Sheriff Showdown: Charity hockey game held for family of Elio DiazDemonstrators gather for Fort Myers Women’s March
ESTERO Sheriff Showdown: Charity hockey game held for family of Elio Diaz The Lee County Sheriff’s Office faced the Suffolk County Sheriff’s hockey team in a Sheriff Showdown at Hertz Arena in Estero on Saturday.
FORT MYERS Demonstrators gather for Fort Myers Women’s March Dozens gathered at the intersection of Colonial Boulevard and US 41 in Fort Myers for the annual Women’s March on Saturday morning.
Two-vehicle crash causes rollover near Pine Ridge Road A two-vehicle crash occurred near Pine Ridge Road and Premiere Way late Saturday morning, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
LCSO investigates early morning shooting near Wawa on Alico Road The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that occurred early Saturday morning.
ENGLEWOOD Charlotte County deputies fatally shoot man in Englewood, investigation ongoing Deputies from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office shot and killed a man who was reportedly acting erratically.
the weather authority Warm weekend ahead with increased rain chances on the way The Weather Authority says a warm Saturday is on tap, with temperatures reaching the upper 70s into the afternoon.
Bodycam video shows warning signs from teen accused of killing mother In newly released body camera footage, a mother questions her son’s violence months before her murder.
Veteran injured in crash that killed wife WINK News has learned that a veteran’s wife was killed in a crash on Wednesday on State Road 82.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda to repair old city hall building The City of Punta Gorda is scrapping plans to build a new city hall.
SWFL teen injured in New Orleans terror attack released from hospital According to the mom of one of the teens injured in the New Orleans Terror attack on New Year’s Day, she has been released from the hospital.
NAPLES Jay Leno comedy show coming to Southwest Florida One of the most famous comedians in the world is coming to Southwest Florida.
SOUTH NAPLES Collier neighbors anticipating second Costco location Members of a community are waiting for one of the most popular wholesale stores, but there is something standing in the way.
AVE MARIA Caught on camera: Massive gator seen in front of Ave Maria home A massive alligator was seen using a walking path in front of an Ave Maria home, and it was all caught on camera.
NCAA approves plan to pay women’s basketball tournament teams In a historic unanimous vote, the NCAA approves of a plan to pay women’s basketball teams that compete in March Madness.
ESTERO Sheriff Showdown: Charity hockey game held for family of Elio Diaz The Lee County Sheriff’s Office faced the Suffolk County Sheriff’s hockey team in a Sheriff Showdown at Hertz Arena in Estero on Saturday.
FORT MYERS Demonstrators gather for Fort Myers Women’s March Dozens gathered at the intersection of Colonial Boulevard and US 41 in Fort Myers for the annual Women’s March on Saturday morning.
Two-vehicle crash causes rollover near Pine Ridge Road A two-vehicle crash occurred near Pine Ridge Road and Premiere Way late Saturday morning, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
LCSO investigates early morning shooting near Wawa on Alico Road The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that occurred early Saturday morning.
ENGLEWOOD Charlotte County deputies fatally shoot man in Englewood, investigation ongoing Deputies from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office shot and killed a man who was reportedly acting erratically.
the weather authority Warm weekend ahead with increased rain chances on the way The Weather Authority says a warm Saturday is on tap, with temperatures reaching the upper 70s into the afternoon.
Bodycam video shows warning signs from teen accused of killing mother In newly released body camera footage, a mother questions her son’s violence months before her murder.
Veteran injured in crash that killed wife WINK News has learned that a veteran’s wife was killed in a crash on Wednesday on State Road 82.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda to repair old city hall building The City of Punta Gorda is scrapping plans to build a new city hall.
SWFL teen injured in New Orleans terror attack released from hospital According to the mom of one of the teens injured in the New Orleans Terror attack on New Year’s Day, she has been released from the hospital.
NAPLES Jay Leno comedy show coming to Southwest Florida One of the most famous comedians in the world is coming to Southwest Florida.
SOUTH NAPLES Collier neighbors anticipating second Costco location Members of a community are waiting for one of the most popular wholesale stores, but there is something standing in the way.
AVE MARIA Caught on camera: Massive gator seen in front of Ave Maria home A massive alligator was seen using a walking path in front of an Ave Maria home, and it was all caught on camera.
NCAA approves plan to pay women’s basketball tournament teams In a historic unanimous vote, the NCAA approves of a plan to pay women’s basketball teams that compete in March Madness.
This illustration image shows tablets of opioid painkiller Oxycodon delivered on medical prescription taken on September 18, 2019 in Washington,DC. – Millions of Americans sank into addiction after using potent opioid painkillers that the companies churned out and doctors freely prescribed over the past two decades. Well over 400,000 people died of opioid overdoses in that period, while the companies involved raked in billions of dollars in profits. And while the flood of prescription opioids into the black market has now been curtailed, addicts are turning to heroin and highly potent fentanyl to compensate, where the risk of overdose and death is even higher. (Photo by Eric BARADAT / AFP) (Photo credit should read ERIC BARADAT/AFP/Getty Images) ‘Chris’ was doing well on his road to recovery. He’d gotten a job and an apartment and was living a much more healthy lifestyle. But everything changed in March 2020. The isolation and social distancing prescribed to help curb the COVID-19 pandemic gave Chris a reason to turn back to drugs. His is just one story that the counselors at St. Matthew’s House have seen in the past several months. Because he is at a delicate stage of his recovery, they did not want WINK News to identify “Chris” by his real name. The Naples-based charity provides shelters and programs for people struggling with substance abuse, in addition to its programs aimed at fighting homelessness and hunger. Graduates of St. Matthew’s House addiction programs have an 85 percent success rate and staying clean and sober. But in the past year, they are seeing program graduates like Chris’ relapse. Kevin Sisti, an intake manager for one of the charities’ residential programs, said the isolation and social distancing prescribed to curb the pandemic gave people struggling with addiction the ability to stay at home and drink or use drugs. “You throw money at it, as far as unemployment and government funds, and that sort and [they’re] going to take advantage of that,” said Sisti, a recovering alcoholic who just celebrated two years of sobriety. He said he saw people come in for help and then leave once they had their stimulus funds. Last year in Florida nearly 6,000 people died from drugs or alcohol according to an annual report released by the Medical Examiner’s Commission. Nationwide, there were 160,000 deaths related to substance abuse according to St. Matthew’s House CEO Vann Ellison. He said he worries that next year could be worse. ‘I did two funerals last week—young men that I knew; the oldest of them was 34, lives cut short way too early,” said Ellison. Anyone struggling with addiction can contact St. Matthew’s House to be connected with a case manager at 239-774-0500 or heading to the “Get Help” tab at stmatthewshouse.org. You can find treatment and help nationwide by calling 1-800-662-4357.