Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for PalestineWarm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.Â
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.Â
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral residents react to $100M North Cape land deal The city of Cape Coral is seeing two projects that will change the city. One is called one of the most lucrative deals in county history.
Lauren Bonica with Collier County emergency management. Credit: WINK News. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers is circulating a petition and has sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis asking for a field hospital and additional personal protective equipment for farmworkers. Thursday, a spokesperson for Collier County told WINK News by email that right now there is not a need for a field hospital in the area based on the amount of bed space available in surrounding areas of the county. The CIW disagreed and sent a statement that said in part: “We feel that this is exactly the time to be working on preparations for an alternative care site in Immokalee, given that current projections predict the surge of cases to hit SW Florida in the next week and half to two weeks, and the process of getting an alternative care site up and running can take at least two weeks” MORE: Statement from Coalition of Immokalee Workers to WINK News Lauren Bonica with Collier County emergency management said in an interview with WINK News reporter Lauren Sweeney that they are “inching closer” to needing to assess whether or not they’ll need to look to converting hotels or convention center sites into “non-congregate sheltering”. “This non-congregate sheltering is kind of the reverse of of what we’ve done with hurricane season hurt all this time,” Bonica said. “Normally bring everybody together under one roof to protect them, but we need to do the reverse in order to protect them right now.” Boinica said there is capacity at hospitals in Naples to treat the Immokalee community and that ambulance services and transportation would be provided to bring them there. A major concern for Coaltion of Immokalee Workers is the difficulty in participating in social distancing to slow the spread of the virus. Farmworkers pack buses to get to fields and live sometimes ten persons to one trailer. Khristine Hollingsworth with the Florida Department of Health in Collier County said hand-washing stations have been set up at bus stops, and it’s been working with bus drivers to educate the Immokalee community. “We can encourage farm workers while they’re waiting for the bus if they could stand six feet away from each other,” Holingsworth. “While they’re waiting for the bus, we’ve been working with the bus drivers to encourage workers to wash their hands before getting on the bus.” Here is Collier County’s full statement on protections put in place to protect Immokalee farm workers: Collier County Government in conjunction with The Florida Department of Health, Collier County Emergency Management, Collier County Sheriff, and other community partners, are aware and working to address the unique needs of the Immokalee community. We understand the concern and continue to meet with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, various non-profits in the community, as well as with the growers and farms to formulate solutions. The goal of this comprehensive approach is to support ongoing community-wide efforts to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in Immokalee. The Florida Department of Health continues to provide their services and COVID-19 testing in Immokalee. The Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida continues to provide medical care and COVID-19 testing in Immokalee. A field hospital concept has been evaluated and determined unnecessary at this time due to apparent capacity at local hospitals. Other measures and communications provided include: Rolling bulletin board in Spanish and Creole CCSO signage placed throughout Immokalee with COVID-19 related information in English, Spanish, Creole Eight hand washing stations have been loaned to the bus stations from Lipman. Water- supplied by Immokalee Fire; soap will be replaced by the Coalition of Farm Workers and their teams. Soap is being provided by Lipman, FDEM/CCEM/FLDOH. Stations secured by CCSO. Additional outreach efforts: All flyers and handouts are translated in English, Spanish, Creole COVID-19 specific handout is translated into Mam Forwarded information available to the public from DOH and Collier County Government to all non-English speaking media and agencies in Collier County (over 500 contacts). Continuing Social Media Coverage Daily interviews with area radio stations. LaLay Radio, Conciencia Radio, Haitian Radio Kowona Kronik Television interviews with Telemundo and Accion Hispana Forwarded information available to the public from DOH and Collier County Government to all non-English speaking media and agencies in Collier County (over 500 contacts). Continuing Social Media Coverage Planning and ordering of potential isolation bed space via travel trailer for Immokalee Planning and developing PA broadcast system of communicating prevention messages in English, Spanish, Creole throughout Immokalee area Participation on twice weekly communication calls with Immokalee non-profits and Coalition of Immokalee Workers regarding unmet needs Continued conversations with the growers and industry partners about farm worker safety 2000 hygiene kits were given to the migrant and seasonal farm workers 10 pallets of water were delivered to Benison Center and distributed to Immokalee nonprofits. Met with the Coalition of Immokalee workers via Zoom multiple times to discuss the virus impacting their vulnerable community.