Trooper’s Law: Protecting pets during natural disasters Seeing a dog with a wagging tail will make just about anybody smile, but this pup named Trooper wasn’t always so carefree.
FORT MYERS Gov. DeSantis holds roundtable in Fort Myers Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a roundtable discussion in Fort Myers.
Immigration order prompts concern among Lee County parents Lee County parents are preparing for potential impacts on local schools following President Trump’s executive order on immigration.
Sarasota’s Mote Marine unveils tech to fight harmful red tide blooms Researchers showcased innovative tools to combat red tide at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota. These advancements aim to address the harmful algal blooms affecting Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers community voices concerns over possible Verizon pole Verizon plans to install a 47-foot pole at the intersection of McGregor Boulevard and Clifford Street sparking concern amongst residents.
PORT CHARLOTTE Family of Charlotte County shooting victim speaks out A family in Port Charlotte is grappling with tragedy after deputies say Jhesandra Prestol was shot and killed by her husband, Rogelio Prestol.
The Tale of Toot: A stuffed animal rescue at RSW A missing stuffed animal sparked an unusual rescue mission at Southwest Florida International Airport.
FGCU FGCU pitcher shares his passion for photography FGCU pitcher Chase Kriebel developed a passion for photography while he recovered from Tommy John surgery in high school.
NORTH FORT MYERS Law enforcement raids home in North Fort Myers Law enforcement conducted a raid on Wednesday at a home on Everson Miles Circle in North Fort Myers.
New school times in Lee County may ease bus driver shortage The Lee County School Board proposed a plan to address its bus driver shortage by adjusting school start and end times.
Lee County Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for January 29, 2025 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for January 25.
Lehigh Acres American flag recovered, returned after fire at Christ at the Crossroads Church From the flames of ruin comes hope as the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District returns a valuable item to Christ at the Crossroads Church.
Barnes & Noble launches new bookstore in Naples Finding it worth the wait, scores of patrons stood in line to be among the first to experience Naples’ new Barnes & Noble bookstore Jan. 29, six months after the chain closed its longtime store at Waterside Shops.
Trump administration offering “deferred resignation” to government workers unwilling to return to office The White House expects up to 10% of federal employees to quit in September in a program meant to end work-from-home practices, senior administration officials told CBS News.
Charlotte County land acquisition could expand Parkside area Charlotte County Commissioners voted Jan. 28 to purchase a 158-acre golf club that was damaged by Hurricane Ian for $3 million and later discussed making the land part of the Parkside neighborhood.
Trooper’s Law: Protecting pets during natural disasters Seeing a dog with a wagging tail will make just about anybody smile, but this pup named Trooper wasn’t always so carefree.
FORT MYERS Gov. DeSantis holds roundtable in Fort Myers Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a roundtable discussion in Fort Myers.
Immigration order prompts concern among Lee County parents Lee County parents are preparing for potential impacts on local schools following President Trump’s executive order on immigration.
Sarasota’s Mote Marine unveils tech to fight harmful red tide blooms Researchers showcased innovative tools to combat red tide at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota. These advancements aim to address the harmful algal blooms affecting Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers community voices concerns over possible Verizon pole Verizon plans to install a 47-foot pole at the intersection of McGregor Boulevard and Clifford Street sparking concern amongst residents.
PORT CHARLOTTE Family of Charlotte County shooting victim speaks out A family in Port Charlotte is grappling with tragedy after deputies say Jhesandra Prestol was shot and killed by her husband, Rogelio Prestol.
The Tale of Toot: A stuffed animal rescue at RSW A missing stuffed animal sparked an unusual rescue mission at Southwest Florida International Airport.
FGCU FGCU pitcher shares his passion for photography FGCU pitcher Chase Kriebel developed a passion for photography while he recovered from Tommy John surgery in high school.
NORTH FORT MYERS Law enforcement raids home in North Fort Myers Law enforcement conducted a raid on Wednesday at a home on Everson Miles Circle in North Fort Myers.
New school times in Lee County may ease bus driver shortage The Lee County School Board proposed a plan to address its bus driver shortage by adjusting school start and end times.
Lee County Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for January 29, 2025 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for January 25.
Lehigh Acres American flag recovered, returned after fire at Christ at the Crossroads Church From the flames of ruin comes hope as the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District returns a valuable item to Christ at the Crossroads Church.
Barnes & Noble launches new bookstore in Naples Finding it worth the wait, scores of patrons stood in line to be among the first to experience Naples’ new Barnes & Noble bookstore Jan. 29, six months after the chain closed its longtime store at Waterside Shops.
Trump administration offering “deferred resignation” to government workers unwilling to return to office The White House expects up to 10% of federal employees to quit in September in a program meant to end work-from-home practices, senior administration officials told CBS News.
Charlotte County land acquisition could expand Parkside area Charlotte County Commissioners voted Jan. 28 to purchase a 158-acre golf club that was damaged by Hurricane Ian for $3 million and later discussed making the land part of the Parkside neighborhood.
Casey Crowther driving the boat he purchased with PPP money, according to federal officials. (Facebook/Casey Crowther) The owner of a Fort Myers roofing company pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he defrauded the government out of $2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. Casey David Crowther, 35, was arrested Sept. 2 and charged with making a false statement to a lending institution to secure the funds. He appeared in federal court in downtown Fort Myers on Wednesday to enter a plea of not guilty to misusing the funds, which authorities say he used to buy a 2020 40-foot catamaran for around $689,000. According to the complaint filed earlier this month by U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez, Crowther sought and received more than $2 million in a Payroll Protection Program loan through an application on behalf of his Fort Myers company, Target Roofing & Sheet Metal, Inc. His loan application included false and misleading statements concerning what the PPP funds would be used for, specifically that the PPP funds would only be used for business-related purposes, to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage payments, lease payments and utilities payments, the attorney said. The federal charges include one count of bank fraud, one count of making a false statement to a lending institution and two counts of illegal monetary transaction. If convicted, Crowther faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. He was released on a $100,000 bond a day after his arrest. Statement released Wednesday by Target Roofing & Sheet Metal: Since receiving the PPP loan, Target Roofing has spent $3,507,552.35 in payroll and hired over 50 team members to its staff. This is exactly what the PPP program was intended for: to rehire workforce, maintain jobs, pay our workers, and support our local economy. We fully intend to defend these allegations and clear our name of any wrongdoing. We appreciate the support from our customers and look forward to continuing to serve our Southwest Florida community. Note: Crowther Roofing & Sheet Metal in Fort Myers says it has no business affiliation with Casey Crowther or Target Roofing & Sheet Metal. https://winknews.com/wp-content/uploads/047122086334.pdf DOWNLOAD: Casey Crowther federal indictment (pdf)