Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot LakeThe story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
PUNTA GORDA Cracking down on vapes in Charlotte County schools Vaping is taking over, and that’s why three Charlotte County High schools are testing out vape sensors.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
PUNTA GORDA Cracking down on vapes in Charlotte County schools Vaping is taking over, and that’s why three Charlotte County High schools are testing out vape sensors.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
A worker carries a large parcel at the United States Postal Service sorting and processing facility, Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, in Boston. Last year’s holiday season was far from the most wonderful time of the year for the beleaguered U.S. Postal Service. Shippers are now gearing up for another holiday crush.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa) President Sam Wood and Vice President Danny Carinci of the Southwest Florida area local American Postal Workers Union are voicing significant concerns regarding mail delivery delays in our region. Wood and Carinci revealed that approximately 1.5 million pieces of mail are delayed per day at the Fort Myers postal processing center, a situation that has escalated over the past few months. “They sit there day after day after day, and they don’t get delivered,” said Wood. The delays are affecting various types of mail, including critical documents like Social Security, holiday cards, and business mail. Wood showed WINK News photos of unprocessed mail in the Fort Myers processing facility, including letters sent as early as September of last year or February of this year. The two say concerns about the backlog seem to be falling on deaf ears. “We got people that have meetings with the congressman, people have sent things to it OIG, you know, complaining about the delayed mail here,” said Wood, “and nothing has been done. So we’ve gone through the proper procedures to try to get our voices heard on this issue. And no one’s listening. Behind the delays Earlier this year, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced cost-cutting measures. “That implies cutting man hours, that implies cutting the amount of employees,” said Carinci. Carinci also cited a refusal to allow overtime and a lack of proper training for new employees as key factors contributing to the problem. “They’re not training these people,” said Carinci, “That mail forwarding that Sam mentioned, it’s has to be processed manually. You have to be trained to do that. And they’re not doing that’s why it’s sitting.” Hope for change Wood and Carinci stressed the need for public awareness and action to address the issues plaguing the postal service. “I want the mail to go back to being delivered daily, like it’s supposed to be delivered, not just piling up inside a building,” said Wood. “We’ve spent a lot of years in the post office and taking pride in what we do,” said Carinci, “and this is just…quite frankly, it’s just a disservice. The American public deserves better.” The two encourage management to reconsider decisions regarding overtime authorization and advocate for more resources and support for the postal service in southwest Florida to handle the volume of delayed mail effectively. “We pride ourselves on being the citizens of the United States rated as one of the most trusted federal agencies. And we’ve gone from that to where we are now and it’s just so disappointing,” said Wood. Wood pointed to the upcoming election year and fears what will happen if delays continue to backlog. “November when election when the ballots go out? What’s going to happen with the mail then? So it’s got to be fixed before that,” Wood echoed. Wood and Carinci told WINK News the delays are happening all over the country, but in southwest Florida, during their more than decades-long careers with the post office, they’ve never seen it this bad. “We want the public to know what’s actually going on with their mail. So there’s no Hey, where’s my mail at? You know, where the mail is at. It’s here setting had the plant,” said Wood. USPS response WINK News reached out to USPS. A spokesperson responded with the following: “The Postal Service is committed to providing the best possible service to our valued customers. The Fort Myers P&DC is a central location, or ”hub”, that handles returned mail for the entire Florida 2 district, which encompasses ZIP Codes that begin with 328, 329, 335-339, 341, 342, 346, and 347.”