The future of electric planes in Southwest FloridaNeighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
WINK Investigates: Disgraced contractor faces new lawsuits and allegations Paul Beattie, a disgraced home builder is back doing business but legal challenges continue as another one of his businesses gets sued. Former employees of Beattie speak out, only to WINK.
SWFL reacts to UNC hiring Bill Belichick Southwest Florida reacts to North Carolina hiring Bill Belichick as its new head football coach and how that could impact the decisions of local recruits.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Some Floridians want more alone time during the holidays The holidays are all about spending time with family and friends, but nearly half of Americans say they really want more alone time during the holiday.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
Aggressive driving concerns on the rise in Southwest Florida The arrest of a man who, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said, killed a motorcyclist after crashing into him on purpose is raising concerns over aggressive driving in Southwest Florida.
SANIBEL Sanibel School students prepare for community Christmas performance The school that has had to claw and fight its way back more than once to reopen is getting the chance to celebrate.
FORT MYERS Rock For Equality: SWFL music scene to hold benefit concert for Palestine A two-venue, eight-band benefit concert is coming to Southwest Florida.
NAPLES Naples man sentenced in deadly bar shooting A man has been sentenced for a deadly shooting that took place at a Naples bar in March 2021.
New ovarian cancer treatments Ovarian cancer is a problematic disease because of symptoms such as nausea, bloating and diarrhea.
Largest Lee County land deal closes, $100M for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral The most lucrative land deal in Lee County history just closed at a price of $100 million for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral, where building up to 3,500 homes and commercial property to support it has been in the planning stages for almost two years.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Crash between RV and semi temporarily shuts down NB lanes of U.S. 41 in Charlotte A major collision near Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte County temporarily closed all northbound lanes of U.S. 41, according to the Charlotte County Sherriff’s Office.
FORT MYERS Apple AirPods lead LCSO to an arrest; over $100,000 worth of stolen items recovered Through the use of Apple Airpods, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was able to locate nearly $100,000 worth of stolen items, leading to an arrest.
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
WINK Investigates: Disgraced contractor faces new lawsuits and allegations Paul Beattie, a disgraced home builder is back doing business but legal challenges continue as another one of his businesses gets sued. Former employees of Beattie speak out, only to WINK.
SWFL reacts to UNC hiring Bill Belichick Southwest Florida reacts to North Carolina hiring Bill Belichick as its new head football coach and how that could impact the decisions of local recruits.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Some Floridians want more alone time during the holidays The holidays are all about spending time with family and friends, but nearly half of Americans say they really want more alone time during the holiday.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
Aggressive driving concerns on the rise in Southwest Florida The arrest of a man who, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said, killed a motorcyclist after crashing into him on purpose is raising concerns over aggressive driving in Southwest Florida.
SANIBEL Sanibel School students prepare for community Christmas performance The school that has had to claw and fight its way back more than once to reopen is getting the chance to celebrate.
FORT MYERS Rock For Equality: SWFL music scene to hold benefit concert for Palestine A two-venue, eight-band benefit concert is coming to Southwest Florida.
NAPLES Naples man sentenced in deadly bar shooting A man has been sentenced for a deadly shooting that took place at a Naples bar in March 2021.
New ovarian cancer treatments Ovarian cancer is a problematic disease because of symptoms such as nausea, bloating and diarrhea.
Largest Lee County land deal closes, $100M for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral The most lucrative land deal in Lee County history just closed at a price of $100 million for 1,745 acres in northwest Cape Coral, where building up to 3,500 homes and commercial property to support it has been in the planning stages for almost two years.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR Crash between RV and semi temporarily shuts down NB lanes of U.S. 41 in Charlotte A major collision near Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte County temporarily closed all northbound lanes of U.S. 41, according to the Charlotte County Sherriff’s Office.
FORT MYERS Apple AirPods lead LCSO to an arrest; over $100,000 worth of stolen items recovered Through the use of Apple Airpods, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was able to locate nearly $100,000 worth of stolen items, leading to an arrest.
Douglas Edward Skoczek. A man arrested on December 4 on sexual battery charges has now been charged with two additional crimes while still in the Lee County Jail. On Dec. 5, Douglas Edward Skoczek, 67, was arrested after what police call a brutal attack on a 30-year-old woman he met on a dating app. He was arrested for sexual battery and false imprisonment and bonded out of jail the next day. On Dec. 13, a second victim, who is 17 years old, came forward. After serving a search warrant at Skoczek’s home, he was arrested again and now faces seven counts of sexual battery of a minor and one count of sexual battery and kidnapping. Cape Coral Police Major Crimes detectives continued to work cases against Skoczek after his December arrest. These cases resulted in probable cause to charge him with two additional crimes; sexual battery on a victim over 18 years old, and sexual battery on a victim under 12 years old, which is a capital felony. MORE: Cape Coral police arrest man accused of kidnapping and sexual battery, ask victims to come forward The additional charges were served against Skoczek at the Lee County Jail where he has remained since December. WINK News reporter Dannielle Garcia texted the mother of one of the victims who is devastated for the victims and is glad Skoczek is locked away. Cape Coral Police Department Detective Thomas Kortright believes Skoczeck assaulted many women and girls. “We do suspect that there could be more victims.” So far, the detective says there are four victims. Two adult women, a 17-year-old girl, and a child under 12. Kortright got the case when a woman went to police in December claiming Skoczeck raped her. When the teenager came forward, she called WINK News and wanted to go on TV to encourage other victims to tell their stories to the police. “He kept just suffocating me and strangling me and hitting me and spitting me he’s hold my eyes open and spit in them,” said the victim. She said she met Skozceck on a dating app and things quickly turned violent and said he warned her not to talk to police. She did anyway. She said, “if he’s that confident that I’m not going to say something to nobody how many girls has he let go and didn’t say anything?” MORE: Cape Coral sexual assault victim hopeful she can move forward When detective Kortright and his team searched Skoczeck’s Cape Coral home, they found and seized a lot of evidence, like his phone and the camera he used to record his attacks. Evidence Kortright said helped him find another victim; the second adult woman. Kortright said he’s not done. There may be more victims out there. His message to everyone watching? “It’s a traumatic experience for each victim what they’re going through but it’s even worse to have to carry that for years without being able to tell what happened to you,” said Kortright. “We’re still investigating. Obviously, there’s a lot more work to be done there’s a lot of evidence that we’re going through so at this point in time we’re just kind of seeking out additional victims and then obviously going through the evidence that we have now.” The Major Crimes Unit is looking for any additional information or to hear from any possible additional victims of Skoczek. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Thomas Kortright at (239) 574-3223. CCPD reiterated that victim identification would be kept confidential under Marsy’s Law, and a victims’ rights advocate will be available. There are ways to keep yourself safe when meeting someone in person that you connected with online – make sure you’re in a public place and drive separately. Skoczek remains in jail without bond.