Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the legExclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
NAPLES Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
NAPLES Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
OCALA, Fla. (AP) – A report says a former central Florida sheriff tried to profit off a crime-fighting kiosk business, violated several department policies and that the kiosks posed a safety hazard to the public. The report by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and prosecutors said crimes likely were committed by ex-sheriff Chris Blair and his chief of staff, Fred LaTorre, but they won’t be prosecuted. The Ocala Star-Banner reported Sunday that’s because Blair entered a deferred prosecution plea deal last summer to resolve an unrelated perjury charge. As part of the deal, prosecutors are precluded from pursuing other charges related to Blair’s tenure as sheriff. Blair’s attorney has denied any wrongdoing. The investigative report said Blair came up with the idea to have the kiosks displayed in public places, offering crime prevention tips and photos of wanted criminals. Blair formed a company with officials from a local manufacturer to build the kiosks. The manufacturer, OFAB, and company officials contributed to Blair’s re-election campaign, and the campaign paid the manufacturer for storage rental, according to the report. Blair and his chief of staff then decided to use money from the local Crime Prevention Fund as a funding source for the kiosk project, according to the report. The Crime Prevention Fund gets its money from court fines and money can only be allocated by the county commission. Once a prototype kiosk was built, Blair went to the county commission and asked it to fund the purchase of 100 kiosks, the report said. The purchase was approved for the kiosks that would cost $267,000. “Neither Blair nor LaTorre ever told the (commission,) or anyone else, about their business relationship or their intent to profit from future sales of the kiosks,” according to the report written by Lt. Donnie Winston. “The Marion County Crime Prevention Fund was used by Blair and LaTorre to fund their personal startup company. They used the funds to develop the prototype and then purchased 100 of the kiosks. Then, knowing they intended to profit, they used their respective positions with MCSO to market the kiosks to other agencies.” The first 100 kiosks were electrical shock and fire hazards because monitors had been removed from their housing and mounted inside the kiosks, according to the report. “Blair and LaTorre displayed a reckless disregard for the safety and well-being, not only to the citizens who could have been shocked by the kiosks, but the business owners who could have suffered tremendous loss, if a fire had started,” according to Winston’s report. The sheriff’s office has concluded the kiosks are a complete loss and is demanding a refund from the manufacturer. When contacted by the Star-Banner, Blair’s attorney, Gilbert Schaffnit, said Blair didn’t intend to profit from the kiosks. He said Blair didn’t do anything wrong and wasn’t interviewed as part of the investigation.