Warm stretch continues throughout this weekendSanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
Charlotte County unlicensed contractor accused of fraud The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said that a contractor has been arrested after he was hired to build a room in a home without a license.
Studies show that menopause is linked to heart risks Menopause is a natural part of life for middle-aged women, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55. However, it can bring serious health complications, including an increased risk of heart disease.
FORT MYERS Local band Shy Blossom to open up for ’90s rockers Sister Hazel at The Ranch A Southwest Florida-based band will be opening for the legendary ’90s rock fusion group Sister Hazel.
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of possessing child pornography A Cape Coral man has been arrested after allegedly possessing several files of child pornography on devices.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
Charlotte County unlicensed contractor accused of fraud The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said that a contractor has been arrested after he was hired to build a room in a home without a license.
Studies show that menopause is linked to heart risks Menopause is a natural part of life for middle-aged women, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55. However, it can bring serious health complications, including an increased risk of heart disease.
FORT MYERS Local band Shy Blossom to open up for ’90s rockers Sister Hazel at The Ranch A Southwest Florida-based band will be opening for the legendary ’90s rock fusion group Sister Hazel.
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of possessing child pornography A Cape Coral man has been arrested after allegedly possessing several files of child pornography on devices.
Charlotte County COVID-19 vaccine administration was done via a drive-thru service. (Credit: WINK News) This week’s rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in Lee County has seen long lines and many sitting out in the cold overnight just to try to get a dose. Charlotte County offered vaccines with a different approach. Outside Charlotte’s vaccination sites Wednesday morning was a sight starkly different from Tuesday in Lee: no lines, as the county required appointments, and the vaccines were given as a drive-thru service. That doesn’t mean the process was entirely seamless, though. After appointments were announced, hundreds of people logged on to get their spot, and the traffic crashed the website. One woman in Port Charlotte says she doesn’t know if appointments are the best way to do this. “What about all these really elderly people in their 70s, 80s and 90s that don’t have a computer or can’t see well enough to see a computer or can’t sit at a computer?” said Paula de Rienzo. For one couple, it was their second attempt at getting the vaccine, and they said Lee County could learn a few things from the way Charlotte County handled their event. “This was a piece of cake; whoever thought of this did a good job,” said Vito Verni of Estero. He and his wife, Janet, were one of the lucky ones. They got an appointment, drove through the line and got their first shot – no need to even get out of their car. That was in stark contrast to their experience in Bonita Springs on Tuesday. “I felt sorry for them, the older people … we got there at 3:30 in the afternoon, they were there already, the first lady online and a chair with the lantern and a blanket, this is the day before,” Janet said. Joseph Pepe, director of the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County, says Wednesday is being used as a trial run, after which changes can be made. But the appointments will not change; they don’t want anyone waiting outside in a line for hours. “We knew that we’re the second-oldest county in the state as far as by age, we just didn’t want our most vulnerable people camping out all night to get a vaccine,” de Rienzo said. “It’s just the safer way to do it by appointment.” More than 200 vaccines were administered in about two and a half hours Wednesday. Punta Gorda residents Debra Rakowitz and her husband were among those receiving a dose, and Rakowitz said it was “quick and painless.” The DOH-Charlotte said the only change for the next round is to get more vaccines and more staff. “We all got kind of thrown into this really quickly; we had about 24 hours to come up with a plan,” said Edwardo Gonzalez, vaccine coordinator with the health department. “The process was created previously and we kind of tweaked it a little bit just to see how it went because we didn’t want to have a massive amount of individuals waiting too long and then clogging the roads.” The county says all appointment slots are filled for next week, but more vaccine dates will be announced Jan. 6. WINK News will post that information online once it’s released. The shot is free, and you don’t need to be a Charlotte County resident to get vaccinated. Health care workers will need to bring a copy of their ID badge or their current pay stub. For those that got a dose Wednesday and will need a second dose, you’ll have to go back to the website you first registered on to make an appointment for the second dose. The appointments will be available once the health department gets more doses. They are working on a way to label those coming back to make a second appointment on the website. The DOH doesn’t see that happening next week. https://winknews.com/2020/12/29/covid-19-vaccine-schedules-for-swfl/