FLORIDA (AP) What’s open and closed on Memorial Day In what had long been celebrated every May 30 to honor America’s fallen soldiers, Memorial Day officially became a federal holiday in 1971, observed on the last Monday in May.
the weather authority Hot and mainly dry for Memorial Day Services The Weather Authority is tracking a hot and dry Memorial Day, with afternoon “feels like” temperatures ranging from 100-105°.
CAPE CORAL 28-year-old Cape Coral man accused of raping 15-year-old girl The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a man for the alleged rape of a 15-year-old.
WINK NEWS Survey: Florida ranks 3rd in lowest percentage of adult non-swimmers A recent poll by Poolonomics, which surveyed the country, found that Florida has the third-lowest percentage of adult non-swimmers.
NEW YORK (AP) Here’s what every key witness said at Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Closing arguments are coming After 22 witnesses, including a porn actor, tabloid publisher and White House insiders, testimony is over at Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach takes on Memorial Weekend This weekend didn’t just consist of those enjoying the beach. Others were paying tribute to our troops lost.
LEHIGH ACRES 2 dead after crash on SR-82 The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a vehicle crash between a sedan and an SUV that left two people deceased.
CAPE CORAL Truck submerged in Cape Coral canal Authorities are responding to a crash investigation after a truck became submerged in a Cape Coral canal.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Fraud, Pedophilia and Sexual Battery This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a ballet bamboozle, a sting operation and sexual assault.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Mostly sunny skies and above-average heat Most of Southwest Florida will be rain-free, hot, and sunny today.
FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard opens for Memorial Day weekend On Saturday, the new business opened its doors to the public.
FORT LAUDERDALE (AP) Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say
PORT CHARLOTTE CCSO: 2-year-old boy shot in the hand by 4-year-old Charlotte County Fire-EMS said they treated the two-year-old boy, who had a gunshot injury to the hand.
NCAA, Power Five approve settlement sets stage for schools to pay players NCAA and Power Five conferences agree on settlement that will allow schools to pay student athletes and share revenue.
FORT MYERS Placing flags to honor the fallen on Memorial Day weekend This weekend is much more than just a backyard barbecue and some time off work. It allows us to remember our nation’s heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
FLORIDA (AP) What’s open and closed on Memorial Day In what had long been celebrated every May 30 to honor America’s fallen soldiers, Memorial Day officially became a federal holiday in 1971, observed on the last Monday in May.
the weather authority Hot and mainly dry for Memorial Day Services The Weather Authority is tracking a hot and dry Memorial Day, with afternoon “feels like” temperatures ranging from 100-105°.
CAPE CORAL 28-year-old Cape Coral man accused of raping 15-year-old girl The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a man for the alleged rape of a 15-year-old.
WINK NEWS Survey: Florida ranks 3rd in lowest percentage of adult non-swimmers A recent poll by Poolonomics, which surveyed the country, found that Florida has the third-lowest percentage of adult non-swimmers.
NEW YORK (AP) Here’s what every key witness said at Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Closing arguments are coming After 22 witnesses, including a porn actor, tabloid publisher and White House insiders, testimony is over at Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach takes on Memorial Weekend This weekend didn’t just consist of those enjoying the beach. Others were paying tribute to our troops lost.
LEHIGH ACRES 2 dead after crash on SR-82 The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a vehicle crash between a sedan and an SUV that left two people deceased.
CAPE CORAL Truck submerged in Cape Coral canal Authorities are responding to a crash investigation after a truck became submerged in a Cape Coral canal.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WINK Neighborhood Watch: Fraud, Pedophilia and Sexual Battery This week’s segment of WINK Neighborhood Watch features a ballet bamboozle, a sting operation and sexual assault.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Mostly sunny skies and above-average heat Most of Southwest Florida will be rain-free, hot, and sunny today.
FORT MYERS Bay Street Yard opens for Memorial Day weekend On Saturday, the new business opened its doors to the public.
FORT LAUDERDALE (AP) Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say Rapper Sean Kingston and his mother stole more than $1 million through fraud, authorities say
PORT CHARLOTTE CCSO: 2-year-old boy shot in the hand by 4-year-old Charlotte County Fire-EMS said they treated the two-year-old boy, who had a gunshot injury to the hand.
NCAA, Power Five approve settlement sets stage for schools to pay players NCAA and Power Five conferences agree on settlement that will allow schools to pay student athletes and share revenue.
FORT MYERS Placing flags to honor the fallen on Memorial Day weekend This weekend is much more than just a backyard barbecue and some time off work. It allows us to remember our nation’s heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
Credit: WINK News. The so-called “Great Resignation” is turning into a sticky situation for the American economy, with new data showing that workers continued to quit at near-record rates into the end of 2021. Just as the Omicron variant began spreading across the nation in December, workers continued to switch jobs or take time off from work — leaving employers scrambling to hire. About 4.3 million people handed in their resignations in December, the Department of Labor said Tuesday. That’s down slightly from November, when an all-time monthly high of 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs. Layoffs hit a historic low in December as employers held on to their current workforce amid struggles to hire new employees. Employers hoping for relief aren’t likely to see it anytime soon, according to senior economists Ron Hetrick and Rucha Vankudre at Emsi Burning Glass. Competition for low-wage workers in industries such as restaurants and child care is particularly fierce, but there aren’t enough applicants to fill the open jobs in those fields. “The ‘Great Resignation’ is certainly not slowing down,” said Luke Pardue, an economist at payroll services company Gusto. Although layoffs are at a record low, many businesses coped with the recent surge in COVID cases by cutting hours for workers as Omicron spread across the nation, Gusto’s data indicates. That suggests that bosses are predicting business will rebound after the Omicron wave recedes — and are worried that they may struggle to rehire workers if they cut jobs now. Employers “are now seeing there is light at the end of the tunnel, and there will be a reason to expand,” Pardue said. But “It’s incredibly hard to add staff right now in this incredibly tight labor market,” he added. From November through January, about a third of workers saw their hours reduced by 10%, Gusto found. That’s double the rate recorded a year earlier. Restaurant jobs At the same time, millions of workers remain out of the workforce, including older Americans who stepped back from the world of work, as well as parents who continue to struggle with childcare. Demographic changes are also impacting the labor market, such as a reduction in immigration during the pandemic. That’s hitting some employers harder than others. “When you talk about quits and where they are, a lot of this ‘Great Resignation’ is occurring in these low-paying jobs,” Emsi Burning Glass’ Hetrick said. “One of the biggest drivers of job openings are restaurants.” But, he added, “We keep watching our labor force participation rate not recovering month after month.” About 823,000 people quit their jobs in the accommodation and food service sector in December, the Tuesday report said. That means about 6.1% of workers in hotels, restaurants and bars quit during that single month, the highest rate of any industry tracked by the report. “Not nearly enough people” At the same time, that sector had more than 1.5 million job openings during the month, or the third-highest number of “help wanted” ads after professional and businesses services and health care and social services, which were each seeking about 1.9 million workers. Overall in the labor economy, Vankudre said, “There are about 58 people for every 100 job openings. It’s not nearly enough people to take care of all those jobs.” Separations overall fell from 6.2 million to 5.9 million, reflected in a reduction in both quits as well as layoffs. The layoffs rate hit an historic low in December, lowest since the series began in 2000. Other separations (including deaths) were unchanged. pic.twitter.com/a9dyMgPMKV — Elise Gould (@eliselgould) February 1, 2022 The nation’s workforce hasn’t rebounded to its pre-pandemic size, despite robust economic growth and higher wages offered by employers eager to fill open jobs. But many workers simply aren’t able to return to work due to COVID-19 infections — with a record 9 million people out sick from the illness in early January — while others are switching careers or starting their own businesses. Higher wages are also luring workers into switching jobs, economists noted. Industries hired new workers at higher rates than the quits rate in every industry — a signal that workers who quit in December departed for other jobs, tweeted Elise Gould, an economist at the left-leaning think tank Economic Policy Institute. Meanwhile, layoffs are at their lowest since the Labor Department began tracking the data in 2000. Businesses laid off 1.2 million workers in December, a series low, according to the report. “No one is getting rid of the employees they have,” Vankudre said.