ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
From sorrowful sludge site to sanctuary, but where it is? The City of Fort Myers promised the decades old sludge site on South Street in the Dunbar area would become a park nearly five years ago. Years later, the community has lost faith in the city to keep its promise. Current drone video of the former sludge site, CREDIT: WINK News All Jordon Brown has even seen across the street from his Dunbar home is water, tall grass and weeds. “We used to play in there,” Brown remembered. That was when he was a child. Now, as an adult, he learned his playground was a lime sludge dump site. WINK News Consumer Reporter Andryanna Sheppard speaks with Jordon Brown about former sludge site, CREDIT: WINK News According to the City of Fort Myers’ website dedicated to this issue, the city bought the lot in the 1960s for that very purpose. Fort Myers City Councilman Johnny Streets represents the Dunbar area. He said something like that wasn’t abnormal back then. “They really didn’t care what they put out there as long as it was out there as opposed to down there which is McGregor,” Streets added. “It was to me environmental racism. Fort Myers wasn’t the only one.” Sludge site neighborhood time lapse, CREDIT: WINK News As the neighborhood grew, the dumping continued until the city built a new water plant in 1993. The sludge, which samples showed over the years contained arsenic in excess of residential standards, stayed put. WINK News has covered this issue for years and spoke to Dunbar resident Annette Miller in 2017. “They felt it was okay for them to dump this stuff into our neighborhood and not even give us signs or warnings or signs saying don’t go in this area,” Miller said back then. “To think now that we could have been exposed to something serious and deadly is traumatizing really.” 2017 Drone view of portions of the Dunbar sludge site, CREDIT: WINK News The World Health Organization says long-term exposure to arsenic can cause cancer and skin lesions. It’s also been linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The community only learned of the neighborhood’s arsenic-filled wasteland about 10 years later, when they also learned at least one well’s arsenic levels was really high. The city agreed to clean it all up in 2018 and finished in early 2019. Shortly after, the community was promised the lot would come to life as City View Park. The renderings released back then show a playground, walkways and spots to sit and relax. City View Park information and renderings Where is the park? “They put a park there, it would make the neighborhood better,” Brown said. But more than four years later, where is it? There are no walkways, no playgrounds, no spots to sit and relax. Instead, the people in that community have only been locked out of it. The only changes in their view have been gates, locks and machine-made ponds. “They ain’t getting it done,” Brown said in defeat. “And Centennial Park is redid. They redid that.” In the more than four years since the Dunbar community was promised a park, Centennial Park less than three miles away in Downtown got a makeover. There’s a new playground, walkways, seating and an amphitheater, making many of the people in the Dunbar neighborhood feel pushed aside once again. Drone view of the Centennial Park amphitheater, CREDIT: WINK News “When they start, okay, yeah, I’ll put my trust again. Until then, no. It’s a waste of time to think about it,” Brown said with disappointment. “There’s a process and that process contains money. That process contains funding. What we do is in increments. We already know that one area generates more money than the other one but they’re not being left behind,” Councilman Streets added. Mayor Kevin Anderson said he understands why people in Dunbar would feel that way. “Renovating a park versus constructing a park is very different,” Mayor Anderson clarified. “However, we’re going to start seeing some activity with City View Park.” “You are absolutely right. The community is absolutely right. I stand with them. We have, somewhat, neglected the deprived and depressed areas,” Councilman Streets continued. “That’s why this council and the mayor has created a master plan for parks all over the City of Fort Myers.” WINK News Consumer Reporter Andryanna Sheppard speaks with Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson about former sludge site, CREDIT: WINK News WINK News Consumer Reporter Andryanna Sheppard asked the Director of Parks and Recreation for a copy of that master plan. There isn’t one. Sheppard was told no plans, designs or renderings exist because they aren’t in that phase yet. But the hired design firm is set to present its findings to the Fort Myers City Council in April 2024. “Do you know how long it might take for the community to be able to walk past those gates?” Sheppard asked Mayor Anderson. “It’s really hard to say because there’s so many factors that come into play,” Mayor Anderson responded. “I really hate to try and pinpoint a date because that opening date is really going to be a moving target at this point.” So people like Brown will keep staring at that now gated sludge site they used to play in as kids; the place they were promised would become a safe place for kids to play. “Do you have faith that they will do something,” Sheppard asked Brown. “No. No. It’s over with,” Brown replied shaking his head. “If it ain’t God, they ain’t doing nothing.” Mayor Anderson said the City is below the standard for green space and parks for a city of Fort Myers’ size. A part of that master plan will be to ask residents to vote to pay and help cover the cost of more parks. Background on sludge site June 12, 2017: Former toxic dump site sits near Dunbar homes November 29, 2018: Contaminated sludge from 1960s slowly removed from Dunbar neighborhood December 11, 2018: DEP approves City of Fort Myers’ plan to ship sludge to Polk County January 9, 2019: Polk County commission on Dunbar sludge: “keep [your] problems in Fort Myers” March 1, 2019: Dunbar sludge removal finally complete November 12, 2019: Dunbar sludge site set to come to life as new park January 6, 2020: Dunbar sludge lawsuit against City of Fort Myers tossed out by federal judge