Dog alerts Lee County woman to home intruder The Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 22-year-old man for burglary and loitering after he broke into a woman’s home and stood inches away from her bed as she slept.
NAPLES Naples business owner accused of rape In 2023, 14,021 domestic violence 911 calls came into Collier County.
manasota key Charlotte County Commissioners vote ‘Yes’ to changes and redevelopment on Manasota Key The Charlotte County Commissioners voted to pass charges that residents on Manasota Key have been dreading.
The debate over fluoride in Florida’s water The water you drink and use to brush your teeth is fueling a community, state and national conversation.
SANIBEL Phase 2 of Sanibel Beach renourishment project set to begin Eric Jackson, Sanibel’s Public Information Officer, is encouraging residents and visitors to still come to the beach.
NAPLES Riding toward a brighter future for kids: The story of Bikes for Tykes For nearly four decades, Bikes for Tykes has been on a mission to give children and adults in need in Southwest Florida a chance to ride refurbished bicycles.
ENGLEWOOD SWFL agencies bring chaplains on staff to offer support to first responders First responders across the country face the devastating impact of suicide nationwide those numbers are rising.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County deputies arrest man for ATV and UTV thefts, fence destruction A North Fort Myers man has been arrested after allegedly stealing a four-wheeler, crashing it into a property fence, and later trying to flee on a second stolen vehicle.
‘I saw God twice:’ Boating accident survivor thanks Lee Health After surviving an unthinkable accident in Matlacha, one woman wants to thank the medical team that saved her.
MATLACHA Blue Dog restaurant in Matlacha thankful for decade of support The Blue Dog Bar & Grill in Matlacha has survived multiple hurricanes over the past decade. Now, they’re thanking the community for supporting them every step of the way.
NAPLES Nominee of Gulfshore Life Men and Women of the year volunteers for STARability Gulfshore Life has nominated Anne Fleming as one of its Men and Women of the Year for volunteering her time to raise money for a new home store for Starability.
WINK NEWS Holiday gift exchange scams targeting social media users During the holiday season, tidings of joy and goodwill can be shrouded by scammers seeking to take advantage of holiday shoppers.
New cancer fighting machinery arrives at Southwest Florida Proton All the pieces are in place now, but it will take about a year of calibrating and fine-tuning before the proton machine is up and running.
Federal investigation involving Sheriff Carmine Marceno and LCSO WINK News has exclusively obtained a letter warning ranking government leaders in Lee County that money trouble could be brewing within the sheriff’s office.
Alfie Oakes staves off farms foreclosure action Farm Credit of Florida has dropped its $2.78 million foreclosure lawsuit against Alfie Oakes after both parties reached an agreement.
Dog alerts Lee County woman to home intruder The Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 22-year-old man for burglary and loitering after he broke into a woman’s home and stood inches away from her bed as she slept.
NAPLES Naples business owner accused of rape In 2023, 14,021 domestic violence 911 calls came into Collier County.
manasota key Charlotte County Commissioners vote ‘Yes’ to changes and redevelopment on Manasota Key The Charlotte County Commissioners voted to pass charges that residents on Manasota Key have been dreading.
The debate over fluoride in Florida’s water The water you drink and use to brush your teeth is fueling a community, state and national conversation.
SANIBEL Phase 2 of Sanibel Beach renourishment project set to begin Eric Jackson, Sanibel’s Public Information Officer, is encouraging residents and visitors to still come to the beach.
NAPLES Riding toward a brighter future for kids: The story of Bikes for Tykes For nearly four decades, Bikes for Tykes has been on a mission to give children and adults in need in Southwest Florida a chance to ride refurbished bicycles.
ENGLEWOOD SWFL agencies bring chaplains on staff to offer support to first responders First responders across the country face the devastating impact of suicide nationwide those numbers are rising.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County deputies arrest man for ATV and UTV thefts, fence destruction A North Fort Myers man has been arrested after allegedly stealing a four-wheeler, crashing it into a property fence, and later trying to flee on a second stolen vehicle.
‘I saw God twice:’ Boating accident survivor thanks Lee Health After surviving an unthinkable accident in Matlacha, one woman wants to thank the medical team that saved her.
MATLACHA Blue Dog restaurant in Matlacha thankful for decade of support The Blue Dog Bar & Grill in Matlacha has survived multiple hurricanes over the past decade. Now, they’re thanking the community for supporting them every step of the way.
NAPLES Nominee of Gulfshore Life Men and Women of the year volunteers for STARability Gulfshore Life has nominated Anne Fleming as one of its Men and Women of the Year for volunteering her time to raise money for a new home store for Starability.
WINK NEWS Holiday gift exchange scams targeting social media users During the holiday season, tidings of joy and goodwill can be shrouded by scammers seeking to take advantage of holiday shoppers.
New cancer fighting machinery arrives at Southwest Florida Proton All the pieces are in place now, but it will take about a year of calibrating and fine-tuning before the proton machine is up and running.
Federal investigation involving Sheriff Carmine Marceno and LCSO WINK News has exclusively obtained a letter warning ranking government leaders in Lee County that money trouble could be brewing within the sheriff’s office.
Alfie Oakes staves off farms foreclosure action Farm Credit of Florida has dropped its $2.78 million foreclosure lawsuit against Alfie Oakes after both parties reached an agreement.
FILE – In this June 18, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump arrives to speak at his re-election kickoff rally at the Amway Center, in Orlando, Fla. Trump will speak in Florida at a rally on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) President Donald Trump is leaving Washington for the first time since House Democrats ramped up their impeachment inquiry and he’s heading straight into the warm embrace of a Republican stronghold. Trump is due to visit The Villages, a sprawling retirement hub about an hour north of Orlando that is a must-stop for GOP candidates. The president plans to announce an executive order to protect Medicare and address an invitation-only group during his visit Thursday. Support for Trump appears to be holding firm in Florida, the largest swing state in the 2020 election with 29 electoral votes that are crucial for the president’s reelection. Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican Party of Florida sent out a fundraising email in which it promised to put all donations into a newly established “Presidential Protection Fund.” Chairman Joe Gruters, a state senator who served as co-chair of Trump’s 2016 Florida campaign, said response to the email has been “great,” but he said he didn’t know how much money had been raised. “When I served in Congress, I fought back against the Democrats’ witch hunts every single day,” DeSantis wrote in the email. “I REFUSED to let them overturn the 2016 election and erase your vote from history. Now that Democrats are officially moving to impeach our duly elected president, my duty to protect him isn’t over. I want the President to know that we have his back in this fight 100%.” DeSantis credits Trump for helping him win office in November, and it was the president who appointed Peter O’Rourke, a candidate the governor backed, as the new executive director of the state Republican party after several months of instability. “The party’s moving forward,” Gruters said. “We’re united: the president, the governor and myself. … We are firing on all cylinders.” As for the impeachment inquiry, Gruters said it will only drive up turnout for Trump among the GOP base. “The president has been under siege non-stop … since he won the election,” he said, adding that Democrats “don’t have a candidate that can win and they’re not right on the issues, so the only thing they can do is try to discredit the president.” More than 120,000 people live in The Villages, which is 55 percent Republican. The community is mostly located in Sumter County, which supported Trump with 68% of the vote in 2016, compared to 49% statewide. The White House hand-picked each of the approximately 1,000 guests from a list provided to them by local GOP elected officials and party leaders, said county party chairman John Temple. “The strongest support for Trump in Florida, arguably, is in The Villages,” said University of Florida political science professor Dan Smith, who agreed that the impeachment inquiry would only strengthen that support. Retiree and Villages resident Paula Bedner, a Republican who didn’t get an invitation to Thursday’s event, said she and others “are madder than ever because it’s like, ‘Enough of this nonsense.’” Democratic strategist Steve Schale, who ran former President Barack Obama’s 2008 Florida campaign and was a top Florida adviser for Obama’s 2012 reelection, said it makes sense for Trump to visit The Villages during the impeachment inquiry. “It’s very hard to see a scenario where he would lose Florida and win the presidency,” Schale said. “He’s going to a friendly crowd. There aren’t going to be any detractors.” Thursday will mark Trump’s ninth visit to Florida this year. Most of his trips have been to his Mar-a-Lago resort, but he’s also had rallies in Orlando and Panama City Beach; official visits to Miami to address Venezuelan expatriates; and Lake Okeechobee to tour a waterways project. Florida is by far Trump’s favorite state for rallies before appreciative crowds: He’s held seven here since taking office _ far more than in any other state. In contrast to harsh criticism of the impeachment inquiry from many Florida Republicans, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has taken a more measured approach on the issue. Rubio told Fox News on Wednesday that he doesn’t think Trump should have brought up Biden with the Ukraine government, but on Twitter he said there shouldn’t be a rush to judgment. “Avoid hysteria, red herrings & straw men. … Learn the facts BEFORE forming opinions,” Rubio tweeted. Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott was more pointed in his remarks, ridiculing Democrats for focusing on the inquiry instead of other issues facing the country. “The Democrats, if Trump changes shoes, that must be an impeachable offense,” Scott said on Fox News last week. “I mean, every day it’s just, ‘Impeach him!’” ___ Associated Press reporter Mike Schneider in Orlando contributed to this report.