‘It’s devastating’: Neighbor reflects on fatal fire in Port Charlotte‘The sound of death’ Neighbors concerned by amount of crashes on Joel Blvd
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘It’s devastating’: Neighbor reflects on fatal fire in Port Charlotte A devastating house fire Monday night in Port Charlotte has left one person dead and another hospitalized while neighbors mourn the possible loss of a beloved member of their community.
‘The sound of death’ Neighbors concerned by amount of crashes on Joel Blvd A woman is heartbroken from witnessing crash after crash outside her Lehigh Acres home.
Fort Myers get 15% increase on flood insurance discount WINK News is finding out what led to the city of Fort Myers going from just a 5% FEMA flood insurance discount to a 20% discount.
FORT MYERS Locals house California wildfire victims The effects of the California fires are being felt worldwide as people evacuate some are in southwest Florida.
LOVERS KEY Couple returns to Lovers Key condo post Ian While Hurricane Ian is long gone from Southwest Florida, many are still feeling its impacts.
EVERGLADES Biden signs Water Resources Development Act, its effect on SWFL President Biden recently signed into law the Water Resources Development Act with an aim to improve rivers and harbors across the country and provide for the conservation of water. Southwest Florida was included in that act. Putting the 240-page plan together took a lot of work, not just from state and federal lawmakers, but also […]
Turning business travel into a vacation Would work travel seem a little easier if you could turn it into a vacation? Two professors say they have proof that would help business travel.
The future of biometrics: Safer security or new AI risks? In 2021, the Transportation Service Agency (TSA) launched its new touchless identity solution in the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County airport.
CAPE CORAL Pelican Elementary resource officer saves infant A school resource officer at Pelican Elementary saved an infants’ life at a traffic stop in Cape Coral.
FORT MYERS Progress being made on City View Park in Dunbar More promises made by a city that has not kept its promises for the last six years have some neighbors concerned about the future of their community.
COLLIER COUNTY Seacrest hoops player hits a full court buzzer beater Seacrest Country Day School boys basketball player Hayden Fuller hits full court buzzer beater against Aubrey Rogers.
NAPLES Cutting-edge ACL surgery reducing reinjury risk by 80% Known for its game-changing orthopedic repair options, Naples-based Arthrex has done it again.
NAPLES MacStrength FL offers sport and lifestyle training for young athletes In 2025, MacStrength FL is swinging for success with their current players and for a wider reach in its community.
You can appeal FEMA’s decision on your claim – Here’s how Now a week after the deadline for FEMA hurricane assistance has closed, the federal agency says you can appeal their decision on your claim if you don’t agree.
Naples selects city CFO as next city manager, averts national search Naples Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Gary Young will become the next city manager, averting a lengthy, expensive national search for a replacement.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘It’s devastating’: Neighbor reflects on fatal fire in Port Charlotte A devastating house fire Monday night in Port Charlotte has left one person dead and another hospitalized while neighbors mourn the possible loss of a beloved member of their community.
‘The sound of death’ Neighbors concerned by amount of crashes on Joel Blvd A woman is heartbroken from witnessing crash after crash outside her Lehigh Acres home.
Fort Myers get 15% increase on flood insurance discount WINK News is finding out what led to the city of Fort Myers going from just a 5% FEMA flood insurance discount to a 20% discount.
FORT MYERS Locals house California wildfire victims The effects of the California fires are being felt worldwide as people evacuate some are in southwest Florida.
LOVERS KEY Couple returns to Lovers Key condo post Ian While Hurricane Ian is long gone from Southwest Florida, many are still feeling its impacts.
EVERGLADES Biden signs Water Resources Development Act, its effect on SWFL President Biden recently signed into law the Water Resources Development Act with an aim to improve rivers and harbors across the country and provide for the conservation of water. Southwest Florida was included in that act. Putting the 240-page plan together took a lot of work, not just from state and federal lawmakers, but also […]
Turning business travel into a vacation Would work travel seem a little easier if you could turn it into a vacation? Two professors say they have proof that would help business travel.
The future of biometrics: Safer security or new AI risks? In 2021, the Transportation Service Agency (TSA) launched its new touchless identity solution in the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County airport.
CAPE CORAL Pelican Elementary resource officer saves infant A school resource officer at Pelican Elementary saved an infants’ life at a traffic stop in Cape Coral.
FORT MYERS Progress being made on City View Park in Dunbar More promises made by a city that has not kept its promises for the last six years have some neighbors concerned about the future of their community.
COLLIER COUNTY Seacrest hoops player hits a full court buzzer beater Seacrest Country Day School boys basketball player Hayden Fuller hits full court buzzer beater against Aubrey Rogers.
NAPLES Cutting-edge ACL surgery reducing reinjury risk by 80% Known for its game-changing orthopedic repair options, Naples-based Arthrex has done it again.
NAPLES MacStrength FL offers sport and lifestyle training for young athletes In 2025, MacStrength FL is swinging for success with their current players and for a wider reach in its community.
You can appeal FEMA’s decision on your claim – Here’s how Now a week after the deadline for FEMA hurricane assistance has closed, the federal agency says you can appeal their decision on your claim if you don’t agree.
Naples selects city CFO as next city manager, averts national search Naples Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Gary Young will become the next city manager, averting a lengthy, expensive national search for a replacement.
FILE – Simone Biles, of the United States, watches gymnasts perform at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Tokyo. Biles says she wasn’t in the right ‘headspace’ to compete and withdrew from gymnastics team final to protect herself. Biles’ 2021 experiences, and how she talked about them, helped drive a robust conversation about athletes’ emotional health. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File) Actors, athletes and even Olympians have come forward revealing mental health struggles. Their stories and courage to share their struggles have led to a community of acceptance. With every split, every flip, every walk on the balance beam, mind and body must align for gymnasts. Jennifer Shackleton knows that first hand. She competed for years, and now she coaches at Gymnastics World Naples. “Gymnastics is a very physical sport, but a big part of it is very mental and a lot of mental things that they have to overcome and it’s challenging on a day-to-day basis because when the mind and the body aren’t working together, a lot of fear comes in,” said Shackleton. Mental blocks, the twisties, those are just some of the names for that mental challenge. A challenge Shackleton feels is not always discussed. That’s why she was impressed with Olympian Simone Biles pulling out of the team finals. “I say put mental health first because if you don’t then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to so it’s ok sometimes to even sit out the big competitions to focus on yourself because it shows how strong of a competitor and person you really are,” said Shackleton. “Her speaking up and saying that. It shows the kids that it is ok to speak up about their feelings and emotions. J. Webb Horton, former FGCU head tennis coach, believes shifting the narrative about mental health is important for all athletes in all sports. He’s played sports most of his life, but until recently, mental health was not really part of the conversation. “No one saw mental health as a real illness. It was sort of weakness,” said Horton. He says athletes like Biles and Naomi Osaka have helped change that. Osaka pulled out of the French Open this summer citing struggles with mental health and depression. “We are a more enlightened society and we have to accept that mental health is the same as physical health,” said Horton. Cortney Van Liew, an FGCU volleyball player, said, “I think within the past few years I’ve realized how taking care of your mental health can impact your athletic ability.” Van Liew says the pressure of play can be tough. “You have people expecting you to do well, people expecting you to win. Even the pressure you put on yourself can start to weigh down on you if you aren’t careful.” So she uses her platform to encourage others to talk about the pressure and talk about their mental health; even when they’re struggling. “I mean a few years ago I would not have been able to talk about this or to even want to have this conversation and as it continues to be destigmatized and the conversation is out in the open it just makes it that much easier to work through whatever you’re going through,” said Van Liew. Because it takes a strong mind and a strong body to be a strong athlete. Mental health resources in Southwest Florida Below are mental health resources available to Southwest Floridians at the national and local level. National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255 suicidepreventionlifeline.org David Lawrence Center (Collier County) (239)455-8500 davidlawrencecenter.org National Alliance on Mental Illness, Collier County namicollier.org National Alliance on Mental Illness, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry Counties namilee.org The National Alliance for Caregiving offers a free handbook Circle of Care: A Guidebook for Mental Health Caregivers Collier County Mental Health Court ca.cjis20.org/home/collier Lee County Mental Health Court ca.cjis20.org/home/lee Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance convio.net Local Support Groups: Anxiety and Depression Association of America adaa.org U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Mental Health and Addiction Insurance Help) hhs.gov/programs/topic-sites/mental-health-parity Local veterans resource: Home Base SWFL https://homebase.org/home-base-southwest-florida/