Vehicle pursuit in Charlotte County ends in crash A pursuit between the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and a vehicle on Interstate 75 ended in a crash.
Red tide looms off Southwest Florida coastline Beware of the beach! Red tide is making its way towards Southwest Florida once again.
FORT MYERS BEACH $1.2 million approved for repairs for FMB and Sanibel schools This hurricane season left an expensive mess at Fort Myers Beach Elementary and the Sanibel school, but who’s paying the $1.2 million price tag?
FORT MYERS Teen carjacks woman after escaping mental health facility A teenager accused of carjacking a woman in a church parking lot on Friday had just escaped from a facility where he was being held under the Baker Act, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Teachers union raises issues with Lee County School District after arbitration Being a teacher is just like any other profession. Teachers need to take days off, get sick, and sometimes cover for co-workers.
LABELLE LaBelle Animal Shelter hoping to raise money to avoid property being sold The owner of Animal Rescue Inc. in LaBelle is doing everything she can to prevent the shelter from disappearing in a matter of months.
County settlement allows Links of Naples golf course to redevelop into homes Collier County residents are vocalizing their concerns over the commissioner’s decision to develop housing on the Naples Golf Course.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mayor weighs in on possible city hall relocation With Lee Memorial Hospital scheduled to close in 2027, discussions over what will replace the building are in full swing and whether Fort Myers City Hall is the right choice.
Toys for Tots: A 77-Year tradition of service and holiday cheer Toys for Tots aims to bring gifts to children and their families who may not be able to afford them for the holidays.
Inside the mind of accused CEO gunman WINK News is learning more about the man accused of shooting and killing a health insurance CEO on a New York City sidewalk last week, and breaking down what he may think of himself based on the writings he left behind.
1 dead after crash on Airport-Pulling Road in Collier County The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash involving a sedan and pick-up truck that occurred near Airport Pulling Road.
bonita springs Prostate cancer treatment aims to freeze further development When it comes to cancer treatment, several options come to mind, such as chemotherapy, surgery, and or radiation; however, there is another option that may prove to be as effective.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man convicted of sexually assaulting teenager A Fort Myers man has been convicted of several charges, including the sexual assault of a 17-year-old teenager.
Red tide advisory issued for Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach The Florida Department of Health issued a red tide advisory after presence of the algae bloom was found near Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach in Collier County.
FORT MYERS RSW offering remote parking for the holidays Southwest Florida International Airport, RSW, is offering passengers RSWRemote, a reserved holiday parking option.
Vehicle pursuit in Charlotte County ends in crash A pursuit between the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and a vehicle on Interstate 75 ended in a crash.
Red tide looms off Southwest Florida coastline Beware of the beach! Red tide is making its way towards Southwest Florida once again.
FORT MYERS BEACH $1.2 million approved for repairs for FMB and Sanibel schools This hurricane season left an expensive mess at Fort Myers Beach Elementary and the Sanibel school, but who’s paying the $1.2 million price tag?
FORT MYERS Teen carjacks woman after escaping mental health facility A teenager accused of carjacking a woman in a church parking lot on Friday had just escaped from a facility where he was being held under the Baker Act, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Teachers union raises issues with Lee County School District after arbitration Being a teacher is just like any other profession. Teachers need to take days off, get sick, and sometimes cover for co-workers.
LABELLE LaBelle Animal Shelter hoping to raise money to avoid property being sold The owner of Animal Rescue Inc. in LaBelle is doing everything she can to prevent the shelter from disappearing in a matter of months.
County settlement allows Links of Naples golf course to redevelop into homes Collier County residents are vocalizing their concerns over the commissioner’s decision to develop housing on the Naples Golf Course.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mayor weighs in on possible city hall relocation With Lee Memorial Hospital scheduled to close in 2027, discussions over what will replace the building are in full swing and whether Fort Myers City Hall is the right choice.
Toys for Tots: A 77-Year tradition of service and holiday cheer Toys for Tots aims to bring gifts to children and their families who may not be able to afford them for the holidays.
Inside the mind of accused CEO gunman WINK News is learning more about the man accused of shooting and killing a health insurance CEO on a New York City sidewalk last week, and breaking down what he may think of himself based on the writings he left behind.
1 dead after crash on Airport-Pulling Road in Collier County The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash involving a sedan and pick-up truck that occurred near Airport Pulling Road.
bonita springs Prostate cancer treatment aims to freeze further development When it comes to cancer treatment, several options come to mind, such as chemotherapy, surgery, and or radiation; however, there is another option that may prove to be as effective.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers man convicted of sexually assaulting teenager A Fort Myers man has been convicted of several charges, including the sexual assault of a 17-year-old teenager.
Red tide advisory issued for Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach The Florida Department of Health issued a red tide advisory after presence of the algae bloom was found near Clam Pass and Barefoot Beach in Collier County.
FORT MYERS RSW offering remote parking for the holidays Southwest Florida International Airport, RSW, is offering passengers RSWRemote, a reserved holiday parking option.
After a year off due to Hurricane Ian, the Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival is back and kicks off Saturday morning. What is pink shrimp? The shrimp being celebrated this weekend is wild-caught Gulf Pink Shrimp. This shrimp is a Fort Myers Beach delicacy. Caught only from the Gulf of Mexico to the Tortugas, this shrimp is said to have a “sweet” and “snappy” taste, said Ann Erickson with Erickson and Jensen. What to expect Expect LOTS of shrimp! Festivities start early, as the 5k Shrimp Run starts at 9 a.m. The race starts and finishes from Doc Ford’s along Matanzas Bridge. Directly after the run is the annual Shrimp Festival Parade from 10-12 p.m. From 9 to 12 p.m., the Matanzas Bridge will be closed for these two events. Matanzas Bridge ahead of Saturdays road closures for the “Shrimp Run” and parade. The fun doesn’t end there. The following events are also going on near Bayside Park on Fort Myers Beach Saturday: Arts and Crafts Fair, starting at 10 a.m. Shrimp Crawl, starting at 10 a.m. Queens Pageant 1-2 p.m. On Sunday: Arts and Crafts Fair, starting at 10 a.m. Shrimp Crawl, starting at 10 a.m. Blessing of the Fleet 10-1 p.m.; this is being held at the Erickson and Jenson Docks Shrimp Eating Contact 2 p.m. Shrimp Festival Closing Ceremony 4-7 p.m. Restaurants a part of the Shrimp Crawl each have their own specialty shrimp drink or dish. This is the “Shrimpy the Best Margarita” at The Whale. Did you know proceeds from this weekend’s event go back into the SWFL community? Shelby Stites, a member of marketing for the festival, said every year, money spent this weekend goes into the hands of those who need it most. RELATED: Miz Shirley’s Shrimp Shack after Hurricane Ian “We serve the youth. We do childhood cancer, diabetes saving the environment and a few other ones, but mainly these go to use scholarships for area students for secondary schools of their choice,” said Stites. Shrimp heritage in Matanzas Bay Erickson and Jensen Gulf Shrimp have been a part of the Southwest Florida seafood community for generations. Anna Erickson is a 4th generation shrimper. Erickson grew up being a part of this parade and now helps her family business continue its legacy. “We’re a big part of the community. We hope that it brings people down to Fort Myers Beach, knowing that we have such a special product here. That is a heritage to the community,” said Erickson. Art along the Erickson and Jensen’s docks was just redone ahead of this weekends festivities. More than a job, being a part of her families shrimping business is Ericksons life. After Hurricane Ian damaged several of their boats, along with their dock and other parts of their business, it has taken some work to bring them to this weekend’s festivities. But they are thrilled to be celebrating their seafood again! RELATED: Dealing with traffic on Fort Myers Beach Erickson said, “For this weekend, Sunday will be kind of our big day. We’ll be doing the blessing of the fleet. And we’re also doing new to this year, a church service that will be at 10. Then the blessing will be at 11, after that. St. Raphael’s church will be doing a shrimp boil here. And thanks to Storm Smart, we will be having shirts on donation, as well as thanks to Brandt Adamski, Fitch, Fletcher and Sanchez; we will have beers on donation.” Blessing the shrimp boats More than just a ritual, these boats mean something to this community. They help provide jobs, bring seafood back to our restaurants and keep our Southwest Florida economy going. The men and women who work on these shrimp boats are out for 30 days at a time, year-round, catching the best shrimp for our community. Blessing their boats is the community’s way of seeing where their beloved shrimp come from while giving the shrimpers a chance to connect with Fort Myers Beach. This is one of the few boats that survived Hurricane Ian at the Erickson and Jensen docks. Erickson said this prayer means more to these shrimpers than many know. “They love that the community cares. It means the world to them that, you know, as fishermen, most of their lives are spent at sea. So to have the community come down and give them that moment. I mean, honestly, it means it means the world to them.”