Family of eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s DegreeLCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property
Family of eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree Saturday marked a special day for Florida Gulf Coast University as more than 1,800 students graduated. For one student-athlete, graduating from FGCU runs in the family.
lehigh acres LCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
Family of eagles: FGCU volleyball star graduates with Master’s Degree Saturday marked a special day for Florida Gulf Coast University as more than 1,800 students graduated. For one student-athlete, graduating from FGCU runs in the family.
lehigh acres LCSO: Man shot by car owner protecting property The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in Lehigh Acres early Saturday morning.
NORTH FORT MYERS Lee County residents wait hours for D-SNAP assistance The supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) is at the Lee Civic Center all weekend, ready to help southwest Florida.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA First eaglet hatches in famous SWFL eagle nest Welcome E24! The third eaglet from the nest of M15 and F23 has hatched according to the Southwest Florida eagle camera.
Rock for Equality: SWFL non-profit hosts benefit concert for Palestine A Southwest Florida non-profit hosted a benefit concert on Friday night to help with humanitarian aid in Palestine.
Warm, breezy Saturday with a few showers possible The Weather Authority is forecasting a breezy, warm weekend in store across Southwest Florida, with the chance of a few showers, particularly on Saturday.
CAPE CORAL Active investigation underway in South Cape Coral Cape Coral police are investigating at a home on Southwest 49th Terrace in South Cape Coral early Saturday morning.
16 transported after 2 airboats crash in Collier County According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, two airboats crashed south of U.S. 41 east between mile markers 74 and 75, leaving well over a dozen people injured.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA New bill filed: Auto shop and law enforcement must work together to solve hit-and-run crashes There could be new detectives on the block, located in your nearest auto shop. A new state bill aims at trying to stop hit-and-run drivers from getting away.
CAPE CORAL New leash on life; Cape Coral shelter dog beats cancer with drug being tested for humans A drug now being studied in human trials to kill cancerous tumors, is already approved and helping animals.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral planning a new interchange with I-75 The city of Cape Coral is in the early stages of planning a new interchange with I-75, an idea that has been discussed for more than a decade.
Tracking invasive species after hurricanes Hurricanes Helene and Milton didn’t just bring wind and rain, they brought new threats to southwest Florida’s ecosystem.
PUNTA GORDA Woman in Punta Gorda shooting charged with 2nd degree murder A woman in a homicide investigation on Nasturtium Drive in Punta Gorda has been charged with 2nd-degree murder.
Lee County mother continuing fight to get children a bus stop The school district already told her she lives too close to the school to qualify for a bus route but she has not given up.
NORTH NAPLES Grant Thornton Invitational returns to Tiburon Golf Club Stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours are back in Southwest Florida for the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club.
Multiple cold weather shelters are opening across Southwest Florida in anticipation of the upcoming frigid temperatures. In North Port, a cold weather shelter is opening at 100 Church. 100 Church is located at 14525 Tamiami Trail and will be available every night starting at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 24, through Sunday, Dec. 26. In Charlotte County, the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition, located at 1476 Kenesaw St., in Port Charlotte, will provide shelter to anybody needing shelter from the cold. Guest will need to pre-register by calling 941-627-4313 and arrive by 7 p.m. For information, contact Todd Dunn at 941-740-1929. You can also email Todd.Dunn@CharlotteCountyFL.gov to get in touch with Dunn. In Hendry County, the United Way House in LaBelle and Janet B. Auditorium in Clewiston will operate as cold weather shelters. Both shelters will open at 10 p.m. Friday night and Saturday night and close around 7 a.m. each day. In Collier County, St. Matthew’s House will open up its two homeless shelters Friday night, and for the next week or so, for people needing to get out of the cold. These are the only two emergency shelters in Collier County and they’ll open up at 8 p.m. The shelters are the Campbell Lodge at 2001 Airport Road South in Naples and the Immokalee Friendship House at 602 W Main Street in Immokalee. There’s plenty of space for anyone in need of shelter and St. Matthew’s House will provide beds, blankets, snacks, and coffee in a safe and secure environment for everyone. Guests will be required to take a breathalyzer test. WINK News spoke with a man named Dustin Cheatwood who talked about his story and has an unfortunate familiarity with cold nights. Cheatwood never wants anybody to feel the way he does. Cheatwood lived in a makeshift tent in an alley next to the woods. The winter nights become longer, hands shiver earlier, toes go numb, and the thoughts that bubble to the surface are paralyzing. “Loneliness is a terrible feeling. I can’t really explain it. I can just tell you just you feel empty. You feel like nothing,” Cheatwood said. Cheatwood explained it feels like there is no hope left. “Nobody cares,” Cheatwood said. “Nobody loves you.” But, miraculously Cheatwood’s story ended better than most after getting to St. Matthews House, going through recovery, and becoming a case manager. Friday, Cheatwood welcomed people in and helped them escape the cold weather creeping down the country to Southwest Florida. “What it did for me, you know, it felt it made me feel like someone cared, and someone loved me when I couldn’t,” Cheatwood said. The vice president of St. Matthews House, Ray Stedman, spoke to WINK News about opening their doors to help people avoid the cold. “They will be cold, they will be extremely cold if there were any medical issues that could exacerbate those issues. So what this does is it just provides that little bit of security for them a little bit of warmth, so that they can be safe and secure throughout this cold snap that we’re having over the next six or seven days,” Steadman said “Homeless people are one of the largest segments of our population to become victims of crime, while they’re out living on the streets. So while they’re with us, they’re safe.” Steadman said. If you’re in the giving spirit, Steadman noted they desperately need more blankets and coats. You can drop them off at the Naples shelter or at the Immokalee Friendship House.