Exclusive: Charlotte County Sheriff speaks out on federal immigration lawsTrooper’s Law: Protecting pets during natural disasters
Exclusive: Charlotte County Sheriff speaks out on federal immigration laws The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office made it clear that it will follow any state or federal immigration laws.
Trooper’s Law: Protecting pets during natural disasters Seeing a dog with a wagging tail will make just about anybody smile, but this pup named Trooper wasn’t always so carefree.
FORT MYERS Gov. DeSantis holds roundtable in Fort Myers Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a roundtable discussion in Fort Myers.
Immigration order prompts concern among Lee County parents Lee County parents are preparing for potential impacts on local schools following President Trump’s executive order on immigration.
Sarasota’s Mote Marine unveils tech to fight harmful red tide blooms Researchers showcased innovative tools to combat red tide at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota. These advancements aim to address the harmful algal blooms affecting Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers community voices concerns over possible Verizon pole Verizon plans to install a 47-foot pole at the intersection of McGregor Boulevard and Clifford Street sparking concern amongst residents.
PORT CHARLOTTE Family of Charlotte County shooting victim speaks out A family in Port Charlotte is grappling with tragedy after deputies say Jhesandra Prestol was shot and killed by her husband, Rogelio Prestol.
The Tale of Toot: A stuffed animal rescue at RSW A missing stuffed animal sparked an unusual rescue mission at Southwest Florida International Airport.
FGCU FGCU pitcher shares his passion for photography FGCU pitcher Chase Kriebel developed a passion for photography while he recovered from Tommy John surgery in high school.
NORTH FORT MYERS Law enforcement raids home in North Fort Myers Law enforcement conducted a raid on Wednesday at a home on Everson Miles Circle in North Fort Myers.
New school times in Lee County may ease bus driver shortage The Lee County School Board proposed a plan to address its bus driver shortage by adjusting school start and end times.
Lee County Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for January 29, 2025 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for January 25.
Lehigh Acres American flag recovered, returned after fire at Christ at the Crossroads Church From the flames of ruin comes hope as the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District returns a valuable item to Christ at the Crossroads Church.
Barnes & Noble launches new bookstore in Naples Finding it worth the wait, scores of patrons stood in line to be among the first to experience Naples’ new Barnes & Noble bookstore Jan. 29, six months after the chain closed its longtime store at Waterside Shops.
Trump administration offering “deferred resignation” to government workers unwilling to return to office The White House expects up to 10% of federal employees to quit in September in a program meant to end work-from-home practices, senior administration officials told CBS News.
Exclusive: Charlotte County Sheriff speaks out on federal immigration laws The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office made it clear that it will follow any state or federal immigration laws.
Trooper’s Law: Protecting pets during natural disasters Seeing a dog with a wagging tail will make just about anybody smile, but this pup named Trooper wasn’t always so carefree.
FORT MYERS Gov. DeSantis holds roundtable in Fort Myers Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a roundtable discussion in Fort Myers.
Immigration order prompts concern among Lee County parents Lee County parents are preparing for potential impacts on local schools following President Trump’s executive order on immigration.
Sarasota’s Mote Marine unveils tech to fight harmful red tide blooms Researchers showcased innovative tools to combat red tide at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota. These advancements aim to address the harmful algal blooms affecting Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers community voices concerns over possible Verizon pole Verizon plans to install a 47-foot pole at the intersection of McGregor Boulevard and Clifford Street sparking concern amongst residents.
PORT CHARLOTTE Family of Charlotte County shooting victim speaks out A family in Port Charlotte is grappling with tragedy after deputies say Jhesandra Prestol was shot and killed by her husband, Rogelio Prestol.
The Tale of Toot: A stuffed animal rescue at RSW A missing stuffed animal sparked an unusual rescue mission at Southwest Florida International Airport.
FGCU FGCU pitcher shares his passion for photography FGCU pitcher Chase Kriebel developed a passion for photography while he recovered from Tommy John surgery in high school.
NORTH FORT MYERS Law enforcement raids home in North Fort Myers Law enforcement conducted a raid on Wednesday at a home on Everson Miles Circle in North Fort Myers.
New school times in Lee County may ease bus driver shortage The Lee County School Board proposed a plan to address its bus driver shortage by adjusting school start and end times.
Lee County Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for January 29, 2025 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for January 25.
Lehigh Acres American flag recovered, returned after fire at Christ at the Crossroads Church From the flames of ruin comes hope as the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District returns a valuable item to Christ at the Crossroads Church.
Barnes & Noble launches new bookstore in Naples Finding it worth the wait, scores of patrons stood in line to be among the first to experience Naples’ new Barnes & Noble bookstore Jan. 29, six months after the chain closed its longtime store at Waterside Shops.
Trump administration offering “deferred resignation” to government workers unwilling to return to office The White House expects up to 10% of federal employees to quit in September in a program meant to end work-from-home practices, senior administration officials told CBS News.
House with hurricane protection on the garage. (Credit: WINK News) Jan Haley lives in South Fort Myers for the landscape and lifestyle. “I love the weather, I love the beautiful flowers,” Haley said. But she knows with the tropical climate, comes hurricanes. That’s why replacing her broken hurricane shutter was important. She said she called FLA Hurricane Protection LLC to do the job. “They came out and… [I] decided to go with the bi-fold shutter,” Haley said. Haley showed us a payment to owner Devin Dobbins for $900 or fifty percent of the job. But, Dobbins didn’t deliver. Haley says she called and texted him, but excuses were the only thing she got. “I tried taking care of it myself,” Haley said. “But I’m very happy that you guys [WINK News] are helping out.” To to install hurricane shutters, a person either needs to be the homeowner with the proper permits and drawings, or have a license, which Dobbins doesn’t have. The “license” number he displayed on his business card is an identification number related to his LLC or business filing. This information does not indicate whether or not someone is qualified to do a job. Through court records, we found two other people who shared a similar experience to Haley. They’ve both filed civil lawsuits with claims totaling $4,785.00; one is pending and one has a judgment against Dobbins. While Dobbins refused an on-camera interview, he told us over the phone that he made a mistake and that he’s sorry. He added that Haley will get her check the last week of August, and the other two people will receive their money via monthly installments. WINK News will provide an update if that happens. “If the storms come – I’ll need it [the money],” Haley said. Where to find the information Before hiring someone, consumers should find out if the person needs a license to do the job and who licenses them. Some are issued at the state level, while others can be certified locally. When it comes to hurricane shutters, it can be both. For example, Collier County told WINK that a variety of licenses would qualify someone to do this line of work. They include a general contractor, building contractor, residential contractor, aluminum or aluminum specialty contractor and a hurricane shutter/ awning contractor. In Charlotte County, the licenses that can pull this type of permit include a certified building, certified general, certified residential, certified specialty structure, registered building, registered general, registered residential and local aluminium. To verify a state contractor, you can search for a licensee on The Department of Business and Professional Regulation site. Closed complaint information may also be posted here. To verify a local contractor, you can either call the city or county office, or search online. Lee County Contractor Licensing 239-533-8895 contractorlicensing@leegov.com Charlotte County Contractor Licensing 941-743-1201 ContractorLicensing@CharlotteCountyFL.gov Collier County Contractor Licensing (239) 252-2431 contractorslicensing@colliercountyfl.gov Cape Coral Contractor Licensing (239) 574-0430 licensing@capecoral.net Lawsuits, like the ones WINK found, can be looked up on the county clerk of court web sites: Lee County; Collier County; and Charlotte County.