6 Southwest Florida football teams battle in regional finalsCaught on Camera: Lehigh Acres man accused of shooting into vehicle, injuring driver
WINK NEWS 6 Southwest Florida football teams battle in regional finals Find out who is still standing after six Southwest Florida football teams competed in the regional finals of the FHSAA football playoffs.
lehigh acres Caught on Camera: Lehigh Acres man accused of shooting into vehicle, injuring driver The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man who they said fired shots into a vehicle and injured a man in Lehigh Acres on Thanksgiving night.
CAPE CORAL Holiday Nights on the Lawn event brings festive fun to Cape Coral Sleigh bells ring and Cape Coral is listening! A huge crowd joined together at city hall for the Holiday Nights on the Lawn event.
ESTERO Black Friday traffic frustrates Estero shoppers Black Friday at Miromar Outlets turned into a nightmare as shoppers faced endless traffic jams.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Ways to give back this holiday season For those looking to get on the nice list, here are a few ways to spread holiday cheer in your community by helping those in need.
CAPE CORAL Kitchen propane tank explodes in Cape Coral home Authorities responded to a Cape Coral home after a gas tank exploded inside a kitchen Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Multi-vehicle crash involving Publix truck on I-75 in Lee County A crash involving multiple vehicles, including a Publix semi-truck, has occurred in Lee County.
FEMA extends flood insurance renewal deadlines in Charlotte County FEMA policyholders in Charlotte County have until Dec. 10 to renew certain flood insurance policies.
Sanibel city contractors to begin final storm debris pick-up The City of Sanibel has announced its final storm debris pick-up date for residents.
Stay safe shopping this holiday season: Advice from local law enforcement As the holiday shopping season heats up, Southwest Florida’s sheriffs are reminding the community to stay vigilant, whether shopping in-store or online.
Sanibel National Shell Museum & Aquarium in Sanibel showcases new exhibit A plethora of international shells is currently on display for tourists and shell enthusiasts to enjoy.
WINK NEWS How to support small businesses on Small Business Saturday in Southwest Florida After hitting the big Black Friday sales at major retailers, the Better Business Bureau encourages consumers to check out small, local and independent businesses participating in Small Business Saturday (SBS).
Money saving apps that should be on your phone this holiday season Black Friday has begun, and an estimated 74% of people are expected to turn out for holiday deals; however, inflation may dampen plans this season.
Making Melodies: How a SWFL teen is putting her musical talents to charitable use The moment Thanksgiving is over, the Christmas music begins, as WINK News speaks with a talented teenager about how she’s putting her musical talents to good use.
the weather authority Cold front brings a few showers this Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a cold front accompanied by showers throughout this Friday afternoon and evening.
WINK NEWS 6 Southwest Florida football teams battle in regional finals Find out who is still standing after six Southwest Florida football teams competed in the regional finals of the FHSAA football playoffs.
lehigh acres Caught on Camera: Lehigh Acres man accused of shooting into vehicle, injuring driver The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man who they said fired shots into a vehicle and injured a man in Lehigh Acres on Thanksgiving night.
CAPE CORAL Holiday Nights on the Lawn event brings festive fun to Cape Coral Sleigh bells ring and Cape Coral is listening! A huge crowd joined together at city hall for the Holiday Nights on the Lawn event.
ESTERO Black Friday traffic frustrates Estero shoppers Black Friday at Miromar Outlets turned into a nightmare as shoppers faced endless traffic jams.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Ways to give back this holiday season For those looking to get on the nice list, here are a few ways to spread holiday cheer in your community by helping those in need.
CAPE CORAL Kitchen propane tank explodes in Cape Coral home Authorities responded to a Cape Coral home after a gas tank exploded inside a kitchen Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Multi-vehicle crash involving Publix truck on I-75 in Lee County A crash involving multiple vehicles, including a Publix semi-truck, has occurred in Lee County.
FEMA extends flood insurance renewal deadlines in Charlotte County FEMA policyholders in Charlotte County have until Dec. 10 to renew certain flood insurance policies.
Sanibel city contractors to begin final storm debris pick-up The City of Sanibel has announced its final storm debris pick-up date for residents.
Stay safe shopping this holiday season: Advice from local law enforcement As the holiday shopping season heats up, Southwest Florida’s sheriffs are reminding the community to stay vigilant, whether shopping in-store or online.
Sanibel National Shell Museum & Aquarium in Sanibel showcases new exhibit A plethora of international shells is currently on display for tourists and shell enthusiasts to enjoy.
WINK NEWS How to support small businesses on Small Business Saturday in Southwest Florida After hitting the big Black Friday sales at major retailers, the Better Business Bureau encourages consumers to check out small, local and independent businesses participating in Small Business Saturday (SBS).
Money saving apps that should be on your phone this holiday season Black Friday has begun, and an estimated 74% of people are expected to turn out for holiday deals; however, inflation may dampen plans this season.
Making Melodies: How a SWFL teen is putting her musical talents to charitable use The moment Thanksgiving is over, the Christmas music begins, as WINK News speaks with a talented teenager about how she’s putting her musical talents to good use.
the weather authority Cold front brings a few showers this Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a cold front accompanied by showers throughout this Friday afternoon and evening.
People dining outdoors in Fort Myers Beach. Credit: WINK News Business is booming at Fort Myers Beach despite the dramatic surge in coronavirus cases, as tourism all around Southwest Florida sets new records. It’s doing so well, in fact, that those working in hospitality are struggling to keep up with demand. At this point in the year, with school starting up again, the influx of tourists normally slows down. You would think if you threw in a global pandemic, that would happen even more so. While that was somewhat the case in 2020, tourism right now is exceeding expectations. The Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce says it’s seen a record summer season, with people from all over the country flocking to Southwest Florida. Like most of the country, the area is facing a shortage in the workforce, so hotels and restaurants are having a more difficult time than usual trying to accommodate all their guests. While many say it’s stressful figuring out how to serve them all while being understaffed, they say that in the middle of a pandemic, they’re the lucky ones. “Believe me, no one’s complaining, right?” said Jacki Liszaki with the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce. “I mean, everyone is feeling very blessed that we have this kind of business and that people are coming to our businesses and, you know, patronizing us or coming to stay with us and coming to eat at the restaurants, etc. So it is a double-edged sword, but it’s one that no one’s complaining about, certainly.” While case numbers are similar to what we saw at the start of the pandemic, reports published by the Lee County Tourist Development Council say resort taxes collected in June 2021 saw a 106.6% increase over June 2020. Traffic at Southwest Florida International Airport in June 2021 was up by 253% over 2020. Tourism experts say this is due to several factors, including tourists flocking from states like California and those in the northeast with stricter COVID-19 restrictions. “Florida is obviously way more open than many of the other states,” Liszaki said. “So I think folks are wanting to spend time with people they love, with friends and family, and they want to have a vacation experience. And Florida has a lot of opportunities for vacation, we have so many amazing things that you can see and do in Florida.”