Florida panther struck by vehicle in Glades County; 32nd death in 2024Commissioner Hamman: Caloosahatchee bridge project to be completed soon
GLADES COUNTY Florida panther struck by vehicle in Glades County; 32nd death in 2024 A 7-to-8-month-old panther was killed by a vehicle in Glades County, increasing the death toll of the endangered species to 32 for 2024.
FORT MYERS Commissioner Hamman: Caloosahatchee bridge project to be completed soon The pedestrian walkway project on the Caloosahatchee bridge in Fort Myers is on schedule and is expected to be completed before Christmas Day.
WINK NEWS Citizens Property Insurance depopulation program This is a sign our insurance crisis in Florida is recovering. Citizens, designed to be Floridian’s last resort insurer, is shrinking.
WINK NEWS Warmer temperatures build in for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking increased temperatures. Thursday is in the 50s, and the warming trend is continuing into the weekend.
WINK NEWS Smoke from prescribed burns this Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking smoke in the air Thursday morning. If you notice smoke, it’s likely from recent prescribed burns.
LEHIGH ACRES Firefighters break open submerged car in Lehigh Acres Firefighters break open a submerged car and appear to rescue someone stuck inside in Lehigh Acres overnight.
FORT MYERS Stem donor meets recipient at Florida Gulf Coast University An FGCU student is giving the gift of life this holiday season. FGCU senior Zoe Horowitz met the person who received her stem cell donation.
PORT CHARLOTTE CCSO ‘Shop with a Cop’ event spreads holiday cheer Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputies spent time helping kids pick out gifts for their families during the annual Shop with a Cop event.
CLEWISTON Caught on camera: Explosion in hotel parking lot in Clewiston There was an explosion in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn in Clewiston on Wednesday.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda leaders outline plans for Gilchrist Park repairs Gilchrist Park is closed, and Punta Gorda city leaders have been discussing possibly restoring the park.
NORTH NAPLES Airman surprises 6-year-old daughter at school for the holidays after ten months of service in Kuwait After almost a year of service in Kuwait, one airman came home for the holidays and surprised his daughter.
FORT MYERS Breaking down the Lee County Sheriff’s Office budget The Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Carmine Marceno have been under scrutiny since a federal investigation on potential money laundering began. Many have questioned LCSO’s spending, so we broke down the budget.
How to protect yourself from thieves this holiday season On Cyber Monday, Americans spent $13 billion, which will translate into many packages on doorsteps this holiday season.
FORT MYERS Bishop Verot QB Carter Smith signs with Wisconsin Bishop Verot quarterback Carter Smith signs to play college football for the Wisconsin Badgers on early Signing Day.
WINK NEWS SWFL stars ink with Power 4 programs during Early Signing Period Several Southwest Florida football standouts are taking their talents to the Power 4 gridirons after signing during the Early Signing Period.
GLADES COUNTY Florida panther struck by vehicle in Glades County; 32nd death in 2024 A 7-to-8-month-old panther was killed by a vehicle in Glades County, increasing the death toll of the endangered species to 32 for 2024.
FORT MYERS Commissioner Hamman: Caloosahatchee bridge project to be completed soon The pedestrian walkway project on the Caloosahatchee bridge in Fort Myers is on schedule and is expected to be completed before Christmas Day.
WINK NEWS Citizens Property Insurance depopulation program This is a sign our insurance crisis in Florida is recovering. Citizens, designed to be Floridian’s last resort insurer, is shrinking.
WINK NEWS Warmer temperatures build in for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking increased temperatures. Thursday is in the 50s, and the warming trend is continuing into the weekend.
WINK NEWS Smoke from prescribed burns this Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking smoke in the air Thursday morning. If you notice smoke, it’s likely from recent prescribed burns.
LEHIGH ACRES Firefighters break open submerged car in Lehigh Acres Firefighters break open a submerged car and appear to rescue someone stuck inside in Lehigh Acres overnight.
FORT MYERS Stem donor meets recipient at Florida Gulf Coast University An FGCU student is giving the gift of life this holiday season. FGCU senior Zoe Horowitz met the person who received her stem cell donation.
PORT CHARLOTTE CCSO ‘Shop with a Cop’ event spreads holiday cheer Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputies spent time helping kids pick out gifts for their families during the annual Shop with a Cop event.
CLEWISTON Caught on camera: Explosion in hotel parking lot in Clewiston There was an explosion in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn in Clewiston on Wednesday.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda leaders outline plans for Gilchrist Park repairs Gilchrist Park is closed, and Punta Gorda city leaders have been discussing possibly restoring the park.
NORTH NAPLES Airman surprises 6-year-old daughter at school for the holidays after ten months of service in Kuwait After almost a year of service in Kuwait, one airman came home for the holidays and surprised his daughter.
FORT MYERS Breaking down the Lee County Sheriff’s Office budget The Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Carmine Marceno have been under scrutiny since a federal investigation on potential money laundering began. Many have questioned LCSO’s spending, so we broke down the budget.
How to protect yourself from thieves this holiday season On Cyber Monday, Americans spent $13 billion, which will translate into many packages on doorsteps this holiday season.
FORT MYERS Bishop Verot QB Carter Smith signs with Wisconsin Bishop Verot quarterback Carter Smith signs to play college football for the Wisconsin Badgers on early Signing Day.
WINK NEWS SWFL stars ink with Power 4 programs during Early Signing Period Several Southwest Florida football standouts are taking their talents to the Power 4 gridirons after signing during the Early Signing Period.
@estrattonbailey / Pexels / MGN FORT MYERS, Fla. Here’s a list of important contact information and websites to support Southwest Florida residents on the road to recovery in the wake of Hurricane Irma. State and Federal Government Resources Executive Office of the Governor Website: www.flgov.com Florida Division of Emergency Management Florida Emergency Information Line: 800.342.3557 Website: www.floridadisaster.org List of Shelters: http://floridadisaster.org/shelters/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/FloridaSERT Twitter: https://twitter.com/FLSERT Florida Department of Financial Services – Division of Consumer Services Insurance Consumer Helpline: 1-877-693-5236, Out of State: 1-850-413-3089 Website: www.myfloridacfo.com/division/consumers/ Florida Attorney General Price Gouging Hotline: 1-866-966-7226 Out-Of-State: 1-850-414-3990 Website Complaint Form: http://myfloridalegal.com/contact.nsf/contact Report price gouging: http://www.myfloridalegal.com/Contact.nsf/PriceGouging!OpenForm Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Consumer Assistance Hotline: 1-800-435-7352 Consumer resources: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Consumer-Resources/Hurricane-Irma Website Complaint Form: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Contact-Us/File-a-Complaint Florida Chief Financial Officer Consumer resources: http://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/Consumers/HurricaneIrma.htm Disaster Housing Resources Florida Housing Portal 877-428-8844 Website: http://www.floridahousingsearch.org/ USACE (Operation Blue Roof) 1-888-ROOF-BLU (1-888-766-3258) Website: www.saj.usace.army.mil/BlueRoof Department of Business and Professional Regulation 850-487-1395 Website: www.myfloridalicense.com Consumer Fraud 866-720-5721 Florida Manufactured Housing Association 850-907-9111 Website: www.fmha.org Department of Housing and Urban Development Foreclosure relief, click here. Mortgage Insurance for Disaster Victims, click here. Rehab Mortgage Insurance, click here. Other Resources American Red Cross 1-866-GET-INFO Website: www.redcross.org/mo2 Bridge Loan Program 850-898-3489 Website: www.floridadisasterloan.org Disaster Assistance 1-800-621-FEMA Website: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ Florida Disaster 850-413-9969 Website: http://www.floridadisaster.org/index.asp Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 1-800-621-FEMA TTY: 800-462-7585 Website: www.fema.gov 770-220-5200 (Local: Region IV Regional Office) Get A Plan! 850-413-9969 Website: http://flgetaplan.com IRS Tax Relief In Disaster Situations Website: https://www.irs.gov/uac/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations National Hurricane Center (NOAA) Website: www.nhc.noaa.gov National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) 1-888-379-9531 770-893-1480 (Local: Region IV Regional Office) Website: https://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/ and www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program Free legal aid hotline 1-866-550-2929 Website: https://www.floridabar.org/public/hurricaneinfo/ Salvation Army Website: www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/contact Small Business Administration 1-800-659-2955 Website: www.sba.gov Volunteer Florida 850-414-7400 (Tallahassee Headquarters) Website: www.volunteerflorida.org/Irma Tips on boil water alerts, damaged food, food safety: Website: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Consumer-Resources/Health-and-Safety/Food-Emergencies-and-Disaster-Preparation Traffic information Website: https://fl511.com/#:Alerts Shelter info/distribution info: Website: http://floridadisaster.org/shelters/ Florida Office of Insurance Regulation Website Hurricane Season Resources: Website: http://www.floir.com/Office/HurricaneSeason/hurricaneresourcepage.aspx Federal Emergency Management Agency – FEMA FEMA Helpline: 1.800.621.3362 Disaster Assistance Website: www.disasterassistance.gov FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers: asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm or text DRC and your 5 digit Zip Code (Example DRC 12345) to 4FEMA Mobile App Download: www.fema.gov/mobile-app Florida Property Insurance Company When reporting a claim to your insurance company it is helpful to have: – Your policy number – Your contact information – A description of damage – Photos of Damage – Your Mortgage Company Information To the extent possible, try to safely mitigate any damage that has occurred. American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida (Assurant) Customer Service: 800.358.0600 Claims: 800.358.0600 Website: www.assurant.com American Coastal Insurance Company Customer Service: 800.861.4370 Claims: 252.247.8796, 1.877.284.4900 (toll-free) Website: www.amcoastal.com American Integrity Insurance Company of Florida Customer Service: 1.866.968.8390 Claims: 1.866.277.9871 Website: aiicfl.com American Strategic Insurance Company Customer Service: 866.274.8765 Claims: 866.274.5677 (866.ASI.LOSS) Website: www.americanstrategic.com Ark Royal Insurance Company Customer Service: 727.456.1673 Claims: 727.456.1673 Website: www.arkroyalins.com Assurant Customer Service: 800.852.2244 Claims: (American Bankers) 1.800.358.0600 (Renter’s Insurance) 800.432.8612 Website: www.assurant.com Auto Club Insurance Company of Florida (AAA Insurance) Customer Service: 800.289.1325 and 888.929.4222 Claims: 1.888.929.4222 or (for auto) 800.289.1325 Website: www.autoclubfl.com Castle Key Indemnity Company/Castle Key Insurance Company (Allstate) Customer Service: 1.800.255.7828 Claims: 1.800.255.7828 (1.800.ALLSTATE) Website: www.allstate.com Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Customer Service: 888.685.1555 Claims: 866.411.2742 Website: www.citizensfla.com Federated National Insurance Company/Monarch National Insurance Company Customer Service: 800.293.2532 Claims: 800.293.2532 Website: www.fednat.com Florida Family Insurance Company Customer Service: 888.850.4663 Claims: 888.486.4663 Website: www.floridafamily.com Florida Peninsula Insurance Company Customer Service: 877.229.2244 Claims: 866.549.9672 Website: www.floridapeninsula.com Frontline Insurance (First Protective) Customer Service: 877.744.5224 Claims: (Hurricane) 866.673.0623 (non-hurricane) 800.675.0145 Website: www.frontlineinsurance.com Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Company Customer Service: (FL) 1.855.620.9978 (Other States) 1.855.536.2744 Claims: 855.415.7120 (Platinum Prefferred) 1.855.474.6526 Website: www.heritagepci.com Homeowners Choice Property & Casualty Customer Service: 888.210.5235 & 844.530.4099 Claims: (Reporting) 866.324.3138 (Status) 877.235.5076 Website: http://hcpci.com/ FEMA/National Flood Insurance Program Customer Service: 800.621.3362 (800.621.FEMA) Website: www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program Olympus Insurance Company Customer Service: 800.711.9386 Claims: 866.281.2242 Website: www.olympusinsurance.com People’s Trust Insurance Company Customer Service: 1.888.364.8557 Claims: 877.333.1230 Website: peoplestrustinsurance.com Safe Harbor Insurance Company Customer Service: 866.896.7233 Claims: 1.866.482.5246 Website: www.safeharborflorida.com Safe Point Insurance Company Customer Service: 877.858.7445 Claims: 855.252.4615 (855.CLAIM15) Website: www.safepointins.com Security First Insurance Company Customer Service: 877.333.9992 Claims: 877.581.4862 Website: www.securityfirstflorida.com St. Johns Insurance Company, Inc. Customer Service: 800.748.2030 Claims: 877.748.2059 Website: www.stjohnsinsurance.com State Farm Customer Service: 800.782.8332 Claims: 800.782.8332 (800.STATEFARM) Website: www.statefarm.com Tower Hill Insurance Customer Service: 800.342.3407 Claims: 800.342.3407 Website: www.thig.com United Property & Casualty Insurance Company Customer Service: 800.295.8016 Claims: 888.256.3378 (1.888.CLM.DEPT), option 1 Website: https://www.upcinsurance.com/ United Services Automobile Association (USAA) Customer Service: 800.531.8722 Claims: 1.800.531.8722 or 1.210.531.8722 Website: www.usaa.com Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company Customer Service: 1.800.425.9113 Claims: 800.470.0599 Website: https://universalproperty.com/