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.
The body of Joel Henderson, 37, was recovered in the Caloosahatchee River on Dec. 11, a week after he went overboard from the Capt. JP riverboat. (Credit: WINK News) A man remains missing Saturday afternoon after falling overboard in the Caloosahatchee River Friday night. U.S. Coast Guard crews suspended their search Saturday evening. The Coast Guard says they spent a total of 11 and a half hours searching for 37-year-old Joel Henderson of Naples. Around 8 p.m., Friday the operator of the dinner-cruise vessel CAPT. JP, said a male passenger fell into the water not wearing a lifejacket. What was supposed to be a fun night out on the Caloosahatchee quickly turned tragic. Vanessa S. was one of the passengers on the Captain JP last night. “He was basically dying in front of us,” she said. The Coast Guard says the first call came in around 8 p.m. Friday night that a man, who was not wearing a life jacket, fell overboard. Those on board at the time say this was the Dark Christmas Brews Cruise by JC Cruises. Vanessa says she could hear someone shout ” man overboard.” “People were seeing he was struggling and wanted to help,” she said. “So many people were trying to get in the water but the staff would not allow anyone to get in the water.” Searches have been conducted between east of Cape Coral Bridge and west of Highway 41 for Henderson. Vanessa says she watched him disappear. “He was bobbing barely keeping his head above water,” said Vanessa. “At that point, he was under the water maybe a minute and we were yelling.” Then, he was gone. “He was gone. we never saw him come back up after that,” Vanessa said. Firefighters, deputies, and police were all searching with Coast Guard, and an aviation unit was in the sky as part of the search for the man. Florida Fish and Wildlife, the Fort Myers Police Department, and Lee County Sheriff’s officers with underwater side-scan sonar technology also assisted in the search. The Coast Guard had seven boats in the water at the scene and continued the search Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, authorities never found Joel Henderson. “It was just it was sad. It was really hard to see,” said Vanessa. Commander Shawn Lansing is the deputy commanding officer of the Coast Guard in St. Petersburg. “Our sincerest condolences go out to the family and friends,” he said. “We ask that all mariners keep a sharp lookout while transiting the waterways in the Caloosahatchee River and to call our comment center at 727-824-7534 with any new information.” Commander Lansing goes on to thank assisting agencies. “Thank you to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Myers Beach Police and Florida Fish and Wildlife for their response and partnership throughout this challenging search.” WINK News reached out to JC cruises but they are closed on Saturdays.