Bonita Bills restaurant closing after 30+ years of service2 juveniles, 1 man accused of armed robbery, fleeing from Lee County deputies
FORT MYERS BEACH Bonita Bills restaurant closing after 30+ years of service Bonita Bill’s will be closing its doors after 30+ years of service.
FORT MYERS BEACH 2 juveniles, 1 man accused of armed robbery, fleeing from Lee County deputies Two juveniles and one man have been arrested after allegedly robbing a victim at gunpoint and then fleeing from Lee County deputies.
cape coral 19-year-old Cape Coral man accused of attempted car burglary on Christmas Eve The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a man accused of attempting to steal a car on Christmas Eve.
RSW braces for post-holiday travel Now that the holidays have passed for many, the return to normalcy has begun as Southwest Florida International Airport prepares for a large influx of travelers.
wink news Mega Millions jackpot surges over $1B; next drawing set for Friday The elusive Mega Millions jackpot has evaded players this holiday season as the prize money has ballooned to $1.15 billion.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Warmer temperatures and isolated showers for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking warmer temperatures along with isolated showers expected throughout this Thursday afternoon.
PORT CHARLOTTE Families visit Santa’s Village in Port Charlotte for Christmas The holiday magic is in full swing at Santa’s Village. There are holiday lights, food, and plenty of families making some holiday memories.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Animal Shelter volunteers distribute gifts to cats and dogs Christmas is meant to be merry, but for dogs and cats waiting for their forever homes it can be anything but.
NAPLES Dozens volunteer to feed over 500 people at St. Matthew’s House The St. Matthews House fed nearly 500 people hot and traditional holiday meals at their Naples shelter on Wednesday.
CAPE CORAL Project Siren; Cape Coral chaplain praying for first responders The sound of sirens, life and death hang in the balance. A cape coral chaplain bows his head and says a prayer.
FORT MYERS Residents celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas on the same day Hanukkah begins Wednesday with the lighting of the first candle. Each night, another candle will be lit until all eight shine bright.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood residents still recovering from hurricanes on Christmas Neighbors on Lemon Bay Drive in Englewood said their homes had never seen a drop of a water from a hurricane until 2024.
FORT MYERS Dr. Piper Center hosts annual Christmas Celebration Dozens of children are enjoying new bicycles on Christmas day thanks to the generosity of the Dr. Piper Center.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for December 25, 2024 This weekly Most Wanted Wednesday WINK News segment features fugitives from justice in Southwest Florida.
Spending the holidays with first responders For most of us, Christmas is about spending time with family, but one group is making sure our families are staying safe.
FORT MYERS BEACH Bonita Bills restaurant closing after 30+ years of service Bonita Bill’s will be closing its doors after 30+ years of service.
FORT MYERS BEACH 2 juveniles, 1 man accused of armed robbery, fleeing from Lee County deputies Two juveniles and one man have been arrested after allegedly robbing a victim at gunpoint and then fleeing from Lee County deputies.
cape coral 19-year-old Cape Coral man accused of attempted car burglary on Christmas Eve The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a man accused of attempting to steal a car on Christmas Eve.
RSW braces for post-holiday travel Now that the holidays have passed for many, the return to normalcy has begun as Southwest Florida International Airport prepares for a large influx of travelers.
wink news Mega Millions jackpot surges over $1B; next drawing set for Friday The elusive Mega Millions jackpot has evaded players this holiday season as the prize money has ballooned to $1.15 billion.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Warmer temperatures and isolated showers for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking warmer temperatures along with isolated showers expected throughout this Thursday afternoon.
PORT CHARLOTTE Families visit Santa’s Village in Port Charlotte for Christmas The holiday magic is in full swing at Santa’s Village. There are holiday lights, food, and plenty of families making some holiday memories.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Animal Shelter volunteers distribute gifts to cats and dogs Christmas is meant to be merry, but for dogs and cats waiting for their forever homes it can be anything but.
NAPLES Dozens volunteer to feed over 500 people at St. Matthew’s House The St. Matthews House fed nearly 500 people hot and traditional holiday meals at their Naples shelter on Wednesday.
CAPE CORAL Project Siren; Cape Coral chaplain praying for first responders The sound of sirens, life and death hang in the balance. A cape coral chaplain bows his head and says a prayer.
FORT MYERS Residents celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas on the same day Hanukkah begins Wednesday with the lighting of the first candle. Each night, another candle will be lit until all eight shine bright.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood residents still recovering from hurricanes on Christmas Neighbors on Lemon Bay Drive in Englewood said their homes had never seen a drop of a water from a hurricane until 2024.
FORT MYERS Dr. Piper Center hosts annual Christmas Celebration Dozens of children are enjoying new bicycles on Christmas day thanks to the generosity of the Dr. Piper Center.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for December 25, 2024 This weekly Most Wanted Wednesday WINK News segment features fugitives from justice in Southwest Florida.
Spending the holidays with first responders For most of us, Christmas is about spending time with family, but one group is making sure our families are staying safe.
Credit: WINK News So many of you are fed up, tired of dealing with a seemingly broken unemployment system online and over the phone. Mike Baroody’s patience is wavering. “When you get to a prompt, it says you need to speak to an agent. It tells you that if you want to wait more than 10 minutes, they will call you back, and after that it drops you off the phone,” he says. Since he started the application two weeks ago, he’s been trying to update his information. “Two days ago I did that 75 times. Yesterday I did that about 50 times,” he said. UNEMPLOYMENT RESOURCES Mobile application for new applicants Original website for existing applicants Unemployment paper application Help with resetting your PIN with CareerSource Tired of unanswered questions, some of you have taken to Facebook to ask your neighbors. One woman who applied on the new website wrote: “They left important info out that you would think [would] be a considering factor” and “No bank account info entered…nothing asked.” Many others with pending applications commented that you still can’t log on to the original website to claim benefits, verify your identity or simply get anyone on the phone to help. In a news conference Friday, Governor Ron DeSantis said he’s put an unprecedented amount of manpower into addressing these problems. “I’m hoping they can do it as quickly as possible, but just even before this rush, this is a process that took three weeks,” he said. “My focus is on, let’s just get these checks out.” Baroody’s message to the state: “People need their benefits and they don’t need them four weeks from now when the system is going to be fixed. They need them two weeks ago when this whole system crashed down.” We’ve taken all your questions to the state – both the governor’s office and the Department of Economic Opportunity. The DEO wasn’t able to answer all of our questions but responded saying after people file with the new website or paper application, they’ll process the claim and contact you if they need more information. They encourage you to visit covid19.floridajobs.org for frequently asked questions. You can read their full statement below: The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) recently announced multiple actions taken to improve the ability for Floridians to access the Reemployment Assistance program. Last week, Governor DeSantis signed Executive Order 20-93, directing DEO and other executive agencies to take all necessary actions to improve the Reemployment Assistance program. Click here for the press release and click here to view the Governor’s roundtable discussion with DEO, the Departments of Management Services and Revenue. This week, the department also announced a new mobile-friendly application for Reemployment Assistance available at Floridajobs.org/COVID-19. Floridians who do not have a current open Reemployment Assistance claim should complete their application online. Click here for the press release. After an individual files a claim in our new online application or submits a paper application, DEO will process their claim for Reemployment Assistance. If further information is needed, the agency will contact the claimant. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is seeing historic increases in Floridians filing for Reemployment Assistance. For the week ending March 21, Florida received 74,313 applications for Reemployment Assistance. For the week ending March 28, Florida received 226,999 applications for Reemployment Assistance. For the week ending April 4, Florida received 169,831 applications for Reemployment Assistance. For the week ending April 11, to date, Florida has received 229,524 applications for Reemployment Assistance. If a Floridian’s employment has been negatively impacted as a result of COVID-19, they may be eligible to receive Reemployment Assistance. Individuals who are eligible for Reemployment Assistance may include: Those who are quarantined by a medical professional or a government agency, Those who are laid off or sent home without pay for an extended period by their employer due to COVID-19 concerns, or Those who are caring for an immediate family member who is diagnosed with COVID-19. Individuals whose employment has been impacted, but are still receiving wages through paid leave are not eligible to receive Reemployment Assistance. DEO will issue additional information about Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Assistance as it becomes available. Benefits will be paid from the date they became eligible under the CARES Act. At this time, individuals who apply for Reemployment Assistance whose employment was negatively impacted as a result of COVID-19 will follow the same application, review and payment process as all applicants for Reemployment Assistance in Florida. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, expands Reemployment Assistance benefits. The team at DEO is working diligently to get the resources provided through the CARES Act to Floridians as soon as possible and will be providing more information in the coming days.