Sanibel School to reopen for the first time since Hurricane Milton2 Florida men arrested for assaulting law enforcement during Jan. 6 riots
SANIBEL Sanibel School to reopen for the first time since Hurricane Milton For the first time since Oct. 9, students of the Sanibel School now know when they can return for class after damage from Hurricane Milton forced them out.
2 Florida men arrested for assaulting law enforcement during Jan. 6 riots Two Florida men have been arrested for their alleged conduct during the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, both charged with assaulting law enforcement while rioting.
the weather authority Milder and sunny Tuesday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a sunny Tuesday ahead, with milder conditions expected in the afternoon.
Father arrives home from deployment; meets his baby girl A man returns home from deployment and gets to be a father. Only WINK News cameras were rolling as Peter Rosche held his baby girl Margo for the first time. It’s been a long 5-weeks for the Rosche family. Peter wasn’t able to be there for her birth because he had been on a US […]
NAPLES Spreading holiday cheer with Christmas tree lighting in Naples On Monday night, the sleigh bells were ringing in Naples, and the snow was falling; the 47th annual Christmas on Third Festival was kicking off.
Fort Myers Tip-Off brings marquee programs to SWFL The Fort Myers Tip-Off returns to Southwest Florida and brings marquee programs such as Michigan, Xavier, South Carolina and Virginia Tech.
NAPLES Super 8 in Naples to become apartments for local workers A Super 8 Motel in Naples will soon look slightly different; it will become an apartment building with fully furnished units.
Endangered Florida panther killed by vehicle on SR-29 SB in Collier County; 30th death in 2024 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has announced the 30th Florida Panther death of 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Efforts to restore Fort Myers Beach underway The Fort Myers Beach coastline continues to feel the impacts of the recent storms. Crews working on the sand renourishment beach project have more than six miles of “Critically eroded beach” to restore.
More water headed into Caloosahatchee: What it means for our estuary Southwest Florida cringes every time the mention of releases from Lake Okeechobee comes up. There are concerns about what’s in the water and whether it will dirty our shoreline or even fuel blue-green algae blooms.
NAPLES Transforming animal care: how a $1.5M donation is helping SNIP Collier We are seeing the first major changes from a donation from Tom Golisano.
FORT MYERS BEACH “We did what we had to do” Fort Myers Beach mayor takes blame for loss of FEMA discount FEMA sent the town of Fort Myers Beach a letter explaining why they lost their flood insurance discount. One reason was not removing temporary trailers and containers from flood zones. Now, the mayor says to blame him for it.
NORTH FORT MYERS Suncoast Estates fatal shooting leaves community on edge A fatal shooting took place on Saturday at the Suncoast Estates in North Fort Myers, on Heck Drive, that left one man dead and another seriously injured.
SANIBEL Gulfshore Life Men and Women of the Year award honoree: James Evans The environment and economy are nearly synonymous in Southwest Florida, and while many people work to protect both, one man stands out and has made the environment his life’s work.
NORTH FORT MYERS Where did the Shell Factory animals go? With the closure of The Shell Factory in September, people have been wondering where the animals went.
SANIBEL Sanibel School to reopen for the first time since Hurricane Milton For the first time since Oct. 9, students of the Sanibel School now know when they can return for class after damage from Hurricane Milton forced them out.
2 Florida men arrested for assaulting law enforcement during Jan. 6 riots Two Florida men have been arrested for their alleged conduct during the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, both charged with assaulting law enforcement while rioting.
the weather authority Milder and sunny Tuesday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a sunny Tuesday ahead, with milder conditions expected in the afternoon.
Father arrives home from deployment; meets his baby girl A man returns home from deployment and gets to be a father. Only WINK News cameras were rolling as Peter Rosche held his baby girl Margo for the first time. It’s been a long 5-weeks for the Rosche family. Peter wasn’t able to be there for her birth because he had been on a US […]
NAPLES Spreading holiday cheer with Christmas tree lighting in Naples On Monday night, the sleigh bells were ringing in Naples, and the snow was falling; the 47th annual Christmas on Third Festival was kicking off.
Fort Myers Tip-Off brings marquee programs to SWFL The Fort Myers Tip-Off returns to Southwest Florida and brings marquee programs such as Michigan, Xavier, South Carolina and Virginia Tech.
NAPLES Super 8 in Naples to become apartments for local workers A Super 8 Motel in Naples will soon look slightly different; it will become an apartment building with fully furnished units.
Endangered Florida panther killed by vehicle on SR-29 SB in Collier County; 30th death in 2024 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has announced the 30th Florida Panther death of 2024.
FORT MYERS BEACH Efforts to restore Fort Myers Beach underway The Fort Myers Beach coastline continues to feel the impacts of the recent storms. Crews working on the sand renourishment beach project have more than six miles of “Critically eroded beach” to restore.
More water headed into Caloosahatchee: What it means for our estuary Southwest Florida cringes every time the mention of releases from Lake Okeechobee comes up. There are concerns about what’s in the water and whether it will dirty our shoreline or even fuel blue-green algae blooms.
NAPLES Transforming animal care: how a $1.5M donation is helping SNIP Collier We are seeing the first major changes from a donation from Tom Golisano.
FORT MYERS BEACH “We did what we had to do” Fort Myers Beach mayor takes blame for loss of FEMA discount FEMA sent the town of Fort Myers Beach a letter explaining why they lost their flood insurance discount. One reason was not removing temporary trailers and containers from flood zones. Now, the mayor says to blame him for it.
NORTH FORT MYERS Suncoast Estates fatal shooting leaves community on edge A fatal shooting took place on Saturday at the Suncoast Estates in North Fort Myers, on Heck Drive, that left one man dead and another seriously injured.
SANIBEL Gulfshore Life Men and Women of the Year award honoree: James Evans The environment and economy are nearly synonymous in Southwest Florida, and while many people work to protect both, one man stands out and has made the environment his life’s work.
NORTH FORT MYERS Where did the Shell Factory animals go? With the closure of The Shell Factory in September, people have been wondering where the animals went.
For veteran Russell Soffredine, Daisy is more than his best friend: She’s his emotional support dog. (Credit: WINK News) Flying with an emotional support animal is now a thing of the past. WINK News investigated how easy it is to abuse the system and get paperwork for an emotional support animal. Then, the federal government changed the rules: effective Jan. 11, emotional support animals were no longer allowed to fly. For veteran Russell Soffredine, Daisy is more than his best friend: She’s his emotional support dog. “I have a lot of anxieties since I was in the military. And she just gives me a lot of comforts.” She comforts on the ground and in the sky. She sat at his feet when he flew Allegiant Air to Punta Gorda in the fall, but the U.S. Department of Transportation has changed the rules since then. Service animals are still allowed on planes, but emotional support animals are not. Soffredine doesn’t know how he’ll get Daisy back up north. “They’ve said that she no longer can fly with us because she doesn’t perform any particular service.” You have to pay a fee to bring a small dog or cat on an Allegiant Air flight. The pet must fit in a carrier that will fit under the seat in front of you. It’s safe to say 80-pound Daisy won’t fit in that space. “I saw other dogs come down here also when we came down. And I’m sure those people are in the same position we are,” Sofferdine said. Allegiant Air said they will give travelers with emotional support animals a grace period through April for customers whose travel was booked as of Jan. 11. Sofferdine’s set to head back to Michigan in May, so he falls out of that grace period. His coupe is too small to drive back and renting a car will be costly. Soffredine wants the airlines to make an exception for snowbirds like himself. “I don’t think that’s fair that we’ve gotten down here, now they’re going to change the law.” The DOT said it changed its policy to make sure people with disabilities can travel safely.