‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidationHomeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods
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.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
Let’s Waffle opens in Cape Coral Let’s Waffle is one of two businesses the Feix family launched locally, with the FMS Florida Boat Tours and Limousine Service owned and operated by Feix’s husband, Alexander.
Planned Punta Gorda hotel, pub, brewery faces construction delay Kevin Doyle, owner of Celtic Ray Public House Irish pub in downtown Punta Gorda, and his partner, S4 Global Investments, were found in violation of the city’s exposed soils code.
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.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
Let’s Waffle opens in Cape Coral Let’s Waffle is one of two businesses the Feix family launched locally, with the FMS Florida Boat Tours and Limousine Service owned and operated by Feix’s husband, Alexander.
Planned Punta Gorda hotel, pub, brewery faces construction delay Kevin Doyle, owner of Celtic Ray Public House Irish pub in downtown Punta Gorda, and his partner, S4 Global Investments, were found in violation of the city’s exposed soils code.
WINK News The father of a man killed outside a south Fort Myers townhouse in 2016 has paid for a billboard to criticize the decision not to file charges in his son’s case. The four line message that cycles through a digital billboard just over the Edison Bridge on Business U.S. 41 in North Fort Myers, ends with the statement, “Amira is nice to murderers”. Amira, is Amira Fox, the Chief Assistant State Attorney for Florida’s 20th Judicial District and candidate to replace longtime State Attorney Stephen Russell. “Amira runs the day to day operations in the State Attorney’s office, so she either knows the problem or she should know about if she doesn’t that’s even worse, “ said Sandy Modell, whose son Ryan was 32 years old when he was killed. Ryan Modell was shot and killed by James Taylor in 2016 at a residence at Emerson Square, a gated townhouse community. The state attorney’s office decided in 2017 not to press charges against Taylor, writing in a memorandum that it believed Taylor was acting in self-defense. Fox did not personally make the call in Modell’s case: Assistant State Attorney Dan Feinberg did the case review against Taylor and wrote the memorandum. Taylor was renting a unit in proximity to a unit owned by Modell’s girlfriend at the time and showed up at Taylor’s door by mistake late at night. Modell, who had been drinking throughout the day and evening, was reportedly ‘banging on the door’ according to a 9-1-1 call placed by Taylor’s wife, Patrice. A dispatcher told Mrs. Taylor to tell her husband to come back inside until police arrive. She tells them he’s inside before hanging up the phone. At some point after that call ends, Taylor went back outside with his gun and shot Modell. He claimed Modell charged at him and he was in fear for his life. Aerial photographs of the location show that the shooting happened at the next driveway over from the Taylor’s door. “What possessed anybody, Taylor or any of us — that I have to arm myself, leave the safety of my own home and go out searching for somebody that I know approached my door by mistake,” said Mark O’Mara, the Orlando defense attorney who secured an acquittal for George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. O’Mara was hired by the Modell family to review the case. He wrote a letter to Governor Rick Scott on the family’s behalf in late 2017, requesting that the case be moved from the 20th judicial circuit to be reviews. Scott has not responded to that request. Modell said the purpose of the billboard is not to support one candidate for State Attorney over another. “I think it’s fair to let people know what’s going on, I’ve been patient. I’m not going to be patient any longer,” he said. Fox’s opponent, defense attorney Chris Crowley, has criticized the State Attorney’s office for the Modell decision. He said he would have a grand jury review the case and make a decision whether or not to try Taylor with murder. Modell has not donated to Crowley’s campaign according to campaign finance records, but has spoken at campaign events for him. Fox did not respond to a request for comment. Samantha Syoen, the Communications Director for the 20th judicial circuit referred WINK news back to the memorandum from 2017 released on the case. “Nothing has changed since you sat down with senior homicide prosecutor, ASA Dan Feinberg who is the attorney who reviewed the case and made a decision on the case,” said Syoen, via email. Robert Harris, the attorney for James Taylor’s attorney sent the following statement: “The State Attorney’s Office, Homicide Division, thoroughly reviewed the case and concluded that they would not be able to prove their case to a jury as they made a finding that Mr. Taylor acted in lawful self-defense. We are all sorry this had to happen, but Mr. Taylor acted to protect his life and his family’s life from an aggressor at their door in the middle of the night.”