Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the legExclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
BONITA SPRINGS Police: 15-year-old injured after accidentally shot in the leg Lee County deputies say the teen was accidentally shot in the leg.
PUNTA GORDA Exclusive: Brother and best friend of accused pedophile priest speak out Riley’s brother reached out to WINK on Friday, saying people aren’t getting the full story.
IMMOKALEE Caught on video: Huge gator crosses Immokalee neighborhood Fridays in Florida are for gators
FORT MYERS FGCU softball pitcher making a name for herself One season in FGCU, freshman pitcher Allison Sparkman is already ruffling feathers in the circle.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
Bailey’s General Store has been in Sanibel for more than 100 years. Now they need a hand to rebuild, and what’s a better way to do that than wine and food? Friends of Bailey’s are hosting the inaugural Waterline Wine Auction that will go to the rebuilding fund for the store. Why is the wine being sold so special? It survived Hurricane Ian. A total of 3,200 bottles survived, and Bailey’s is auctioning them Sunday to raise cash to rebuild the store. The owner also plans to donate some of the money to local non-profits. Richard Johnson didn’t know he’d be the heir to Bailey’s legacy; it just happened that way. “Since I’m the son-in-law, it definitely was a calling,” said Johnson. “The Bailey family moved here in 1895” They opened Bailey’s General Store in 1899. An astonishing record for a family-owned, mom-and-pop grocery store. WINK News asked Johnson what their secret to success is. “It’s customer service. It’s that sense of community. It’s the place to go.” It is the same reason they haven’t given up after being hit hard by Ian. “We need to be part; we need to be here for the community.” Stepping into Bailey’s General Store today is like opening up a time capsule. Cans, cookies, Goldfish, and more are all perfectly placed on the shelves, just as they were on September 28. Inside Bailey’s General Store after Ian. (Credit: WINK News) The groceries somehow stayed in place as the building surrounding them experienced immense destruction. “The wall of water took out our store and literally destroyed everything,” said Johnson. Now, the lights are off, and the smell of mold and rotting food fills the air, but Johnson remembers it just as it was. “I remember faces. I remember friends and family and people that we had people that were in here every single day.” “The kids would walk in, and the first thing when we see a group of kids walk in with their parents first thing we do is we get the parents and want to know if it’s OK for the kids to have a cookie. Every kid got a cookie when they want,” Johnson said. The general store, and the businesses that surrounded it, are hard for Johnson to forget. “Next door, another little small shop, Tips and Toes, was a manicurist that was here. Used to be the only barber shop on Sanibel for many years. Here’s an iconic spot here. Joey’s Custard. This is a family. All of these businesses are family-owned and operated.” Seeing his store destroyed is hard, but a promise of the future makes that pain a little easier to deal with. “I’m ready to close this chapter and work with our insurance carriers and get that wrapped up and move on with the rebuilding process,” said Johnson. Bailey’s is going to cost between $15-20 million to rebuild. Johnson said their hope is to be up and running in 2024 or 2025 at the latest. The auction to help support that rebuild will be held in the parking lot of Bailey’s General Store from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. (Credit: Bailey’s General Store)