Naples man accused of hit-and-run crash on Cypress Way EProtecting Panthers: How Conservation Florida secured its latest 60 acre land acquistion
NORTH NAPLES Naples man accused of hit-and-run crash on Cypress Way E A hit-and-run incident in North Naples led to the arrest of a driver after a crash involving a Chevy pickup and a Mazda.
copeland Protecting Panthers: How Conservation Florida secured its latest 60 acre land acquistion Conservation efforts have been ongoing in Florida, as the native wildlife are at constant risk of being pushed out due to an influx of people moving to the state.
the weather authority Lots of sunshine for your Wednesday The Weather Authority is tracking plenty of sunshine and warmer temperatures ahead of a weak cold front.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up Mar. 19 While construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox-Rosen, in this web-exclusive feature, knows the best way to traverse the roadways.
Collier County sees new funding to protect homes from hurricane damage A new grant program offers financial assistance to homeowners in Collier County to help protect their properties from hurricane damage.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers woman killed, 4 kids injured in rollover crash on Winkler Road A rollover crash at the intersection of Winkler Road and Sunset Drive in Fort Myers has left a woman dead.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers council vote blocks ICE deal, sparking protests and debate Controversy erupted in Fort Myers after a deadlocked vote led to the rejection of a proposed partnership between the Fort Myers Police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Southwest Florida braces for hurricane season with new tracking updates Hurricane season is approaching, and changes are coming to the way important storm information is shared.
Fort Myers council’s ICE decision could put state support in jeopardy The Fort Myers City Council is dealing with a deadlock on immigration policies, resulting in a heated debate that has reached beyond local borders.
Southwest Florida Jim Oberweis seeks SWFL seat as Byron Donalds plans governor campaign Southwest Florida is poised for a political shift as Byron Donalds eyes a run for governor.
LEHIGH ACRES Free and low cost mammogram screenings in Lehigh Acres for eligible women The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is bringing a 3D Mobile Mammography bus to Lehigh Acres.
NAPLES Hurricane resiliency forum hosted in Naples Naples residents are taking proactive steps to prepare for hurricane season.
FORT MYERS SHORES Fort Myers Shores teacher wins battle to save her hurricane-hit home A woman in Fort Myers Shores thought she had lost everything when Hurricane Milton wrecked her home, but now she has a second chance.
WINK NEWS Young pitcher returns to the mound after cancer battle Eleven-year-old Michael Misek is back on the pitcher’s mound after facing a challenging battle with cancer.
FORT MYERS Is your investment too good to be true? How to steer clear of scams If an investment opportunity feels too good to be true, then it probably is.
NORTH NAPLES Naples man accused of hit-and-run crash on Cypress Way E A hit-and-run incident in North Naples led to the arrest of a driver after a crash involving a Chevy pickup and a Mazda.
copeland Protecting Panthers: How Conservation Florida secured its latest 60 acre land acquistion Conservation efforts have been ongoing in Florida, as the native wildlife are at constant risk of being pushed out due to an influx of people moving to the state.
the weather authority Lots of sunshine for your Wednesday The Weather Authority is tracking plenty of sunshine and warmer temperatures ahead of a weak cold front.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up Mar. 19 While construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox-Rosen, in this web-exclusive feature, knows the best way to traverse the roadways.
Collier County sees new funding to protect homes from hurricane damage A new grant program offers financial assistance to homeowners in Collier County to help protect their properties from hurricane damage.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers woman killed, 4 kids injured in rollover crash on Winkler Road A rollover crash at the intersection of Winkler Road and Sunset Drive in Fort Myers has left a woman dead.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers council vote blocks ICE deal, sparking protests and debate Controversy erupted in Fort Myers after a deadlocked vote led to the rejection of a proposed partnership between the Fort Myers Police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Southwest Florida braces for hurricane season with new tracking updates Hurricane season is approaching, and changes are coming to the way important storm information is shared.
Fort Myers council’s ICE decision could put state support in jeopardy The Fort Myers City Council is dealing with a deadlock on immigration policies, resulting in a heated debate that has reached beyond local borders.
Southwest Florida Jim Oberweis seeks SWFL seat as Byron Donalds plans governor campaign Southwest Florida is poised for a political shift as Byron Donalds eyes a run for governor.
LEHIGH ACRES Free and low cost mammogram screenings in Lehigh Acres for eligible women The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is bringing a 3D Mobile Mammography bus to Lehigh Acres.
NAPLES Hurricane resiliency forum hosted in Naples Naples residents are taking proactive steps to prepare for hurricane season.
FORT MYERS SHORES Fort Myers Shores teacher wins battle to save her hurricane-hit home A woman in Fort Myers Shores thought she had lost everything when Hurricane Milton wrecked her home, but now she has a second chance.
WINK NEWS Young pitcher returns to the mound after cancer battle Eleven-year-old Michael Misek is back on the pitcher’s mound after facing a challenging battle with cancer.
FORT MYERS Is your investment too good to be true? How to steer clear of scams If an investment opportunity feels too good to be true, then it probably is.
Credit: WINK News State lawmakers are working on a new immigration bill. Here in Southwest Florida, one county has been following strict guidelines on illegal immigration and using a program to capture suspects. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has worked closely with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through its 287(g) program for 17 years. Sheriff Kevin Ramosk spoke exclusively with WINK News Anchor Claire Galt about how this program could keep citizens safe and what else he wants his office to tackle. The program has worked to catch suspects, including: Julio Lopez – charged with molesting a child younger than 12. Cardona Mata – charged with cyberstalking a minor under the age of 16. Cristobal Gaspar- charged with taking a deputy’s gun Diego Maldonado – charged with robbing a home. Sheriff Kevin Rambosk discussed how deputies caught these suspects through their 287(g) program. Those caught aren’t sitting around in the Collier County jail. “We’re saving money by transferring them to immigration and customs enforcement,” Rambosk said. “When people are booked here at the jail, they’re entered into a federal database to see if they’re here illegally. If so, the sheriff’s office works with ICE to transport them to a facility in Miami.” Rambosk states the sheriff’s office gets trained by ICE agents. “We went from 1,251 inmates down to an average today of 751,” Rambosk said. “ICE did train our deputies. It’s a four-week training program. We currently have 15 that are trained.” But Sheriff Rambosk believes his deputies can do even more. “What we’re hoping to do is expand the program and get the second part, and that’s the law enforcement investigation portion,” Rambosk said. “Right now, there are probably 485 people that we would like to investigate. Those who have a criminal past that either have or are intending to commit a crime here.” Rambosk mentioned that they can’t go after these individuals just yet. “We only have the jail model 287(g), which means we have to make an arrest for a state violation, bring them into the jail, and then get authorization to check their background,” Rambosk said. State lawmakers are currently in Tallahassee for a session dedicated to illegal immigration enforcement. President Donald Trump has fired up Congress to secure the southern border. Rambosk hopes state and federal lawmakers can pass legislation that would allow the sheriff’s office to cut through the red tape.