The Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropicsWoodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropics Get ready for a typical Southwest Florida weekend. It’s going to feel like the triple digits before rain rolls in and we’re watching the tropics.
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.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: Hot temperatures, rain, and we’re watching the tropics Get ready for a typical Southwest Florida weekend. It’s going to feel like the triple digits before rain rolls in and we’re watching the tropics.
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.
Rubble and debris from Hurricane Ian have been everyone’s problem for months, but who are the people cleaning it up, and where are they living while they help Southwest Florida recover? Eric Henry can’t remember the exact day when he made a small roadside area of grass and dirt off Alico Road his home. He trucked more than 1,000 miles from Pennsylvania to Southwest Florida in November to help with debris cleanup. Eric Henry. (Credit: WINK News) “It can be a little monotonous at times,” Henry said. “It was rough. It was sad. But we’re here trying to help people get back on their feet.” Living out of his truck, Henry has a small bed and a few shelves to himself. He starts every day around 5 a.m., working 12-hour shifts helping haul away the damage created by the worst storm the area has ever seen. “It was pretty sad… you see people’s lives, photo albums of years,” Henry said. “It’s everything. People lost everything.” His truck and dozens of others, along with RVs and campers, line the area occupied by out-of-town removal crews that specialize in disaster relief. “We’ve all pulled together,” Henry said. “We’re literally here to help each other.” Before Hurricane Ian even hit, Lee County struck an agreement with Crowder-Gulf, the group contracted to clear all the debris. The empty land off Alico will eventually get developed, but it wasn’t being used at the time. Now, it’s turned into a small community. (Credit: WINK News) Around 500 feet down the road from Henry, on a different patch of grass and dirt, is the Creel Brothers Group. Down from Louisiana, the group has been in that spot since the day before Ian hit and had 35 workers in the area at their busiest. Stephen Corkern was making dinner when WINK News came by. It might not be much, but he’s happy. Stephen Corkern. (Credit: WINK News) “We all pitch in; we all have our jobs to do around here,” Corkern said. “Having your own dedicated spot to come back and set up, it’s a little slice of heaven called home.” Across the road from Corkern’s kitchen is a large crew from Missouri. Farther down is another group from Texas. Dozens of diverse crews from across the country have been joined together by a simple mission. “You can’t imagine putting yourself in their shoes,” Corkern said. “But I also feel grateful to come here and lend a helping hand. Get them back to a little normalcy.” Nearly four months after Ian made landfall, crews say the debris removal job is finally almost done. But the people who have turned an empty plot of land into a miniature neighborhood won’t ever forget their time in Southwest Florida. “People in this area are great; you see all the signs thanking everybody for all the work they do, the handshakes,” Corkern said. “‘I see y’all every day, and I can’t thank y’all enough for all the work you’ve done around here.'” Lee County’s most recent statistics show that over 5.7 million cubic yards of debris have been collected since Ian hit.