16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier CountyNew bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes
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.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
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.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association breaks ground on new Fort Myers headquarters As Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association’s president pointed out, about 1,000 people are still moving to Florida every day, and many of them are finding their way to Southwest Florida.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years A Charlotte County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
lehigh acres ‘How to sign away parental rights?’; Lehigh Acres woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman accused of killing her 4-month-old baby.
Raymond James Stadium, the site of NFL football Super Bowl LV, is shown Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Tampa. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers play the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 7. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) The big game in Tampa Bay is just three days away. The stadium’s decked out and the community’s ready to play ball. But there’s a darker side to the game, operating in the shadows. “This is a challenging time for law enforcement, especially in the fight against human trafficking,” said Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. Big events tend to attract traffickers, putting police, lawmakers, prosecutors and victims on the offensive and launching new initiatives to fight the scourge of human trafficking. Southwest Florida is a key player. “Human traffickers have no regard for human life,” said Rep. Jackie Toledo (R-Tampa). In the shadows of Raymond James Stadium, site of Super Bowl LV, lawmakers and prosecutors unveil their new play to stop human trafficking because it isn’t just fans flocking to Tampa for the big game, but criminals looking to score. “I filed House Bill 523,” Toledo said. The bill will help human trafficking survivors across the state move on with their lives by expunging their criminal records and removing deposition requirements. Survivor and advocate Kim Squires knows the importance of both. “It is vital that we can have our records expunged because that keeps us from stable housing, that keeps us from employment. And so what that does is that causes us to revictimize, be re-exploited,” Squires said. “Human trafficking is modern-day slavery,” said State Attorney Amira Fox. She has prosecuted human trafficking cases for years in Southwest Florida. She also launched HT Counts (Human Trafficking Counts). The pilot project crunches the numbers on crimes, arrests, the victims and where they’re from. “We see a lot of runaways; we see the services needed are for drug addiction,” Fox said. She said that right now, Heroin is one of the prevalent drugs human traffickers use to get control of their victims. With HT Counts, solid data justifies new funding and programs to jail traffickers and help victims break free and build new lives, an issue that’s amplified nowadays. “[The pandemic] has had an impact not only on human trafficking types of cases, but any case where any kind of trauma has been done to a victim,” Fox said. “It’s heartbreaking to watch a survivor as they have to go through the system because, as we all know, to convict a defendant of something the victim has to testify, and it’s very difficult for someone who has been traumatized.” Florida ranks third in the nation in the nation in the number of calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. It’s an ugly distinction, but it also means we’re getting better at spotting human trafficking, rescuing victims and prosecuting anyone involved. RESOURCES If you believe you may have information about a trafficking situation or are a victim: Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free hotline at 1-888-373-7888: Anti-Trafficking Hotline Advocates are available 24/7 to take reports of potential human trafficking. Text the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 233733. Message and data rates may apply. Chat the National Human Trafficking Hotline via www.humantraffickinghotline.org/chat THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HOTLINE 1-888-428-7581 FLORIDA ABUSE HOTLINE 1-800-96-ABUSE https://winknews.com/wp-content/uploads/HT-Parent-guide.pdf