Bay Street Yard opens for Memorial Day weekendRapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say
FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard opens for Memorial Day weekend On Saturday, the new business opened its doors to the public.
FORT LAUDERDALE (AP) Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say
PORT CHARLOTTE CCSO: 2-year-old boy shot in the hand by 4-year-old Charlotte County Fire-EMS said they treated the two-year-old boy, who had a gunshot injury to the hand.
NCAA, Power Five approve settlement sets stage for schools to pay players NCAA and Power Five conferences agree on settlement that will allow schools to pay student athletes and share revenue.
FORT MYERS Placing flags to honor the fallen on Memorial Day weekend This weekend is much more than just a backyard barbecue and some time off work. It allows us to remember our nation’s heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
SANIBEL The beach is back on Sanibel and Captiva for Memorial Day weekend Businesses on Sanibel and Captiva told WINK News they’re ready for the wave of tourism.
The Weather Authority: Here’s what to expect for your Memorial Day weekend Hot and humid weather for your holiday weekend. The UV index will be an 11!
WINK NEWS Honoring fallen soldiers at Memorial Day events across Southwest Florida Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for those who have died in the military, honors those who have served in the armed forces.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres neighbor accuses construction company of mistakenly tearing up lot Along 27th Street West in Lehigh Acres, neighbors knew it was only a matter of time before the lots next to them were developed.
FORT MYERS ECS softball celebrates first state championship Evangelical Christian School honors state champion softball team with parade on campus.
SANIBEL Sanibel hosts annual hurricane seminar to prepare for upcoming season With a very active Atlantic hurricane season ahead, they’re not taking anything for granted.
Teen’s killer out of jail after 8 months A teenager charged with manslaughter after accidentally shooting and killing his girlfriend is now out of jail after serving less than a year.
Miles apart: local mother hopes to reunite brothers from Haiti to the U.S. The process of adopting a child is different for everyone, but Michelle Reed’s passion has always been to adopt children into her family.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers Richards Building goes in foreclosure An update on the historic Richards Building in downtown Fort Myers: it’s going into foreclosure.
PORT CHARLOTTE How is Sunseeker Resort impacting Port Charlotte? What is a resort that saw five years of delays, pushback and more doing to the community that it sits in?
FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard opens for Memorial Day weekend On Saturday, the new business opened its doors to the public.
FORT LAUDERDALE (AP) Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say
PORT CHARLOTTE CCSO: 2-year-old boy shot in the hand by 4-year-old Charlotte County Fire-EMS said they treated the two-year-old boy, who had a gunshot injury to the hand.
NCAA, Power Five approve settlement sets stage for schools to pay players NCAA and Power Five conferences agree on settlement that will allow schools to pay student athletes and share revenue.
FORT MYERS Placing flags to honor the fallen on Memorial Day weekend This weekend is much more than just a backyard barbecue and some time off work. It allows us to remember our nation’s heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
SANIBEL The beach is back on Sanibel and Captiva for Memorial Day weekend Businesses on Sanibel and Captiva told WINK News they’re ready for the wave of tourism.
The Weather Authority: Here’s what to expect for your Memorial Day weekend Hot and humid weather for your holiday weekend. The UV index will be an 11!
WINK NEWS Honoring fallen soldiers at Memorial Day events across Southwest Florida Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for those who have died in the military, honors those who have served in the armed forces.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres neighbor accuses construction company of mistakenly tearing up lot Along 27th Street West in Lehigh Acres, neighbors knew it was only a matter of time before the lots next to them were developed.
FORT MYERS ECS softball celebrates first state championship Evangelical Christian School honors state champion softball team with parade on campus.
SANIBEL Sanibel hosts annual hurricane seminar to prepare for upcoming season With a very active Atlantic hurricane season ahead, they’re not taking anything for granted.
Teen’s killer out of jail after 8 months A teenager charged with manslaughter after accidentally shooting and killing his girlfriend is now out of jail after serving less than a year.
Miles apart: local mother hopes to reunite brothers from Haiti to the U.S. The process of adopting a child is different for everyone, but Michelle Reed’s passion has always been to adopt children into her family.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers Richards Building goes in foreclosure An update on the historic Richards Building in downtown Fort Myers: it’s going into foreclosure.
PORT CHARLOTTE How is Sunseeker Resort impacting Port Charlotte? What is a resort that saw five years of delays, pushback and more doing to the community that it sits in?
In this photo taken by her son, Betty Riddle in Sarasota, Fla., Sunday, April 26, 2020, holds the T-shirt she wore on March 17, 2020, when she voted for the first time. She was barred from voting in Florida until a federal judge temporarily blocked the state from preventing her and 16 other felons from voting because of unpaid legal financial obligations. (Courtesy of Rickie Riddle via AP) Betty Riddle took her place at the head of the line at a Sarasota community center early one morning in March, butterflies rising in her stomach. In and out of prison for much of her life, she never thought the day would come when she would be casting her first ballot — at age 62. That day arrived March 17 when Florida held its presidential primary. For Riddle, it was her first opportunity to vote after a federal judge last fall temporarily barred the state of Florida from preventing her and 16 others from voting. During a trial that began Monday morning, her lawyers hope to persuade the same U.S. District Court judge to permanently undo a state law that requires felons to first settle their financial debts before regaining the right to vote under Amendment 4. That 2018 ballot measure restored the voting franchise to felons who have done their time and completed probation. “It was one of the greatest moments in my life,” said Riddle, describing that day in March when she cast her first vote. “It was like getting your freedom back, allowing my voice to be heard.” As a plaintiff in a voting rights case, which is being held by virtual conferencing because of the coronavirus outbreak, she now speaks on behalf of many more disenfranchised Floridians who lost the right to vote when they were convicted of serious crimes. In a state that holds great sway in national politics, particularly because of razor-thin margins that sometimes decide key races, access to the ballot box is no minor issue. According to a study submitted as evidence, more than 774,000 felons across Florida’s 67 counties are ineligible to vote because of financial debts — a sizable group of potential voters. “We’re talking about the voting rights of three-quarters of a million people. Obviously, that’s enough to determine plenty of local or statewide, or even wider, elections,” said Julie Ebenstein, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union. After voters approved Amendment 4, Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed a bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis stipulating that felons must pay all fines, restitution and other legal financial obligations before their sentences will be considered fully served. In October, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle issued a preliminary injunction against some parts of that new law. And in February, a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit let the injunction stand. Last month, an Atlanta-based appellate court declined to hear a further appeal backed by the governor. The ACLU and two other groups are representing the majority of the named plaintiffs in what is now a consolidated class-action suit. The case is seeking to strike down Florida’s financial requirement that bars felons from voting. DeSantis and other Republicans argue that paying one’s debt to society is not just about serving time, but also settling outstanding fines, restitution and other legal financial obligations. At a hearing last fall, Judge Hinkle suggested that Florida can prevent felons access to the ballot box if they have the means to repay outstanding financial obligations but refuse. But he likened the state’s financial requirement to a poll tax if it continues to deny the vote to felons too poor to fully settle up. Riddle was 17 when she was first convicted of a violent assault. Over the years, she spent five stints in prison, mostly for drug offenses. Her last stint ended in 2008. She said she can’t afford to pay her outstanding debts, which she estimated to be at least $2,000. She’s not even sure exactly how much she owes because records aren’t easy to track. All those many years, she said, she sat from the sidelines knowing she couldn’t fully take part in her civic duties. “It was a lifetime sentence. I always thought about it when I saw people going out to vote or watching it on TV. I knew I couldn’t,” she said. But the day she could vote finally came. “I was excited. I was giddy. I was nervous. I was all those things,” she said. “I was clapping my hands excitedly, and I was praying to the Lord.” The trial’s outcome, however, may not be the final word because the losing side is likely to appeal. Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.