Tim Tebow speaks at the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer BreakfastFort Myers City Council to provide update on Fowler Street construction project
FORT MYERS Tim Tebow speaks at the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast Former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow took the stage at Hammond Stadium for the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council to provide update on Fowler Street construction project The Fort Myers City Council is set to provide an update on the progress of the Fowler Street intersection project.
the weather authority Hot and humid Thursday before evening isolated storms impact coastal communities The Weather Authority is tracking a humid Thursday morning with high afternoon temperatures and evening coastal isolated storms.
Jacksonville Gov. DeSantis to hold a news conference in Jacksonville Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Jacksonville.
FORT MYERS BEACH Sea turtle nesting season begins in Fort Myers Beach Sea turtle nesting season has officially begun, and the FWC wants to remind visitors about the fragility of the young reptiles.
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
FORT MYERS Tim Tebow speaks at the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast Former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow took the stage at Hammond Stadium for the annual Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers City Council to provide update on Fowler Street construction project The Fort Myers City Council is set to provide an update on the progress of the Fowler Street intersection project.
the weather authority Hot and humid Thursday before evening isolated storms impact coastal communities The Weather Authority is tracking a humid Thursday morning with high afternoon temperatures and evening coastal isolated storms.
Jacksonville Gov. DeSantis to hold a news conference in Jacksonville Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference in Jacksonville.
FORT MYERS BEACH Sea turtle nesting season begins in Fort Myers Beach Sea turtle nesting season has officially begun, and the FWC wants to remind visitors about the fragility of the young reptiles.
BAREFOOT LAKE Neighbors react to chaos at Barefoot Lake Imagine being scared to leave your home on the weekends. Ana and Anrik understand the feeling all too well.
CAPE CORAL The story of Ollie’s Pub and what kept it open through years of hardships Before Ollie’s housed weekly events, packed to the brim with artwork and home to many, it was a simple dream and an empty space.
Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for May 1, 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson To know Brad Benson was to know a legend. He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.
CAPE CORAL Proposed Cape Coral City Council meeting time change fails In a 4 to 4 vote, the motion to move Cape Coral meeting times from 4:30 to 9 a.m. failed.
Greater Dunbar initiative begins A duplex that has been around since the 1960s and is filled with generations of memories is being demolished.
Caught on camera: funnel clouds, hail and more during thunderstorm Wednesday’s thunderstorms storms have produced hail and funnel clouds.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New mammography guidelines Breast cancer is much easier to treat when it’s caught early.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
The Longwater and Bellmar projects are planned for the eastern part of Collier County. A controversial development is back on the agenda for the Collier County Planning Commission. WINK News has told you in the past about plans to build two new villages in the middle of already-endangered panther territory. Now, the U.S. Department of the Interior wants a say in the project. The Planning Commission was scheduled Thursday to vote on the project but held off on making any decisions. The Interior wants the county to hold off on approving the Longwater and Bellmar projects planned for the eastern part of the county. Thursday’s meeting drew more than 60 public speakers. Some feel the developments will displace panthers and overcrowd their neighborhoods. Thomas Perchoux moved to Golden Gate Estates in the 1980s for the open space and peace and quiet. Today, he has construction, large trucks, and planned villages like Longwater five minutes from his home. “I think the development, putting all these communities in, too big, too much, and they wonder why there are animals coming attacking…bears and cougars,” he said. The Florida panther is partly why the Interior sent a letter to Collier County, saying they’re afraid the two villages are too close to the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Collier. April Olsen, a senior environmental planning specialist with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, agrees. “These are lands that are essential to the panther’s recovery and survival.” But Meredith Budd, regional policy director with the Florida Wildlife Federation, says these communities will not take away land that panthers use regularly. “It has to be able to provide cover, denning areas, stalking areas … and if areas on the map don’t provide those needs for panthers, it’s not functioning primary panther habitat.” Panther habitat or not, Catrina Morieko is against Bellmar. She lives right at one of the planned entrances for the village and fears the development will mean thousands of cars passing her home every day. “We have children. They like to play in the street, they like to ride bikes; that’s not going to happen anymore. How can we take walks? How can we walk our animals, you know, we lose all of these things.” As plans stand, Longwater and Bellmart are each 1,000 acres and include more than 2,600 units each. The developer, Collier Enterprise, will set aside 7,000 acres of land between the two villages for land preservation. They’ll also include panther crossings in Longwater Village.