South Gulf Cove to host benefit for family of slain Charlotte deputyLocal doctors working to speed up biopsy process
ch South Gulf Cove to host benefit for family of slain Charlotte deputy The South Gulf Cove Homeowner Association will host a fundraising event to honor the late Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz.
FORT MYERS Local doctors working to speed up biopsy process Waiting to find out if a suspicious lump is cancerous can be incredibly stressful. Anything that speeds up the process and leads to faster treatment, if needed, is a huge help.
Punta Gorda keeps its own 911 dispatch center Punta Gorda City Council on Feb. 19 voted unanimously to keep its 911 dispatch center under city control in a move that blocks the county from consolidating the city’s dispatch center with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man sentenced to 2 years in prison for possessing marijuana, firearm A Fort Myers man has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison for possessing marijuana with intent to distribute and a firearm as a person with felony convictions.
ICE activity confirmed in Hendry County WINK News has confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is in Hendry County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers woman sentenced to 1 year in prison for forging late mother’s signature to claim benefits A Fort Myers woman has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for acts of wire fraud involving her dead mother dating back to 2005.
TALLAHASSEE Streaming Now: Gov. DeSantis holds news conference at Florida Capitol Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will hold a news conference at the state capitol, 400 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee.
City of Fort Myers to keep fluoride in drinking water City of Fort Myers won’t be joining other local governments in removing fluoride from its drinking water, council members decided.
ALVA Alva neighbors brace for another development battle Alva neighbors have made an urgent call to action to “Defend Alva and North River Road from overdevelopment.”
WINK NEWS President Trump signs Executive Order aimed at expanding access to IVF President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order Tuesday to try to reduce the costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF) for Americans.
Warm and breezy afternoon with scattered rain this evening The Weather Authority is tracking a warm and breezy Wednesday, and scattered rain is expected this evening.
WINK NEWS 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.
SANIBEL Sanibel Church rebuilds after Hurricane Ian The Sanibel Community Church has completed its remarkable rebuild after Hurricane Ian devastated their place of worship over two years ago.
NAPLES Costco construction causes commotion in Collier County community Costco is eyeing a plot of land in Collier County for a new store, but residents are voicing strong opposition.
NAPLES Dr. Cornelius “Pat” Cacho’s impact on education and Southwest Florida Dr. Cornelius “Pat” Cacho, a beloved philanthropist and advocate for education, dedicated his life to empowering others through opportunity and knowledge.
ch South Gulf Cove to host benefit for family of slain Charlotte deputy The South Gulf Cove Homeowner Association will host a fundraising event to honor the late Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz.
FORT MYERS Local doctors working to speed up biopsy process Waiting to find out if a suspicious lump is cancerous can be incredibly stressful. Anything that speeds up the process and leads to faster treatment, if needed, is a huge help.
Punta Gorda keeps its own 911 dispatch center Punta Gorda City Council on Feb. 19 voted unanimously to keep its 911 dispatch center under city control in a move that blocks the county from consolidating the city’s dispatch center with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man sentenced to 2 years in prison for possessing marijuana, firearm A Fort Myers man has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison for possessing marijuana with intent to distribute and a firearm as a person with felony convictions.
ICE activity confirmed in Hendry County WINK News has confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is in Hendry County.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers woman sentenced to 1 year in prison for forging late mother’s signature to claim benefits A Fort Myers woman has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for acts of wire fraud involving her dead mother dating back to 2005.
TALLAHASSEE Streaming Now: Gov. DeSantis holds news conference at Florida Capitol Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will hold a news conference at the state capitol, 400 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee.
City of Fort Myers to keep fluoride in drinking water City of Fort Myers won’t be joining other local governments in removing fluoride from its drinking water, council members decided.
ALVA Alva neighbors brace for another development battle Alva neighbors have made an urgent call to action to “Defend Alva and North River Road from overdevelopment.”
WINK NEWS President Trump signs Executive Order aimed at expanding access to IVF President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order Tuesday to try to reduce the costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF) for Americans.
Warm and breezy afternoon with scattered rain this evening The Weather Authority is tracking a warm and breezy Wednesday, and scattered rain is expected this evening.
WINK NEWS 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.
SANIBEL Sanibel Church rebuilds after Hurricane Ian The Sanibel Community Church has completed its remarkable rebuild after Hurricane Ian devastated their place of worship over two years ago.
NAPLES Costco construction causes commotion in Collier County community Costco is eyeing a plot of land in Collier County for a new store, but residents are voicing strong opposition.
NAPLES Dr. Cornelius “Pat” Cacho’s impact on education and Southwest Florida Dr. Cornelius “Pat” Cacho, a beloved philanthropist and advocate for education, dedicated his life to empowering others through opportunity and knowledge.
A Ukrainian army officer looks at his phone in a local train in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia as Europe braced for further confrontation Wednesday after Russia’s leader received authorization to use military force outside his country and the West responded with a raft of sanctions. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Russia began evacuating its embassy in Kyiv, and Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia on Wednesday as the region braced for further confrontation after President Vladimir Putin received authorization to use military force outside his country and the West responded with sanctions. Hopes for a diplomatic way out of a new, potentially devastating war in Europe appeared all but sunk as the U.S. and key European allies accused Moscow on Tuesday of crossing a red line in rolling over Ukraine’s border into separatist regions — with some calling it an invasion. Russia began pulling personnel from its diplomatic posts in Ukraine, state news agency Tass reported, a day after the Foreign Ministry announced a plan to evacuate, citing threats. By Wednesday afternoon, the Russian flag was no longer flying over the embassy in Kyiv, according to an Associated Press photographer. Police surrounded the building. After weeks of trying to project calm, Ukrainian authorities also signaled increasing concern on Wednesday. The Foreign Ministry advised against travel to Russia and recommended anyone there leave immediately, saying Moscow’s “aggression” could lead to a significant reduction in consular services. The head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council called for a nationwide state of emergency — subject to parliamentary approval. Oleksiy Danilov said it will be up to regional authorities to determine which measures to apply, but they could include additional protection for public facilities, restrictions on traffic, and additional transport and document checks. It was just the latest in a series of signs of escalating tensions. Kyiv recalled its ambassador to Russia and considered breaking all diplomatic ties with Moscow; Russia said it would evacuate personnel from its embassy in Ukraine; dozens of nations further squeezed Russian oligarchs and banks out of international markets; Germany halted a lucrative pipeline deal; the U.S. repositioned additional troops to NATO’s eastern flank bordering Russia; the top U.S. diplomat canceled a meeting with his Russian counterpart. Already, the threat of war has shredded Ukraine’s economy and raised the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across Europe and global economic chaos. Even as the conflict took a new, dangerous turn, leaders warned it could still get worse. Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to unleash the force of the 150,000 troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, while U.S. President Joe Biden held back on even tougher sanctions that could cause economic turmoil for Russia but said they would go ahead if there is further aggression. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Wednesday called European Union sanctions agreed a day before just “a first step” and also said further measures could follow. Sanctions are key because the West has ruled out taking on Russia militarily. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged Western leaders not to wait. “We call on partners to impose more sanctions on Russia now,” he wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. “Now the pressure needs to step up to stop Putin. Hit his economy and cronies. Hit more. Hit hard. Hit now.” Responding defiantly to the steps already taken, Russian ambassador in the U.S. Anatoly Antonov retorted that “sanctions cannot solve a thing” in a statement on Facebook. “It is hard to imagine that there is a person in Washington who expects Russia to revise its foreign policy under a threat of restrictions.” In Ukraine’s east, where an eight-year conflict between Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed nearly 14,000 people, violence also spiked again. One Ukrainian soldier was killed and six more sustained injuries after shelling by the rebels, Ukrainian military said. Separatist officials reported several explosions on their territory overnight and three civilian deaths. Since last Friday, when separatist leaders in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions announced mass evacuations into Russia, more than 96,000 residents of the separatist areas have crossed the Russian border. After weeks of rising tensions, Putin took a series of steps this week that dramatically raised the stakes. First, he recognized the independence of those separatist regions. Then, he said that recognition extends even to the large parts of the territories now held by Ukrainian forces, including the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol. Finally, he asked for and was granted permission to use military force outside the country — effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions. Still, Putin suggested there was a way out of the crisis, laying out three conditions: He called on Kyiv to recognize Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, to renounce its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarize. But it was unclear if there was actually any room for diplomacy since the first two demands had been previously rejected by Ukraine and the West as non-starters. The Russian leader remained vague when asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, and separatist leader in Donetsk Denis Pushilin said Wednesday that there are currently no Russian troops in the region. Pushilin’s remarks contradict those of Vladislav Brig, a member of the separatist local council in Donetsk, who told reporters Tuesday that Russian troops had already moved in. Late Monday, convoys of armored vehicles were seen rolling across the separatist-controlled territories. It wasn’t immediately clear if they were Russian. ___ Litvinova reported from Moscow. Jim Heintz in Kyiv; Angela Charlton in Paris; Frank Jordans in Berlin; Aamer Madhani, Eric Tucker, Ellen Knickmeyer, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee, Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.