12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidaysFort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
WINK Investigates: Disgraced contractor faces new lawsuits and allegations Paul Beattie, a disgraced home builder is back doing business but legal challenges continue as another one of his businesses gets sued. Former employees of Beattie speak out, only to WINK.
SWFL reacts to UNC hiring Bill Belichick Southwest Florida reacts to North Carolina hiring Bill Belichick as its new head football coach and how that could impact the decisions of local recruits.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Some Floridians want more alone time during the holidays The holidays are all about spending time with family and friends, but nearly half of Americans say they really want more alone time during the holiday.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
Aggressive driving concerns on the rise in Southwest Florida The arrest of a man who, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said, killed a motorcyclist after crashing into him on purpose is raising concerns over aggressive driving in Southwest Florida.
SANIBEL Sanibel School students prepare for community Christmas performance The school that has had to claw and fight its way back more than once to reopen is getting the chance to celebrate.
FORT MYERS Rock For Equality: SWFL music scene to hold benefit concert for Palestine A two-venue, eight-band benefit concert is coming to Southwest Florida.
NAPLES Naples man sentenced in deadly bar shooting A man has been sentenced for a deadly shooting that took place at a Naples bar in March 2021.
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
WINK Investigates: Disgraced contractor faces new lawsuits and allegations Paul Beattie, a disgraced home builder is back doing business but legal challenges continue as another one of his businesses gets sued. Former employees of Beattie speak out, only to WINK.
SWFL reacts to UNC hiring Bill Belichick Southwest Florida reacts to North Carolina hiring Bill Belichick as its new head football coach and how that could impact the decisions of local recruits.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Some Floridians want more alone time during the holidays The holidays are all about spending time with family and friends, but nearly half of Americans say they really want more alone time during the holiday.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
Aggressive driving concerns on the rise in Southwest Florida The arrest of a man who, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said, killed a motorcyclist after crashing into him on purpose is raising concerns over aggressive driving in Southwest Florida.
SANIBEL Sanibel School students prepare for community Christmas performance The school that has had to claw and fight its way back more than once to reopen is getting the chance to celebrate.
FORT MYERS Rock For Equality: SWFL music scene to hold benefit concert for Palestine A two-venue, eight-band benefit concert is coming to Southwest Florida.
NAPLES Naples man sentenced in deadly bar shooting A man has been sentenced for a deadly shooting that took place at a Naples bar in March 2021.
A multi-agency effort has netted 41 drug arrests in 36 hours in Southwest Florida, State Attorney Amira Fox said Thursday. The sting was the culmination of a months-long effort and involved the confiscation of illegal drugs valued at more than $649,665 and more than $350,000 in cash. The operation was conducted by the Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, known as NETFORCE, led by the State Attorney’s Office. In late 2019, Fox created NETFORCE to coordinate a circuit-wide approach to identifying, investigating, and dismantling long-term organized crime, narcotics, racketeering, and money-laundering criminal enterprises. NETFORCE covers Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades, and Hendry counties. It includes all five sheriff’s offices within the 20th Circuit, as well as the Cape Coral Police Department and the Fort Myers Police Department. The investigation initially began in the City of Fort Myers and was focused on identifying and eradicating major narcotics suppliers within the city. During the investigation, law enforcement identified multiple individuals who are allegedly responsible for the distribution of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine within the city, and throughout Lee County. As the investigation progressed, the Fort Myers Police Department identified targets that were also distributing narcotics in Collier County. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office then began a parallel investigation to identify and dismantle the drug trafficking operation that was operating within Collier. During its investigation, CCSO identified numerous individuals allegedly responsible for the largescale distribution of many dangerous narcotics, including cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. The agencies said FMPD and CCSO purchased or seized approximately 16 kilos of cocaine, 15 oz. of fentanyl, nearly 12 pounds of marijuana, and 35.5 oz. of methamphetamine, with an approximate total street value of $649,665. In just one day during the month of May, FMPD seized 2 kilos of cocaine coming into Lee County and CCSO seized 12 kilos of cocaine coming into Collier County. The criminal targets involved in this case are accused of conspiring to traffic in a total of 26 kilos of cocaine, 13 ounces of heroin, 30 pounds of marijuana, 118 oz. of fentanyl, and 85 oz. of methamphetamine, with a combined street value of $1,302,700. The individuals arrested are accused of being part of drug trafficking organizations that the State Attorney’s Office says plague Southwest Florida. Watch Fox’s announcement at a press conference held Thursday: This NETFORCE operation is the start of continuing cooperative efforts among law enforcement agencies and an ongoing commitment to fighting drugs and making Southwest Florida a safer place for its citizens. The SAO added the arrests are the result of the hard work of the following law enforcement agencies: The State Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Fort Myers Police Department, Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Coral Police Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, Glades County Sheriff’s Office, Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County Port Authority Police Department, DEA, U.S. Marshals, FDLE, Louisiana State Police, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Plantation Police Department, Wilton Manor Police Department, South Florida Financial Crimes Strike Force, South Florida High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), and Customs and Border Protection.