CCSO will hold press conference for deadly Englewood deputy-involved shootingMorning mist moves out for a sunnier Friday afternoon
Charlotte County CCSO will hold press conference for deadly Englewood deputy-involved shooting The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office will hold a press conference Friday on the deadly deputy-involved shooting in Englewood.
the weather authority Morning mist moves out for a sunnier Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a misty Friday morning start with colder temperatures. As the clouds begin to clear, afternoon highs will be in the lower 60s.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
Lee County School District addresses parent’s concerns at town hall meeting Creating open dialog between parents and those in charge of our kid’s education. Thursday night was the first of many town hall meetings being held by the Lee County school district.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office intercepts drugs shipped via dark web The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has launched “Operation Dark Knight” to address the growing issue of drug trafficking through the dark web.
NAPLES CCSO seeks help identifying suspected school burglars in Collier County The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying four people who broke into Golden Gate Middle School.
Beloved owner of iconic Lani Kai Island Resort passes away The community is saying goodbye to a Fort Myers Beach legend.
FORT MYERS Experts give safety tips regarding reigniting heaters With record cold fronts this week, some are now turning on their heaters for the first time in a while.
NAPLES Naples Winter Wine Festival: 25 years of helping Collier County children This year marks the silver anniversary of The Naples Winter Wine Festival. It was an idea sparked by a group of like-minded friends.
NAPLES Girl’s weightlifting popularity growing in Collier County Since the sport was introduced in Collier County schools three years ago teams have seen a sharp increase in participation.
CAPE CORAL Trend of phasing out shingled roofs for metal In Florida, the trend of replacing shingle roofs with metal roofs is gaining attention.
CAPTIVA Red tide warning near Turner Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Turner Beach.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Beach Town Council facing threats over development projects Tensions have risen in Fort Myers Beach, with local council member Karen Woodson facing verbal threats and abuse.
NAPLES Attendees arrive ahead of 2025 Naples Winter Wine Festival The Naples Winter Wine Festival is set to begin on Friday night, marking its silver anniversary.
COVID-19’s hidden dangers Researchers have discovered that the neurological effects of long COVID extend beyond common symptoms like coughing and sneezing.
Charlotte County CCSO will hold press conference for deadly Englewood deputy-involved shooting The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office will hold a press conference Friday on the deadly deputy-involved shooting in Englewood.
the weather authority Morning mist moves out for a sunnier Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a misty Friday morning start with colder temperatures. As the clouds begin to clear, afternoon highs will be in the lower 60s.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
Lee County School District addresses parent’s concerns at town hall meeting Creating open dialog between parents and those in charge of our kid’s education. Thursday night was the first of many town hall meetings being held by the Lee County school district.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office intercepts drugs shipped via dark web The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has launched “Operation Dark Knight” to address the growing issue of drug trafficking through the dark web.
NAPLES CCSO seeks help identifying suspected school burglars in Collier County The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying four people who broke into Golden Gate Middle School.
Beloved owner of iconic Lani Kai Island Resort passes away The community is saying goodbye to a Fort Myers Beach legend.
FORT MYERS Experts give safety tips regarding reigniting heaters With record cold fronts this week, some are now turning on their heaters for the first time in a while.
NAPLES Naples Winter Wine Festival: 25 years of helping Collier County children This year marks the silver anniversary of The Naples Winter Wine Festival. It was an idea sparked by a group of like-minded friends.
NAPLES Girl’s weightlifting popularity growing in Collier County Since the sport was introduced in Collier County schools three years ago teams have seen a sharp increase in participation.
CAPE CORAL Trend of phasing out shingled roofs for metal In Florida, the trend of replacing shingle roofs with metal roofs is gaining attention.
CAPTIVA Red tide warning near Turner Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Turner Beach.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Beach Town Council facing threats over development projects Tensions have risen in Fort Myers Beach, with local council member Karen Woodson facing verbal threats and abuse.
NAPLES Attendees arrive ahead of 2025 Naples Winter Wine Festival The Naples Winter Wine Festival is set to begin on Friday night, marking its silver anniversary.
COVID-19’s hidden dangers Researchers have discovered that the neurological effects of long COVID extend beyond common symptoms like coughing and sneezing.
A man sits while smoking in Auckland, New Zealand, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. New Zealand’s government believes it has come up with a unique plan to end tobacco smoking, a lifetime ban for those aged 14 and under. (AP Photo/David Rowland) New Zealand’s government believes it has developed a unique plan to end tobacco smoking — a lifetime ban for those aged 14 or younger. Under a new law the government announced Thursday and plans to pass next year, the minimum age to buy cigarettes would keep rising year after year. That means, in theory at least, 65 years after the law takes effect, shoppers could still buy cigarettes — but only if they could prove they were at least 80 years old. In practice, officials hope smoking will fade away decades before then. Indeed, the plan aims to have fewer than 5% of New Zealanders smoking by 2025. Other parts of the plan include allowing only tobacco products with very low nicotine levels and slashing the number of stores that can sell them. These changes would be brought in over time to help retailers adjust. Because the current minimum age to buy cigarettes in New Zealand is 18, the lifetime smoking ban for youth wouldn’t have an impact for a few years. In an interview with The Associated Press, New Zealand’s Associate Health Minister Dr. Ayesha Verrall, spearheading the plan, said her work at a public hospital in Wellington involved telling several smokers they had developed cancer. “You meet, every day, someone facing the misery caused by tobacco,” Verrall said. ”The most horrible ways people die. Being short of breath, caused by tobacco.” Smoking rates have steadily fallen in New Zealand for years, with only about 11% of adults now smoking and 9% smoking every day. The daily rate among Indigenous Maori remains much higher at 22%. Under the government’s plan, a taskforce would be created to help reduce smoking among Maori. Big tax increases have already been imposed on cigarettes in recent years and some question why they aren’t hiked even higher. “We don’t think tax increases will have any further impact,” Verrall said. “It’s really hard to quit and we feel if we did that, we’d be punishing those people who are addicted to cigarettes even more.” And she said the tax measures tend to place a higher burden on lower-income people, who are more likely to smoke. The new law wouldn’t impact vaping. Verrall said that tobacco smoking is far more harmful and remains a leading cause of preventable deaths in New Zealand, killing up to 5,000 people each year. “We think vaping’s a really appropriate quit tool,” she said. The sale of vaping products is already restricted to those aged 18 and over in New Zealand and vaping is banned in schools. Verrall said there was some evidence of a rise in youth vaping, a trend she is following “really closely.” New Zealand’s approach to ban the next generation from tobacco smoking hasn’t been tried elsewhere, she said. But she said studies have shown youth sales decrease when minimum ages are raised. In the U.S., the federal minimum age to buy tobacco products was raised from 18 to 21 two years ago. While public health experts have generally welcomed the New Zealand plan, not everybody is happy. Sunny Kaushal said some stores could be put out of business. Kaushal chairs the Dairy and Business Owners Group, which represents nearly 5,000 corner stores — often called dairies in New Zealand — and gas stations. “We all want a smoke-free New Zealand,” he said. “But this is going to hugely impact small businesses. It should not be done so it is destroying dairies, lives and families in the process. It’s not the way.” Kaushal said the tax increases on tobacco had already created a black market that was being exploited by gangs, and the problem would only get worse. He said smoking was already in its twilight in New Zealand and would die away of its own accord. “This is being driven by academics,” he said, adding that stakeholders hadn’t been consulted. But Verrall said she didn’t believe the government was overreaching because statistics showed the vast majority of smokers wanted to quit anyway, and the new policies would only help them achieve their goal. She said the pandemic had helped people gain a new appreciation for the benefits of public health measures and rallying communities, and that perhaps that energy could be harnessed not only to tackle smoking but also diseases like diabetes. Verrall said she had never smoked herself, but her late grandmother did, likely compromising her health. “It’s a really cruel product,” Verrall said.