NCH, Florida Blue reach last-minute agreement on new contractFirefighters pull intoxicated man from pond in Three Oaks
WASHINGTON (AP) Walz and Vance will meet in their first vice presidential debate Tim Walz and JD Vance will meet in what could be the last debate for both campaigns to argue their case before the election.
NCH, Florida Blue reach last-minute agreement on new contract With negotiations going down to the wire, Naples Comprehensive Health and Florida Blue agreed on a new three-year contract late in the day Sept. 30 that will keep almost 40,000 of the insurance carrier’s members in network with the health care system.
Three Oaks Firefighters pull intoxicated man from pond in Three Oaks The San Carlos Park Fire Protection and Rescue responded to a scene where they pulled an intoxicated man from a pond in Three Oaks.
FORT MYERS Phase 2: $1 billion RSW expansion project begins The Lee County Port Authority will begin Southwest Florida International Airport’s Terminal Expansion Phase 2, a more than $1 billion project.
PUNTA GORDA Sen. Rick Scott to survey damage in Charlotte County Florida Sen. Rick Scott is set to visit Charlotte County, receive a briefing on Hurricane Helene, and survey the damage.
The Weather Authority The Weather Authority: Scattered rain and storms return for your Tuesday The Weather Authority is tracking rain and storms throughout this Tuesday afternoon and into your evening commute.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda man dies after fire is sparked by Helene’s flooding Hurricane Helene was not kind to Charlotte County, and on Monday night, people are picking up the pieces and grieving the loss of a neighbor.
SANIBEL Sanibel businesses work to recover after Helene There’s no “Going back to normal” on Sanibel after Ian, but Helene isn’t stopping people as they work towards a “New normal.”
MATLACHA Sisters fly to Matlacha to help father rebuild after Hurricane Helene’s destruction Hurricane Helene has affected people not just in southwest Florida but also people across the country.
Recovery efforts at Sugar Sand Beach RV Resort Almost everyone on Matlacha and Pine Island is focused on the same thing: Recovery.
MANASOTA KEY Cleaning up Manasota Key after Helene Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding that seemed to spare no one on Manasota Key. Two families share their cleanup stories with WINK News.
PUNTA GORDA Historic District in Punta Gorda recovering after Helene So much of Southwest Florida continues to recover in the aftermath of Helene, especially in areas on the coast.
Florida Blue and NCH reach an agreement With a few hours to spare, the Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) and Florida Blue have reached an agreement after months of negotiations.
Fort Myers Beach cleans up after Helene For many, Fort Myers Beach has been the epicenter of hope and recovery after Ian. Now people are looking back at the island town again after Hurricane Helene.
NORTH PORT New details emerge confirming state investigation into Heritage Insurance WINK News is breaking new details on a criminal investigation into an insurance company where customers claim they were left with wrecked homes after Ian and no money to rebuild.
WASHINGTON (AP) Walz and Vance will meet in their first vice presidential debate Tim Walz and JD Vance will meet in what could be the last debate for both campaigns to argue their case before the election.
NCH, Florida Blue reach last-minute agreement on new contract With negotiations going down to the wire, Naples Comprehensive Health and Florida Blue agreed on a new three-year contract late in the day Sept. 30 that will keep almost 40,000 of the insurance carrier’s members in network with the health care system.
Three Oaks Firefighters pull intoxicated man from pond in Three Oaks The San Carlos Park Fire Protection and Rescue responded to a scene where they pulled an intoxicated man from a pond in Three Oaks.
FORT MYERS Phase 2: $1 billion RSW expansion project begins The Lee County Port Authority will begin Southwest Florida International Airport’s Terminal Expansion Phase 2, a more than $1 billion project.
PUNTA GORDA Sen. Rick Scott to survey damage in Charlotte County Florida Sen. Rick Scott is set to visit Charlotte County, receive a briefing on Hurricane Helene, and survey the damage.
The Weather Authority The Weather Authority: Scattered rain and storms return for your Tuesday The Weather Authority is tracking rain and storms throughout this Tuesday afternoon and into your evening commute.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda man dies after fire is sparked by Helene’s flooding Hurricane Helene was not kind to Charlotte County, and on Monday night, people are picking up the pieces and grieving the loss of a neighbor.
SANIBEL Sanibel businesses work to recover after Helene There’s no “Going back to normal” on Sanibel after Ian, but Helene isn’t stopping people as they work towards a “New normal.”
MATLACHA Sisters fly to Matlacha to help father rebuild after Hurricane Helene’s destruction Hurricane Helene has affected people not just in southwest Florida but also people across the country.
Recovery efforts at Sugar Sand Beach RV Resort Almost everyone on Matlacha and Pine Island is focused on the same thing: Recovery.
MANASOTA KEY Cleaning up Manasota Key after Helene Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding that seemed to spare no one on Manasota Key. Two families share their cleanup stories with WINK News.
PUNTA GORDA Historic District in Punta Gorda recovering after Helene So much of Southwest Florida continues to recover in the aftermath of Helene, especially in areas on the coast.
Florida Blue and NCH reach an agreement With a few hours to spare, the Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) and Florida Blue have reached an agreement after months of negotiations.
Fort Myers Beach cleans up after Helene For many, Fort Myers Beach has been the epicenter of hope and recovery after Ian. Now people are looking back at the island town again after Hurricane Helene.
NORTH PORT New details emerge confirming state investigation into Heritage Insurance WINK News is breaking new details on a criminal investigation into an insurance company where customers claim they were left with wrecked homes after Ian and no money to rebuild.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Backers of Florida’s professional sports franchises are mounting a drive in the waning moments of this year’s session of the Florida Legislature to help out three teams and Daytona International Speedway. A Florida Senate panel on Tuesday tacked a provision into an economic development bill that would guarantee taxpayer money to the racetrack and the stadiums used by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins and the Orlando City Lions. The proposals would cost the state $255 million and would be paid out over the next two to three decades. A legislative panel was supposed to approve the funding requests for the teams back in February but a vote on the item was delayed at the urging of some top Republicans. Sen. Jack Latvala, noting that legislators voted during the 2014 session to create a new process that would allow professional sports franchises to tap into taxpayer help, defended trying to get help for the teams during the session. “We have to put it into play,” said Latvala, a Clearwater Republican. “Last year we overwhelmingly adopted the mechanism. Now it appears just one or two people have stopped the whole process. And you know it’s a democratic process and the majority is supposed to rule.” It’s not clear if the legislation (SB 1214) will pass by the May 1 deadline. It heads next to the full Senate. Rep. Richard Corcoran, the House budget chief and a Republican from Pasco County, said he could not understand setting aside money for sports owners while legislators have a stalemate over health care funding. The House and Senate budgets are currently $4 billion apart and the session will likely end next week without a vote on a new state budget. “I don’t understand how you can claim to have a fiscal crisis on health care but can find millions of dollars in subsidies for billionaire sports owners,” Corcoran said. For the past two decades, Florida taxpayers have paid tens of millions to turn the state into a sports mecca. The money has paid for repairs, renovations and construction of stadiums and arenas that are home to professional football, hockey, baseball and basketball teams. The state also has shelled out money to spruce up ballparks used by Major League Baseball teams for spring training. But an effort to aid the Miami Dolphins in 2013 was defeated in the waning moments of the legislative session as some lawmakers, especially those from South Florida, questioned the validity of aiding the team owner. Lawmakers returned last year and promised they were creating a new process intended to protect taxpayers so that heavily lobbied projects weren’t the only ones getting help. Gov. Rick Scott said he was signing the stadium-funding legislation into law because it would guarantee the state was getting a return on its investment.