CDC says bird flu viruses “pose pandemic potential,” cites major knowledge gapsBay Street Yard set to open in late May
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (CBS) CDC says bird flu viruses “pose pandemic potential,” cites major knowledge gaps Bird flu continues to appear to pose a “low risk to the general public” for now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. But the agency’s scientists ran into roadblocks investigating a human case of this “pandemic potential” virus this year, they said in a new report.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard set to open in late May A new place to hang out in Downtown Fort Myers is opening this spring.
Aetna agrees to settle lawsuit over fertility coverage for LGBTQ+ customers Aetna has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the health insurer of discriminating against LGBTQ+ customers in need of fertility treatment.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Robbery, Pawn Shops, and Child Porn This week’s segment of Wink Neighborhood Watch features an armed robber, fraud at a pawn shop, and possession of child pornography.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Sun, clouds, humidity, rain – it’s all in your weekend forecast Saturday afternoon will be hot and humid, with a mix of sun and clouds.
LEHIGH ACRES Chaotic lake getting fence and security Now, with all the negative attention it has gotten, some think putting up a fence is a great way to keep that bad activity out.
CAPE CORAL What we learned about Cape Coral’s water crisis after a ride along On Friday, WINK News got to ride along to see just what people are doing that could be wasting water.
FORT MYERS Students affected by COVID-19 able to graduate for the first time For many young people, COVID stripped away one of their greatest rites of passage: graduation.
Deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County Authorities are at the scene of a deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County on Friday afternoon.
Celebrating Free Comic Book Day in SWFL JP Sports store manager Jonathan Powell said this is a generational event that brings families together to reminisce on comics and other hobby-related knickknacks.
FORT MYERS Group rescues dogs before getting put down in Lee County Our animal shelters are packed with amazing puppies who have the sole desire to be loved.
FORT MYERS FGCU student beats all odds and is able to graduate Nearly four years ago, Marisa Manning had her heart set on going to Florida Gulf Coast University but never thought she’d find her passion for studying parasites.
FORT MYERS Victim in MLK Blvd. shooting identified as social media influencer The victim of the Martin Luther King Boulevard shooting has been identified as a local social media influencer.
FORT MYERS Could a Ferris wheel in downtown Fort Myers work? Right now, there are talks to bring a Ferris wheel to downtown Fort Myers, but several things are still up in the air.
LITTLE HICKORY BAY Improving ‘Hell’s Gate’ safety, a notoriously dangerous waterway for boaters A push to make an area known as “Hell’s Gate” safer since it’s a dangerous stretch of water with several blind corners within Little Hickory Bay.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (CBS) CDC says bird flu viruses “pose pandemic potential,” cites major knowledge gaps Bird flu continues to appear to pose a “low risk to the general public” for now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. But the agency’s scientists ran into roadblocks investigating a human case of this “pandemic potential” virus this year, they said in a new report.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard set to open in late May A new place to hang out in Downtown Fort Myers is opening this spring.
Aetna agrees to settle lawsuit over fertility coverage for LGBTQ+ customers Aetna has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the health insurer of discriminating against LGBTQ+ customers in need of fertility treatment.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Robbery, Pawn Shops, and Child Porn This week’s segment of Wink Neighborhood Watch features an armed robber, fraud at a pawn shop, and possession of child pornography.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Sun, clouds, humidity, rain – it’s all in your weekend forecast Saturday afternoon will be hot and humid, with a mix of sun and clouds.
LEHIGH ACRES Chaotic lake getting fence and security Now, with all the negative attention it has gotten, some think putting up a fence is a great way to keep that bad activity out.
CAPE CORAL What we learned about Cape Coral’s water crisis after a ride along On Friday, WINK News got to ride along to see just what people are doing that could be wasting water.
FORT MYERS Students affected by COVID-19 able to graduate for the first time For many young people, COVID stripped away one of their greatest rites of passage: graduation.
Deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County Authorities are at the scene of a deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County on Friday afternoon.
Celebrating Free Comic Book Day in SWFL JP Sports store manager Jonathan Powell said this is a generational event that brings families together to reminisce on comics and other hobby-related knickknacks.
FORT MYERS Group rescues dogs before getting put down in Lee County Our animal shelters are packed with amazing puppies who have the sole desire to be loved.
FORT MYERS FGCU student beats all odds and is able to graduate Nearly four years ago, Marisa Manning had her heart set on going to Florida Gulf Coast University but never thought she’d find her passion for studying parasites.
FORT MYERS Victim in MLK Blvd. shooting identified as social media influencer The victim of the Martin Luther King Boulevard shooting has been identified as a local social media influencer.
FORT MYERS Could a Ferris wheel in downtown Fort Myers work? Right now, there are talks to bring a Ferris wheel to downtown Fort Myers, but several things are still up in the air.
LITTLE HICKORY BAY Improving ‘Hell’s Gate’ safety, a notoriously dangerous waterway for boaters A push to make an area known as “Hell’s Gate” safer since it’s a dangerous stretch of water with several blind corners within Little Hickory Bay.
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