League Club of Naples awards record $683K in grants to Collier, Lee nonprofitsMan convicted for murder of 17-year-old girl will be in court for resentencing
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.
Warm, dry and breezy afternoon after a comfortable morning The Weather Authority is tracking a comfortable Friday morning start with dry and breezy afternoon conditions expected.
NAPLES Event held in Naples for National Crime Victims Week The City of Naples and Project HELP held an event in Baker Park for National Crime Victims Week.
NAPLES 25-acre brush fire off I-75 in Collier County lowers air quality The Greater Naples Fire Rescue responded to a 25-acre brush fire at Mile Marker 96 on I-75 in the Picayune Strand State Forest.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral softball coach arrested for alleged inappropriate conduct with student released on bond A former Cape Coral volunteer softball coach arrested for alleged sexual contact with a student was released from jail on bond.
FORT MYERS A prom like no other at Golisano Children’s Hospital Logan Stryker may be a little young for high school prom, but he’s the prom king of Golisano Children’s Hospital.
FORT MYERS Group protests death of Christopher Jordan Their messages were aimed at the Fort Myers police department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and State Attorney Amira Fox.
FORT MYERS A least 3 cars involved in crash near Top Golf Way and Challenger Blvd. It happened near Top Golf Way and Challenger Boulevard in Fort Myers.
Hendry County Fired deputy charged with crimes had troubled past in law enforcement A local police officer resigned in lieu of termination after dozens of disciplinary actions against him, so how was he hired at another SWFL law enforcement agency?
New resolution could help fend off FEMA’s threat to pull flood insurance discount Some United States representatives are taking matters into their own hands to help those threatened by more expensive flood insurance.
NAPLES Local group rallies in solidarity with Israel Passover week is an important time for the Jewish community, but hostages are still being held.
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.
Warm, dry and breezy afternoon after a comfortable morning The Weather Authority is tracking a comfortable Friday morning start with dry and breezy afternoon conditions expected.
NAPLES Event held in Naples for National Crime Victims Week The City of Naples and Project HELP held an event in Baker Park for National Crime Victims Week.
NAPLES 25-acre brush fire off I-75 in Collier County lowers air quality The Greater Naples Fire Rescue responded to a 25-acre brush fire at Mile Marker 96 on I-75 in the Picayune Strand State Forest.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral softball coach arrested for alleged inappropriate conduct with student released on bond A former Cape Coral volunteer softball coach arrested for alleged sexual contact with a student was released from jail on bond.
FORT MYERS A prom like no other at Golisano Children’s Hospital Logan Stryker may be a little young for high school prom, but he’s the prom king of Golisano Children’s Hospital.
FORT MYERS Group protests death of Christopher Jordan Their messages were aimed at the Fort Myers police department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and State Attorney Amira Fox.
FORT MYERS A least 3 cars involved in crash near Top Golf Way and Challenger Blvd. It happened near Top Golf Way and Challenger Boulevard in Fort Myers.
Hendry County Fired deputy charged with crimes had troubled past in law enforcement A local police officer resigned in lieu of termination after dozens of disciplinary actions against him, so how was he hired at another SWFL law enforcement agency?
New resolution could help fend off FEMA’s threat to pull flood insurance discount Some United States representatives are taking matters into their own hands to help those threatened by more expensive flood insurance.
NAPLES Local group rallies in solidarity with Israel Passover week is an important time for the Jewish community, but hostages are still being held.
Sanibel businesses are still fighting hard to survive after Hurricane Ian and hoping 2023 will bring fewer twists and turns in the road to recovery. A massive 15-foot sinkhole mere steps away from Floral Artistry of Sanibel, owned by Frans Kox and his wife Jana Telecka, is the least of the store’s worries. “That morning and that night, especially seeing some of the pictures and videos, and some friends that saw little snippets, all of a sudden you realize there’s nothing to go back to,” Kox said. “You have to start from scratch.” Damage caused by Ian. CREDIT: WINK News In a matter of hours, 150-mph winds and surging water took the whole business away, everything the couple had worked so hard for across 16 years. “You see the damage, you see all the stuff that’s gone, you see the mold starting to grow already,” Kox said. “Beyond recovery. You see all your hutches and your decor is all gone.” Kox says he and Telecka returned to their business by boat a week after Ian and saw all the unique trinkets and memorabilia that made their store special in ruins. Still, they decided to start over. “How do you give up?” Kox said. “How do you do that? You have 22 people, it’s me and Jana… but it’s 22 families. It’s not just us: We have two families that lost their house.” Kox and Telecka’s employees have been able to continue their hard work at a property Kox purchased one year ago in Estero. “We are basically 17 miles away from where we were before,” Kox said. “Yes, in January we will open a tiny little store closer to the islands and only basically three miles away from Sanibel. So, that gets us a little bit closer to home.” His staff continues to make beautiful bouquets and show off all the items they salvaged, ready for purchase. “We’re physically running full blast, seven days a week, 20 hours a day, with everybody that can keep up with us,” Kox said. “Because if we don’t do that, then there is nothing else on the other side.” Kox says the best way to support Floral Artistry of Sanibel is to keep calling the company for flowers and by purchasing the merchandise it’s selling online. Many other entrepreneurs suffered the same nightmare, returning to find a business smashed open and filled with mud and detritus. “I was like, do I give up?” said 20-year-old Jianna Senkeleski. “Do I not? Like, it kind of just made me feel like, ‘Was this the right thing to do?'” Senkeleski took over the Sanibel Sprout one year ago and used every bit of her savings on that dream. But Hurricane Ian brought it all crashing down. “I didn’t experience it, but when I came back a couple days after, I came—and I actually live on Sanibel, so my house was also damaged—and this had six feet of water in it,” Senkeleski said. “All the machines and everything was flat on the ground. And yeah, all my merchandise, everything was covered in muck; that was the grossest part. There was just so much muck everywhere.” Senkeleski had no choice but to gut the Sanibel Sprout and tell her staff there would be no work for them there for the time being. “That was probably the hardest part,” Senkeleski said. “They’re my family and my team. I worked with some of the girls before I even owned this, and so they stuck with me through all that. And I think that was the hardest part… we just had the dream team.” Six feet of water inside the store meant counters, shelves, drawers and everything she needed to stay in business had to come out, and customers could no longer come in. “There was days where I was like, ‘How am I supposed to be motivated when I’m trying to fix my house?'” Senkeleski said. Senkeleski says she is taking her business’ recovery day by day and working with the community to make it happen. While she lost a lot, certain memories were spared: a menu still hanging, wind chimes outside and photos on the wall that remain untouched, reminding Senkeleski of the people who support her. “Just such a family effort,” Senkeleski said. “My sister worked here. That’s my boyfriend, best friends. My other sister… it was just a big, you know, family effort. That’s my mom. And yeah, shout out to my dad as well, because he did like all the… when I needed something fixed, he was always there for me.” Senkeleski says a food truck was donated to her. She is working closely with Sanibel officials to get a permit. She hopes to open after April 2023. In the meantime, she’s babysitting.