LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underwayRock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
Tommy Watkins, first base coach for Minnesota Twins and former Fort Myers community member. Watkins spoke to WINK News and shared stories about encounters with Lee County deputies he calls racial profiling. As a community member in the Minneapolis area, George Floyd’s death in city police custody served as a catalyst for Watkins to share his own encounters with police in his lifetime. Credit: WINK News. Tommy Watkins is the first base coach for the Minnesota Twins. He is also a former Southwest Florida community member from Fort Myers. We spoke to Watkins Friday about an encounter he says he had with deputies in Lee County many years ago, saying it was an example of racial profiling. And George Floyd’s death while in Minneapolis police custody, in the city where Watkins makes his living, lit a fire in him. “It was hard to watch,” Watkins said. “It could have been us, you know?” So Watkins felt it was necessary to share his experience encountering deputies, moments in his life when he felt he was being treated unfairly by law enforcement based on his race. Watkins recalled a day in 2007 when he picked up his cousin from the airport. “We stopped at CVS, we get out, we’re walking in, and, you know, I kind of glanced back,” Watkins said. “And I saw a sheriff car parked behind me, had me blocked in … He jumps out and he says, ‘Freeze,’ and he has his gun pointed at us both to put our hands up.” “I was scared, and didn’t know what was going to happen,” Watkins said. What happened, Watkins told us, was a deputy cuffed his cousin and put him in a patrol car while another responding deputy searched Watkins’ car. “Another one pulled up, said something to him, let my cousin out, and my cousin asked, ‘Can we ask why you stopped us?’” Watkins recalled. “They’re like, ‘You fit the description of a robbery. They just both jumped in the car and left.” While the incident Watkins talked about happened in the City of Fort Myers, he said Lee County deputies made the stop. Mike Scott was the Lee County sheriff at the time, and he told us recently, “Our deputies knew then and they know now that we do not tolerate any racial discrimination … I would encourage [Watkins] to contact me. If he truly feels this way, I would be willing to backtrack to the best of my ability.” Watkins said he never heard a “my mistake” or “I’m sorry.” And, while he’ll never forget that “feeling,” Watkins wants everyone watching to respect every man and woman in uniform. “There are a lot of police that are really good people,” Watkins said. “I’ve got a lot of friends that are. And I don’t want everybody to think that they’re all bad because that’s not the truth.”