The Weather Authority: A wet Saturday evening as storms move through Southwest FloridaLee Health Touch-A-Truck event educates families on Trauma Awareness
The Weather Authority: A wet Saturday evening as storms move through Southwest Florida A rainy Saturday evening across much of southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Lee Health Touch-A-Truck event educates families on Trauma Awareness On Saturday morning, sirens were ringing to celebrate Lee Health Trauma Center’s 30 years of service and to provide the public with trauma education and prevention methods.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (CBS) CDC says bird flu viruses “pose pandemic potential,” cites major knowledge gaps Bird flu continues to appear to pose a “low risk to the general public” for now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. But the agency’s scientists ran into roadblocks investigating a human case of this “pandemic potential” virus this year, they said in a new report.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard set to open in late May A new place to hang out in Downtown Fort Myers is opening this spring.
Aetna agrees to settle lawsuit over fertility coverage for LGBTQ+ customers Aetna has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the health insurer of discriminating against LGBTQ+ customers in need of fertility treatment.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Robbery, Pawn Shops, and Child Porn This week’s segment of Wink Neighborhood Watch features an armed robber, fraud at a pawn shop, and possession of child pornography.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Sun, clouds, humidity, rain – it’s all in your weekend forecast Saturday afternoon will be hot and humid, with a mix of sun and clouds.
LEHIGH ACRES Chaotic lake getting fence and security Now, with all the negative attention it has gotten, some think putting up a fence is a great way to keep that bad activity out.
CAPE CORAL What we learned about Cape Coral’s water crisis after a ride along On Friday, WINK News got to ride along to see just what people are doing that could be wasting water.
FORT MYERS Students affected by COVID-19 able to graduate for the first time For many young people, COVID stripped away one of their greatest rites of passage: graduation.
Deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County Authorities are at the scene of a deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County on Friday afternoon.
Celebrating Free Comic Book Day in SWFL JP Sports store manager Jonathan Powell said this is a generational event that brings families together to reminisce on comics and other hobby-related knickknacks.
FORT MYERS Group rescues dogs before getting put down in Lee County Our animal shelters are packed with amazing puppies who have the sole desire to be loved.
FORT MYERS FGCU student beats all odds and is able to graduate Nearly four years ago, Marisa Manning had her heart set on going to Florida Gulf Coast University but never thought she’d find her passion for studying parasites.
FORT MYERS Victim in MLK Blvd. shooting identified as social media influencer The victim of the Martin Luther King Boulevard shooting has been identified as a local social media influencer.
The Weather Authority: A wet Saturday evening as storms move through Southwest Florida A rainy Saturday evening across much of southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Lee Health Touch-A-Truck event educates families on Trauma Awareness On Saturday morning, sirens were ringing to celebrate Lee Health Trauma Center’s 30 years of service and to provide the public with trauma education and prevention methods.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (CBS) CDC says bird flu viruses “pose pandemic potential,” cites major knowledge gaps Bird flu continues to appear to pose a “low risk to the general public” for now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. But the agency’s scientists ran into roadblocks investigating a human case of this “pandemic potential” virus this year, they said in a new report.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard set to open in late May A new place to hang out in Downtown Fort Myers is opening this spring.
Aetna agrees to settle lawsuit over fertility coverage for LGBTQ+ customers Aetna has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the health insurer of discriminating against LGBTQ+ customers in need of fertility treatment.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Robbery, Pawn Shops, and Child Porn This week’s segment of Wink Neighborhood Watch features an armed robber, fraud at a pawn shop, and possession of child pornography.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Sun, clouds, humidity, rain – it’s all in your weekend forecast Saturday afternoon will be hot and humid, with a mix of sun and clouds.
LEHIGH ACRES Chaotic lake getting fence and security Now, with all the negative attention it has gotten, some think putting up a fence is a great way to keep that bad activity out.
CAPE CORAL What we learned about Cape Coral’s water crisis after a ride along On Friday, WINK News got to ride along to see just what people are doing that could be wasting water.
FORT MYERS Students affected by COVID-19 able to graduate for the first time For many young people, COVID stripped away one of their greatest rites of passage: graduation.
Deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County Authorities are at the scene of a deadly crash on State Road 29 in Hendry County on Friday afternoon.
Celebrating Free Comic Book Day in SWFL JP Sports store manager Jonathan Powell said this is a generational event that brings families together to reminisce on comics and other hobby-related knickknacks.
FORT MYERS Group rescues dogs before getting put down in Lee County Our animal shelters are packed with amazing puppies who have the sole desire to be loved.
FORT MYERS FGCU student beats all odds and is able to graduate Nearly four years ago, Marisa Manning had her heart set on going to Florida Gulf Coast University but never thought she’d find her passion for studying parasites.
FORT MYERS Victim in MLK Blvd. shooting identified as social media influencer The victim of the Martin Luther King Boulevard shooting has been identified as a local social media influencer.
Credit: Negative Space/Pexels Florida moved closer Thursday in requiring online retailers and other out-of-state merchants to collect sales tax, a step that could add about $1 billion annually to state revenues. The Florida House joined the state Senate in supporting a proposal that would require out-of-state retailers to collect taxes on purchases bound for a Florida address. The Senate has already approved a version of the bill, but must review and approve the measure approved by the House before it can head to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature. Current law requires sales taxes to be paid to the state by the purchaser, but very few do so. The legislation shifts that burden to out-of-state retailers or online marketplaces, which would have to collect state and local sales taxes much like brick-and-mortar stores now do. Some Democrats opposed the bill, calling it a regressive tax on working people. They also objected to having the proceeds disproportionately benefit business owners. Some of the money would be transferred to the state’s unemployment trust fund and would reduce unemployment taxes for businesses. Once the unemployment fund is shored up, revenues generated by the measure would go to the state’s General Fund. “It helps us replenish the unemployment fund that was devastated because of a pandemic that wasn’t created by any of the job creators here,” said Rep. Bob Rommel, a Republican and supporter of the measure. “We’re going to refill it by not taxing them.” Democrats saw the measure differently and likened the bill to a tax cut for businesses, while characterizing it as a regressive tax on working people. “This bill in my estimation is robbing Peter to pay Peter,” said Rep. Evan Jenne, the Democratic co-leader in the House. “Those with the least to give will have to give the most,” Jenne contended, to bail out what he called “the state’s abysmal unemployment system.” The economic downturn caused by the pandemic has spawned massive unemployment, prompting hundreds of thousands of Floridians to seek jobless benefits. The demand drew down the state’s unemployment fund, and officials have sought to replenish those dollars. Federal funds are also being used to shore up the state’s unemployment system. If the governor signs the measure and accompanying legislation into law, the surge in sales tax collections would be used to bring the fund’s balance up to at least $4 billion. The fund dropped to about $775 million in February, and state estimates show that the fund may now have dropped below $562 million. Before the pandemic, the fund had more than $4 billion in reserve to benefit the state’s unemployed. Without the measure, employers would have to absorb significant increases in the unemployment taxes they pay into the fund. Under the proposal, the infusion of sales tax revenues triggered by the measure would be diverted to the unemployment fund until it reaches $4.07 billion or no later than the end of 2025. After that, the money will revert to the General Fund. Meanwhile, a bill is moving through the Legislature that would raise the weekly maximum to $375 – up from the current $275 weekly benefit. The House earlier this week added a provision, previously negotiated by House and Senate leaders, that would reduce the commercial rent taxes paid by business owners from 5.5% to 2.0%.