and Rodgers will be sentenced as a prison release re-offender. Teresa Sievers’ murder was committed less than a year after Rodgers was released from federal prison. WATCH THE FULL SENTENCING FROM THE COURTROOM After some back and forth about business records, the State called forward their first witness, a Lee County forensic expert who examines fingerprints. We did not hear from her during the trials for either Rodgers or Sievers. Next, Teresa’s mother spoke, providing an emotional moment as the family asked the judge and jury to give Rodgers the maximum sentence. Surrounded by two of her children and her daughter-in-law, Teresa Sievers’ mom addressed the judge. “Jimmy Rodgers killed my daughter.” Asked the judge to impose the maximum sentence. #RodgersSentencing @winknews pic.twitter.com/v1ItCrBZaj — Brooke Shafer (@BrookeShaferTV) December 12, 2019 Now, Rodgers’ older brother, Jackie Rodgers, Sr., has been called to the stand. We saw him during the trial, but this is the first time we’ve heard from him. He spoke of when his brother was born and how their mother had a psychotic break shortly after and was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Rodgers’ brother has turned his chair to answer questions directly to the judge. We’re hearing about a difficult childhood for Jimmy Ray Rodgers. His brother remembers their dad telling Jimmy to go kill himself. This is the first time we’ve seen real emotion from Rodgers. pic.twitter.com/mfXgpglcwP — Brooke Shafer (@BrookeShaferTV) December 12, 2019 He said the brothers both had “very different childhoods.” He said their mother woke up late and drank a lot. She eventually committed suicide when Jimmy was about eight or nine years old. Jimmy Rodgers’ brother took care of him when their parents died. Tearing up to the judge, he said: “There’s few things I’ve done in life that I regret, and one of the biggest things I regret is not having the foresight to know my brother needed more than I could give him at that time.” Rodgers’ brother had hoped Jimmy would enlist in the military after high school, but Jimmy continued to have problems. Eventually, he became a convicted felon and was hit with a felony gun charge after a home raid. Jackie said the guns had belonged to their dad and thought they were okay in the safe. Next on the stand is Dr. Amanda Evans. She is retired from working at FGCU. Her expertise is in developmental trauma. Next witness for the defense is a clinical social worker who looked into Jimmy Rodgers’ records. Has not met Jimmy personally, but was asked by defense to look into his developmental trauma. Said there were reports of neglect and possibly abuse. #RodgersSentencing pic.twitter.com/9QQJ6T5o7t — Brooke Shafer (@BrookeShaferTV) December 12, 2019 She was asked to look into Rodgers’ developmental trauma and said there were reports of neglect and possibly abuse. Evans said when Jimmy was born there was an issue with the umbilical cord and he lost oxygen to the brain. When he was little, he’d have spells where he’d get so angry or frustrated he would pass out. During her testimony, Rodgers was seen in tears. She spoke about how his father would blame him for his mother’s death, telling him often, “Why don’t you kill yourself like your mother.” Evans said she wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Rodgers was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder but added that her role is not to excuse, but to understand how things occur and explain how someone got to where they are. The State in their cross of Evans pointed out the records she’d seen were chosen and obtained by Rodgers’ defense team. The State also pointed out that the costs, fines and fees of the case amounted to $113,015. Following a brief recess, Rodgers chose not to speak on his own behalf and was sentenced to life in prison with no parole. Judge Kyle called this one of the most horrific crimes he’s tried.