Collier County School District to vote on rezoning changesBiden blocks Chinese-backed crypto mining firm from land ownership near Wyoming missile base
WINK News Collier County School District to vote on rezoning changes The Collier County School District is set to vote on boundary changes in 32 schools, possibly affecting which school your child will attend.
WASHINGTON (AP) Biden blocks Chinese-backed crypto mining firm from land ownership near Wyoming missile base President Joe Biden on Monday issued an order blocking a Chinese-backed cryptocurrency mining firm from owning land near a Wyoming nuclear missile base, calling its proximity to the base a “national security risk.”
FORT MYERS BEACH Construction causing concerns for turtles nesting on FMB Would you be surprised to hear that turtles aren’t fans of sand castles?
BANYAN VILLAGE Parts of Hendry County affected by power outages Authorities are responding to a large-scale power outage in Hendry County.
FORT MYERS Miracle Moment: Shaina, Chris, and Cristobal Shaina Petit-Homme thought she was going to Golisano Children’s Hospital for an appointment.
ESTERO One lane blocked due to crash on Corkscrew and TPI Rd. Estero Fire Rescue is on the scene of a car crash at Corkscrew Road and TPI Road.
FORT MYERS ‘We see about 15,000 patient visits a year’ Gulf Coast Humane Society plans to build new veterinary clinic At a workshop Monday afternoon, the Fort Myers city council approved the Gulf Coast Humane Society’s request for additional land for future expansion.
ESTERO Attorneys meeting with landowners over BERT fallout If a railroad-turned bike path was cutting through your backyard, would you be concerned? Neighbors voiced their specific concerns Monday.
Solar tech dos and don’ts: How to avoid solar trouble Investing in solar power can save you big bucks on your energy bill, but con artists and unlicensed sales reps can leave customers high and dry.
Voters react to Glades Commissioner not living in his district Glades County District 1 Commissioner, Tony Whidden, doesn’t live in his district; and voters are not happy.
FGCU FGCU softball returns to NCAA Tournament after ASUN title FGCU softball wins the ASUN Tournament title and are back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 12 years.
NAPLES Naples police and fire rescue departments ask city council about hiring more staff The city of Naples Police and Fire-Rescue chiefs talked about the past, present, and future of their departments.
New Lee County teacher contract still doesn’t compete Last week, we told you how teachers and Lee County settled on contracts. Next, teachers will vote to approve the contract.
CAPE CORAL Well digging in Cape Coral soars amid water concerns A city’s water issue is coming to a head, and authorities said they are digging four times more than usual to keep the water flowing.
ESTERO Brush fire shuts down portion of Corkscrew Road in Estero Authorities are on the scene of a 15-acre brush fire in Estero, which is affecting traffic.
WINK News Collier County School District to vote on rezoning changes The Collier County School District is set to vote on boundary changes in 32 schools, possibly affecting which school your child will attend.
WASHINGTON (AP) Biden blocks Chinese-backed crypto mining firm from land ownership near Wyoming missile base President Joe Biden on Monday issued an order blocking a Chinese-backed cryptocurrency mining firm from owning land near a Wyoming nuclear missile base, calling its proximity to the base a “national security risk.”
FORT MYERS BEACH Construction causing concerns for turtles nesting on FMB Would you be surprised to hear that turtles aren’t fans of sand castles?
BANYAN VILLAGE Parts of Hendry County affected by power outages Authorities are responding to a large-scale power outage in Hendry County.
FORT MYERS Miracle Moment: Shaina, Chris, and Cristobal Shaina Petit-Homme thought she was going to Golisano Children’s Hospital for an appointment.
ESTERO One lane blocked due to crash on Corkscrew and TPI Rd. Estero Fire Rescue is on the scene of a car crash at Corkscrew Road and TPI Road.
FORT MYERS ‘We see about 15,000 patient visits a year’ Gulf Coast Humane Society plans to build new veterinary clinic At a workshop Monday afternoon, the Fort Myers city council approved the Gulf Coast Humane Society’s request for additional land for future expansion.
ESTERO Attorneys meeting with landowners over BERT fallout If a railroad-turned bike path was cutting through your backyard, would you be concerned? Neighbors voiced their specific concerns Monday.
Solar tech dos and don’ts: How to avoid solar trouble Investing in solar power can save you big bucks on your energy bill, but con artists and unlicensed sales reps can leave customers high and dry.
Voters react to Glades Commissioner not living in his district Glades County District 1 Commissioner, Tony Whidden, doesn’t live in his district; and voters are not happy.
FGCU FGCU softball returns to NCAA Tournament after ASUN title FGCU softball wins the ASUN Tournament title and are back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 12 years.
NAPLES Naples police and fire rescue departments ask city council about hiring more staff The city of Naples Police and Fire-Rescue chiefs talked about the past, present, and future of their departments.
New Lee County teacher contract still doesn’t compete Last week, we told you how teachers and Lee County settled on contracts. Next, teachers will vote to approve the contract.
CAPE CORAL Well digging in Cape Coral soars amid water concerns A city’s water issue is coming to a head, and authorities said they are digging four times more than usual to keep the water flowing.
ESTERO Brush fire shuts down portion of Corkscrew Road in Estero Authorities are on the scene of a 15-acre brush fire in Estero, which is affecting traffic.
FILE – Menthol cigarettes and other tobacco products are displayed at a store in San Francisco on May 17, 2018. The U.S. government is set to release its long-awaited plan to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. On Thursday, April 28, 2022, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf previewed the announcement in congressional testimony, saying the proposal would reduce disease and death among smokers and help many quit. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) President Joe Biden’s administration is indefinitely delaying a long-awaited menthol cigarette ban, a decision that infuriated anti-smoking advocates but could avoid a political backlash from Black voters in November. In a statement Friday, Biden’s top health official gave no timeline for issuing the rule, saying only that the administration would take more time to consider feedback, including from civil rights groups. “It’s clear that there are still more conversations to have, and that will take significantly more time,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. The White House has held dozens of meetings in recent months with groups opposing the ban, including civil rights organizers, law enforcement officials and small business owners. Most of groups have financial ties to tobacco companies. The announcement is another setback for Food and Drug Administration officials, who drafted the ban and predicted it would prevent hundreds of thousands of smoking-related deaths over 40 years. The agency has worked toward banning menthol across multiple administrations without ever finalizing a rule. “This decision prioritizes politics over lives, especially Black lives,” said Yolonda Richardson of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, in an emailed statement. “It is especially disturbing to see the administration parrot the false claims of the tobacco industry about support from the civil rights community.” Richardson noted that the ban is supported by groups including the NAACP and the Congressional Black Caucus. Previous FDA efforts on menthol have been derailed by tobacco industry pushback or competing political priorities. With both Biden and former President Donald Trump vying for the support of Black voters, the ban’s potential impact has been scrutinized by Republicans and Democrats heading into the fall election. Anti-smoking advocates have been pushing the FDA to eliminate the flavor since the agency gained authority to regulate certain tobacco ingredients in 2009. Menthol is the only cigarette flavor that wasn’t banned under that law, a carveout negotiated by industry allies in Congress. But the law instructed the FDA to continue studying the issue. More than 11% of U.S. adults smoke, with rates roughly even between white and Black people. But about 80% of Black smokers smoke menthol, which the FDA says masks the harshness of smoking, making it easier to start and harder to quit. Also, most teenagers who smoke cigarettes prefer menthols. For decades, tobacco companies focused menthol advertising and promotions in Black communities, sponsoring music festivals and neighborhood events. Industry documents released via litigation also show companies viewed menthol cigarettes as a good “starter product” because they were more palatable to teens. The FDA released its draft of the proposed ban in 2022. Officials under Biden initially targeted last August to finalize the rule. Late last year, White House officials said they would take until March to review the measure. When that deadline passed last month, several anti-smoking groups filed a lawsuit to force its release. “We are disappointed with the action of the Biden administration, which has caved in to the scare tactics of the tobacco industry,” said Dr. Mark Mitchell of the National Medical Association, an African American physician group that is suing the administration. Separately, Rev. Al Sharpton and other civil rights leaders have warned that a menthol ban would create an illegal market for the cigarettes in Black communities and invite more confrontations with police. The FDA and health advocates have long rejected such concerns, noting FDA’s enforcement of the rule would only apply to companies that make or sell cigarettes, not to individuals. An FDA spokesperson said Friday the agency is still committed to banning menthol cigarettes. “As we’ve made clear, these product standards remain at the top of our priorities,” Jim McKinney said in a statement. Smoking can cause cancer, strokes and heart attacks and is blamed for 480,000 deaths each year in the U.S., including 45,000 among Black Americans.