WINK News Photos of the Week Feb. 9 – Feb. 16 Welcome to WINK News Photos of the Week, where we highlight memorable moments from Southwest Florida throughout the week.
TALLAHASSEE Gov. DeSantis to swear in Florida Attorney General Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to swear in the next Attorney General, James Uthmeier.
the weather authority Cold front brings cooler, less humid weather this Monday The Weather Authority is tracking a cold front dropping temperatures and reducing humidity on this Monday.
Hendry County FDOT starting construction on State Road 82 at Hendry County Line The Florida Department of Transportation is working to improve nearly 4 miles of State Road 82.
WINK NEWS Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda church celebrates Pastor’s 45 years of service The First Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Punta Gorda is alive with celebration as they honor a legacy of leadership.
FORT MYERS Shift Coffee Bar in Fort Myers hosts annual Valentine’s Day Party Shift Coffee Bar in Fort Myers held their annual Valentine’s Day pop-up/anniversary event on Sunday morning.
PUNTA GORDA Road rage leads to gunfire near US 41 bridge in Punta Gorda A road rage incident near the Gilchrist Bridge in Punta Gorda led to shots being fired, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
the weather authority Warm, breezy day with evening rain ahead of a slight cold front The Weather Authority says Sunday is starting off warm across Southwest Florida with overnight lows in the upper 60s and 70s, staying warm throughout the day before a cold front sweeps south later this evening.
FORT MYERS Edison Festival parade lights up Fort Myers with floats and bands The Edison Festival parade was a spectacle of lights and sounds, drawing crowds to celebrate the legacy of Thomas Edison.
CAPE CORAL Goth Gala for the Forlorn; How the alt scene honored Valentine’s Day Love Your Rebellion hosted the Goth Gala for the Forlorn at Nice Guys Pizza in Cape Coral on Friday night.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers gears up for Edison Festival parade; road closures in place Downtown Fort Myers is buzzing with excitement as the Edison Festival of Light Parade is set to begin.
the weather authority Near-record heat with sun and clouds for your Saturday The Weather Authority says the above-normal temperatures that Southwest Florida has been experiencing will stick around yet again for Saturday.
LEE COUNTY Savannah Bananas bring fun on the diamond at JetBlue Park The Savannah Bananas amazed and entertained a sold out JetBlue Park Friday night for the first time in Southwest Florida.
CAPE CORAL Caught on Camera: Cape Coral mailbox hit by drifting car A Cape Coral homeowner was left in shock after a car sent her mailbox flying through the air and left tire tracks next to her home.
WINK News Photos of the Week Feb. 9 – Feb. 16 Welcome to WINK News Photos of the Week, where we highlight memorable moments from Southwest Florida throughout the week.
TALLAHASSEE Gov. DeSantis to swear in Florida Attorney General Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to swear in the next Attorney General, James Uthmeier.
the weather authority Cold front brings cooler, less humid weather this Monday The Weather Authority is tracking a cold front dropping temperatures and reducing humidity on this Monday.
Hendry County FDOT starting construction on State Road 82 at Hendry County Line The Florida Department of Transportation is working to improve nearly 4 miles of State Road 82.
WINK NEWS Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda church celebrates Pastor’s 45 years of service The First Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Punta Gorda is alive with celebration as they honor a legacy of leadership.
FORT MYERS Shift Coffee Bar in Fort Myers hosts annual Valentine’s Day Party Shift Coffee Bar in Fort Myers held their annual Valentine’s Day pop-up/anniversary event on Sunday morning.
PUNTA GORDA Road rage leads to gunfire near US 41 bridge in Punta Gorda A road rage incident near the Gilchrist Bridge in Punta Gorda led to shots being fired, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
the weather authority Warm, breezy day with evening rain ahead of a slight cold front The Weather Authority says Sunday is starting off warm across Southwest Florida with overnight lows in the upper 60s and 70s, staying warm throughout the day before a cold front sweeps south later this evening.
FORT MYERS Edison Festival parade lights up Fort Myers with floats and bands The Edison Festival parade was a spectacle of lights and sounds, drawing crowds to celebrate the legacy of Thomas Edison.
CAPE CORAL Goth Gala for the Forlorn; How the alt scene honored Valentine’s Day Love Your Rebellion hosted the Goth Gala for the Forlorn at Nice Guys Pizza in Cape Coral on Friday night.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers gears up for Edison Festival parade; road closures in place Downtown Fort Myers is buzzing with excitement as the Edison Festival of Light Parade is set to begin.
the weather authority Near-record heat with sun and clouds for your Saturday The Weather Authority says the above-normal temperatures that Southwest Florida has been experiencing will stick around yet again for Saturday.
LEE COUNTY Savannah Bananas bring fun on the diamond at JetBlue Park The Savannah Bananas amazed and entertained a sold out JetBlue Park Friday night for the first time in Southwest Florida.
CAPE CORAL Caught on Camera: Cape Coral mailbox hit by drifting car A Cape Coral homeowner was left in shock after a car sent her mailbox flying through the air and left tire tracks next to her home.
MGN FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – A Florida House committee on Wednesday passed a bill strongly supported by Gov. Rick Scott that would do away with what he calls the unnecessary red tape before new hospitals can be built. But the measure is unlikely to pass in the Senate. A so-called certificate of need that is currently required grants state approval before a hospital is built, replaced or takes on a specialty service such as organ transplants. The bill would remove that requirement. Supporters said the proposal would increase competition and therefore lower costs and improve access. But critics, including the Florida Hospital Association, said it would allow new providers to cherry pick patients. “Competition helps reduce costs and increase patient quality of care – plain and simple,” said a statement from the governor. Scott, who used to run a chain of for-profit hospitals, said Texas does not require this type of regulation and only about 1 percent of hospitals there have readmission rates lower than the national rate. That compares to Florida, where almost 18 percent of hospitals have readmission rates worse than the national average. The governor also tasked his hospital commission to look into similar deregulations as he has become increasingly adversarial toward public hospitals, some of which he has sought to show are reaping large profits and don’t need as many tax dollars. That stance comes as Scott is faced with a budget hole over the likely loss of federal funds that help hospitals who treat low-income and Medicaid patients. State Rep. Janet Cruz warned that it would allow new for-profit hospitals to move in near established hospitals by building small emergency rooms and transferring all the complex cases to the larger hospitals. She added that would mean new hospitals would get more paying patients and the public hospitals would be stuck with sicker low-income patients. “I feel like the big hospitals that serve my poor communities in my hometown are under attack … we’re going after this pot of money and forgetting about the folks that are uninsured and poor,” said Cruz, D-Tampa. Several other Democrats complained that the bill didn’t go through the full committee process and it was too important of an issue to rush through a special session that is set to end June 20. The Florida Hospital Association testified that the regulation improves quality of care, access to care and controls costs. But critics argued it does the opposite. Lane Smith, a spokesman for Jacksonville’s Mayo Clinic, said it took five years and $1 million in legal costs to get approval for a liver transplant program. “We don’t think it’s a legitimate way to ensure quality in service,” Smith said. The House Health and Human Services Committee passed the bill Wednesday largely along party lines, along with health care bills that would allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe controlled substances and another that would allow outpatient recovery centers to keep patients for multiple nights. A Senate committee also discussed the proposal Wednesday, but it’s unclear if it would advance to the floor. Senate President Andy Gardiner said that decision was up to the committee chairs. At the Senate hearing, Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Elizabeth Dudek said “I have not seen that certificate of need has benefited or hurt the ability to access care.”