Punta Gorda Police Department Chaplin Rev. Bill Klossner passes awayMan dies after struck by car while attempting to pick up trash bag on SR-80
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda Police Department Chaplin Rev. Bill Klossner passes away The Punta Gorda Police Department announced the passing of their Chaplin, Reverend Bill Klossner.
Man dies after struck by car while attempting to pick up trash bag on SR-80 The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash involving a pickup truck and a car that hospitalized one man on State Road 80 in Hendry County.
the weather authority Partly cloudy and milder this Tuesday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking increased cloud coverage along with milder conditions this Tuesday afternoon.
WINK NEWS Shell Factory & Nature Park’s final auction begins The Shell Factory & Nature Park has launched its final auction, allowing fans of the now-closed Southwest Florida landmark to take home several valued items.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers to discuss fluoride in water during next city council meeting The debate over fluoride in drinking water has been reignited following an announcement by the Florida surgeon general urging cities to halt fluoride treatment.
ESTERO Gator stuck on Estero porch gives homeowner a wild surprise Sunday night Imagine glancing out your back door and seeing a gator sliding around on your deck. That’s exactly what happened to an Estero homeowner who found an unexpected visitor on their property.
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers crash leaves motorcyclist with life-threatening injuries A motorcyclist is in critical condition following a collision with a sedan at the intersection of North East Pine Island Road and Judd Creek Boulevard in North Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH Hurricane Ian recovery delays impact tourism and local businesses Fort Myers Beach is still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which struck over two years ago.
FORT MYERS Alliance for the Arts hosting Jazz on the Green, celebrating historic music genre Catch Grammy winners and jazz virtuosos at the Jazz on the Green event hosted by the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS Twins host fans for open house and first full squad workout The Minnesota Twins held their first full squad workout of Spring Training as well as hosted fans for an open house.
Potential changes to how shingle roofs are covered by insurance Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky recently made comments at the Florida Chamber Insurance Summit about the potential phasing out of shingle roofs in the state.
SANIBEL Sanibel islanders rally to restore beloved fishing pier after Ian damage The Sanibel Fishing Pier, a beloved spot for many, has been in disrepair since Hurricane Ian struck more than two years ago. Now, dedicated fishers are pushing to restore it using private funding.
PUNTA GORDA Gunfire erupts on US 41 bridge in Punta Gorda; bikers arrested A road rage incident escalated into gunfire on the U.S. 41 bridge connecting Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, causing fear among drivers.
BONITA SPRINGS Will San Carlos Estates merge with Bonita Springs? Residents of San Carlos Estates in Bonita Springs are fighting to maintain their neighborhood’s independence.
PUNTA GORDA New flight routes at Punta Gorda Airport The Punta Gorda Airport is expanding its offerings, adding new flight options for travelers.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda Police Department Chaplin Rev. Bill Klossner passes away The Punta Gorda Police Department announced the passing of their Chaplin, Reverend Bill Klossner.
Man dies after struck by car while attempting to pick up trash bag on SR-80 The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash involving a pickup truck and a car that hospitalized one man on State Road 80 in Hendry County.
the weather authority Partly cloudy and milder this Tuesday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking increased cloud coverage along with milder conditions this Tuesday afternoon.
WINK NEWS Shell Factory & Nature Park’s final auction begins The Shell Factory & Nature Park has launched its final auction, allowing fans of the now-closed Southwest Florida landmark to take home several valued items.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers to discuss fluoride in water during next city council meeting The debate over fluoride in drinking water has been reignited following an announcement by the Florida surgeon general urging cities to halt fluoride treatment.
ESTERO Gator stuck on Estero porch gives homeowner a wild surprise Sunday night Imagine glancing out your back door and seeing a gator sliding around on your deck. That’s exactly what happened to an Estero homeowner who found an unexpected visitor on their property.
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers crash leaves motorcyclist with life-threatening injuries A motorcyclist is in critical condition following a collision with a sedan at the intersection of North East Pine Island Road and Judd Creek Boulevard in North Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH Hurricane Ian recovery delays impact tourism and local businesses Fort Myers Beach is still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which struck over two years ago.
FORT MYERS Alliance for the Arts hosting Jazz on the Green, celebrating historic music genre Catch Grammy winners and jazz virtuosos at the Jazz on the Green event hosted by the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS Twins host fans for open house and first full squad workout The Minnesota Twins held their first full squad workout of Spring Training as well as hosted fans for an open house.
Potential changes to how shingle roofs are covered by insurance Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky recently made comments at the Florida Chamber Insurance Summit about the potential phasing out of shingle roofs in the state.
SANIBEL Sanibel islanders rally to restore beloved fishing pier after Ian damage The Sanibel Fishing Pier, a beloved spot for many, has been in disrepair since Hurricane Ian struck more than two years ago. Now, dedicated fishers are pushing to restore it using private funding.
PUNTA GORDA Gunfire erupts on US 41 bridge in Punta Gorda; bikers arrested A road rage incident escalated into gunfire on the U.S. 41 bridge connecting Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, causing fear among drivers.
BONITA SPRINGS Will San Carlos Estates merge with Bonita Springs? Residents of San Carlos Estates in Bonita Springs are fighting to maintain their neighborhood’s independence.
PUNTA GORDA New flight routes at Punta Gorda Airport The Punta Gorda Airport is expanding its offerings, adding new flight options for travelers.
Many pilots reported problems with the plane that slammed into the Chico’s day care last June weeks before it went down. On at least two separate occasions, pilots with the Fort Myers Flying Club reported the small Piper Archer Two’s engine has lost power while in the air. The plane was brought to a mechanic after each incident, and allowed to fly again. Anthony Greco Jr. was the pilot in that fatal crash last June, and told investigators he followed his normal routine. More: 1 killed following plane crash into Chico’s day care on Metro Parkway Greco and his passenger, 37-year-old Marc Scott, did a full pre-flight inspection of the Piper Archer Two plane before taking off. Greco says the plane got the “all clear” to fly. Greco and Scott even cleaned out the fuel tanks twice prior to taking off. After a few minutes of taking off, Greco told investigators, “it felt like a slight loss of full power.” Greco believed the engine didn’t have enough power to sustain the flight, as the plane’s vertical climb hit zero. Greco says he told Scott, “this is not looking good, let’s do Metro (Parkway).” That’s when Greco turned the plane toward Metro Parkway to make an emergency landing, but that’s when the wing hit a tree, sending it spiraling out of control into the Chico’s building. “This was my last recollection of the flight,” Greco said in the National Transportation Safety Board report. According to the report, the next thing Greco remembers is crawling on the green grass with a strong smell of fuel. “I have no recollection of getting out of the plane,” Greco said. Greco says he then walked around the wreckage, and the building, searching for Scott, but couldn’t find anyone. The next thing to happen was the plane went up in flames. A security guard arrived on scene first, and told Greco he called 911. Greco believes he was thrown from the wreckage before, or even during, impact, which could have saved his life. After the crash, the NTSB spoke to a pilot who flew the same Piper Archer Two Plane at least 7 or 8 times before the crash. The pilot told investigators he never had an issue with the plane, until just about a month before the fatal crash. The pilot also states that the engine lost power just after take off. “It sounded like the engine was being choked off from air or fuel,” at about 100 feet off the ground, the pilot said. The plane was checked by maintenance workers at Switlik Aviation. After many tests and cleanings, the maintenance crew found no other problems. But, about a week later, the engine shut off on a different pilot. This pilot says he was flying at about 8,000 feet when the engine turned off. So he started maneuvering his way back toward a nearby airport, when the engine turned back on at 3,000 feet. This pilot then took the plane to the mechanics, who looked at fuel samples and checked for any obstructions, but the workers said it performed just fine during the test runs. The NTSb report says a mechanical failure was at fault for the crash, but it is still not clear why the engine malfunctioned.