Holiday events scheduled in Lee County throughout December34th annual American Sand Sculpting Companionship begins on Fort Myers Beach
Holiday events scheduled in Lee County throughout December It is the most wonderful time of the year, as Lee County is preparing for several Christmas and holiday-themed events in December.
FORT MYERS BEACH 34th annual American Sand Sculpting Companionship begins on Fort Myers Beach The resilience of the Southwest Florida community is on display Thursday morning in the form of sand on Fort Myers Beach.
the weather authority Decreasing humidity and mostly sunny skies for your Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking a cold front dropping humidity and temperatures on this Thursday afternoon.
The Salvation Army of Collier County launches annual toy drive The annual Toys for Tots donation drive in Collier County has officially begun, aiming to bring Christmas joy through generosity.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral’s new council eliminates stipend on day one People in Cape Coral are getting what they voted for: the new city council members were just sworn in, and they eliminated the stipend.
LEHIGH ACRES Man arrested for fatal hit-and-run crash with motorcyclist in Lehigh Acres A man has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed a motorcyclist on Tuesday night.
Latest details on fatal Alligator Alley crash ; 1 killed According to the arrest report, a man told troopers he got a minivan from a pastor but did not get permission to take it out because he left in the middle of the night
Enforcing state law on street camping in Punta Gorda More than a month since the new state law banning sleeping in public places went into effect the city of Punta Gorda voted on if an ordinance change was needed.
Cape Coral home vandalized; homeowner calls it a “hate crime” A man returned to his unfinished Cape Coral home to find it’s been violated and vandalized. Cape Coral police are searching for the suspect.
SWFL organizations putting donated money to good use 41 Southwest Florida organizations are still in shock about the millions of dollars they received from philanthropist Tom Golisano.
Utility scams awareness day: what you need to know Wednesday is utility scams awareness day. These types of scams target customers by going door-to-door, sending phone calls or texts and using false information online.
NAPLES Salvation Army of Collier County kicks off annual Christmas toy drive The Salvation Army of Collier County has kicked off its annual Christmas toy drive, and you won’t have to travel far to get involved.
Record Store Day Black Friday: Where to go in SWFL Record Store Day Black Friday is approaching quickly, and if you’re not looking for a new TV or a video game console, go to your local record store, as they will have exclusive deals to expand your record collection.
Manasota Key residents concerned over new development on the island Residents of a small island community are expressing their concerns about potential changes to their neighborhood.
FORT MYERS Resident reacts to plan for new Amazon facility in Fort Myers Amazon has paid $66.5M for 143 acres in Fort Myers to build a new warehouse. A resident who lives by the property said she has reservations about the facility.
Holiday events scheduled in Lee County throughout December It is the most wonderful time of the year, as Lee County is preparing for several Christmas and holiday-themed events in December.
FORT MYERS BEACH 34th annual American Sand Sculpting Companionship begins on Fort Myers Beach The resilience of the Southwest Florida community is on display Thursday morning in the form of sand on Fort Myers Beach.
the weather authority Decreasing humidity and mostly sunny skies for your Thursday The Weather Authority is tracking a cold front dropping humidity and temperatures on this Thursday afternoon.
The Salvation Army of Collier County launches annual toy drive The annual Toys for Tots donation drive in Collier County has officially begun, aiming to bring Christmas joy through generosity.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral’s new council eliminates stipend on day one People in Cape Coral are getting what they voted for: the new city council members were just sworn in, and they eliminated the stipend.
LEHIGH ACRES Man arrested for fatal hit-and-run crash with motorcyclist in Lehigh Acres A man has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed a motorcyclist on Tuesday night.
Latest details on fatal Alligator Alley crash ; 1 killed According to the arrest report, a man told troopers he got a minivan from a pastor but did not get permission to take it out because he left in the middle of the night
Enforcing state law on street camping in Punta Gorda More than a month since the new state law banning sleeping in public places went into effect the city of Punta Gorda voted on if an ordinance change was needed.
Cape Coral home vandalized; homeowner calls it a “hate crime” A man returned to his unfinished Cape Coral home to find it’s been violated and vandalized. Cape Coral police are searching for the suspect.
SWFL organizations putting donated money to good use 41 Southwest Florida organizations are still in shock about the millions of dollars they received from philanthropist Tom Golisano.
Utility scams awareness day: what you need to know Wednesday is utility scams awareness day. These types of scams target customers by going door-to-door, sending phone calls or texts and using false information online.
NAPLES Salvation Army of Collier County kicks off annual Christmas toy drive The Salvation Army of Collier County has kicked off its annual Christmas toy drive, and you won’t have to travel far to get involved.
Record Store Day Black Friday: Where to go in SWFL Record Store Day Black Friday is approaching quickly, and if you’re not looking for a new TV or a video game console, go to your local record store, as they will have exclusive deals to expand your record collection.
Manasota Key residents concerned over new development on the island Residents of a small island community are expressing their concerns about potential changes to their neighborhood.
FORT MYERS Resident reacts to plan for new Amazon facility in Fort Myers Amazon has paid $66.5M for 143 acres in Fort Myers to build a new warehouse. A resident who lives by the property said she has reservations about the facility.
Line for food at Harry Chapin Food Bank. CREDIT: WINK News There are 44 million people in the United States who need help feeding their families. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, one in seven people is living in food-insecure households, and Southwest Florida is not immune. Click here for information on donating to WINK FEEDS FAMILIES – March To A Million Meals “I never thought I would be in this situation, and I am,” said Eliza. The cool morning weather in North Fort Myers Monday didn’t stop hundreds of people from showing up to the Harry Chapin Food Bank during their free food giveaway. Eliza was one of those in line waiting to get food for her family, a fact she grapples with. “I’m glad I have faith because if I didn’t… makes me want to cry. It’s a sad situation … America is …” Eliza said as she began tearing up. “These are tears… happy because without this I don’t know how we would eat, and that’s the rare, raw truth of this all. Look at the line. These are people that never thought they would be standing in line to get free food, so yes, this is a gift from above.” Week after week, the Harry Chapin Food Bank and its partner agencies put on food distributions across Southwest Florida. Carrying food away in a wagon. CREDIT: WINK News “We’re seeing unprecedented need. More demand than ever, even before the pandemic, or during the pandemic,” said Stuart Haniff, the chief development officer of the Harry Chapin Food Bank. “Our demand has probably risen by 40%, and there are a number of factors that are causing that.” Among the difficulties is the high cost of living, which is making life difficult for many. Other issues are the lingering impacts from Hurricane Ian and persistent inflation, especially regarding food costs. “The 250,000 individuals that we feed each and every month, about 70% of those are actually working and employed, but they’re just finding it harder and harder to make ends meet,” said Haniff. “A lot of people who never thought they’d be in this situation, professional working people who made lots of money, with degrees. I’m an esthetician, and I can’t make it,” said Eliza. However, thanks to the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Eliza’s family will eat healthy and nutritious food, provided with dignity and love. “It’s amazing because it takes stress away because we can eat and not worry about the food,” said Eliza. “It’s a blessing.” People going to food distributions have risen by 30%, so the need is growing. MARCH TO A MILLION MEALS. CREDIT: WINK News WINK News is kicking off March To A Million Meals on Monday. It’s a month-long campaign at WINK News to raise money and meals. You can donate until March 1, 2024. Every dollar raised is $2 in meals to the Harry Chapin Food Bank. That means donating $6 feeds a family of four or donating $60 feeds 10 families.