NORTH FORT MYERS Where did the Shell Factory animals go? With the closure of The Shell Factory in September, people have been wondering where the animals went.
Tim Aten Knows: Publix to demolish, rebuild Naples store Two days after Thanksgiving, the 38-year-old Publix supermarket in Neapolitan Way Plaza will close to begin a Naples redevelopment project that has been planned for years.
Planned retail, lifestyle center seeking tenants at Babcock Ranch A new 112,000-square-foot mixed-use complex designed for retail shops, restaurants, bars, office space and residential units is planned for Babcock Ranch. Called B Street at Babcock Ranch, there are approximately 20 parties negotiating leases, said Jon Cashion, a principal with commercial real estate agency Katz & Associates. A groundbreaking ceremony is slated for early 2025, […]
WASHINGTON (AP) Trump chooses loyalist Pam Bondi for attorney general pick after Matt Gaetz withdraws President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday he will nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department, turning to a longtime ally after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations.
FORT MYERS 2 Fort Myers men arrested in separate cases involving children Two men from Fort Myers have been arrested; one faces charges related to child pornography and another faces child molestation charges.
ESTERO Phase 2 in the Corkscrew Rd. Widening project begins Phase 1 of Corkscrew Road’s widening has been completed, and phase 2 is now commencing.
Miracle Moment: Reaching a milestone at Golisano Children’s Hospital Kindergarten is an exciting time for children as they take their first big steps into becoming big kids.
2 years since Charlotte County deputy was killed on I-75 It is a somber day for the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office as one of their own was killed during a traffic stop on Interstate 75 exactly two years ago.
the weather authority Mostly sunny and cool afternoon for your Friday The Weather Authority is tracking a mostly sunny and cool Friday afternoon with breezy conditions throughout the day.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood nonprofit gives hope to residents amid hurricane recovery Many people in Charlotte County were hit hard by storms this hurricane season, but that won’t stop them from giving back to their community.
NAPLES CSN’s Jayvian Tanelus and offensive line erupt in round one Community School of Naples’ offensive line and Jayvian Tanelus put on a show in round one of the playoffs earning them player of the week.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral family opens home up for the holidays A Cape Coral family has gotten over 1,000 interactions on a Facebook post after opening up their home for the holidays.
SANIBEL Sanibel police trained and certified to catch alligators by FWC Pinning an apex predator down with little more than bare hands and tape: That’s what the Sanibel Police Department went through during alligator-catching certification training.
Southwest Florida welcomes first proton beam therapy center This is a big week in cancer care for patients in Southwest Florida and beyond.
PUNTA GORDA Whats next after Punta Gorda city manager’s resignation? Punta Gorda city manager Greg Murray said he resigned Monday but told the council on Wednesday. Now, Melissa Reichert is the interim city manager.
NORTH FORT MYERS Where did the Shell Factory animals go? With the closure of The Shell Factory in September, people have been wondering where the animals went.
Tim Aten Knows: Publix to demolish, rebuild Naples store Two days after Thanksgiving, the 38-year-old Publix supermarket in Neapolitan Way Plaza will close to begin a Naples redevelopment project that has been planned for years.
Planned retail, lifestyle center seeking tenants at Babcock Ranch A new 112,000-square-foot mixed-use complex designed for retail shops, restaurants, bars, office space and residential units is planned for Babcock Ranch. Called B Street at Babcock Ranch, there are approximately 20 parties negotiating leases, said Jon Cashion, a principal with commercial real estate agency Katz & Associates. A groundbreaking ceremony is slated for early 2025, […]
WASHINGTON (AP) Trump chooses loyalist Pam Bondi for attorney general pick after Matt Gaetz withdraws President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday he will nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department, turning to a longtime ally after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations.
FORT MYERS 2 Fort Myers men arrested in separate cases involving children Two men from Fort Myers have been arrested; one faces charges related to child pornography and another faces child molestation charges.
ESTERO Phase 2 in the Corkscrew Rd. Widening project begins Phase 1 of Corkscrew Road’s widening has been completed, and phase 2 is now commencing.
Miracle Moment: Reaching a milestone at Golisano Children’s Hospital Kindergarten is an exciting time for children as they take their first big steps into becoming big kids.
2 years since Charlotte County deputy was killed on I-75 It is a somber day for the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office as one of their own was killed during a traffic stop on Interstate 75 exactly two years ago.
the weather authority Mostly sunny and cool afternoon for your Friday The Weather Authority is tracking a mostly sunny and cool Friday afternoon with breezy conditions throughout the day.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood nonprofit gives hope to residents amid hurricane recovery Many people in Charlotte County were hit hard by storms this hurricane season, but that won’t stop them from giving back to their community.
NAPLES CSN’s Jayvian Tanelus and offensive line erupt in round one Community School of Naples’ offensive line and Jayvian Tanelus put on a show in round one of the playoffs earning them player of the week.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral family opens home up for the holidays A Cape Coral family has gotten over 1,000 interactions on a Facebook post after opening up their home for the holidays.
SANIBEL Sanibel police trained and certified to catch alligators by FWC Pinning an apex predator down with little more than bare hands and tape: That’s what the Sanibel Police Department went through during alligator-catching certification training.
Southwest Florida welcomes first proton beam therapy center This is a big week in cancer care for patients in Southwest Florida and beyond.
PUNTA GORDA Whats next after Punta Gorda city manager’s resignation? Punta Gorda city manager Greg Murray said he resigned Monday but told the council on Wednesday. Now, Melissa Reichert is the interim city manager.
Giving LUCI solar portable light to someone at their door. CREDIT: WINK News Since Hurricane Ian, WINK News has been closely monitoring the state-administered Florida Disaster Fund, established in 2004 and reactivated after Hurricane Ian. As of Aug. 11, the entire $63 million raised through the fund has been allocated to service organizations across the state. The Volunteer Florida Foundation administers the Fund, and first lady Casey DeSantis helps oversee it. Where did the money go? The money has reached more than 70 service organizations statewide, including well-known names like Feeding Florida, the Collaboratory, and Bridge a Life. The complete list is provided by the Volunteer Florida Foundation. Adventists Community Services All Faiths Foodbank of Sarasota American National Red Cross Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida Area Agency on Aging of North Florida Better Together Bridge a Life Catholic Charities of Florida Inc. Champions for Learning (Education Foundation of Collier County) Charlotte Community Foundation Charlotte County Long Term Recovery Task Force Charlotte Local Education Foundation Children’s Network of Southwest Florida Collaboratory Collier Community Foundation Communities of Everglades Recovery Group Community Legal Services of Mid Florida DeSoto County Education Foundation DeSoto Hope Education Foundation of Sarasota County Feeding Florida FEPA (Florida Emergency Preparedness Association) Florida Firefighters Charities Fund Florida PBA Heart Fund Florida Sheriffs Association Florida State Lodge FOP Memorial Foundation Good360 Greater Marco LTRG (Collier Disaster Alliance) Greater Pine Island Alliance Hardee Education Foundation Hardee LTRG Harry Chapin Food Bank Hendry and Glades Unmet Needs Coalition Hope Hospice Immokalee Unmet Needs Coalition Impact Foundation Islamic Relief USA LASER Lee BIA Builders Care Lee County LTRG Midwest Food Bank NFP Inc Monroe County Unmet LTRG Mothers Helping Mothers National Guard Northeast Florida Area Agency on Aging, Inc NU-HOPE Elder Care Services, Inc. One More Child Operation BBQ Relief Osceola Council on Aging Osceola REDI, Inc. Putnam LTRG RISE Orlando Safe Children Coalition Samaritan’s Purse Sarasota LTRG Save the Children Seminole HEART Senior Connection Center Senior Friendship Centers Senior Resource Alliance SHRC Program Southern Baptist Team Rubicon The Educational Foundation of The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools The Salvation Army ToolBank USA, Inc. United Way Of Collier And The Keys Inc United Way Of Lee, Hendry, Glades VIND World Renew Disaster Response Services How the fund helped Better Together In the wake of Hurricane Ian, Florida communities dealt with chaos, uncertainty, and stress. Yet, a ray of hope emerged when the Florida Disaster Fund kicked into gear. “We’re incredibly grateful for those funds, and it was great to be able to take those funds and put them to good use for the families that we knew really could benefit from that support,” said Megan Rose, CEO of Better Together. Guided by CEO Megan Rose, Better Together serves as a lifeline for families in need, offering temporary homes for kids as their parents work towards stability. “Better Together works through local churches and volunteers that come alongside families that are going through a temporary hardship,” Rose said. “That could be job loss, they’re seeking treatment for addiction, they’re just struggling and isolated and don’t have that sense of village or community. So we connect helpers to those that are hurting, and we care for their children short-term by providing a hosting to allow them the time to be able to get back on their feet.” After Hurricane Ian, Better Together volunteers jumped into action. They provided physical necessities like food and diapers, and emotional support to families coping with all kinds of loss. “Right after the storm, we quickly realized that this was catastrophic for our community,” Rose said. “There was a significant need, and a lot of families, including our volunteers, and our own team members were impacted by the storm.” The organization’s impact grew, leading to what Rose said was an unforgettable moment. “We got a call out of the blue from the Chief of Staff for the First Lady and they just wanted to know about the work we were doing and the needs we were seeing, and then we were asked to go to Home Depot aisle 10, and we were presented the funds,” Rose said. The Florida Disaster Fund granted $400,000 to support Better Together’s ongoing mission. “I think the mission, what they do and seeing the lives that we’ve changed and the families we’ve helped stay together, I think is the most fulfilling thing I could possibly do,” said Jenn Downes, a dedicated volunteer with Better Together. “So we’ve hosted three children, the three-month-old girl, we had about a two-year-old boy, and then we had another three-year-old boy,” she said. “And seeing how we could help them and then it come full circle to help us, it was good.” The organization’s support came full circle when Downes found herself in need after Hurricane Ian ravaged her life, too. ”I’ve not been the kind to ever reach out for help, but knowing that they were there, it felt good,” Downes said. During a period of uncertainty, Better Together stepped in to help Jenn and her family, ensuring they would enjoy Christmas despite the challenges posed by Ian’s aftermath. “So they gave us funds from the disaster relief funds, and we were able to provide a really good Christmas for my kids…and then a couple months later, when we had walls again in our house, they were able to use some of the funding to help us get appliances,” Downes said. “So, we have a kitchen now because of Better Together.” A kitchen, a home, and a renewed spirit for helping others in need. Thanks to the Florida Disaster Fund, Better Together also recently launched the “Be the Light” campaign, providing solar-powered lights to families in heavily impacted areas. “So we wanted to start a Be the Light campaign to be able to go back into these communities, knock on doors, and make sure they knew that they didn’t have to weather life’s storms alone, whether it was a hurricane, a job loss, or they’re isolated and just need some additional support,” Rose said. Approximately 500 lights have been distributed so far out of the 5,000 ordered. “So we get to give them a physical light that they can use as hurricane preparedness, and it’s something that’s going to last,” Rose said. Better Together understands that many families are still struggling, and their team is looking for people to join their mission. Volunteers can assist by knocking on doors, connecting with families, opening their homes to care for children short-term, mentoring families, and providing job coaching. “There’s so many opportunities that you can give back to this community that we love, and help support families and remind them that they don’t have to weather these storms alone, that they have a community that loves them and cares for them,” Rose said. Additionally, for those facing difficulties, Better Together wants to be a source of support, light, and hope. The organization has resources and dedicated volunteers ready to stand by your side and aid in your recovery efforts. “It’s okay to reach out for help. Nobody is judging you. We are here to love you. We are here to support you,” Rose said.