Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concernsNaples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
Charlotte County unlicensed contractor accused of fraud The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said that a contractor has been arrested after he was hired to build a room in a home without a license.
Studies show that menopause is linked to heart risks Menopause is a natural part of life for middle-aged women, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55. However, it can bring serious health complications, including an increased risk of heart disease.
FORT MYERS Local band Shy Blossom to open up for ’90s rockers Sister Hazel at The Ranch A Southwest Florida-based band will be opening for the legendary ’90s rock fusion group Sister Hazel.
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of possessing child pornography A Cape Coral man has been arrested after allegedly possessing several files of child pornography on devices.
fort myers 7 people, 3 dogs displaced following house fire in Fort Myers The Fort Myers Fire Department responded to a house fire that has left seven people and three dogs without a home.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
Charlotte County unlicensed contractor accused of fraud The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said that a contractor has been arrested after he was hired to build a room in a home without a license.
Studies show that menopause is linked to heart risks Menopause is a natural part of life for middle-aged women, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55. However, it can bring serious health complications, including an increased risk of heart disease.
FORT MYERS Local band Shy Blossom to open up for ’90s rockers Sister Hazel at The Ranch A Southwest Florida-based band will be opening for the legendary ’90s rock fusion group Sister Hazel.
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of possessing child pornography A Cape Coral man has been arrested after allegedly possessing several files of child pornography on devices.
fort myers 7 people, 3 dogs displaced following house fire in Fort Myers The Fort Myers Fire Department responded to a house fire that has left seven people and three dogs without a home.
Students sanitizing their hands in the classroom. Credit: WINK News Hand sanitizers have become trusted tools to keep people safe and healthy in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic — but now, an independent study suggests some products may be having the opposite effect. Valisure, an independent pharmacy and lab that tests drug products for quality, says it tested 260 products and found elevated levels of benzene in more than 20 of them. Benzene is a known human carcinogen, and exposure to it is known to cause blood disorders, including leukemia. The leading brand of hand sanitizer, Purell, and many others had no detectable levels of benzene. But Valisure has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to launch an investigation and recall the products it found contain benzine. Valisure CEO David Light told CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook that he was “shocked” to find such high levels of benzene in the products. “I was shocked that we were finding benzene at all,” Light said. “It might very well be the most well known … compound that is dangerous to humans.” Valisure Chief Scientific Officer Kaury Kucera walked LaPook through the testing process. In the early days of the pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration relaxed standards on benzene levels in liquid hand sanitizers, allowing benzene in a concentration of up to two parts per million, according to Dr. Leonardo Trasande, a professor of environmental science at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “There was an effort to really increase hand sanitizers and the availability because a lot of people were purchasing them and supply was running low,” Trasande explained. Valisure tested hundreds of products for the chemical. Valisure says of 260 products, 21 products from 15 brands tested above the FDA interim limit. The top three tested between six- to eight-times higher than allowed. Valisure found batches of a Star Wars Mandalorian hand sanitizer with a Baby Yoda character on the label manufactured by Best Brands Consumer Products contained nearly double the allowable amount. Attempts to get a response from the manufacturer were unsuccessful. In a statement, the Walt Disney Company said it launched independent testing on the “Baby Yoda” sanitizer and has instructed Best Brands to withdraw the products until more is learned. CBS News found the product available on Amazon, which told CBS News it is investigating the products in question. Dr. Daniel Teitelbaum, at the Colorado School of Public Health, warns benzene exposure could be increased in workers who use hand sanitizer contaminated with it, then put on gloves that prevent evaporation. “If you’re not wearing gloves over them, the risk is quite low because your skin is warm, you use that, the benzene will evaporate quite rapidly,” he said, adding that threat mostly is for people with “special risks.” Teitelbaum continued, “It’s a lot of health care personnel. It’s a lot of cleaning and sanitation people. … The longer you use it, the greater the risk.” For a list of products tested by Valisure, visit this link. The FDA said it is reviewing Valisure’s petition and continues to test sanitizer products and monitor the market. The company is also inviting people to send samples of hand sanitizers for analysis.