12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidaysFort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
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.
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
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.
Diana Alvarez (Shared with WINK News) The attorney for Jorge Guerrero-Torres, accused of kidnapping 9-year-old Diana Alvarez from her family’s San Carlos Park home and murdering her in 2016, has challenged cell phone evidence and statements to investigators being used against his client. Guerrero-Torres’ attorney filed motions to suppress cell phone evidence and any written and oral statements made by the suspect to investigators. The filings say the cell phone was seized without a warrant, making its search unlawful, and that the statements made by Guerrero-Torres were “obtained in violation of [his] privilege against self-incrimination, [his] right to counsel, and [his] right to due process of law as guaranteed by the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.” Jorge Guerrero-Torres. WINK News archive photo Guerrero’s attorney filed a motion to not use the phone in 2017 because it was password-protected. Guerrero also used a password-protected app called “Vault” where he kept inappropriate photos of other women, Guerrero said during his 2017 testimony. Guerrero-Torres had been living with Diana’s family before she vanished from her home in San Carlos Park on May 29, 2016. Authorities suspected that she was with 28-year-old Jorge Guerrero, who was apprehended on Saturday, June 4. Here’s what happened in the hours after Alvarez’s disappearance: SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2016 2 A.M.: Diana was last seen on 3500 block of Unique Circle when her pregnant mother, Rita Hernandez, checked the rooms of their home in the Sheltering Pines Mobile Home Village. 3 A.M.: Guerrero may have been with Diana at this time. “Based on statements Mr. Guerrero made to law enforcement, there are admissions that place him with Diana at some period in the morning, approximately at 3 o’clock in Lee County,” Alvarez family’s lawyer Tom Busatta said in June. 3 A.M. – 7 A.M.: The whereabouts of Diana at this time are unknown, but when Hernandez woke up, she noticed all four of the burners on her stove were turned on and that Diana’s purple-striped shoes were missing. 10:40 A.M.: The Lee County Sheriff’s Office sent out its first in a slew of many public emails about Diana Alvarez. It was titled “Lee County Sheriff’s Office Press Release: Missing Juvenile Diana Alvares” and featured a school photo of Diana. 1 P.M.: Authorities discussed Jorge Guerrero as a suspect. They had his date of birth, a description of his car and his possible location, according to deputy emails. 6:44 P.M.: The sheriff’s office sends a photo of Guerrero to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. MONDAY, MAY 30, 2016 12:05 A.M.: FDLE sends a missing child alert for Diana after receiving the request from LCSO. It does not mention Guerrero.“FDLE received a request from Lee County Sheriff’s Office for a Missing Child Alert. A Missing Child Alert was issued,” said Gretl Plessinger, spokesperson for FDLE. THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016 11:43 A.M.: LCSO requests that FDLE issue an AMBER Alert for Diana. The agency in charge of any missing child case must request the alert from FDLE. The requirements for an AMBER Alert include: A request from the local law enforcement agency Child under 18 Clear indication of abduction Detailed description of child, abductor or vehicle 12:30 P.M.:: FDLE issues an AMBER Alert for Diana. This time it includes a photo of Guerrero and lists his connections to Orange and Okeechobee counties. Her remains were not found until 2020 near Yeehaw Junction in Central Florida after investigators found pictures of Diana on Guerrero-Torres’ cell phone. They found that the phone had traveled from Orlando to the Fort Myers area just one day before Diana was reported missing, then to Yeehaw Junction. Guerrero-Torres was ultimately arrested and charged with her kidnapping. He was later convicted in federal court for child pornography relating to those photos and sentenced to 40 years in federal prison. Guerrero-Torres’ next court hearing is scheduled for Jan. 17. Read more about the Diana Alvarez case: Person of interest in Diana Alvarez case brought to Lee County Person of interest in Diana Alvarez case faces child pornography charge Details emerge about relationship between missing 9-year-old, person of interest Attorney: State twice rejected Lee County appeals for AMBER Alert in Alvarez case Man suspected in 9-year-old’s disappearance indicted for child porn Jorge Guerrero pleads not guilty to child porn charges LCSO searches for new witness in Diana Alvarez’s disappearance LCSO seeks new leads in Diana Alvarez case amid drug bust