American flag recovered, returned after fire at Christ at the Crossroads ChurchBarnes & Noble launches new bookstore in Naples
Lehigh Acres American flag recovered, returned after fire at Christ at the Crossroads Church From the flames of ruin comes hope as the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District returns a valuable item to Christ at the Crossroads Church.
Barnes & Noble launches new bookstore in Naples Finding it worth the wait, scores of patrons stood in line to be among the first to experience Naples’ new Barnes & Noble bookstore Jan. 29, six months after the chain closed its longtime store at Waterside Shops.
Trump administration offering “deferred resignation” to government workers unwilling to return to office The White House expects up to 10% of federal employees to quit in September in a program meant to end work-from-home practices, senior administration officials told CBS News.
Charlotte County land acquisition could expand Parkside area Charlotte County Commissioners voted Jan. 28 to purchase a 158-acre golf club that was damaged by Hurricane Ian for $3 million and later discussed making the land part of the Parkside neighborhood.
PORT CHARLOTTE FPL installs underground power lines in Charlotte County Losing power during a storm can be frustrating, and now, the mission to bury power lines to prevent outages is full speed ahead.
Naples biochar company to receive county incentives, expand to Immokalee A clean technology company that turns clean, green wood debris into an environmentally friendly charcoal product will receive Collier County job incentives to create 14 new jobs once it builds a headquarters in Immokalee.
CAPE CORAL Woman accused of stealing from Cape Coral Target, possessing multiple drugs A woman has been arrested after allegedly committing retail thefts at a Cape Coral Target, then later being found in possession of drugs.
FORT MYERS Gov. DeSantis holds roundtable in Fort Myers Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a roundtable discussion in Fort Myers.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral starting construction on traffic light on Del Prado The City of Cape Coral is starting construction Wednesday on a new traffic signal at Del Prado Boulevard North and Averill Boulevard.
the weather authority Seasonal temperatures for your Wednesday afternoon plans The Weather Authority is tracking a seasonal Wednesday with increased cloud coverage throughout the afternoon.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
NORTH FORT MYERS Animal cruelty investigation launched after cat shot with BB gun Authorities in Lee County are investigating a case of animal cruelty after a beloved feral cat was found injured by a BB gun pellet.
FORT MYERS Lee County 18-year-old caught on camera during car burglary spree An 18-year-old man is in jail after deputies say he went through a neighborhood breaking into cars and stealing items.
FORT MYERS FGCU men’s basketball team visits pediatric cancer patients The Eagles visited pediatric cancer patients at Golisano Children’s Hospital as part of Coaches vs. Cancer week.
Florida House and Senate approve new immigration bill It took four and a half hours of back-and-forth debates for the Florida Senate to vote and pass the immigration bill.
Lehigh Acres American flag recovered, returned after fire at Christ at the Crossroads Church From the flames of ruin comes hope as the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District returns a valuable item to Christ at the Crossroads Church.
Barnes & Noble launches new bookstore in Naples Finding it worth the wait, scores of patrons stood in line to be among the first to experience Naples’ new Barnes & Noble bookstore Jan. 29, six months after the chain closed its longtime store at Waterside Shops.
Trump administration offering “deferred resignation” to government workers unwilling to return to office The White House expects up to 10% of federal employees to quit in September in a program meant to end work-from-home practices, senior administration officials told CBS News.
Charlotte County land acquisition could expand Parkside area Charlotte County Commissioners voted Jan. 28 to purchase a 158-acre golf club that was damaged by Hurricane Ian for $3 million and later discussed making the land part of the Parkside neighborhood.
PORT CHARLOTTE FPL installs underground power lines in Charlotte County Losing power during a storm can be frustrating, and now, the mission to bury power lines to prevent outages is full speed ahead.
Naples biochar company to receive county incentives, expand to Immokalee A clean technology company that turns clean, green wood debris into an environmentally friendly charcoal product will receive Collier County job incentives to create 14 new jobs once it builds a headquarters in Immokalee.
CAPE CORAL Woman accused of stealing from Cape Coral Target, possessing multiple drugs A woman has been arrested after allegedly committing retail thefts at a Cape Coral Target, then later being found in possession of drugs.
FORT MYERS Gov. DeSantis holds roundtable in Fort Myers Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a roundtable discussion in Fort Myers.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral starting construction on traffic light on Del Prado The City of Cape Coral is starting construction Wednesday on a new traffic signal at Del Prado Boulevard North and Averill Boulevard.
the weather authority Seasonal temperatures for your Wednesday afternoon plans The Weather Authority is tracking a seasonal Wednesday with increased cloud coverage throughout the afternoon.
Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
NORTH FORT MYERS Animal cruelty investigation launched after cat shot with BB gun Authorities in Lee County are investigating a case of animal cruelty after a beloved feral cat was found injured by a BB gun pellet.
FORT MYERS Lee County 18-year-old caught on camera during car burglary spree An 18-year-old man is in jail after deputies say he went through a neighborhood breaking into cars and stealing items.
FORT MYERS FGCU men’s basketball team visits pediatric cancer patients The Eagles visited pediatric cancer patients at Golisano Children’s Hospital as part of Coaches vs. Cancer week.
Florida House and Senate approve new immigration bill It took four and a half hours of back-and-forth debates for the Florida Senate to vote and pass the immigration bill.
Manatees. Credit: WINK News More than 1,000 manatees have died in Florida so far this year, eclipsing a previous annual record as the threatened marine mammals struggle with starvation due to pollution in the water. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported the updated total on Wednesday. The 1,003 manatee deaths so far in 2021 is many more than the 637 recorded last year and well above the previous mark of 830 set in 2013. Slow-moving, bulky manatees have long struggled to coexist with humans. Boat strikes account for some deaths and many injuries. But state officials and environmental groups say polluted water runoff from agriculture, sewage and other man-made development has caused algae blooms in estuaries, choking off the seagrass upon which manatees rely. Climate change is worsening the problem. Bonita Springs resident Michael Wade said the manatees are beautiful to see. That’s why he and Kathryn Wade visited Manatee Park in Lee County. “It is sad news,” Michael Wade said. “It’s terrible because a lot of it has to do with the boaters but also there is a lack of food and that has to do with the runoff of the fertilizer so it’s really sad and we are the only thing that can keep them alive and stop them from dying.” Authorities expected another bad year for manatees, with more deaths to come as Florida enters the winter months when the animals congregate in warm-water areas where food supplies have dwindled. Seagrass beds on the state’s eastern coast have been hit especially hard. “It’s probably going to take take a decade if not longer, to restore that ecosystem to where seagrass can grow again,” said Martine De Wite, a veterinarian with the FWC. To compound the problem, manatees are slow to reproduce. According to the nonprofit Save the Manatee Club – co-founded by Florida troubadour Jimmy Buffet – one calf is born every two to five years after a manatee reaches sexual maturity at about age 5. Twin births are rare. “Manatees are in serious trouble,” ZooTampa at Lowry Park, one of four main manatee critical care centers in Florida, said in a statement Wednesday. “The loss of more than 1,000 manatees this year is deeply concerning and will have serious repercussions for years to come.” The commission is asking state lawmakers to approve $7 million in the upcoming legislative session for seagrass restoration, manatee rehabilitation centers and other projects. Lawmakers approved $8 million last year. Manatees were listed as an endangered species beginning in 1966, but their status was changed to threatened in 2017. A new push is on to restore the endangered label to bring more resources and attention to the problem. The wildlife commission estimates there are currently about 7,500 manatees, also known as sea cows, living in Florida waters. Viewing areas around winter warm-water spots are a big tourist attraction around the state. “I just think people have to be just more conscious of the manatee and manatees they may not be around forever,” Michael Wade said.