ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
Credit: Shared with WINK News. A man in Southwest Florida has received attention in a video that went viral after being posted to the internet. He was shown angrily yelling toward a fellow customer at a Costco after she asked him to wear a mask and follow the store’s policy. Now, the man was able to share his side of the story and explain how the video’s attention has affected him. Dan Maples in Bonita Springs says his life has been turned upside down. He lost his job and says people are leaving him disturbing messages, telling him they wish he contracted the coronavirus. It all happened after a video shared online showed him enraged at a Costco at Gulf Coast Town Center in Lee County recently. Maples spoke to radio host Trey Radel on the Drive on 92.5 FOX News Friday, and told him there is more to the video that was shared. “What you don’t see in the video is me pleading with the person to please stop and get away from me,” Maples told Radel. “I got backed into a corner. It was not something I deal with on a daily basis, someone screaming at me and filming me and trying to rally a mob against me.” Maples says what was shown in the video is not a depiction of how he normally behaves. “I lost my control,” Maples said. “I gave someone else the opportunity and power to escalate my emotions.” Maples says it all started when a senior citizen asked him to put on a mask in the back of the store. “The woman was telling me she had cancer,” Maples said. Maples says he thought back to his dad. “I’m sorry I’m not as sensitive about that,” Maples said. “That’s something if you say to me when I watched my dad die in my arms, then, why are you at Costco?” Maples says he was wearing a mask but took it off. “I can’t breathe when I have the mask,” Maples said. “I feel like I’m suffocating. I feel claustrophobic, drowning type thing.” The man behind the camera says he cut in to help the woman, and Maples screamed. But Maples has a different account of the interaction at Costco. “Runs and screams at best of my recollection, ‘9,000 new cases, 9,000 new cases. This man isn’t wearing a mask,’” Maples recalled. Once the video surfaced Tuesday, Maples says he quickly learned he lost his job. “Things are tough enough,” Maples said. “Initially, losing my job causes a lot of panic. Because, at this point, we rely on that and immediately causes panic. ‘Hey, I just got fired.’ My son goes, ‘Hey, dad, you’re a failure.’” Ted Todd insurance agency in Bonita Springs, Maples’ former company, says this behavior is in direct conflict with its company values. Maples said he’s now receiving threats. He says that is something that really needs to be changed in society. “Society needs to look at the bigger picture and the toll it takes on people,” Maples said. “It’s not a meme. It’s a life. I worked so hard for so long to become who I was, and, now, it’s all for nothing.” The man behind the video did not want to be identified in fear of safety for him and his family. Costco did not want to comment on the video, but their policy states customers and employees are required to wear a mask inside the store. Now, Maples is looking for some form of recourse. “At this point, I want my life back,” Maples said.