Milton strengthens to Category 5, winds at 180 mphCity of Cape Coral isn’t offering sandbags, but one Cape Coral local is
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral isn’t offering sandbags, but one Cape Coral local is One Cape Coral resident saw a need during Hurricane Milton and decided to do something about it.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach braces for Hurricane Milton after Helene WINK News’ team coverage brings us to Fort Myers Beach, an area prone to storm surge and still recovering from Helene.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral holds press conference; here are 10 takeaways Cape Coral held a press conference Monday morning to discuss Hurricane Milton. Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter says storm surge is the biggest threat of Hurricane Milton to the city. His message to his neighbors Monday morning is to make a plan and execute it now.
NORTH FORT MYERS Charlotte County man prepares what he can ahead of Milton Hurricane Helene ravaged many homes in Charlotte County, and now locals are getting ready for a potentially stronger Hurricane Milton.
SWFL Florida evacuation orders ahead of Milton There are now mandatory evacuation orders for some barrier islands in Southwest Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton.
What’s open and closed as Hurricane Milton looms As Hurricane Milton strengthens in the Gulf of Mexico, services and businesses in Southwest Florida are adjusting their hours or closing temporarily.
Punta Gorda residents, businesses brace for Hurricane Milton With Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall somewhere along Florida’s Gulf Coast on Oct. 9, some Punta Gorda hotels stopped taking reservations, flight disruptions are expected and residents and business owners spent Oct. 7 prepping.
Lee County coastal businesses evacuate merchandise as Hurricane Milton approaches As Hurricane Milton began making its way across the Gulf of Mexico to a precise destination yet unknown on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Lee County business owners on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and other coastal areas weren’t waiting around to find out.
WINK NEWS List of shelters in SWFL ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, shelters are opening across Southwest Florida to provide safety and refuge for residents.
Know your zone: Evacuation zones ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, get familiar with your evacuation zone.
SWFL schools affected due to Milton Southwest Florida schools are responding ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival.
NAPLES Collier County Board of Commissioners provide updates for Milton Collier County Board of County Commissioners is holding a meeting for Hurricane Milton.
FORT MYERS BEACH Bus routes onto Fort Myers Beach to stop, water to be cut off ahead of Milton The Lee County government announced that LeeTran will stop running routes onto Fort Myers Beach and cut off water to the island as Hurricane Milton approaches.
TALLAHASSEE DeSantis announces that tolls will be suspended in Western Florida, Central Florida and Alligator Alley Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state has suspended all tolls in West Florida, Central Florida and Alligator Alley ahead of Hurricane Milton.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral isn’t offering sandbags, but one Cape Coral local is One Cape Coral resident saw a need during Hurricane Milton and decided to do something about it.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach braces for Hurricane Milton after Helene WINK News’ team coverage brings us to Fort Myers Beach, an area prone to storm surge and still recovering from Helene.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral holds press conference; here are 10 takeaways Cape Coral held a press conference Monday morning to discuss Hurricane Milton. Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter says storm surge is the biggest threat of Hurricane Milton to the city. His message to his neighbors Monday morning is to make a plan and execute it now.
NORTH FORT MYERS Charlotte County man prepares what he can ahead of Milton Hurricane Helene ravaged many homes in Charlotte County, and now locals are getting ready for a potentially stronger Hurricane Milton.
SWFL Florida evacuation orders ahead of Milton There are now mandatory evacuation orders for some barrier islands in Southwest Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton.
What’s open and closed as Hurricane Milton looms As Hurricane Milton strengthens in the Gulf of Mexico, services and businesses in Southwest Florida are adjusting their hours or closing temporarily.
Punta Gorda residents, businesses brace for Hurricane Milton With Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall somewhere along Florida’s Gulf Coast on Oct. 9, some Punta Gorda hotels stopped taking reservations, flight disruptions are expected and residents and business owners spent Oct. 7 prepping.
Lee County coastal businesses evacuate merchandise as Hurricane Milton approaches As Hurricane Milton began making its way across the Gulf of Mexico to a precise destination yet unknown on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Lee County business owners on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and other coastal areas weren’t waiting around to find out.
WINK NEWS List of shelters in SWFL ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, shelters are opening across Southwest Florida to provide safety and refuge for residents.
Know your zone: Evacuation zones ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, get familiar with your evacuation zone.
SWFL schools affected due to Milton Southwest Florida schools are responding ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival.
NAPLES Collier County Board of Commissioners provide updates for Milton Collier County Board of County Commissioners is holding a meeting for Hurricane Milton.
FORT MYERS BEACH Bus routes onto Fort Myers Beach to stop, water to be cut off ahead of Milton The Lee County government announced that LeeTran will stop running routes onto Fort Myers Beach and cut off water to the island as Hurricane Milton approaches.
TALLAHASSEE DeSantis announces that tolls will be suspended in Western Florida, Central Florida and Alligator Alley Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state has suspended all tolls in West Florida, Central Florida and Alligator Alley ahead of Hurricane Milton.
Credit: WINK News Thursday was the worst day on Wall Street since the 1987 market crash. The DOW plunged more than 2,300 points losing 10% of its value. So how is this volatility affecting our day-to-day lives here in Southwest Florida? One of the biggest hits to our economy is a slow-down for restaurants and shops downtown. We spoke to a local economist who said we can also see it in commutes. His hour-long drive to work took 20 minutes on Thursday. That’s proof that everyone is changing their patterns of activity. In SWFL we live off tourism and retirement spending. When that spending stops or slows, like it is now, we’re the first to feel it. Dr. Shelton Weeks with FGCU says what’s going on is a serious situation and that it’s hard to think that we’re not in the start of a recession. “It becomes a real threat when people start to believe in it, so as soon as you have a very widespread acceptance that this is a serious situation, people start to alter behavior and that’s what makes it real,” he said. In 2008, the driver of the crash was debt. In this situation, he says people have money but are afraid to go out and spend it. “Well, I think if you think about where we normally are during season, at this point— you walk into your favorite restaurant at lunchtime and you have to wait to get a table. Right now, there’s plenty of tables open,” said Weeks. At the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau meeting on Thursday, Ben Spiegel with Lee County Port Authority says while it’s business as usual for the most part at the airport, one thing is different: “What we are starting to see, obviously, is less people,” he said. As for local events, the Lee County manager said they expect to announce Monday that they will stop issuing any additional public events permits for 1,000 people or more. Weeks added while there is good reason to be concerned, he cautions people not to make knee-jerk reactions that can cost you money in the long run.