The Weather Authority: Scattered storms, mostly cloudy skies, below averages temperaturesBusinesses struggling to stay open in downtown Fort Myers
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: Scattered storms, mostly cloudy skies, below averages temperatures Signs of improvement in your weekend weather forecast, but some lingering tropical moisture means scattered storms.
FORT MYERS Businesses struggling to stay open in downtown Fort Myers Snowbird season is over, traffic is a mess from the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure and the new parking system isn’t exactly perfect in downtown Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH New numbers show open hotel rooms in parts of Lee County are low Lee County released new data this week on how different areas in the county are bouncing back after Ian by looking at how many hotels have reopened since the storm.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Lake Okeechobee on the rise after recent tropical moisture, days of rain Lake O’s water level has gone up by half a foot over the last several days due to the drenching the southern part of the state has received.
SOUTH FORT MYERS South Fort Myers neighborhood tired of dealing with flooding Residents in a south Fort Myers neighborhood had water going up to their garages after the downpour ended.
Tech-less program helping to keep Charlotte County students engaged The Charlotte County School District is pioneering a unique approach to make summer learning more engaging.
SAN CARLOS PARK Sewage overflows due to rain in San Carlos Park Many in San Carlos Park are worried about the water being hazardous for kids.
Fort Myers City Council extends contract with Edison Restaurant Bringing a restaurant loved by the community back to life. Last year, Fort Myers City Council hoped to save the Edison Restaurant.
PARKLAND Demolishing Marjory Stoneman Douglas High begins For six years, time stood still inside the 1200 building of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, and on Friday, the site where 17 people were massacred is getting torn down.
President and CEO of Lee Health on future of healthcare system A decisive vote has set the stage for a major shift in southwest Florida’s healthcare landscape. Thursday, the Lee Health board voted 9 to 1 majority in favor of transitioning Lee Health, the largest non-for-profit public health system in the state, to a private entity. The move has sparked both support and dissent within the community.
NAPLES Naples Art Institute hosts Childhood Classics, original illustrations The Naples Art Institute has more than 100 timeless pieces of art and illustrations on display as part of a Childhood Classics exhibition.
SEBRING Evidence reveals Sebring killer’s spiral from fantasy to murder A chilling timeline of evidence revealed what a killer was thinking leading up to mass murder at a Sebring bank.
NAPLES NCH piloting the use of smart stethoscopes We’re all accustomed to our doctor using a stethoscope to listen to our heart at just about every visit. It’s one of the most fundamental screening tools. Now, thanks to artificial intelligence, the stethoscope just got a whole lot smarter.
How to spot a flooded car Cars submerged in water are all around Florida thanks to the rain and flooding brought out by this storm. That doesn’t mean you won’t see them on car lots later, seemingly ready to hit the road again.
Conservation prioritized in DeSantis’s new Focus on Florida’s Future Budget Nature will continue flourishing on Floridians’ doorsteps after Governor Ron DeSantis ensured conservation remains a top priority with his 2024-2025 Focus on Florida’s Future Budget.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: Scattered storms, mostly cloudy skies, below averages temperatures Signs of improvement in your weekend weather forecast, but some lingering tropical moisture means scattered storms.
FORT MYERS Businesses struggling to stay open in downtown Fort Myers Snowbird season is over, traffic is a mess from the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure and the new parking system isn’t exactly perfect in downtown Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH New numbers show open hotel rooms in parts of Lee County are low Lee County released new data this week on how different areas in the county are bouncing back after Ian by looking at how many hotels have reopened since the storm.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Lake Okeechobee on the rise after recent tropical moisture, days of rain Lake O’s water level has gone up by half a foot over the last several days due to the drenching the southern part of the state has received.
SOUTH FORT MYERS South Fort Myers neighborhood tired of dealing with flooding Residents in a south Fort Myers neighborhood had water going up to their garages after the downpour ended.
Tech-less program helping to keep Charlotte County students engaged The Charlotte County School District is pioneering a unique approach to make summer learning more engaging.
SAN CARLOS PARK Sewage overflows due to rain in San Carlos Park Many in San Carlos Park are worried about the water being hazardous for kids.
Fort Myers City Council extends contract with Edison Restaurant Bringing a restaurant loved by the community back to life. Last year, Fort Myers City Council hoped to save the Edison Restaurant.
PARKLAND Demolishing Marjory Stoneman Douglas High begins For six years, time stood still inside the 1200 building of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, and on Friday, the site where 17 people were massacred is getting torn down.
President and CEO of Lee Health on future of healthcare system A decisive vote has set the stage for a major shift in southwest Florida’s healthcare landscape. Thursday, the Lee Health board voted 9 to 1 majority in favor of transitioning Lee Health, the largest non-for-profit public health system in the state, to a private entity. The move has sparked both support and dissent within the community.
NAPLES Naples Art Institute hosts Childhood Classics, original illustrations The Naples Art Institute has more than 100 timeless pieces of art and illustrations on display as part of a Childhood Classics exhibition.
SEBRING Evidence reveals Sebring killer’s spiral from fantasy to murder A chilling timeline of evidence revealed what a killer was thinking leading up to mass murder at a Sebring bank.
NAPLES NCH piloting the use of smart stethoscopes We’re all accustomed to our doctor using a stethoscope to listen to our heart at just about every visit. It’s one of the most fundamental screening tools. Now, thanks to artificial intelligence, the stethoscope just got a whole lot smarter.
How to spot a flooded car Cars submerged in water are all around Florida thanks to the rain and flooding brought out by this storm. That doesn’t mean you won’t see them on car lots later, seemingly ready to hit the road again.
Conservation prioritized in DeSantis’s new Focus on Florida’s Future Budget Nature will continue flourishing on Floridians’ doorsteps after Governor Ron DeSantis ensured conservation remains a top priority with his 2024-2025 Focus on Florida’s Future Budget.
There are cameras in our kid’s schools, dozens of them, but did you know that Lee County Schools sends those live video feeds to the sheriff’s office, and it’s someone’s job to watch them? “As we’ve seen, unfortunately, in the past, in school shootings, there were signs before the shooting, there were flags, and we’re not going to ignore that here,” said Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno. The School Threat Enforcement Team, or STET, does more than watch and react. Right now, STET is tracking 540 students in Lee County schools. Maybe they made a threat? Or a school resource officer gave them a heads-up? Or did the team see a questionable post on social media? “Everything gets treated real until proven otherwise,” said Marceno. No matter the reason, these highly trained deputies take their mission to heart. This school year alone, STET has identified: 390 threat assessments 59 criminal threats of violence 298 detective home visits 88 social work visits 804 threat rechecks 105 arrests Dave Newlan, Executive Director of Safety Security and Emergency Management, said whenever there is a threat identified at a school that could pose a safety concern, the sheriff’s office is contacted. “That team is what works with us very closely addressing anything that may happen at a school location that could be a threat at a bus stop or even on a bus,” he said. Marceno told WINK News he believes the STET team stops violence before it starts. “Once they’ve made that list, we’ve been working with the parents, we’ve been working with the families, our counselors are out making contact with the house, also looking at, you know, all their firearms in that house; do we need to do a risk protection order?” said Marceno, “I mean, we protect everyone’s constitutional rights.” The deputies investigate five to 50 threats a week, and parents WINK News talked to say they are OK with LCSO monitoring students. “I personally think it’s excellent. I mean, you know, rather than having kids do that, and then maybe they wouldn’t ever do something later on, but there’s the chance that they would, why not be proactive with it?” said Molly. “No, no, not at all. It’s just a safety precaution,” said an anonymous parent. “I would determine the age of the child and also their family life, their behavior,” said another parent. “Is there a record of their misbehaving, not obeying? You just can’t randomly take every little thing a kid says and do that.” This is why children who make the list are monitored for a year or more. “So we have mental health professionals that go out into the field, and they try to help and assist people that need help,” said Marceno. “A lot of times you had to have students that are looking for a way to reach out for help, maybe not sure how to do it,” said Newlan, “and I have seen that by giving them attention to addressing their concerns, find a way to … get them back on track.”