‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidationHomeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
Let’s Waffle opens in Cape Coral Let’s Waffle is one of two businesses the Feix family launched locally, with the FMS Florida Boat Tours and Limousine Service owned and operated by Feix’s husband, Alexander.
Planned Punta Gorda hotel, pub, brewery faces construction delay Kevin Doyle, owner of Celtic Ray Public House Irish pub in downtown Punta Gorda, and his partner, S4 Global Investments, were found in violation of the city’s exposed soils code.
Three Sisters Spring Toast the manatee released by FWC, SeaWorld and Casey DeSantis near Crystal River A manatee named Toast was released back into the Florida waters after a final medical evaluation from wildlife officials.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
Let’s Waffle opens in Cape Coral Let’s Waffle is one of two businesses the Feix family launched locally, with the FMS Florida Boat Tours and Limousine Service owned and operated by Feix’s husband, Alexander.
Planned Punta Gorda hotel, pub, brewery faces construction delay Kevin Doyle, owner of Celtic Ray Public House Irish pub in downtown Punta Gorda, and his partner, S4 Global Investments, were found in violation of the city’s exposed soils code.
Three Sisters Spring Toast the manatee released by FWC, SeaWorld and Casey DeSantis near Crystal River A manatee named Toast was released back into the Florida waters after a final medical evaluation from wildlife officials.
Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees. Credit: News Service Florida. Florida needs a new state surgeon general. The question could quickly become: Will it be easy to find someone? Scott Rivkees announced he will leave his post as surgeon general and secretary of the Florida Department of Health next month. But the move comes amid a surge of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Combine that with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ antagonism to federal health authorities and mask mandates, and it might make it difficult to find a replacement. “We are in a situation right now where it’s like a trauma center for public health. We are in the middle of a major pandemic in a mega-state. I would hope we could find a very highly trained, particularly public health physician who has good credentials in infectious diseases who would take that position right away,” said James Howell, a physician who headed the Department of Health for three years in the late 1990s. “Whoever takes that position works for the governor. They would have to have a working relationship. But it’s going to be a real challenge. That’s all I can say.” Florida has been a hotbed for COVID-19 in recent weeks as the highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus has spread. As an example, the state reported 21,183 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, according to data posted online by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rivkees issued a statement Friday thanking DeSantis for the opportunity to serve as the state’s top public-health official and thanked public-health professionals who have remained on the front lines for more than 500 days during the pandemic. “Your tireless work and dedication has saved countless lives,” Rivkees said in the statement. “I am humbled and proud to have been part of your team.” Rivkees, who was chairman of the University of Florida College of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics and physician-in-chief at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, was named surgeon general in spring 2019, a few months after DeSantis took office. He is an expert in pediatric endocrinology and developmental biology who joined UF Health from Yale University in 2012. Lt. Gov Jeanette Nunez helped negotiate an agreement that allowed Rivkees to remain a tenured professor of pediatrics at the university and continue full-time employment. Under terms of the five-page agreement, Rivkees was assigned to work as the Department of Health secretary, a position that doubles as surgeon general. Under the agreement, the state paid the university $140,000 a year in four quarterly installments of $35,000. The contract was allowable under a law dealing with the intergovernmental transfer of public employees between agencies. But with positions appointed by the governor, such as the Department of Health secretary, the law limits the length of such intergovernmental transfers to two years, with up to a three-month extension allowed. Rivkees’ resignation was first reported Thursday by Florida Politics. “We thank Dr. Rivkees for his meaningful work during the most challenging pandemic of our lifetime,” DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske said in a statement. “We appreciate his service to the people of Florida and wish him the best in his future.” Before hiring Rivkees, DeSantis considered several candidates but struggled to find a doctor to run the Department of Health, in part because of DeSantis’ support for allowing smokable medical marijuana. Shortly after taking office, DeSantis pushed the Legislature to pass a bill that allowed smokable marijuana, eliminating a ban lawmakers had put in place in 2017. The stance put DeSantis at odds with medical groups that maintain smoking can never be good for your health. Rivkees also faced controversy after being named to the post, following a News Service of Florida report that he had been the subject of a university sexual-harassment investigation and, separately, was found by a university auditor to have not properly filed financial-disclosure information. Questions surrounding Rivkees prompted the Florida Senate to postpone a confirmation vote until the 2020 session. DeSantis defended Rivkees and often praised the surgeon general during the early months of the administration. Rivkees, for instance, declared a public health emergency because of a hepatitis A outbreak and launched an aggressive vaccination campaign against the disease, which can cause liver damage. But Rivkees has come under fire during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2020, he appeared to be removed from a public meeting by a top DeSantis aide after acknowledging that people would have to wear masks and socially distance until a vaccine became available for COVID-19 and that it could take up to a year or more. His public appearances with the governor became limited, though Rivkees continued to take part in daily calls with hospital officials and providers last year as the state battled the first wave of the virus. Howell, now with the Florida Institute for Health Innovation, said Rivkees did a good job working with people on the front lines during the pandemic. “That he has done very, very, well,” Howell said. “That’s hard to do without a medical leader.” Chris Nuland, a Jacksonville health-care attorney and lobbyist, praised Rivkees and his ability to work with health-care providers during the pandemic. Nuland noted Rivkees recently issued an order that authorized registered nurses and paramedics to provide monoclonal antibody treatment at state-supported centers. The order means that patients who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 don’t need to first get physicians’ orders approving the treatment before going to the centers. Finske said 13,000 people have received monoclonal antibody treatment at the state-supported sites. Nuland, who represents physician groups, said Rivkees’ order goes beyond the scope of practice, or what is authorized by law, for nurses and paramedics. “But he got away with it. He was quietly effective,” Nuland said. “He goes with good feelings from the medical community.”