Cape Coral looking to increase their FEMA flood insurance discountCool start, mild afternoon with lots of sunshine on this Sunday
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral looking to increase their FEMA flood insurance discount The City of Cape Coral got good news from FEMA; the 25% flood insurance discount is staying in place for the next three years.
Cool start, mild afternoon with lots of sunshine on this Sunday The Weather Authority says Sunday started off even slightly cooler than Saturday morning, with temperatures in the 40s and 50s across the area.
CAPE CORAL Community rallies behind hate crime victims and cleans the home After Cape Coral homeowners fell victim to vandals who destroyed their home with racist and hateful slurs, the community is rallying together to get the home back to its original state. WINK News broke this story on Wednesday. RELATED: Cape Coral home vandalized; homeowner calls it a “hate crime” On Friday, Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony […]
CAPE CORAL FGCU community rallies to clean vandalized home after hate crime The FGCU community rallied together to restore the house to its original state on Saturday after a hate crime.
FGCU volleyball wins fourth straight ASUN Tournament title The FGCU volleyball team beat Lipscomb in three sets to claim the program’s fourth straight ASUN Tournament title.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers community comes together for Thanksgiving turkey giveaway This time of year is especially stressful for people who are struggling financially. Adding all the holiday expenses on top of rent, food and basic necessities can leave people feeling anxious and off balance.
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO: Shooting investigation underway in North Fort Myers The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident in North Fort Myers on Saturday.
FORT MYERS Driver arrested after fleeing police, causing multi-car crash in Fort Myers The Fort Myers Police Department has arrested a man accused of causing a multi-car crash in Fort Myers.
Chilly morning and a cool Saturday afternoon with lots of sunshine The Weather Authority says the weekend is starting off nice and chilly, with temperatures in the 40s and 50s across Southwest Florida.
WINK NEWS SWFL Scoreboard: High School Football Regional Semifinals It’s the regional semifinal round of high school football in Southwest Florida. Check out the scores and highlights.
FORT MYERS BEACH New information on why FEMA put Fort Myers Beach on probation FEMA was sure to lay it out in a letter. Out of the five points listed, three areas need work on Fort Myers Beach to re-apply for the flood insurance discount.
CAPE CORAL Exclusive: Cape Coral Police Chief speaks out on hate crime incident New exclusive surveillance video shows the moment a Cape Coral home is vandalized. The suspects painted racial slurs on the wall in red paint. WINK News broke this story on Wednesday.
CAPE CORAL New police precincts coming to Cape Coral The Cape Coral Police Department is adding new precincts around the city. The reason? Growth.
Vietnam veteran’s unique service animal companion When we think of service animals, dogs usually come to mind, but it’s not just dogs that help people navigate through their challenges.
NAPLES Gulfshore Life’s Men and Women of the Year award honoree: John Cooney It’s one thing to be philanthropic and help our community. It’s another to provide so much help and want absolutely nothing in return, not even your name mentioned.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral looking to increase their FEMA flood insurance discount The City of Cape Coral got good news from FEMA; the 25% flood insurance discount is staying in place for the next three years.
Cool start, mild afternoon with lots of sunshine on this Sunday The Weather Authority says Sunday started off even slightly cooler than Saturday morning, with temperatures in the 40s and 50s across the area.
CAPE CORAL Community rallies behind hate crime victims and cleans the home After Cape Coral homeowners fell victim to vandals who destroyed their home with racist and hateful slurs, the community is rallying together to get the home back to its original state. WINK News broke this story on Wednesday. RELATED: Cape Coral home vandalized; homeowner calls it a “hate crime” On Friday, Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony […]
CAPE CORAL FGCU community rallies to clean vandalized home after hate crime The FGCU community rallied together to restore the house to its original state on Saturday after a hate crime.
FGCU volleyball wins fourth straight ASUN Tournament title The FGCU volleyball team beat Lipscomb in three sets to claim the program’s fourth straight ASUN Tournament title.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers community comes together for Thanksgiving turkey giveaway This time of year is especially stressful for people who are struggling financially. Adding all the holiday expenses on top of rent, food and basic necessities can leave people feeling anxious and off balance.
NORTH FORT MYERS LCSO: Shooting investigation underway in North Fort Myers The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident in North Fort Myers on Saturday.
FORT MYERS Driver arrested after fleeing police, causing multi-car crash in Fort Myers The Fort Myers Police Department has arrested a man accused of causing a multi-car crash in Fort Myers.
Chilly morning and a cool Saturday afternoon with lots of sunshine The Weather Authority says the weekend is starting off nice and chilly, with temperatures in the 40s and 50s across Southwest Florida.
WINK NEWS SWFL Scoreboard: High School Football Regional Semifinals It’s the regional semifinal round of high school football in Southwest Florida. Check out the scores and highlights.
FORT MYERS BEACH New information on why FEMA put Fort Myers Beach on probation FEMA was sure to lay it out in a letter. Out of the five points listed, three areas need work on Fort Myers Beach to re-apply for the flood insurance discount.
CAPE CORAL Exclusive: Cape Coral Police Chief speaks out on hate crime incident New exclusive surveillance video shows the moment a Cape Coral home is vandalized. The suspects painted racial slurs on the wall in red paint. WINK News broke this story on Wednesday.
CAPE CORAL New police precincts coming to Cape Coral The Cape Coral Police Department is adding new precincts around the city. The reason? Growth.
Vietnam veteran’s unique service animal companion When we think of service animals, dogs usually come to mind, but it’s not just dogs that help people navigate through their challenges.
NAPLES Gulfshore Life’s Men and Women of the Year award honoree: John Cooney It’s one thing to be philanthropic and help our community. It’s another to provide so much help and want absolutely nothing in return, not even your name mentioned.
Nervous Nellie’s to reopen on Saturday after Hurricane Ian destruction. CREDIT: WINK News Restaurants on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel, open for years and intertwined with everyday people, disappeared under a catastrophic storm surge as Hurricane Ian tore through the area exactly 18 months ago today. After the debris cleared and lives drifted back to routine, a demand from the locals began to emerge. Restaurants on Fort Myers Beach and the Island of Sanibel have opened to answer that demand with a feast. Restaurants on Fort Myers Beach, such as Junkanoo Below Deck, The Rude Shrimp, Hooters, Doc Fords and Salty Crab Bar and Grill, are places where families have made memories for years. When the storm clouds passed and the flood waters receded, some were gone, and others were heavily damaged. In defiance of the uncertain future ahead, businesses began to rebuild. Junkanoo Below Deck on Fort Myers Beach appeared nearly unrecognizable after Hurricane Ian. Evenings normally set on a beautiful beach with a packed house right at sunset with a cold beer in hand were gone. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Junkanoo Below Deck (@junkanoofmb) After Ian, Junkanoo’s had nearly crumbled to the ground. Focus, grit and patience would bring the restaurant back from the brink in February. Now, there are days without an empty seat at the restaurant, like in the post below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Junkanoo Below Deck (@junkanoofmb) This is the theme with many of the other restaurants. The Rude Shrimp went from a booming business to a destroyed building before cleverly and quickly coming back as a trailer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by THE RUDE SHRIMP CO. (@therudeshrimpco) Ian didn’t keep The Rude Shrimp down forever, as the restaurant would eventually fully reopen in January 2023. Doc Ford’s on Fort Myers Beach, Captiva and Sanibel were a regular spot for many visitors and locals on the island. Unfortunately, the Captiva location would end up closing permanently. However, despite still standing after Hurricane Ian, the restaurant on Fort Myers Beach knew it wouldn’t be easy to reopen. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille (@docfords) It took 10 months and overcoming many challenges, but on July 31, 2023, the Doc Ford’s on Fort Myers Beach reopened. Nervous Nellies is a restaurant known to locals and snowbirds on Fort Myers Beach for the food and the iconic big yellow chair out front. Like the abovementioned, the local favorite received devastating blows following the intense storm. If the well-known waterfront eatery were to reopen after Hurricane Ian, it would need much work done. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nervous Nellie's (@nervousnelliesfmb) It took over a year to reopen, but the day eventually came. Nervous Nellies reopened on Jan. 20, 2024. Aware of the arduous effort to reopen the restaurant 477 days after the hurricane, the restaurant posted a picture of the refurbished building. Nervous Nellies reopening after the hurricane. CREDIT: NERVOUS NELLIES FACEBOOK The area has also seen brand new spots open in the 18 months since Hurricane Ian. One of the most notable places is Margaritaville Resort in Fort Myers Beach. RELATED: Grand opening of the Margaritaville Resort in Fort Myers Beach Before opening, Margaritaville caused some controversy on the island. Since then, it seems locals and visitors have warmed up to the resort and are now enjoying the new addition to the area. The resort opened in December 2023 and is one of the latest examples of how far Fort Myers Beach has come since the hurricane. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach (@margaritavillefortmyers) Not all of the restaurants impacted by the storm had the chance to recover after Hurricane Ian. Whether washed away or leveled to the ground, some well-known businesses never opened their doors to the public again. One of those was the Hooters on Fort Myers Beach. It was a common spot for beachgoers to grab a quick bite between tanning and swimming. During the storm, pictures of the orange-roofed restaurant began circulating when it appeared to be crushed by the devastating storm surge. Where Hooters stood on Fort Myers Beach after Ian. CREDIT: WINK News It’s possible the company tried salvaging the remains of what remained of the wing joint. However, Hooters on Fort Myers Beach never served another customer after Ian. One quality people in Southwest Florida put on full display after Hurricane Ian: resolve. In the face of adversity, countless obstacles and helplessly watching as the storm surge washed away neighborhoods, SWFL has returned stronger than before. The new places offer locals and visitors the ability to make new memories. Places that have been restored give people a sense of familiarity. By crossing off one goal after another, people and businesses in Southwest Florida are moving forward 18 months after Hurricane Ian. We won’t stop now.