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 arrested 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.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
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 arrested 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.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
Credit: via WINK News. More than 2 million people in Florida with diabetes need insulin to survive. And they are all seeing a rise in the price of something they depend on daily. Recent laws have passed in other states that puts a cap on the price of insulin, so we looked at why prices are allowed to increase in the Sunshine State. We spoke to founders Joe and Tami Balvage of Help a Diabetic Child Foundation in Collier County Thursday, and they say a similar law is needed to control the rising prices of insulin in the state. Colorado recently passed into law a cap on insulin costs, ensuring people with diabetes there won’t pay more than $100 a month for the drug. And the Balvages are pushing for something similar to happen in Florida. Their son was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 16 years old in 2010, and it eventually motivated them to form their foundation. “Will he be able to handle it on his own,” Tami said of her son. “That financial burden of just keeping himself alive?” Tami asks herself this question frequently, imagining the worst that could happen to their family, as they are forced to cover any and all costs to continuing providing insulin for their son no matter what. “When our son was diagnosed, a vial of insulin was over $100,” Balvage said. “And today a vial is over $300 on average.” “It’s a vicious cycle,” Joe said. “And, right now, it’s an incurable disease. It’s lifelong; it’s incessant; and it doesn’t give you a day off.” The Balvage family is among the millions of people throughout the country who have to plan their lives, days and month in advance due to skyrocketing insulin prices. “We know what it’s like when you have a child that’s first diagnosed,” Tami said. “And you get those bills, and we have insurance. And you see how much it costs to get your child out of the hospital.” Joe and Tami hope Florida lawmakers can follow Colorado’s lead and cap out-of-pocket co-pays for diabetics at $100, the rest funded by insurance and/or government coverage. Dr. David Wagner, an associate professor at the University of Colorado, was instrumental in Colorado, pushing for legislation to be passed. He works alongside Tami and Joe at their foundation in Collier County. “It’s incredibly frustrating that it’s taken this long,” Wagner said. “And I’m proud of my state that we’ve done this.” Wagner is a strong believer in the law that passed in Colorado and believes in how it will affect those who pay the year-round costs of insulin. “One hundred dollars is still a lot of money for a lot of people,” Wagner said. “But hundreds of dollars verses thousands of dollars, that’s a really big difference.” And the Balvages hope Florida lawmakers hear their pleas to help all diabetics in the state toward a more flexible insulin cost and lifestyle. “It’s just amazing — even the glucagon emergency pen, the increase in that,” Tami said. “And a lot of families are struggling just to get that. It’s over $300, so it’s a very costly disease.”