Purple Heart Army veteran receives new home thanks to charityRain doesn’t stop crowds at 40th Annual Cape Coral Arts Festival
Purple Heart Army veteran receives new home thanks to charity A Purple Heart Army veteran and his family entered their new accessible home on Saturday, thanks to the charity “Homes for Our Troops.”
CAPE CORAL Rain doesn’t stop crowds at 40th Annual Cape Coral Arts Festival For 40 years, the Cape Coral Arts Festival has drawn crowds from across Southwest Florida, showcasing a blend of small businesses from the region.
CAPE CORAL Sports trading card collecting going through “a generational reboot” The hobby of sports trading card collecting has been on the rise since 2020, especially in Southwest Florida with more card shows.
PUNTA GORDA 11th annual short film festival coming to Punta Gorda The Punta Gorda Englewood Beach Visitor Convention Bureau will host its 11th annual short film festival.
the weather authority Mild, breezy day on tap with more clouds than sun The Weather Authority says a brief line of showers, associated with a cold front, is moving through Southwest Florida Saturday morning.
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.
Purple Heart Army veteran receives new home thanks to charity A Purple Heart Army veteran and his family entered their new accessible home on Saturday, thanks to the charity “Homes for Our Troops.”
CAPE CORAL Rain doesn’t stop crowds at 40th Annual Cape Coral Arts Festival For 40 years, the Cape Coral Arts Festival has drawn crowds from across Southwest Florida, showcasing a blend of small businesses from the region.
CAPE CORAL Sports trading card collecting going through “a generational reboot” The hobby of sports trading card collecting has been on the rise since 2020, especially in Southwest Florida with more card shows.
PUNTA GORDA 11th annual short film festival coming to Punta Gorda The Punta Gorda Englewood Beach Visitor Convention Bureau will host its 11th annual short film festival.
the weather authority Mild, breezy day on tap with more clouds than sun The Weather Authority says a brief line of showers, associated with a cold front, is moving through Southwest Florida Saturday morning.
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.
Mary Melissa Chancy (CREDIT: Collier County Sheriff’s Office) The Collier County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 35-year-old woman on Tuesday for allegedly embezzling from three businesses, one of them a charity. Deputies said Mary Melissa Chancy “engaged in an elaborate scheme to embezzle funds” from a company and charity operated by Vincent “Cap” Mona. Mona told WINK News he is heartbroken. He said he has decided to retire and give everything he has built to his sons. He said he not only trusted Chancy, but he gave her every chance to tell him the truth. “I just feel sorry for her, that she took that path in life,” he said. Mona has been an entrepreneur all his life and has worked for his family. “Call me old-fashioned, handshake and you trust in people and that’s how my businesses succeeded,” Mona said. “They felt the trust and I felt the trust and it’s all for the team and the team prospered.” In May 2019, Mona told deputies he believed Chancy, who was his bookkeeper, had misappropriated $570,000 from three of his companies: Three Palms Design Build LLC, Clinton Investment Group LLC and Cap Mona Angel Fund, a charitable organization established to provide aid to two schools and a church in Haiti. Attempts to speak with Chancy were unsuccessful. “When she stole money from the school, how many meals would have helped feed those impoverished children, that’s the worst of it all,” Mona said. “She wasn’t as honest as we thought and that really hurt because she looked like a nice human being.” An investigation showed that from the time Chancy was hired in January of 2016, a total of $800,281 had been misappropriated. Investigators found Chancy recorded deceiving entries in ledges and manipulated bank statements, in addition to altering the names of payees when she was really paying herself. “You know, it just took the spark out of me,” Mona said. Collier County Sgt. Brian Sawyer said the best way to protect yourself and your business is to stay on the alert. “A lot of people that steal from businesses start out small and then it gets bigger and bigger so the quicker you’re able to determine the theft’s occurring the easier it is to minimize the amount of theft that may have happened,” Sawyer said. “Look for those small things.” If there is one thing Mona wants everyone to take from his experience, it’s this: “Honesty is the most important thing in life.” She was arrested on felony warrants and faces charges of grand theft $100,000 or more, and scheme to defraud $50,000 or more. She was booked into Collier County Jail and released after posting $60,000 bond.