CAPTIVA Captiva Beach continues renourishment project Nearly two years later, the recovery efforts from Hurricane Ian continue on Captiva Beach. People WINK News spoke with say it’s a work in progress since Hurricane Ian, but they are hopeful as more time passes and more sand is brought in for beach renourishment.
Proposal to mine in the Everglades withdrawn for now The now-withdrawn proposal for the Southland Water Resource Project was submitted to the South Florida Water Management District in July by contractor Phillips and Jordan.
FORT MYERS Bishop Verot cross-country runner commits to UF The Bishop Verot Catholic High School senior won a state championship last year. Now, she’s committed to running at the University of Florida.
DeSantis fights back on Amendment 4 Florida may not be the swing state it used to be, but we’ll be on the map and certainly making headlines for at least one big reason this year: Abortion.
The do’s and don’ts of ATV’s An investigation is underway after a car crashed into an ATV with six people, including children, on it. Concerns are now being raised over the rules and regulations of ATVs.
SANIBEL Sanibel city council votes on E-bike limits The Sanibel City Council has voted to set new speed limits for e-bikes and whether they can ride on the island’s bike paths.
NORTH FORT MYERS Child shoots themselves in foot at youth football game, later arrested There was a frenzy on the field as parents and kids rushed to shelter in a concession building after hearing a gunshot fired during a youth football game.
Miracle Moment: Horsepower drives healing A horse gave a young girl the motivation she needed to fight an aggressive cancer.
Former LCSO deputy pleads not guilty to jewelry store shooting A former Lee County deputy has been caught on the wrong side of the law twice now, but he says he is innocent.
LEE COUNTY East Lee County football off to best start in school history There’s a new energy in the halls of East Lee County High School, because a 3-0 start is a first for Jaguar football.
RSV vaccine for mothers can help baby Now, a new FDA-approved vaccine can protect your baby, even before the little one is born.
Harris’ past debates: A prosecutor’s style with narrative flair but risks in a matchup with Trump Harris faces former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, who will participate in his seventh general election debate since 2016 for an event that will be seen by tens of millions of viewers just as early voting in November’s election starts around the country.
Collier commissioners approve tax rates, consider repaying Conservation Collier Collier County commissioners on Sept. 5 tentatively approved the $2.98 billion 2024-25 budget, but didn’t resolve whether to repay $29.6 million they took from Conservation Collier to help cover a more than $60 million shortfall last year.
LEE COUNTY Jury finds man guilty of molesting child in Lee County A jury has found a Lehigh Acres man guilty of sending inappropriate messages and molesting a child following a three-day trial.
CAPE CORAL 2 teens plead not guilty in murder of 15-year-old Cape Coral girl Two teens accused of murdering a 15-year-old girl in Cape Coral have both entered a plea of not guilty.
CAPTIVA Captiva Beach continues renourishment project Nearly two years later, the recovery efforts from Hurricane Ian continue on Captiva Beach. People WINK News spoke with say it’s a work in progress since Hurricane Ian, but they are hopeful as more time passes and more sand is brought in for beach renourishment.
Proposal to mine in the Everglades withdrawn for now The now-withdrawn proposal for the Southland Water Resource Project was submitted to the South Florida Water Management District in July by contractor Phillips and Jordan.
FORT MYERS Bishop Verot cross-country runner commits to UF The Bishop Verot Catholic High School senior won a state championship last year. Now, she’s committed to running at the University of Florida.
DeSantis fights back on Amendment 4 Florida may not be the swing state it used to be, but we’ll be on the map and certainly making headlines for at least one big reason this year: Abortion.
The do’s and don’ts of ATV’s An investigation is underway after a car crashed into an ATV with six people, including children, on it. Concerns are now being raised over the rules and regulations of ATVs.
SANIBEL Sanibel city council votes on E-bike limits The Sanibel City Council has voted to set new speed limits for e-bikes and whether they can ride on the island’s bike paths.
NORTH FORT MYERS Child shoots themselves in foot at youth football game, later arrested There was a frenzy on the field as parents and kids rushed to shelter in a concession building after hearing a gunshot fired during a youth football game.
Miracle Moment: Horsepower drives healing A horse gave a young girl the motivation she needed to fight an aggressive cancer.
Former LCSO deputy pleads not guilty to jewelry store shooting A former Lee County deputy has been caught on the wrong side of the law twice now, but he says he is innocent.
LEE COUNTY East Lee County football off to best start in school history There’s a new energy in the halls of East Lee County High School, because a 3-0 start is a first for Jaguar football.
RSV vaccine for mothers can help baby Now, a new FDA-approved vaccine can protect your baby, even before the little one is born.
Harris’ past debates: A prosecutor’s style with narrative flair but risks in a matchup with Trump Harris faces former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, who will participate in his seventh general election debate since 2016 for an event that will be seen by tens of millions of viewers just as early voting in November’s election starts around the country.
Collier commissioners approve tax rates, consider repaying Conservation Collier Collier County commissioners on Sept. 5 tentatively approved the $2.98 billion 2024-25 budget, but didn’t resolve whether to repay $29.6 million they took from Conservation Collier to help cover a more than $60 million shortfall last year.
LEE COUNTY Jury finds man guilty of molesting child in Lee County A jury has found a Lehigh Acres man guilty of sending inappropriate messages and molesting a child following a three-day trial.
CAPE CORAL 2 teens plead not guilty in murder of 15-year-old Cape Coral girl Two teens accused of murdering a 15-year-old girl in Cape Coral have both entered a plea of not guilty.
Masked server and customer at Ford’s Garage in downtown Fort Myers. Credit: WINK News Starting Thursday, Florida businesses can be fined $5,000 if they ask you to prove you’re vaccinated. But the statute may not be constitutional, and the rules could be different if businesses ask for a negative COVID-19 test instead. The difference is that the statute specifically states you can’t require documentation of vaccination status from customers, but it doesn’t specifically say that you can’t require a negative COVID-19 test when they come in. Everything beside the physical paper document that says someone has been vaccinated is fair game. Some legal experts we spoke with say there are numerous other ways for business owners to get around this. The statute also doesn’t rule out someone verbally asking you if you’re vaccinated, or charging you a different price if you’re not vaccinated. It simply comes down to the fact that, from a First Amendment standpoint, they’re trying to get to the same end but using different means to get there, means that aren’t specifically outlawed. “They’re restricting you from doing one thing, as opposed to another thing,” said Scott Atwood, chair of employment law group Henderson Franklin. “And if then the government gets in the way and says that you can’t require or not require them to do one thing and try to get to the same endgame, then you can get in trouble. So it’s the same as saying that you can’t have one type of flag, and then put another type of a flagpole in your front lawn.” Critics of the statute say it violates a business owner’s First Amendment right by preventing them from asking a question, which would mean government restriction on free speech. Experts say they wouldn’t be surprised if the statute is taken to court again, but they’re advising small businesses to not risk it, saying for now it may be safer to abide by the rule. If they are really worried about customers bringing in the virus, they can take other precautions instead, like asking them to wear masks. For now, only time will tell just how legal judges interpret this to be. “The Florida statute, it started out as an executive order from the governor, and now it’s a statute,” Atwood said. “You know, it’s already been held unconstitutional by at least by one federal court judge. So we’ll see if that gets expanded to be a statewide ban at some point in time.”