State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee CountyMigrants entering Florida under controversial parole program
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
Hurricane season is one month away The outlook for the 2024 Hurricane Season is for it be active, potentially even hyperactive.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead after crash on SR 31 and Busbee Rd. in North Fort Myers At around noon Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol said a PT Cruiser and a car hauler collided on State Road 31 and Busbee Road, near the Lee/Charlotte County line.
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for molesting Lee County child A Florida man will spend the next 25 years in prison for molesting a child in Lee County.
LEHIGH ACRES Man accused of using stolen credit card from car burglary at Lehigh Acres CVS Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man who allegedly used a stolen credit card at the CVS in Lehigh Acres.
ARCADIA Family of flea market murder victim struggles to find closure The family of a woman who was murdered at an Arcadia flea market continues to seek justice as the accused killer awaits trial.
NAPLES Naples man accused of possessing child porn After an investigation, a Naples man has been arrested after allegedly having child pornography in his home.
CAPE CORAL Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released New details have been released about the arrest of a Cape Coral volunteer softball coach accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
The Weather Authority Isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening Afternoon of isolated storms in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach to test hurricane emergency messaging alert The Town of Fort Myers Beach is set to test its CodeRED alert system as hurricane season begins in 31 days.
FORT MYERS Students make goodie bags for kids fighting Cancer A special delivery, straight from the heart, to Galisano’s Children’s Hospital. Three 8th graders from Lexington Middle School delivered 100 goodie bags to bring smiles to kids fighting cancer.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
Hurricane season is one month away The outlook for the 2024 Hurricane Season is for it be active, potentially even hyperactive.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead after crash on SR 31 and Busbee Rd. in North Fort Myers At around noon Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol said a PT Cruiser and a car hauler collided on State Road 31 and Busbee Road, near the Lee/Charlotte County line.
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for molesting Lee County child A Florida man will spend the next 25 years in prison for molesting a child in Lee County.
LEHIGH ACRES Man accused of using stolen credit card from car burglary at Lehigh Acres CVS Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man who allegedly used a stolen credit card at the CVS in Lehigh Acres.
ARCADIA Family of flea market murder victim struggles to find closure The family of a woman who was murdered at an Arcadia flea market continues to seek justice as the accused killer awaits trial.
NAPLES Naples man accused of possessing child porn After an investigation, a Naples man has been arrested after allegedly having child pornography in his home.
CAPE CORAL Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released New details have been released about the arrest of a Cape Coral volunteer softball coach accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
The Weather Authority Isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening Afternoon of isolated storms in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach to test hurricane emergency messaging alert The Town of Fort Myers Beach is set to test its CodeRED alert system as hurricane season begins in 31 days.
FORT MYERS Students make goodie bags for kids fighting Cancer A special delivery, straight from the heart, to Galisano’s Children’s Hospital. Three 8th graders from Lexington Middle School delivered 100 goodie bags to bring smiles to kids fighting cancer.
Credit: WINK News. Broken hockey sticks are most likely looked at as junk before they are looked at as tools to solve water quality and improve habitats. But that’s exactly the foundation for a project that began at FGCU years ago. And it’s a movement that groups in Southwest Florida have also taken part in. Rink2Reef assisted Naples Area Board of REALTORS (NABOR) during installation of an artificial reef in a waterway surrounding celebration Park in East Naples Saturday. “As a board, it not only affects our industry, but we live in the community,” said. “We don’t just sell here. We’re a part of it, so we want to make sure that we maintain clean water for generations to come as well,” said a member of NABOR. NABOR organized the installation event through the RINK2Reef program, an effort that combines FGCU, FGCU hockey and National Hockey League. These artificial reefs are assembled with used hockey sticks, providing home to oysters that filter water. Now the canal at Celebration Park will have healthier, better-filtered water. Broken hockey sticks are taken off the ice and assembled into artificial reefs, which are then brought to the water. The hockey sticks provide surfaces for oysters to attach and provide their natural filtration system. “If there are baby oysters floating around in the water, they now have a place to settle,” said Dr. Mike Parsons, an FGCU professor and director of the Vester Field station. “They can get established, grow, start filtering the water before it gets out to the gulf,” said Parsons. The natural water filters also help us with the water crisis related to red tide and nuisance algae. “They prevent the nutrients from getting out to red tide because they’re removing the algae before it gets out there, before it gets out to the gulf,” said. The project has allowed hockey players at FGCU to find a new purpose for their broken twigs. “We had hockey players that were just talking about, ‘Oh yeah oysters filter water, water quality is important, nutrients are important,” said. “And they’re not marine science majors; they’re not science majors.” The first reef from the batch that were constructed last month was installed at the event this weekend. Fifteen more oyster reefs from that batch will be installed in this waterway, and the project will continue to move forward in effort to restore oyster habitats, cleaning the water in the process. Rink2Reef is also receiving donations of broken hockey sticks from professional teams to help build more reefs for our local waters. “The idea is the more area you have, the more hard surfaces you have, the more oysters you can have and the more water gets clean,” Parsons said. Anywhere there is a dock, there is a home for a reef made of broken hockey sticks, program leaders said. Anyone who wants to get involved in Rink2Reef can do so either by organizing stick donations at rinks near them or starting their own chapter of the program. Dr. Parsons is passionate about this program and will help to make it successful. “I will personally come, help install it, and monitor it to be sure that oyster spat are actually attaching to it so they’ll be able to filter the water.” MORE: Rink2Reef – Hockey Sticks to Oyster Reefs Restoration Program