American Sand Sculpting Competition returns to Fort Myers BeachEnglewood nonprofit gives hope to residents amid hurricane recovery
FORT MYERS BEACH American Sand Sculpting Competition returns to Fort Myers Beach After a year’s long wait, the American Sand Sculpting Competition on Fort Myers Beach returned on Thursday.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood nonprofit gives hope to residents amid hurricane recovery Many people in Charlotte County were hit hard by storms this hurricane season, but that won’t stop them from giving back to their community.
NAPLES CSN’s Jayvian Tanelus and offensive line erupt in round one Community School of Naples’ offensive line and Jayvian Tanelus put on a show in round one of the playoffs earning them player of the week.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral family opens home up for the holidays A Cape Coral family has gotten over 1,000 interactions on a Facebook post after opening up their home for the holidays.
SANIBEL Sanibel police trained and certified to catch alligators by FWC Pinning an apex predator down with little more than bare hands and tape: That’s what the Sanibel Police Department went through during alligator-catching certification training.
Southwest Florida welcomes first proton beam therapy center This is a big week in cancer care for patients in Southwest Florida and beyond.
PUNTA GORDA Whats next after Punta Gorda city manager’s resignation? Punta Gorda city manager Greg Murray said he resigned Monday but told the council on Wednesday. Now, Melissa Reichert is the interim city manager.
FORT MYERS BEACH 34th annual American Sand Sculpting Championship begins on Fort Myers Beach After a years long wait, the American Sand Sculpting Competition on Fort Myers Beach returned on Thursday.
CAPE CORAL City council members talk about decision to repeal stipend ordinance A vote of 5 to 3 ends the saga over the Cape Coral City Council stipend and new members of the city council are sending a message they’re doing things differently.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers food pantry provides Thanksgiving meals to neighbors Dozens of people stopped by Sunshine Health’s food pantry one week before Thanksgiving. Sunshine Health is delivering hope.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach loses FEMA insurance discount The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has placed Fort Myers Beach (FMB) on probation.
FORT MYERS WINK News Game of the Week: Riverdale at Fort Myers Our WINK News Game of the Week is the regional semifinal matchup between Fort Myers and Riverdale, a rematch from the regular season finale two weeks ago.
NAPLES Hope for the Holidays turkey distribution event in Collier County A Naples nonprofit is expected to feed nearly 2,000 families.
Parts of Lee County to keep FEMA discount According to the Lee County Government, residents in parts of Lee County will keep their FEMA discount.
New blue-light system to be implemented to flag red-light runners Green means go, red means stop and blue means you just ran a red light.
FORT MYERS BEACH American Sand Sculpting Competition returns to Fort Myers Beach After a year’s long wait, the American Sand Sculpting Competition on Fort Myers Beach returned on Thursday.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood nonprofit gives hope to residents amid hurricane recovery Many people in Charlotte County were hit hard by storms this hurricane season, but that won’t stop them from giving back to their community.
NAPLES CSN’s Jayvian Tanelus and offensive line erupt in round one Community School of Naples’ offensive line and Jayvian Tanelus put on a show in round one of the playoffs earning them player of the week.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral family opens home up for the holidays A Cape Coral family has gotten over 1,000 interactions on a Facebook post after opening up their home for the holidays.
SANIBEL Sanibel police trained and certified to catch alligators by FWC Pinning an apex predator down with little more than bare hands and tape: That’s what the Sanibel Police Department went through during alligator-catching certification training.
Southwest Florida welcomes first proton beam therapy center This is a big week in cancer care for patients in Southwest Florida and beyond.
PUNTA GORDA Whats next after Punta Gorda city manager’s resignation? Punta Gorda city manager Greg Murray said he resigned Monday but told the council on Wednesday. Now, Melissa Reichert is the interim city manager.
FORT MYERS BEACH 34th annual American Sand Sculpting Championship begins on Fort Myers Beach After a years long wait, the American Sand Sculpting Competition on Fort Myers Beach returned on Thursday.
CAPE CORAL City council members talk about decision to repeal stipend ordinance A vote of 5 to 3 ends the saga over the Cape Coral City Council stipend and new members of the city council are sending a message they’re doing things differently.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers food pantry provides Thanksgiving meals to neighbors Dozens of people stopped by Sunshine Health’s food pantry one week before Thanksgiving. Sunshine Health is delivering hope.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach loses FEMA insurance discount The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has placed Fort Myers Beach (FMB) on probation.
FORT MYERS WINK News Game of the Week: Riverdale at Fort Myers Our WINK News Game of the Week is the regional semifinal matchup between Fort Myers and Riverdale, a rematch from the regular season finale two weeks ago.
NAPLES Hope for the Holidays turkey distribution event in Collier County A Naples nonprofit is expected to feed nearly 2,000 families.
Parts of Lee County to keep FEMA discount According to the Lee County Government, residents in parts of Lee County will keep their FEMA discount.
New blue-light system to be implemented to flag red-light runners Green means go, red means stop and blue means you just ran a red light.
Damage left behind after an EF2 tornado touched down in Iona on January 16, 2022. (Credit: WINK News) On Tuesday, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) received word that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) denied its request for individual assistance for those in Lee and Charlotte Counties impacted by January tornadoes. An EF1 tornado touched down in Placida in Charlotte County, and an EF2 touched down in Iona in Lee County on the morning of January 16. You may remember the house flipped upside down in the damage. One month later, it is in the same place. A flag hung in front of a home flipped over by the tornado on Windcrest Drive in Iona. A flag hung in front of a home flipped over by the tornado on Windcrest Drive in Iona. WINK News was in Iona when FEMA agent Andres Artis surveyed the tornado damage and spoke with tornado victims. While he assessed the wreckage in cottage point, they waited. The wait is over, and their response to FEMA; thanks for nothing. “I think it’s terrible,” said James Willis. WINK News met Willis a month ago, only hours after the tornados ripped through. Reporter Michael Hudak asked him, “the morning after, you walked outside and saw Ed’s place, and what did you think?” “I think I better go see if he’s alive,” Willis said. Ed was alive, but while he was in over his head, the man who owned the home under his home just wanted some help. Kevin Cothron, whose home was destroyed in the tornado, said, “I live in an old trailer, and they could give a rat’s butt last about me.” Cothron isn’t surprised he’s not getting help. “I really wasn’t, you know, when they came here to help assess the situation. I knew that right then, they weren’t going to do anything. But a month now, and they finally made a decision, they’re not going to do anything. The county has been holding up, waiting on them. And we waited for nothing.” While Cothron doesn’t have a roof, the man across the street was sitting on his roof sipping a ginger ale and smoking a cigarette. Jim Schaffer said he feels like a sitting duck. “I’m very, very disappointed. Just, you know, this is, this was a catastrophic disaster. And why they would not help is beyond me.” Cothron, the man who owns the home under the home that is still hanging in the air, said he wouldn’t live here again. He said he moved to Port Charlotte to have a place to lay his head every night. On January 24, FDEM requested all the programs under Individual Assistance, including Individuals and Households Program, Disaster Case Management, Crisis Counseling and Training program, Disaster Legal Services and Disaster Unemployment Assistance. You can read the full request below: https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/FLDEM/2022/02/16/file_attachments/2077837/SLG-BIZHUB22012411440.pdf After disaster struck, FDEM was able to deploy disaster recovery staff into impacted counties to conduct Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments with county officials, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. These assessments determined 158 homes were destroyed or sustained major damage. These twisters impacted mostly older residents, with 84% of them receiving Social Security Income. The State discovered that some survivors were forced to stay with neighbors to remain near their damaged homes during the assessments. With a high percentage of older adults and destroyed homes, this specific population will decline because of displacement and unstable housing. FDEM plans to appeal the decision due to the destruction these tornadoes caused and the chaos left behind with displaced residents. FDEM is also attempting to identify other available means of assistance. You can read the denial letter below: https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/FLDEM/2022/02/16/file_attachments/2077835/FL%20TD%20Letter.pdf Kevin Guthrie is the director of FDEM. “While we begin the decision appeal process, I want to reassure Floridians that the Division is committed to supporting recovery efforts,” Guthrie said. “We’ll continue to work with our local and federal partners to provide relief to impacted residents and ensure all types of disaster assistance is made available.”