Homeowners bring Christmas cheer to Cape Coral with dazzling light displaysFire takes over trailer in St. James City
CAPE CORAL Homeowners bring Christmas cheer to Cape Coral with dazzling light displays We might not have snow but we do have some amazing Christmas lights. If you plan to hit the road with your family and check out the displays, WINK News has you covered.
ST. JAMES CITY Fire takes over trailer in St. James City Authorities responded to a fire in St. James City after a trailer became engulfed in flames.
Charlotte County man arrested for shooting person with flare gun A man has been arrested after shooting someone with a flare gun.
SAN CARLOS PARK Lee County School District approves bus service after mother’s fight The school district said Shannan Santiago’s kids can have a school bus because they live more than two miles away from their school.
SANIBEL Bigger and better beaches; Sanibel gets fresh sand If you haven’t been to Sanibel lately you might not recognize it. Just in time for the holidays, the island is celebrating bigger, better and more beautiful beaches.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral twins together for holidays after congenital heart defect scare Everyone together at home for Christmas. That’s the wish for one Cape Coral family since they were blessed with twins in the spring.
PORT CHARLOTTE Meeting held for future of Beach Park in Port Charlotte Beach Park in Port Charlotte has been closed since hurricanes Helene and Milton. Last week county leaders held a special meeting to come up with a solution to finally reopen the park to neighbors.
PUNTA GORDA Downtown Punta Gorda restaurant rebuilding after back-to-back storms In downtown Punta Gorda, the back-to-back hurricanes spared no one. For one restaurant, it meant starting over, cutting up the walls and redoing the floors not once but twice.
Valerie’s House offers support to those grieving this holiday season Christmas is considered a magical time for many families, but many also struggle with the loss of a loved one this time of year. Valerie’s House is opening its doors for the holidays to help struggling families deal with that grief.
Local beauty editor impacting community through Beauty Holiday event A local beauty editor turned beauty elf is using her event for the better. Wink news anchor Lindsey Sablan talked to Lindsay Peragallo, founder of Beauty Holiday. With brands such as Mac and CoverGirl, table after table was packed with self-care items at the Beauty Holiday event. It was like the elves quit the toy […]
ESTERO Study shows rent prices dropping in areas of SWFL According to national data, rent is slowly dropping in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties. A new study with Florida Gulf Coast University shows the price drop might be more drastic than we think.
Ways to help with an aching head Imagine waking up with a headache so strong you can’t think, a neck pain so severe you can’t move and your eyesight suddenly turning blurry.
Novelist Randy Wayne White plans experimental citrus farming at historic Bokeelia property White just closed on a real estate deal that’s short on price but big on history with a positive outlook on the future of citrus framing.
Deadline approaching for FEMA assistance after hurricanes Milton and Helene Floridians affected by hurricanes Milton and Helene have just two weeks left to apply for federal assistance, with the deadline set for Jan. 7, 2025.
FORT MYERS Man wanted for stealing over $7K in items from Fort Myers business Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man wanted for stealing over $7,000 in items from a Fort Myers business.
CAPE CORAL Homeowners bring Christmas cheer to Cape Coral with dazzling light displays We might not have snow but we do have some amazing Christmas lights. If you plan to hit the road with your family and check out the displays, WINK News has you covered.
ST. JAMES CITY Fire takes over trailer in St. James City Authorities responded to a fire in St. James City after a trailer became engulfed in flames.
Charlotte County man arrested for shooting person with flare gun A man has been arrested after shooting someone with a flare gun.
SAN CARLOS PARK Lee County School District approves bus service after mother’s fight The school district said Shannan Santiago’s kids can have a school bus because they live more than two miles away from their school.
SANIBEL Bigger and better beaches; Sanibel gets fresh sand If you haven’t been to Sanibel lately you might not recognize it. Just in time for the holidays, the island is celebrating bigger, better and more beautiful beaches.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral twins together for holidays after congenital heart defect scare Everyone together at home for Christmas. That’s the wish for one Cape Coral family since they were blessed with twins in the spring.
PORT CHARLOTTE Meeting held for future of Beach Park in Port Charlotte Beach Park in Port Charlotte has been closed since hurricanes Helene and Milton. Last week county leaders held a special meeting to come up with a solution to finally reopen the park to neighbors.
PUNTA GORDA Downtown Punta Gorda restaurant rebuilding after back-to-back storms In downtown Punta Gorda, the back-to-back hurricanes spared no one. For one restaurant, it meant starting over, cutting up the walls and redoing the floors not once but twice.
Valerie’s House offers support to those grieving this holiday season Christmas is considered a magical time for many families, but many also struggle with the loss of a loved one this time of year. Valerie’s House is opening its doors for the holidays to help struggling families deal with that grief.
Local beauty editor impacting community through Beauty Holiday event A local beauty editor turned beauty elf is using her event for the better. Wink news anchor Lindsey Sablan talked to Lindsay Peragallo, founder of Beauty Holiday. With brands such as Mac and CoverGirl, table after table was packed with self-care items at the Beauty Holiday event. It was like the elves quit the toy […]
ESTERO Study shows rent prices dropping in areas of SWFL According to national data, rent is slowly dropping in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties. A new study with Florida Gulf Coast University shows the price drop might be more drastic than we think.
Ways to help with an aching head Imagine waking up with a headache so strong you can’t think, a neck pain so severe you can’t move and your eyesight suddenly turning blurry.
Novelist Randy Wayne White plans experimental citrus farming at historic Bokeelia property White just closed on a real estate deal that’s short on price but big on history with a positive outlook on the future of citrus framing.
Deadline approaching for FEMA assistance after hurricanes Milton and Helene Floridians affected by hurricanes Milton and Helene have just two weeks left to apply for federal assistance, with the deadline set for Jan. 7, 2025.
FORT MYERS Man wanted for stealing over $7K in items from Fort Myers business Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man wanted for stealing over $7,000 in items from a Fort Myers business.
Credit: via WINK News. Internet scams have been around nearly as long as the internet. The FBI has tracked these cons for 20 years at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). We wanted to give you a look at how the FBI’s IC3 operates. The crime center recently received its 5 millionth complaint. And a lot of those are from Florida. We are second in the nation for victims and money lost. “IC3 acts as a repository,” said Andrea Aprea with the FBI division in Tampa. “It collects data on all types of complaints and cybercrimes.” And that data helps investigators by providing valuable intelligence. The goal is to make arrests and recover losses. Using that intelligence, the FBI formed the recovery asset team (RAT). This group of agents, analysts and cyber experts helped recover $300 million in 2019. “Some of the crimes are becoming more sophisticated,” Aprea said. Back in 2001, victims lost on average $435. Last year’s average was $7,500. The tactics have changed, but the goal is the same: Separate victims from their personal information and their money. That’s a popular ploy in Southwest Florida. “Romance scams because of the retirement population and people with significant income,” Aprea said. “They are prime targets.” And an immediate prime target among scammers currently is preying on people’s fears during the coronavirus pandemic. That includes trying to sell false cures or vaccines that don’t exist. The FBI’s advice is to report any attempt to scam you to IC3. “Cyber actors are always looking for an angle to advance their schemes,” Kolko said. “And, Yes. Certainly right now in the environment of the pandemic, they are using COVID-19 as a way to advance their fraud.” MORE: FBI – Internet Crimes Complaint Center Internet Crime Complaint Center Marks 20 Years IC3 2019 report IC3 a Virtual Complaint Desk for Online Fraud FBI – Common Scams and Crimes Protect Your Wallet—and Your Health—from Pandemic Scammers