Funeral held for Kayla Rincon-Miller, teen killed in Cape CoralBigger bottles of wine hitting the shelves after DeSantis signs new bill
FORT MYERS Fort Myers police lieutenant focus of recent lawsuits against FMPD From federal investigations to federal lawsuits, the Fort Myers Police Department finds itself in the negative spotlight yet again. This time it involves a lieutenant who’s no stranger to accusations of discrimination. Since 2000, four people have filed discrimination lawsuits against FMPD. A man mentioned throughout those complaints — Lt. William Musante. The city settled […]
SUN CITY CENTER, Fla. Death toll rising: Vaping companies hire Florida lab to test products What’s causing mystery vaping illnesses? As the number of people getting sick and dying grows, more companies are looking to labs to test their products for impurities. WINK News got an exclusive look inside ACS Laboratory in Sun City Center, just south of Tampa. CEO Roger Brown says his clinical lab tests all kinds of […]
CHARLOTTE COUNTY Seedy past: Ryan Cole has long criminal history, arrested 20+ times since 2011 Ryan Cole, a suspect in the killing of a Port Charlotte teen, has been in trouble with the law since 2011 when he was 19 years old. Since then, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested him 20 more times. The most recent arrest was last month for disturbing the peace and resisting an officer […]
WINK NEWS As push to ban plastic grows nationwide, how it could work in Florida Plastic is everywhere. Bags, bottles, even your favorite blouse are all made with plastic that rarely gets recycled. Sarah Hancock knows it’s tough to go plastic-free. “I try. I’m not great about it. But if I consciously make an effort then yes, but not always. I try,” Hancock laughed. Hancock says she does her best […]
FORT MYERS Attorneys general from multiple states issue warning for at-home rape evidence collection kits Florida officials are asking victims of sexual assault to avoid at-home rape evidence collection kits, amid legal trouble two companies are facing. The companies under scrutiny are MeToo Kit and Preserve Kit, accused of marketing their products as an alternative to professional medical care that many states already offer for free. Florida and multiple other […]
FORT MYERS FMPD captain retires, files not guilty plea after arrest A Fort Myers police captain filed a not guilty plea Thursday amid suspicions he took part in sex acts while on duty. This comes after he was arrested Tuesday for those accusations, and the police department placed him on unpaid leave. He also announced his retirement. Capt. Jay Rodriguez of Fort Myers Police Department sent […]
NAPLES Bahamas Relief: Here’s how to have the biggest impact by donating what’s needed Donations may be pouring in, but are they really what the people in the Bahamas need right now? Water, food, clothing, cleaning supplies — all of it supposed to go to those in need. But while your donation is always appreciated, relief organizations say cash is king and those supplies might not be the most […]
SOUTH FORT MYERS Spotting price gouging when Hurricane Dorian threatened SWFL More than 130 people in Southwest Florida complained of price gouging before Hurricane Dorian. But it is not always clear what constitutes the charge. When a storm like Dorian heads our way, it is always a mad dash for supplies. “I’m filling up five gas cans to get ready for my generator,” said Russ Rosen, […]
FORT MYERS So now what do you do with all your extra hurricane supplies? With Hurricane Dorian seemingly passing us by, maybe you’re thinking you over did it with emergency supplies. As soon as Dorian threatened Southwest Florida store shelves emptied out, and some people may have bought more than they needed. “I was very stressed out seeing that everyone was rushing around, making me feel like, ‘do I […]
WINK NEWS Hurricane Dorian: Home prep in full swing in SWFL With the frenzy to get homes and family secure for Hurricane Dorian, we asked local homeowners about how they are preparing for a major storm. We also looked at tips they offered as well as other best practices for supplies like sandbags to prevent home flooding. For starters, Estero Fire Rescue has sand piles available […]