Expert at Naples Botanical Garden speaks on prescribed burnsSawfish caught with fishing wire tied around rostrum and hooks in mouth; removed and released
NAPLES Expert at Naples Botanical Garden speaks on prescribed burns There’s no need to sound the alarms for this smoke in the air, as Southwest Florida is actually seeing many controlled or ‘prescribed’ fires.
Sawfish caught with fishing wire tied around rostrum and hooks in mouth; removed and released An endangered smalltooth sawfish was not what Mac expected to be at the end of his fishing line after fishing with buddies New Year’s Day.
Florida Power and Light Set to potentially raise prices in 2026 Florida Power and Light has announced their proposal for a need to increase rates from 2026 – 2029.
PORT CHARLOTTE Home of Port Charlotte couple destroyed due to mold from Hurricane Ian A Port Charlotte couple inherited a home after the wife’s parents died. The home is now destroyed because of mold from Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Update on the Naples Pier construction The Naples Pier has been destroyed since Hurricane Ian. Since then, the city has considered ways to restore the pier but questions linger over the work, especially on how long it will take to complete.
FORT MYERS BEACH Pink Shell resort expansion project moves onto final vote The future for the expansion of a Fort Myers Beach staple comes down to one vote.
PUNTA GORDA Fatal crash on Burnt Store Road, all lanes blocked A crash on Burnt Store Road near Charlee Road in Charlotte County has reportedly resulted in a fatality.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral’s school zone safety plan hits a speed bump Thanks to new cameras, speeders in Cape Coral school zones would be facing fines this week, but due to delays in the contractor’s schedule, they will not.
Law enforcement and City of Fort Myers warning residents about QR code scams Law enforcement and the city of Fort Myers are warning you to think twice before scanning QR codes so you can avoid “quishing.”
IMMOKALEE Is the Florida citrus industry on its way out? The orange is the iconic symbol of Florida. While the fruit may be on the state’s license plates, the citrus industry has been on the decline for more than a decade.
Arthrex showcase explores diverse careers for students A chance for young minds to get a crack at being a part of one of the biggest and most innovative companies in the world.
PORT CHARLOTTE Charlotte County to host 24th annual boat show The 24th Annual Charlotte County Boat Show is back in Port Charlotte.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for January 8, 2025 This weekly Most Wanted Wednesday WINK News segment features fugitives from justice in Southwest Florida.
ENGLEWOOD Suncoast Humane Society to hold grand opening for new location The Suncoast Humane Society will hold a grand opening for its new location on Thursday following hurricane damage to its previous location.
County commissioner reacts to Marceno’s comments on FBI A county leader is reacting to what Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno had to say about the FBI.
NAPLES Expert at Naples Botanical Garden speaks on prescribed burns There’s no need to sound the alarms for this smoke in the air, as Southwest Florida is actually seeing many controlled or ‘prescribed’ fires.
Sawfish caught with fishing wire tied around rostrum and hooks in mouth; removed and released An endangered smalltooth sawfish was not what Mac expected to be at the end of his fishing line after fishing with buddies New Year’s Day.
Florida Power and Light Set to potentially raise prices in 2026 Florida Power and Light has announced their proposal for a need to increase rates from 2026 – 2029.
PORT CHARLOTTE Home of Port Charlotte couple destroyed due to mold from Hurricane Ian A Port Charlotte couple inherited a home after the wife’s parents died. The home is now destroyed because of mold from Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Update on the Naples Pier construction The Naples Pier has been destroyed since Hurricane Ian. Since then, the city has considered ways to restore the pier but questions linger over the work, especially on how long it will take to complete.
FORT MYERS BEACH Pink Shell resort expansion project moves onto final vote The future for the expansion of a Fort Myers Beach staple comes down to one vote.
PUNTA GORDA Fatal crash on Burnt Store Road, all lanes blocked A crash on Burnt Store Road near Charlee Road in Charlotte County has reportedly resulted in a fatality.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral’s school zone safety plan hits a speed bump Thanks to new cameras, speeders in Cape Coral school zones would be facing fines this week, but due to delays in the contractor’s schedule, they will not.
Law enforcement and City of Fort Myers warning residents about QR code scams Law enforcement and the city of Fort Myers are warning you to think twice before scanning QR codes so you can avoid “quishing.”
IMMOKALEE Is the Florida citrus industry on its way out? The orange is the iconic symbol of Florida. While the fruit may be on the state’s license plates, the citrus industry has been on the decline for more than a decade.
Arthrex showcase explores diverse careers for students A chance for young minds to get a crack at being a part of one of the biggest and most innovative companies in the world.
PORT CHARLOTTE Charlotte County to host 24th annual boat show The 24th Annual Charlotte County Boat Show is back in Port Charlotte.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for January 8, 2025 This weekly Most Wanted Wednesday WINK News segment features fugitives from justice in Southwest Florida.
ENGLEWOOD Suncoast Humane Society to hold grand opening for new location The Suncoast Humane Society will hold a grand opening for its new location on Thursday following hurricane damage to its previous location.
County commissioner reacts to Marceno’s comments on FBI A county leader is reacting to what Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno had to say about the FBI.
Lee Board of County Commissioners created a task force to address the Ian recovery which could take years. (CREDIT: WINK News) Recovery will take years, a grim yet realistic admission at the Lee County Board of Commissioners meeting earlier on Tuesday. Facing a long rebuild after Hurricane Ian, county officials have approved a new task force that should help Southwest Florida down the road. The county is projecting recovery efforts as far out as five years. They voted to form the task with the biggest priority is connecting with the communities that need the most help. “I’m focused right now more on the near-term because people are hurting right now. But I want to plan long-term,” said Lee County Commissioner Ray Sandelli. A challenge Lee County as a whole is battling is short-term recovery along with long-term rebuilding. The motion carried with no objection. With cleanup efforts underway and the challenges looming, the task force’s main short-term goal will be connecting with areas that need the most help. Some people feel they need more access to information and aid. Lee Board of County Commissioners created a task force to address the Ian recovery which could take years. (CREDIT: WINK News) “We don’t really have until next fall. We just need to know who we need to be working with to make a joint plan for our whole community,” said Julie Dixon, who lives in Matlacha. “I see this as offering up another layer. Another layer of community relations and input that we can utilize to build back,” said Mike Greenwell, Lee County commissioner. The task force cited Bay County’s 2018 Hurricane Michael Recovery Task Force as a potential template. According to Bay County documents, their task force used a mix of public and private sector partners to complete hundreds of recovery projects. The two counties have compared plans in the past and Lee officials believe they can learn from Bay County’s rebuilding experience. “They went through this what, five years ago? We both learned a lot that day talking with those commissioners,” said Lee County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass. “So we’ve got to find a happy medium. How do we put the task forces together? How we put it together will be really important.” Task force Chairman Kevin Ruane will begin connecting with partners in the public and private sectors to fill out the group and identify where it will begin its work. “This is, to me, an opportunity to rebuild this community. To give this community hope and do the best we possibly can,” Ruane said. “We’re going to give Lee County a much better place to live in in the future.” Ruane’s office told WINK News the task force will focus on recovery efforts and will not evaluate the county’s preparedness or “Just in Time” evacuation protocol. It was the protocol that led the county to start evacuations one day before Ian hit.