Trumparilla Boat Parade kicks off in Fort MyersThe Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropics
FORT MYERS Trumparilla Boat Parade kicks off in Fort Myers The Lee County GOP is hosting the Trumparilla Boat Parade in support of the Republican nominee.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropics Get ready for a typical Southwest Florida weekend. It’s going to feel like the triple digits before rain rolls in and we’re watching the tropics.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner charged for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
FORT MYERS Trumparilla Boat Parade kicks off in Fort Myers The Lee County GOP is hosting the Trumparilla Boat Parade in support of the Republican nominee.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropics Get ready for a typical Southwest Florida weekend. It’s going to feel like the triple digits before rain rolls in and we’re watching the tropics.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner charged for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
Law enforcement swarm the scene in Collier County. (Credit: WINK News) An active shooter false alarm draws a massive law enforcement response. Deputies and the SWAT team swarmed the David Lawrence Center in Collier County Tuesday afternoon. Employees at the David Lawrence Center called 911 after a computerized active shooter alert. Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said the active shooter alarm that many businesses, commercial enterprises and schools can be triggered by any person in the system. Then, the rest of the campus can be alerted within seconds to a potential problem. Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk talks to WINK News at the scene of the false active shooter Tuesday afternoon in the video above. In large numbers, investigators went to the adult outpatient building. That is when Scott Burgess, CEO and president of the David Lawrence Center, said training kicked in. “We always felt safe and secure,” Burgess said. “We couldn’t be more thankful. It really is to the credit of the sheriff and the training that they do. And in addition, we take these things seriously like many people in this country nowadays.” The sheriff’s office said the caller did not hear or see anything suspicious but felt it was their duty to call. Rich Kolko, WINK News safety and security specialist, said people in the facilities, schools and stores must know what to do when there is a problem. “If there’s an active shooter, might be a fight, fire, flood,” Kolko said. “There might be a reason to exit there and have an exit strategy in place.” Sheriff Rambosk told us the critical part of the investigation is figuring out what exactly triggered the alert system. He said they would not rule anything out. “She cried. It was scary.” The evacuations and calls put many families in panic. Deputies moved people from the David Lawrence Center to a nearby church. A sigh of relief, a blessing, are words used to describe the ending to a chaotic day. The hours of not knowing if they were safe left everyone inside the David Lawrence Center scared and confused. This includes Julie Diehl, who was not sure what was happening. “One of my friends called me she told me do not leave there’s an active shooting situation,” Diehl said. “So I notified the girls upfront. I said we’re going in lock down, close the blinds, shut the doors and get in the hall.” Diehl, who works on the campus, said their training quickly kicked in. “We didn’t freak out; we went into action,” Diel said. “What we did it’s amazing, you know? When you have to you dig deep and do what you’re taught.” WINK News spoke to one employee who was also evacuated to a nearby church, who said it was nerve-wracking to be in that situation. “They were going through rooms and escorting staff and clients out one by one,” said Debora Cruz, who was on the phone from inside the church. Her mother waited outside and talked her through it. “She cried,” Graciela Cruz said. “She cried. It was scary.” Everyone was just glad the response was quick and authorities did not find an active shooter, including Diehl, who said there is no way to measure her gratitude. “I’m going to get teary-eyed right now,” Diehl said.