12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidaysFort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
WINK Investigates: Disgraced contractor faces new lawsuits and allegations Paul Beattie, a disgraced home builder is back doing business but legal challenges continue as another one of his businesses gets sued. Former employees of Beattie speak out, only to WINK.
SWFL reacts to UNC hiring Bill Belichick Southwest Florida reacts to North Carolina hiring Bill Belichick as its new head football coach and how that could impact the decisions of local recruits.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Some Floridians want more alone time during the holidays The holidays are all about spending time with family and friends, but nearly half of Americans say they really want more alone time during the holiday.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
Aggressive driving concerns on the rise in Southwest Florida The arrest of a man who, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said, killed a motorcyclist after crashing into him on purpose is raising concerns over aggressive driving in Southwest Florida.
SANIBEL Sanibel School students prepare for community Christmas performance The school that has had to claw and fight its way back more than once to reopen is getting the chance to celebrate.
FORT MYERS Rock For Equality: SWFL music scene to hold benefit concert for Palestine A two-venue, eight-band benefit concert is coming to Southwest Florida.
NAPLES Naples man sentenced in deadly bar shooting A man has been sentenced for a deadly shooting that took place at a Naples bar in March 2021.
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
WINK Investigates: Disgraced contractor faces new lawsuits and allegations Paul Beattie, a disgraced home builder is back doing business but legal challenges continue as another one of his businesses gets sued. Former employees of Beattie speak out, only to WINK.
SWFL reacts to UNC hiring Bill Belichick Southwest Florida reacts to North Carolina hiring Bill Belichick as its new head football coach and how that could impact the decisions of local recruits.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Some Floridians want more alone time during the holidays The holidays are all about spending time with family and friends, but nearly half of Americans say they really want more alone time during the holiday.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
Aggressive driving concerns on the rise in Southwest Florida The arrest of a man who, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said, killed a motorcyclist after crashing into him on purpose is raising concerns over aggressive driving in Southwest Florida.
SANIBEL Sanibel School students prepare for community Christmas performance The school that has had to claw and fight its way back more than once to reopen is getting the chance to celebrate.
FORT MYERS Rock For Equality: SWFL music scene to hold benefit concert for Palestine A two-venue, eight-band benefit concert is coming to Southwest Florida.
NAPLES Naples man sentenced in deadly bar shooting A man has been sentenced for a deadly shooting that took place at a Naples bar in March 2021.
Wade Wilson exiting the courtroom after Tuesday’s sentencing. CREDIT: WINK News A judge has sentenced the man who killed two Cape Coral women to death. Wade Wilson had been in court since Tuesday morning for a Spencer hearing, which the defense had hoped would sway the judge to give him a life sentence. Wilson showed little to no emotion as the judge sentenced him to death, as supporters for the two victims were in the courtroom wearing purple. During a press conference immediately following his sentencing, State Attorney Amira Fox said, “I’ve been doing this 34 years, and I have to say I have never seen someone as evil as Wade Wilson, and I have never been so stunned to see some people in the community that actually think it’s a good idea to support somebody so evil and monstrous.” In June, a jury recommended Wilson be put to death for the murders of Diane Ruiz and Kristine Melton, but it was up to the judge in the high-profile case to have the final say in his sentencing. The family members of the victims had been given the chance to speak right to Wilson’s face during the Tuesday afternoon sentencing, but they decided not to. They stated that they said everything they needed to say during the trial. When Wilson was asked again if he wanted to address the court, he said no. The defense said they would be filing a notice of appeal and that Wilson was not surprised by the ruling. When making the decision, the judge did take into account the 9-3 jury vote for the death penalty. He also said Wilson may not have any contact with the victim’s families. RELATED: Several plead with Judge to sentence convicted murderer Wade Wilson to life over death RELATED: Expert weighs in on Florida Death Penalty law changes RELATED: Juror speaks on Wade Wilson double murder case The case has sparked a lot of popularity, with people from all over the world writing to the judge, hoping to sway the decision. There appeared to be a mix of motives with these letters, some looking to protect human life and some of obsession, yet, during these past few weeks, almost all were against the death penalty. On Tuesday, Wilson entered the courtroom at 9 a.m. on Tuesday for his Spencer hearing. A brief recap of Wilson’s trial In June, a jury recommended Wilson be put to death for the murders of Diane Ruiz and Kristine Melton. The defense presents its expert witness During Wilson’s Spencer hearing, Naples Neurologist Dr. Mark Rubino testified that the convicted killer had signs of brain trauma following MRI scans ordered by the courts in mid-August. Newsweek reported that Rubino was to appear in court to testify on behalf of the defense. Following the MRI assessment, Rubino stated that Wilson was treated for depression, bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder. Rubino said atrophy had occurred in Wilson’s brain, which could indicate two possible conclusions: cognitive and emotional dysfunction or evidence of brain injury. The state questioned the validity of the tests and asked whether Wilson was truthful during the mental assessment. “The only way that I can know for certain is through medical records,” Rubino said. “He told me that he was on medication, which I can verify. However, I cannot verify any head injuries, as they were not documented.” Rubino mentioned that criminals who need mental evaluations or treatment for head injuries avoid doing so because of fear of being apprehended by law enforcement. The state presents its expert witness Following the first recess, the state called neuropathologist Dr. Thomas Coyne to the stand. Coyne stated he had no prior meeting with Wilson and had not conducted any testing on him. Providing his expertise, Coyne stated that when presented with the brain scans, he did not see any evidence of acute head trauma to the skull or the brain or features that would suggest chronic brain trauma. When asked about the impacts of drug use in conjunction with brain injuries, Coyne said these are based on an individual basis, and it would be hard for him to speak to that. When asked about how he would proceed with an MRI scan, Coyne said, “Before I looked at the CAT scans and MRIs, I avoid looking at any history before an examination to prevent bias. I then look back on the patient’s history to fully understand the situation.” Coyne questioned Rubino’s thought process when making his assessment after conducting Wilson’s examination. He further mentioned how the term atrophy was being generalized in this case, stating that it may occur in multiple ways and not by Rubino’s diagnoses.