Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plansMarco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Ian.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
LABELLE City of LaBelle under precautionary boil water notice A water main break has the City of Labelle under a precautionary boil water notice.
ESTERO FGCU student wins ice dancing national championship FGCU sophomore Lucas Appel wins his second US Senior Solo Dance National Championship in three years.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office: Parent brings weapon to Lehigh Acres school According to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office report, there is probable cause to believe a woman unintentionally brought a firearm to school.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for December 11, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
Second leading cause of chest pain The leading cause of cardiac chest pain is coronary artery disease, which affects over 18 million adults in the United States.
Vicky Bakery opens 26th location, first in Fort Myers A Fort Myers location just opened at 4429 Cleveland Ave., at El Dorado Plaza, just east of the Ginza sushi restaurant.
WINK News’ Matt Devitt, officials address resident flooding concerns In a slide presentation, WINK News Chief Meteorologist Matt Devitt showed surrounding coastal counties have the sensors that are installed and monitored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
FORT MYERS RSW offering remote parking for the holidays Southwest Florida International Airport, RSW, is offering passengers RSWRemote, a reserved holiday parking option.
Lee County man found guilty of manslaughter A 47-year-old man from Lee County has been found guilty of manslaughter after stabbing his neighbor multiple times in 2022.
BONITA SPRINGS Bonita Springs Elementary School’s demolition plans There’s a new lesson plan at Bonita Springs Elementary School: Demolition 101. The school is set to be knocked down, and there’s good reason.
MARCO ISLAND Marco Island Councilmember’s dogs allegedly attack 13-year-old girl Councilor Tamara Goehler is coming under fire after her dogs allegedly attacked a 13-year-old girl and the girl’s five-month-old puppy.
PUNTA GORDA Gilchrist Park’s future brightens as boat cleanup commences The boats blocking Gilchrist Park are ready to be moved two years after Hurricane Ian.
Lee County Department of Health issues red tide alert for Bowman’s Beach The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of red tide near Bowman’s Beach.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral working on project to address canal safety An older Cape Coral couple drove into a canal last year. Neighbors are now saying something needs to be done about canal safety.
NAPLES Collier County mental health center receives $4 million donation A giant donation is dedicated to providing people with better mental health care in southwest Florida.
LABELLE City of LaBelle under precautionary boil water notice A water main break has the City of Labelle under a precautionary boil water notice.
ESTERO FGCU student wins ice dancing national championship FGCU sophomore Lucas Appel wins his second US Senior Solo Dance National Championship in three years.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office: Parent brings weapon to Lehigh Acres school According to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office report, there is probable cause to believe a woman unintentionally brought a firearm to school.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Most Wanted Wednesday: Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for December 11, 2024 Here are some of Southwest Florida’s most wanted suspects for Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
Second leading cause of chest pain The leading cause of cardiac chest pain is coronary artery disease, which affects over 18 million adults in the United States.
Vicky Bakery opens 26th location, first in Fort Myers A Fort Myers location just opened at 4429 Cleveland Ave., at El Dorado Plaza, just east of the Ginza sushi restaurant.
WINK News’ Matt Devitt, officials address resident flooding concerns In a slide presentation, WINK News Chief Meteorologist Matt Devitt showed surrounding coastal counties have the sensors that are installed and monitored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
FORT MYERS RSW offering remote parking for the holidays Southwest Florida International Airport, RSW, is offering passengers RSWRemote, a reserved holiday parking option.
Lee County man found guilty of manslaughter A 47-year-old man from Lee County has been found guilty of manslaughter after stabbing his neighbor multiple times in 2022.
Credit: WINK 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.