Crews battle 2.5-acre brush fire near Alico and Eagle Village DriveJake’s story: A mother’s mission to share her son’s story and help other young people
ESTERO Crews battle 2.5-acre brush fire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive San Carlos Park Fire District is on the scene fighting a 2.5-acre brushfire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive.
FORT MYERS Jake’s story: A mother’s mission to share her son’s story and help other young people One Fort Myers mom is turning her pain into purpose after her son, who she refers to as her “heavenly Angel,” took his own life.
CAPE CORAL New renderings for the Cape Coral Yacht Club promise a bright future The Cape Coral Yacht Club, which has been part of this community since the 1960s, will now have a new look after Hurricane Ian’s devastating effects.
LEHIGH ACRES Owner bars public from Barefoot Lake, LCSO installs Watch Tower Every weekend, roughly 200 people go to Barefoot Lake in Lehigh Acres to relax, fish, swim and have a good time.
CAPE CORAL Concern over water shortage in Cape Coral Concern is flowing through Cape Coral as neighbors are seeing their canal levels low and their wells run dry.
FORT MYERS FSW softball swinging for success in the postseason Now their focus shifts to states which means the newbies are looking to the experienced sophomores for advice.
BONITA SPRINGS Young SWFL tennis player competing with professionals You may not know her name now, but you might want remember it because 16-year-old Cookie Jarvis-Tredgett is already competing with professionals.
NORTH NAPLES ‘It’s all about connection,’ Statement Peace makes jewelry with sustainability in mind The brand Statement Peace, once started inside founder Jessica Lee’s home, is now in 2,700 stores across the country
Pine Manor 2 arrested for firing gun at birthday party in Pine Manor A party ended with two people behind bars.
FORT MYERS Shooting investigation on busy Fort Myers street Police are conducting a shooting investigation that involves a traffic crash near Michigan Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.
FGCU New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis ready to build on department’s success New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis talks about the department’s future amid the age of NIL and the transfer portal.
FORT MYERS More middle-aged women being treated for acne You probably thought you broke up with it after high school, but acne is rearing it’s ugly blackheads in adult women.
Lee County student ran up and hit teacher in head, report shows The report says a 13-year-old student ran up and smacked a teacher in the head because multiple classmates offered him money to do so.
NAPLES Collier Planning Commission continues discussion for apartments near Fiddler’s Creek The developer of Fiddler’s Creek wants to build hundreds of luxury apartments on a slice of a 600 acre-plus property known as section 29.
CAPE CORAL Fatigue sets in for third day of FEMA hearings Flying several hours to come to a FEMA code compliance hearing in Cape Coral is the reality for John Gasparini from Maryland.
ESTERO Crews battle 2.5-acre brush fire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive San Carlos Park Fire District is on the scene fighting a 2.5-acre brushfire near Alico and Eagle Village Drive.
FORT MYERS Jake’s story: A mother’s mission to share her son’s story and help other young people One Fort Myers mom is turning her pain into purpose after her son, who she refers to as her “heavenly Angel,” took his own life.
CAPE CORAL New renderings for the Cape Coral Yacht Club promise a bright future The Cape Coral Yacht Club, which has been part of this community since the 1960s, will now have a new look after Hurricane Ian’s devastating effects.
LEHIGH ACRES Owner bars public from Barefoot Lake, LCSO installs Watch Tower Every weekend, roughly 200 people go to Barefoot Lake in Lehigh Acres to relax, fish, swim and have a good time.
CAPE CORAL Concern over water shortage in Cape Coral Concern is flowing through Cape Coral as neighbors are seeing their canal levels low and their wells run dry.
FORT MYERS FSW softball swinging for success in the postseason Now their focus shifts to states which means the newbies are looking to the experienced sophomores for advice.
BONITA SPRINGS Young SWFL tennis player competing with professionals You may not know her name now, but you might want remember it because 16-year-old Cookie Jarvis-Tredgett is already competing with professionals.
NORTH NAPLES ‘It’s all about connection,’ Statement Peace makes jewelry with sustainability in mind The brand Statement Peace, once started inside founder Jessica Lee’s home, is now in 2,700 stores across the country
Pine Manor 2 arrested for firing gun at birthday party in Pine Manor A party ended with two people behind bars.
FORT MYERS Shooting investigation on busy Fort Myers street Police are conducting a shooting investigation that involves a traffic crash near Michigan Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.
FGCU New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis ready to build on department’s success New FGCU athletic director Colin Hargis talks about the department’s future amid the age of NIL and the transfer portal.
FORT MYERS More middle-aged women being treated for acne You probably thought you broke up with it after high school, but acne is rearing it’s ugly blackheads in adult women.
Lee County student ran up and hit teacher in head, report shows The report says a 13-year-old student ran up and smacked a teacher in the head because multiple classmates offered him money to do so.
NAPLES Collier Planning Commission continues discussion for apartments near Fiddler’s Creek The developer of Fiddler’s Creek wants to build hundreds of luxury apartments on a slice of a 600 acre-plus property known as section 29.
CAPE CORAL Fatigue sets in for third day of FEMA hearings Flying several hours to come to a FEMA code compliance hearing in Cape Coral is the reality for John Gasparini from Maryland.
Lee County’s first-come, first serve vaccine distribution process has lead to crowds and displeasure. (CREDIT: WINK News) Residents have been upset with the vaccine rollout in Lee County this week. The vaccine distribution process for those 65 and older has been largely first-come, first-serve across the county. In some cases, social distancing has gone ignored, possibly contributing to the community spread of COVID-19. “You’re out here with other people,” said Paige Grant, a nurse at a local hospital that hasn’t received the vaccine. “I mean we’re ‘six feet apart’ but we’re really not. People are walking around and talking to everybody. I mean it’s putting them at risk definitely.” In addition to the lack of social distancing, people waited overnight in colder temperatures. “I mean I saw people with oxygen out here,” Grant said. “I can barely see them sitting in hospital beds let alone sitting outside in 45 to 50-degree weather overnight.” Grant said she waited for the vaccine for more than 13 hours at the Cultural Park in Cape Coral. Lee County has made national headlines for the mishaps in the vaccination distribution process. “It just seems like this is the height of inefficiency,” said Paul Asfour, a former Cape Coral city council member who tried to get the vaccine but was unable to. Florida Department of Health in Lee County spokeswoman Tammy Yzaguirre begs to differ. “We feel that our current model is an efficient model but are assessing all options for future means of vaccine distribution,” Yzaguirre said. Yzaguirre said Lee County’s first-come, first-serve wait-in-line plan is a faster way to vaccinate people compared to a drive-thru approach in Charlotte County. Using the drive-thru approach, Charlotte County vaccinated about 200 people in a 2.5-hour window. Comparatively, Yzaguirre said Lee County administered 2,885 doses in six hours. Yzaguirre said the department never encouraged people to camp out overnight for vaccinations. “We have asked that people not report to the sites prior to the open time for their safety and well-being,” she said. “We have also encouraged people to be patient and understand that we do not have enough vaccine for everyone to be vaccinated and we cannot all be vaccinated today.” She said primary care practices and pharmacies will have the vaccine in stock as more of it becomes available. “We heard reports of counties using reservation systems that have experienced site crashes and appointments booked well beyond vaccine supply,” she said. “FDOH Lee made the choice to begin vaccinating first-come, first-serve because we did not think the community at large would appreciate vaccine sitting in our freezers as opposed to getting it into the community as quickly as possible.” Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais said he hopes the county will have a reservation system in the next week, but he isn’t sure that will be the answer. A reservation system could “slow down the number of people per hour who can get vaccinated.” “You know, I got a lot of hate mail in the last couple of days,” Desjarlais added. Desjarlais said he hopes people who can’t wait in line “will hopefully be patient” and wait for when their doctor’s office starts offering the vaccine. Asfour said he has three grandchildren who he doesn’t get to see as often as he like. “We were very disappointed as to how it was rolled out,” Asfour said. Grant, the 26-year-old nurse, said she would do it again if the county doesn’t come up with a solution. “I mean I’m already thinking about people I can stand in line for, my grandparents,” she said. “My mom and I will be standing outside.”