Community reacts to SWFL teens hit by truck in New Orleans terrorist attackNew AI-driven emergency alert system launches in Florida
SOUTH FORT MYERS Community reacts to SWFL teens hit by truck in New Orleans terrorist attack Two graduates of The Canterbury School in South Fort Myers were struck by a truck during a terrorist attack in New Orleans.
TALLAHASSEE New AI-driven emergency alert system launches in Florida The Florida Division of Emergency Management partnered with the University of Florida to launch a program that uses artificial intelligence to send real-time messaging before, during and after a disaster like a hurricane.
NAPLES Intercept Task Force fights online sextortion involving children Online predators are finding ways to lure children into sharing nude images.
Man arrested in Collier for allegedly impersonating CIA officer The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested a man for impersonating a federal officer after conducting a traffic stop in Collier County on a suspicious vehicle.
Local law enforcement’s plan for protection in large crowds The scene of chaos and confusion in New Orleans has filled many with worry and fear of being out in large crowds in busy areas.
PUNTA GORDA The importance of ShorePoint Health in Punta Gorda WINK News is hearing from people who say that the community is losing something it cannot live without.
Improving your sleep as the new year starts Ever felt like a zombie after a bad night’s sleep? You’re not alone. Poor sleep can mess with your health in surprising ways, like causing weight gain and memory problems.
Collier deputy hurt after crash at Santa Barbara Blvd. and Golden Gate Pkwy., intersection closed A Collier County deputy has been transported to the hospital after he was involved in a crash with another vehicle.
NAPLES Investigators move plane that crashed at Naples Airport to Jacksonville Investigators are working to move a plane that crashed at the Naples Airport on New Year’s Day.
(CBS News) Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas investigated as possible act of terrorism The Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside the Trump Towers is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, says to law enforcement.
FORT MYERS Firefighters extinguish box truck fire in front of Fort Myers Wawa The Fort Myers Fire Department responded to a box truck fire, where the vehicle was engulfed in flames in front of a Wawa convenience store.
Southwest Florida International Airport RSW anticipates high travel activity through the weekend Thursday morning, millions of Americans are making their way back home after celebrating the holidays with loved ones.
The Forum shopping center properties in Fort Myers sell for $41.37M The transaction did not include the Home Depot or Super Target spaces.
MARCO ISLAND Caxambas Park set to reopen in early 2025 Caxambas Park in Marco Island will soon be open for the public to enjoy once again after several storms damaged the park in 2024.
Final day for private hurricane debris removal in Charlotte County The final day for private hurricane debris removal in Charlotte County has arrived as government contractors make their last run-through for the season.
SOUTH FORT MYERS Community reacts to SWFL teens hit by truck in New Orleans terrorist attack Two graduates of The Canterbury School in South Fort Myers were struck by a truck during a terrorist attack in New Orleans.
TALLAHASSEE New AI-driven emergency alert system launches in Florida The Florida Division of Emergency Management partnered with the University of Florida to launch a program that uses artificial intelligence to send real-time messaging before, during and after a disaster like a hurricane.
NAPLES Intercept Task Force fights online sextortion involving children Online predators are finding ways to lure children into sharing nude images.
Man arrested in Collier for allegedly impersonating CIA officer The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested a man for impersonating a federal officer after conducting a traffic stop in Collier County on a suspicious vehicle.
Local law enforcement’s plan for protection in large crowds The scene of chaos and confusion in New Orleans has filled many with worry and fear of being out in large crowds in busy areas.
PUNTA GORDA The importance of ShorePoint Health in Punta Gorda WINK News is hearing from people who say that the community is losing something it cannot live without.
Improving your sleep as the new year starts Ever felt like a zombie after a bad night’s sleep? You’re not alone. Poor sleep can mess with your health in surprising ways, like causing weight gain and memory problems.
Collier deputy hurt after crash at Santa Barbara Blvd. and Golden Gate Pkwy., intersection closed A Collier County deputy has been transported to the hospital after he was involved in a crash with another vehicle.
NAPLES Investigators move plane that crashed at Naples Airport to Jacksonville Investigators are working to move a plane that crashed at the Naples Airport on New Year’s Day.
(CBS News) Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas investigated as possible act of terrorism The Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside the Trump Towers is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, says to law enforcement.
FORT MYERS Firefighters extinguish box truck fire in front of Fort Myers Wawa The Fort Myers Fire Department responded to a box truck fire, where the vehicle was engulfed in flames in front of a Wawa convenience store.
Southwest Florida International Airport RSW anticipates high travel activity through the weekend Thursday morning, millions of Americans are making their way back home after celebrating the holidays with loved ones.
The Forum shopping center properties in Fort Myers sell for $41.37M The transaction did not include the Home Depot or Super Target spaces.
MARCO ISLAND Caxambas Park set to reopen in early 2025 Caxambas Park in Marco Island will soon be open for the public to enjoy once again after several storms damaged the park in 2024.
Final day for private hurricane debris removal in Charlotte County The final day for private hurricane debris removal in Charlotte County has arrived as government contractors make their last run-through for the season.
FILE – Amanda Darrow, director of youth, family and education programs at the Utah Pride Center, poses with books, including “The Bluest Eye,” by Toni Morrison, that have been the subject of complaints from parents, on Dec. 16, 2021, in Salt Lake City. Publisher Penguin Random House and PEN America sued a Florida school district Wednesday, May 17, 2023, over its removal of books about race and LGBTQ+ identities, the latest opposition to a policy central to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ agenda as he prepares to run for president. Among the removed books are “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky, “The Nowhere Girls” by Amy Reed and “Lucky” by Alice Sebold. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) Publisher Penguin Random House and PEN America sued a Florida school district Wednesday over its removal of books about race and LGBTQ+ identities, the latest opposition to a policy central to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ agenda as he prepares to run for president. The federal lawsuit alleges the Escambia County School District and its School Board are violating the First Amendment through the removal of 10 books from library shelves. The case does not name DeSantis as a defendant though the Republican governor has championed policies that allow the censorship and challenging of books based on whether they are appropriate for children in schools, causing a national uproar. DeSantis, who is expected to announce his presidential candidacy in the coming days, has leaned heavily into cultural divides on race, sexual orientation and gender as he moves to win support from conservative voters who decide Republican primary elections. “Books have the capacity to change lives for the better, and students in particular deserve equitable access to a wide range of perspectives. Censorship, in the form of book bans like those enacted by Escambia County, are a direct threat to democracy and our Constitutional rights,” Nihar Malaviya, CEO of Penguin Random House, said in a statement. Escambia County school officials did not immediately return a request for comment. The lawsuit says the removals stem from objections from one language arts teacher in the county, and in each case, the school board voted to remove the books over recommendations from a district review committee that deemed them educationally suitable. The teacher’s formal objections to the books appear to draw on materials compiled by a website that creates reports on books it deems ideologically unsuitable for children, according to the lawsuit. In one example cited in the lawsuit, the teacher admitted she had never heard of the book “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky but filed an objection form to the novel that contained specific excerpts and phrasing from the book ban website. Among the other removed books are “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, “The Nowhere Girls” by Amy Reed and “Lucky” by Alice Sebold. The lawsuit said more than 150 additional books are under review by the school board. “In Escambia County, state censors are spiriting books off shelves in a deliberate attempt to suppress diverse voices. In a nation built on free speech, this cannot stand,” said Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, a literary writers’ organization. “The law demands that the Escambia County School District put removed or restricted books back on library shelves where they belong.”