‘It’s devastating’: Neighbor reflects on fatal fire in Port Charlotte‘The sound of death’ Neighbors concerned by amount of crashes on Joel Blvd
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘It’s devastating’: Neighbor reflects on fatal fire in Port Charlotte A devastating house fire Monday night in Port Charlotte has left one person dead and another hospitalized while neighbors mourn the possible loss of a beloved member of their community.
‘The sound of death’ Neighbors concerned by amount of crashes on Joel Blvd A woman is heartbroken from witnessing crash after crash outside her Lehigh Acres home.
Fort Myers get 15% increase on flood insurance discount WINK News is finding out what led to the city of Fort Myers going from just a 5% FEMA flood insurance discount to a 20% discount.
FORT MYERS Locals house California wildfire victims The effects of the California fires are being felt worldwide as people evacuate some are in southwest Florida.
LOVERS KEY Couple returns to Lovers Key condo post Ian While Hurricane Ian is long gone from Southwest Florida, many are still feeling its impacts.
EVERGLADES Biden signs Water Resources Development Act, its effect on SWFL President Biden recently signed into law the Water Resources Development Act with an aim to improve rivers and harbors across the country and provide for the conservation of water. Southwest Florida was included in that act. Putting the 240-page plan together took a lot of work, not just from state and federal lawmakers, but also […]
Turning business travel into a vacation Would work travel seem a little easier if you could turn it into a vacation? Two professors say they have proof that would help business travel.
The future of biometrics: Safer security or new AI risks? In 2021, the Transportation Service Agency (TSA) launched its new touchless identity solution in the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County airport.
CAPE CORAL Pelican Elementary resource officer saves infant A school resource officer at Pelican Elementary saved an infants’ life at a traffic stop in Cape Coral.
FORT MYERS Progress being made on City View Park in Dunbar More promises made by a city that has not kept its promises for the last six years have some neighbors concerned about the future of their community.
COLLIER COUNTY Seacrest hoops player hits a full court buzzer beater Seacrest Country Day School boys basketball player Hayden Fuller hits full court buzzer beater against Aubrey Rogers.
NAPLES Cutting-edge ACL surgery reducing reinjury risk by 80% Known for its game-changing orthopedic repair options, Naples-based Arthrex has done it again.
NAPLES MacStrength FL offers sport and lifestyle training for young athletes In 2025, MacStrength FL is swinging for success with their current players and for a wider reach in its community.
You can appeal FEMA’s decision on your claim – Here’s how Now a week after the deadline for FEMA hurricane assistance has closed, the federal agency says you can appeal their decision on your claim if you don’t agree.
Naples selects city CFO as next city manager, averts national search Naples Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Gary Young will become the next city manager, averting a lengthy, expensive national search for a replacement.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘It’s devastating’: Neighbor reflects on fatal fire in Port Charlotte A devastating house fire Monday night in Port Charlotte has left one person dead and another hospitalized while neighbors mourn the possible loss of a beloved member of their community.
‘The sound of death’ Neighbors concerned by amount of crashes on Joel Blvd A woman is heartbroken from witnessing crash after crash outside her Lehigh Acres home.
Fort Myers get 15% increase on flood insurance discount WINK News is finding out what led to the city of Fort Myers going from just a 5% FEMA flood insurance discount to a 20% discount.
FORT MYERS Locals house California wildfire victims The effects of the California fires are being felt worldwide as people evacuate some are in southwest Florida.
LOVERS KEY Couple returns to Lovers Key condo post Ian While Hurricane Ian is long gone from Southwest Florida, many are still feeling its impacts.
EVERGLADES Biden signs Water Resources Development Act, its effect on SWFL President Biden recently signed into law the Water Resources Development Act with an aim to improve rivers and harbors across the country and provide for the conservation of water. Southwest Florida was included in that act. Putting the 240-page plan together took a lot of work, not just from state and federal lawmakers, but also […]
Turning business travel into a vacation Would work travel seem a little easier if you could turn it into a vacation? Two professors say they have proof that would help business travel.
The future of biometrics: Safer security or new AI risks? In 2021, the Transportation Service Agency (TSA) launched its new touchless identity solution in the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County airport.
CAPE CORAL Pelican Elementary resource officer saves infant A school resource officer at Pelican Elementary saved an infants’ life at a traffic stop in Cape Coral.
FORT MYERS Progress being made on City View Park in Dunbar More promises made by a city that has not kept its promises for the last six years have some neighbors concerned about the future of their community.
COLLIER COUNTY Seacrest hoops player hits a full court buzzer beater Seacrest Country Day School boys basketball player Hayden Fuller hits full court buzzer beater against Aubrey Rogers.
NAPLES Cutting-edge ACL surgery reducing reinjury risk by 80% Known for its game-changing orthopedic repair options, Naples-based Arthrex has done it again.
NAPLES MacStrength FL offers sport and lifestyle training for young athletes In 2025, MacStrength FL is swinging for success with their current players and for a wider reach in its community.
You can appeal FEMA’s decision on your claim – Here’s how Now a week after the deadline for FEMA hurricane assistance has closed, the federal agency says you can appeal their decision on your claim if you don’t agree.
Naples selects city CFO as next city manager, averts national search Naples Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Gary Young will become the next city manager, averting a lengthy, expensive national search for a replacement.
The public defender’s office scored a win for its client, Jorge Guerrero Torres, who stands accused of killing 9-year-old Diana Alvarez. Judge Margaret O. Steinbeck ruled in the defense’s favor on a motion to suppress statements made by Guerrero Torres during his interrogation. He made several statements to law enforcement after his arrest on June 3, 2016. He was questioned four different times over the course of a few days. Alvarez was missing at the time of Guerrero Torres’ arrest, which led investigators to believe that he was responsible for her disappearance and death. His attorney argued he initially was not given his Miranda warning. Once he was given his warning, there was a language barrier because he did not speak English. Court records state, “The ‘on-scene’ Spanish language translation of what the law enforcement officers were telling or asking the Defendant in English, and the on-scene translation of the Defendant’s Spanish language statements of responses, were in many instances different, in substance, from the translation provided in the written transcript of the audio recordings admitted into evidence.” Criminal defense attorney Jill Prenger reviewed the judge’s order with us and said she understood why the motion was granted. “This was a high-emotional, high-stakes situation where there is a hurricane rolling in, and they’re trying to figure out where this little girl is, and unfortunately, sometimes that’s when mistakes get made,” Prenger said. But the fact is that state attorneys have lost a crucial piece of evidence to use during trial. “What the jury is looking at if they ultimately … find him guilty, they would have to determine, based on the evidence, is there enough to make the determination that death is appropriate, and if you start removing certain types of evidence, then it weakens the grounds to be able to say that, yes, it is appropriate in this case to impose the death penalty,” Prenger said. Excerpt from Order Granting Defendant’s Motion to Suppress Guerrero Torres is expected to return to court on March 5. Here is a timeline of Alvarez’s disappearance: SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2016 2 a.m.: Diana was last seen on the 3500 block of Unique Circle when her pregnant mother, Rita Hernandez, checked the rooms of their home in the Sheltering Pines Mobile Home Village. 3 a.m.: Guerrero may have been with Diana at this time. “Based on statements Mr. Guerrero made to law enforcement, there are admissions that place him with Diana at some period in the morning, approximately at 3 o’clock in Lee County,” Alvarez family’s lawyer Tom Busatta said in June. 3—7 a.m.: Diana’s whereabouts are unknown at this time, but when Hernandez woke up, she noticed all four of the burners on her stove were turned on and that Diana’s purple-striped shoes were missing. 10:40 a.m.: The Lee County Sheriff’s Office sent out its first in many public emails about Diana Alvarez. It was titled “Lee County Sheriff’s Office Press Release: Missing Juvenile Diana Alvares” and featured a school photo of Diana. 1 p.m.: Authorities discussed Jorge Guerrero as a suspect. According to deputy emails, they had his date of birth, car description, and possible location. 6:44 p.m.: The sheriff’s office sends a photo of Guerrero to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. MONDAY, MAY 30, 2016 12:05 a.m.: FDLE sends a missing child alert for Diana after receiving the request from LCSO. It does not mention Guerrero.“FDLE received a request from Lee County Sheriff’s Office for a Missing Child Alert. A Missing Child Alert was issued,” said Gretl Plessinger, spokesperson for FDLE. THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016 11:43 a.m.: LCSO requests that FDLE issue an AMBER Alert for Diana. The agency in charge of any missing child case must request the alert from FDLE. The requirements for an AMBER Alert include: A request from the local law enforcement agency Child under 18 A clear indication of an abduction Detailed description of child, abductor or vehicle 12:30 p.m.: FDLE issues an AMBER Alert for Diana. This time, it includes a photo of Guerrero and lists his connections to Orange and Okeechobee counties. Her remains were not found until 2020 near Yeehaw Junction in Central Florida after investigators found pictures of Diana on Guerrero Torres’ cell phone. They found that the phone had traveled from Orlando to the Fort Myers area just one day before Diana was reported missing, then to Yeehaw Junction. Guerrero Torres was ultimately arrested and charged with her kidnapping. He was later convicted in federal court for child pornography relating to those photos and sentenced to 40 years in federal prison. Read more about the Diana Alvarez case: Person of interest in Diana Alvarez case brought to Lee County Person of interest in Diana Alvarez case faces child pornography charge Details emerge about relationship between missing 9-year-old, person of interest Attorney: State twice rejected Lee County appeals for AMBER Alert in Alvarez case Man suspected in 9-year-old’s disappearance indicted for child porn Jorge Guerrero pleads not guilty to child porn charges LCSO searches for new witness in Diana Alvarez’s disappearance LCSO seeks new leads in Diana Alvarez case amid drug bust