ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
An artist in East Naples who lost all her supplies during Hurricane Ian and no longer had a way to make a living received much-needed help from anonymous strangers who saw her plight on WINK News. Kaata Mrachek’s life work was destroyed by the floodwaters that swept through her mobile home in Moorhead Manor. Her studio, where countless artistic visions came to life, lay in ruins. “Here is my studio… oh my God… oh my God, oh my God, it is so musty and mildewy in here… all my art was just covered in water,” Mrachek said. “All the tools.” Her artwork was scattered, and her supply bins were full of water. Kaata Mrachek’s studio after Ian. (Credit: Shared with WINK News) “The first several days was just like, people would ask questions, and I would, I couldn’t get my words out,” Mrachek said. “And sometimes I’m just, I just break down. And then sometimes it’s like, ‘OK, let’s shore it up. Let’s move ahead and do what we need to do.’ And I’ve been having a lot of nightmares, so I haven’t been sleeping very well.” Mrachek was worried her career was over, as showing her artwork each season in Bonita Springs and Coconut Point is how she made a living. Three months after Ian, however, the streets of her Moorhead Manor community are once again clean and welcoming, and Mrachel’s studio is back in working condition. Kaata Mrachek. (Credit: WINK News) “I can’t wait to start painting,” Mrachek said. “I have so much pressure built up to really want to create something beautiful and not just have to build rebuild cabinets and doors and all sorts of things.” She was helped by WINK News viewers who wish to remain anonymous. “After the newscast, somebody called me up and said, ‘We were moved by you, we really wanted to do a donation,’ and they’re like, ‘What would you need?'” Mrachek said. “I’m like, ‘What I really, really need is really expensive, and so don’t worry about that.’ They’re like, ‘It’s okay, go for it.'” Saw donated to Kaata Mrachek. (Credit: WINK News) The anonymous benefactors helped Mrachek get a new power saw, a tool crucial to her art. “I use it to cut all my paintings. I use it to make all my custom frames,” Mrachek said. “I mean, this is my baby.” The donation helped Mrachek return to doing what she loved, but she can never forget Hurricane Ian’s impact. “I have been looking forward to this day for so long; I just have some order and some beauty back in my life,” Mrachek said. “I can’t tell you how important this is. It’s almost like you gotta go really bad, and it really builds up, and you just can’t wait to get and have that wonderful release.” Ian’s aftermath and the rebirth of Southwest Florida’s communities have inspired new ideas. “I noticed there are a lot of images of things bursting… flowers or buds are bursting forward is the best image I can describe,” Mrachek said. “You know, it’s in such a contrast to what I’ve gone through.”