Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmateConstruction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns
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.
Lee County Parks & Recreation to offer free parking this weekend for certain locations Lee County Parks & Recreation sites offering free swimming or free parking this weekend to include parks, beaches and boat ramps.
Tim Aten Knows: Construction expanding Shoppes at Vanderbilt in North Naples Two outparcel buildings under construction simultaneously on the north and west side of the CVS pharmacy at Airport-Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach roads will have new spaces for restaurants, stores and a variety of additional service concepts at the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt, said P.J. Hill, leasing manager for the sprawling retail center in North Naples.
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.
Lee County Parks & Recreation to offer free parking this weekend for certain locations Lee County Parks & Recreation sites offering free swimming or free parking this weekend to include parks, beaches and boat ramps.
Tim Aten Knows: Construction expanding Shoppes at Vanderbilt in North Naples Two outparcel buildings under construction simultaneously on the north and west side of the CVS pharmacy at Airport-Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach roads will have new spaces for restaurants, stores and a variety of additional service concepts at the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt, said P.J. Hill, leasing manager for the sprawling retail center in North Naples.
The iconic phrase “Take me out to the ballgame” has lost meaning as baseball attendance and television ratings have noticeably dropped in recent years. With passion waning for the American tradition, how will it financially impact spring training in Southwest Florida? Jessamy Finet and Erin Nanstad have visited Lee County from Boston for 25 years to watch the spring training. “We come for baseball, we enjoy it,” said Finet. “We enjoy the weather, we get our drink on, we go see people that we’ve met for the past 20 years.” Unfortunately, baseball in Lee County hasn’t had a clean offseason in five years. The events of COVID-19, Hurricane Ian, and a major league baseball lockout have thrown a curveball at the spring training experience, impacting Lee County in the process. Attendees at Jet Blue Park. Credit: WINK Jeff Mielke, Executive Director of Sports Development, says that despite the recent obstacles, the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins, the two teams that call Lee County home, are still receiving first-place support. “It’s a testament to these strong fan bases that they both represent because they’re always in the top two to five of the Grapefruit League in attendance,” said Mielke. Data gathered from Major League Baseball shows that spring training attendance has decreased across the last 10 years, with the Red Sox and Twins seeing dips in Lee County. Despite the statistics, Lee County Officials claim that the tourism impact and the money generated from the two fanbases are financially successful. The latest economic study of 2018 reveals nearly $69 million in revenue generated by spring training. “They’ve been here a long time, the fans love our destination, they’re buying second homes here, there are a lot of folks who have annualized this occurrence, and it’s ingrained in their family experiences,” said Mielke. Finet and Nanstad have had first-hand experience as their 4-day trip 25 years ago has grown into a 16-day vacation. While spring training has sustained a significant presence in Lee County, the same cannot be said for Charlotte County. The Tampa Bay Rays is the only other team that holds its spring training in Southwest Florida; however, attendance has not reached more than 5,000 people since 2016. The most recent financial impact report from Charlotte County in 2022 shows the team generated almost $7 million. The interconnectedness between Lee County and the professional baseball teams has stemmed from the early 1990s. Mielke has pointed out the deep-rooted relationship between scholarships provided by the teams and local schools, with six-figure donations made after the impacts of Hurricane Ian. “They’re not just here in February and March. They have a presence in our community. They’re doing good things beyond the baseball field,” said Mielke. “The public and private partnerships between the three of us are. I don’t know of another destination that has that.” The Twins lease in Lee County runs through 2042, and the Red Sox’s lease is set to end in 2038.