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.
The Lee County school district imposed a mask mandate on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. (CREDIT: WINK News) On Monday, taxpayers and parents showed up to the Lee County School Board meeting to voice their opposition to the district’s mask mandate. Protesters got into shouting matches and accused the school district of not caring for their kids. On Tuesday, there is another meeting, but masks are not on the agenda. Those who spoke during public comment called the school board “tyrants” and accused them of supporting sex trafficking. Other parents disputed that masks were effective at stemming the spread of COVID-19. Only one person, a doctor, made it to the podium to speak in support of the mandate. Parents and taxpayers may believe they are saying and doing the right thing, but those who speak at school meetings more often than not do not stick to the facts. The mission is to fact-check. WINK News spoke with Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, a pediatrician and epidemiologist at the University of Florida to fact-check speakers. Claim: “Studies have said you have a 26% decrease in your immune system when you put that mask on. What is going to happen to our children? Maybe the reason we have people in the hospitals is all this mask-wearing! Did we ever think of that?” Fact: “There’s no evidence that masks have any negative impact on our immune system. Of course, doctors and nurses and others in the medical field have worn masks for years and they have fine immune systems. I’m not sure where that number came from,” Rasmussen said. Claim: “Those negative effects include lowered oxygen levels, impeded breathing, increase in headaches, decreased blood oxygen to the levels of the brain, adverse skin reactions, yeast infections, dental issues, mouth fungus, bacterial and fungal infections, and yes even ear protrusions.” Fact: “There’s really no evidence that masks are causing those kinds of problems for kids,” Rasmussen said. Claim: “Hawaii has a statewide mask mandate; their hospitalizations are up 2,000%. Rhode Island is the #1 state per capita with the highest caseload.” Fact: According to the CDC, Hawaii hospitalizations are up 250% in the last month. Still, Florida’s hospitalizations per capita are more than double Hawaii’s. As for Rhode Island, that state hit its peak in January. Since vaccine rollout, that state has consistently seen lower cases per capita than Florida. Many people claimed there were no studies that show masks worked, but Dr. Rasmussen said there are several including one from the Florida Surgeon General. For more information: Johns Hopkins COVID-19 portal which tracks cases CDC’s COVID data tracker CDC’s U.S. COVID-19 cases, deaths, and laboratory testing by state, territory and jurisdiction CDC’s COVID-19 vaccinations in the U.S.