Police respond to shots fired at Clewiston WalmartWINK Investigates: Everything we know so far about Beattie Development
CLEWISTON Police respond to shots fired at Clewiston Walmart According to the Clewiston Police Department, an active shooter was present at the Walmart in Clewiston Friday night.
WINK Investigates: Everything we know so far about Beattie Development A southwest Florida developer has now surrendered his six different contracting licenses, which include general contracting, plumbing and roofing. Paul Beattie, owner of Beattie Development cannot build homes anymore. It’s not a permanent situation, but part of a settlement agreement with the state says he’d need to pay $300,000 before he could get a new […]
Florida Attorney General speaks out following lawsuit against FEMA Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has spoken out following the filing of a lawsuit alleging that a FEMA supervisor directed aid workers to avoid going to homes in Lake Placid that had yard signs supporting Trump.
FORT MYERS BEACH How to increase odds of getting your hurricane insurance claim paid When Hurricane Helene hit Southwest Florida in September followed by Milton, many people’s lives were affected.
lehigh acres 25 students treated for heat exhaustion on Lehigh Sr. High School football field The Tice Fire Department treated around 25 students for heat exhaustion on the Lehigh Senior High School football field.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda pilots speak out on Allegiant Air strike Allegiant Air pilots said they want a new contract, one that’s amendable, fair and, in their words, what they should be paid.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach couple sues insurance over Hurricane Ian claim In the last two months, southwest Florida experienced a hurricane double punch with Helene and Milton, but for many people out there, it’s still all about Hurricane Ian from 2022.
CAPE CORAL Couple struggling after hurricanes receives $10K from Cape Coral High students A couple who lost everything to Hurricane Milton has received a blessing in more ways than one.
FORT MYERS BEACH FEMA denies extension for business trailers on Fort Myers Beach FEMA has denied an extension for business trailers on Fort Myers Beach.
Mistrial declared in case of former Hendry County deputy A mistrial has been called in the trial of Tyler Williams, a former Hendry County deputy. The court declared the mistrial after the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on either count in the indictment. Williams was charged with two felonies in federal court in early April 2024, after knocking a handcuffed man unconscious. […]
Examining healthy breast tissue to understand how cancer starts A new approach being researched by scientists has led to the examination of healthy breast tissue to better understand how cancer develops.
Analysts: Charlotte County’s rapid population growth calls for more services Charlotte County’s population has shown unprecedented growth, increasing 5.2% from June 2023 to March 2024.
FORT MYERS Man accused of attempted burglary while nude in Fort Myers; covers head with white cloth The Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man who stands accused of attempted burglary while wearing nothing but a white cloth over his head.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of breaking into 6 different businesses A man has been arrested after allegedly breaking into six different businesses in Southeast Cape Coral this month.
COLLIER COUNTY DOH-Collier issues blue-green algae health alert for Lake Avalon It’s official: the Florida Department of Health in Collier County (DOH-Collier) has issued a health alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algae toxins in Lake Avalon.
CLEWISTON Police respond to shots fired at Clewiston Walmart According to the Clewiston Police Department, an active shooter was present at the Walmart in Clewiston Friday night.
WINK Investigates: Everything we know so far about Beattie Development A southwest Florida developer has now surrendered his six different contracting licenses, which include general contracting, plumbing and roofing. Paul Beattie, owner of Beattie Development cannot build homes anymore. It’s not a permanent situation, but part of a settlement agreement with the state says he’d need to pay $300,000 before he could get a new […]
Florida Attorney General speaks out following lawsuit against FEMA Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has spoken out following the filing of a lawsuit alleging that a FEMA supervisor directed aid workers to avoid going to homes in Lake Placid that had yard signs supporting Trump.
FORT MYERS BEACH How to increase odds of getting your hurricane insurance claim paid When Hurricane Helene hit Southwest Florida in September followed by Milton, many people’s lives were affected.
lehigh acres 25 students treated for heat exhaustion on Lehigh Sr. High School football field The Tice Fire Department treated around 25 students for heat exhaustion on the Lehigh Senior High School football field.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda pilots speak out on Allegiant Air strike Allegiant Air pilots said they want a new contract, one that’s amendable, fair and, in their words, what they should be paid.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach couple sues insurance over Hurricane Ian claim In the last two months, southwest Florida experienced a hurricane double punch with Helene and Milton, but for many people out there, it’s still all about Hurricane Ian from 2022.
CAPE CORAL Couple struggling after hurricanes receives $10K from Cape Coral High students A couple who lost everything to Hurricane Milton has received a blessing in more ways than one.
FORT MYERS BEACH FEMA denies extension for business trailers on Fort Myers Beach FEMA has denied an extension for business trailers on Fort Myers Beach.
Mistrial declared in case of former Hendry County deputy A mistrial has been called in the trial of Tyler Williams, a former Hendry County deputy. The court declared the mistrial after the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on either count in the indictment. Williams was charged with two felonies in federal court in early April 2024, after knocking a handcuffed man unconscious. […]
Examining healthy breast tissue to understand how cancer starts A new approach being researched by scientists has led to the examination of healthy breast tissue to better understand how cancer develops.
Analysts: Charlotte County’s rapid population growth calls for more services Charlotte County’s population has shown unprecedented growth, increasing 5.2% from June 2023 to March 2024.
FORT MYERS Man accused of attempted burglary while nude in Fort Myers; covers head with white cloth The Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man who stands accused of attempted burglary while wearing nothing but a white cloth over his head.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of breaking into 6 different businesses A man has been arrested after allegedly breaking into six different businesses in Southeast Cape Coral this month.
COLLIER COUNTY DOH-Collier issues blue-green algae health alert for Lake Avalon It’s official: the Florida Department of Health in Collier County (DOH-Collier) has issued a health alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algae toxins in Lake Avalon.
Credit: JESHOOTS.com/Pexels Driving a car in Florida will cost you – to the tune of about $2,300 this year for car insurance, a price tag that isn’t likely to drop. On average, Florida drivers pay $700 more than the rest of the country, and a car insurance comparison website called “The Zebra” found that prices are going up in Southwest Florida for a few reasons. One: our booming population. More people means more road congestion, crashes and claims. Two: severe weather. Hurricanes and bad storms mean billions in damage. Three: Florida drivers often have to foot the bill for people who don’t play by the rules, like uninsured and distracted drivers. “That’s all coming out of the pot that everybody’s paying, so the insurance company has to raise prices for everyone to kind of refill that pot. And that part is really the state,” said Nicole Beck with “The Zebra.” She said insurance companies also rate you based on a few factors: “Who you are, what you drive, how you drive and where you drive.” ZIP codes that pay the most include Immokalee, Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres. Those paying the least include Bonita Springs, Naples and Marco Island. “Something like a dangerous intersection and the ZIP code where a lot of accidents happen can raise rates for everybody who lives there,” Beck said. To save money, drive safely. Racing, getting a DUI, or a hit-and-run will raise your car insurance rate more than 70% for the next three years. Also, let your insurer know if your credit score goes up. You can also bundle policies, pay in full and see if they offer discounts in exchange for taking an online driving course. If you’re shopping for a new car, call your insurer to find out if your insurance rates will go up depending on the make and model of the car you’re looking to buy. DATA FROM THE ZEBRA: Average annual premiums Fort Myers-Naples: $2,000 (up 12.23% from last year) Jacksonville: $2,143 Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne: $2,150 Miami-Ft.Lauderdale: $2,927 Tampa-St. Petersburg: $2,537 State of Florida: $2,309 U.S.: $1,548 Drivers in the following SWFL zip codes pay the most for car insurance: 34142 Immokalee $2,235 33971 Fort Myers $2,222 33916 Fort Myers $2,132 33966 Fort Myers $2,130 33901 Fort Myers $2,127 33912 Fort Myers $2,120 33913 Fort Myers $2,110 33973 Lehigh Acres $2,106 33976 Lehigh Acres $2,102 33972 Lehigh Acres $2,098 These pay the least: 34145 Marco Island $1,901 34140 Goodland $1,902 34135 Bonita Springs $1,904 34110 Bonita Springs $1,904 34134 Bonita Springs $1,913 34119 Naples $1,917 34113 Lely $1,917 34112 Naples $1,917 33928 Estero $1,919 34114 Naples $1,920 https://winknews.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Zebra-State-of-Auto-Insurance-Report-2020.pdf