Tax tips for those who are recovering from hurricanes The holiday season is over and tax season is upon us. Between two hurricanes and Ian, there are things you’ll want to do to get money back.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Beyond the businessman: Who is Tom Golisano? Beyond the buildings that bear his name, who is Tom Golisano?
FORT MYERS Accused drunk driver nearly hits 8 Lee County deputies An accused drunk driver almost hit eight deputies trying to stop and get him out of his car.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral nonprofit rescues five dogs from breeder Karena Loudin rescued five miniature Schnauzers – Molly, Joey, Ike, Zeus and Maggie from dog breeder Delaine Lowry’s home in Big Pine Key.
ARCADIA Arcadia residents reflect on Hurricane Ian over 2 years later People in Arcadia survived Helene and Milton with minor impacts, but their Ian story is one that doesn’t get told often or enough.
LEHIGH ACRES More businesses heading to Lehigh Acres, including Chipotle and Chick-fil-A New developments are coming to Lehigh Acres, including numerous restaurants like Panda Express and Zaxby’s.
Former Make-a-Wish recipient gives back to SWFL community From wish kid to wish giver a local college student is turning a life-changing experience into a mission to give back.
FORT MYERS BEACH People spend holiday break on Fort Myers Beach For those who decided to stay in Southwest Florida during the holidays, they had one thing in mind: the beach.
FORT MYERS Innovative thumb joint replacement surgery Similar to getting a new knee or hip to relieve severe arthritis, a growing number of people are getting a thumb joint replacement.
FORT MYERS BEACH Bonita Bills restaurant closing after 30+ years of service Bonita Bill’s will be closing its doors after 30+ years of service.
FORT MYERS BEACH 2 juveniles, 1 man accused of armed robbery, fleeing from Lee County deputies Two juveniles and one man have been arrested after allegedly robbing a victim at gunpoint and then fleeing from Lee County deputies.
cape coral 19-year-old Cape Coral man accused of attempted car burglary on Christmas Eve The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a man accused of attempting to steal a car on Christmas Eve.
RSW braces for post-holiday travel Now that the holidays have passed for many, the return to normalcy has begun as Southwest Florida International Airport prepares for a large influx of travelers.
wink news Mega Millions jackpot surges over $1B; next drawing set for Friday The elusive Mega Millions jackpot has evaded players this holiday season as the prize money has ballooned to $1.15 billion.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Warmer temperatures and isolated showers for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking warmer temperatures along with isolated showers expected throughout this Thursday afternoon.
Tax tips for those who are recovering from hurricanes The holiday season is over and tax season is upon us. Between two hurricanes and Ian, there are things you’ll want to do to get money back.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Beyond the businessman: Who is Tom Golisano? Beyond the buildings that bear his name, who is Tom Golisano?
FORT MYERS Accused drunk driver nearly hits 8 Lee County deputies An accused drunk driver almost hit eight deputies trying to stop and get him out of his car.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral nonprofit rescues five dogs from breeder Karena Loudin rescued five miniature Schnauzers – Molly, Joey, Ike, Zeus and Maggie from dog breeder Delaine Lowry’s home in Big Pine Key.
ARCADIA Arcadia residents reflect on Hurricane Ian over 2 years later People in Arcadia survived Helene and Milton with minor impacts, but their Ian story is one that doesn’t get told often or enough.
LEHIGH ACRES More businesses heading to Lehigh Acres, including Chipotle and Chick-fil-A New developments are coming to Lehigh Acres, including numerous restaurants like Panda Express and Zaxby’s.
Former Make-a-Wish recipient gives back to SWFL community From wish kid to wish giver a local college student is turning a life-changing experience into a mission to give back.
FORT MYERS BEACH People spend holiday break on Fort Myers Beach For those who decided to stay in Southwest Florida during the holidays, they had one thing in mind: the beach.
FORT MYERS Innovative thumb joint replacement surgery Similar to getting a new knee or hip to relieve severe arthritis, a growing number of people are getting a thumb joint replacement.
FORT MYERS BEACH Bonita Bills restaurant closing after 30+ years of service Bonita Bill’s will be closing its doors after 30+ years of service.
FORT MYERS BEACH 2 juveniles, 1 man accused of armed robbery, fleeing from Lee County deputies Two juveniles and one man have been arrested after allegedly robbing a victim at gunpoint and then fleeing from Lee County deputies.
cape coral 19-year-old Cape Coral man accused of attempted car burglary on Christmas Eve The Cape Coral Police Department has arrested a man accused of attempting to steal a car on Christmas Eve.
RSW braces for post-holiday travel Now that the holidays have passed for many, the return to normalcy has begun as Southwest Florida International Airport prepares for a large influx of travelers.
wink news Mega Millions jackpot surges over $1B; next drawing set for Friday The elusive Mega Millions jackpot has evaded players this holiday season as the prize money has ballooned to $1.15 billion.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Warmer temperatures and isolated showers for your Thursday plans The Weather Authority is tracking warmer temperatures along with isolated showers expected throughout this Thursday afternoon.
The WINK Feeds Families March to a Million Meals has come to an end this year and, thanks to you, surpassed its goal. The campaign will remain open until the end of the day Wednesday. These dollars will help feed people in need all over Southwest Florida, and it is no secret our community is facing a hunger crisis. You can see lines every day at food distribution sites. Richard LeBer, president and CEO of the Harry Chapin Food Bank, says the people of Southwest Florida were hit with a triple whammy: the pandemic, inflation, and Hurricane Ian. Demand for food is higher than ever, and LeBer says working families and seniors are some of the most vulnerable. The March to a Million Meals campaign support provides them with canned goods and fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, and more. “It’s heartbreaking to see a situation where you have a small child who’s struggling in school because, you know, they didn’t have any food to eat over the weekend, or a senior who’s having to choose between buying food to put on the table and pay for the medications that they need to keep them healthy, or a working family that’s dealing with hurricane repairs and loss of a job and all of those kinds of challenges,” LeBer said. “It’s just wonderful to be able to share some good news and celebrate how generous this community is to support everybody who needs help.” Together, WINK viewers and readers have raised more than $500,000. People in our community are hungry year-round, so this continued support is greatly appreciated. Every day in February, WINK News introduced you to the people who benefit from the March to a Million Meals campaign—people like Debra. “I just lost my job. I was there for three years or so, and my husband has cancer. He’s on social security, disability, and of course, it’s not much to pay the bills. So I needed to get help,” said Debra. You also got to know some volunteers who make it all happen by packing food kits or handing them out at food distributions—people like MaryLou Phillips. “Somebody one time came through in a brand-new Cadillac. And I heard someone make a comment about that. And I said, but you don’t know. She may have just lost her job yesterday, and she’s waiting for this to be taken back to the dealership. So, there is no judgment. Absolutely no judgment,” Phillips said. LeBer explains that the demand for food is increasing. “We’ve seen kind of a triple whammy, right? We had, we had the pandemic, and that affected a lot of people and still was affecting people.” Then there’s the hurricane and inflation. Harry Chapin says every dollar donated by you is put to good use. Ninety-six cents of every dollar goes to a food program. “We just ordered about $500,000 worth of food for three weeks. So it’ll last us about a month,” said Christopher Tolzmann, donor services assistant for the Harry Chapin Food Bank. While WINK News’ March to a Million Meals is done for this year, the need for food is ongoing. So if you can help, please help. “There are hungry people in Southwest Florida who need to be fed every single day,” said Tolzmann. If you want to donate directly to the Harry Chapin Food Bank, you can do so by clicking here. You can also find out how to volunteer by clicking here.