Southwest Florida schools receive $13M from the School Recognition Program

Governor Ron DeSantis announced $200 million in awards to Florida schools through the School Recognition Program on Monday. Some of the money is headed to Southwest Florida Schools. The awards will go to 1,400 schools across the state that demonstrated student growth and teaching excellence in the 2021-22 school year. To be eligible, the governor’s […]

Lehigh Acres man sentenced to 25 years for sexually abusing a child

A man from Lehigh Acres has been sentenced for sexually abusing a child after being found guilty of the crime. The State Attorney’s Office says Donald Eugene Ammann, 56, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for lewd or lascivious molestation of a child less than 12 years old. Ammann was also sentenced to be […]

Charlotte County Disaster Recovery Center moves to Englewood

The Disaster Recovery Center in Charlotte County is now in Englewood after initially being set up in Port Charlotte. Previously, the Disaster Recovery Center was located at the Home Depot on South McCall Road in Port Charlotte. That location has since been closed. On Saturday, the Disaster Recovery Center was reopened at the Tringali Rec. […]

San Carlos Park man facing DUI, hit-and-run charges after red light crash

A San Carlos Park man is facing several charges after Florida Highway Patrol says he caused and left a crash at a red light in Estero. According to troopers, Nolasco Marcos, 26, was driving north on US-41 in Estero just after 8 p.m. on Friday when he crashed into the back of a car that […]

Man arrested for hit-and-run on I-75 in Collier County

Florida Highway Patrol troopers have arrested a man they say is responsible for a hit-and-run on I-75 on Saturday. Troopers arrested James Wellman, 27, for the crash. According to FHP, Wellman was driving north on I-75 when he hit another vehicle and drove away. Troopers stopped Wellman near mile marker 101 and took him into […]

Animal cruelty investigation leads to arrest of DeSoto County couple

The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office says it arrested two people for animal cruelty on Thursday. Deputies say an animal cruelty investigation led them to a home on SW Hampshire Ave in DeSoto County. At the home, deputies say they found Samuel Richards and Margaret Hornberger were in possession of multiple animals that were dead, needed […]

Congresswoman Val Demings visited Southwest Florida to oversee FEMA’s progress

Congresswoman Val Demings is on a mission to see what FEMA is doing to help people in Fort Myers. Demings chairs the congressional subcommittee that has direct oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Congressman Demings says she’s spending a full day in Southwest Florida, visiting disaster recovery centers, as well as some of the […]

Orlando trio arrested, accused of looting on Fort Myers Beach

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says it has arrested three men from Orlando for looting on Fort Myers Beach. Gustavo Rizo, 23, Rotmel Rodriguez-Plasencia, 26, and Abdiel Lopez-Rivera, 32, were arrested after some called deputies to report a tow truck crew that was taking items from a home. Deputies say the trio was in the […]

The School District of Lee County. Photo via WINK News.

School District of Lee County opening temporary student enrollment offices

The School District of Lee County is opening temporary student enrollment offices to help families displaced by Hurricane Ian. Lee County schools say the satellite offices will be open on Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., or until the last person in line receives assistance. The district says there are two enrollment […]

Fort Myers duo in stolen truck arrested for possession of drugs, stolen items

Two people from Fort Myers have been arrested after Florida Highway Patrol troopers found them in a stolen truck Tuesday morning. Troopers say they responded to a report of a suspicious pickup truck in a neighborhood near the Sanibel Causeway just after 4 a.m. When troopers arrived, they found the truck at Davis Road and […]