Neighbors frustrated with car noises in Port CharlotteCharlotte County provides update on boat ramp closures
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors frustrated with car noises in Port Charlotte A battle intensifies on Oceanside Avenue in Port Charlotte between neighbors and an endless bombardment of car noises.
Charlotte County provides update on boat ramp closures The Charlotte County Community Services has provided an update regarding the boat ramp closures brought about by hurricanes Milton and Helene.
LEE COUNTY Man found guilty of 1st-degree murder in fentanyl-overdose death of Lee County woman A man has been convicted of first-degree murder of unlawful distribution of fentanyl for the overdose death of a Lee County woman.
SANIBEL Sanibel to celebrate 50th anniversary of city’s incorporation The City of Sanibel announced its 50th-anniversary celebration of the city’s incorporation to prevent overdevelopment.
the weather authority Tropical Depression 18 forms; expected to become Tropical Storm Rafael The Weather Authority meteorologists are monitoring the Caribbean as Tropical Depression 18 is forecast to become Tropical Storm Rafael.
The Weather Authority Warm and breezy with a few showers for your Monday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a warm start to the workweek with breezy conditions and a chance of showers this afternoon.
Know where your voting precinct is in Southwest Florida Election Day is only one day away, so it is important to know where to go and if you qualify to vote in Southwest Florida.
NAPLES Humane Society of Naples looking to give homes to 2 dogs Two months ago, WINK News introduced you to Yogi, a pup who had been at the Humane Society of Naples for 797 days due to his shyness.
Democrats and Republicans preparing for Presidential Election The 2024 Presidential Election is on Tuesday. Now that early voting has ended, Southwest Florida political parties are making their final push to voters to vote.
southwest florida WINK Neighborhood Watch: fatal shooting, criminal mischief, and a drug sting This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a fatal shooting, criminal mischief and a drug sting.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral firefighters rescue dog from canal, reunited with owner Firefighters with Engine 3 of the Cape Coral Fire Department rescued a dog from a canal early Sunday morning but have yet to locate its owner.
Early voting ends Sunday in Charlotte County; here’s where to cast your ballot Sunday is the final day for early voting if you are a resident of Charlotte County, with just two days to go until the 2024 presidential election.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: First cone out for potential Tropical Storm Rafael It’s the final month of hurricane season, and while typically, we start to see things quiet down, the Weather Authority is tracking three areas in the tropics.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Warm, breezy Sunday on tap with rain chances increasing this week The Weather Authority is tracking another warm day with temperatures in the upper 80s.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood Chamber of Commerce donates $88,000 to hurricane relief fund The Englewood Chamber of Commerce announced that they are making a significant donation to the chamber’s community hurricane relief fund.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors frustrated with car noises in Port Charlotte A battle intensifies on Oceanside Avenue in Port Charlotte between neighbors and an endless bombardment of car noises.
Charlotte County provides update on boat ramp closures The Charlotte County Community Services has provided an update regarding the boat ramp closures brought about by hurricanes Milton and Helene.
LEE COUNTY Man found guilty of 1st-degree murder in fentanyl-overdose death of Lee County woman A man has been convicted of first-degree murder of unlawful distribution of fentanyl for the overdose death of a Lee County woman.
SANIBEL Sanibel to celebrate 50th anniversary of city’s incorporation The City of Sanibel announced its 50th-anniversary celebration of the city’s incorporation to prevent overdevelopment.
the weather authority Tropical Depression 18 forms; expected to become Tropical Storm Rafael The Weather Authority meteorologists are monitoring the Caribbean as Tropical Depression 18 is forecast to become Tropical Storm Rafael.
The Weather Authority Warm and breezy with a few showers for your Monday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a warm start to the workweek with breezy conditions and a chance of showers this afternoon.
Know where your voting precinct is in Southwest Florida Election Day is only one day away, so it is important to know where to go and if you qualify to vote in Southwest Florida.
NAPLES Humane Society of Naples looking to give homes to 2 dogs Two months ago, WINK News introduced you to Yogi, a pup who had been at the Humane Society of Naples for 797 days due to his shyness.
Democrats and Republicans preparing for Presidential Election The 2024 Presidential Election is on Tuesday. Now that early voting has ended, Southwest Florida political parties are making their final push to voters to vote.
southwest florida WINK Neighborhood Watch: fatal shooting, criminal mischief, and a drug sting This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a fatal shooting, criminal mischief and a drug sting.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral firefighters rescue dog from canal, reunited with owner Firefighters with Engine 3 of the Cape Coral Fire Department rescued a dog from a canal early Sunday morning but have yet to locate its owner.
Early voting ends Sunday in Charlotte County; here’s where to cast your ballot Sunday is the final day for early voting if you are a resident of Charlotte County, with just two days to go until the 2024 presidential election.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: First cone out for potential Tropical Storm Rafael It’s the final month of hurricane season, and while typically, we start to see things quiet down, the Weather Authority is tracking three areas in the tropics.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Warm, breezy Sunday on tap with rain chances increasing this week The Weather Authority is tracking another warm day with temperatures in the upper 80s.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood Chamber of Commerce donates $88,000 to hurricane relief fund The Englewood Chamber of Commerce announced that they are making a significant donation to the chamber’s community hurricane relief fund.
FILE – The Supreme Court is seen at dusk in Washington, Oct. 22, 2021. Both sides are telling the Supreme Court there’s no middle ground in Wednesday’s showdown over abortion. The justices can either reaffirm the constitutional right to an abortion or wipe it away altogether. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) A conservative federal appeals court in New Orleans is poised to weigh in on the high-stakes legal showdown targeting the Food and Drug Administration’s decades-old approval of a commonly used abortion pill, the outcome of which could disrupt its availability nationwide. The dispute will be heard by a panel of three judges, Jennifer Walker Elrod, James Ho and Cory Wilson, and is one of the most significant involving abortion rights in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision last June that reversed the constitutional right to abortion. Elrod was appointed by former President George W. Bush, while Ho and Wilson were tapped by former President Donald Trump. The case, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, was brought in November by a conservative legal organization on behalf of a group of anti-abortion medical associations and physicians. The plaintiffs argued the FDA erred in 2000 when it approved the pill mifepristone, one of two drugs used in a medication abortion, and failed to adequately consider its safety. Don't Miss WINK NEWS How recent abortion bills could impact women in SWFL A new bill to shorten the amount of time women have to get an abortion was introduced by lawmakers on the first day of the Florida legislative session. In addition to pushing for the FDA’s approval of mifepristone to be withdrawn, the medical groups and doctors sought to unwind a series of steps taken by the agency since 2016 that made the drug more easily available, including an expansion of the gestational age limit for using the drug from 7 weeks to 10 weeks, approval of a generic version of mifepristone in 2019 and removal of an in-person dispensing requirement in 2021. A federal judge in Texas issued a temporary order in early April that said the FDA’s approval of mifepristone should be suspended, kicking off a frenetic series of court orders that thrust the legal status of the abortion pill into uncertainty. Among those was a preliminary decision by the 5th Circuit that narrowed the district court’s injunction, allowing mifepristone to remain on the market, but leaving in place portions that rolled back the FDA’s changes since 2016. The Supreme Court ultimately preserved full access to mifepristone while the appeals process plays out, though the case is almost certain to land before the justices again. See More Mike Pence says he wants abortion pill mifepristone “off the market” Washington — Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is expected to seek the GOP presidential nomination, said he would like to see a widely used abortion pill taken off shelves to “protect the unborn” and said he has “deep concerns” about the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the drug mifepristone more than 20 years ago. […] TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Florida GOP passes 6-week abortion ban; DeSantis supports it The Republican-dominated Florida Legislature on Thursday approved a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a proposal supported by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis as he prepares for an expected presidential run. DeSantis is expected to sign the bill into law. Florida currently prohibits abortions after 15 weeks. A six-week ban would give DeSantis a key political […] TALLAHASSEE (AP) DeSantis criticizes Trump for implying Florida abortion ban is ‘too harsh’ Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized Donald Trump on Tuesday for implying Florida’s new six-week abortion ban is “too harsh,” stepping up his attacks on the former president as he prepares to challenge him for the 2024 Republican nomination. downtown Fort Myers 10 hours of protests in downtown Fort Myers over abortion bill The Florida House of Representatives is expected to take up a bill this week that would prevent most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. On Monday night, people held signs and chanted in a 10-hour-long protest against the bill in downtown Fort Myers. Before the 5th Circuit on Wednesday is the Justice Department’s emergency appeal of the April 7 order from U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, that suspended the FDA’s approval of mifepristone. The three-judge panel is set to consider whether the claims brought by the medical groups are judicially reviewable, whether the FDA’s 2000 approval and subsequent actions were lawful and whether the district court abused its discretion. The FDA is urging the 5th Circuit to reverse Kacsmaryk’s order, arguing in a brief that if left intact, the decision “would upend the status quo based on the court’s deeply misguided assessment of mifepristone’s safety.” “The district court’s order would thwart FDA’s scientific judgment and profoundly harm women who rely on mifepristone as an alternative to more burdensome and invasive surgical abortions,” Justice Department lawyers told the 5th Circuit. “Those harms would be felt throughout the Nation because mifepristone has lawful uses in every State — even those with restrictive abortion laws.” Protests in downtown Fort Myers over abortion bill. CREDIT: WINK News The battle over mifepristone The FDA has stressed that more than 5 million Americans have taken mifepristone to end their early pregnancies, and medication abortions account for more than half of all abortions in the U.S. Serious adverse events associated with mifepristone are also “exceedingly rare,” the Justice Department noted, with the rate of hospitalization related to medication abortion under 1%. But lawyers for the Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing the medical groups, argue that the FDA “put politics above women’s health” when approved mifepristone in 2000 and removed certain requirements surrounding access to it, including allowing it to be dispensed through the mail. “No agency is infallible,” they told the 5th Circuit in a filing. “The crux of plaintiffs’ arguments is that FDA’s judgment was not based on the required scientific evidence. The agency’s position — that no court is worthy of checking FDA’s work — reeks of hubris and is contrary to” federal law. Citing the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe, which left abortion policy to the states, lawyers for the alliance said the FDA’s actions regarding mifepristone “subvert the promise” of that ruling, as patients seeking abortion pills in states with stringent limits on the procedure can still obtain them by mail. “Instead of respecting federalism, the Biden administration and FDA have worked to dismantle it,” they wrote, in reference to the administration’s efforts to protect access to reproductive health services. Headlines Over 50 arrests made by LCSO after significant operation; sheriff’s office employee also involved Over 50 people have been arrested after the Lee County Sheriff’s Office conducted an operation they dubbed Trick or Tweak. SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: First cone out for potential Tropical Storm Rafael It’s the final month of hurricane season, and while typically, we start to see things quiet down, the Weather Authority is tracking three areas in the tropics. The Weather Authority Tracking the Tropics: Possible development in the Gulf of Mexico has 70% chance of formation The Weather Authority is tracking a possible development in the Gulf of Mexico that is slowly gaining strength. SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Tracking the Tropics: Patty forms in North Atlantic, tracking Caribbean development An area in the Southwestern Caribbean has a high, 80% chance of developing over the upcoming week. Decision against FDA would reach beyond states restricting abortion The legal challenge targeting mifepristone and the FDA’s 23-year-old approval of the drug opened a new front in the ongoing fight over abortion, and a decision against the agency would reach beyond the states that restrict abortion, as suspending its approval could mean the drug would be pulled off shelves nationwide. The FDA’s backers are also sounding the alarm that if the district court’s order is allowed to stand, it would undermine the agency’s approval process for other drugs. “The decision below sets the country on a dangerous path back to the piecemeal regulatory scheme that Congress rejected in 1938, when Congress decided that the best way to protect the public health and promote access to safe and effective medication was to rely on an expert agency to regulate and approve drugs,” a group of 13 former FDA officials wrote in a friend-of-the-court brief. “Courts lack the expertise to step into FDA’s shoes by second-guessing FDA’s experts on the safety and efficacy of drugs.” Also urging the 5th Circuit to reverse the district court’s order are 240 congressional Democrats, who argued it has “no basis in law, threatens the congressionally mandated drug approval process, and poses a serious health risk” to pregnant patients. “The district court’s order not only misapplies the law but also threatens to harm members of the public, many of whom rely on the availability of mifepristone for reproductive care — and many more of whom rely on the integrity of FDA’s drug approval process for continued access to life-improving and lifesaving drugs,” they wrote in a court filing. A group of 69 Republicans in Congress, however, told the 5th Circuit that it should leave the lower court’s preliminary injunction in place, claiming the FDA contravened federal law and exceeded the scope of its authority from Congress. “The FDA’s unlawful approval and deregulation of chemical abortion drugs subverts Congress’ public policy considerations and safeguards for patient safety,” they argued in a friend-of-the-court brief.
WINK NEWS How recent abortion bills could impact women in SWFL A new bill to shorten the amount of time women have to get an abortion was introduced by lawmakers on the first day of the Florida legislative session.
Mike Pence says he wants abortion pill mifepristone “off the market” Washington — Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is expected to seek the GOP presidential nomination, said he would like to see a widely used abortion pill taken off shelves to “protect the unborn” and said he has “deep concerns” about the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the drug mifepristone more than 20 years ago. […]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Florida GOP passes 6-week abortion ban; DeSantis supports it The Republican-dominated Florida Legislature on Thursday approved a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a proposal supported by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis as he prepares for an expected presidential run. DeSantis is expected to sign the bill into law. Florida currently prohibits abortions after 15 weeks. A six-week ban would give DeSantis a key political […]
TALLAHASSEE (AP) DeSantis criticizes Trump for implying Florida abortion ban is ‘too harsh’ Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized Donald Trump on Tuesday for implying Florida’s new six-week abortion ban is “too harsh,” stepping up his attacks on the former president as he prepares to challenge him for the 2024 Republican nomination.
downtown Fort Myers 10 hours of protests in downtown Fort Myers over abortion bill The Florida House of Representatives is expected to take up a bill this week that would prevent most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. On Monday night, people held signs and chanted in a 10-hour-long protest against the bill in downtown Fort Myers.
Over 50 arrests made by LCSO after significant operation; sheriff’s office employee also involved Over 50 people have been arrested after the Lee County Sheriff’s Office conducted an operation they dubbed Trick or Tweak.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: First cone out for potential Tropical Storm Rafael It’s the final month of hurricane season, and while typically, we start to see things quiet down, the Weather Authority is tracking three areas in the tropics.
The Weather Authority Tracking the Tropics: Possible development in the Gulf of Mexico has 70% chance of formation The Weather Authority is tracking a possible development in the Gulf of Mexico that is slowly gaining strength.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Tracking the Tropics: Patty forms in North Atlantic, tracking Caribbean development An area in the Southwestern Caribbean has a high, 80% chance of developing over the upcoming week.