‘Lucy’s Law’ aims to enhance boating safety after Florida Keys accidentLocal record store and venue, Beach Records, closing after 6 years
‘Lucy’s Law’ aims to enhance boating safety after Florida Keys accident A proposed bill in Florida, known as “Lucy’s Law,” seeks to increase penalties for vessel collisions, accidents, and casualties.
IONA Local record store and venue, Beach Records, closing after 6 years Beach Records, a record store doubling as a music venue, is closing down after hundreds of shows held and many more records sold.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach businesses thrive as spring break crowds return Fort Myers Beach is bustling with activity as spring break draws crowds to the area. The influx of visitors is a welcome sight for local businesses, especially after the community faces challenges from recent hurricanes.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral businesses worry over parking loss in road expansion Cape Coral is set to undergo a significant change with a road expansion project on Cape Coral Parkway, increasing it from four lanes to six.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for March 12, 2025 This weekly Most Wanted Wednesday WINK News segment features fugitives from justice in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS 97.7 Latino hosts Fort Myers event to aid St. Jude kids this March WTLQ 97.7 Orgullo Latino is gearing up for its annual Partners in Hope event.
Is a mini-retirement right for you? Experts share insights Taking a temporary extended break from work, known as a mini-retirement, is becoming a popular trend, especially among younger generations.
FSW Transfer portal boosts FSW baseball’s roster with D1 talent In the age of the transfer portal, Florida Southwestern baseball is made up of players who have transferred from various prestigious programs.
NORTH PORT Day in the life of CoolToday Park’s mascot, Palmer Palmer, the friendly palm tree, roams the ballpark spreading joy wherever he goes.
MATLACHA Residents voice traffic control concerns for Little Pine Island Bridge The Little Pine Island Bridge has been a main focus of recovery for southwest Florida since Hurricane Ian damaged it in 2022, but construction has been a headache for people on the island since then.
FORT MYERS RSW Phase 2 expansion begins despite delays The second phase of the RSW expansion project has officially broken ground, even as the first phase encounters delays.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral boaters warned of sunken barge hazard in Caloosahatchee River A barge capsized in the Caloosahatchee River near Jaycee Park, leaking fuel into the water is causing a hazard for boaters.
WINK NEWS Estero crash on I-75 involves four cars; trooper unharmed A traffic crash on Tuesday evening involving multiple vehicles occurred on Northbound Interstate 75 near Estero.
Hair loss could be unexpected side effect of losing weight Hair loss can be an unexpected side effect of losing weight. While shedding between 50 to 100 strands of hair a day is normal, losing more could indicate a problem.
Lee County School District central office under hiring freeze; superintendent weighs in The Lee County School District’s central office is currently under a hiring freeze. WINK News confirmed this exclusive development.
‘Lucy’s Law’ aims to enhance boating safety after Florida Keys accident A proposed bill in Florida, known as “Lucy’s Law,” seeks to increase penalties for vessel collisions, accidents, and casualties.
IONA Local record store and venue, Beach Records, closing after 6 years Beach Records, a record store doubling as a music venue, is closing down after hundreds of shows held and many more records sold.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach businesses thrive as spring break crowds return Fort Myers Beach is bustling with activity as spring break draws crowds to the area. The influx of visitors is a welcome sight for local businesses, especially after the community faces challenges from recent hurricanes.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral businesses worry over parking loss in road expansion Cape Coral is set to undergo a significant change with a road expansion project on Cape Coral Parkway, increasing it from four lanes to six.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for March 12, 2025 This weekly Most Wanted Wednesday WINK News segment features fugitives from justice in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS 97.7 Latino hosts Fort Myers event to aid St. Jude kids this March WTLQ 97.7 Orgullo Latino is gearing up for its annual Partners in Hope event.
Is a mini-retirement right for you? Experts share insights Taking a temporary extended break from work, known as a mini-retirement, is becoming a popular trend, especially among younger generations.
FSW Transfer portal boosts FSW baseball’s roster with D1 talent In the age of the transfer portal, Florida Southwestern baseball is made up of players who have transferred from various prestigious programs.
NORTH PORT Day in the life of CoolToday Park’s mascot, Palmer Palmer, the friendly palm tree, roams the ballpark spreading joy wherever he goes.
MATLACHA Residents voice traffic control concerns for Little Pine Island Bridge The Little Pine Island Bridge has been a main focus of recovery for southwest Florida since Hurricane Ian damaged it in 2022, but construction has been a headache for people on the island since then.
FORT MYERS RSW Phase 2 expansion begins despite delays The second phase of the RSW expansion project has officially broken ground, even as the first phase encounters delays.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral boaters warned of sunken barge hazard in Caloosahatchee River A barge capsized in the Caloosahatchee River near Jaycee Park, leaking fuel into the water is causing a hazard for boaters.
WINK NEWS Estero crash on I-75 involves four cars; trooper unharmed A traffic crash on Tuesday evening involving multiple vehicles occurred on Northbound Interstate 75 near Estero.
Hair loss could be unexpected side effect of losing weight Hair loss can be an unexpected side effect of losing weight. While shedding between 50 to 100 strands of hair a day is normal, losing more could indicate a problem.
Lee County School District central office under hiring freeze; superintendent weighs in The Lee County School District’s central office is currently under a hiring freeze. WINK News confirmed this exclusive development.
A $5,000 reward is now being offered for information that will help the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission locate the last man they say was involved in running over one of its officers. “He knows what he’s done and he needs to turn himself in,” Captain Brooks of the FWC said. “Whether he wants to turn himself in or you want to make $5,000 that’s up to him.” It all began Saturday night when an officer patrolling the Avon Park Bombing Range caught three people shining a spotlight from River Ranch onto the property, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, who is leading the criminal investigation, said in a news release. The officer was acting on information that there was illegal poaching in the area, according to the FWC. When he approached the group of three Hispanic men, the officer secured their shotguns in what Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says is an act that likely saved his life. As the officer began to speak to the group, the sheriff’s office says Michel Amalfi jumped on the officer and started fighting with him. Soon after an unknown man joined in. While the fight continued, deputies say Lazaro Milian, who is on probation for grand theft, hopped on an ATV and took off as the others “beat [the officer] down.” After the struggle, deputies say the two men hopped on their remaining side-by-side ATV, running the officer over while they fled. “They left him an hour deep in these woods and they didn’t care whether he survived or not,” Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press conference. According to Judd, the hunting camp spans approximately 88,000 acres. Left: Lazaro Milian | Right: Michel Amalfi The officer was able to call for assistance and the search to find him began. Judd thanks the FWC’s vehicle GPS technology for their ability to quickly locate him. He and the FWC also thanked the efforts of nearly 100 law enforcement officers for being able to secure a perimeter and work overnight to track down Amalfi and Milan. “When you attack one law enforcement officer, you have attacked all law enforcement officers,” he said. As for where they were found? Judd says thanks to a dropped cellphone deputies were able to determine Amalfi had a hunting camp in the area. A search warrant was obtained for the site, as were Amalfi and Milan, who have since been arrested. One of the ATVs was also found submerged in the water. Deputies are still searching for the other they say was used to run over the officer. Both men have secured lawyers and are refusing to share information on the incident, according to the sheriff’s office. Since the incident, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer was treated and released from the hospital, the agency said offering their thoughts and prayers to his family. The FWC also commended their officer’s actions and how he “fought for his life” in a three-against-one battle. “They decided this was going to be the night where he was going to have to fight for his life,” Major Young of the FWC said, adding that their officer persevered. Anyone with information regarding the man still considered to be on the run is asked to call the FWC tip line at 1-888-404-3922 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-226-8477. Several agencies reportedly responded to the scene to assist, including the FWC Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Lakeland Police Department, Auburndale Police Department, Winter Haven Police Department and Lake Wales Police Department.