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.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
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.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
New app helps addicts get clean (WINK News) Can paying recovering addicts to stay clean really work? A new app is handing out cash and the developers say it doesn’t just work, it’s saving lives. Opioid overdoses kill more than 130 people every day in the U.S. Now, a Boston tech company is trying a new approach to bringing that number down. When Joy Thompson shares how long she’s been in recovery and off the painkillers that derailed her life, she can’t help but smile. She credits much of her recent success to an app on her phone that holds her accountable. “I feel amazing, everything is just so good,” she said. Thompson says she got hooked on painkillers after surgery. Her addiction led her to crime and then prison time. But now, with random breathalyzer and drug tests through the app, her life is taking a turn for the better. The testing is monitored by video and Thompson is rewarded with up to $200 per month for not using, working and attending meetings. “The reward, of pulling out my phone and saying to my daughter, ‘Look,” she says, is worth it. DynamiCare Health App (WINK News) DynamiCare Health developed the app she uses. Founder Eric Gastfriend says so far they’ve seen promising outcomes not only with opioid addicts, but also with alcohol addiction and smoking. “It’s really tied to the reward system in the brain that’s driving the addiction and create a countervailing force of rewards for staying sober and staying in treatment,” said Gastfriend. When asked if she sees more technology becoming more involved in treatment, Hazeldon Betty Ford Naples Executive Director Brenda Iliff said, “Absolutely! Absolutely! We use a lot of technology right here.” She says they don’t use this specific app, but they’ve got other tools to help their clients overcome addiction. “Any tools that can help people, for the long haul stay in recovery, we really want to utilize,” said Ford. Some of the apps they do offer to clients include “Readings for Moms of Addicts,” “My Sober Life” and the “Cor-12” app, which helps clients track their progress away from addiction. “There’s nothing wrong with going out and trying technology,” said Adam Armstrong, who lives in Lee County. He’s a recovering addict himself who has been sober for more than three years. He says the more options people have, the better off they might be. “It’s great. It goes back to: we’ve got to try a bunch of different things.” Thompson says she’s made more than $800 using the DynamiCare Health app. “I honestly say from my heart, that app got me to where I am,” she said, and she learned she’s stronger than she thought. Family members, friends, insurance companies and employers can cover the incentive payments for users. Recently, DynamiCare was awarded $1 million for its innovation as part of the Opioid Technology Challenge.