‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into colorCollier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
Let’s Waffle opens in Cape Coral Let’s Waffle is one of two businesses the Feix family launched locally, with the FMS Florida Boat Tours and Limousine Service owned and operated by Feix’s husband, Alexander.
Planned Punta Gorda hotel, pub, brewery faces construction delay Kevin Doyle, owner of Celtic Ray Public House Irish pub in downtown Punta Gorda, and his partner, S4 Global Investments, were found in violation of the city’s exposed soils code.
Three Sisters Spring Toast the manatee released by FWC, SeaWorld and Casey DeSantis near Crystal River A manatee named Toast was released back into the Florida waters after a final medical evaluation from wildlife officials.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Man arrested and charged with over 90 counts of fraud The Cape Coral Police Department arrested a man for allegedly stealing items from a business and then pawning them.
Man accused of pulling gun on someone ordering at Collier County Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru A man has been arrested after allegedly pulling a gun on someone ordering at a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru in Collier County.
League Club of Naples awards record $683K in grants to Collier, Lee nonprofits At a mid-April breakfast event, the 35 area nonprofit agencies—chosen from a record number of applicants—were awarded grants from the women’s volunteer organization in areas ranging from arts education, to fighting hunger and homelessness, to providing bikes and wheelchairs to children in need
Tim Aten Knows: Chick-fil-A drive-thru proposal faces criticism in Naples Chick-fil-A is proposing a drive-thru restaurant at the site of the former Red Lobster restaurant on U.S. 41 in Naples, but the project is facing early criticism.
Man convicted for murder of 17-year-old girl will be in court for resentencing A convicted man will be in court for resentencing for a murder that he committed as a teenager almost 20 years ago.
NAPLES Friday’s Furry Friends: Holly, Slim For this week’s Friday’s Furry Friends, WINK visits the Collier County Domestic Animal Services to showcase two adorable animals ready to be adopted.
FORT MYERS Caught on Camera: Dust Devil spotted spiraling in Fort Myers A dust devil was spotted and recorded by a WINK News viewer on Hanson Street in Fort Myers.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
Let’s Waffle opens in Cape Coral Let’s Waffle is one of two businesses the Feix family launched locally, with the FMS Florida Boat Tours and Limousine Service owned and operated by Feix’s husband, Alexander.
Planned Punta Gorda hotel, pub, brewery faces construction delay Kevin Doyle, owner of Celtic Ray Public House Irish pub in downtown Punta Gorda, and his partner, S4 Global Investments, were found in violation of the city’s exposed soils code.
Three Sisters Spring Toast the manatee released by FWC, SeaWorld and Casey DeSantis near Crystal River A manatee named Toast was released back into the Florida waters after a final medical evaluation from wildlife officials.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Man arrested and charged with over 90 counts of fraud The Cape Coral Police Department arrested a man for allegedly stealing items from a business and then pawning them.
Man accused of pulling gun on someone ordering at Collier County Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru A man has been arrested after allegedly pulling a gun on someone ordering at a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru in Collier County.
League Club of Naples awards record $683K in grants to Collier, Lee nonprofits At a mid-April breakfast event, the 35 area nonprofit agencies—chosen from a record number of applicants—were awarded grants from the women’s volunteer organization in areas ranging from arts education, to fighting hunger and homelessness, to providing bikes and wheelchairs to children in need
Tim Aten Knows: Chick-fil-A drive-thru proposal faces criticism in Naples Chick-fil-A is proposing a drive-thru restaurant at the site of the former Red Lobster restaurant on U.S. 41 in Naples, but the project is facing early criticism.
Man convicted for murder of 17-year-old girl will be in court for resentencing A convicted man will be in court for resentencing for a murder that he committed as a teenager almost 20 years ago.
NAPLES Friday’s Furry Friends: Holly, Slim For this week’s Friday’s Furry Friends, WINK visits the Collier County Domestic Animal Services to showcase two adorable animals ready to be adopted.
FORT MYERS Caught on Camera: Dust Devil spotted spiraling in Fort Myers A dust devil was spotted and recorded by a WINK News viewer on Hanson Street in Fort Myers.
St. James City, which is on the southern tip of Pine Island, felt the fury of Hurricane Ian on Wednesday with 155-mile-per-hour winds and at least 10 feet of storm surge. By Saturday, the residents who stayed felt a different kind of fury, one of feeling abandoned and forced from their homes. There are almost 4,000 residents in St. James City and almost 2,000 on Bokeelia on the northern end of the island, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. All of them will be without electricity for months. Gulfshore Business toured parts of St. James City on Saturday, chartering a boat led by Tyler Carner of Indigenous Charters and fellow boat captains Court Douthit and Jamie Sullivan, who are affiliated with Captains for Clean Water. The nonprofit organization brought coolers of water and Gatorade and donated them. The Monroe Canal Marina, adjacent to Phuzzy’s Boat Shack, a closed bar and restaurant, transformed into a food and water distribution point, led by manager Staci Stevens. “We had 300 people come by last night,” Stevens said. “We’re probably going to do the same thing today.” Bob and Annie’s Boatyard, also off Stringfellow Road, the island’s primary north-south thoroughfare, also had turned into a food and water distribution center. It became a grand central station for concerns among neighbors about their futures. The bridge to the island is out of service. Lee County officials were working on a plan to install a temporary bridge within 10 days; but it’s a short-term solution to the long-term issue of it being months, not weeks or days, before power can be restored to the island and a more permanent bridge can be designed and constructed. Captains for Clean Water, in addition to bringing supplies, also offered rides back to the mainland. They couldn’t find any takers. Erica and Andrew Gehring live in St. James City. With power outages, they couldn’t hear Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais’s pledge that “no one will be forced from their homes.” But Desjarlais did encourage all residents of Pine Island, Sanibel, Captiva, and Fort Myers Beach to leave their homes because supplying them with food and water isn’t sustainable. Erica Gehring said Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies told her they would be leaving the island soon and not coming back for the foreseeable future. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that it would not be pulling services from Pine Island, public information officer Anita Iriarte said. The agency said it has quadrupled its presence on Pine Island and orchestrated 100 National Guard personnel to be stationed there as well. But what Iriarte said and what St. James City residents were being told by on-the-ground deputies were two different things. “My concern is that the sheriff has announced that they are leaving,” Gehring said. “That is an invitation to looters. My concern is that when the law goes, the lawlessness comes. My government seems to be asking me to leave my perfectly inhabitable house with all of my supplies then take up the space in a shelter that someone needs much more than I do. I would like to stay in my home, but I do not want to have to defend myself. I would love for my government to help defend my property while they serve other people.” Greg Bates, another St. James City resident, lost the roof of his home but has a place to stay with a friend. “I’m trying to secure the house,” Bates said. “I’m trying to get tarps on it. But we have a septic system. We can get water supplies. This is crazy that they’re saying everyone has to leave their property.” “We pay taxes. Everybody invests their whole life savings to live here. We pay for their services to help us. We just feel abandoned here. And there are a ton of people out here. I’ve invested everything I have. If I leave, and it’s announced that the sheriff pulled out, nothing is going to survive. There’s going to be looters everywhere. They’re going to come out here, and they’re going to empty out everything that’s worth anything.” Floating along Monroe Canal, which runs east and west along the southern end of Pine Island, revealed the disaster. Hurricane Ian’s winds littered a bank of mangrove trees with debris. County-issued garbage cans, fences, boats, plastic wrapping, Adirondack chairs and all sorts of other items were dangling from the mangroves. There was a catamaran that had left the canal and landed on its side, crushing the remains of the house behind it. There were boats upside down and, in the water, and boats right-side up, deposited on the ground. There were roofs completely caved in and houses that seemed fine adjacent to one another. “It’s amazing the randomness of the destruction,” Court Douthit said as the boat passed by wreckage after wreckage. “There’s no rhyme or reason to it.” Despite the mess, residents like Bates had no plans to leave. “I’m going to stay as long as I can,” Bates said. “They’re not going to force me out. When I leave, it will be my choice.” For more news on the Southwest Florida business community’s recovery from Hurricane Ian visit gulfshorebusiness.com