ESTERO 1 injured after shooting at Coconut Point Mall According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, one person has been injured after a shooting at the Coconut Point Mall on Friday.
CAPE CORAL CCPD cruiser damaged after officer involved crash An officer-involved crash leaves a Cape Coral police cruiser smashed.
PORT CHARLOTTE Sweet’s Diner in Port Charlotte reopens After months of fundraising and rebuilding, this diner, which had a car fly-through it, is back open.
FWC pushing to protect Florida’s endangered manatees Florida Fish and Wildlife is pushing to protect endangered manatees. One danger that animals face is when boats bash into them, leaving deep scars across their backs.
FORT MYERS The Fort Myers Fire Department looks towards new year Fighting fires is always top of mind for the Fort Myers Fire Department. The Fort Myers Fire Department leads the way when it comes to protecting your property when a fire breaks out.
WINK NEWS Palisades Wildfire devastates SWFL family Just hours after evacuating their Malibu home, the Wohl family learned they would never go back.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral expands with development The Cove at 47th The Cove sits in south Cape Coral between Cape Coral Parkway and Southeast 47th Terrace right next to Cork Soakers.
FORT MYERS ‘Operation Ghost Buster’: 16 arrested in Fort Myers drug operation The Fort Myers Police Department Narcotics Unit conducted an operation targeting drug traffickers and individuals unlawfully selling and possessing firearms in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS ‘A Distinctive Honor’: Bank of America award benefits FSW Nursing Program Bank of America has been awarded Florida Southwestern State College the 2024 Neighborhood Champion Award.
CAPTIVA One step closer to decision on South Seas building density After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge said he stood by his earlier decision in favor of the Captiva Civic Association.
Governor signs death warrant for man accused of 1997 killing of 2 in Charlotte County Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the death warrant for a man accused of killing two people in Charlotte County in 1997.
Community input needed for renaming Challenger Boulevard While Lee Health continues construction on the area’s newest hospital, there are decisions to be made.
ESTERO SWFL Lady Hammerheads find community through rugby The southwest Florida Lady Hammerheads are the Florida Women’s Rugby Union’s newest team.
Heavy law enforcement presence near Arcadia Popeyes According to the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, there is a heavy law enforcement presence near a Popeyes restaurant.
Punta Gorda City Council searches for new home Punta Gorda City Council sought a temporary solution when it was unable to meet Jan. 9 at the Military Heritage Museum because elevators weren’t working, which would have been a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
ESTERO 1 injured after shooting at Coconut Point Mall According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, one person has been injured after a shooting at the Coconut Point Mall on Friday.
CAPE CORAL CCPD cruiser damaged after officer involved crash An officer-involved crash leaves a Cape Coral police cruiser smashed.
PORT CHARLOTTE Sweet’s Diner in Port Charlotte reopens After months of fundraising and rebuilding, this diner, which had a car fly-through it, is back open.
FWC pushing to protect Florida’s endangered manatees Florida Fish and Wildlife is pushing to protect endangered manatees. One danger that animals face is when boats bash into them, leaving deep scars across their backs.
FORT MYERS The Fort Myers Fire Department looks towards new year Fighting fires is always top of mind for the Fort Myers Fire Department. The Fort Myers Fire Department leads the way when it comes to protecting your property when a fire breaks out.
WINK NEWS Palisades Wildfire devastates SWFL family Just hours after evacuating their Malibu home, the Wohl family learned they would never go back.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral expands with development The Cove at 47th The Cove sits in south Cape Coral between Cape Coral Parkway and Southeast 47th Terrace right next to Cork Soakers.
FORT MYERS ‘Operation Ghost Buster’: 16 arrested in Fort Myers drug operation The Fort Myers Police Department Narcotics Unit conducted an operation targeting drug traffickers and individuals unlawfully selling and possessing firearms in Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS ‘A Distinctive Honor’: Bank of America award benefits FSW Nursing Program Bank of America has been awarded Florida Southwestern State College the 2024 Neighborhood Champion Award.
CAPTIVA One step closer to decision on South Seas building density After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge said he stood by his earlier decision in favor of the Captiva Civic Association.
Governor signs death warrant for man accused of 1997 killing of 2 in Charlotte County Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the death warrant for a man accused of killing two people in Charlotte County in 1997.
Community input needed for renaming Challenger Boulevard While Lee Health continues construction on the area’s newest hospital, there are decisions to be made.
ESTERO SWFL Lady Hammerheads find community through rugby The southwest Florida Lady Hammerheads are the Florida Women’s Rugby Union’s newest team.
Heavy law enforcement presence near Arcadia Popeyes According to the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, there is a heavy law enforcement presence near a Popeyes restaurant.
Punta Gorda City Council searches for new home Punta Gorda City Council sought a temporary solution when it was unable to meet Jan. 9 at the Military Heritage Museum because elevators weren’t working, which would have been a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Salvation Amy volunteer moving donated gifts for children. Credit: WINK News The Salvation Army is already reaching capacity for Christmas registration, and the need for toys is great this year. In Collier County, it registered more than 5,000 children in three days. The money the Salvation Army raises from red kettles provides the organization year-round with funds to spend on everything from rapid rehousing programs to gifts for children during the holidays. You can drop off a toy at one of the collection sites or donate money. Financial donations are especially helpful, as they help to fill the gaps for age groups that don’t receive as many toy donations, like older teenagers. The group says it is also lacking in donations for newborns and could use things like small toys, baby blankets and bottles. There are 210 Toys for Tots donation boxes throughout Collier County, from Marco Island to Immokalee. You can find them in local business stores, country clubs, community centers and elsewhere. After volunteers go around and collect the toys, they lay them out in a warehouse like the inventory of a big toy shop where parents can walk around and choose toys to give their children for Christmas. The Salvation Army says these toys can represent more than just a plaything for these children and their families. “We know a toy on Christmas morning is not going to change your life in that moment,” said Capt. Ben Bridges of the Salvation Army of Naples and Collier County. “But we do believe that a child waking up on Christmas and having that toy does bring a little bit of joy and hope to them. And we believe firmly that those moments of hope and joy built up over time really can lead to significant change in the life of children and families, and so that’s why it’s our joy at Christmas to be able to provide these toys for these families; to be able to find that spark of joy and hope for those children. And so we really hope and we really believe that the community will step up, will bring those toys out to our toy shop.” The Salvation Army closed its online portal where low-income families can go register their child for a toy after maxing out at 5,500 kids in three days, fearing it wouldn’t be able to meet the needs of any more than that number of children for Christmas. It says the need is coming from all over: from parents who are working two to three jobs, from those who have been unemployed for the last year or more. it says it has the capacity to serve more kids, but the community’s help is needed with toy donations. “We met 5,500 in those three days,” Bridges said. “What that tells us is the need is perhaps greater than ever. It also tells us that there’s a lot more kids that potentially could use that help this Christmas, and so we’re really calling out to the Naples community, to the Southwest Florida community, to rally around our cause. To step up, to bring those toys, those toy boxes, to donate to us financially so that we can go out and purchase the toys that we need for our kids.” Salvation Army staff say they hope to get enough toy donations to be able to reopen the portal and register even more children for gifts this Christmas. Visit the Salvation Army online if you’d like to donate online or become a volunteer.