Police Explorer Marcus Freeman remembered 14 years after North Port crashFort Myers Beach prepares for St. Patrick’s Day Parade
NORTH PORT Police Explorer Marcus Freeman remembered 14 years after North Port crash The North Port Police Department is remembering a young life lost too soon.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach prepares for St. Patrick’s Day Parade Fort Myers Beach is gearing up for its St. Patrick’s Day parade, which is expected to cause traffic disruptions on the already busy island.
the weather authority A breezy Saturday with near-record high heat in store The Weather Authority says a warm Saturday with near-record high heat is in store with sun and clouds overhead.
SANIBEL Sanibel Beach shines as a top 2025 destination for shelling Southwest Florida’s beaches are a major draw for visitors from around the world.
911 calls save two kayakers in distress on Caloosahatchee River After strong winds left them stranded, two kayakers were rescued from the Caloosahatchee River.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral woman tricked into romance scam, police seek recovery Cape Coral police are working to recover more than $250,000 from a bank account that may be tied to criminal activity.
Captiva’s Mucky Duck plans reopening after hurricane damage The Mucky Duck, a beloved restaurant on Captiva Island, is determined to clear up any rumors about its closure.
PORT CHARLOTTE Tampa Bay Rays’ future in Port Charlotte raises business concerns The Tampa Bay Rays are planning to stay at Tropicana Field for the 2026 season while they repair damage from Hurricane Milton.
Red tide health alert lifted in certain Lee County areas The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has lifted the red tide health alerts issued in certain areas.
Charlotte Sheriff elected as chair of Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell is stepping into a new role as chair of the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches.
NAPLES Naples groups unite to protect endangered Florida Panthers The third Saturday in March marks the official Save the Florida Panther Day.
New housing development in Collier County raises environmental concerns Instead of fields of oranges fueling the local economy, rows of homes could soon take their place in the region.
NAPLES La Gondola: Venice experience in Southwest Florida Imagine cruising down the Southwest Florida waterways in your very own gondola, bringing a touch of Italy to Naples.
FORT MYERS Bubbles for Bug; Carwash raising funds for furry friend A Southwest Florida dog named Bug needs help. His owner, Lex Montanaro, is hosting a carwash fundraiser to raise the $10,000 Bug needs for surgery.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda’s Celtic Ray preps for St. Patrick’s Day bash Punta Gorda is gearing up for a massive St. Patrick’s Day celebration this weekend.
NORTH PORT Police Explorer Marcus Freeman remembered 14 years after North Port crash The North Port Police Department is remembering a young life lost too soon.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach prepares for St. Patrick’s Day Parade Fort Myers Beach is gearing up for its St. Patrick’s Day parade, which is expected to cause traffic disruptions on the already busy island.
the weather authority A breezy Saturday with near-record high heat in store The Weather Authority says a warm Saturday with near-record high heat is in store with sun and clouds overhead.
SANIBEL Sanibel Beach shines as a top 2025 destination for shelling Southwest Florida’s beaches are a major draw for visitors from around the world.
911 calls save two kayakers in distress on Caloosahatchee River After strong winds left them stranded, two kayakers were rescued from the Caloosahatchee River.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral woman tricked into romance scam, police seek recovery Cape Coral police are working to recover more than $250,000 from a bank account that may be tied to criminal activity.
Captiva’s Mucky Duck plans reopening after hurricane damage The Mucky Duck, a beloved restaurant on Captiva Island, is determined to clear up any rumors about its closure.
PORT CHARLOTTE Tampa Bay Rays’ future in Port Charlotte raises business concerns The Tampa Bay Rays are planning to stay at Tropicana Field for the 2026 season while they repair damage from Hurricane Milton.
Red tide health alert lifted in certain Lee County areas The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has lifted the red tide health alerts issued in certain areas.
Charlotte Sheriff elected as chair of Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell is stepping into a new role as chair of the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches.
NAPLES Naples groups unite to protect endangered Florida Panthers The third Saturday in March marks the official Save the Florida Panther Day.
New housing development in Collier County raises environmental concerns Instead of fields of oranges fueling the local economy, rows of homes could soon take their place in the region.
NAPLES La Gondola: Venice experience in Southwest Florida Imagine cruising down the Southwest Florida waterways in your very own gondola, bringing a touch of Italy to Naples.
FORT MYERS Bubbles for Bug; Carwash raising funds for furry friend A Southwest Florida dog named Bug needs help. His owner, Lex Montanaro, is hosting a carwash fundraiser to raise the $10,000 Bug needs for surgery.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda’s Celtic Ray preps for St. Patrick’s Day bash Punta Gorda is gearing up for a massive St. Patrick’s Day celebration this weekend.
Credit: WINK News WINK News first told you about the concern for conditions of portable classrooms at Varsity Lakes Middle School in April. The portables had chipped cinder blocks, supports were off-center, and window frames were rusted just to name a few things. Construction to fix those issues began in June and is set to finish before school starts on August 10. The improvements came in under budget, as the construction company did the work and will return $15,000 dollars to the district. They expect that the money and the newly-renovated portables will do so much good for students and their education. Pictures of portable classrooms at Varsity Lakes made Lee County School Board member Gywn Gittens very upset. They made her sad as well, that’s why she sent them to WINK News back in April. “When I came and took those first pictures I was in tears, and when I came again yesterday. I was in tears again, because as I walked around to see what we can do and how much improvement we can make,” Gittens said. The improvements can be seen as clear as day. The support beams are now realigned, there’s new sod and new flowers, new doors and the rust is gone. Lerin Byrd is the president of GCG Construction which is the company responsible for the portables’ facelifts. “The first time seeing the conditions, we definitely understood the concerns and we really wanted the teachers and students to feel invited when they come to school every day,” Byrd said. Their team added new piers, foundations, ramps and new stairs in addition to new drainage systems. The company was also able to tackle some work inside. “We were able to focus on some of the exterior and interior renovations to beautify what the kids are coming to every day, new smart boards, new whiteboards,” said Byrd. Gittens says that the improvements will help show students that the school district cares about them. “We have a lot of students that are in that level one and two-level and three-level, and trying to bring them up, and it’s not that they can’t learn, it’s that we need to show them how to learn, and that it’s fun to learn, and that we care about them learning,” said Gittens. When those pictures were first sent to WINK News, a spokesperson for the district said that The School District of Lee County was already on top of it and had scheduled renovations. Gittens believes that eventually, the renovations would’ve taken place without the pictures but that taking the pictures put more eyes on the problem. Varsity Lakes new principal, just six weeks into the job, also played a huge role in the renovations.