NAPLES Increasing amount of homeless seniors in SWFL Saint Matthew House told Wink News that 20% of the people they shelter are over 60 years old.
NAPLES Man suspected of threatening pickelballers with machete A man has been arrested after authorities say he chased a group of pickleball players off a Naples court. “I don’t know. It just seemed like he snapped,” said William Nehrkorn, father of one of the pickleball players. 53-year-old Pelican Marsh maintenance worker Joseph Devalle ran toward Nehrkorn’s son and friends, not with a paddle […]
NAPLES Turtle Club in Naples reopens Following a 19-month closure because of Hurricane Ian, the Turtle Club has reopened.
FORT MYERS BEACH Hurricane season preparations at Lee County construction sites Many already know the drill when hurricane season is around the corner.
SANIBEL Bones found on Sanibel concern beachgoers A husband and wife found what appeared to be bones. What type and where they came from is being investigated.
FGCU FGCU president reflects on first year with graduating class Alico Arena was packed this weekend as Florida Gulf Coast University graduated 1,900 students in four ceremonies.
Reverse shoulder replacement offers new approach to pain management Shoulder replacement is the third most common replacement in the US, following hip and knee replacement.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Lee County teachers bargain for new raises Kevin Daly is the voice of the Lee County Teachers Union, and he says he knows firsthand the struggle teachers experience across the state.
FORT MYERS New Starbucks off Colonial expected to add to traffic headaches It’s a venti-sized traffic nightmare. That’s how Gina O’Donnell envisions the future of this plaza.
NAPLES Feeding families through Meals of Hope They’re a Naples-based non-profit organization whose mission is to alleviate hunger both locally and throughout the country.
Family dealing with two losses in quick succession A teenager will not get to celebrate turning 21 years old with friends, can’t put a smile on his family member’s faces and will never get to see his mother again.
JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli leaders have approved a military operation into the Gaza Strip city of Rafah Israeli leaders approved a military operation into the Gaza Strip city of Rafah, and Israeli forces were striking targets in the area, officials announced Monday, hours after Hamas announced it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal.
FORT MYERS Middle school tech worker uses CPR skills to save pickleball player’s life It was the right place, at the right time, and that right place was near the pickleball court.
EVERGLADES Big Sugar’s lawsuit for control over Lake Okeechobee water A local non-profit is calling one lawsuit a battle for who controls the water in the State of Florida. Three major sugar companies filed a lawsuit in 2021 against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the design and intended use of the Everglades Agriculture Area (EAA) Reservoir.
NAPLES Annual Holocaust Remembrance Day program returns to Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Sunday was a day to remember the six million men, women and children lost in the Holocaust.
NAPLES Increasing amount of homeless seniors in SWFL Saint Matthew House told Wink News that 20% of the people they shelter are over 60 years old.
NAPLES Man suspected of threatening pickelballers with machete A man has been arrested after authorities say he chased a group of pickleball players off a Naples court. “I don’t know. It just seemed like he snapped,” said William Nehrkorn, father of one of the pickleball players. 53-year-old Pelican Marsh maintenance worker Joseph Devalle ran toward Nehrkorn’s son and friends, not with a paddle […]
NAPLES Turtle Club in Naples reopens Following a 19-month closure because of Hurricane Ian, the Turtle Club has reopened.
FORT MYERS BEACH Hurricane season preparations at Lee County construction sites Many already know the drill when hurricane season is around the corner.
SANIBEL Bones found on Sanibel concern beachgoers A husband and wife found what appeared to be bones. What type and where they came from is being investigated.
FGCU FGCU president reflects on first year with graduating class Alico Arena was packed this weekend as Florida Gulf Coast University graduated 1,900 students in four ceremonies.
Reverse shoulder replacement offers new approach to pain management Shoulder replacement is the third most common replacement in the US, following hip and knee replacement.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Lee County teachers bargain for new raises Kevin Daly is the voice of the Lee County Teachers Union, and he says he knows firsthand the struggle teachers experience across the state.
FORT MYERS New Starbucks off Colonial expected to add to traffic headaches It’s a venti-sized traffic nightmare. That’s how Gina O’Donnell envisions the future of this plaza.
NAPLES Feeding families through Meals of Hope They’re a Naples-based non-profit organization whose mission is to alleviate hunger both locally and throughout the country.
Family dealing with two losses in quick succession A teenager will not get to celebrate turning 21 years old with friends, can’t put a smile on his family member’s faces and will never get to see his mother again.
JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli leaders have approved a military operation into the Gaza Strip city of Rafah Israeli leaders approved a military operation into the Gaza Strip city of Rafah, and Israeli forces were striking targets in the area, officials announced Monday, hours after Hamas announced it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal.
FORT MYERS Middle school tech worker uses CPR skills to save pickleball player’s life It was the right place, at the right time, and that right place was near the pickleball court.
EVERGLADES Big Sugar’s lawsuit for control over Lake Okeechobee water A local non-profit is calling one lawsuit a battle for who controls the water in the State of Florida. Three major sugar companies filed a lawsuit in 2021 against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the design and intended use of the Everglades Agriculture Area (EAA) Reservoir.
NAPLES Annual Holocaust Remembrance Day program returns to Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Sunday was a day to remember the six million men, women and children lost in the Holocaust.
Credit: WINK News. UPDATE: Phone lines opened at 9 a.m. and all available slots are now reserved. Lee County tweeted: “The COVID-19 vaccination site reservation call center has reached capacity. Visit leegov.com/vaccine for the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 vaccines in Lee County. The state vendor now has a help line 888-499-0851. The line is not able to schedule reservations.” The COVID-19 vaccination site reservation call center has reached capacity. Visit https://t.co/oLbNbKHXPp for the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 vaccines in Lee County. The state vendor now has a help line 888-499-0851. The line is not able to schedule reservations. pic.twitter.com/NtxFqsvuOQ — Lee County Government (@LeeCountyFLBOCC) January 20, 2021 Lee County is set to open up the phone lines for more coronavirus vaccine reservations Wednesday. Florida Department of Health issued a warning Tuesday directed at anyone traveling for the vaccine. It says, if you’re not going to your home county, you’re taking a vaccine from someone else. We spoke to people who aren’t giving up and are hoping for their golden ticket. People told us they have already tried two to three times to get their vaccine appointments, but they say they are staying patient anyway and crossing their fingers they will be lucky this week. Wednesday morning will not be the first time Regina Crooks and her husband in Bonita Springs have tried to get a vaccine appointment. “At 9 a.m., I had the number all ready,” Crooks said. “I hit send at exactly 9 o’clock. When it went to 9 o’clock, I was on hold for 40 minutes, and then the recording said, “We don’t have any vaccine left.’” Crooks hopes this next wave will be different. With one call, she and her husband, who has diabetes, hope to finally secure their shots. “I’m going to do it again. I’ll be on the phone at 9 o’clock sharp,” Crooks said. “It’s almost like going for the lottery.” It’s a lottery thousands of people have already won. Lee County is third in the state for the highest number of people vaccinated, with more than 19,000 shots already in people’s arms. The Newmans hope they get lucky too. They’ve been quarantining since the pandemic started. Michael Newman is the only one eligible right now, but they’re trying every option out there. “Publix, we’re going to try that, and then we’ll try at 9 a.m. through the phone system if we’re not successful at 6 a.m.,” Brenda Newman said. “I’ve been calling this a whack-a-mole. We just keep working and trying to see if we hit something.” They refuse to quit and refuse to lose hope. “We will keep plugging away and keep trying,” Michael said. There are 5,800 openings available Wednesday and double the number of agents answering calls from last time. The number to call is 866-200-3468 starting at 9 a.m. for appointments on Thursday, Jan. 21, and Friday, Jan. 22. Lee County is working on an online reservation system to add to the phone reservation system. It will expand statewide once it’s up and running. RESOURCE: WINK News is working by the minute on a daily basis to bring our coverage areas in Southwest Florida the latest COVID-19 vaccine information from the counties you live in. Visit our Latest COVID-19 vaccine schedules and resources story for rolling vaccine updates.