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 Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) and Florida Blue have until midnight on Monday to reach a deal on a new contract.
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.
LABELLE Linemen get superhero sendoff as they help with Helene recovery Local linemen get superhero sendoff as they head North to help with Helene recovery efforts in other states
FORT MYERS Man arrested after Fort Myers police confiscate nearly $1M and almost 700g of fentanyl The Fort Myers police department has arrested a man in connection with a large-scale drug operation.
PORT CHARLOTTE Animal shelter in Charlotte Harbor devastated by Helene is seeking support Dogs looking for homes have had their temporary home taken away by the storm surge of Hurricane Helene.
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 Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) and Florida Blue have until midnight on Monday to reach a deal on a new contract.
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.
LABELLE Linemen get superhero sendoff as they help with Helene recovery Local linemen get superhero sendoff as they head North to help with Helene recovery efforts in other states
FORT MYERS Man arrested after Fort Myers police confiscate nearly $1M and almost 700g of fentanyl The Fort Myers police department has arrested a man in connection with a large-scale drug operation.
PORT CHARLOTTE Animal shelter in Charlotte Harbor devastated by Helene is seeking support Dogs looking for homes have had their temporary home taken away by the storm surge of Hurricane Helene.
Tampa Bay Times/ MGN WASHINGTON (AP) – A Florida postal carrier steered his small gyrocopter through protected Washington airspace for 30 miles to the U.S. Capitol, tracked by the nation’s top security agencies, which feared harming tourists on the National Mall if they tried to shoot him down, senior lawmakers said Wednesday. Doug Hughes, 61, is “lucky to be alive” and “should have been blown out of the air,” Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the House Oversight committee, told reporters just days after the incident that exposed a gap in the government’s efforts to ensure the security of the White House, Capitol and other critical buildings in Washington. Senior officials from the Secret Service and Capitol Police briefed top House members behind closed doors. Chaffetz said security tracked Hughes as he approached the Capitol last week after taking off from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. A “judgment call” was made not to shoot Hughes down, Chaffetz said. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said officials were concerned about injuring people on the ground if an attempt was made to shoot down Hughes. Chaffetz said a combination of “lack of communication and some human error” by Capitol Police and other officials allowed Hughes to steer his tiny aircraft within a few hundred feet of the Capitol before landing on the West Lawn. Chaffetz said he was deeply concerned at “a lack of coordination and communication” among law enforcement agencies charged with what he called “a no-fail mission” to protect the Capitol and other important sites in Washington, including the White House. Cummings called the incident a “wake-up call” to all law enforcement agencies involved. Capitol Police, the Secret Service and other agencies need “to look very carefully at what happened here, dissect it, figure it out and use this to make things better,” Cummings said. Cummings and Chaffetz said they were outraged that members of Congress were not alerted to the potential security threat even as parts of the Capitol complex were placed under lockdown. “That’s inexcusable,” Chaffetz said. Chaffetz and Cummings said they will hold a hearing on the incident next week with representatives of six agencies: the Secret Service, Capitol Police, Congress’ Sergeant at Arms, the Federal Aviation Administration, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the U.S. Park Police. Three of the agencies – the FAA, NORAD and the park police – were no-shows at Wednesday’s briefing, irking lawmakers. “They’ve got a lot of explaining to do” about why they did not attend the briefing, Chaffetz said. Lawmakers were told during the briefing that “incursions” into the restricted air space around Washington occur nearly every day and are usually “dealt with in a smooth and professional manner,” Chaffetz said, in stark contrast to the gyrocopter incident. Lawmakers raised alarms about security after Hughes’ stunt, which was aimed at drawing attention to campaign finance reform. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said last week that Hughes “literally flew under the radar” to the Capitol lawn, but added that it’s too soon to say whether security changes are needed. “We are a democracy. We don’t have fences around our airspace, so we’ve got to find the right balance between living in a free and open society, and security and the protection of federal buildings,” Johnson said. Chaffetz said there is a “heightened awareness” about the risks of small aircraft in the wake of the gyrocopter stunt. Anyone who enters restricted airspace now will have “a major problem,” Cummings said. Hughes was charged with two federal crimes, violating restricted airspace and operating an unregistered aircraft. The crimes carry penalties of up to four years in prison and fines. Hughes’ next court appearance is May 8.