33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee CountyCool and breezy for your Thursday afternoon
33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County Another Florida panther was killed by a vehicle, this time in Hardee County, increasing the death toll of the endangered species to 33 for 2024.
the weather authority Cool and breezy for your Thursday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking cold morning conditions before temperatures warm up to the low 70s this Thursday.
Students react to threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Milton.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
LABELLE City of LaBelle under precautionary boil water notice A water main break has the City of Labelle under a precautionary boil water notice.
33rd endangered Florida panther death of 2024; killed by vehicle in Hardee County Another Florida panther was killed by a vehicle, this time in Hardee County, increasing the death toll of the endangered species to 33 for 2024.
the weather authority Cool and breezy for your Thursday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking cold morning conditions before temperatures warm up to the low 70s this Thursday.
Students react to threat made at Florida Gulf Coast University Students at Florida Gulf Coast University said they don’t know the specifics of a threat made last week, but they do know it was taken care of.
Missing and endangered boy found in Lehigh Acres Authorities have found a missing and endangered boy in Lehigh Acres. Police asked for the public’s help in locating Zachariah McKelvin.
School District denies bus service to student despite mother’s measurements When we think of the bus stop, we typically think of it as a safe place for our children, but one mother says the Lee County School District told her they live too close to the school to get a bus route.
MATLACHA 2 stranded dolphins rescued from mangroves near Matlacha Two stranded dolphins were pulled from mangroves near Matlacha.
CAPE CORAL NAACP honors Cape Coral Police Chief after acknowledging hate crime NAACP President, James Muwakkil, was so impressed with Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore that he wanted the entire city to know.
NAPLES Jingled Elves trolley tour underway Breaking out your best dance moves and spreading Christmas cheer. These ‘jingled elves’ are breaking it down with a purpose.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Milton.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
LABELLE City of LaBelle under precautionary boil water notice A water main break has the City of Labelle under a precautionary boil water notice.
Maurice Keshner. Credit: WINK News. Maurice Keshner showed up wearing a badge that read “City of New York Emergency Medical Service” and claimed it was the first time since 2001 he decided to speak about what he saw that day. During a memorial service to remember the lives lost on 9/11 at Freedom Park in Naples, Keshner was asked to speak. His story was like something you would read from a book. Keshner claimed he was retired as an EMS chief and was called out of retirement to help out. He said he was flown in by helicopter and “landed right at the site.” Keshner said he was the “commanding officer” of the World Trade Center site for 30 days and was sending rescuers into the wreckage. In a story that aired Friday on WINK News, Keshner recounted his memory of finding children’s bodies. When the stories told by Keshner appeared on WINK News and in the Naples Daily News, it caught the attention of another retired New York City first responder. “There were just too many things that were like, this smells like a rat,” said James Rallis, a retired FDNY captain who now lives in Naples. Rallis was part of Ladder 11 and was in the Lower East Side of Manhattan the day terrorists attacked the World Trade Center. Six members of Ladder 11 died that day. He said the pain of that day is not a distant memory for him. He teared up talking about it. But one thing Rallis doesn’t remember is Maurice Keshner. He said he’d never heard of him. A spokesperson for FDNY said that Keshner was not part of FDNY EMS, and the entire story was fabricated. The fallen officer’s organization that hosted the 9/11 event and the board members of Freedom Park say they had no knowledge about Keshner. “It’s despicable that anyone would falsely claim to be a part of that effort, but it has happened. If you do a Google or Nexis search, you’ll find other examples,” said Frank Dwyer, an FDNY deputy commissioner of public information and external affairs, by email. WINK News learned that Keshner was part of the former City of New York Emergency Services public information team in the 1970s and 1980s. There are articles from The New York Times archives that quote him as a deputy director of emergency services. In 1996, that agency was dissolved into the FDNY umbrella, and in 2001, the EMS workers in charge of the ground zero recovery efforts were part of FDNY. By phone Tuesday, Keshner backtracked on some of his original claims. He told WINK News he doesn’t remember if it was a helicopter or other vehicle that transported him to the site. He also said he was not the only person in charge that day, just that he was one of the people in charge. Keshner said he retired from New York City Emergency Services in 1984, and that Chief Andrew McCracken called him on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, to come and help. McCracken also did not corroborate Keshner’s story. “Maurice Keshner played no major role at ground zero,” said McCracken, a retired FDNY EMS chief of operations. McCracken said he did not call Keshner that day and has no memory of anyone from FDNY calling Keshner, and at no time did he see Keshner at the World Trade Center site. “Is it possible he volunteered for someone and was there? Maybe. But he was not there in any official capacity,” said McCracken, who said he knew Keshner when he was a spokesperson in the 1980s. McCracken said he hadn’t heard from Keshner in 30 years and then received a phone call from him Tuesday evening. Keshner said he has photographs and documents that substantiate his story, but he would need a few days to provide those to WINK News. “If there are people that don’t recognize me, all my comment to you would be you had to be there to know the entire chaos and the thousands of people that were there during that time,” said Keshner. But Rallis said he was deeply offended by Keshner’s story, which he called an embellishment of a tragic event. “You ran into a street-smart kid from Brooklyn, and you ran into the wrong guy,” Rallis said. “Learn to tell a better story.”