Lee County elementary student accused of swatting callDeputies confirm one death while investigating structure fire in Charlotte County neighborhood
LEHIGH ACRES Lee County elementary student accused of swatting call A Lee County elementary student has been arrested after allegedly calling about a school shooting incident.
Deputies confirm one death while investigating structure fire in Charlotte County neighborhood One person is dead as several fire departments and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office investigate an overnight fire that broke out in a neighborhood.
Save Energy: LCEC urges customers to forego heaters as temperatures drop The Lee County Electric Cooperative, LCEC, is encouraging people to conserve energy as temperatures drop throughout Southwest Florida.
the weather authority Cold and sunny for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a frigid Thursday with more sunshine expected this afternoon.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads-Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox-Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
NAPLES Expert at Naples Botanical Garden speaks on prescribed burns There’s no need to sound the alarms for this smoke in the air, as Southwest Florida is actually seeing many controlled or ‘prescribed’ fires.
Sawfish caught with fishing wire tied around rostrum and hooks in mouth; removed and released An endangered smalltooth sawfish was not what Mac expected to be at the end of his fishing line after fishing with buddies New Year’s Day.
Florida Power and Light Set to potentially raise prices in 2026 Florida Power and Light has announced their proposal for a need to increase rates from 2026 – 2029.
PORT CHARLOTTE Home of Port Charlotte couple destroyed due to mold from Hurricane Ian A Port Charlotte couple inherited a home after the wife’s parents died. The home is now destroyed because of mold from Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Update on the Naples Pier construction The Naples Pier has been destroyed since Hurricane Ian. Since then, the city has considered ways to restore the pier but questions linger over the work, especially on how long it will take to complete.
FORT MYERS BEACH Pink Shell resort expansion project moves onto final vote The future for the expansion of a Fort Myers Beach staple comes down to one vote.
PUNTA GORDA Fatal crash on Burnt Store Road, all lanes blocked A crash on Burnt Store Road near Charlee Road in Charlotte County has reportedly resulted in a fatality.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral’s school zone safety plan hits a speed bump Thanks to new cameras, speeders in Cape Coral school zones would be facing fines this week, but due to delays in the contractor’s schedule, they will not.
Law enforcement and City of Fort Myers warning residents about QR code scams Law enforcement and the city of Fort Myers are warning you to think twice before scanning QR codes so you can avoid “quishing.”
IMMOKALEE Is the Florida citrus industry on its way out? The orange is the iconic symbol of Florida. While the fruit may be on the state’s license plates, the citrus industry has been on the decline for more than a decade.
LEHIGH ACRES Lee County elementary student accused of swatting call A Lee County elementary student has been arrested after allegedly calling about a school shooting incident.
Deputies confirm one death while investigating structure fire in Charlotte County neighborhood One person is dead as several fire departments and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office investigate an overnight fire that broke out in a neighborhood.
Save Energy: LCEC urges customers to forego heaters as temperatures drop The Lee County Electric Cooperative, LCEC, is encouraging people to conserve energy as temperatures drop throughout Southwest Florida.
the weather authority Cold and sunny for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking a frigid Thursday with more sunshine expected this afternoon.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads-Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox-Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
NAPLES Expert at Naples Botanical Garden speaks on prescribed burns There’s no need to sound the alarms for this smoke in the air, as Southwest Florida is actually seeing many controlled or ‘prescribed’ fires.
Sawfish caught with fishing wire tied around rostrum and hooks in mouth; removed and released An endangered smalltooth sawfish was not what Mac expected to be at the end of his fishing line after fishing with buddies New Year’s Day.
Florida Power and Light Set to potentially raise prices in 2026 Florida Power and Light has announced their proposal for a need to increase rates from 2026 – 2029.
PORT CHARLOTTE Home of Port Charlotte couple destroyed due to mold from Hurricane Ian A Port Charlotte couple inherited a home after the wife’s parents died. The home is now destroyed because of mold from Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Update on the Naples Pier construction The Naples Pier has been destroyed since Hurricane Ian. Since then, the city has considered ways to restore the pier but questions linger over the work, especially on how long it will take to complete.
FORT MYERS BEACH Pink Shell resort expansion project moves onto final vote The future for the expansion of a Fort Myers Beach staple comes down to one vote.
PUNTA GORDA Fatal crash on Burnt Store Road, all lanes blocked A crash on Burnt Store Road near Charlee Road in Charlotte County has reportedly resulted in a fatality.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral’s school zone safety plan hits a speed bump Thanks to new cameras, speeders in Cape Coral school zones would be facing fines this week, but due to delays in the contractor’s schedule, they will not.
Law enforcement and City of Fort Myers warning residents about QR code scams Law enforcement and the city of Fort Myers are warning you to think twice before scanning QR codes so you can avoid “quishing.”
IMMOKALEE Is the Florida citrus industry on its way out? The orange is the iconic symbol of Florida. While the fruit may be on the state’s license plates, the citrus industry has been on the decline for more than a decade.
Credit: WINK News There are a lot of people worried that they could be out of their homes by this time next week when the governor’s moratorium on evictions expires. Mortgage companies and landlords are already filing notices with the courts, ready to evict people from their homes come June 2. Among those who are worried is Melinda DeLeon, a single mom of three. She said the only reason they aren’t already homeless is because of the pandemic. She knows what it’s like to struggle. “We finally got to where we wanted to be. Just me and my kids. Actually having a bed and everything.” But everything they’ve gained, she fears they’re about to lose. “I was just making enough to pay everything.” DeLeon lost her two jobs as a cook when the coronavirus hit. Her stimulus check covered her for a while, but she’s still not working and behind on her bills. “We all want to get back to normal, I want to be able to pay my bills safely without endangering my kids.” The only reason she’s still in her home is because of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ moratorium on evictions, and that expires next Tuesday. “What are millions of people going to do when those eviction notices end up at their door?” she asked. “It isn’t something that I’m doing because I’m lazy or I don’t want to go work. I want to go to work!” Like so many others, DeLeon said she has tried to collect unemployment but is still waiting for approval. This week, she applied for rent and utility assistance from Lee County. She’s waiting for word on that. “I get depressed, but you know what, I wipe the slate clean at night and I wake up fresh in the morning, and no matter how hard it is to get out of that bed, I get up.” The governor has given no indication on whether he will extend the moratorium on evictions. WINK News reached out to DeLeon’s landlord to find out if they’ll move forward with the eviction. She said she won’t talk about individual cases but is working with every tenant as best as she can.