CAPE CORAL Understanding water restriction in Cape Coral The city of Canals has water problems again!
SANIBEL Future of the Sanibel Pier Sanibel Island is looking much better since Hurricane Ian, but while the lighthouse is standing tall, the pier isn’t doing too well.
downtown fort myers Large crowds expected for Fort Myers Seafood & Music Festival Downtown Fort Myers is on higher alert as this weekend’s 4th Annual Fort Myers Seafood & Music Festival is expected to draw large crowds.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral neighborhood growing frustrated over debris piles Pounds of trash and debris are blowing through a Cape Coral neighborhood, through the streets, into canals and every which way.
Inside a Lee County special corrections program More than 3,000 bags of trash, 19 interstate projects, nearly 100 citizen requests and over one hundred truckloads of trash—that’s the work done by nonviolent offenders in Lee County, who are doing their part to make our county more beautiful.
FGCU NCAA implements rules for checking pitchers for foreign substances The NCAA will soon send out an instructional video on in-game foreign substance checks for pitchers.
Surgeon General calls for cancer warnings on alcohol In the new year, there’s a new call to warn Americans about the negative effects of alcohol.
Family of Charlotte deputy killed during traffic stop releases statement The family of Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz is breaking their silence.
Southwest Florida battles the Flu Flu cases are skyrocketing in Southwest Florida, making this busy season even more challenging.
FORT MYERS SWFL 19-year-old hurt in New Orleans terrorist attack releases statement One of the young women from Fort Myers hurt during the New Orleans New Year’s Eve attack is speaking out for the first time.
Bonita Bill’s to close Jan. 5 prior to pending $5.5M sale HM Restaurant Group, owners the adjacent Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille and Dixie Fish Co. restaurants, has been named as the buyer.
naples Beloved Naples Zoo giant anteater, Dee Gee, passes away The Naples Zoo is mourning the loss of a beloved male giant anteater who had given nearly 10 years of joy to visitors.
Charlotte County Property Appraiser accepting applications for partial property tax refunds The Charlotte County Property Appraiser is now accepting applications for partial 2024 property tax refunds.
FORT MYERS 2 wanted for stealing an e-bike from Fort Myers business parking lot Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying two men who stole an electric bike.
Hurricane Ian damages in Punta Gorda exceed $6M Multiple city-owned properties were either destroyed or damaged by Category 4 winds.
CAPE CORAL Understanding water restriction in Cape Coral The city of Canals has water problems again!
SANIBEL Future of the Sanibel Pier Sanibel Island is looking much better since Hurricane Ian, but while the lighthouse is standing tall, the pier isn’t doing too well.
downtown fort myers Large crowds expected for Fort Myers Seafood & Music Festival Downtown Fort Myers is on higher alert as this weekend’s 4th Annual Fort Myers Seafood & Music Festival is expected to draw large crowds.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral neighborhood growing frustrated over debris piles Pounds of trash and debris are blowing through a Cape Coral neighborhood, through the streets, into canals and every which way.
Inside a Lee County special corrections program More than 3,000 bags of trash, 19 interstate projects, nearly 100 citizen requests and over one hundred truckloads of trash—that’s the work done by nonviolent offenders in Lee County, who are doing their part to make our county more beautiful.
FGCU NCAA implements rules for checking pitchers for foreign substances The NCAA will soon send out an instructional video on in-game foreign substance checks for pitchers.
Surgeon General calls for cancer warnings on alcohol In the new year, there’s a new call to warn Americans about the negative effects of alcohol.
Family of Charlotte deputy killed during traffic stop releases statement The family of Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz is breaking their silence.
Southwest Florida battles the Flu Flu cases are skyrocketing in Southwest Florida, making this busy season even more challenging.
FORT MYERS SWFL 19-year-old hurt in New Orleans terrorist attack releases statement One of the young women from Fort Myers hurt during the New Orleans New Year’s Eve attack is speaking out for the first time.
Bonita Bill’s to close Jan. 5 prior to pending $5.5M sale HM Restaurant Group, owners the adjacent Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille and Dixie Fish Co. restaurants, has been named as the buyer.
naples Beloved Naples Zoo giant anteater, Dee Gee, passes away The Naples Zoo is mourning the loss of a beloved male giant anteater who had given nearly 10 years of joy to visitors.
Charlotte County Property Appraiser accepting applications for partial property tax refunds The Charlotte County Property Appraiser is now accepting applications for partial 2024 property tax refunds.
FORT MYERS 2 wanted for stealing an e-bike from Fort Myers business parking lot Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help identifying two men who stole an electric bike.
Hurricane Ian damages in Punta Gorda exceed $6M Multiple city-owned properties were either destroyed or damaged by Category 4 winds.
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.