THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Breezy with a few showers Friday afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking a breezier Friday with a mix of sun and clouds, which may produce showers, impacting your evening plans.
ESTERO Estero Goodwill holds grand opening Lynn Watts, a longtime Goodwill shopper, found herself in the midst of the bustling scene.
SANIBEL Destroyed and distressed: properties on Sanibel facing code enforcement Sanibel, a city known for its resilience, is now facing challenges as some of its beloved landmarks remain in disrepair.
NAPLES Collier County first responders extinguish brush fire near golf course A brush fire in Collier County threatened the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples on Wednesday, but quick action from first responders helped prevent disaster.
Naples embraces new mobile gym for dogs A unique mobile gym for dogs is making waves in Naples, offering a convenient way for pets to exercise without leaving their homes.
EVERGLADES Florida sugar firms lose lawsuit; Everglades restoration moves forward The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Army Corps, marking a significant victory for Everglades restoration efforts.
Charlotte County school start times may shift with new legislation A new bill passed by the Florida Senate could shift the power to officials in Charlotte County and elsewhere to decide school start times.
FORT MYERS Canadian anti-tariff billboards come to Southwest Florida Canadian anti-tariff billboards that read “Tariffs are Taxes” started appearing in Southwest Florida.
FDOT to conduct concrete pour for Little Pine Island Bridge Construction delays on Little Pine Island Bridge are frustrating local drivers, and FDOT said the cause is concrete supply issues.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach debates plastic straw ban as state bill looms A new bill making its way through the Florida Legislature could overturn the ban on plastic straws in Fort Myers Beach.
SANIBEL Sanibel residents learn about prescribed burns to protect homes Sanibel is taking measures to protect homes and the environment through prescribed burns.
FORT MYERS BEACH Clearing a path for the future of Fort Myers Beach Crews in Fort Myers Beach are working hard to clear debris left by past hurricanes from local canals.
COLLIER COUNTY United Soccer League implementing promotion and relegation FC Naples will soon be playing in the promotion and relegation system, a staple in European soccer, once its implemented by the United Soccer League.
ESTERO FDEP conducts prescribed 40-acre burn in Estero Bay Preserve A prescribed burn took place at Estero Bay Preserve State Park on 40 acres of land Wednesday and Thursday, sparking discussion among neighbors about the safety and need of such fires.
FGCU FGCU searching for next women’s basketball coach A national search is on for FGCU’s next head women’s basketball coach after Chelsea Lyles resigned from the position at her alma mater.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Breezy with a few showers Friday afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking a breezier Friday with a mix of sun and clouds, which may produce showers, impacting your evening plans.
ESTERO Estero Goodwill holds grand opening Lynn Watts, a longtime Goodwill shopper, found herself in the midst of the bustling scene.
SANIBEL Destroyed and distressed: properties on Sanibel facing code enforcement Sanibel, a city known for its resilience, is now facing challenges as some of its beloved landmarks remain in disrepair.
NAPLES Collier County first responders extinguish brush fire near golf course A brush fire in Collier County threatened the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples on Wednesday, but quick action from first responders helped prevent disaster.
Naples embraces new mobile gym for dogs A unique mobile gym for dogs is making waves in Naples, offering a convenient way for pets to exercise without leaving their homes.
EVERGLADES Florida sugar firms lose lawsuit; Everglades restoration moves forward The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Army Corps, marking a significant victory for Everglades restoration efforts.
Charlotte County school start times may shift with new legislation A new bill passed by the Florida Senate could shift the power to officials in Charlotte County and elsewhere to decide school start times.
FORT MYERS Canadian anti-tariff billboards come to Southwest Florida Canadian anti-tariff billboards that read “Tariffs are Taxes” started appearing in Southwest Florida.
FDOT to conduct concrete pour for Little Pine Island Bridge Construction delays on Little Pine Island Bridge are frustrating local drivers, and FDOT said the cause is concrete supply issues.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach debates plastic straw ban as state bill looms A new bill making its way through the Florida Legislature could overturn the ban on plastic straws in Fort Myers Beach.
SANIBEL Sanibel residents learn about prescribed burns to protect homes Sanibel is taking measures to protect homes and the environment through prescribed burns.
FORT MYERS BEACH Clearing a path for the future of Fort Myers Beach Crews in Fort Myers Beach are working hard to clear debris left by past hurricanes from local canals.
COLLIER COUNTY United Soccer League implementing promotion and relegation FC Naples will soon be playing in the promotion and relegation system, a staple in European soccer, once its implemented by the United Soccer League.
ESTERO FDEP conducts prescribed 40-acre burn in Estero Bay Preserve A prescribed burn took place at Estero Bay Preserve State Park on 40 acres of land Wednesday and Thursday, sparking discussion among neighbors about the safety and need of such fires.
FGCU FGCU searching for next women’s basketball coach A national search is on for FGCU’s next head women’s basketball coach after Chelsea Lyles resigned from the position at her alma mater.
Delsa Pena, 39, and Epifano Reyna-Zarate, 55. Credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators performed a sting operation where kids play. Feb. 18, Fort Myers Police Department undercover detectives conducted a prostitution bust and arrested suspects Epifano Reyna-Zarate, 55, and Delsa Pena, 39. We learned from police reports Tuesday students were getting off their school bus when the sting happened on Marsh Avenue. We were at the scene the day investigators went in and out of a home for hours. We now know they took several items as evidence. We have not confirmed what those items are at this time. What we do know is there are a lot of kids who live near the home where the arrests took place, and neighbors told us they were concerned kids witnessed a prostitution bust right in their backyard. Undercover police cars lined the street. Police surrounded a Marsh Avenue home. That’s what one neighbor says his 8-year-old son witnessed as he got off of his school bus Thursday afternoon. Police say the scene marked the end of an undercover operation at a house used for prostitution. According to a police report, an undercover detective with the state attorney’s narcotics enforcement task force posed as a john and connected with Reyna-Zarate, pretending to ask for prostitution services. When a detective asked what kind of girls they had to offer, Reyna-Zarate said, “We have all kinds of girls, young ones, old ones, not too young, or they’ll put me in jail.” “This isn’t the first time that they were arrested, so they knew what some of the charges could potentially be if they bumped into law enforcement again as they did and something like having underaged girls could have brought additional charges,” explained Rich Kolko, WINK News Safety & Security Specialist. When the undercover detective got inside of the home, he received a blue marble in exchange for his cash. Then, Reyna-Zarate took him to a room Pena was inside. Kolko says the size and effort police put into the operation could point to a bigger case. “This would have been a lot of time and effort for a simple prostitution case,” Kolko said. “There’s been a big push in Florida to combat human trafficking so we would bring in a task force like this which has a state level prosecutor to maybe see if something like that is going on here as well.” The state attorney’s narcotics enforcement task force that led the operation focuses on dismantling long-term organized crime, narcotics and racketeering, as well as money laundering criminal enterprises. Reyna-Zarate and Pena both face prostitution charges. Both bonded out of Lee County Jail and are expected to be back in court in March.