FORT MYERS City of Fort Myers opens post-storm response hubs City employees and volunteers will be available at these locations to offer information and resources to residents, such as FEMA Individual Assistance.
City of Fort Myers distributing ice at the Skatium The City of Fort Myers staff is distributing ice at the Fort Myers Skatium until 4:00 p.m. Friday for anybody who needs it.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY No casualties found after door-to-door check by Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office following Milton No casualties were discovered following a door-to-door search throughout the barrier islands and other low-lying areas by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
Sanibel opens to contractors; how to get your reentry pass The Sanibel Causeway is now open for contractors to return to Sanibel following Hurricane Milton.
PUNTA GORDA Peace River Wildlife Center closes indefinitely after back-to-back hurricanes Forces from major Hurricane Milton overwhelmed the Peace River Wildlife Center, leaving the organization uncertain if they will return to Ponce Park.
Tim Aten Knows: Updates on projects planned along Immokalee Road Local developers are still dealing with generalities rather than specifics when it comes to development plans on property recently cleared on the south side of Immokalee Road between Wilson and Randall boulevards in Golden Gate Estates.
Blind Pass Bridge opens to residents amid cleanup The Lee County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday morning the Blind Pass Bridge is now open but must be crossed using caution due to clean-up crews. The Florida Department of Transportation is currently active in the area, using heavy equipment to move large amounts of sand, so there will be deputies helping direct traffic. Any residents […]
The Naples Zoo: “We are happy to report all animals are safe and secure.” Some good news after Hurricane Milton: the Naples Zoo animals are safe and sound. “Our ride-out team is safe, and we are happy to report that all the animals are safe and secure,” the Naples Zoo said in a Facebook post. “We thank you all for your support and are grateful to our staff who […]
SANIBEL Milton leaves the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation HQ surrounded by water Staff from the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation are evaluating their facilities and areas where they operate in the wake of Hurricane Milton.
Harry Chapin Food Bank to hold emergency food distributions Harry Chapin Food Bank is holding emergency food distributions on Friday and Saturday following Hurricane Milton. When Milton made landfall Wednesday, communities across Southwest Florida were affected by wind, storm surge, tornadoes and flooding. Now Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties are all seeing the devastation. Luckily, the Harry Chapin Food Bank sustained no […]
NORTH PORT North Port police comb the streets after Milton’s mess The North Port Police Department took to the streets on Thursday to clean up around the city after Hurricane Milton.
The Weather Authority Cooler day with isolated showers The Weather Authority is tracking a cooler Friday ahead, with quick isolated showers expected throughout the afternoon.
RSW to resume flights on Friday Due to Hurricane Milton, Southwest Florida International Airport canceled flights on Wednesday and Thursday.
FORT MYERS Suspect sought, two others arrested in alleged Fort Myers burglary One suspect remains at large after the Fort Myers Police Department confirmed a burglary on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Thursday night.
Gasparilla Island Access shut down to Gasparilla Island and Charlotte County community service facilities after storm Charlotte County Emergency Management announced a few updates on closures on Thursday night after Hurricane Milton.
FORT MYERS City of Fort Myers opens post-storm response hubs City employees and volunteers will be available at these locations to offer information and resources to residents, such as FEMA Individual Assistance.
City of Fort Myers distributing ice at the Skatium The City of Fort Myers staff is distributing ice at the Fort Myers Skatium until 4:00 p.m. Friday for anybody who needs it.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY No casualties found after door-to-door check by Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office following Milton No casualties were discovered following a door-to-door search throughout the barrier islands and other low-lying areas by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
Sanibel opens to contractors; how to get your reentry pass The Sanibel Causeway is now open for contractors to return to Sanibel following Hurricane Milton.
PUNTA GORDA Peace River Wildlife Center closes indefinitely after back-to-back hurricanes Forces from major Hurricane Milton overwhelmed the Peace River Wildlife Center, leaving the organization uncertain if they will return to Ponce Park.
Tim Aten Knows: Updates on projects planned along Immokalee Road Local developers are still dealing with generalities rather than specifics when it comes to development plans on property recently cleared on the south side of Immokalee Road between Wilson and Randall boulevards in Golden Gate Estates.
Blind Pass Bridge opens to residents amid cleanup The Lee County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday morning the Blind Pass Bridge is now open but must be crossed using caution due to clean-up crews. The Florida Department of Transportation is currently active in the area, using heavy equipment to move large amounts of sand, so there will be deputies helping direct traffic. Any residents […]
The Naples Zoo: “We are happy to report all animals are safe and secure.” Some good news after Hurricane Milton: the Naples Zoo animals are safe and sound. “Our ride-out team is safe, and we are happy to report that all the animals are safe and secure,” the Naples Zoo said in a Facebook post. “We thank you all for your support and are grateful to our staff who […]
SANIBEL Milton leaves the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation HQ surrounded by water Staff from the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation are evaluating their facilities and areas where they operate in the wake of Hurricane Milton.
Harry Chapin Food Bank to hold emergency food distributions Harry Chapin Food Bank is holding emergency food distributions on Friday and Saturday following Hurricane Milton. When Milton made landfall Wednesday, communities across Southwest Florida were affected by wind, storm surge, tornadoes and flooding. Now Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties are all seeing the devastation. Luckily, the Harry Chapin Food Bank sustained no […]
NORTH PORT North Port police comb the streets after Milton’s mess The North Port Police Department took to the streets on Thursday to clean up around the city after Hurricane Milton.
The Weather Authority Cooler day with isolated showers The Weather Authority is tracking a cooler Friday ahead, with quick isolated showers expected throughout the afternoon.
RSW to resume flights on Friday Due to Hurricane Milton, Southwest Florida International Airport canceled flights on Wednesday and Thursday.
FORT MYERS Suspect sought, two others arrested in alleged Fort Myers burglary One suspect remains at large after the Fort Myers Police Department confirmed a burglary on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Thursday night.
Gasparilla Island Access shut down to Gasparilla Island and Charlotte County community service facilities after storm Charlotte County Emergency Management announced a few updates on closures on Thursday night after Hurricane Milton.
CREDIT: LCSO Lee County commissioners have approved creating an animal abuse registry, identifying people convicted of animal cruelty. Over the past six months, WINK News has covered numerous animal abuse and neglect cases in Southwest Florida. The research is clear, and it says a person who abuses an animal once will almost always do it again. With an animal abuse registry, if you do that once, then your name, photo and crime will be available for everyone to see. A list all sellers and shelters must check before allowing someone to adopt an animal. Benji is an 8-year-old pomeranian. His owner, James Michael Lyster, was put in handcuffs for beating him. Carmine Marceno, the Lee County Sheriff, has never shied away from releasing accused animal abusers’ names, posting their pictures and exposing their crimes. “If anyone abuses an animal in this county, we’re coming for them. We’re going to hunt them down, and they’re going to jail. I promise you,” said Marceno. The program, sparked by the sheriff’s office, will make it easier for everyone to see the names and a picture of convicted animal abusers. The Lee County commission unanimously approved an ordinance to create an animal abuse registry. “To be able to look at some sort of list and know that this person is not a good fit, and this person isn’t a person responsible enough to own an animal, that helps us tremendously,” said Liz McCauley, the executive director for Cape Coral Animal Shelter. McCauley told WINK News when vetting adopters for animals from the shelter, she and her team do background checks, but it’s hardly perfect. “We see animals neglected, abandoned, not cared for, and there’s no excuse,” said McCauley. The Gulf Coast Humane Society supports the animal abuse registry, too. Gar Willoughby, the executive director for Gulf Coast Humane Society, told WINK News that’s because it’s not just for shelters, it’s for anyone looking to re-home a pet. “Animals, like Louis here next to me, rely 100% on a human being to feed them to care for them, provide medical care they need and everything,” said Willoughby. If you have been convicted of animal abuse, you are on that list. If you are ordered by the court not to be in contact with animals for a time period, that information is also on the list.