Warm and breezy afternoon with scattered rain this eveningWeb Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up
Warm and breezy afternoon with scattered rain this evening The Weather Authority is tracking a warm and breezy Wednesday, and scattered rain is expected this evening.
WINK NEWS 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.
SANIBEL Sanibel Church rebuilds after Hurricane Ian The Sanibel Community Church has completed its remarkable rebuild after Hurricane Ian devastated their place of worship over two years ago.
NAPLES Costco construction causes commotion in Collier County community Costco is eyeing a plot of land in Collier County for a new store, but residents are voicing strong opposition.
NAPLES Dr. Cornelius “Pat” Cacho’s impact on education and Southwest Florida Dr. Cornelius “Pat” Cacho, a beloved philanthropist and advocate for education, dedicated his life to empowering others through opportunity and knowledge.
SANIBEL Sanibel cracks down on school zone speeders with new camera system Sanibel is tightening its grip on school zone speeders with newly installed cameras.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers food pantry expands efforts with Harry Chapin support The Harry Chapin Food Bank in Fort Myers plays a crucial role in supporting smaller food banks in the area.
Fort Myers Beach Pier scheduled to be finished a year ahead of schedule The Fort Myers Beach Pier remains a symbol of the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian two years ago. Efforts to rebuild it has taken a lot of time.
FORT MYERS Iconic Fort Myers statue to undergo repairs The iconic “Rachel at the Well” statue on McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers has been a landmark for 94 years. However, it became a casualty of Hurricane Ian in 2022, and discussions for its repair are ongoing.
Salvation Army Thrift Store closing its doors in Collier County The Salvation Army has announced the permanent closure of the Naples Family Store on Davis Boulevard.
SANIBEL Rebuilding the Sanibel Causeway with a cause Construction crews are hard at work making the Sanibel Causeway more resilient. The bridge is being fortified to withstand future storms.
LEE COUNTY No. 2 prospect in MLB Roman Anthony with Red Sox for Spring Training Roman Anthony, who is ranked as the second best in baseball, is with the Boston Red Sox for his first Spring Training.
MANASOTA KEY Popular Manasota Key restaurant reopens after storm damage Manasota Key is steadily recovering from a challenging hurricane season, and residents are celebrating the reopening of a beloved local spot.
PINE ISLAND Construction to start on hurricane-proof fire station on Pine Island A new hurricane-proof fire station is coming to Pine Island. The current station, over 40 years old, is in dire need of replacement.
NORTH PORT Braves’ Chris Sale on the mound in southwest Florida once again Spring Training is in full swing for the Atlanta Braves, who’s full squad reported on Tuesday, that means Chris Sale is back in SWFL.
Warm and breezy afternoon with scattered rain this evening The Weather Authority is tracking a warm and breezy Wednesday, and scattered rain is expected this evening.
WINK NEWS 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.
SANIBEL Sanibel Church rebuilds after Hurricane Ian The Sanibel Community Church has completed its remarkable rebuild after Hurricane Ian devastated their place of worship over two years ago.
NAPLES Costco construction causes commotion in Collier County community Costco is eyeing a plot of land in Collier County for a new store, but residents are voicing strong opposition.
NAPLES Dr. Cornelius “Pat” Cacho’s impact on education and Southwest Florida Dr. Cornelius “Pat” Cacho, a beloved philanthropist and advocate for education, dedicated his life to empowering others through opportunity and knowledge.
SANIBEL Sanibel cracks down on school zone speeders with new camera system Sanibel is tightening its grip on school zone speeders with newly installed cameras.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers food pantry expands efforts with Harry Chapin support The Harry Chapin Food Bank in Fort Myers plays a crucial role in supporting smaller food banks in the area.
Fort Myers Beach Pier scheduled to be finished a year ahead of schedule The Fort Myers Beach Pier remains a symbol of the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian two years ago. Efforts to rebuild it has taken a lot of time.
FORT MYERS Iconic Fort Myers statue to undergo repairs The iconic “Rachel at the Well” statue on McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers has been a landmark for 94 years. However, it became a casualty of Hurricane Ian in 2022, and discussions for its repair are ongoing.
Salvation Army Thrift Store closing its doors in Collier County The Salvation Army has announced the permanent closure of the Naples Family Store on Davis Boulevard.
SANIBEL Rebuilding the Sanibel Causeway with a cause Construction crews are hard at work making the Sanibel Causeway more resilient. The bridge is being fortified to withstand future storms.
LEE COUNTY No. 2 prospect in MLB Roman Anthony with Red Sox for Spring Training Roman Anthony, who is ranked as the second best in baseball, is with the Boston Red Sox for his first Spring Training.
MANASOTA KEY Popular Manasota Key restaurant reopens after storm damage Manasota Key is steadily recovering from a challenging hurricane season, and residents are celebrating the reopening of a beloved local spot.
PINE ISLAND Construction to start on hurricane-proof fire station on Pine Island A new hurricane-proof fire station is coming to Pine Island. The current station, over 40 years old, is in dire need of replacement.
NORTH PORT Braves’ Chris Sale on the mound in southwest Florida once again Spring Training is in full swing for the Atlanta Braves, who’s full squad reported on Tuesday, that means Chris Sale is back in SWFL.
Lake Okeechobee Hebert Hoover Dike on November 12, 2020. On Wednesday, the equivalent of 260-million bathtubs full of water flowed into Lake Okeechobee as Eta moved over Florida. We flew the WINK News drone above Lake Okeechobee to see the changes, and the lake’s water level now stands at 16.39 (Feet-NGVD29) as of 4 p.m. The Herbert Hoover Dike system consists of 143 miles of levee, hurricane gates, and other water control structures. It surrounds the lake and helps to keep water in and the community safe. But it’s old, and the construction of the earthen dam was completed in the late 1960s. Changes are coming. For now, construction is part of Lake Okeechobee’s landscape. Almur Whiting IV is the Jacksonville District Dam Safety Program Manager. He says, “We are working hard to make sure that we keep the public safe. Make sure that we stay vigilant.” But what the Army of Corps Engineers is building now. You will never see it. Lake Okeechobee Hebert Hoover Dike on November 12, 2020. “It’s approximately three feet thick, and it goes anywhere from 40 to 70 feet below the ground. And then at the end of the project, it’s buried,” Whiting explained. It’s an underground cutoff wall wrapping miles of the lake. He added, “Right now, there’s a large portion of the dike, where we need the wall that’s being constructed. And until that time, we are in heightened security and surveillance and monitoring.” According to Geosyntec Consultants: The cutoff wall, a critical design feature in the dike rehabilitation, will minimize existing internal erosion, known as “piping,” and prevent further damage to the internal structure of the dike.” That’s the goal. Whiting said, “During high lake events in the past, we’ve seen a lot of distress, seepage, sinkholes and other things that led us to the conclusion that we needed the seepage cutoff wall.” Lake Okeechobee Hebert Hoover Dike on November 12, 2020. The cutoff wall is just one of several projects to keep nearby communities safe from flooding. “We don’t take things for granted like Eta coming. We were prepared for the lake to rise a lot and increase inspections. We got lucky. We didn’t have to, but we are prepared to do that in the future.” The Army Corps hopes all of their rehabilitation construction projects are done in about two years. The Corps will give update us on Lake Okeechobee’s water levels and releases Friday morning.