Punta Gorda residents frustrated by hurricane debris delaysMiracle Moment: A rosy outlook following surprise diagnosis
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda residents frustrated by hurricane debris delays Many people in parts of southwest Florida feel like they’ve dealt with more than their fair share of storm damage lately.
Miracle Moment: A rosy outlook following surprise diagnosis It’s time for Miracle Moment. Today, we meet a toddler diagnosed with a disease without known prevention or cure.
Poll workers ready for Election Day rush in Collier County Poll workers gear up for a busy Tuesday in Collier County; some have been there for a while, and this year marks their first time working at a polling place for others.
CAPE CORAL Voters decide: Will Cape Coral City Council members stay or go? Stipends, Jaycee Park and new developments have been topics of concern in the City of Cape Coral for months now.
MATLACHA Lee County residents still dealing with damage from hurricanes Hurricane recovery has been an ongoing project here in Southwest Florida since Hurricane Ian.
FGCU Former FGCU golfer Frankie Capan III makes PGA Tour After playing two seasons on the Korn Ferry Tour, former FGCU golfer Frankie Capan III is moving up to the PGA Tour.
Parents cast their votes for Lee County school superintendent With just hours now until the election, WINK News wants to highlight a few local races that haven’t gotten as much attention. One of them is the election of Lee County’s next superintendent of schools.
NORTH FORT MYERS Former Dollar General employee accused of stealing $7,000 in returns A woman has been arrested after defrauding a Dollar General in North Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH The Tropics and Red Tide; what happens if or when they interact? The Tropics are active despite the fact that there’s less than a month left in hurricane season. But how will a system interact with red tide?
CAPE CORAL Police investigate gunfire at Cape Coral rental home The bullet holes left behind by shots heard in a normally quiet Cape Coral neighborhood scared one woman into buying security cameras for her home.
CAPE CORAL Bimini Basin residents face housing challenges Time is running out for the families who live in one Cape Coral community to find places to call home.
Harris and Trump make a furious final push before Election Day A presidential campaign that has careened through a felony trial, an incumbent president being pushed off the ticket and multiple assassination attempts comes down to a final sprint across a handful of states on Election Day eve.
Using AI to detect pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. That’s due in part to the limited testing available for early detection.
the weather authority Tropical Storm Rafael forms in the Caribbean The Weather Authority meteorologists are monitoring the Caribbean as Tropical Storm Rafael has formed.
CAPE CORAL JROTC cadets prepare for Cape Coral Veterans Day Parade Cape Coral High School JROTC students will march to honor our veterans.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda residents frustrated by hurricane debris delays Many people in parts of southwest Florida feel like they’ve dealt with more than their fair share of storm damage lately.
Miracle Moment: A rosy outlook following surprise diagnosis It’s time for Miracle Moment. Today, we meet a toddler diagnosed with a disease without known prevention or cure.
Poll workers ready for Election Day rush in Collier County Poll workers gear up for a busy Tuesday in Collier County; some have been there for a while, and this year marks their first time working at a polling place for others.
CAPE CORAL Voters decide: Will Cape Coral City Council members stay or go? Stipends, Jaycee Park and new developments have been topics of concern in the City of Cape Coral for months now.
MATLACHA Lee County residents still dealing with damage from hurricanes Hurricane recovery has been an ongoing project here in Southwest Florida since Hurricane Ian.
FGCU Former FGCU golfer Frankie Capan III makes PGA Tour After playing two seasons on the Korn Ferry Tour, former FGCU golfer Frankie Capan III is moving up to the PGA Tour.
Parents cast their votes for Lee County school superintendent With just hours now until the election, WINK News wants to highlight a few local races that haven’t gotten as much attention. One of them is the election of Lee County’s next superintendent of schools.
NORTH FORT MYERS Former Dollar General employee accused of stealing $7,000 in returns A woman has been arrested after defrauding a Dollar General in North Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH The Tropics and Red Tide; what happens if or when they interact? The Tropics are active despite the fact that there’s less than a month left in hurricane season. But how will a system interact with red tide?
CAPE CORAL Police investigate gunfire at Cape Coral rental home The bullet holes left behind by shots heard in a normally quiet Cape Coral neighborhood scared one woman into buying security cameras for her home.
CAPE CORAL Bimini Basin residents face housing challenges Time is running out for the families who live in one Cape Coral community to find places to call home.
Harris and Trump make a furious final push before Election Day A presidential campaign that has careened through a felony trial, an incumbent president being pushed off the ticket and multiple assassination attempts comes down to a final sprint across a handful of states on Election Day eve.
Using AI to detect pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. That’s due in part to the limited testing available for early detection.
the weather authority Tropical Storm Rafael forms in the Caribbean The Weather Authority meteorologists are monitoring the Caribbean as Tropical Storm Rafael has formed.
CAPE CORAL JROTC cadets prepare for Cape Coral Veterans Day Parade Cape Coral High School JROTC students will march to honor our veterans.
Mary Lou Sharp, an 80-year-old woman, lost her life on Saturday when a driver veered off the road in Matlacha. WINK News spoke with two of Mary Lou’s granddaughters who said she was a “community star” in Matlacha. Everyone was friends with her, and everyone knew her. Dozens of bouquets of flowers can be found at Mary Lou’s memorial. Many people paid their respects outside of That BBQ Place. RELATED: Woman killed after a car goes off the road and into a Matlacha restaurant “She went to all these local restaurants and she went out with everyone. Her life, if it could just consist of talking to people and being happy and laughing that’s all she wanted in life,” Danielle Darna, a granddaughter of Mary Lou said. Danielle and Kasha Darna are two of Mary Lou’s many grandchildren. “We’re very close. She’s very social, um, known locally, like she didn’t live far from where this happened, maybe two miles away,” Kasha said. “I never thought I would get the call that something so tragic could happen because of somebody silly mistake. You know, he ruined his life and many others,” Danielle said. She was enjoying a meal at “That BBQ place” with a group of people. Her boyfriend, Butch Gay, was seriously injured and taken to the hospital. Three others were also hurt. All four have since been in the hospital, with two being released today. “We’d like to see the driver held accountable for what he did,” Kasha said. Both granddaughters shared several pictures of Mary Lou. They said she always had a smile on her face and that she told the best stories. “She was always telling a new story or some kind of history or something. She was just such an interesting person to talk to,” Danielle said. The granddaughters said she would be deeply missed, not only by themselves but also by the large group of friends who surrounded her. “Just hold everyone tight who love everyone and just try to be the best person you can. That’s all I have to say. My grandma did that, and she lived to be 80 years old,” Danielle said. As for the driver of the car, we do know he is a 24-year-old from Cape Coral and is in police custody. His name or his charges have not been released. WINK News asked Florida Highway Patrol what is the status on the charges. They wrote back: “The crash scene was extensive, involves a death, injuries, and property damage, and remains under investigation, charges pending. I will provide an update once that status changes.” Stay tuned to WINKNews.com, WINK News App, streaming, and on-air for any new developments on this story.