Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concernsStudents benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars
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.
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.
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.
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.
FILE – In this Friday, Nov. 2, 2018 file photo, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum speaks during a campaign rally, in Miami. Former Florida gubernatorial candidate Gillum faces an administrative hearing Wednesday, April 24, 2019, over allegations he improperly accepted gifts from lobbyists. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) A state ethics panel Friday approved a $5,000 fine for former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum despite some concerns a settlement wasn’t tough enough or that he has claimed vindication in a probe into his actions while serving as Tallahassee mayor. The seven-member Florida Commission on Ethics, in a voice vote, accepted the settlement, which included dropping four of five charges of ethics violations. The probe involved trips Gillum took to Costa Rica and New York, a boat ride around the Statue of Liberty and a ticket to the Broadway hit, “Hamilton.” Barry Richard, an attorney for Gillum, said he agreed to the single charge, which Richard said revolved around the boat trip. Richard said the trip may not have exceeded a $100 limit on gifts from lobbyists but violated Gillum’s “code of conduct.” “This was vigorously litigated with the state’s lawyers,” Richard said after the commission hearing. “The reason that the fine was what it was, is because they didn’t feel like their case was that strong and they were not prepared to go to trial on it. That’s how settlements happen.” But Commissioner Kimberly Rezanka, a Republican from Cocoa, noted that similar settlements drew higher fines and public censures in the past. Also, Commissioner Joanne Leznoff, a Republican from Tallahassee, acknowledged that it is difficult to prove Gillum engaged in any “quid pro quo,” but she was concerned Gillum didn’t enter into the settlement “in good faith.” “I believe that because on the day of the settlement, he issued a statement that he has been vindicated, that he did not knowingly violate state ethics laws, where he had just that day admitted that he had,” said Leznoff, who joined Rezanka in voting against the settlement. When the settlement was announced in mid-April, Gillum issued a statement describing the end of the case as “vindication. The results confirm what I’ve said all along — the facts matter and I never knowingly violated any ethics laws.” Richard said Friday that Gillum’s vindication statement reflects the settlement. “I think when you’re charged with five things, most of which are very serious, and the state drops four of them, and the only one left is not very serious, I would consider that a vindication,” Richard said. Elizabeth Miller, an attorney who negotiated the settlement in her role as advocate for the ethics commission, told the panel Friday there was “insufficient evidence” to pursue all the allegations and described the negotiations as “intense.” The settlement was reached just before the case was set to go before an administrative law judge. In January, the ethics commission unanimously found probable cause that Gillum, as Tallahassee mayor, violated ethics laws for allegedly accepting gifts from Tallahassee entrepreneur Adam Corey and undercover FBI agents posing as developers. Corey had been a close friend of Gillum and lobbied city officials. The commission found probable cause that Gillum accepted gifts with a value of more than $100 from a lobbyist or vendor of the city and failed to report the gifts. The accusations against Gillum became a theme for now-Gov. Ron DeSantis during a heated campaign leading to November’s election, in which the Republican narrowly edged out the former mayor. The campaign drew a national spotlight, in part, because of Gillum’s attempt to become the state’s first black governor. The commission’s acceptance of the settlement came as federal prosecutors appear to be looking at potential “misuse or misreporting” of campaign money tied to the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial nominee. While the campaign money is unrelated to the ethics case, the Tampa Bay Times has reported that a subpoena has been issued. The full scope of the federal probe remains unclear. Being named in a subpoena does not mean a person is under investigation. (©2019 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida’s Jim Turner contributed to this report.)