Expert: Bank of America’s minimum wage increase is positive for SWFL banking industryTim Aten Knows: Petar’s expands its local dining space
Expert: Bank of America’s minimum wage increase is positive for SWFL banking industry Bank of America is raising its hourly minimum wage to $24 for full-time and part-time employees. This could be good news for the banking industry and customers in general, Florida Gulf Coast University Assistant Professor of Economics Krishna Regmi said.
Tim Aten Knows: Petar’s expands its local dining space A recent expansion of the local restaurant nearly doubled its size in the Center of Bonita Springs on the northwest corner of U.S. 41 and Bonita Beach Road. The restaurant grew from 1,545 to 2,830 square feet over the summer. “It’s getting big,” said chef-owner Petar Al Kurdi.
FWC enlists landowner’s assistance in endangered panther conservation The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is enlisting landowner’s assistance for the Florida Panther Payment for Ecosystem Services pilot program.
the weather authority Isolated rain and storms for your Friday The Weather Authority is tracking isolated rain and storms along with slightly higher afternoon temperatures on this Friday.
CAPE CORAL Student arrested for threatening another student at Trafalgar Middle A middle school student was arrested Thursday for threatening another student at Trafalgar Middle School in Cape Coral.
CAPTIVA 10th annual Island Hopper Songwriter Festival is set to begin Captiva Island is set to kick off its 10th-annual Island Hopper Songwriter Festival, which celebrates music throughout Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers residents weigh-in on Florida Amendment 1 In 1998, Florida voted for non-partisan school board elections. In November, Florida will decide whether political parties are essential for school board elections.
LEHIGH ACRES ‘God only knows what could have happened’ Lehigh Acres woman claims she was given wrong medication The past year for Pamela Rose has been a hard pill to swallow. When Rose was diagnosed with breast cancer in March, the hairdresser went through a list of treatments.
FORT MYERS 4 injured in car crash on McGregor Blvd. Authorities are investigating a crash that occurred Thursday night in Fort Myers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Local artist painting animals in hopes of getting them adopted A local artist painted multiple animals at the Gulf Coast Humane Society in hopes of getting them adopted.
BONITA SPRINGS Caught on Video: Woman destroys car with crowbar A Bonita Springs man woke up to the sight of a woman destroying his car with a crowbar.
MATLACHA Video shows impact of April’s deadly DUI crash in Matlacha WINK News has obtained new video and new documents from the State Attorney’s Office of the deadly Matlacha crash in April.
WINK Investigates: DBPR investigating Beattie Development WINK News has now confirmed the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation is now investigating Beattie Development.
NAPLES Player of the week: Romeo Sararo Aubrey Rogers football is on a two-game win streak. Coming off last year’s two and eighth seasons, it’s a positive start for the Patriots.
Collier County Sheriff’s Office speaks on school safety in wake of threats The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has investigated over a hundred potential school threats in the last two weeks.
Expert: Bank of America’s minimum wage increase is positive for SWFL banking industry Bank of America is raising its hourly minimum wage to $24 for full-time and part-time employees. This could be good news for the banking industry and customers in general, Florida Gulf Coast University Assistant Professor of Economics Krishna Regmi said.
Tim Aten Knows: Petar’s expands its local dining space A recent expansion of the local restaurant nearly doubled its size in the Center of Bonita Springs on the northwest corner of U.S. 41 and Bonita Beach Road. The restaurant grew from 1,545 to 2,830 square feet over the summer. “It’s getting big,” said chef-owner Petar Al Kurdi.
FWC enlists landowner’s assistance in endangered panther conservation The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is enlisting landowner’s assistance for the Florida Panther Payment for Ecosystem Services pilot program.
the weather authority Isolated rain and storms for your Friday The Weather Authority is tracking isolated rain and storms along with slightly higher afternoon temperatures on this Friday.
CAPE CORAL Student arrested for threatening another student at Trafalgar Middle A middle school student was arrested Thursday for threatening another student at Trafalgar Middle School in Cape Coral.
CAPTIVA 10th annual Island Hopper Songwriter Festival is set to begin Captiva Island is set to kick off its 10th-annual Island Hopper Songwriter Festival, which celebrates music throughout Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers residents weigh-in on Florida Amendment 1 In 1998, Florida voted for non-partisan school board elections. In November, Florida will decide whether political parties are essential for school board elections.
LEHIGH ACRES ‘God only knows what could have happened’ Lehigh Acres woman claims she was given wrong medication The past year for Pamela Rose has been a hard pill to swallow. When Rose was diagnosed with breast cancer in March, the hairdresser went through a list of treatments.
FORT MYERS 4 injured in car crash on McGregor Blvd. Authorities are investigating a crash that occurred Thursday night in Fort Myers.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Local artist painting animals in hopes of getting them adopted A local artist painted multiple animals at the Gulf Coast Humane Society in hopes of getting them adopted.
BONITA SPRINGS Caught on Video: Woman destroys car with crowbar A Bonita Springs man woke up to the sight of a woman destroying his car with a crowbar.
MATLACHA Video shows impact of April’s deadly DUI crash in Matlacha WINK News has obtained new video and new documents from the State Attorney’s Office of the deadly Matlacha crash in April.
WINK Investigates: DBPR investigating Beattie Development WINK News has now confirmed the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation is now investigating Beattie Development.
NAPLES Player of the week: Romeo Sararo Aubrey Rogers football is on a two-game win streak. Coming off last year’s two and eighth seasons, it’s a positive start for the Patriots.
Collier County Sheriff’s Office speaks on school safety in wake of threats The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has investigated over a hundred potential school threats in the last two weeks.
A local waitress at South Fork Grille in Coconut Point was given a $1,000 tip just in time for the holidays. Tracey Gerlach went to work at the Coconut Point restaurant, where she’s worked for nearly a year, earlier in December and was surprised by a customer’s generosity. “I love… I love meeting new people, I love chatting with people, I love talking to people. I’m Italian like I said, so I enjoy feeding people. It just gives me some kind of fulfillment inside when they leave, and they’re happy, and their bellies are full,” Gerlach said. Gerlach was going through the motions at work, spreading holiday cheer from table to table. “It was about 7:30, maybe 8 o’clock, so it was like my last table of the evening. It was a couple, a younger couple, and their two younger kids, maybe four or five. Completely normal, you know, nothing out of the ordinary,” Gerlach said. Suddenly, apropos of nothing, she was given the surprise of her life. “They left, I said, ‘Merry Christmas, have a wonderful evening.’ They went to leave, I walked in the back,” Gerlach said. Then one of her tables presented her with a $1,000 tip! Receipt shows a $1,000 tip. CREDIT: Tracey Gerlach “Like I said, it was my last table, so I opened the check to put my tip in, and I saw it said a thousand dollars… and I, I had no.. it was unbelievable; like my heart dropped. And I kicked open the kitchen door, and I went running out, and they were just about to walk out the front door… and I inappropriately hugged this woman’s husband for a good 30 seconds,” Gerlach said. “The tears were just, I mean, streaming streaming streaming. I just looked at him, and I said, ” are you serious? are you for real?” and he goes, “100%.” he says, “I want you to have a Merry Christmas, and I think you’re a wonderful person.” “I was happy for her. I think everybody on the staff would be happy for somebody. You know, obviously, everybody wishes it was them probably but whenever something good happens to somebody here, we’re all happy for that person,” Pharaoh Wheeler, the manager of the restaurant, said. Gerlach told WINK News she feels blessed and her heart is full. “And I hope they have a wonderful Christmas, a really wonderful Christmas, and enjoy those children they have; they’re little cutie pies,” Gerlach said. Everyone at the restaurant is happy for Gerlach, and she plans to pay it forward to other people who can use a little help.