FGCU’s Casey Santoro battles back from Achilles injuryHeaviest Florida panther ever recorded located in Babcock Ranch
FGCU FGCU’s Casey Santoro battles back from Achilles injury FGCU women’s basketball player Casey Santoro is back on the floor after suffering an Achilles injury a season ago.
BABCOCK RANCH Heaviest Florida panther ever recorded located in Babcock Ranch Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists recently captured and collared the heaviest Florida panther ever recorded.
Lee County deputies using VR for safe high-risk training scenarios The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has taken a significant step forward in training by incorporating virtual reality technology.
NAPLES FC Naples signs local soccer star Joffre followed his dream across continents after graduating from Gulf Coast. Now he’s back on the professional soccer pitch in his hometown.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach businesses face floodplain compliance deadline Fort Myers Beach’s businesses face pressure to comply with floodplain regulations or leave the island by March 1.
NAPLES Persistent red tide bloom off Naples to Boca Grande raises concerns As the weather warms up, more people are heading to the beach. However, those with beach plans in Southwest Florida should be aware of the persistent red tide affecting the coastline.
FORT MYERS Community aids in search for missing pitbull after Lee County crash A crash on I-75 near Daniels Parkway in Lee County turned a routine drive into a heartbreaking search for a missing pet.
LEHIGH ACRES Community supporting Lehigh Acres church after destructive fire A massive fire recently burned the Christ at Crossroads Church in Lehigh Acres, and the community is rallying to support the church’s recovery.
FORT MYERS Kids battling cancer in Fort Myers receive cuddly companions from donor Children battling cancer in Fort Myers are finding comfort in a special friend thanks to a generous donor.
2 SWFL veterans find relief at Harry Chapin Food Bank Two veterans in Southwest Florida routinely receive vital support through local food distributions, highlighting a significant issue affecting many who have served our country.
Researchers found lasting effects from COVID-19 COVID-19 cases today are less severe than five years ago, but new research indicates severe infections may have lasting impacts on the heart.
PORT CHARLOTTE Connecting service dogs with veterans A 76-year-old veteran is transforming lives by connecting fellow veterans with support dogs, and the results have been life-changing.
Peace River Wildlife Center celebrates reopening Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda reopened at Ponce de Leon Park after being closed since hurricanes Helene and Milton flooded the center and its hospital that treats injured wildlife.
2 dolphins found dead in Collier County amid red tide warnings Red tide is affecting multiple beaches in Collier County, and most recently, a dolphin was found dead in an area that turned up positive samples for red tide from Collier County Pollution Control.
Fort Myers riverfront condo One breaks ground Almost 20 years have passed since the last riverfront condominium project rose along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers.
FGCU FGCU’s Casey Santoro battles back from Achilles injury FGCU women’s basketball player Casey Santoro is back on the floor after suffering an Achilles injury a season ago.
BABCOCK RANCH Heaviest Florida panther ever recorded located in Babcock Ranch Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists recently captured and collared the heaviest Florida panther ever recorded.
Lee County deputies using VR for safe high-risk training scenarios The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has taken a significant step forward in training by incorporating virtual reality technology.
NAPLES FC Naples signs local soccer star Joffre followed his dream across continents after graduating from Gulf Coast. Now he’s back on the professional soccer pitch in his hometown.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach businesses face floodplain compliance deadline Fort Myers Beach’s businesses face pressure to comply with floodplain regulations or leave the island by March 1.
NAPLES Persistent red tide bloom off Naples to Boca Grande raises concerns As the weather warms up, more people are heading to the beach. However, those with beach plans in Southwest Florida should be aware of the persistent red tide affecting the coastline.
FORT MYERS Community aids in search for missing pitbull after Lee County crash A crash on I-75 near Daniels Parkway in Lee County turned a routine drive into a heartbreaking search for a missing pet.
LEHIGH ACRES Community supporting Lehigh Acres church after destructive fire A massive fire recently burned the Christ at Crossroads Church in Lehigh Acres, and the community is rallying to support the church’s recovery.
FORT MYERS Kids battling cancer in Fort Myers receive cuddly companions from donor Children battling cancer in Fort Myers are finding comfort in a special friend thanks to a generous donor.
2 SWFL veterans find relief at Harry Chapin Food Bank Two veterans in Southwest Florida routinely receive vital support through local food distributions, highlighting a significant issue affecting many who have served our country.
Researchers found lasting effects from COVID-19 COVID-19 cases today are less severe than five years ago, but new research indicates severe infections may have lasting impacts on the heart.
PORT CHARLOTTE Connecting service dogs with veterans A 76-year-old veteran is transforming lives by connecting fellow veterans with support dogs, and the results have been life-changing.
Peace River Wildlife Center celebrates reopening Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda reopened at Ponce de Leon Park after being closed since hurricanes Helene and Milton flooded the center and its hospital that treats injured wildlife.
2 dolphins found dead in Collier County amid red tide warnings Red tide is affecting multiple beaches in Collier County, and most recently, a dolphin was found dead in an area that turned up positive samples for red tide from Collier County Pollution Control.
Fort Myers riverfront condo One breaks ground Almost 20 years have passed since the last riverfront condominium project rose along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers.
Credit: WINK News. For the first time ever, Lee Health is activating its pandemic surge plan, the health system told WINK News Thursday. We also spoke to mothers who have concerns. One of them knows from experience what it’s like to be in the hospital watching a loved one get treated for the coronavirus. Lee Health said it’s seeing more patients than it has ever seen during the summertime. Now, employees who were either encouraged to take leave or on sabbatical are receiving urgent calls to return to the front lines of the Lee Health response to COVID-19. And that immediately involves opening up more beds. Mom Julie Lehotay wants all families at Lee Health to know where beds are for their loves ones in need. “My concern is that it’s rising so quickly,” Lehotay said. “Hospital beds are being taken up; the capacity is getting smaller.” And mom Ashley Flores understands the need for hospital beds, since her child needed to rely on one. “With what we went through, it’s scary,” Flores said. Flores said her then six-week-old stayed in the hospital for days after testing positive for COVID-19. “The fact that they were able to get him in right away, that was very important to us,” Flores said. Lee Health says it’s no longer flattening the curve, and it’s now activating its pandemic surge plan. “Our ICU rooms are approaching full capacity,” Dr. Larry Antonucci, the Lee Health CEO and president told WINK News over the phone. Lee Health is now asking for help from all community members to reverse the overflow by taking every precaution. “We haven’t been seeing that, and with this getting a lot worse now, and things are still normal as far as people going out and going to places,” Flores said. Antonucci says staffed bed capacity is at about 100%, meaning they still have more licensed beds but not enough staff. “Unfortunately, it seems like the benchmark is well how many hospital beds do we have in Florida that determined what we’re doing,” Lehotay said. “Those hospital beds are becoming less and less.” The plan to open up more beds involves scaling back elective surgeries and calling staff back to work. “As we bring in more staff, we are able to transition additional rooms to accommodate ICU patients when needed,” Antonucci said. “And, if they’re not able to have the space for people, that’s going to be a pretty scary situation for them to be in, for the hospital to be in or the staff to be in,” Flores said. NOTE: NCH Healthcare System in Collier County says it does not need to activate any kind of surge plan at this point. But, if it did, NCH would be able to open up 1,000 adult beds, nearly 150 of those being critical care.