Dry Tuesday morning before isolated storms develop this afternoon and eveningCape Coral red tag hearings soon to begin
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Dry Tuesday morning before isolated storms develop this afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking a dry Tuesday morning with the possibility of isolated rainstorms throughout the afternoon and into the evening
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral red tag hearings soon to begin Residents of Cape Coral have experienced confusion, frustration, and possibly fines due to red tags popping up on buildings under construction.
NAPLES Gov. DeSantis to hold news conference in Naples Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Naples.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs residents alarmed after car break-ins A Bonita Springs homeowner is sleeping with one eye open after her social security card was stolen from her car, an incident caught on video.
LEE COUNTY Lee Deputies work to track down transient sex offenders who fail to register WINK News Anchor Corey Lazar goes on patrol with Lee County Deputies in search of transient sex offenders who don’t register.
FORT MYERS Exclusive: Florida Warriors president talks misunderstanding with city On Friday, the president of Florida Warriors Hockey got a letter saying that starting July 1, his program’s rink access at the Fort Myers Skatium would be cut from 48 hours a month to only eight hours a month.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) 3 law officers killed, 5 others wounded trying to serve warrant in North Carolina, authorities say Three law enforcement officers serving a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm were killed and five other officers were wounded Monday in a shootout at a Charlotte, North Carolina, home, police said.
CAPE CORAL Massive fire leaves Cape Coral businesses in shambles Several fire rescue trucks are responding to a structure fire at a commercial building in Cape Coral.
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers residents concerned over abandoned boat A day out in the water turned into an alarming discovery for one North Fort Myers family.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers first responders stress safety after rollover crash Fort Myers fire department officials are pointing to safety and awareness following a recent rollover crash on Palm Beach Blvd. and Oasis Way.
NAPLES FSU pitcher Jacob Marlowe’s determined heart is on the mound Former Barron Collier ace, now FSU pitcher Jacob Marlowe is recovering from two open heart surgeries in five days.
Contrasting Lee, Collier and Charlotte homicide rates to nationwide numbers The Wall Street Journal says nationwide homicide rates have dropped by 20% compared to the numbers from 2023.
New program to make life more manageable for Parkinson’s patients A new program, backed by research, was created using the power of spin cycling to redefine the fight against Parkinson’s.
Medicaid class action gets go-ahead A federal judge has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit that alleges Florida did not properly inform people before dropping them from the Medicaid program after a COVID-19 public health emergency ended.
FORT MYERS New downtown Fort Myers parking options coming soon Two new spots are coming for you to park on nights and weekends in downtown Fort Myers, but you’ll still have to pay.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Dry Tuesday morning before isolated storms develop this afternoon and evening The Weather Authority is tracking a dry Tuesday morning with the possibility of isolated rainstorms throughout the afternoon and into the evening
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral red tag hearings soon to begin Residents of Cape Coral have experienced confusion, frustration, and possibly fines due to red tags popping up on buildings under construction.
NAPLES Gov. DeSantis to hold news conference in Naples Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Naples.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs residents alarmed after car break-ins A Bonita Springs homeowner is sleeping with one eye open after her social security card was stolen from her car, an incident caught on video.
LEE COUNTY Lee Deputies work to track down transient sex offenders who fail to register WINK News Anchor Corey Lazar goes on patrol with Lee County Deputies in search of transient sex offenders who don’t register.
FORT MYERS Exclusive: Florida Warriors president talks misunderstanding with city On Friday, the president of Florida Warriors Hockey got a letter saying that starting July 1, his program’s rink access at the Fort Myers Skatium would be cut from 48 hours a month to only eight hours a month.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) 3 law officers killed, 5 others wounded trying to serve warrant in North Carolina, authorities say Three law enforcement officers serving a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm were killed and five other officers were wounded Monday in a shootout at a Charlotte, North Carolina, home, police said.
CAPE CORAL Massive fire leaves Cape Coral businesses in shambles Several fire rescue trucks are responding to a structure fire at a commercial building in Cape Coral.
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers residents concerned over abandoned boat A day out in the water turned into an alarming discovery for one North Fort Myers family.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers first responders stress safety after rollover crash Fort Myers fire department officials are pointing to safety and awareness following a recent rollover crash on Palm Beach Blvd. and Oasis Way.
NAPLES FSU pitcher Jacob Marlowe’s determined heart is on the mound Former Barron Collier ace, now FSU pitcher Jacob Marlowe is recovering from two open heart surgeries in five days.
Contrasting Lee, Collier and Charlotte homicide rates to nationwide numbers The Wall Street Journal says nationwide homicide rates have dropped by 20% compared to the numbers from 2023.
New program to make life more manageable for Parkinson’s patients A new program, backed by research, was created using the power of spin cycling to redefine the fight against Parkinson’s.
Medicaid class action gets go-ahead A federal judge has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit that alleges Florida did not properly inform people before dropping them from the Medicaid program after a COVID-19 public health emergency ended.
FORT MYERS New downtown Fort Myers parking options coming soon Two new spots are coming for you to park on nights and weekends in downtown Fort Myers, but you’ll still have to pay.
Was there an abuse of power and repeated violations of state law? The Fort Myers police union is calling for the removal of the officer in charge of its internal affairs bureau, claiming she can’t do her job in a credible way. The process began on June 15, with this letter addressed to Fort Myers interim Police Chief Randall Pepitone. Through their attorney, the union expresses “serious concerns” about internal affairs commander Lieutenant Lesa Breneman, noting “alleged malfeasance, abuse of power and repeated violations of Florida statutes and department policy.” The letter was sent to Pepitone from Weldon and Rothman, attorneys for the International Union of Police Associations – the union that represents the Fort Myers Police Department. The letter doesn’t name any specific internal affairs cases where Breneman allegedly has a conflict of interest, but it does pull an excerpt from the Jensen Hughes report. The Jensen Hughes report was an independent audit into a complaint from former FMPD Inspector General Donald Oswald into former FMPD Major William Newhouse, published in April 2022. Their review found that the internal affairs investigation FMPD conducted was “insufficient” and suggested that FMPD “may request a sworn or certified instructor from a separate agency” when a conflict is identified. After citing Jensen Hughes, this letter ends by demanding Pepitone “fully remove” Breneman from all pending internal affairs investigations. Documents show Pepitone responded 15 days later on June 30. In his reply, Pepitone said he will not be removing Breneman – “while neither acknowledging or denying the existence” of investigations into her – Pepitone claims she knows not to “use her position to influence any investigations.” While WINK News hasn’t seen any further communication between Pepitone and the union’s attorneys, we obtained an email sent from union member and current FMPD Officer David Gaide. Dated July 7, Gaide emailed every Fort Myers city council member, city manager Marty Lawing and interim Chief Pepitone. He repeats the union’s demand and includes a written response to Pepitone’s decision. The letter, which is not labeled as an official statement from the union or its attorneys, claims morale at FMPD is “worse than it was prior to the Freeh Report.” It ends by telling Pepitone “this inaction is an embarrassment and a stain on the legacy of Chief Derrick Diggs.” The letter is simply signed “Member of the Executive Board, David Gaide.” WINK News has reached out to FMPD and Lieutenant Breneman for comment, but we have not heard back at this time. We have also contacted Fort Myers city council about this situation, but no one agreed to speak on camera. We will update this story as more information becomes available. FMPD sent the below statement to WINK News: “The Fort Myers Police Department has an Internal Affairs process in place to ensure we are holding our officers to the highest possible standard. It is unfortunate that the department’s police union (IUPA Local 6065) is striking out against the system that is necessary for our agency to operate beyond reproach. This CALEA Accredited system and personnel, that Chief Diggs put in place, has helped strengthen community trust in our organization. As with any process, there is always room for refinement and we are constantly gathering and reviewing best practices from across the state and country. The information gathered will allow the next police chief to decide whether changes are necessary.“ – Fort Myers Police Department