Lee County student ran up and hit teacher in head, report showsCollier Planning Commission continues discussion for apartments near Fiddler’s Creek
Lee County student ran up and hit teacher in head, report shows The report says a 13-year-old student ran up and smacked a teacher in the head because multiple classmates offered him money to do so.
Collier Planning Commission continues discussion for apartments near Fiddler’s Creek The developer of fiddler’s creek wants to build hundreds of luxury apartments on a slice of a 600 acre-plus property known as section 29.
CAPE CORAL Fatigue sets in for third day of FEMA hearings Flying several hours to come to a FEMA code compliance hearing in Cape Coral is the reality for John Gasparini from Maryland.
Prescription drug shortages lead to higher prices There are currently more than 250 medications on the nation’s drug shortage list, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. The organization says 2023 marked the worst year for shortages in about a decade.
Mental health resources to help children Here are some resources to help you navigate the mental health system when it comes to help for children. Park Royal Park Royal does not have in-patient options for youth; however, the facility’s launched a new intensive outpatient program for 14 to 17-year-olds. It typically last several weeks or months, and offers three to five […]
NAPLES Video: FWC releases bobcat after rehab stint at Naples Zoo Wildlife officials released a bobcat back into the wild after recovering from a broken leg at Naples Zoo for eight weeks.
Single-member vs. at-large voting debate intensifies in Lee County Three members of Southwest Florida’s state Legislature delegation hosted a public forum May 1 at Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District, established by the state in 2015.
Unsolved: sawfish deaths rise during Florida Keys mystery More endangered smalltooth sawfish deaths were reported in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s weekly report.
Emails show beginnings, contradictions of South Seas resort amendment South Seas resort ownership group’s engineer proposed a land-use amendment for Lee County’s government at least six months before the first public discussions and at least seven weeks before the county’s official timeline began, emails between the resort’s representatives and county show.Â
ALVA SR 31: a dangerous road and persistent safety concern State Road 31 proves hazardous once again, with a recent fatal crash highlighting ongoing safety concerns. The road — particularly the stretch at the Lee/Charlotte county line — has seen numerous crashes, including Wednesday’s incident involving a 19-year-old who died after crashing with a car hauler. The Florida Highway Patrol has not released the victim’s […]
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County deputy subdues convicted felon with Taser at North Fort Myers Walmart Lee County deputies used a Taser on a man after they raced through a North Fort Myers Walmart searching for him.
FORT MYERS 2 posing as Target Corporate employees steal over $6K at Fort Myers Target SWFL Crime Stoppers seeks information on two men who allegedly claimed to be employees of Target Corporate and stole over $6,000 at Target.
Punta Gorda cosiders fate of historic A.C. Freeman House It was built by politician and businessman Augustus C. Freeman whose name the house bears, and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.Â
CAPE CORAL Man arrested for armed robbery in Cape Coral The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a man for armed robbery and giving a fake name to law enforcement.
Jacksonville Gov. DeSantis signs bills to provide financial options for Floridians Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that will provide financial options to Floridians and another bill that curates the state public school curriculum.
Lee County student ran up and hit teacher in head, report shows The report says a 13-year-old student ran up and smacked a teacher in the head because multiple classmates offered him money to do so.
Collier Planning Commission continues discussion for apartments near Fiddler’s Creek The developer of fiddler’s creek wants to build hundreds of luxury apartments on a slice of a 600 acre-plus property known as section 29.
CAPE CORAL Fatigue sets in for third day of FEMA hearings Flying several hours to come to a FEMA code compliance hearing in Cape Coral is the reality for John Gasparini from Maryland.
Prescription drug shortages lead to higher prices There are currently more than 250 medications on the nation’s drug shortage list, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. The organization says 2023 marked the worst year for shortages in about a decade.
Mental health resources to help children Here are some resources to help you navigate the mental health system when it comes to help for children. Park Royal Park Royal does not have in-patient options for youth; however, the facility’s launched a new intensive outpatient program for 14 to 17-year-olds. It typically last several weeks or months, and offers three to five […]
NAPLES Video: FWC releases bobcat after rehab stint at Naples Zoo Wildlife officials released a bobcat back into the wild after recovering from a broken leg at Naples Zoo for eight weeks.
Single-member vs. at-large voting debate intensifies in Lee County Three members of Southwest Florida’s state Legislature delegation hosted a public forum May 1 at Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District, established by the state in 2015.
Unsolved: sawfish deaths rise during Florida Keys mystery More endangered smalltooth sawfish deaths were reported in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s weekly report.
Emails show beginnings, contradictions of South Seas resort amendment South Seas resort ownership group’s engineer proposed a land-use amendment for Lee County’s government at least six months before the first public discussions and at least seven weeks before the county’s official timeline began, emails between the resort’s representatives and county show.Â
ALVA SR 31: a dangerous road and persistent safety concern State Road 31 proves hazardous once again, with a recent fatal crash highlighting ongoing safety concerns. The road — particularly the stretch at the Lee/Charlotte county line — has seen numerous crashes, including Wednesday’s incident involving a 19-year-old who died after crashing with a car hauler. The Florida Highway Patrol has not released the victim’s […]
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County deputy subdues convicted felon with Taser at North Fort Myers Walmart Lee County deputies used a Taser on a man after they raced through a North Fort Myers Walmart searching for him.
FORT MYERS 2 posing as Target Corporate employees steal over $6K at Fort Myers Target SWFL Crime Stoppers seeks information on two men who allegedly claimed to be employees of Target Corporate and stole over $6,000 at Target.
Punta Gorda cosiders fate of historic A.C. Freeman House It was built by politician and businessman Augustus C. Freeman whose name the house bears, and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.Â
CAPE CORAL Man arrested for armed robbery in Cape Coral The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a man for armed robbery and giving a fake name to law enforcement.
Jacksonville Gov. DeSantis signs bills to provide financial options for Floridians Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that will provide financial options to Floridians and another bill that curates the state public school curriculum.
WINK News has uncovered a widespread burglary operation targeting rental properties. The masterminds behind this criminal scheme are teenagers. These tech-savvy youths have been stealing valuable appliances from homes for an extended period. The story came to light when WINK News investigative reporter Kellie Miller discovered that one of the teenagers involved is being charged as an adult in Lee County. According to an affidavit filed by the state attorney’s office, 17-year-old Woolf Exulus now faces 42 counts of burglary and grand theft, and he’s currently set to stand trial as an adult. Documents reveal that Woolf had accomplices. He, along with several others, used rently.com to gain access to numerous rental homes, where they scheduled self-guided tours and then made off with valuable appliances. Since the start of 2023, law enforcement agencies across the state have painstakingly worked to unravel this intricate burglary ring devised by a group of kids. “We’re constantly working with other agencies around the state to share information, and I think that’s what criminals forget,” said Josh Taylor, North Port Police Department’s public information officer. The teenage burglars operated across different counties, stealing refrigerators and stoves from rental properties. Their spree ultimately came to an end when they were apprehended in North Port. “It was very much great police work, but also great community involvement,” Taylor said. The foundation of this scheme can be traced back to Lee County, where detectives say these teenagers pulled off at least 20 residential burglaries this year. “You had people that were going online, and basically taking a virtual tour of these different homes and being able to see exactly what type of appliances were in there,” Taylor said. The documents explain the burglars unique approach, targeting properties listed on rently.com. They created accounts, examined photos of homes, identified specific appliances, and scheduled self-guided tours. “It’s definitely a window of opportunity for thieves looking for easy, easy targets,” Taylor said. The thieves got away with their rip offs for months, until their operation unraveled in North Port. “It started with a tip from a resident who saw something that just didn’t seem right, and we were able to quickly look into it,” Taylor said. The investigation led them to a U-Haul filled with stolen appliances. North Port police took three teenagers into custody, including Woolf Exulus, who is now linked to many of the Lee County burglaries. “If you come to North Port and you commit these types of crimes, you can be assured that we’re going to take the time to look into it,” Taylor said. Ultimately, detectives believe these teenagers may have targeted homes not only in Lee County and North Port, but also St. Petersburg, and Orlando. WINK News reached out to rently.com and the property management companies affected, but none have agreed to an interview. Additionally, the fate of the other teenagers involved remains uncertain due to sealed juvenile records.