Pedestrian injured in crash on McGregor BoulevardFamily of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree
FORT MYERS Pedestrian injured in crash on McGregor Boulevard The Fort Myers Police Department is investigating a crash that left at least one person injured Saturday night.
Family of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree Saturday marked a special day for Florida Gulf Coast University as more than 1,800 students graduated. For one student-athlete, graduating from FGCU runs in the family.
lehigh acres LCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
FORT MYERS Pedestrian injured in crash on McGregor Boulevard The Fort Myers Police Department is investigating a crash that left at least one person injured Saturday night.
Family of Eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree Saturday marked a special day for Florida Gulf Coast University as more than 1,800 students graduated. For one student-athlete, graduating from FGCU runs in the family.
lehigh acres LCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
Why don’t these people just get jobs so they can get off the streets? That’s a typical question people ask when they see the homeless. But the solution to homelessness isn’t that simple. As we first told you in our special series, The Working Homeless, there are people in our community who work in local businesses by day and live on the streets at night. We asked lawmakers—Democrat and Republican—to watch and weigh in. Both agree something needs to be done to help the homeless, particularly the working homeless. Rep. Spencer Roach, (R): “The folks who have the best chance of fully reintegrate into society are the working homeless that you showcase. I mean, they’re demonstrating that they have some skills and some ability to get an entry-level job, and they’re showing up to work on time. They’re working hard.” Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, (D): “But the wages are low, combined with the fact that affordable housing is sometimes totally unattainable in Florida. And that’s left them with a very frustrating and desperate situation where many more Floridians simply can’t afford Florida, which is why it’s important for local and state governments to continue to put forward solutions to this.” Neither State Representative Spencer Roach nor Carlos Guillermo Smith are currently working on legislation to specifically make it easier for the working homeless. There are homeless assistance services offered in Lee County. We’re taking a closer look, to see what works and what needs work. MORE: Click here for continuing coverage in The Working Homeless series 57-year-old Brent Grayson says his job in the kitchen at The Oasis Restaurant in Fort Myers brings him one step closer to getting his life back on track. “I feel like I’m getting a second chance now,” says Grayson. But his job isn’t helping him get a roof over his head. Despite the steady paycheck, he can’t find a place to live. Celine: “How much do you think you can afford? Brent: “Me personally, myself, about eight $900.” But as a non-violent convicted felon, Grayson says he fails the background checks at apartment complexes. “I’ve called rooming houses. I’ve called hotel rooms like weeklies, monthlies booked. Booked!” So, it’s back to the streets until his next shift. “I try to go there where I know I’m safe, and I just lay my head,” says Grayson. “I put cardboard down and I got a blanket, and then I fold everything up in the morning.” Life as the working homeless is a struggle. Grayson feels it’s dangerous and demoralizing. “I get frustrated because I look at other people. And you know, they go home to loved ones, family. And then I’m like, I just walked around and I said man, I wish I was in that predicament,” says Grayson. In early December, when we first met Grayson, Fort Myers Police Officer Ryan Beiner with the Homeless Outreach Team, offered him a potential lifeline. “With that situation, you’re on right now, it’s kind of the perfect opportunity for the homeless prevention application,” says Beiner. On December 16th, Beiner signed Grayson up for housing assistance from Lee County Human and Veterans Services. Days pass, then weeks. No word if or when that help is coming. “Nobody has called me,” says Grayson. “Nobody has even attempted to email me and I checked every day. All-day. The only one that I get is from you, WINK News” “Have faith, have hope, have trust in the network,” says Roger Mercado, Executive Director of Lee County Human and Veteran Services. Mercado says the homeless need to be patient since there are more than 500 people on the waitlist for housing. “On average, we’re looking probably from the time they enter coordinated entry and get into housing, on average, it’s about 70 days,” says Mercado. Celine: “That’s a long time on the streets.” Mercado: “It is, it is.” And the services aren’t first come, first served.”They will assess the situation and look at certain vulnerabilities of that household,” says Mercado. Grayson hopes his small victories—like finding and keeping a job—doesn’t keep him at the back of the helpline for too long. “I can’t give up. You know what I’m saying? I can’t give up,” says Grayson. “I can’t do it.” Mercado says he’s willing to let us follow Grayson through the process of getting housing, so you can see how it works and what needs work. You can follow our coverage—and join in on the conversation— on the WINK News app and on our Facebook page.