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.
There is a plan wherein old railroads are sold and turned into walking and running trails for people to enjoy. A 12-mile stretch of railroad from Alico Road to Bonita Beach Road is up next for that project in Lee County. There are homes nearby, and the people who live there are excited about a trail coming to Lee County. They think it’s something they would use a lot, but they know they also don’t want a bunch of strangers coming into their backyard. That’s where the lawyers come into play. Regardless of what homeowners feel, the federal government can take the land, but under the 5th Amendment, they have to cough up some cash. The idea of turning abandoned railroads into trails for hiking and biking is something people like to see. Abandoned railway in Lee County. (Credit: WINK News) “I think it’s fantastic. I think it’s a nice park for the county. I think it’s going to be an upgrade,” said Joseph Malinguaggio, from San Carlos Park. “Think it’d be good for the community in general,” said Gary Finnerty, who owes property along the railroad. Malinguaggio lives right along the Seminole Gulf Railroad. He has about a half acre of land. “That’s one of the reasons I bought this home, is I really, really liked the art, and the increased size would increase my backyard and be fantastic for the property value,” Malinguaggio said. Now there are negotiations between Seminole Gulf Railway and the trust for public land, but the federal government has to approve the sale to turn the abandoned rail into a trail. Abandoned railway in Lee County. (Credit: WINK News) “It’s a really wide right of way that now is being imposed on these on these people’s property,” said Lindsay Brinton, an attorney for Lewis Rice. Brinton’s specialty is the rail trails because when the federal government comes in, under the trails act of 1983, the easement for these projects is 100 feet wide. So that cuts into a good chunk of malinguaggio’s backyard. “Don’t necessarily like the idea of a bunch of people in my backyard. But I do like the idea of a trail,” said Malinguaggio The 12 miles of railroad from Alico Rd. to Bonita Beach Rd hasn’t been purchased yet, but Brinton said it’s likely going to happen. There’s not really anyone else who is going to buy a railroad. “These folks that live adjacent to this trail will likely want to erect some type of berm or buffer or wall to be able to protect themselves protect against potential theft or trespass and just to ensure their own privacy,” said Brinton. Malinguaggio said that would be his plan, to build a wall or something of the sort for privacy. The lawyers with Lewis Rice said the compensation they try and get people is based on a land value assessment of what would be in the easement. They said they’ve won property owners anywhere from a few thousand to a few million dollars in these situations. If the trail is built, it would likely be complete within the next five years.