The Naples Zoo: “We are happy to report all animals are safe and secure.”Milton leaves the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation HQ surrounded by water
The Naples Zoo: “We are happy to report all animals are safe and secure.” Some good news after Hurricane Milton: the Naples Zoo animals are safe and sound. “Our ride-out team is safe, and we are happy to report that all the animals are safe and secure,” the Naples Zoo said in a Facebook post. “We thank you all for your support and are grateful to our staff who […]
SANIBEL Milton leaves the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation HQ surrounded by water Staff from the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation are evaluating their facilities and areas where they operate in the wake of Hurricane Milton.
Harry Chapin Food Bank to hold emergency food distributions Harry Chapin Food Bank is holding emergency food distributions on Friday and Saturday following Hurricane Milton. When Milton made landfall Wednesday, communities across Southwest Florida were affected by wind, storm surge, tornadoes and flooding. Now Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties are all seeing the devastation. Luckily, the Harry Chapin Food Bank sustained no […]
NORTH PORT North Port police comb the streets after Milton’s mess The North Port Police Department took to the streets on Thursday to clean up around the city after Hurricane Milton.
The Weather Authority Cooler day with isolated showers The Weather Authority is tracking a cooler Friday ahead, with quick isolated showers expected throughout the afternoon.
RSW to resume flights on Friday Due to Hurricane Milton, Southwest Florida International Airport canceled flights on Wednesday and Thursday.
FORT MYERS Suspect sought, two others arrested in alleged Fort Myers burglary One suspect remains at large after the Fort Myers Police Department confirmed a burglary on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Thursday night.
Gasparilla Island Access shut down to Gasparilla Island and Charlotte County community service facilities after storm Charlotte County Emergency Management announced a few updates on closures on Thursday night after Hurricane Milton.
BONITA SPRINGS Curfew enacted on Bonita Beach The City of Bonita Springs has put a curfew in place for Bonita Beach as of Thursday, Oct. 10, while crews work to clear sand and other debris from the streets. Everybody in the Bonita Beach area, including Little Hickory Island and Big Hickory Island, is prohibited from being abroad in vehicles or on foot […]
FORT MYERS BEACH House catches fire on Fort Myers Beach According to authorities, a house caught fire at Fort Myers Beach on Thursday evening.
WINK Exclusive: Surveying the skies with LCSO after Milton The day after Hurricane Milton threatened Southwest Florida, the Lee County sheriff’s office took to the skies to survey the damage left behind. WINK news reporter Liz Biro got an exclusive look at the damage from above on Thursday as she rode along in the LCSO chopper with Sheriff Carmine Marceno.
FORT MYERS BEACH Storm prep eased post-Milton recovery efforts, LCSO says According to Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, residents heeded storm warnings and prepared accordingly, whether that meant stocking up on supplies or evacuating their zone.
NORTH FORT MYERS 7-year-old dead after crash on Gazelle Drive A 7-year-old girl has died after a collision on Gazelle Drive in North Fort Myers.
Charlotte County couple struggling after damage from Milton A Charlotte County couple’s home was damaged by Helene and Hurricane Milton, leaving them struggling to find a comfortable place to sleep.
Tracking Milton: Power outages across SWFL The Lee County Electric Cooperative has reported power outages throughout the area due to the effects of Hurricane Milton.
The Naples Zoo: “We are happy to report all animals are safe and secure.” Some good news after Hurricane Milton: the Naples Zoo animals are safe and sound. “Our ride-out team is safe, and we are happy to report that all the animals are safe and secure,” the Naples Zoo said in a Facebook post. “We thank you all for your support and are grateful to our staff who […]
SANIBEL Milton leaves the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation HQ surrounded by water Staff from the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation are evaluating their facilities and areas where they operate in the wake of Hurricane Milton.
Harry Chapin Food Bank to hold emergency food distributions Harry Chapin Food Bank is holding emergency food distributions on Friday and Saturday following Hurricane Milton. When Milton made landfall Wednesday, communities across Southwest Florida were affected by wind, storm surge, tornadoes and flooding. Now Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties are all seeing the devastation. Luckily, the Harry Chapin Food Bank sustained no […]
NORTH PORT North Port police comb the streets after Milton’s mess The North Port Police Department took to the streets on Thursday to clean up around the city after Hurricane Milton.
The Weather Authority Cooler day with isolated showers The Weather Authority is tracking a cooler Friday ahead, with quick isolated showers expected throughout the afternoon.
RSW to resume flights on Friday Due to Hurricane Milton, Southwest Florida International Airport canceled flights on Wednesday and Thursday.
FORT MYERS Suspect sought, two others arrested in alleged Fort Myers burglary One suspect remains at large after the Fort Myers Police Department confirmed a burglary on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Thursday night.
Gasparilla Island Access shut down to Gasparilla Island and Charlotte County community service facilities after storm Charlotte County Emergency Management announced a few updates on closures on Thursday night after Hurricane Milton.
BONITA SPRINGS Curfew enacted on Bonita Beach The City of Bonita Springs has put a curfew in place for Bonita Beach as of Thursday, Oct. 10, while crews work to clear sand and other debris from the streets. Everybody in the Bonita Beach area, including Little Hickory Island and Big Hickory Island, is prohibited from being abroad in vehicles or on foot […]
FORT MYERS BEACH House catches fire on Fort Myers Beach According to authorities, a house caught fire at Fort Myers Beach on Thursday evening.
WINK Exclusive: Surveying the skies with LCSO after Milton The day after Hurricane Milton threatened Southwest Florida, the Lee County sheriff’s office took to the skies to survey the damage left behind. WINK news reporter Liz Biro got an exclusive look at the damage from above on Thursday as she rode along in the LCSO chopper with Sheriff Carmine Marceno.
FORT MYERS BEACH Storm prep eased post-Milton recovery efforts, LCSO says According to Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, residents heeded storm warnings and prepared accordingly, whether that meant stocking up on supplies or evacuating their zone.
NORTH FORT MYERS 7-year-old dead after crash on Gazelle Drive A 7-year-old girl has died after a collision on Gazelle Drive in North Fort Myers.
Charlotte County couple struggling after damage from Milton A Charlotte County couple’s home was damaged by Helene and Hurricane Milton, leaving them struggling to find a comfortable place to sleep.
Tracking Milton: Power outages across SWFL The Lee County Electric Cooperative has reported power outages throughout the area due to the effects of Hurricane Milton.
Barracuda is among the fish that has made people sick with the harmful toxin. (Credit: World Health Organization) Doctors know of a rare illness called ciguatera that is making people sick after eating certain kinds of fish. They think a “super bug” algae is to blame. Researchers from Florida Gulf Coast University are zeroing in on what’s helping the super bug spread though the water around the Florida Keys. “What we’ve learned in the last year is that there are some bugs that produce about 1,000 times more toxin than the ones they co-exist with,” said Dr. Mike Parsons, professor of marine science at FGCU. “I get emails every week or two from people who have contracted ciguatera.” Ciguatera is a kind of food poisoning that affects your nerves. In extreme cases, it makes warm items feel icy cold and frigid things feel scalding hot. Understanding where the super bug that causes the illness lives and what makes it grow are imperative. They want to predict which fish will make you sick and which will not. Parsons and his team have been working to solve that problem since WINK News first followed along with them a year ago in the Florida Keys. He said significant changes in the water, like temperature, can help or hurt the bug grow. They are still collecting samples and working to answer how it lives through testing in their laboratory. “We’re looking in deeper water,” Parsons said. “They tend to like cooler temperatures.” Ciguatera sickens about 1,000 people a year in Florida. Certain fish, like Barracuda, eat the super bug, producing the toxin. Since you cannot kill it by cooking the fish, you run the risk of getting sick if you eat it. The red area indicates disease-endemic areas of Ciguatera. (Credit: Channing Frampton/WINK News) Mary Ann Reis contracted ciguatera after eating fish found near the United States and the British Virgin Islands. She said she spent the whole day lying down while having “incredible burning and itching” in her earlobes. With no known cure, all doctors can do is treat the symptoms. The effects of the illness can last for decades. Florida’s recreational saltwater fishing industry generates more than $11 billion a year and supports more than 160,000 jobs. Barry Baroudi, an experienced fisherman from Charlotte County, said he does not think the super bug will affect the fishing industry here. “It’s not something that affects all the fish,” Baroudi said. Baroudi said he knows about ciguatera and the harm it can do, but his solution is simple. “I just know to avoid eating the fish that contain it,” he said. The risk of ciguatera from fish caught in southwest Florida is very low. The International Association for Medical Assistance for Travelers says, “Ciguatera Fish Poisoning commonly occurs in tropical and subtropical areas, particularly in the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea.”