WGCU News

Luis Emilio Hernandez, 45, of Naples, plead guilty Monday to two counts of wire fraud and six counts of money laundering in connection with a $1.2 million scheme to defraud an elderly victim following Hurricane Ian.

The president of BC US in Immokalee was charged with a second-degree misdemeanor for the company's mishandling of a macaque monkey.

A federal judge has ruled that the immigration detention facility known as "Alligator Alcatraz" must provide people detained there with better access to their attorneys. U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell issued a preliminary injunction Friday saying officials at the Florida facility must provide access to timely, free, confidential, unmonitored, unrecorded outgoing legal calls. They must also provide at least one operable telephone for every 25 people detained there. The order also outlined information that must be made available to detained people and their attorneys in multiple languages. The lawsuit says the rules force visits to be booked three days ahead. It says delays and transfers block legal help. State and federal officials deny rights violations.

A male suspect being sought in connection after a shot fired incident in Port Charlotte Monday afternoon is shot dead himself after confrontation with Charlotte County deputies and North Port police.

The panther's remains were found in Glades County. Five big cats have been killed by vehicles this year. Eighteen were killed last year, all but one by motorists.

This week, three shows open at Southwest Florida equity and community theaters: "A Piece of My Heart" at The Naples Players, "Birthday Candles" at Florida Studio Theatre and "Julius Caesar" at the Laboratory Theater of Florida. Eight others close, ten continue their runs and there is one limited engagement.

Parking lot, restrooms and kayak launches at site to remain open.

The European Starling is one of our most obvious exotic species. We see them everyday because we provide them with food and shelter. The next time you are at a stoplight, look around.You are likely to see starlings. Fast food restaurants and snack-providing gas stations are often located at intersections and garbage dumped in open trash bins, or dropped accidentally or on purpose by patrons of those businesses or by drivers getting a snack while the light is red create a smorgasbord for starlings. The convocation of utility wires at intersections also play a role. They provide perches where starlings wait for their next meal. Starlings are social birds and -- especially in late winter and early spring -- starlings can be lined up evenly spaced by the dozens – or hundreds – on the wires.Why are they so evenly spaced? They leave just enough space to allow them to take off quickly without their wings hitting their neighbor while still taking advantage of thebody heat of their neighbors.

Lee County Solid Waste is hosting its ninth annual “Donated not Wasted” food rescue campaign, a three-week initiative aimed at reducing food waste while helping residents facing food insecurity across the county. The recently launched campaign, which is running now through April 6, encourages seasonal residents and year-round community members to donate unopened, nonperishable food items before leaving Southwest Florida for the summer.

It was a show of protest, frustration, disaffection and concern and it was shared by thousands Saturday in various Southwest Florida sites, other parts of the state and across the United States and the world. The No Kings III event was billed as a protest rally and drew people of many different political affiliations who said they had concerns with how the current administration in Washington run by President Donald Trump was handling things.