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.
FILE—In this file photo from May 5, 2021, a truck passes a sign showing a need to hire laborers outside a concrete products company in Evans City, Pa. Pennsylvania will resume work search requirements in July for hundreds of thousands of people receiving unemployment compensation, a top Wolf administration official said Monday, May 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File) The clock is ticking for anyone collecting unemployment: soon you’ll be required to search for work to keep your benefits. And while businesses say they’re struggling to hire because no one wants to work, in reality, unemployed people say the job market isn’t as great as it seems. Many people say it’s a lose-lose situation. Dani Henkel of Fort Myers got laid off from her marketing job right at the start of the pandemic. “When businesses were in panic mode, looking for things to cut, one of the first logical things that they found were the people who were spending money,” Henkel said. Like many people on unemployment, she has looked for work ever since, but without much success. “It’s incredibly disheartening to see that 100 plus or 500 plus other people have all applied for the same position,” Henkel said. Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Secretary Dane Eagle said there are at least 450,000 job listings online right now. “There’s a lot of employment opportunities, we hear a lot of employers out there looking for assistance,” Eagle said. “We want people who are on unemployment, feel safe to get back out there, know where jobs are available.” But not everyone is willing to take just any kind of work for a lot of reasons. “I could easily go out and find some minimum wage job right now, but that’s not going to cover my bills,” Henkel said. “Do you think when people say, ‘No one wants to work right now they’re just living off of unemployment benefits?’” “I think that is incredibly narrow-minded,” Henkel said. In a normal year, unemployed people have to fill out job searches on the CONNECT website in order to collect benefits. It’s required by Florida law, but Governor Ron Desantis temporarily waived that rule last year when the pandemic started. Now it’s coming back after May 29. After a long year of technical issues, some think the hundreds of thousands of people spending extra time on the website could cause it to crash. “The website will definitely go back to being slow again,” Henkel said. Eagle says it shouldn’t. “They’re already required to go in every two weeks and file their claims,” Eagle said. “And even though the job search requirements have been waived, those boxes were still there to be populated. So I don’t think there should be an issue.” Depending on where you live, unemployed people will have to start job training with CareSource or submit 3-5 job searches a week. Henkel says it’s about more than a paycheck. “We’ve got zero benefits, we’re going to work you to the bone and you’ll never know what your schedule is going to be. Oh, no, why does no one want to work?’” Henkel said. “Well, it’s not that no one wants to work. It’s that no one wants to work for you.” Plus she wants to find something for the long-term, using her marketing experience and degree. “I could go and look at starting in a different field,” Henkel said. “But now, I’m still going to be going up against the people that do have experience in that field.” With the extra $300 in federal benefits ending in June, she feels like there’s just no winning. “It’s honestly terrifying, that at any moment, everything could come crumbling down around me,” Henkel said. If you’re in this position — you need to make sure you’re registered with employ Florida by next week and prepared to fill out those work searches. I’ve laid out all the requirements and exceptions — and where to look for work in Southwest Florida — under this story on the wink news app. Instructions for work search, including requirements and exceptions HERE. Find job openings in Southwest Florida: careersourcesouthwestflorida.com From DEO: Return to Work Initiative On May 12, 2021, DEO announced Florida’s ‘Return to Work’ initiative. This initiative is focused on encouraging Floridians to return to the workforce, helping employers attract job seekers, and continuing to fuel the state’s economic growth. DEO encourages claimants to begin searching for work before the Work Search and Work Registration waivers expire on May 29, 2021. Florida has more than 460,000 jobs available across various employment websites and job listing services. One of these is Employ Florida, which is a resource for claimants to view and apply to thousands of jobs available throughout the state. DEO also encourages existing claimants to create an account and register at Employ Florida. Employ Florida is a great online resource for claimants to utilize when searching for a job. Through the ‘Return to Work’ initiative, DEO is also encouraging Floridians who are interested in learning a new career path or need assistance looking for employment, to turn to CareerSource Florida for assistance. CareerSource Florida can help job seekers explore new employment opportunities, provide workforce and job-training skills, and provide career advancement assistance. Click here to find your local CareerSource center. Click here for a list of options claimants can consider to meet the work search requirement for each week. To determine how many work searches you will be required to complete, click here. For a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the work search and work registration requirements, click here. Waivers DEO issued Emergency Order 21-015 to continue waiving the work search and work registration requirements through May 29, 2021, and the waiting week requirement through June 26, 2021. When the waiver expires, claimants must submit work searches for every week of state or federal benefits requested. Additionally, new claimants who file after the expiration of the waiver must complete the work registration through Employ Florida. An accurate work search record may include, but is not limited to, registering for work and reemployment services with a local CareerSource Center, completing a job application in person or online, mailing a job application or resume, making in-person visits with potential employers, interviewing with potential employers, or registering for work with employment or placement agencies to name a few. Job Opportunities The state of Florida has more than 460,000 online job ads available for Floridians. Click here for more information. DEO is also hiring across the state. To view a list of vacant opportunities and apply to work at DEO, click here.