Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the legFGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dr. Teresa Sievers. (Credit: WINK News) Attorneys for one of the men convicted in the murder of Dr. Teresa Sievers filed an appeal on his behalf Thursday. Jimmy Rodgers was convicted of being involved in the killing of Sievers inside her Bonita Springs home in 2015 and was sentenced to life in prison in 2019. Her husband Mark Sievers was found guilty of first-degree murder and orchestrating the murder and is now on death row. Curtis Wayne Wright, Mark’s best friend, took a plea deal for a 25-year prison sentence where he admitted to killing Teresa with a weapon. His plea was contingent on the successful prosecution of Mark. Rodgers was originally indicted on first-degree murder, but a jury acquitted him of that and instead found him guilty of second-degree murder without a weapon. They also acquitted him of conspiracy to commit murder and burglary with a weapon while finding him guilty of misdemeanor trespass. Judge Bruce Kyle, who presided over the trial, found the verdict befuddling, according to the appeal. Rodgers’ attorney told us comments from Judge Bruce Kyle at the sentencing sum up why the case should be overturned. “I guess it is somewhat of a conflicting verdict given the fact he’s been found guilty of murder as a principal but without a weapon, but a weapon clearly was used from the evidence, and I don’t know if that was an intent by the jury to – because they feel your client was taken advantage of because he’s younger or they felt he wasn’t as culpable or involved, or that they didn’t like the fact that Mr. Wright got second-degree murder because there was no mention of a weapon, but a mention of what his charge was and what he pled to was mentioned,” Kyle said, according to the appeal brief. FILE Photo of convicted killer Jimmy Rodgers during his December 2019 sentencing in Lee County court for the 2015 murder of Dr. Teresa Sievers at her home in Bonita Springs. Credit: WINK News. The defense attorney says it’s because Rodgers was found guilty of murder without a weapon, but evidence showed a weapon was clearly used in the crime. The appeal describes the verdict as “legally inconsistent.” Rodgers’ defense team were also not allowed to question Wright about his motive in the killing, the appeal states. “The trial court rules that Curtis Wright was already a murderer, so any specific additional questioning that the defense wanted to pursue in this regard was irrelevant,” the appeal states, meaning the jury was unable to hear why Wright “might have wanted to kill (Teresa Sievers) by himself.” “The trial court denied Mr. Rodgers constitutional right to confront witnesses,” it adds. Rodgers’ attorney also argues there was insufficient evidence in the case. She says no fingerprints, blood, DNA, email or cellphone records link him to the crime. Walmart surveillance cameras captured images of Rodgers shopping in Lee County the day before Teresa Sievers’ murder. A group of judges will ultimately review the argument made by Rodgers and his attorneys and rule on the appeal.