ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
Fire crews respond to people and a fire at Morningstar Baptist Church in Lee County Friday, Feb. 12. Credit: WINK News. Many people were devastated after a church that has served community members for decades in Southwest Florida went up in flames. People we spoke to explained it’s a place that has held significant value for them for many years and continues to serve others. Multiple fire agencies in Lee County responded to a fire at Morningstar Baptist Church just east of Tice in Lee County Friday afternoon. According to Tice Fire Department, after 2:30 p.m., firefighters responded to the church off Palm Beach Boulevard in the 5100 block of Richmond Avenue, where the Tice battalion chief said the church roof completely collapsed due to the fire, and crews were not able to get inside. At least three walls of the church were “structurally compromised” by the fire; otherwise, the church was not fully engulfed in the flames. Everyone who was at the church was safely evacuated from the building, and there were no injuries due to the fire. A witness we spoke to says Morningstar Baptist Church has been part of the community for more than 50 years, and they were sad to see the fire damage the church because of what it means to people in the area. “It’s a loss,” said Eileen Williams, a church member and volunteer. “I got married in this church,” said Cheryl Fullon, a former member of the church. Community members remembered the better days inside what has become crumbled walls of their church. “My youngest daughter was married there,” Williams said. Community members are not losing their faith. “God’s always here,” Fullon said. “He’s always at a tragedy. He lets people know that he’s still here.” Instead of sadness, church members are thankful, thankful the food pantry right next-door wasn’t touched by the fire. “I’d say it meant a lot to them because there was a lot of them that came here,” said Tony Moxley, who has been the food pantry coordinator for 14 years. More than 100 families would be without a direct source of food if it wasn’t for the church’s pantry. Moxley says the fire won’t stop them from continuing their work. “We’ll be back,” Moxley said. “Probably about three weeks, we’ll pass [food] out again.” Crews used roughly 30,000 to 50,000 gallons of water on the flames, and the fire was contained. Crews continue to put out hot spots at the church property. Fire investigators have not determined the cause of the fire, but interim Pastor Dwight Williams told us they flipped an electrical switch inside while working on the church during the afternoon, and something sparked up in the ceiling. Multiple fire crews worked together to contain the fire. Responding fire agencies include but might not be limited to crews from Tice, Bayshore, South Trail, Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres and Iona-McGregor. Emergency medical service crews also responded to the scene. 🔥🚨BREAKING: Morningstar Baptist Church in Tice is on fire. Interim Pastor Dwight Williams tells WINK News an electrical switch was flipped, and something sparked in the ceiling. #winknews pic.twitter.com/0bU0OIkW1k — Amanda Hall (@AmandaHallWINK) February 12, 2021