Vehicle pursuit in Charlotte County ends in crash A pursuit between the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and a vehicle on Interstate 75 ended in a crash.
Red tide looms off Southwest Florida coastline Beware of the beach! Red tide is making its way towards Southwest Florida once again.
FORT MYERS BEACH $1.2 million approved for repairs for FMB and Sanibel schools This hurricane season left an expensive mess at Fort Myers Beach Elementary and the Sanibel school, but who’s paying the $1.2 million price tag?
FORT MYERS Teen carjacks woman after escaping mental health facility A teenager accused of carjacking a woman in a church parking lot on Friday had just escaped from a facility where he was being held under the Baker Act, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Teachers union raises issues with Lee County School District after arbitration Being a teacher is just like any other profession. Teachers need to take days off, get sick, and sometimes cover for co-workers.
LABELLE LaBelle Animal Shelter hoping to raise money to avoid property being sold The owner of Animal Rescue Inc. in LaBelle is doing everything she can to prevent the shelter from disappearing in a matter of months.
County settlement allows Links of Naples golf course to redevelop into homes Collier County residents are vocalizing their concerns over the commissioner’s decision to develop housing on the Naples Golf Course.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mayor weighs in on possible city hall relocation With Lee Memorial Hospital scheduled to close in 2027, discussions over what will replace the building are in full swing and whether Fort Myers City Hall is the right choice.
Toys for Tots: A 77-Year tradition of service and holiday cheer Toys for Tots aims to bring gifts to children and their families who may not be able to afford them for the holidays.
Inside the mind of accused CEO gunman WINK News is learning more about the man accused of shooting and killing a health insurance CEO on a New York City sidewalk last week, and breaking down what he may think of himself based on the writings he left behind.
1 dead after crash on Airport-Pulling Road in Collier County The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash involving a sedan and pick-up truck that occurred near Airport Pulling Road.
bonita springs Prostate cancer treatment aims to freeze further development When it comes to cancer treatment, several options come to mind, such as chemotherapy, surgery, and or radiation; however, there is another option that may prove to be as effective.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man convicted of sexually assaulting teenager A Fort Myers man has been convicted of several charges, including the sexual assault of a 17-year-old teenager.
Red tide advisory issued for Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach The Florida Department of Health issued a red tide advisory after presence of the algae bloom was found near Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach in Collier County.
FORT MYERS RSW offering remote parking for the holidays Southwest Florida International Airport, RSW, is offering passengers RSWRemote, a reserved holiday parking option.
Vehicle pursuit in Charlotte County ends in crash A pursuit between the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and a vehicle on Interstate 75 ended in a crash.
Red tide looms off Southwest Florida coastline Beware of the beach! Red tide is making its way towards Southwest Florida once again.
FORT MYERS BEACH $1.2 million approved for repairs for FMB and Sanibel schools This hurricane season left an expensive mess at Fort Myers Beach Elementary and the Sanibel school, but who’s paying the $1.2 million price tag?
FORT MYERS Teen carjacks woman after escaping mental health facility A teenager accused of carjacking a woman in a church parking lot on Friday had just escaped from a facility where he was being held under the Baker Act, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Teachers union raises issues with Lee County School District after arbitration Being a teacher is just like any other profession. Teachers need to take days off, get sick, and sometimes cover for co-workers.
LABELLE LaBelle Animal Shelter hoping to raise money to avoid property being sold The owner of Animal Rescue Inc. in LaBelle is doing everything she can to prevent the shelter from disappearing in a matter of months.
County settlement allows Links of Naples golf course to redevelop into homes Collier County residents are vocalizing their concerns over the commissioner’s decision to develop housing on the Naples Golf Course.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mayor weighs in on possible city hall relocation With Lee Memorial Hospital scheduled to close in 2027, discussions over what will replace the building are in full swing and whether Fort Myers City Hall is the right choice.
Toys for Tots: A 77-Year tradition of service and holiday cheer Toys for Tots aims to bring gifts to children and their families who may not be able to afford them for the holidays.
Inside the mind of accused CEO gunman WINK News is learning more about the man accused of shooting and killing a health insurance CEO on a New York City sidewalk last week, and breaking down what he may think of himself based on the writings he left behind.
1 dead after crash on Airport-Pulling Road in Collier County The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash involving a sedan and pick-up truck that occurred near Airport Pulling Road.
bonita springs Prostate cancer treatment aims to freeze further development When it comes to cancer treatment, several options come to mind, such as chemotherapy, surgery, and or radiation; however, there is another option that may prove to be as effective.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man convicted of sexually assaulting teenager A Fort Myers man has been convicted of several charges, including the sexual assault of a 17-year-old teenager.
Red tide advisory issued for Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach The Florida Department of Health issued a red tide advisory after presence of the algae bloom was found near Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach in Collier County.
FORT MYERS RSW offering remote parking for the holidays Southwest Florida International Airport, RSW, is offering passengers RSWRemote, a reserved holiday parking option.
The City of Fort Myers unanimously approve a local state of emergency to address the toxic blue-green algae that continues to plague Southwest Florida waterways. The City will discussed the proposal in a meeting at 4:30 p.m. Monday. City leaders hope the funds would help pay for contractors and cleanup equipment. City hall acknowledges algae isn’t clogging their canals like in North Fort Myers, and you can see the Caloosahatchee appears clear, but this state of emergency is to support and acknowledge all impacted. The decision comes in anticipation of the Army Corps’ announcement that they will likely increase daily water releases from Lake Okeechobee. In the City’s proposal, they blame the Army Corps water releases for the toxic blue-green algae and red tide blooms. Patricia Sharp of North Port says its too little too late, “It does not solve anything it’s just clean up that’s it.” Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency six weeks ago for several counties including Lee County. MORE: Lee County leaders vote to expand local state of emergency Emergency Bridge Loan Program After months of dead fish and no customers, Captain John Black is ready for some relief, “Business is really bad right now for most people and it’s going to continue to get worse.” Last week, Governor Rick Scott announced an emergency bridge loan program, giving up to $50,000 dollars to small businesses affected by red tide or blue-green algae. But the interest rate that goes along with it is huge. “The interest rate on these things is 18 percent which is the highest rate you can charge in the state of Florida by law. Anything higher would be illegal in the state of Florida,” Black said. Captain black says he’ll pass on this deal, “It just doesn’t make sense to get into a situation like that because we don’t know how long this is going to last.” Michael Westra, owner of Lehr’s Bait Shop says he’s not cashing in on the program either. You have six months to pay off the loan, “To get a $50,000 loan or $30,000 loan and have 180 days to pay and get nailed with 18 percent .. It doesn’t seem like that’s help.” Experts say government funding for natural disasters like the small business administration offers up to $2 million at three-percent interest for up to 30 years. “Government trying to help me out in this case,” but Westra says he’s not taking the bait “I’m not going to say seems predatory, but it seems right on the edge of that.” WINK News got the Department of Economic Opportunity on the phone who tells these businesses, don’t worry. The Small Business Development Center will work with you to pay off the loan, even after the deadline. Tiffany Vause, spokeswoman for Florida Department of Economic Opportunity said, “We’re going to help them pay that loan back. We’re gonna work with them if we have to do installments or however we need to work with them to get that loan back, nobody’s going to be left out to dry. The high interest rate is meant to deter businesses from taking advantage of public funds. “We want to make sure we’re spending these dollars in the best interest of the taxpayer dollars while helping businesses get back on their feet,” Vause added. Governor Scott is also asking the SBA to help with lower-interest rates.