NAPLES Naples Cars on Fifth event fuels $2M for local charity efforts For over two decades, car enthusiasts in Southwest Florida have gathered on Fifth Avenue in Naples.
MARCO ISLAND Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island set to reopen Collier County announced the reopening of the Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Animal Shelter to host Puppy Bowl 3 ahead of big game Ahead of the big game on Sunday, Cape Coral Animal Shelter will be featuring its very own Puppy Bowl III.
FORT MYERS From the ballpark to the beach: the Minnesota Twins are back for Spring Training 1700 miles later the Twins truck is here and the team from Minnesota is ready to spend the next six weeks here in Fort Myers.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
NAPLES Naples Cars on Fifth event fuels $2M for local charity efforts For over two decades, car enthusiasts in Southwest Florida have gathered on Fifth Avenue in Naples.
MARCO ISLAND Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island set to reopen Collier County announced the reopening of the Caxambas Park boat ramp on Marco Island.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Animal Shelter to host Puppy Bowl 3 ahead of big game Ahead of the big game on Sunday, Cape Coral Animal Shelter will be featuring its very own Puppy Bowl III.
FORT MYERS From the ballpark to the beach: the Minnesota Twins are back for Spring Training 1700 miles later the Twins truck is here and the team from Minnesota is ready to spend the next six weeks here in Fort Myers.
the weather authority Warm stretch continues throughout this weekend The Weather Authority says if you are a fan of the warmer weather, you are going to love this weekend.
SANIBEL Sanibel’s red tide raises health alerts and wildlife concerns With great weather in the forecast, it’s shaping up to be a perfect beach weekend. However, visitors to the barrier islands should exercise caution.
NAPLES Naples Automotive Experience raises funds for St. Matthew’s House The Naples Automotive Experience brought excitement and philanthropy to the community, raising money for St. Matthew’s House.
MATLACHA Little Pine Island bridge work causes delays, FDOT promises progress Construction on the Little Pine Island Bridge has narrowed traffic to one lane, causing significant delays for drivers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Support women’s heart health on National Wear Red Day The first Friday in February marks National Wear Red Day!
Ongoing repairs following Naples plane crash A deadly plane crash that occurred one year ago in Naples, Florida continues to impact lives in Southwest Florida. The tragic event involved two pilots who lost their lives on Interstate 75.
Naples jet crash, one year later: new details on emergency response Sunday marks one year since a jet crashed after its pilots attempted an emergency landing on I-75 just outside of Naples. “Your mind goes back to everything that happened that day,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, public information officer with the North Collier Fire Rescue. “I think about the fact that there weren’t more lives lost.” At […]
LCSO cutting down law enforcement response times The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up to implement “Prepared 9-1-1,” a new tool designed to enhance emergency response times.
How Harry Chapin Food Bank supports struggling families In the heart of Dunbar, a neighborhood in Fort Myers, the STARS Complex becomes a place of hope as the Harry Chapin Food Bank supports families in need.
MOORE HAVEN African American family breaking barriers in Moore Haven politics Breaking barriers is a family tradition for Rashondra Croskey and her godmother, Gloria Reese.
A woman watched as her home was demolished before her eyes. Hurricane Ian shifted the Fort Myers Beach home off its base, so she had no choice but to tear it down. More than two months after the storm, the Oyster Bay Mobile Home Park doesn’t look much better. Oyster Bay Mobile Home Park. (Credit: WINK News) With every drop and pull, Sharon Chaffee feels the shock of Hurricane Ian again and again. “It’s sad. I mean, I worked really hard for what I got. And now it is gone,” said Chaffee. Chaffee watched, almost in agony, as a backhoe, propped up on a pile of debris, tore apart her Oyster Bay home. 11 years of memories were ripped away. “A two-bedroom home, and we just treated the backsplash all new quartz all new flooring took a lot of money into, a lot of love into it,” Chaffee said. Then came Ian. Chaffee evacuated before the hurricane hit. Like everyone else, she saw the video from Fort Myers Beach and knew the storm had devastated the area. That didn’t lessen the shock of what she saw when she returned home. The force of Hurricane Ian lifted her house right off its base. It was too dangerous to go inside afterward, and she lost everything she owned. “It was just everything was like it would have been in a washing machine. It was just unbelievable. It’s just totally baffling,” said Chaffee. Sharon Chaffee speaks with WINK News as her home is demolished. (Credit: WINK News) WINK News reporter Emma Heaton spoke with Chaffee as heavy equipment tore away what was left of her home. Emma: “How did we get to this point here?” Chaffee: “Well, the association I’m a part of just started making some phone calls about, you know, get rid of the trailers that weren’t fixable. And so this guy came out and said, ‘yep, I can take care of that for ya,’ and here he is.” Sharon Chaffee’s home being demolished. (Credit: WINK News) Before the hurricane, Oyster Bay was a close-knit community of friends. Most of those people will never return. Some of their homes are as flat as pancakes, and others are a skeleton of what they used to be. While the neighborhood is now a ghost town, Chaffee is not going anywhere. Chaffee: “While this was happening, yes, I needed to be here. I needed to clean up and take responsibility for my property and my own stuff, so here I am.” Emma: “We’re two months after the hurricane. How are you doing mentally?” Chaffee: “I’m OK. I’ll probably downsize and just be more mobile and flexible. I don’t know. I don’t know. Ask me tomorrow might be different, but right now, I’m doing OK.” Emma: “Have you accepted that this is what Fort Myers Beach is?” Chaffee: “I think so. I mean, I loved how it was all the little cottages and all the fun little bars and stuff. And now that Margaritaville is here, I think that’s going to change it significantly. And yeah, we’ll see. I’m excited but also a little leery.” Chaffee didn’t count on having to start all over again, but after spending the day with her, it is clear that no matter whatever pain life dishes out, she could take it.