LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underwayRock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
lehigh acres LCSO: Lehigh Acres shooting investigation underway The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
FORT MYERS Black Flag brings classic punk energy to The Ranch in Fort Myers Legendary punk band Black Flag made their mark in Southwest Florida during the Fort Myers stop of their “First Four Years” tour.
Charlotte Technical College breaks ground on aviation facility The Charlotte County School District is flying high and keeping its “Space Academy” designation with a new aviation training facility for students.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection with Cape Coral home invasion The Cape Coral Police Department has announced the arrest of one of three men suspected in a home invasion that took place earlier this month.
Frank and his family in Afghanistan. Credit: “Frank” A Southwest Florida business owner and veteran is trying to get his friend and that man’s family from Afghanistan to Lee County, and he’s making headway. The odds seemed slim, the task impossible, but they made it out. WINK News first brought you the story of an Afghan man, going by the alias “Frank” for protection, trying to save his family’s life by escaping Kabul, Afghanistan, and bringing them to Southwest Florida. Now that’s he’s out of Afghanistan he feels safe showing his face in pictures again. Frank was the personal interpreter for Aaron Forum, a Cape Coral man who served eight months in Afghanistan as U.S. Army Special Operations. The two worked tirelessly together in 2010, seizing a strategic compound. Forum, who has been in constant communication with Frank via WhatsApp, confirmed with WINK News that Frank and six other people, including two of Frank’s sons, his wife, and his daughter, have made it out of Afghanistan in their pursuit of finding a better life in Southwest Florida. MORE: Veteran trying to evacuate Afghan family to SWFL Frank and his family are currently in Kuwait and escaped Friday via military aircraft roughly 24 hours after an I.E.D. bomb killed 13 American soldiers and at least 90 Afghans at the Kabul airport. “We really felt lucky, because he was there at that same gate the night before with his family, and he had attempted to get through the gate a couple of times,” Forum said. “Just really relieved that he was inside the airport when the bombs happened.” Aaron Forum, veteran of U.S. Army Special Operations, pictured on left with his interpreter “Frank” on the right, in Afghanistan. Forum showed Frank WINK News’ first story via WhatsApp while he was at the Kabul airport. “He was really, really excited,” Forum said. “And I actually was able to send the staff sergeant a link to this story. So Frank’s able to watch the story about him and about his family from Kuwait. And his first reaction was like, ‘Wow, man, that is just amazing. That’s awesome.’ That was his reaction.” Frank was gracious enough to share photos of himself and his family with WINK News: his son leaning on his shoulder, his family sitting together, his kids getting ready for school and even sleeping on his leg while waiting to escape Afghanistan via the same gate of Kabul’s airport that was attacked by an ISIS-K suicide bombing. Frank had first contacted Aaron weeks ago, begging for him to help save his life. “There was one word that really kind of hit me in it was the word brother,” Forum said. He said, ‘You’re my brother. And I do this for you, please help me.’ So it was a feeling of kind of just helplessness, but also a sense of urgency, to try to get them, try to get what he needs.” Frank got what he needed. Military flights have officially been suspended out of Afghanistan, so he and his family made it out at the last possible minute. And although their trip to safety is far from over, their journey to the American dream is one step closer. HOW YOU CAN HELP Lutheran Social Services Donations to Afghan Allies Islamic Relief USA No one left behind Veteran trying to evacuate Afghan family to SWFL