Community grieves as investigation continues into fatal Port Charlotte fireLocal influencer reacts to potential TikTok ban
PORT CHARLOTTE Community grieves as investigation continues into fatal Port Charlotte fire The state fire marshal has yet to confirm whether 70-year-old Roseanne Cantasano was the victim of a devastating house fire on Monday night.
Local influencer reacts to potential TikTok ban TikTok is more than just a place to dance, learn something new or just scroll. For the Manella family, the app is a place where they can be themselves.
Protecting the Florida Panther from urban expansion The endangered Florida Panther is the king of the Everglades but new developments could rip apart their core territory.
Local Rabbi reacts to Israel and Hamas ceasefire agreement While the news of hostages being freed has brought relief, one local rabbi who has been speaking with WINK News since the war broke out expressed mixed feelings
Tiger dams in Collier County new defense system to stop flooding Collier County is now on board with a new defense system to stop flooding.
CAPE CORAL Plans for Cape Coral airport presented to City Council An airport in Cape Coral? The idea was presented to the city council on Wednesday as part of a broader report addressing the city’s rapid growth.
CAPE CORAL Lake Kennedy Racquetball Center gets new name and logo The Lake Kennedy Racquetball Center in Cape Coral is rebranding.
NAPLES Naples Pride Fest gets green light from City Council The Naples City Council voted to approve the permit for Naples Pride Fest at Cambier Park.
Former Lee supervisor of elections candidate calls for Sheriff Marceno to resign More fingers are pointing at Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.
NORTH FORT MYERS City of Fort Myers wants progress on submerged boats at Old Bridge Marina It has become a headache for many: boats left submerged at the Old Bridge Marina, next to the Edison Bridge.
Dementia risk factors unveiled Eating healthy and staying active can help keep your brain sharp, but did you know your family’s wealth may also affect your dementia risk?
Another chance at FEMA assistance If you applied for FEMA assistance after hurricanes Helene and Milton and are not happy with the answer they gave you, they are giving you another chance.
NAPLES Naples City Council names Gary L. Young as next city manager The Naples City Council unanimously voted to appoint Deputy City Manager and CFO Gary L. Young as the new city manager.
BONITA SPRINGS Sugarshack, a haven for live music, food and community, coming to Bonita Springs Sugarshack, a haven for live music, food and community, coming soon to Downton Bonita Springs.
COLLIER COUNTY FC Naples holds first practice in club history Another first in a year of first for FC Naples as the club held its first practice in its history Wednesday morning.
PORT CHARLOTTE Community grieves as investigation continues into fatal Port Charlotte fire The state fire marshal has yet to confirm whether 70-year-old Roseanne Cantasano was the victim of a devastating house fire on Monday night.
Local influencer reacts to potential TikTok ban TikTok is more than just a place to dance, learn something new or just scroll. For the Manella family, the app is a place where they can be themselves.
Protecting the Florida Panther from urban expansion The endangered Florida Panther is the king of the Everglades but new developments could rip apart their core territory.
Local Rabbi reacts to Israel and Hamas ceasefire agreement While the news of hostages being freed has brought relief, one local rabbi who has been speaking with WINK News since the war broke out expressed mixed feelings
Tiger dams in Collier County new defense system to stop flooding Collier County is now on board with a new defense system to stop flooding.
CAPE CORAL Plans for Cape Coral airport presented to City Council An airport in Cape Coral? The idea was presented to the city council on Wednesday as part of a broader report addressing the city’s rapid growth.
CAPE CORAL Lake Kennedy Racquetball Center gets new name and logo The Lake Kennedy Racquetball Center in Cape Coral is rebranding.
NAPLES Naples Pride Fest gets green light from City Council The Naples City Council voted to approve the permit for Naples Pride Fest at Cambier Park.
Former Lee supervisor of elections candidate calls for Sheriff Marceno to resign More fingers are pointing at Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.
NORTH FORT MYERS City of Fort Myers wants progress on submerged boats at Old Bridge Marina It has become a headache for many: boats left submerged at the Old Bridge Marina, next to the Edison Bridge.
Dementia risk factors unveiled Eating healthy and staying active can help keep your brain sharp, but did you know your family’s wealth may also affect your dementia risk?
Another chance at FEMA assistance If you applied for FEMA assistance after hurricanes Helene and Milton and are not happy with the answer they gave you, they are giving you another chance.
NAPLES Naples City Council names Gary L. Young as next city manager The Naples City Council unanimously voted to appoint Deputy City Manager and CFO Gary L. Young as the new city manager.
BONITA SPRINGS Sugarshack, a haven for live music, food and community, coming to Bonita Springs Sugarshack, a haven for live music, food and community, coming soon to Downton Bonita Springs.
COLLIER COUNTY FC Naples holds first practice in club history Another first in a year of first for FC Naples as the club held its first practice in its history Wednesday morning.
Sea Gypsy Inn on Fort Myers Beach. Credit: WINK News. Memorial Day weekend is coming up, and it’s normally a big money maker for hotels and businesses on the beach. But, with pandemic restrictions still in place, it’s still up in the air whether restaurants will stay busy and if hotels wiill get booked. For the first time in 20 years, AAA is not forecasting Memorial Day travel, except to say a record low is expected. But the businesses we spoke to on Fort Myers Beach Monday say 2020 Memorial Day weekend will be busy. “I’m glad we didn’t open Memorial Day weekend,” said Scott Safford, the owner of Sea Gypsy Inn. “I’m glad we had last weekend to kind of practice, get our stuff down, so I think it’s going to be good.” It’s the first holiday during Phase 1 of reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic, and Sea Gypsy Inn had its practice run. Now, Safford says they’re ready. “We’ve changed things around,” Safford said. “We do self-check-in now instead of people coming to the front desk.” Guests are no longer coming into the gift shop for towels. You’ll find them at your front door. “We took all the throw pillows and things that you typically touch in a hotel room,” Safford said. “We check those out.” They’re happy to do the extra work, Safford told us. Because, like many on the island, they have been out of work for weeks. “Our staff is just happy to be here and back to work,” said Elie Rizk, the manager at Sunset Beach Tropical Grill. “A lot of them suffered a lot.” That pent-up demand is something Rizk told us he thinks customers are feeling too. “The northern states are still locked down, so they are coming down here,” Rizk said. “I’ve been talking to a lot of guests. They’re getting fed up with the restrictions up north so they’ve been coming down here to get away from it.” Miami’s mayor said the city is waiting to open beaches until after the holiday. And all the businesses we spoke to told us that’s where most of their new customers are coming from. Now, hotels told us they are getting all of the overflow from vacation rentals who still can’t book here in Lee County. The governor said individual counties can submit plans to the state to reopen their vacation rentals. “The customers that are coming in are very gracious,” Rizk said. “They’ve been helping out, and we do appreciate that and thank them. We’re just glad to be back to work … Try to not be a knucklehead because we don’t want one person or one group of people to ruin it for everybody. We are very happy our beaches are open, and we’re very proud of it.”