Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyardCape Coral man accused of possessing child pornography
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of possessing child pornography A Cape Coral man has been arrested after allegedly possessing several files of child pornography on devices.
fort myers 7 people, 3 dogs displaced following house fire in Fort Myers The Fort Myers Fire Department responded to a house fire that has left seven people and three dogs without a home.
CAPE CORAL Island Coast High School employee accused of inappropriate behavior with 2 students We now have new details about the arrest of a Cape Coral instructional support aide at Island Coast High School accused of inappropriate relations with students.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte woman reunites with husband’s ashes A Port Charlotte woman has been reunited with her husband’s ashes after struggling with U.S. Postal Service to find them.
Tim Aten Knows: The Avenue set to break ground on Fifth An upscale mixed-use redevelopment project — The Avenue — will begin construction this quarter on a nearly two-block area of Fifth Avenue South from the former longtime property of St. George & the Dragon restaurant.
Demolition begins on former Winn-Dixie grocery in Estero The walls of the former grocery store at the northwest corner of Three Oaks Parkway and Coconut Road started coming down last month after reaching an agreement with nearby residents who filed suit to stop the project.
TALLAHASSEE Gov. DeSantis announces illegal immigrant enforcement collaboration with ICE Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken another step in tackling illegal immigration by announcing the state’s collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
WINK NEWS Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
the weather authority Near-record heat this Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking more heat as near-record highs are to be expected this Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Sibling rivalry brewing between SWFL Super Bowl champions Philadelphia may be known as the city of brotherly love, but here in southwest Florida, there’s a brotherly rivalry brewing between two of our own.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mother warns others after falling victim to ticket fraud A mother’s intended surprise turned into a disappointment when she paid for Savannah Bananas tickets but never received them. The tickets were meant to be a special gift for her son.
Legal expert weighs in on 17-year-old found not guilty of murder of mom Collin Griffith, a 17-year-old, has been found not guilty in the death of his mother, Catherine Griffith, who was fatally stabbed in the neck.
FORT MYERS $150K worth of equipment stolen from Lee Health The Fort Myers Police Department has arrested a hospital employee accused of stealing more than $150,000 worth of medical equipment from Lee Health.
NAPLES Award-winning stylist to host event during Naples Automotive Experience On Friday, an Emmy Award-winning Hollywood stylist will host Forever Fabulous, a charity event with the St. Matthew’s House.
golden gate Bear Brawl: Black bears duke it out in Golden Gate backyard Two black bears were caught on camera tussling for garbage in the backyard of a Golden Gate home.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral man accused of possessing child pornography A Cape Coral man has been arrested after allegedly possessing several files of child pornography on devices.
fort myers 7 people, 3 dogs displaced following house fire in Fort Myers The Fort Myers Fire Department responded to a house fire that has left seven people and three dogs without a home.
CAPE CORAL Island Coast High School employee accused of inappropriate behavior with 2 students We now have new details about the arrest of a Cape Coral instructional support aide at Island Coast High School accused of inappropriate relations with students.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte woman reunites with husband’s ashes A Port Charlotte woman has been reunited with her husband’s ashes after struggling with U.S. Postal Service to find them.
Tim Aten Knows: The Avenue set to break ground on Fifth An upscale mixed-use redevelopment project — The Avenue — will begin construction this quarter on a nearly two-block area of Fifth Avenue South from the former longtime property of St. George & the Dragon restaurant.
Demolition begins on former Winn-Dixie grocery in Estero The walls of the former grocery store at the northwest corner of Three Oaks Parkway and Coconut Road started coming down last month after reaching an agreement with nearby residents who filed suit to stop the project.
TALLAHASSEE Gov. DeSantis announces illegal immigrant enforcement collaboration with ICE Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken another step in tackling illegal immigration by announcing the state’s collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
WINK NEWS Web Exclusive: Rachel Cox-Rosen’s Construction Heads Up As construction may dampen your commute, WINK News traffic anchor Rachel Cox Rosen knows the best way to traverse the roadways in this web-exclusive feature.
the weather authority Near-record heat this Friday afternoon The Weather Authority is tracking more heat as near-record highs are to be expected this Friday afternoon.
FORT MYERS Sibling rivalry brewing between SWFL Super Bowl champions Philadelphia may be known as the city of brotherly love, but here in southwest Florida, there’s a brotherly rivalry brewing between two of our own.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers mother warns others after falling victim to ticket fraud A mother’s intended surprise turned into a disappointment when she paid for Savannah Bananas tickets but never received them. The tickets were meant to be a special gift for her son.
Legal expert weighs in on 17-year-old found not guilty of murder of mom Collin Griffith, a 17-year-old, has been found not guilty in the death of his mother, Catherine Griffith, who was fatally stabbed in the neck.
FORT MYERS $150K worth of equipment stolen from Lee Health The Fort Myers Police Department has arrested a hospital employee accused of stealing more than $150,000 worth of medical equipment from Lee Health.
NAPLES Award-winning stylist to host event during Naples Automotive Experience On Friday, an Emmy Award-winning Hollywood stylist will host Forever Fabulous, a charity event with the St. Matthew’s House.
Black bear. Credit: The Fort Myers Police Department Officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission tranquilized and captured a Florida black bear spotted in a downtown Fort Myers parking lot. Adam Brown, an FWC spokesperson, said the trap they brought in was not working, so they used a tranquilizer gun to subdue the 350-pound male bear Monday morning. The animal will be relocated outside of Lee County to state lands, according to FWC. They said they did not know where it came from. The Florida black bear was first spotted in downtown Fort Myers early in the morning in the area of Broadway and Victoria Avenue. “They kind of tracked it and followed it to this location behind us. And then, at that point, they had given us a call. And so we started scrambling some officers to get down here,” said Brown. The animal was originally found between a box truck and a trailer behind the fence of the employee parking lot of Appliances To Go USA at 2155 Broadway. “I’m sitting there, just enjoying my coffee in the morning like I typically do, watching your news,” said Mickey Rosado, the owner of Appliances To Go USA, “and there was a picture of my trailer on the news, and there’s a bear sneaking in between the trailer and the truck. I said, ‘OK, that’s an interesting story,’ so I told my wife, ‘Hey, there’s something going on in the yard,’ and she told me I better go get myself over there.” The bear roamed freely in the lot but was secured in the fenced area of the appliance store. It appeared to have climbed over a fence to get into the lot. “Ultimately, we could tell from the the atmosphere here, a lot of noise and a lot of stress added to that bear. It didn’t seem interested at all in eating. And so we decided it probably best to take action,” said Brown. There were three Florida Fish and Wildlife trucks on the scene, along with Fort Myers Police officers. “I feel great. I’m very at peace, I’m at ease that everything was so smooth to be done. Very professional,” said Rosado. “But again, we invaded their territory. So you’re sympathetic. I am very sympathetic.” How many bears are there in Florida? FWC estimates there to be approximately 4,050 bears statewide. They roam forests and swamps, from Eglin Air Force Base in the Panhandle to Ocala National Forest in the state’s midsection to Big Cypress National Preserve in Southwest Florida. Bears currently occupy 49 percent of their historic range in seven bear subpopulations. While many subpopulations appear to be doing well, others are clearly still recovering. What do I do if I see a bear? FWC recommends that if you encounter a bear at close range, remain standing upright, back up slowly and speak to the animal in a calm, assertive voice. Do not feed or intentionally attract these animals. If a bear eats something on your property, take note of what it is and secure it once the animal leaves. Never approach or surprise a bear. If you see one from a distance, enjoy the experience, but do not move toward the creature. If you are close, do not make any sudden or abrupt movements. Back away slowly and be sure the bear has an obvious escape route. If you are in your yard: Make sure that you are in a safe area and that the bear has a clear escape route. Then, make noise or bang pots and pans to scare it away. Do not turn your back, play dead, climb a tree or run. Back away slowly into the house or secure area. Avoid direct eye contact. Bears and many other animals may view this as aggressive behavior. Report any bear that is threatening the safety of humans, pets or livestock, or causing property damage to the FWC.