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.
CPAP machine. Credit: WINK News. Possibly get cancer or die in your sleep—that’s the choice some people with Phillips Respironics CPAP machines are struggling with. A recall is now in effect and getting a new machine is not easy. A CPAP machine keeps Richard Wheeler alive through the night. He has sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder that causes his breathing to start and stop several times a night. But his machine is a part of recall. “Right now, it’s the worst of the two evils,” Wheeler said. In June, Philips Respironics issued a recall for some of its machines after receiving several reports of the foam inside degrading, causing black debris to go into the devices’ airways and then into users’ lungs. The FDA says inhaling it can cause other health conditions like asthma or cancer, but pulmonologist Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad recommends talking to your doctor about benefits versus the risk. “It’s a life-threatening disease,” Ahmad said. “Every day people are dying from it, so this is really, really an important disease to treat and manage your health status and improve your quality of your sleep.” Wheeler and his wife Debbie decided he should keep using the machine. “Now, it’s like this little thing in the back of your head all the time, saying, ‘Are we doing the right thing?’“ Debbie Wheeler said. “I don’t know.” Michael Cowell, on the other hand, keeps his machine on the table, not on his nightstand; he’s not using it anymore, even though he has Parkinson’s disease, COPD and sleep apnea. The situation, he says, has left him “hopeless and despondent.” “Some of the symptoms that I can get from the CPAP is carcinogens, particles going into my lungs, which can create many problems,” Cowell said. “More than what I need. I have more than what I can handle now.” Although their machines have been recalled, both Wheeler and Cowell have struggled to get new ones. Medicare says CPAP suppliers are required by law to take those machines back and replace them at no cost, but there is a shortage on replacement machines. “I don’t sleep well to begin with, but it’s even worse now and it affects my Parkinson’s,” Cowell said. “I become less able to handle logistic things, which I was very good at doing… daily functions. Talking, walking… the tremors are worse, and just daily living.” Philips hopes to have all recalled machines fixed by October 2022, but Cowell doesn’t think he’ll live to see that day. “I stop breathing many times a night with my COPD and sleep apnea,” Cowell said. “My husband can die from this,” Debbie Wheeler said. “I just want this fixed so he’s safe.” This recall is for certain BiPaps, CPAPs and ventilators made before April 2021. Philips Respironics says it’s doing its best to contact suppliers in order to get in touch with people who have a recalled machine. Visit the Philips Respironics website to see if you own a machine affected by the recall and how to request a replacement.