FGCU draws 14-seed and rematch in NCAA TournamentTice barn fire damages boats and tractor, no injuries reported
FGCU FGCU draws 14-seed and rematch in NCAA Tournament FGCU draws a 14-seed and rematch of last year’s first round with 3-seeded Oklahoma for round one of the NCAA Tournament.
Tice barn fire damages boats and tractor, no injuries reported A fire broke out in a detached barn in Tice, resulting in the loss of multiple boats and a tractor. There have been no reports of injuries.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach library reopens after Hurricane Ian recovery effort The Fort Myers Beach Library is finally reopening its doors after Hurricane Ian left it in ruins over two and a half years ago.
FORT MYERS Cypress West shooting leaves two injured, investigation ongoing in Lee County Authorities are investigating a shooting that occurred at the Cypress West Apartment Home Community in Cypress Lake.
the weather authority Breezy, warm Sunday ahead of tonight’s cold front The Weather Authority says Sunday is going to start out warm and humid with passing clouds overhead.
WINK NEWS Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up Mar. 16 While construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox-Rosen, in this web-exclusive feature, knows the best way to traverse the roadways.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs man arrested for animal cruelty According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, a Bonita Springs man faces charges of animal cruelty and aggravated stalking.
ESTERO Estero Village celebrates 10 years with music, food, and family fun Estero Village marked its 10-year anniversary with a free and lively celebration at the Estero Fest on Saturday.
FGCU FGCU women’s basketball clinches 8th straight ASUN Championship The FGCU women’s basketball team beat Central Arkansas to win its eighth consecutive ASUN Conference Championship.
NORTH PORT Police Explorer Marcus Freeman remembered 14 years after North Port crash The North Port Police Department is remembering a young life lost too soon.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach celebrates early St. Patrick’s Day with lively parade Fort Myers Beach celebrated St. Patrick’s Day early with a lively parade, bringing the island to life with Irish spirit.
the weather authority A breezy Saturday with near-record high heat in store The Weather Authority says a warm Saturday with near-record high heat is in store with sun and clouds overhead.
SANIBEL Sanibel Beach shines as a top 2025 destination for shelling Southwest Florida’s beaches are a major draw for visitors from around the world.
911 calls save two kayakers in distress on Caloosahatchee River After strong winds left them stranded, two kayakers were rescued from the Caloosahatchee River.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral woman tricked into romance scam, police seek recovery Cape Coral police are working to recover more than $250,000 from a bank account that may be tied to criminal activity.
FGCU FGCU draws 14-seed and rematch in NCAA Tournament FGCU draws a 14-seed and rematch of last year’s first round with 3-seeded Oklahoma for round one of the NCAA Tournament.
Tice barn fire damages boats and tractor, no injuries reported A fire broke out in a detached barn in Tice, resulting in the loss of multiple boats and a tractor. There have been no reports of injuries.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach library reopens after Hurricane Ian recovery effort The Fort Myers Beach Library is finally reopening its doors after Hurricane Ian left it in ruins over two and a half years ago.
FORT MYERS Cypress West shooting leaves two injured, investigation ongoing in Lee County Authorities are investigating a shooting that occurred at the Cypress West Apartment Home Community in Cypress Lake.
the weather authority Breezy, warm Sunday ahead of tonight’s cold front The Weather Authority says Sunday is going to start out warm and humid with passing clouds overhead.
WINK NEWS Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up Mar. 16 While construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox-Rosen, in this web-exclusive feature, knows the best way to traverse the roadways.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs man arrested for animal cruelty According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, a Bonita Springs man faces charges of animal cruelty and aggravated stalking.
ESTERO Estero Village celebrates 10 years with music, food, and family fun Estero Village marked its 10-year anniversary with a free and lively celebration at the Estero Fest on Saturday.
FGCU FGCU women’s basketball clinches 8th straight ASUN Championship The FGCU women’s basketball team beat Central Arkansas to win its eighth consecutive ASUN Conference Championship.
NORTH PORT Police Explorer Marcus Freeman remembered 14 years after North Port crash The North Port Police Department is remembering a young life lost too soon.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach celebrates early St. Patrick’s Day with lively parade Fort Myers Beach celebrated St. Patrick’s Day early with a lively parade, bringing the island to life with Irish spirit.
the weather authority A breezy Saturday with near-record high heat in store The Weather Authority says a warm Saturday with near-record high heat is in store with sun and clouds overhead.
SANIBEL Sanibel Beach shines as a top 2025 destination for shelling Southwest Florida’s beaches are a major draw for visitors from around the world.
911 calls save two kayakers in distress on Caloosahatchee River After strong winds left them stranded, two kayakers were rescued from the Caloosahatchee River.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral woman tricked into romance scam, police seek recovery Cape Coral police are working to recover more than $250,000 from a bank account that may be tied to criminal activity.
Arthrex’s TightRope® makes it possible to repair the ACL in children. (CREDIT: WINK News) A growing number of girls playing sports need an ACL reconstruction. That’s been problematic until now. Naples-based Arthrex recently got approval for an orthopedic tool called the ACL TightRope® aimed at the smaller-sized pediatric population. Bella Stephens, 15, looms large on the basketball court. She’s been playing for 10 years, but in a game this season something just snapped. “I was setting up to take a charge. It was like third game in the season. And my knee just like popped. It was it was really loud. it was like, stuck bent. And I definitely knew something wasn’t right,” Bella said. Bella Stephens, a basketball player, was one of the first to get a procedure done with the TightRope®. (CREDIT: WINK News) It was her ACL, a ligament that connects the thighbone to the shinbone and stabilizes the knee. Her season was over. “It was so hard to like, not be able to like be out there with all my friends,” Bella said. An ACL tear is a common injury in athletes. “They occur in young athletes all the time, and particularly more so in women in some studies as much as five times more commonly than men,” said Dr. James Guerra, an orthopedic surgeon. Guerra repaired Bella’s ACL using a tool that wasn’t available until this year. “The TightRope® is the first ever fixation device for ACL repair that’s specifically been FDA approved for pediatric-aged children. Previously, we were using devices off-label for adults,” Guerra said. The new instrument is a game-changer. In this instance, size matters. Arthrex’s TightRope® makes it possible to repair the ACL in teens. (CREDIT: WINK News) The ACL TightRope® takes into account the differences between an adult and child and adapts the tools to fit the space without harming growth plates around the knee, which allows them to avoid the growth plates where they can actually drill straight through the canulation of the device. Justin Boyle is a product manager with Arthrex, the Naples-based surgery technology company, which created the ACL TightRope®. It takes a donor tendon, in Bella they used one from her quad, and positions it to function as the ACL, anchoring it, then pulling it tightly to encourage healing. “They’re going to drill holes in the in the thigh bone, a hole in your shinbone, and then they’re going to pull that piece of tissue inside those two tunnels,” Boyle said. Arthrex’s TightRope® makes it possible to repair the ACL in teens. (CREDIT: WINK News) Smaller tools guides pinpoint the exact spot and allows the surgeon to precisely target exactly where they want to be when they’re drilling the holes. Bella was one of the first patients to ever get the ACL TightRope®. “She has done really well and it’s a testament to just what kind of excellent fixation we get with the pediatric ACL TightRope®, that we’re allowed to rehab these kids so quickly,” Guerra said. After precision surgery, she was able to tackle rehab and get back on the court within eight months. “I was like I’m gonna be able to play this year,” Bella said.