Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fireDay Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
Hurricane season is one month away The outlook for the 2024 Hurricane Season is for it be active, potentially even hyperactive.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead after crash on SR 31 and Busbee Rd. in North Fort Myers At around noon Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol said a PT Cruiser and a car hauler collided on State Road 31 and Busbee Road, near the Lee/Charlotte County line.
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for molesting Lee County child A Florida man will spend the next 25 years in prison for molesting a child in Lee County.
LEHIGH ACRES Man accused of using stolen credit card from car burglary at Lehigh Acres CVS Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man who allegedly used a stolen credit card at the CVS in Lehigh Acres.
ARCADIA Family of flea market murder victim struggles to find closure The family of a woman who was murdered at an Arcadia flea market continues to seek justice as the accused killer awaits trial.
NAPLES Naples man accused of possessing child porn After an investigation, a Naples man has been arrested after allegedly having child pornography in his home.
CAPE CORAL Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released New details have been released about the arrest of a Cape Coral volunteer softball coach accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
The Weather Authority Isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening Afternoon of isolated storms in Southwest Florida.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral church picking up the pieces after massive fire Calvary Connection ministries is unrecognizable after a massive fire swept through a Cape Coral Complex on Monday.
CAPE CORAL Day Two of FEMA code compliance hearings in Cape Coral Another 50 people were summoned Wednesday for the second day of code compliance hearings before the special magistrate.
State lawmakers want to hear your opinion on voting in Lee County Right now, everyone votes for or against all five of the Lee Commissioners, but they’re talking about changing the system so that each commissioner represents a specific part of the county.
FORT MYERS Migrants entering Florida under controversial parole program The House Committee on Homeland Security has released documents, which show a surge in migrants entering the United States through a parole program, sparking debate over immigration policies and border security.
North Collier firefighter beats cancer, educates others on safety He’s a father, son, friend and mentor, but for the last four years, he’s been in a battle for his life.
CAPE CORAL Man arrested in connection to brother’s death in Cape Coral A man wanted for questioning in the death of his brother at his Cape Coral home has been arrested in Pennsylvania.
Candidates challenge Punta Gorda incumbents over land, building regulations A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
Hurricane season is one month away The outlook for the 2024 Hurricane Season is for it be active, potentially even hyperactive.
NORTH FORT MYERS 1 dead after crash on SR 31 and Busbee Rd. in North Fort Myers At around noon Wednesday, the Florida Highway Patrol said a PT Cruiser and a car hauler collided on State Road 31 and Busbee Road, near the Lee/Charlotte County line.
Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for molesting Lee County child A Florida man will spend the next 25 years in prison for molesting a child in Lee County.
LEHIGH ACRES Man accused of using stolen credit card from car burglary at Lehigh Acres CVS Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man who allegedly used a stolen credit card at the CVS in Lehigh Acres.
ARCADIA Family of flea market murder victim struggles to find closure The family of a woman who was murdered at an Arcadia flea market continues to seek justice as the accused killer awaits trial.
NAPLES Naples man accused of possessing child porn After an investigation, a Naples man has been arrested after allegedly having child pornography in his home.
CAPE CORAL Arrest report for volunteer softball coach accused of inappropriate behavior released New details have been released about the arrest of a Cape Coral volunteer softball coach accused of sending nude photos and touching a 17-year-old student.
The Weather Authority Isolated storms pop up this afternoon and evening Afternoon of isolated storms in Southwest Florida.
Bill Banker needed a spinal fusion while elective surgeries were paused. His doctor found a way to treat him amidst the pandemic. (CREDIT: WINK News) When hospitals paused elective surgeries during the pandemic many people were left in a whole lot of hurt. That created an opportunity to find a way to perform complex operations in an outpatient setting. Bill Banker looms large on the court, whether it’s pickleball or basketball, golf or running, the former college athlete is always on the move. But repeated sports injuries that damaged his spine threatened to sideline him for good. “I had to have diskectomy once had another diskectomy to relieve the pain. And the surgeons that did those surgeries said that, eventually, I was going to need a more serious surgery to correct it permanently,” Banker said. In the midst of the pandemic, Banker realized it was time for a spinal fusion. “I couldn’t walk 15 steps without almost buckling over,” he said. As hospitals filled with COVID-19 patients, many elective surgeries were tabled. Banker’s surgeon Jeffrey Henn decided to take a different approach. Skilled in minimally invasive spine procedures, he thought Banker was a great candidate to undergo spinal fusion as an outpatient. “After we’d kind of perfected the smaller surgeries, then the question became, could we safely and reasonably treat somebody with a surgery as large as a lumbar fusion? And I think the simple answer is absolutely we can,” said Dr. Jeffrey Henn, a neurosurgeon at Joint Implant Surgeons of Florida in Fort Myers. In Banker’s case, a collapsed disc compressed the nerve. Fixing it required going into his back and adding spacers and screws to straighten and support the spine. A major operation, Henn felt he could get the same outcome using small incisions. “With the right anesthesia, with the right minimally invasive techniques, you essentially are now doing a big surgery and having somebody who’s comfortable enough that they can go home,” Henn said. Using the less invasive approach and pain blocks that don’t involve opioids, Banker had his surgery. He went home hours after surgery and three months after major back surgery, he fully regained his bounce. “The pandemic actually, I think, sped up the outpatient surgery for major spinal surgery. I think I was on the cusp of being a pioneer,” Banker said. A traditional spinal fusion typically meant several days in the hospital recovering. Going home the same day is actually a deciding factor for some people who might be toughing out pain and putting off surgery.