Charlotte County volunteers lend a hand to those affected by HeleneJewish Community in SWFL emotional ahead of Oct. 7 anniversary
Charlotte County volunteers lend a hand to those affected by Helene As communities clean up after Hurricane Helene and brace for more rain in the forecast, volunteers give much-appreciated help to those in need, showing off the camaraderie of southwest Florida.
Jewish Community in SWFL emotional ahead of Oct. 7 anniversary The one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas is approaching. The Jewish community continues to feel the lasting impact of that tragic day.
FORT MYERS Hurricane Helene causes rental car shortages Hurricane Helene has left a lasting impact on Southwest Florida, including the rental car situation at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW).
SANIBEL Sanibel woman says she received divine sign from mother 2 years after Hurricane Ian Two years after Hurricane Ian, a Sanibel woman said she received a divine sign after moving back into her home.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SWFL shares concerns over emergency funding after Helene On the heels of Helene, there’s some anxiety surrounding FEMA. This comes after comments from the Homeland Security secretary, who said the agency can meet immediate needs but does not have enough money to make it through the rest of hurricane season.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs urging residents to be safe ahead of potential flooding The City of Bonita Springs is urging people who live near the Imperial River and canals to be cautious ahead of a potential tropical system and rainmaker.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers High School assistant football coach under investigation An assistant coach with the Fort Myers High School football team is under investigation.
Awake kidney transplant: a medical breakthrough There are more than 780,000 people living with kidney disease. On average, 25,000 people will get a transplant each year.
The Islander gift shop reopens on Fort Myers Beach, 2 years after Hurricane Ian Hurricane Helene’s storm surge spared Santini Marina Plaza on Fort Myers Beach, where The Islander Gift Gallery & Boutique reopened Oct. 4
Citizens form group to protest Charlotte County development When residents living in Charlotte County’s Peace River Shores and surrounding communities learned that nearly 140 acres in their area were being rezoned to allow for a 1,188-unit development, they joined forces to oppose it.
Gas leak shuts down power grid in Lee County neighborhood A gas leak has forced the shutdown of a neighborhood power grid in Lee County.
Free sandbag locations available ahead of this weekend’s heavy rainfall The Weather Authority has been tracking a potential rainmaker that will impact our area from Sunday through Wednesday.
PORT CHARLOTTE Man accused of fraudulently buying over $4K in paint supplies in Port Charlotte A man has been arrested after allegedly purchasing over $4,000 worth of paint supplies in Port Charlotte using a fraudulent business account.
ENGLEWOOD Suncoast Humane Society receives $50K grant to sustain life-saving operations Suncoast Humane Society announced that it received a $50,000 grant from an anonymous philanthropic supporter.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers Post Office temporarily closed again The downtown Fort Myers Post Office is closed once again after reopening at the end of May due to Hurricane Ian.
Charlotte County volunteers lend a hand to those affected by Helene As communities clean up after Hurricane Helene and brace for more rain in the forecast, volunteers give much-appreciated help to those in need, showing off the camaraderie of southwest Florida.
Jewish Community in SWFL emotional ahead of Oct. 7 anniversary The one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas is approaching. The Jewish community continues to feel the lasting impact of that tragic day.
FORT MYERS Hurricane Helene causes rental car shortages Hurricane Helene has left a lasting impact on Southwest Florida, including the rental car situation at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW).
SANIBEL Sanibel woman says she received divine sign from mother 2 years after Hurricane Ian Two years after Hurricane Ian, a Sanibel woman said she received a divine sign after moving back into her home.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SWFL shares concerns over emergency funding after Helene On the heels of Helene, there’s some anxiety surrounding FEMA. This comes after comments from the Homeland Security secretary, who said the agency can meet immediate needs but does not have enough money to make it through the rest of hurricane season.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs urging residents to be safe ahead of potential flooding The City of Bonita Springs is urging people who live near the Imperial River and canals to be cautious ahead of a potential tropical system and rainmaker.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers High School assistant football coach under investigation An assistant coach with the Fort Myers High School football team is under investigation.
Awake kidney transplant: a medical breakthrough There are more than 780,000 people living with kidney disease. On average, 25,000 people will get a transplant each year.
The Islander gift shop reopens on Fort Myers Beach, 2 years after Hurricane Ian Hurricane Helene’s storm surge spared Santini Marina Plaza on Fort Myers Beach, where The Islander Gift Gallery & Boutique reopened Oct. 4
Citizens form group to protest Charlotte County development When residents living in Charlotte County’s Peace River Shores and surrounding communities learned that nearly 140 acres in their area were being rezoned to allow for a 1,188-unit development, they joined forces to oppose it.
Gas leak shuts down power grid in Lee County neighborhood A gas leak has forced the shutdown of a neighborhood power grid in Lee County.
Free sandbag locations available ahead of this weekend’s heavy rainfall The Weather Authority has been tracking a potential rainmaker that will impact our area from Sunday through Wednesday.
PORT CHARLOTTE Man accused of fraudulently buying over $4K in paint supplies in Port Charlotte A man has been arrested after allegedly purchasing over $4,000 worth of paint supplies in Port Charlotte using a fraudulent business account.
ENGLEWOOD Suncoast Humane Society receives $50K grant to sustain life-saving operations Suncoast Humane Society announced that it received a $50,000 grant from an anonymous philanthropic supporter.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers Post Office temporarily closed again The downtown Fort Myers Post Office is closed once again after reopening at the end of May due to Hurricane Ian.
Credit: Gabby Petito’s instagram North Port police told WINK News on Monday that investigators made mistakes in Brian Laundrie’s case. The North Port Police Department says they thought they were keeping a close eye on Brian before he went missing. North Port PD had cameras set up around the Laundrie family home but that strategy was not successful. Those who were watching the Laundrie house saw Brian leave in his grey Mustang. They then thought they saw him return days later, but they had mixed up Brian and his mom. This mistake cost taxpayers quite a bit of money and cost law enforcement a great deal of time, energy and manpower. North Port police believe Brian Laundrie looks very much like his mother, Roberta. “They’re kind of built similarly,” said Josh Taylor, NPPD public information officer. Taylor says North Port police began tracking Brian after his fiance’s, Gabby Petito, family reported her missing in the State of New York. They reported her missing on Saturday, September 11. Police then watched him leave in his Mustang on Monday, September 13 and he returned on Wednesday, September 15. “All I’m going to say is we know where Brian Laundrie is at,” said North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison. Garrison made this comment on Thursday, Sept. 16. NPPD was confident that Brian was inside his home. Everything changed the next day, Friday, Sept. 17. “When the family reported him [missing] on Friday. That was certainly news to us that they had not seen him,” Taylor said. “We thought that we seen Brian initially come back into that home on that Wednesday. But we now know that that wasn’t true.” Chris and Roberta, Brian’s parents, told investigators that they hadn’t seen their son since Tuesday. Later, the family changed that date to Monday. So who did investigators actually see? “I believe it was his mom who was wearing a baseball cap,” Taylor said. “They had returned from the park with that Mustang. So who does that? Right? Like, if you think your son’s missing since Tuesday, you’re going to bring his car back to the home. So it didn’t make sense that anyone would do that if he wasn’t there. So the individual getting out with a baseball cap we thought was Brian,” said Taylor. Now, Taylor admits the North Port Police Department made a costly mistake. “No case is perfect,” Taylor said. No matter who was driving the Mustang back to the Laundrie house, NPPD had no idea where Brian went when he left his parents house on September 13. And, now, we know that he went to Carlton Reserve and likely, never left again. Police found the car at the reserve the very next day, which was a Tuesday. His mother returned the car to the home on Wednesday. As for the family’s infamous red pickup truck, it has since left the home as well. Chris and Roberta left to mourn the loss of their son. The attorney for the Laundrie family, Steven Bertolino, says that Brian’s parents are grieving in an undisclosed location. So far, they don’t have a formal funeral plan for Brian. Instead, once his remains are released from the medical examiner, the family plans to cremate him.