12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidaysFort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
WINK Investigates: Disgraced contractor faces new lawsuits and allegations Paul Beattie, a disgraced home builder is back doing business but legal challenges continue as another one of his businesses gets sued. Former employees of Beattie speak out, only to WINK.
SWFL reacts to UNC hiring Bill Belichick Southwest Florida reacts to North Carolina hiring Bill Belichick as its new head football coach and how that could impact the decisions of local recruits.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Some Floridians want more alone time during the holidays The holidays are all about spending time with family and friends, but nearly half of Americans say they really want more alone time during the holiday.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
Aggressive driving concerns on the rise in Southwest Florida The arrest of a man who, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said, killed a motorcyclist after crashing into him on purpose is raising concerns over aggressive driving in Southwest Florida.
SANIBEL Sanibel School students prepare for community Christmas performance The school that has had to claw and fight its way back more than once to reopen is getting the chance to celebrate.
FORT MYERS Rock For Equality: SWFL music scene to hold benefit concert for Palestine A two-venue, eight-band benefit concert is coming to Southwest Florida.
NAPLES Naples man sentenced in deadly bar shooting A man has been sentenced for a deadly shooting that took place at a Naples bar in March 2021.
NAPLES 12-year-old collecting donations for the needy during the holidays A 12-year-old Naples boy isn’t worried about what he’s getting for Christmas. Instead, he’s working on his 6th annual “Holiday Sock Drive.”
Fort Myers man facing homelessness before the holidays A 75-year-old man is on the brink of homelessness despite working over 80 hours a week.
NAPLES Adoptee uses non-profit to provide suitcases for foster children This holiday season, a Naples woman is on a mission to bring foster children something many take for granted: a suitcase filled with dignity.
MARCO ISLAND City of Marco Island discusses lead awareness during city council meeting The city of Marco Island sent out 4900 letters to residents warning them that their pipes could contain plastic or lead.
NAPLES The future of electric planes in Southwest Florida Features of living near an airport include persistent headache-inducing engine rumbles and foul-smelling jet fuel, but electric planes could play a part in the solution.
PORT CHARLOTTE Neighbors awaiting answers on Port Charlotte Beach Park repairs Neighbors said a contractor hired by the Florida Division of Emergency Management mishandled the boats at Port Charlotte Beach Park.
FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things, and how your brain is working overall.
WINK Investigates: Disgraced contractor faces new lawsuits and allegations Paul Beattie, a disgraced home builder is back doing business but legal challenges continue as another one of his businesses gets sued. Former employees of Beattie speak out, only to WINK.
SWFL reacts to UNC hiring Bill Belichick Southwest Florida reacts to North Carolina hiring Bill Belichick as its new head football coach and how that could impact the decisions of local recruits.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Some Floridians want more alone time during the holidays The holidays are all about spending time with family and friends, but nearly half of Americans say they really want more alone time during the holiday.
LABELLE Hendry County rolls out cameras for school speed zones The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office has rolled out a new way of enforcing school zone speed limits by using cameras that will target drivers traveling over a certain speed in a school zone.
Aggressive driving concerns on the rise in Southwest Florida The arrest of a man who, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said, killed a motorcyclist after crashing into him on purpose is raising concerns over aggressive driving in Southwest Florida.
SANIBEL Sanibel School students prepare for community Christmas performance The school that has had to claw and fight its way back more than once to reopen is getting the chance to celebrate.
FORT MYERS Rock For Equality: SWFL music scene to hold benefit concert for Palestine A two-venue, eight-band benefit concert is coming to Southwest Florida.
NAPLES Naples man sentenced in deadly bar shooting A man has been sentenced for a deadly shooting that took place at a Naples bar in March 2021.
Imagine your closest store is a half hour away, and that’s your only choice for groceries other than a dollar store or gas station. The only traditional supermarket in Glades County closed a decade ago. Plotted on the map in Glades County is the quiet, green, and peaceful rural city of Moore Haven. At one point, it was a boom town often called Little Chicago. Today, the population is 1,600. Maricela Morado grew up here. She said she wouldn’t trade the memories for the world. Morado went to Moore Haven Middle School, which was conveniently plotted right beside the only grocery store in town, a U-save. “It was lunchtime. We would walk over here to the U-Save, we would get the moon pies or just any kind of snack, and it was just a way to come out of the school for a little bit, and now, it’s sad to say that, the students now don’t have that ability,” Morado said. Students haven’t had that ability for the last decade. Neither has anyone in Moore Haven. At the end of 2013, U-Save, the only grocery store in the city, closed its doors for good, making Moore Haven a food desert. The problem in Moore Haven is not the lack of gas stations and Dollar Generals. In less than a mile stretch, there are several, but these are convenience stores. Not the type of grocery stores people here need with fresh, nutritious options. Not only did Morado experience the same thing growing up here, but now, as the president and CEO of the area agency on aging for Southwest Florida, she helps with situations like the one in Moore Haven. The nonprofit serves seven counties, Glades being one, where she and others work to get older adults the necessary resources. From Monday to Friday, they provide warm meals to seniors, and Harry Chapin also has a food distribution in Glades County that feeds seniors once a month. According to the data, there are over 4500 older adults in Glades County, 60 years or older. Probably half don’t have reliable transportation. Betty Mallard has spent her whole life in Moore Haven: 79 years. She said she feels stuck with little access to transportation and no close access to healthy meal options. WINK News reached out to Publix, Aldi Walmart, and Target to find out if there are any plans to add a supermarket to Moore Haven or somewhere close. “Publix Super Supermarket Charities” provides fresh produce to Harry Chapin’s mobile food pantries but has no plans to add a store. Publix Statement While we do not have a store in this area, last year Publix Super Markets Charities announced the funding of 22 mobile food pantries to Feeding America partner food banks, including Harry Chapin, which serves the Glades County (Moore Haven). We have spoken with our partners at Harry Chapin, and they confirmed they do currently operate in this area and will have 2 mobile food pantries hitting the road soon. These mobile food pantries will be bringing Publix-provided produce and other food to communities. Residents can visit harrychapinfoodbank.org and click Programs. Programs are categorized as Feeding Children, Feeding Families and Feeding Seniors, with specific programs listed for each to find out more information on offerings in the area. Our communities rely on local Feeding America partner food banks such as Harry Chapin, and we are in a fortunate position to help. Lindsey Willis, Media Relations Manager, Publix Super Markets, Inc. The others never responded. Two other issues are hospitals and prescriptions. There are no hospitals in Glades or signs that any are coming soon.