Dog rescue in Fort Myers holds fundraiser as founder fights cancerWoman arrested for stealing $3,400 in goods from Target in Collier County
FORT MYERS Dog rescue in Fort Myers holds fundraiser as founder fights cancer A beloved dog rescue service in Fort Myers is facing uncertainty as its founder, Carey Kendzior, battles cancer.
Woman arrested for stealing $3,400 in goods from Target in Collier County More than 150 items worth thousands of dollars were reportedly stolen from a Target in Collier County. Deputies arrested Kimberly McDonnell, 36, on charges of grand theft.
Egg prices leading to some locals raising their own chickens High egg prices have some people considering raising their own chickens, but it’s not as simple as it sounds.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach Library to reopen following Hurricane Ian The Fort Myers Beach Library plans to reopen its doors to the public on March 16.
FORT MYERS Save This Life pet microchips closes down For many, protecting your pet is as important as keeping your kids safe.
Rosie, dog lost during I-75 crash, back home with family New information has been released about Rosie, the dog that went missing in a car crash last weekend and was found Wednesday.
Gatorama owner loses finger at feeding show The owner of Gatorama in Palmdale was bitten by one of his gators during a feeding show over the weekend and lost a finger.
WWII Veteran hits 100th birthday milestone Hundreds of people came to celebrate WWII veteran Vernon Nelson’s 100th birthday.
FORT MYERS Volunteers boost Harry Chapin Food Bank’s reach The Harry Chapin Food Bank relies heavily on its volunteers to make a significant impact in the community.
SOUTH FORT MYERS Twins’ superfan attends Spring Training for more than two decades Twins’ superfan Neil Pierce lives more than one thousand miles away from Hammond Stadium and never misses a game in Lee County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers gears up for Edison Festival of Light with safety in focus The parade will begin at Fort Myers High School, travel up U.S. Highway 41, and conclude in downtown Fort Myers.
Byron Donalds accused of voter fraud U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds is being accused of voter fraud. A fellow lawmaker on Capitol Hill is making the allegations.
NAPLES FWC seeks Naples community’s help for derelict boat removal The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is searching for derelict boats in Southwest Florida and is asking for community assistance.
FORT MYERS Red dye ban and Valentine’s Day Red is synonymous with Valentine’s Day, seen in everything from roses to candy. However, some red sweets may not be as appealing this year due to a recent ban on a common dye linked to cancer risks.
FORT MYERS Savannah Bananas at JetBlue Park this weekend Are you heading out to watch the Savannah Bananas this weekend? This is what you need to know.
FORT MYERS Dog rescue in Fort Myers holds fundraiser as founder fights cancer A beloved dog rescue service in Fort Myers is facing uncertainty as its founder, Carey Kendzior, battles cancer.
Woman arrested for stealing $3,400 in goods from Target in Collier County More than 150 items worth thousands of dollars were reportedly stolen from a Target in Collier County. Deputies arrested Kimberly McDonnell, 36, on charges of grand theft.
Egg prices leading to some locals raising their own chickens High egg prices have some people considering raising their own chickens, but it’s not as simple as it sounds.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach Library to reopen following Hurricane Ian The Fort Myers Beach Library plans to reopen its doors to the public on March 16.
FORT MYERS Save This Life pet microchips closes down For many, protecting your pet is as important as keeping your kids safe.
Rosie, dog lost during I-75 crash, back home with family New information has been released about Rosie, the dog that went missing in a car crash last weekend and was found Wednesday.
Gatorama owner loses finger at feeding show The owner of Gatorama in Palmdale was bitten by one of his gators during a feeding show over the weekend and lost a finger.
WWII Veteran hits 100th birthday milestone Hundreds of people came to celebrate WWII veteran Vernon Nelson’s 100th birthday.
FORT MYERS Volunteers boost Harry Chapin Food Bank’s reach The Harry Chapin Food Bank relies heavily on its volunteers to make a significant impact in the community.
SOUTH FORT MYERS Twins’ superfan attends Spring Training for more than two decades Twins’ superfan Neil Pierce lives more than one thousand miles away from Hammond Stadium and never misses a game in Lee County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers gears up for Edison Festival of Light with safety in focus The parade will begin at Fort Myers High School, travel up U.S. Highway 41, and conclude in downtown Fort Myers.
Byron Donalds accused of voter fraud U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds is being accused of voter fraud. A fellow lawmaker on Capitol Hill is making the allegations.
NAPLES FWC seeks Naples community’s help for derelict boat removal The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is searching for derelict boats in Southwest Florida and is asking for community assistance.
FORT MYERS Red dye ban and Valentine’s Day Red is synonymous with Valentine’s Day, seen in everything from roses to candy. However, some red sweets may not be as appealing this year due to a recent ban on a common dye linked to cancer risks.
FORT MYERS Savannah Bananas at JetBlue Park this weekend Are you heading out to watch the Savannah Bananas this weekend? This is what you need to know.
Students in Collier County Public Schools are required to wear face masks, but some parents think it should be optional and they’re making their voices heard at Tuesday’s school board meeting. (Credit: WINK News) Parents are continually fighting for their rights to make decisions for their children. This as many doctors and school districts suggest or even mandate what is best for students. While parents are not backing down, WINK News asks legal experts how far parental rights extend? Chances are, within the past few months, you’ve heard Florida Governor Ron DeSantis discussing parental rights, especially during the signing of his executive order. “The rights of parents..” “The rights of parents…” “Your individual right as a parent…” And, if not from the governor, in recent school board meetings, like this one from the School District of Lee County, parents themselves have been discussing their rights. “The rights of the parents…” “Rights and freedoms…” “Stop treading on my rights…” These are just some of the things parents have said at meetings recently. But, those rights are not unlimited and the government already limits parental discretion in other areas. This includes laws about childhood immunization and seatbelt wearing. Ellen Clayton teaches pediatric health policy and law at Vanderbilt University. “They have been upheld over and over and over again.” Attorney and doctor Ellen Clayton and doctor and attorney Mark Rothstein agree that parents do have rights. But, their argument is, that parents do not have the right to veto a mask mandate. Clayton wants parents to know this idea is not new. “The idea that somehow this is unique, is really, you know, is really misguided,” said Clayton. “There is no parental right to have your children go to school without a mask.” Rothstein is the Chairman of law and medicine at the University of Lousiville’s School of Medicine. “A mask is just a piece of cloth. It’s as little an infringement on children, as one can imagine,” he said. Doctors Clayton and Rothstein presented WINK News with the case law to prove this, namely Prince v. Massachusetts. In this decision, the United States Supreme Court said, “Parents are not free ‘to make martyrs of their children’ by putting them in harm’s way.” Clayton says the ruling is spot on, especially for what we’re seeing now. “It’s exactly right,” she said. “The idea that… that parents, or actually anybody, is free to expose other people to contagious diseases, just flies in the face of a huge amount of history, a huge amount of, of state law. We just have to we have to change the way we talk about this.” We will continue to see the debate about parental rights as they pertain to mask mandate continue to play out in Florida. Governor DeSantis says he supports his executive order to ban mask mandates with the parental bill of rights. Yet, a judge struck down that decision. Now, DeSantis is preparing for an appeal and is confident he will win.