CW Fudge Factory in Matlacha getting back to business after stormsHow much will a Christmas tree cost in Southwest Florida this year?
MATLACHA CW Fudge Factory in Matlacha getting back to business after storms Getting back to business is giving one island the boost they need before the holidays.
southwest florida How much will a Christmas tree cost in Southwest Florida this year? With Thanksgiving this week and Christmas around the corner, we want to know how tree prices are stacking up across Southwest Florida.
Early lung cancer detection According to a critical care pulmonologist with Lee Health, every day, two people in Lee County hear the news that they have lung cancer.
Bishop Verot seniors cheering in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade The Viking seniors get a once in a lifetime experience cheering with Spirit of America in the iconic holiday parade.
FORT MYERS Shell Factory & Nature Park announces online auction liquidation of remaining inventory Fans of the now-closed Shell Factory & Nature Park will have a final chance to own a piece of nostalgia with two virtual auctions.
Lee County officials share progress on post-Milton debris cleanup Lee County has announced it has collected 200,000 cubic yards of storm debris in unincorporated areas post-Hurricane Milton.
Man accused of fleeing from Charlotte deputies through drainage pipe The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man who tried to flee from deputies during a traffic stop through a drainage pipe.
FORT MYERS Man wanted for stealing money from tip jar at Fort Myers establishment Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man wanted for stealing from a tip jar at a Fort Myers establishment.
Matlacha Judge denies man accused of driving into That BBQ Place new attorney The man accused of driving drunk and crashing his car into That BBQ Place on Matlacha, killing a patron, has been denied his request for a new attorney.
Mostly sunny and seasonably high temps Monday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a mostly sunny Monday with temperatures matching seasonable highs this afternoon.
north fort myers Deputy presence reported in front of North Fort Myers laundromat The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a scene located on Pine Island Road in North Fort Myers.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral hurricane debris drop-off sites closed Two hurricane debris drop-off sites have closed in Cape Coral.
FORT MYERS Former NFL star Tre Boston gives back to hometown of Fort Myers for Thanksgiving You may recognize Tre Boston for his skills as a Carolina Panthers safety. In his hometown of Fort Myers, he is known for his holiday helping hands.
WINK NEWS Holiday Cheer: Send letters to Santa at Sunshine Ace Hardware Sunshine Ace Hardware will be serving as a drop-off location for any children looking to mail their holiday wish lists to the North Pole.
MATLACHA CW Fudge Factory in Matlacha getting back to business after storms Getting back to business is giving one island the boost they need before the holidays.
southwest florida How much will a Christmas tree cost in Southwest Florida this year? With Thanksgiving this week and Christmas around the corner, we want to know how tree prices are stacking up across Southwest Florida.
Early lung cancer detection According to a critical care pulmonologist with Lee Health, every day, two people in Lee County hear the news that they have lung cancer.
Bishop Verot seniors cheering in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade The Viking seniors get a once in a lifetime experience cheering with Spirit of America in the iconic holiday parade.
FORT MYERS Shell Factory & Nature Park announces online auction liquidation of remaining inventory Fans of the now-closed Shell Factory & Nature Park will have a final chance to own a piece of nostalgia with two virtual auctions.
Lee County officials share progress on post-Milton debris cleanup Lee County has announced it has collected 200,000 cubic yards of storm debris in unincorporated areas post-Hurricane Milton.
Man accused of fleeing from Charlotte deputies through drainage pipe The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man who tried to flee from deputies during a traffic stop through a drainage pipe.
FORT MYERS Man wanted for stealing money from tip jar at Fort Myers establishment Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is seeking information on a man wanted for stealing from a tip jar at a Fort Myers establishment.
Matlacha Judge denies man accused of driving into That BBQ Place new attorney The man accused of driving drunk and crashing his car into That BBQ Place on Matlacha, killing a patron, has been denied his request for a new attorney.
Mostly sunny and seasonably high temps Monday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking a mostly sunny Monday with temperatures matching seasonable highs this afternoon.
north fort myers Deputy presence reported in front of North Fort Myers laundromat The Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a scene located on Pine Island Road in North Fort Myers.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral hurricane debris drop-off sites closed Two hurricane debris drop-off sites have closed in Cape Coral.
FORT MYERS Former NFL star Tre Boston gives back to hometown of Fort Myers for Thanksgiving You may recognize Tre Boston for his skills as a Carolina Panthers safety. In his hometown of Fort Myers, he is known for his holiday helping hands.
WINK NEWS Holiday Cheer: Send letters to Santa at Sunshine Ace Hardware Sunshine Ace Hardware will be serving as a drop-off location for any children looking to mail their holiday wish lists to the North Pole.
LCSO investigates homicide. CREDIT: WINK News The Wall Street Journal says nationwide homicide rates have dropped by 20% compared to the numbers from 2023. The latest numbers indicate levels are approaching pre-pandemic rates. However, after analyzing the data for Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties, those nationwide numbers don’t tell the whole story. In Charlotte County, the number of homicides is similar year to year. Meanwhile, homicide numbers spiked as we got further from the pandemic in Collier County. Despite the high numbers in Lee County, they are trending downward. The Wall Street Journal reports a 20% decrease in 133 cities in the United States. Those numbers are taken from the start of 2024 to the end of March and are in contrast to those in 2023. “This is the complexity of homicides,” said Kristen Ziman, a safety and security expert and retired police chief, “and when you look back at homicides, let’s say starting in the 1960s, going back that far, they started rising there. They peaked in the early 70s, then fell sharply.” WINK News spoke with Ziman about the falling homicide rates and their meaning. “This is just simply the cyclical homicide rate, and we see the rise and fall over the years. Now, you talk to other people who will try to highlight exactly what is causing these,” said Ziman, “what is the root cause of views, so we can explore a few of them.” Those factors can be sociological, economic or psychological in nature, and their impacts can vary depending on the environment. Lee County saw the sharpest decline in homicide rates. In 2020, there were 22 homicides in Lee County. Fast-forward to 2023, and those numbers fall to just ten. “It’s a train mentality,” said Carmine Marceno, Lee County’s sheriff. “Utilizing all the tools that we can to get that message out. Zero tolerance on homicides [and] violent crime. People live in a safe law and order community.” The numbers have stayed roughly the same in Collier and Charlotte counties. Collier County had four homicides in 2020. Three years later, those numbers increased to six. In Charlotte County, there were five homicides back in 2020. Those numbers dropped to four in 2023, a small decline in accordance with the national trend. But how do the community or county leaders and sheriffs play a role in the decline? “The trifecta saying we will not tolerate that here really does send a social message to individuals in the community: ‘Wow, I can’t commit any crime here because I’ll get caught and I’ll be held accountable,’ so there is absolutely social impact that we cannot ignore,” said Ziman. We will have to wait and see how the trend turns out by the end of the year, given we are only four months into 2024.