SpaceX launches flight test; spacecraft visible in FloridaSovereign citizen claim complicates deputy-involved Charlotte County shooting case
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SpaceX launches flight test; spacecraft visible in Florida A mysterious sight in the sky had WINK News viewers buzzing, but there’s no need to worry. It’s not a UFO.
Sovereign citizen claim complicates deputy-involved Charlotte County shooting case A tense incident unfolded on Sandy Pine Drive in Charlotte County last October when deputies shot and killed a man in his driveway.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s water system faces climate challenges Sanibel Island is facing challenges as it balances its natural beauty with the demands of stormwater management.
FORT MYERS Travel tips ahead of spring break Spring break 2025 has arrived, and tourists are flocking to Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Pilot project tackles affordable housing gaps in Fort Myers Affordable housing is a pressing issue in Southwest Florida, driven by a growing population. The Florida Housing Coalition is working to ensure residents can afford a place to live.
ALVA Alva locals voice concerns over Lee County’s housing expansion plan Residents of Alva are grappling with changes as Lee County commissioners approved a significant development project that will transform their rural community.
Crews battling 12-acre brush fire in Charlotte County Crews are hard at work battling a 12-acre brush fire in Charlotte County.
Collier County man caught in $150K bank fraud at Fifth Third Bank Collier County deputies arrested a man accused of impersonating another individual and making fraudulent bank transactions exceeding $150,000.
SANIBEL Discover rare shells at Sanibel Shell Show The nation’s oldest and most esteemed shell show is currently taking place on Sanibel.
Lee County Fighting the bite: Soaring high to battle mosquitoes WINK News anchor Liz Biro had the chance to fly with the Lee County Mosquito Control District to see how they work to battle mosquitoes.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte wrestling ready for state tournament under strong leadership Fresh off of a regional title and a state runner-up finish in the dual team wrestling tournament, the Tarpons are fired up.
CAPE CORAL Managing allergies during peak season Springtime in Southwest Florida brings not only flowers and sunshine but also a wave of sneezes and sniffles.
COLLIER COUNTY One-on-one with FC Naples head coach Matt Poland WINK Sports Reporter Zach Oliveri sat down with FC Naples head coach Matt Poland to talk about the inaugural season.
Economist Jeremy Siegel favors Trump tax cuts, not tariffs During President Donald Trump’s first administration, longtime economic professor Jeremy Siegel received a request to join it as an economic adviser.
miami beach Gov. DeSantis announces safety efforts ahead of spring break Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced safety efforts in Florida ahead of spring break.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SpaceX launches flight test; spacecraft visible in Florida A mysterious sight in the sky had WINK News viewers buzzing, but there’s no need to worry. It’s not a UFO.
Sovereign citizen claim complicates deputy-involved Charlotte County shooting case A tense incident unfolded on Sandy Pine Drive in Charlotte County last October when deputies shot and killed a man in his driveway.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s water system faces climate challenges Sanibel Island is facing challenges as it balances its natural beauty with the demands of stormwater management.
FORT MYERS Travel tips ahead of spring break Spring break 2025 has arrived, and tourists are flocking to Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Pilot project tackles affordable housing gaps in Fort Myers Affordable housing is a pressing issue in Southwest Florida, driven by a growing population. The Florida Housing Coalition is working to ensure residents can afford a place to live.
ALVA Alva locals voice concerns over Lee County’s housing expansion plan Residents of Alva are grappling with changes as Lee County commissioners approved a significant development project that will transform their rural community.
Crews battling 12-acre brush fire in Charlotte County Crews are hard at work battling a 12-acre brush fire in Charlotte County.
Collier County man caught in $150K bank fraud at Fifth Third Bank Collier County deputies arrested a man accused of impersonating another individual and making fraudulent bank transactions exceeding $150,000.
SANIBEL Discover rare shells at Sanibel Shell Show The nation’s oldest and most esteemed shell show is currently taking place on Sanibel.
Lee County Fighting the bite: Soaring high to battle mosquitoes WINK News anchor Liz Biro had the chance to fly with the Lee County Mosquito Control District to see how they work to battle mosquitoes.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte wrestling ready for state tournament under strong leadership Fresh off of a regional title and a state runner-up finish in the dual team wrestling tournament, the Tarpons are fired up.
CAPE CORAL Managing allergies during peak season Springtime in Southwest Florida brings not only flowers and sunshine but also a wave of sneezes and sniffles.
COLLIER COUNTY One-on-one with FC Naples head coach Matt Poland WINK Sports Reporter Zach Oliveri sat down with FC Naples head coach Matt Poland to talk about the inaugural season.
Economist Jeremy Siegel favors Trump tax cuts, not tariffs During President Donald Trump’s first administration, longtime economic professor Jeremy Siegel received a request to join it as an economic adviser.
miami beach Gov. DeSantis announces safety efforts ahead of spring break Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced safety efforts in Florida ahead of spring break.
Manatee resting at Three Sisters Springs (Crystal River NWR) while shading over a school of mangrove snappers. The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, was established in 1983 specifically for the protection of the endangered West Indian Manatee. This unique refuge preserves the last unspoiled and undeveloped habitat in Kings Bay, which forms the headwaters of the Crystal River. The refuge preserves the warm water spring havens, which provide critical habitat for the manatee populations that migrate here each winter. Credit: Keith Ramos/ USFWS. Florida manatees face a record-breaking year for deaths, more than 1,000 Florida manatees have died in 2021, but there may be an answer to helping the malnourished sea cows. Though it’s illegal to feed manatees, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) approved a decision to allow supplemental feeding. Save the Manatee Club Executive Director Patrick Rose said he knows why the manatees are dying. “Within the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), and particularly the northern IRL, we’ve seen about 95% of the biomass of seagrass is lost, and so while we had many, many manatees dependent on those food resources, they’re essential, and it’s nearly wiped out.” FGCU Water School Professor Dr. Mike Parsons believes it all comes down to water quality. “What are the conditions that are needed to support healthy seagrasses? They need light, and to have really good light levels, we need less nutrients and less turbidity in the water. So the water quality all ties in together to that.” So, federal regulators and the state will bend the rules to help the starving manatees. It’s against the law to feed manatees, but FWS and FWC came up with what they call a “supplemental feeding” plan. They will target malnourished manatees. In a statement FWC said: The Unified Command does have approval to move forward on a limited feeding trial. Details are still being worked out and a more formal announcement will be made later this week. “There’s a lot of logistical work that’s going to have to be put into that, and it’s literally being improved on an experimental testing basis,” said Rose. And while it would be a short-term solution, Rose said, “it will not be able to replace all the food the manatees have missed from the catastrophic loss of seagrass, again from the human pollution that’s caused the algal blooms.” It’s a sign our waterways need long-term help too. If you see a sick or dead manatee, you can call the FWC hotline at 1-888-404-3922. You can also click here to learn more about reporting a sick or dead manatee.