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.
Can the character of pre-Hurricane Ian Fort Myers Beach be saved? In our special series, “A Man With a Plan,” we’re profiling the rebuild of the barrier island town through the eyes and experiences of a local builder. He says the answer is yes—one family at a time. Destroyed homes on Fort Myers Beach. (Credit: WINK News) Every one of these gutted homes and piles of rubble has a story. Some are heartbreaking, others traumatizing. “My neighbor tried and tried leaving. He didn’t make it, to say the least,” said William Dean Simmons. All of them life-changing. “My dad always said if money could fix it, it’ll be OK. We just have to find enough,” said Kathy Dziat, wiping away the tears. As Fort Myers Beach slowly rebuilds, some wonder if the old charm and barrier island vibe will be lost. “Disasters like this can bring out good and bad,” said homeowner David Jute. Tammy Drake. (Credit: WINK News) Tammy Drake sees the good. She’s a bartender at Wahoo Willie’s, one of the first restaurants to re-open after the storm. Tammy has lived on Fort Myers Beach for 27 years and can’t imagine her life anywhere else. “Oh, this is home,” said Tammy. “The whole island, the community, the water, the weather, the family.” Her sense of humor and optimism speak volumes—amazing—once you see what she lost during Ian. Tammy Drake’s home underwater during Hurricane Ian. (Credit: Shared with WINK News) This picture was taken near the height of the storm. Look closely, and you’ll see only her roof standing above the surge. “Watching everything float by and watching your whole life wash away… it’s traumatizing,” said Tammy. Tammy Drake’s gutted home on Fort Myers Beach. (Credit: WINK News) This gutted, broken shell is all that’s left. Céline: “When you see your home now…” Tammy: “I don’t look at it. I don’t even look over. Honestly, I think any anger I have towards this whole situation, I feel towards my house. You know what I mean? Everything else is kind of replaceable, but that family unit and home and, you know, the place to lay your head and just feel all the feels is just, it’s gone.” Tammy is a single mother of two daughters. Her youngest rode out the storm with her at a neighbor’s house. “She’s traumatized,” said Tammy. “Her dad has her in therapy.” Tammy is currently staying in a neighbor’s trailer with their two dogs. She says Maddy needed far more stability and structure, so she’s currently staying with her father in Seattle. That loss hurt this mother the most. “After losing everything and watching her go, that was rough,” said Tammy. “She’s the one that has, you know, she’s my sidekick. She’s always with me.” Beach builder Joe Orlandini knows this for a fact. He lives nearby and saw their bond first hand. “Her daughter was very upset. I could tell it was traumatizing to her,” said Joe. “Her daughter will not come back until there’s a new house here and a house that is not on the ground.” When Ian hit, it hit hard. Tammy simply could not afford property insurance on her salary. Without it, Tammy had no idea how to raise the money to rebuild. In comes… a man with a plan. “I had a supplier reach out to me and offer to donate supplies, and that’s when the idea came to me,” said Joe. “I decided that if we gathered up enough support, maybe in a situation like Tammy’s, maybe we could get enough support to do an entire house.” He says a neighbor loved the idea and offered to help. “He says, ‘Hey, I’ll help you. I’ll give you money. What do I have to do?'” More neighbors came forward, and Joe grew even more confident this plan could work. He says it’ll cost about $350,000 to rebuild this home to the latest hurricane codes. “Of course, I have some additional work to do,” said Joe. “I have to find some other supplies, things like cabinets and countertops and an assortment of probably all the interior stuff. We haven’t secured a roof yet, but I’m sure I can find someone to help there. I feel we have enough that we got to a point that … we’re going for it.” Joe wanted to break the news to Tammy while she was at work surrounded by friends and family in this tight-knit community. I insisted we tag along. He was more than willing to have us there because he sees Tammy’s story as not just inspirational but also motivational for others in the community. “I think she’s.. I expect her to probably cry,” said Joe, as we walked up to the restaurant. “She’s probably going to be overwhelmed.” Joe: “We’re going to build you a new house.”Tammy: “Are you kidding me?Joe: “Would you be OK with that?”Tammy: “Yeah, I’m OK with that. Seriously?!?” Tammy Drake and Joe Orlandini embracing after he gives her the news her home will be rebuilt. (Credit: WINK News) As Tammy gave Joe a big hug, her neighbors, who gathered at the bar to celebrate the news, erupted in applause. “I’m in shock. I’m shaking like leaf,” said Tammy. “He’s going to bulldoze and rebuild. I’ll have a home my girls can come home to.” Joe didn’t tell her how much this not-so small gesture would cost. Céline: “$350.000.”Tammy: (long pause) “That’s huge. Way more than I’d ever deserved.” Tammy says it was humbling and heartwarming to find out neighbors are also pitching in. “It just says so much about this community,” said Tammy. “Oh my gosh. I mean, that’s, that’s what’s keeping me here! You know, it, it’s just how everybody just pulled together, and there’s so much love here.” Tammy couldn’t wait to share the news with her girls. Tammy: “Good morning!”Joe: “Hi Maddy, How are you?”Tammy: “We have a surprise for you. Joe, and our other neighbors, are going to help build us a house.”Maddy: “Amazing!”Tammy: “Isn’t it amazing? And you’ll have your own room again with all your mermaids!”Maddy: “Joe is the best neighbor.”Joe: “I didn’t hear…”Tammy: “You are the best neighbor.”Joe: “You’re welcome, Maddy. We’re actually going to send you some pictures of it so you can see the house being built.”Maddy: “Good idea!”Joe: “… so you can see your new room.”Tammy: “And it’ll be up high, so it’ll never flood again.”Tammy: “Aw. she’s got the happy giggles.”Maddy: “I’ve got the happy giggles.” For Joe, sometimes the plan is about what it means, not what it costs. Céline: “You changed someone’s life today.Joe: “I did.” (long pause) “It’s not gonna happen.” (long pause) “Not gonna cry. Not gonna do it.” What Joe will do, is make sure this family is in their new house by the holidays. You can count on us to follow this story all the way home. If you have a story you’d like me to cover, email me at celine.mcarthur@winknews.com. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram @CelineTVNews. You can find more of Céline’s coverage of Fort Myers Beach’s recovery in the stories below: FORT MYERS BEACH The future of Fort Myers Beach: The man with a plan Many of you closely follow what’s happening on Fort Myers Beach, especially if you live or work there. Decisions made now and in the near future about how to rebuild will impact everyone with a stake on this island. “I’m sorry for being so emotional,” says Fort Myers Beach resident William Dean Simmons. It isn’t […] FORT MYERS BEACH The future of Fort Myers Beach: The personal side of progress It’s been just over three months since Hurricane Ian devastated Southwest Florida. For some in Fort Myers Beach, the aftermath has been the most challenging time of their lives. WINK News is profiling the rebuild of the barrier island town through the eyes and experiences of a local builder. In part one of the series, […] FORT MYERS BEACH The time has come: ‘Man with a plan’ to replace Fort Myers Beach clock lost during Hurricane Ian An iconic piece of Fort Myers Beach lost in Hurricane Ian will be replaced. We’re talking about the big blue clock. In our special series “A Man With a Plan,” WINK news investigative reporter Céline McArthur sits down with the beach builder behind the project to get the story. The last thing this man has […]
FORT MYERS BEACH The future of Fort Myers Beach: The man with a plan Many of you closely follow what’s happening on Fort Myers Beach, especially if you live or work there. Decisions made now and in the near future about how to rebuild will impact everyone with a stake on this island. “I’m sorry for being so emotional,” says Fort Myers Beach resident William Dean Simmons. It isn’t […]
FORT MYERS BEACH The future of Fort Myers Beach: The personal side of progress It’s been just over three months since Hurricane Ian devastated Southwest Florida. For some in Fort Myers Beach, the aftermath has been the most challenging time of their lives. WINK News is profiling the rebuild of the barrier island town through the eyes and experiences of a local builder. In part one of the series, […]
FORT MYERS BEACH The time has come: ‘Man with a plan’ to replace Fort Myers Beach clock lost during Hurricane Ian An iconic piece of Fort Myers Beach lost in Hurricane Ian will be replaced. We’re talking about the big blue clock. In our special series “A Man With a Plan,” WINK news investigative reporter Céline McArthur sits down with the beach builder behind the project to get the story. The last thing this man has […]