Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concernsStudents benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
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.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘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.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
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.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘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.
Credit: WINK News. A school board member apologized after she angered community members with comments about immigrant students, but many still want to see a greater response from the school district. Chris Patricca with Lee County School Board made comments about Guatemalan students during a virtual community forum in Estero recently. This upset many community members. “The biggest challenge that those principals are facing is getting them out of the bathroom because they’ve never seen running water before,” Patricca was heard saying during the recent virtual forum. During the school board meeting Tuesday, board member Melisa Giovannelli called a motion for an abuse of power investigation into Chris Patricca. Only Giovannelli and board member Gwyn Gittens voted for it, so the motion failed. Public commenters said Patricca’s words were racist, humiliating and not something an elected official for the people would say. “For her to make this type of comment, it’s embarrassing,” said Yvette Benaroach, the state vice chair of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Florida. Benaroach is not Guatemalan. She is from Puerto Rico and move to Florida 19 years ago. She says she understands how Patricca’s comments have impacted community members. “It’s hurtful because we’re builders,” Benaroach said. “Even me from Puerto Rico, we all move here looking for that American dream. That it’s each person’s American dream.” Kathy Mayo was born in the U.S. She’s ready to see a change on Lee County School Board. “Our school systems deserves better representation from the people who set its policies,” Mayo said. Before the meeting Tuesday night, we saw people begin to walk in and stand outside the District to express their view that this kind of behavior is unacceptable. In an earlier meeting during the day, Patricca said she genuinely felt bad, and that she never meant to hurt anyone’s feelings. “Many of you sitting at this table know what’s in my heart, and that’s not it,” Patricca said. “I would never purposely say anything to hurt any person. I would never purposely say anything to hurt a group in our community.” “I did reach out to the executive director of the Guatemalan-Maya Center in Palm Beach County asking for a tour and asking for a conversation,” Patricca said. “So that I can educate myself on the Guatemalan community and perhaps connect with other Guatemalans leaders across the state. I’ve not heard back from them, but I do anticipate a productive dialogue.” During the earlier meeting, Patricca claimed someone told her Guatemalan kids spend a lot of time in the bathroom watching the water run. When she was pressed, she refused to reveal who told her that. Protesters we spoke to told us Patricca’s apology is not enough. “We don’t accept her apology,” Benarroch said. “We acknowledge that she apologized. That’s fine. We appreciate it very much, but it’s not enough. We demand her resignation.” Other protesters who are upset said asking for Patricca’s resignation goes too far. Some community advocates said Patricca’s comments were disrespectful and belittling, so they’re asking her to resign. They also want to see more diversity education for the school board members. More than anything, they want to see change from the board as a whole. “The school district in a whole, not only Chris Patricca,” school advocate Jacqueline Perez said. “But every single board member, because it’s a collegial board, should be standing up and saying there’s something wrong with this. That we do not agree with her thinking or what she said everyone should be saying something to support the community. We need a public apology.” “We’re speaking about someone who has been on the school board for five years,” Perez said. “She is the president of the Florida School Board Association, so she’s over all the school district’s in the state of Florida, so her perception of an entire country and students that attend our schools was belittling.”