Fifth Third Bank branch to be built on former SunTrust Punta Gorda siteGov. DeSantis signs tax relief package for Floridians
Fifth Third Bank branch to be built on former SunTrust Punta Gorda site According to project plans sent to the city, the current building will be demolished, and a single-story Fifth Third Bank branch will stand in its place. Assuming approval, the branch is expected to open in the second half of 2025, a banks spokesperson said.
WINK NEWS Gov. DeSantis signs tax relief package for Floridians Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has renewed the Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday among other tax-free incentives for Floridians.
Fort Myers debates future of police review board A new law signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will change oversight with local police departments and the citizens they protect.
NORTH FORT MYERS Van catches fire after crash with trailer in North Fort Myers Several crews are responding to a crash that involved a work van and a truck pulling a trailer in North Fort Myers this morning.
CAPE CORAL 2nd teen accused in Kayla Rincon-Miller murder case to appear in court A 16-year-old is facing adult charges for his alleged role in the murder of 15-year-old Kayla Rincon-Miller.
the weather authority Hotter and drier day ahead with isolated storms staying inland The Weather Authority is tracking a hot and dry Tuesday morning with inland isolated storms expected in the afternoon.
WINK News Lee County School Board to hold a transportation workshop With one month left for the academic year, parents’ concerns have turned to frustration as buses struggle to get kids to and from school.
Readying for hurricane season with Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Hurricane season is rapidly approaching as Floridians prep for potential storms with the upcoming Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday.
NAPLES Increasing amount of homeless seniors in SWFL Saint Matthew House told Wink News that 20% of the people they shelter are over 60 years old.
NAPLES Man suspected of threatening pickelballers with machete A man has been arrested after authorities said he chased a group of pickleball players off a Naples court.
NAPLES Turtle Club in Naples reopens Following a 19-month closure because of Hurricane Ian, the Turtle Club has reopened.
FORT MYERS BEACH Hurricane season preparations at Lee County construction sites Many already know the drill when hurricane season is around the corner.
SANIBEL Bones found on Sanibel concern beachgoers A husband and wife found what appeared to be bones. What type and where they came from is being investigated.
FGCU FGCU president reflects on first year with graduating class Alico Arena was packed this weekend as Florida Gulf Coast University graduated 1,900 students in four ceremonies.
Reverse shoulder replacement offers new approach to pain management Shoulder replacement is the third most common replacement in the US, following hip and knee replacement.
Fifth Third Bank branch to be built on former SunTrust Punta Gorda site According to project plans sent to the city, the current building will be demolished, and a single-story Fifth Third Bank branch will stand in its place. Assuming approval, the branch is expected to open in the second half of 2025, a banks spokesperson said.
WINK NEWS Gov. DeSantis signs tax relief package for Floridians Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has renewed the Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday among other tax-free incentives for Floridians.
Fort Myers debates future of police review board A new law signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will change oversight with local police departments and the citizens they protect.
NORTH FORT MYERS Van catches fire after crash with trailer in North Fort Myers Several crews are responding to a crash that involved a work van and a truck pulling a trailer in North Fort Myers this morning.
CAPE CORAL 2nd teen accused in Kayla Rincon-Miller murder case to appear in court A 16-year-old is facing adult charges for his alleged role in the murder of 15-year-old Kayla Rincon-Miller.
the weather authority Hotter and drier day ahead with isolated storms staying inland The Weather Authority is tracking a hot and dry Tuesday morning with inland isolated storms expected in the afternoon.
WINK News Lee County School Board to hold a transportation workshop With one month left for the academic year, parents’ concerns have turned to frustration as buses struggle to get kids to and from school.
Readying for hurricane season with Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Hurricane season is rapidly approaching as Floridians prep for potential storms with the upcoming Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday.
NAPLES Increasing amount of homeless seniors in SWFL Saint Matthew House told Wink News that 20% of the people they shelter are over 60 years old.
NAPLES Man suspected of threatening pickelballers with machete A man has been arrested after authorities said he chased a group of pickleball players off a Naples court.
NAPLES Turtle Club in Naples reopens Following a 19-month closure because of Hurricane Ian, the Turtle Club has reopened.
FORT MYERS BEACH Hurricane season preparations at Lee County construction sites Many already know the drill when hurricane season is around the corner.
SANIBEL Bones found on Sanibel concern beachgoers A husband and wife found what appeared to be bones. What type and where they came from is being investigated.
FGCU FGCU president reflects on first year with graduating class Alico Arena was packed this weekend as Florida Gulf Coast University graduated 1,900 students in four ceremonies.
Reverse shoulder replacement offers new approach to pain management Shoulder replacement is the third most common replacement in the US, following hip and knee replacement.
Police officers patrol a street during a power outage in Oakland, California. **Credit: Ray Chavez/San Jose Mercury News via AP** When the power went out for almost 800,000 Californians this week to prevent wildfires, it was not the first time. And many are left wondering whether it will be the last. Pacific Gas and Electric Company cut electricity in parts of northern California on Wednesday to lower the risk of the company’s equipment starting a wildfire, a tactic it warned residents about in February. The company said 98% had power restored by 10:30 p.m. local time Friday. But the week’s changes, following another preventative power outage just last month, have brought outrage and upheaval. And officials say this could become California’s “new abnormal,” as the state sees especially dry and windy conditions. What a ‘new abnormal’ looks like The power outages Californians may have to prepare for in the future have affected education, business and everyday life. The outage has racked up a bill of at least half a million dollars for the city of San Jose, where Mayor Sam Liccardo warned residents to make emergency kits and shelter in place as the loss of power put some traffic lights out. Residents stocked up on water and waited in long lines to fill up on gas before the shortage. Without power, classes were canceled at UC Berkeley Friday, and faculty and staff were told to stay away from campus, according to a statement from the university. Both homes and businesses scrambled to salvage their sustenance and their incomes. One woman, who had previously lost her home in a fire, drove a half-hour to a relative’s home to store the contents of her refrigerator when she got word that she would lose power. Business owners, like restaurateur Linda Lokey, say they have lost as much as tens of thousands of dollars in business and wasted supplies. “For mom and pops like us and all the businesses here, this can be very devastating and catastrophic for our business to recover from,” Lokey told CNN affiliate KTXL. A fire season on the rise During the state’s fire season, high winds and dry conditions fuel the massive flames. And as the climate in the region changes, so does the intensity of California’s fires, according to CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford. Since the 1970s, he said, California wildfires have increased in size by eight times, and the annual area burned by fires has increased by nearly 500%. As the environment changes, PG&E’s Sumeet Singh told reporters Wednesday that “dealing with wildfires is the new abnormal within California.” Those words echo what former Gov. Jerry Brown said during last year’s Camp Fire — the deadliest in the state’s history. “This is not the new normal, this is the new abnormal,” Brown said at the time. “The chickens are coming home to roost, this is real here.” Re-inspect, repair or shutdown PG&E has said that it’s “probable” that the company’s equipment started the Camp Fire when a powerline touched nearby trees. The fire left 85 dead. In September, the company reached an $11 billion settlement with insurance companies for claims stemming from the Campfire and 2017 fires in the region. The fires and an earlier explosion of a gas pipeline led to a federal case against PG&E, which brought new requirements for the company. The judgement ordered that the company’s electrical grid be re-inspected. The areas deemed to be unsafe were to be documented and addressed. But if the weather reached fire risky conditions, those areas marked still unsafe and unattended to could have power shut off. “Reliability is important but safety must come first. Profits are important but safety must come first,” the court’s 2019 order said. As the dry winds increased, the company shut off power to areas that were marked unsafe. “We faced a choice between hardship or safety, and we chose safety,” said Michael Lewis, senior vice president of PG&E’s electric operations. “We deeply apologize for the inconvenience and the hardship, but we stand by the decision because the safety of our customers and communities must come first.” But many, like Gov. Gavin Newsom, see the shutdown as a way to avoid the cost of repairing and updating the company’s equipment. “Turning off the power to hundreds of thousands of businesses, public facilities and homes during high wind events may be necessary at the moment, but it cannot be allowed to become the new normal. It’s not a sustainable, long-term solution for any community,” Congresswoman Jackie Speier posted on Facebook. Members of the public have lashed out. PG&E said its Oroville office was egged, and California Highway Patrol reported that someone had fired a bullet into one of the company’s vehicles Tuesday. “We really want to put pressure on PG&E to make investments on their infrastructure to make it safe and reliable so they won’t have to shut down when there are weather events,” San Jose Deputy City Manager Kip Harkness said.