Huge warm up as we head into the 70s this WednesdayHeavy police presence reported in Cape Coral neighborhood
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Huge warm up as we head into the 70s this Wednesday The Weather Authority is tracking increased temperatures, as Wednesday afternoon highs are expected to be in the lower 70s.
CAPE CORAL Heavy police presence reported in Cape Coral neighborhood The Cape Coral Police Department deployed police and forensics to a scene located on Southeast 5th Place.
FORT MYERS Advocates urge safety measures for retention ponds after boy drowns The tragic drowning of a little boy in Fort Myers is starting a conversation.
NAPLES Naples Winter Wine Festival kicks off Wine, music and making a difference! On Tuesday evening 40 couples joined together to kick off the 25th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival.
PUNTA GORDA Blue Angels returning for 2025 Florida International Air Show The Blue Angels will finally return for the first time in over 12 years to next year’s Florida International Air Show at Punta Gorda Airport.
Lee County Commissioners discuss LCSO Budget and Sheriff Marceno federal investigation In light of recent investigations into Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, a Lee County Commissioner proposed a change at Tuesday’s commissioner’s meeting that would separate the county budget from the sheriff’s. This potential change is a long way from being implemented because it isn’t necessarily a proposal, but more like the beginning steps of one. […]
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers cheerleaders push for Nationals with community’s help The North Fort Myers Pop Warner cheer team has the talent to compete on the biggest stage but lacks the money.
Victim identified in Charlotte County shooting A victim has been identified after a shooting on Nasturtium Drive early Monday morning.
Advanced care for lung cancer patients in Lee County The outlook for lung cancer is typically not good, mostly because it’s often picked up in late stages. However, Lee Health hopes to change that trajectory by launching a new advanced care center focusing on lung disease.
CHARLOTTE PARK After the storm: Harbor Belle RV Resort faces a slow path to recovery Here on WINK News, we have told you about the devastation at the Harbor Belle RV Resort in Charlotte Park and how, for months, many people did not have power.
New K-9 honors fallen Fort Myers officer A Fort Myers police officer who made the ultimate sacrifice serving southwest Florida gets a unique honor.
Websites to help you avoid charity rip-offs The holiday season is a popular time for people to open their wallets and make donations to charities, but how can you be sure your money is going to the right place?
Southwest Florida celebrates Giving Tuesday It’s a day of giving to the ones who need it the most. Giving Tuesday is the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
FORT MYERS BEACH Pink Shell developers plead their case against Fort Myers Beach To build up and out or to not. That is the debate going on right now on Fort Myers Beach. The Pink Shell wants to expand on the island.
NAPLES Naples football set for first state semifinal appearance in six years The Naples Golden Eagles are the lone Southwest Florida football team still standing in the drive to the 305.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Huge warm up as we head into the 70s this Wednesday The Weather Authority is tracking increased temperatures, as Wednesday afternoon highs are expected to be in the lower 70s.
CAPE CORAL Heavy police presence reported in Cape Coral neighborhood The Cape Coral Police Department deployed police and forensics to a scene located on Southeast 5th Place.
FORT MYERS Advocates urge safety measures for retention ponds after boy drowns The tragic drowning of a little boy in Fort Myers is starting a conversation.
NAPLES Naples Winter Wine Festival kicks off Wine, music and making a difference! On Tuesday evening 40 couples joined together to kick off the 25th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival.
PUNTA GORDA Blue Angels returning for 2025 Florida International Air Show The Blue Angels will finally return for the first time in over 12 years to next year’s Florida International Air Show at Punta Gorda Airport.
Lee County Commissioners discuss LCSO Budget and Sheriff Marceno federal investigation In light of recent investigations into Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, a Lee County Commissioner proposed a change at Tuesday’s commissioner’s meeting that would separate the county budget from the sheriff’s. This potential change is a long way from being implemented because it isn’t necessarily a proposal, but more like the beginning steps of one. […]
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers cheerleaders push for Nationals with community’s help The North Fort Myers Pop Warner cheer team has the talent to compete on the biggest stage but lacks the money.
Victim identified in Charlotte County shooting A victim has been identified after a shooting on Nasturtium Drive early Monday morning.
Advanced care for lung cancer patients in Lee County The outlook for lung cancer is typically not good, mostly because it’s often picked up in late stages. However, Lee Health hopes to change that trajectory by launching a new advanced care center focusing on lung disease.
CHARLOTTE PARK After the storm: Harbor Belle RV Resort faces a slow path to recovery Here on WINK News, we have told you about the devastation at the Harbor Belle RV Resort in Charlotte Park and how, for months, many people did not have power.
New K-9 honors fallen Fort Myers officer A Fort Myers police officer who made the ultimate sacrifice serving southwest Florida gets a unique honor.
Websites to help you avoid charity rip-offs The holiday season is a popular time for people to open their wallets and make donations to charities, but how can you be sure your money is going to the right place?
Southwest Florida celebrates Giving Tuesday It’s a day of giving to the ones who need it the most. Giving Tuesday is the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
FORT MYERS BEACH Pink Shell developers plead their case against Fort Myers Beach To build up and out or to not. That is the debate going on right now on Fort Myers Beach. The Pink Shell wants to expand on the island.
NAPLES Naples football set for first state semifinal appearance in six years The Naples Golden Eagles are the lone Southwest Florida football team still standing in the drive to the 305.
A cottonmouth snake. CREDIT: WINK News At this time of year, you may begin to see more snakes slithering around your home. A local expert explains why that is, how you can tell if the snakes are venomous, and what to do if they are. April showers bring more than May flowers—in Florida, they also bring snakes. Credit: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons “As the rain picks up, and some wetlands start to fill up, snakes need to get on the move to find a new place to stay high and dry, maybe to find water and maybe to find some prey animals,” said Ella Guedouar, a graduate snake biologist at Florida Gulf Coast University. A high and dry location could well be your home. Guedouar identified one fearsome specimen, recently captured by a man named Mike Falcone in a Fort Myers neighborhood, as a cottonmouth, roughly two years old. “That is a venomous viper; it’s a watersnake,” Guedouar said. “You can kind of see this band on the eye, and the triangle-shaped head is a good way to tell what that is.” Another reason you may notice a more active snake population in the coming weeks: The adults will be out looking for mates. “We’re coming to the end of mating season, so we’re seeing a lot of activity with snakes because they’re looking for their mates, just trying to get that in while the weather’s good,” Guedouar said. “Because then the females do need time to go find a nice place to lay their eggs or give birth.” The egg-laying won’t happen until the end of summer, but for now, they’re hitting the streets. Guedouar says the two venomous snakes you’re most likely to see are cottonmouths (also known as water moccasins) and eastern diamondback rattlesnakes. “The way that you can tell those is the diamondback is gonna be this really big snake with diamonds on its back and a rattle at the end,” Guedouar said. A lot of non-venomous snakes, however, have evolved to resemble venomous species to ward off predators. And some venomous snakes change their appearance as they age. “The best rule of thumb is just to not touch a snake, especially if you don’t know what it is,” Guedouar said. “In the case of the cottonmouth, they are lighter colored as juveniles, and then as they grow bigger, they’ll get fatter and darker colored.” The eastern diamondback rattlesnake looks roughly the same its whole life. And if they end up on your property, Guedouar says not to reach for a shovel. ”You can spray it with the hose; they do not like being sprayed in the face with water,” Guedouar said. “That’s a safe distance for you to be from the snake and get it to move away, or take a broom and push it away.” As much as you may want to keep snakes away, the biologist stresses their importance in our environment. “I get the safety concern because it can be a concern for little kids or dogs that are in the yard, but the reality is they are here; we are on their land,” Guedouar said. “We need to learn to live with them… From my experience working with snakes, the snakes are so much more afraid of you than we are afraid of them. “ You can also reach out to FGCU’s snake team at swflrattlesnakes@gmail.com to have snakes removed for free.