NAPLES Collier County nearly doubles tourism budget On Tuesday, Collier County Commissioners approved a nearly $12 million budget for a tourism marketing campaign.
David Wasson: the voice of Southwest Florida sports If you’re craving more Southwest Florida sports than you get here on WINK, a local sports talk radio host has your fix.
Florida policyholders urged to contact OIR if policies are canceled or nonrenewed If your insurance has been canceled or is not being renewed due to this year’s storms, the state of Florida wants you to reach out to the Office of Insurance Regulation.
BAREFOOT BEACH Woman thinks QR code got hacked A Fort Myers woman says a fraudulent QR code at Barefoot Beach caused her credit card to be hacked. She’s on a mission to warn others.
CAPE CORAL Sticker shock: Cape Coral residents hit with unexpected property tax hikes This is the time of year when people start paying their property taxes, but what happens when you get your bill and it’s more than you expected?
SANIBEL Sanibel workshop teaches residents benefits of elevating homes and businesses With each hurricane that brings damage to our area, many people rush to be more resilient. On Sanibel, more than 300 people have RSVP’d to learn about raising their homes and businesses.
SANIBEL Sanibel Causeway construction causing confusion and costing local business Repairing the Sanibel Causeway after recent storms has caused more than just traffic back-ups.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Speakeasy in downtown Fort Myers honors local historic figures Everything inside the Escondido Lounge whispers an authentic speakeasy, from the dim red lights to the fancy vintage glasses.
ESTERO Caught on camera: Man steals money from tip jar in Estero A business manager feels violated after a man took money from a tip jar on Tuesday.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral ranked 13th for establishing small businesses A blog set out to find the top U.S. cities where aspiring business owners can thrive in 2024, Cape Coral was named 13th.
NAPLES Minimally invasive balloon procedure for sinus issues Battling a sinus infection is bad enough, but contending with chronic sinus infections can be a real problem.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024.
ESTERO Car crashes into restaurant window in Gulf Coast Town Center Authorities are investigating after an SUV crashed into a restaurant at the Gulf Coast Town Center in Estero.
WEST PALM BEACH Trump picks Sen. Marco Rubio as his Secretary of State President-elect Donald Trump named Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as his nominee for secretary of state on Wednesday.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres man arrested in connection to cockfighting A Lehigh Acres man has been arrested after deputies found he was running a cockfighting ring near his home.
NAPLES Collier County nearly doubles tourism budget On Tuesday, Collier County Commissioners approved a nearly $12 million budget for a tourism marketing campaign.
David Wasson: the voice of Southwest Florida sports If you’re craving more Southwest Florida sports than you get here on WINK, a local sports talk radio host has your fix.
Florida policyholders urged to contact OIR if policies are canceled or nonrenewed If your insurance has been canceled or is not being renewed due to this year’s storms, the state of Florida wants you to reach out to the Office of Insurance Regulation.
BAREFOOT BEACH Woman thinks QR code got hacked A Fort Myers woman says a fraudulent QR code at Barefoot Beach caused her credit card to be hacked. She’s on a mission to warn others.
CAPE CORAL Sticker shock: Cape Coral residents hit with unexpected property tax hikes This is the time of year when people start paying their property taxes, but what happens when you get your bill and it’s more than you expected?
SANIBEL Sanibel workshop teaches residents benefits of elevating homes and businesses With each hurricane that brings damage to our area, many people rush to be more resilient. On Sanibel, more than 300 people have RSVP’d to learn about raising their homes and businesses.
SANIBEL Sanibel Causeway construction causing confusion and costing local business Repairing the Sanibel Causeway after recent storms has caused more than just traffic back-ups.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Speakeasy in downtown Fort Myers honors local historic figures Everything inside the Escondido Lounge whispers an authentic speakeasy, from the dim red lights to the fancy vintage glasses.
ESTERO Caught on camera: Man steals money from tip jar in Estero A business manager feels violated after a man took money from a tip jar on Tuesday.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral ranked 13th for establishing small businesses A blog set out to find the top U.S. cities where aspiring business owners can thrive in 2024, Cape Coral was named 13th.
NAPLES Minimally invasive balloon procedure for sinus issues Battling a sinus infection is bad enough, but contending with chronic sinus infections can be a real problem.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for November 13, 2024.
ESTERO Car crashes into restaurant window in Gulf Coast Town Center Authorities are investigating after an SUV crashed into a restaurant at the Gulf Coast Town Center in Estero.
WEST PALM BEACH Trump picks Sen. Marco Rubio as his Secretary of State President-elect Donald Trump named Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as his nominee for secretary of state on Wednesday.
LEHIGH ACRES Lehigh Acres man arrested in connection to cockfighting A Lehigh Acres man has been arrested after deputies found he was running a cockfighting ring near his home.
Jay Rodriguez (Photo Credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office) A Fort Myers police captain filed a not guilty plea Thursday amid suspicions he took part in sex acts while on duty. This comes after he was arrested Tuesday for those accusations, and the police department placed him on unpaid leave. He also announced his retirement. Capt. Jay Rodriguez of Fort Myers Police Department sent a letter his supervisors stating he will retire, effective next Wednesday. The letter is dated one day before FDLE arrested him. But his pension could get revoked if he is convicted with a felony. Florida Statute 112.3173 states any public officer convicted of a felony that breaches “public trust” forfeits their retirement benefits. WINK News spoke over the phone with the attorney for the board of trustees that handles Fort Myers police officers’ retirement, Scott Christiansen. He said Rodriguez is still entitled to the money he put in during his more than 20 years of service. That means Rodriguez will start collecting pension checks on October 1. However, if he is convicted of a felony, the board would have to revoke all other retirement benefits collected during his employment, such as any return on investments or contributions from the city or state. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Rodriguez after video of an undercover prostitution sting in 2013 surfaced online in February of this year. That led to accusations that he took part in a sex act with a massage parlor worker, and then lying in the police report and again under oath. Rodriguez faces charges of official misconduct and perjury, both third-degree felonies, as well as a misdemeanor for soliciting prostitution. If his charges are dropped or reduced to misdemeanors, his pension is not at stake. MORE: FDLE arrests Fort Myers police captain for prostitution, official misconduct and perjury At least one other officer knew about undercover video in J. Rodriguez case