LEHIGH ACRES FGCU softball team helps Habitat for Humanity build three homes The Florida Gulf Coast University softball team helped Habitat for Humanity build three homes Saturday.
ESTERO Home Base Golf Tournament helps SWFL Veterans Veterans hit the green at the Copperleaf Golf Course on Saturday. This was part of the Home Base golf tournament.
FORT MYERS At least one person dead after propane truck collides with golf cart Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that has left one person dead and another injured Saturday morning.
Scattered storms ahead for your Saturday plans The Weather Authority is tracking weekend temperatures in the low to mid-90s this weekend with a chance for scattered storms this afternoon.
WINK NEWS SWFL Scoreboard: High School Football Week 3 Thunderstorms tried to put a stop to week three of high school football on Friday Night, but gridiron action prevailed.
Man accused of plotting murder-for-hire denied bond A man suspected of being involved with a murder-for-hire plot will stay behind bars. Ryan Toranzo had his renewed motion to set bond denied today in Collier County Court.
LABELLE Two dead after crash on State Road 80 According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there was a crash on State Road 80 that has left at least one person dead Friday evening.
DeSoto County looks to recruit more teachers While it can sometimes be easy to fill a classroom with students, it is not so easy for teachers. Schools across the nation and locally in Southwest Florida are still dealing with the challenges of teacher shortages. With class back in session, so is teacher recruiting for DeSoto County schools. The assistant superintendent, Jake Reynolds, […]
IMMOKALEE ROAD Push for change after deadly crash on Immokalee Rd. We’re told the woman was driving with two kids in the car when a semi ran a red light and hit her Thursday morning.
FORT MYERS BEACH Mobi-Mats deployed on Fort Myers Beach A walkway to paradise! Brand new and blue, the Mobi-Mat is making things easier for Fort Myers Beachgoers.
NAPLES Women of Steel business conference inspiring and empowering women Focused, hardworking, empowered. These women have made a name for themselves as Women of Steel.
NAPLES Beloved Collier County bus driver retires after 20 years After 20 years of getting kids to school safely, a beloved Collier County bus driver is retiring.
Wade Wilson has new death row mugshot Convicted double-killer Wade Wilson has a new death row mugshot.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Sizzle Dining is back in SWFL It’s Sizzle Season! Local restaurants are ready to welcome new faces by offering exclusive menu deals to attract new customers.
LEHIGH ACRES FGCU softball team helps Habitat for Humanity build three homes The Florida Gulf Coast University softball team helped Habitat for Humanity build three homes Saturday.
ESTERO Home Base Golf Tournament helps SWFL Veterans Veterans hit the green at the Copperleaf Golf Course on Saturday. This was part of the Home Base golf tournament.
FORT MYERS At least one person dead after propane truck collides with golf cart Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that has left one person dead and another injured Saturday morning.
Scattered storms ahead for your Saturday plans The Weather Authority is tracking weekend temperatures in the low to mid-90s this weekend with a chance for scattered storms this afternoon.
WINK NEWS SWFL Scoreboard: High School Football Week 3 Thunderstorms tried to put a stop to week three of high school football on Friday Night, but gridiron action prevailed.
Man accused of plotting murder-for-hire denied bond A man suspected of being involved with a murder-for-hire plot will stay behind bars. Ryan Toranzo had his renewed motion to set bond denied today in Collier County Court.
LABELLE Two dead after crash on State Road 80 According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there was a crash on State Road 80 that has left at least one person dead Friday evening.
DeSoto County looks to recruit more teachers While it can sometimes be easy to fill a classroom with students, it is not so easy for teachers. Schools across the nation and locally in Southwest Florida are still dealing with the challenges of teacher shortages. With class back in session, so is teacher recruiting for DeSoto County schools. The assistant superintendent, Jake Reynolds, […]
IMMOKALEE ROAD Push for change after deadly crash on Immokalee Rd. We’re told the woman was driving with two kids in the car when a semi ran a red light and hit her Thursday morning.
FORT MYERS BEACH Mobi-Mats deployed on Fort Myers Beach A walkway to paradise! Brand new and blue, the Mobi-Mat is making things easier for Fort Myers Beachgoers.
NAPLES Women of Steel business conference inspiring and empowering women Focused, hardworking, empowered. These women have made a name for themselves as Women of Steel.
NAPLES Beloved Collier County bus driver retires after 20 years After 20 years of getting kids to school safely, a beloved Collier County bus driver is retiring.
Wade Wilson has new death row mugshot Convicted double-killer Wade Wilson has a new death row mugshot.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Sizzle Dining is back in SWFL It’s Sizzle Season! Local restaurants are ready to welcome new faces by offering exclusive menu deals to attract new customers.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a new bill restricting social media access for children. Parents of children in Lee County are now weighing in. The bill prohibits children under 14 from becoming social media account holders and allows 14 and 15-year-olds to become account holders with parental consent. DeSantis signs social media bill Ellen Purdy lives in Lee County and grew up in Florida. She said this is another way she thinks the governor is trying to control parents and children in the state. “I feel that whole thing is a government overreach. First, you took the books out of the schools. Now he’s trying to tell parents how to parent their children, and I think every parent has the right to parent their child as they see fit, not a governor, not anybody else, and this is going to create a very large problem with our children,” Purdy said. Amber Bovee is a Lee County parent with a different opinion on the bill. She thinks it’s preventing children from dangers seen and unseen. “I agree with the bill. I think it’s going to help us to protect our children. Even with the filters and the parental controls, you can’t control exactly what it filters out and subjects our children to, and or the people that have access to our children with social media. I think it’s a great way to help protect our children, actually,” Bovee said. The Governor held a press conference in Jacksonville Monday to sign House Bill 3. “Social media harms children in a variety of ways,” said DeSantis. “HB 3 gives parents a greater ability to protect their children. In addition to the social media ban, the bill will protect Floridians’ ability to remain anonymous online. The bill is expected to be fought in courtrooms by various social media companies, and Purdy said she hoped it would happen. “I think somebody should repeal the bill, or hopefully, there’ll be a group of people that will try to take it up in the courts just like all the other quackery bills that he’s put up that they’re fighting, and he’s losing them right and left because I think parental rights or parental rights. These are our children. Our children do not belong to the state of Florida. They do not belong to the governor. They belong to us,” Purdy said. Bovee said she doesn’t think this is government overreach but another way the governor is protecting children. “Parents these days just give these children so much access to freedom. And it’s actually more harmful than good, has so much influence on our children nowadays. I don’t think it’s more of a government overreach. I believe it’s just to help these children and protect them,” Bovee said. House Bill 3 will also require pornographic or sexually explicit websites to use age verification to prevent minors from accessing sites that are inappropriate for children. The governor did not name any specific social media companies in the lawsuit. He vetoed an original version of the bill that included a blanket ban on social media for kids. He said he wanted to include parental involvement.