Former Uber driver convicted of rape to be sentenced MondaySunnier, less humid day in store with highs in the low 70s
FORT MYERS Former Uber driver convicted of rape to be sentenced Monday Felix Torres, a former Uber driver, was found guilty in December of raping one of his passengers and will be sentenced Monday.
the weather authority Sunnier, less humid day in store with highs in the low 70s The Weather Authority says a pleasant day is in store for Southwest Florida, with much more sunshine than we saw on Saturday.
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.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Police department hosts annual Cops and Joggers 5K FMPD hosted the Cops and Joggers 5K event on Saturday. This unique experience takes attendees through the heart of Downtown Fort Myers.
Purple Heart Army veteran receives new home thanks to charity A Purple Heart Army veteran and his family entered their new accessible home on Saturday, thanks to the charity “Homes for Our Troops.”
CAPE CORAL Rain doesn’t stop crowds at 40th Annual Cape Coral Arts Festival For 40 years, the Cape Coral Arts Festival has drawn crowds from across Southwest Florida, showcasing a blend of small businesses from the region.
CAPE CORAL Sports trading card collecting going through “a generational reboot” The hobby of sports trading card collecting has been on the rise since 2020, especially in Southwest Florida with more card shows.
PUNTA GORDA 11th annual short film festival coming to Punta Gorda The Punta Gorda Englewood Beach Visitor Convention Bureau will host its 11th annual short film festival.
the weather authority Mild, breezy day on tap with more clouds than sun The Weather Authority says a brief line of showers, associated with a cold front, is moving through Southwest Florida Saturday morning.
ESTERO 1 injured after shooting at Coconut Point Mall According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, one person has been injured after a shooting at the Coconut Point Mall on Friday.
CAPE CORAL CCPD cruiser damaged after officer involved crash An officer-involved crash leaves a Cape Coral police cruiser smashed.
PORT CHARLOTTE Sweet’s Diner in Port Charlotte reopens After months of fundraising and rebuilding, this diner, which had a car fly-through it, is back open.
FWC pushing to protect Florida’s endangered manatees Florida Fish and Wildlife is pushing to protect endangered manatees. One danger that animals face is when boats bash into them, leaving deep scars across their backs.
FORT MYERS The Fort Myers Fire Department looks towards new year Fighting fires is always top of mind for the Fort Myers Fire Department. The Fort Myers Fire Department leads the way when it comes to protecting your property when a fire breaks out.
WINK NEWS Palisades Wildfire devastates SWFL family Just hours after evacuating their Malibu home, the Wohl family learned they would never go back.
FORT MYERS Former Uber driver convicted of rape to be sentenced Monday Felix Torres, a former Uber driver, was found guilty in December of raping one of his passengers and will be sentenced Monday.
the weather authority Sunnier, less humid day in store with highs in the low 70s The Weather Authority says a pleasant day is in store for Southwest Florida, with much more sunshine than we saw on Saturday.
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.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers Police department hosts annual Cops and Joggers 5K FMPD hosted the Cops and Joggers 5K event on Saturday. This unique experience takes attendees through the heart of Downtown Fort Myers.
Purple Heart Army veteran receives new home thanks to charity A Purple Heart Army veteran and his family entered their new accessible home on Saturday, thanks to the charity “Homes for Our Troops.”
CAPE CORAL Rain doesn’t stop crowds at 40th Annual Cape Coral Arts Festival For 40 years, the Cape Coral Arts Festival has drawn crowds from across Southwest Florida, showcasing a blend of small businesses from the region.
CAPE CORAL Sports trading card collecting going through “a generational reboot” The hobby of sports trading card collecting has been on the rise since 2020, especially in Southwest Florida with more card shows.
PUNTA GORDA 11th annual short film festival coming to Punta Gorda The Punta Gorda Englewood Beach Visitor Convention Bureau will host its 11th annual short film festival.
the weather authority Mild, breezy day on tap with more clouds than sun The Weather Authority says a brief line of showers, associated with a cold front, is moving through Southwest Florida Saturday morning.
ESTERO 1 injured after shooting at Coconut Point Mall According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, one person has been injured after a shooting at the Coconut Point Mall on Friday.
CAPE CORAL CCPD cruiser damaged after officer involved crash An officer-involved crash leaves a Cape Coral police cruiser smashed.
PORT CHARLOTTE Sweet’s Diner in Port Charlotte reopens After months of fundraising and rebuilding, this diner, which had a car fly-through it, is back open.
FWC pushing to protect Florida’s endangered manatees Florida Fish and Wildlife is pushing to protect endangered manatees. One danger that animals face is when boats bash into them, leaving deep scars across their backs.
FORT MYERS The Fort Myers Fire Department looks towards new year Fighting fires is always top of mind for the Fort Myers Fire Department. The Fort Myers Fire Department leads the way when it comes to protecting your property when a fire breaks out.
WINK NEWS Palisades Wildfire devastates SWFL family Just hours after evacuating their Malibu home, the Wohl family learned they would never go back.
After almost a year of uncertainty, the Fort Myers Police Department has a new chief. It was a drama-filled decision, full of back-and-forth, but the Fort Myers City Council landed on FMPD’s very own Jason Fields, Monday night. During Monday night’s meeting, city manager Marty Lawing tried to double down on his original recommendation, Reo Hatfield, who the council rejected back in June. “I keep coming back to my original recommendation, so I’m requesting council appoint Reo Hatfield to police chief,” Lawing said. But the majority of council members rejected that choice once again. Why? Because he wasn’t one of the original final six candidates. “He was never in the six ones you brought forward,” said Terolyn Watson, from the Fort Myers City Council. For the sake of compromise, the city manager recommended FMPD’s acting major Jason Fields, which the council approved with a vote of 6 to 1. Fields said he’s got big shoes to fill, but he’s honored to be chosen. “Just, you know, surprise, shocked,” Fields said. “I got to kind of take it in right now, but I’m humbled, ready for it and looking forward to the opportunity.” Interim Chief Randall Pepitone’s retirement Unexpectedly, the city’s urgency was elevated during the city council meeting due to the standing of the current interim chief. It has been a year since late police chief Derrick Diggs left the Fort Myers Police Department after falling ill. Interim chief Randall Pepitone has been in charge ever since. But Pepitone has been in law enforcement for more than 40 years, and city council announced Monday night that he only has a couple of weeks left on the job. “Chief Pepitone has notified me formally that he is officially retiring on Aug. 2, so we’ve got a target date to shoot for,” Lawing said. Pepitone was brought on by former Chief Derrick Diggs after the two worked together for decades in Ohio. He has been with FMPD since May 2017. City leaders commended the way he ran the department for the last year under challenging circumstances. “Interim chief is an awkward role in that there’s situations that you can’t make and decisions you shouldn’t make,” Lawing said. “That being considered, Chief Pepitone has done a great job.” It’s worth noting that multiple city council members discussed the positive changes the late Chief Diggs implemented during his time in Fort Myers. With Fields being awarded the chief job, Pepitone will now have a brief window to help that transition.