The Weather Authority: Sun, clouds, humidity, rain – it’s all in your weekend forecastChaotic lake getting fence and security
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Sun, clouds, humidity, rain – it’s all in your weekend forecast Saturday afternoon will be hot and humid, with a mix of sun and clouds.
LEHIGH ACRES Chaotic lake getting fence and security Now, with all the negative attention it has gotten, some think putting up a fence is a great way to keep that bad activity out.
CAPE CORAL What we learned about Cape Coral’s water crisis after a ride along On Friday, WINK News got to ride along to see just what people are doing that could be wasting water.
FORT MYERS Students affected by COVID-19 able to graduate for the first time For many young people, COVID stripped away one of their greatest rites of passage: graduation.
Deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County Authorities are at the scene of a deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County on Friday afternoon.
Celebrating Free Comic Book Day in SWFL JP Sports store manager Jonathan Powell said this is a generational event that brings families together to reminisce on comics and other hobby-related knickknacks.
FORT MYERS Group rescues dogs before getting put down in Lee County Our animal shelters are packed with amazing puppies who have the sole desire to be loved.
FORT MYERS FGCU student beats all odds and is able to graduate Nearly four years ago, Marisa Manning had her heart set on going to Florida Gulf Coast University but never thought she’d find her passion for studying parasites.
FORT MYERS Victim in MLK Blvd. shooting identified as social media influencer The victim of the Martin Luther King Boulevard shooting has been identified as a local social media influencer.
FORT MYERS Could a Ferris wheel in downtown Fort Myers work? Right now, there are talks to bring a Ferris wheel to downtown Fort Myers, but several things are still up in the air.
LITTLE HICKORY BAY Improving ‘Hell’s Gate’ safety, a notoriously dangerous waterway for boaters A push to make an area known as “Hell’s Gate” safer since it’s a dangerous stretch of water with several blind corners within Little Hickory Bay.
Fixing failed back surgeries More than a million and a half people in the U.S. undergo back surgery each year. However, classic back surgery has one of the highest failure rates of any surgery.
WINK NEWS Getting an inside look at the FEMA discount controversy Picking up the pieces after Hurricane Ian has been difficult for many and moving on can impact our wallets.
FGCU FGCU pitcher Dylan Wolff playing for hometown team after labrum injury FGCU pitcher Dylan Wolff is living the dream playing for the hometown team after he overcame a labrum injury.
LEHIGH ACRES Frustrated Lehigh parents want action after violent school fights go viral online Violence at a Lehigh Acres Middle school was captured and posted online.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Sun, clouds, humidity, rain – it’s all in your weekend forecast Saturday afternoon will be hot and humid, with a mix of sun and clouds.
LEHIGH ACRES Chaotic lake getting fence and security Now, with all the negative attention it has gotten, some think putting up a fence is a great way to keep that bad activity out.
CAPE CORAL What we learned about Cape Coral’s water crisis after a ride along On Friday, WINK News got to ride along to see just what people are doing that could be wasting water.
FORT MYERS Students affected by COVID-19 able to graduate for the first time For many young people, COVID stripped away one of their greatest rites of passage: graduation.
Deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County Authorities are at the scene of a deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County on Friday afternoon.
Celebrating Free Comic Book Day in SWFL JP Sports store manager Jonathan Powell said this is a generational event that brings families together to reminisce on comics and other hobby-related knickknacks.
FORT MYERS Group rescues dogs before getting put down in Lee County Our animal shelters are packed with amazing puppies who have the sole desire to be loved.
FORT MYERS FGCU student beats all odds and is able to graduate Nearly four years ago, Marisa Manning had her heart set on going to Florida Gulf Coast University but never thought she’d find her passion for studying parasites.
FORT MYERS Victim in MLK Blvd. shooting identified as social media influencer The victim of the Martin Luther King Boulevard shooting has been identified as a local social media influencer.
FORT MYERS Could a Ferris wheel in downtown Fort Myers work? Right now, there are talks to bring a Ferris wheel to downtown Fort Myers, but several things are still up in the air.
LITTLE HICKORY BAY Improving ‘Hell’s Gate’ safety, a notoriously dangerous waterway for boaters A push to make an area known as “Hell’s Gate” safer since it’s a dangerous stretch of water with several blind corners within Little Hickory Bay.
Fixing failed back surgeries More than a million and a half people in the U.S. undergo back surgery each year. However, classic back surgery has one of the highest failure rates of any surgery.
WINK NEWS Getting an inside look at the FEMA discount controversy Picking up the pieces after Hurricane Ian has been difficult for many and moving on can impact our wallets.
FGCU FGCU pitcher Dylan Wolff playing for hometown team after labrum injury FGCU pitcher Dylan Wolff is living the dream playing for the hometown team after he overcame a labrum injury.
LEHIGH ACRES Frustrated Lehigh parents want action after violent school fights go viral online Violence at a Lehigh Acres Middle school was captured and posted online.
Not too long ago, a parent’s high-anxiety decision was figuring out when to hand over the car keys to their teenager. In this day and age, the debate has become knowing when is the proper time to connect a child to the world with a smartphone. So, how young is too young to buy a child a smartphone? It happened at a young age for Annmarie Novak’s 11-year-old and 9-year-old daughters. Novak handed her daughters a smartphone when they were in the third grade, presenting them with a huge responsibility. “That was when they started going places and hanging out with their buddies without mom and I started to let go a little bit and said, ‘OK, you can go with her,'” Novak said. More: Apple urged to help curb kids’ smartphone addiction Rhonda Chapman’s 4-year-old son first asked her for a smartphone last year — in kindergarten. “We basically told him middle school,” Chapman said. “And he said it was because someone in his class had a cell phone. I couldn’t even believe it. I mean, it just threw me.” According to Influence Central, a company that tracks consumers, the average American child receives their first smartphone at 10 years old, which is roughly fourth grade. “If I believe my child was mature enough in fifth grade and we had had the need and means for it then he will get a phone,” mother Sarona Wyant said. There are some positive aspects of a child having a smartphone at a young age. It’s easier for kids to stay connected, there are great learning apps and it can be a good safety precaution. But Wyant’s biggest concern is her 10-year-old son becoming addicted to a smartphone. “The social interaction of them not being around other children has definitely deteriorated because they have their face in front of a phone of some kind,” Wyant said. Smartphone addiction in younger ages is real and there can be visible side effects, Lee Health licensed psychologist Siddika Mulchan said. “A lot of social difficulties that can lead to things like depression and anxiety as well in children and teens related to smartphone usage,” Mulchan said. The American Academy of Pediatrics does recommend for parents to limit their child’s screen time. Parents who worry smartphones can put their child even closer to online bullies, predators and adult websites can download new apps that allow them to watch their kids smartphone usage, right down to their exact location. “Wherever they are you can get directions to wherever they are, how long they have been there,” Novak said. Novak’s daughters know their mother has unlimited access to their smartphone. “I know who you are talking to, I know who you are looking at, and I know where you are going and they go, ‘Yes mom,'” Novak said. Sprint offers a website where your children can take a test to see if they are ready for a smartphone. To visit the website, click here. Verizon offers FamilyBase, an app to help parents set smarter boundaries, monitor and manage their child’s smartphone use. With FamilyBase, parents can: Set restrictions so their children are off the phone during school, family time, and late night. Block unwanted contacts or websites and apps that are too adult. Establish harmony between phone or tablet time and family time to create a positive experience for their children. Parents can also see who their kids are messaging and how much. The Family Online Safety Institute has plenty of general advice on digital parenting including a contract for parents to set up ground rules with their children for safer and more responsible use of technology. To visit their website, click here. T-Mobile recommends these apps for parents: Net Nanny: https://www.netnanny.com/ FamilyTime: https://familytime.io/