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.
Time, money, energy; the process of building a dream home is exhausting, even when it goes well. But what happens when there are problems during the process? It can turn a dream into a nightmare quickly. Giles Gary and his family moved to Southwest Florida in 2020. He and his wife have two young children, and a year after moving they were ready to build a home. “It was very exciting! Even when we were shopping for the land, it was being snatched up,” Gary explained. “So it was a rat race.” Gary’s family signed up for a house with First Choice Builders. “We loved the model home that they have,” Gary said. “We did some research on it. At that time, it seemed like First Choice was a reputable, dependable builder.” Documents show the Garys signed for their build in June 2021, with an estimated timeline of 12 to 16 months. But, 21 months after signing the paperwork to build, there’s almost no sign of progress. They say they barely got any updates, despite several major delays. “Trying to get ahold of anybody in any position to give me a straight answer is impossible,” Gary laments. More than a year after signing their contract, with no structure in place, Gary says First Choice finally called them back, asking for more than $30,000 in overages. It was a leap of faith they weren’t willing to take after having almost no communication in the months prior. “We pretty much hit a brick wall now,” Gary says remorsefully, noting that his children used to love visiting their lot where the home was supposed to be built. “We were building it up in our minds of how good the house was going to be… It’s just so sad every time we come. They don’t even get excited. They don’t want to come anymore.” The Garys are not alone in their nightmare experience. WINK News spoke with about 10 families who have felt wronged by First Choice Builders. And we got access to a private social media group with dozens more families who have had bad experiences with the company. Once they paid for new home builds, it was nearly impossible to get a First Choice Builders rep on the phone. But when I brought their complaints to the owner of First Choice Builders, Jeff Burch, he called me back in half an hour. “We did a terrible job. We didn’t communicate at all,” Burch told WINK. “We were just overwhelmed.”Burch outlines the timeline. When southwest Florida’s population started to boom after the pandemic, First Choice’s business exploded. “We were two years ago, maybe a $15 million business,” Burch says. “And today we’re about a $100 million business… We weren’t ready for that. We thought we were, but we weren’t.” According to Burch, First Choice took on too much work. When complications with permitting, work force and inventory hit, the company simply wasn’t equipped. Customers paid the price, dealing with major delays and poor communication. “I carry that load, and it’s extremely heavy,” Burch admits. “It’s heartbreaking because I know what these people are going through.” Burch claims First Choice has made major changes in the last three months. The company hired its first-ever customer service rep and installed a new customer portal, where clients can check their home’s progress daily. “The choice we had was, we have to do better. We have to do better, period,” Burch says. It all sounds good now, but words don’t help the Garys or the countless other families who First Choice’s struggles have impacted. “I would just tell them that I’m sorry,” Burch says. “If there was anything I could do to change what has happened, I would do it.” The decision might not be up to Burch. Court records show two open cases against Burch and First Choice Builders in Charlotte County, and another one in Sarasota County. The Garys eventually got their money back, but they’re unsure if they’ll be able to build after all their issues. Burch’s words won’t get them a home. “It’s done. There’s no way,” Gary claims. “He could tell me he’ll build the house for free, and I wouldn’t want to do business with that man.” Burch told me that First Choice is not accepting new business until they address the backlog they have right now. Charlotte County records confirm that First Choice has not applied for any new builds this year. DBPR file a complaint Charlotte County licenses, permits and open cases