Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the legCaught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
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.”