Tim Tebow speaks at the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer BreakfastFort Myers City Council to provide update on Fowler Street construction project
FORT MYERS Tim Tebow speaks at the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast Former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow took the stage at Hammond Stadium for the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council to provide update on Fowler Street construction project The Fort Myers City Council is set to provide an update on the progress of the Fowler Street intersection project.
the weather authority Hot and humid Thursday before evening isolated storms impact coastal communities The Weather Authority is tracking a humid Thursday morning with high afternoon temperatures and evening coastal isolated storms.
Jacksonville Gov. DeSantis to hold a news conference in Jacksonville Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Jacksonville.
FORT MYERS BEACH Sea turtle nesting season begins in Fort Myers Beach Sea turtle nesting season has officially begun, and the FWC wants to remind visitors about the fragility of the young reptiles.
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
FORT MYERS Tim Tebow speaks at the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast Former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow took the stage at Hammond Stadium for the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council to provide update on Fowler Street construction project The Fort Myers City Council is set to provide an update on the progress of the Fowler Street intersection project.
the weather authority Hot and humid Thursday before evening isolated storms impact coastal communities The Weather Authority is tracking a humid Thursday morning with high afternoon temperatures and evening coastal isolated storms.
Jacksonville Gov. DeSantis to hold a news conference in Jacksonville Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Jacksonville.
FORT MYERS BEACH Sea turtle nesting season begins in Fort Myers Beach Sea turtle nesting season has officially begun, and the FWC wants to remind visitors about the fragility of the young reptiles.
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
The blue-green algae and red tide crisis has taken over Southwest Florida. Many have looked to the federal and state governments for help, but some take it upon themselves to make a change and ask the public for financial support. GoFundMe accounts and fundraisers have collected thousands of dollars on behalf of John Heim’s South Florida Clean Water Movement. But it now raises the question: How does a local activist who says he’s trying to spread awareness of our water emergency spend these donations? “My work and transparency that I’m built on stands for itself,” Heim said. Heim is well known for his efforts raising awareness of the water crisis in Southwest Florida. He’s organized fundraisers and made speeches in Southwest Florida and Washington, D.C. People don’t question his passion and motives, but some do question how he’s spending your donated dollars. “It’s for testing water, we’re donating to the Calusa Waterkeeper for testing that’s what that money goes for. I’m going around the state to give speeches that’s what that money goes towards,” Heim said. Just two weeks ago, Millennial Brewing Company in Fort Myers teamed up with Heim for a fundraiser benefiting his efforts. They’re also passionate about helping our community fight this water crisis. “It’s important and it’s something I need to focus we’ve been doing as much as we can to help the organization’s that are legitimately trying to help and do what they can do,” said owner Kyle Cebull. But Cebull had concerns about the South Florida Clean Water Movement. “We went and did our homework to make sure everything was on the up and up and found that it wasn’t registered or anything with the state,” Cebull said. Cebull discovered after the fundraiser that Heim’s group isn’t a registered business or charity, WINK News confirmed that with the state, who added that the South Florida Clean Water Movement is in violation of state compliance because they must be registered in order to solicit funds. “I run a community-based organization that is not affiliated with a 501(c) 3 or 4,” Heim said. WINK News learned in 2017, Heim had a registered charitable organization license as Southwest Florida Clean Water Movement, but let it expire last January. “Just like always the water cleared up and the problem went away so we dissolved the operation then, on the terms of our own personal decisions,” Heim said. GoFundMe and a Facebook fundraiser are currently collecting money for the South Florida Clean Water Movement. Heim says he continuously donates that money to the Calusa Waterkeeper. “The Calusa Waterkeeper works hand-in-hand with the South Florida clean water movement,” Heim said. In fact, the Calusa Waterkeeper, a registered non-profit, sent WINK News a statement: “While we encourage the sincere efforts of other advocacy groups, Calusa Waterkeeper does not have a partnership relationship with the South Florida Clean Water Movement.” They went on saying, “Mr. Heim recently contributed $700 and he did offer more money, but we did not take him up on his offer. Heim says of the thousands raised online, Heim only donated $700 of that to the Calusa Waterkeeper, so we pressed him on how he spent the other donations. “I am fighting for the water as one guy who has managed to do it for 25 years on his own dime basically,” Heim said. “Your own dime or the thousands of dollars you have been given?” asked WINK News reporter Brendon Leslie. “You must be out of your mind,” Heim said. “It’s a valid question you’re not showing me the receipts so I don’t know if you’re actually using it,” Leslie said. “You don’t have to have the receipts you’re not a legal entity,” Heim said. Heim did say his accountant holds onto all his receipts. He refused to show WINK News anything, leaving some still wondering how Heim and the South Florida Clean Water Movement spend your donations. “The people that would add these accusations are the ignorant people that have no idea what they’re talking about, what it takes to actually make change in this community for clean water, so I would tell them both I dare them to walk in my shoes for a minute,” Heim said. WINK News reached out to Heim Friday after the state said he’s not in compliance, but he has yet to respond. Heim and the South Florida Clean Water Movement have many supporters and continue to shine a light on the water crisis.