OLGA 2 teens identified in Franklin Lock Park drowning Authorities have released the identities of two of the three Franklin Lock Park drowning victims.
Title and trust company expands to Charlotte County It’s a family affair at Lyons Title & Trust, which recently opened its third office in Port Charlotte.
Collier rejects $23M price tag for 2,247 acres Collier County commissioners unanimously rejected a $23 million price for a 2,247-acre Immokalee property for possible affordable workforce housing, fire house and other uses, opting to continue negotiating.
Voodoo Brewing Co. upends brewery business model Voodoo Brewing Co. began in 2005 and has since expanded to five corporate locations and 14 franchise locations, with the Fort Myers spot being the first to open in Florida.
COLLIER COUNTY Truck overturns, spills cargo; I-75 at mile marker 63 closed The Rest Area Access Road, under I-75 at mile marker 63, is closed due to an overturned truck that spilled its cargo onto the roadway.
FORT MYERS “I’m so grateful candlelight is here” Gulf Coast Symphony fills venue with thousands of candles Gulf Coast Symphony holds Candlelight concerts in an effort to introduce classical musicians and string quartets to the community in a unique atmosphere.
WINK NEWS 2 men arrested for fleeing from State Troopers; throwing backpack filled with drugs from car on I-75 Two men have been arrested after allegedly fleeing from State Troopers on Interstate 75 and throwing a backpack with drugs out of the car.
fort myers Local NAACP Branch plans protest in response to state attorney’s ruling The Lee County NAACP plans on protesting the state attorney’s ruling of an FMPD detective’s killing of an unarmed black man.
WINK NEWS Car fire on I-75 northbound temporarily closes lanes A car on fire has been reported near Bonita Beach Road on I-75 northbound.
downtown fort myers The downtown Fort Myers post office has reopened The downtown Fort Myers post office has officially reopened.
WINK NEWS Woman allegedly involved in one of Southwest Florida’s largest drug rings scheduled in court for plea hearing One woman suspected of being involved in one of the largest drug rings in Southwest Florida is set to appear in court for a plea hearing.
PUNTA GORDA Accused hitman in Punta Gorda double homicide will be in court for arraignment An accused hitman involved in a double homicide in Punta Gorda is scheduled to appear in court this morning for his arraignment.
WINK NEWS Poll results reveal more children are drinking caffeine For many, the morning routine is incomplete without a cup of coffee, but do you remember how old you were when you started your caffeine kick?
FORT MYERS Detective returns to work after Christopher Jordan investigation The detective with the Fort Myers Police Department who shot and killed an unarmed black man is set to return to work.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Iran President Ebrahim Raisi, supreme leader’s protégé, dies at 63 in helicopter crash Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a hard-line protégé of the country’s supreme leader who helped oversee the mass executions of thousands in 1988 and later led the country as it enriched uranium near weapons-grade levels and launched a major drone-and-missile attack on Israel, has died. He was 63.
OLGA 2 teens identified in Franklin Lock Park drowning Authorities have released the identities of two of the three Franklin Lock Park drowning victims.
Title and trust company expands to Charlotte County It’s a family affair at Lyons Title & Trust, which recently opened its third office in Port Charlotte.
Collier rejects $23M price tag for 2,247 acres Collier County commissioners unanimously rejected a $23 million price for a 2,247-acre Immokalee property for possible affordable workforce housing, fire house and other uses, opting to continue negotiating.
Voodoo Brewing Co. upends brewery business model Voodoo Brewing Co. began in 2005 and has since expanded to five corporate locations and 14 franchise locations, with the Fort Myers spot being the first to open in Florida.
COLLIER COUNTY Truck overturns, spills cargo; I-75 at mile marker 63 closed The Rest Area Access Road, under I-75 at mile marker 63, is closed due to an overturned truck that spilled its cargo onto the roadway.
FORT MYERS “I’m so grateful candlelight is here” Gulf Coast Symphony fills venue with thousands of candles Gulf Coast Symphony holds Candlelight concerts in an effort to introduce classical musicians and string quartets to the community in a unique atmosphere.
WINK NEWS 2 men arrested for fleeing from State Troopers; throwing backpack filled with drugs from car on I-75 Two men have been arrested after allegedly fleeing from State Troopers on Interstate 75 and throwing a backpack with drugs out of the car.
fort myers Local NAACP Branch plans protest in response to state attorney’s ruling The Lee County NAACP plans on protesting the state attorney’s ruling of an FMPD detective’s killing of an unarmed black man.
WINK NEWS Car fire on I-75 northbound temporarily closes lanes A car on fire has been reported near Bonita Beach Road on I-75 northbound.
downtown fort myers The downtown Fort Myers post office has reopened The downtown Fort Myers post office has officially reopened.
WINK NEWS Woman allegedly involved in one of Southwest Florida’s largest drug rings scheduled in court for plea hearing One woman suspected of being involved in one of the largest drug rings in Southwest Florida is set to appear in court for a plea hearing.
PUNTA GORDA Accused hitman in Punta Gorda double homicide will be in court for arraignment An accused hitman involved in a double homicide in Punta Gorda is scheduled to appear in court this morning for his arraignment.
WINK NEWS Poll results reveal more children are drinking caffeine For many, the morning routine is incomplete without a cup of coffee, but do you remember how old you were when you started your caffeine kick?
FORT MYERS Detective returns to work after Christopher Jordan investigation The detective with the Fort Myers Police Department who shot and killed an unarmed black man is set to return to work.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Iran President Ebrahim Raisi, supreme leader’s protégé, dies at 63 in helicopter crash Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a hard-line protégé of the country’s supreme leader who helped oversee the mass executions of thousands in 1988 and later led the country as it enriched uranium near weapons-grade levels and launched a major drone-and-missile attack on Israel, has died. He was 63.
One Port Charlotte woman was skeptical of her student loan consolidation and potential forgiveness, but an email over the weekend changed her life. After decades of monthly payments, Laurie Winter is free from student loan debt. She got an email from the US Department of Education announcing her federal Direct Consolidation Loans were forgiven. Winter smiling while discussing student loan forgiveness, CREDIT: WINK News “I was in the middle of the party, and I was like, ‘No way! This is crazy!'” Winter recalled. WINK News first told viewers about Winter’s student loan issues at the end of April. She took out about $45,000 in Federal Family Education Program Loans, or FFEL loans, so she could go to Florida State University in the early 2000s. FFEL loans are no longer available, but most pre-existing ones are held by private companies, not the federal government. Screenshot from the Federal Student Aid website “I applied for the student loans on my own. I also got some Pell grants,” Winter said in the story that aired in April. “I was the first person to go to college in my family. So I kind of just went out and did it on my own.” The US DOE told WINK News Consumer Reporter Andryanna Sheppard in order for Winter to qualify for any student loan forgiveness or income driven repayment plans, Winter needed to consolidate her loans with them. But after the Supreme Court struck down the Biden Administration’s loan plan for federal borrowers last June, Winter felt misled. The life of her loan was extended and her almost $15,000 bill ballooned to about $22,000. That’s about an extra $6,000 in interest. Winter discussing her student loan issues with WINK News Consumer Reporter Andryanna Sheppard, CREDIT: WINK News “I think it’s real convenient that all of us had to refinance our loans with the Department of Education. It makes sense if that’s where the funds were coming from. But now we did all of that and there’s no funds coming from them. So it just seems like everyone refinanced their loans with the government, which seems shady,” Winter said in the April story. But because she consolidated and made 20 to 25 years’ worth of payments, that debt is gone. You were the first person I texted. I couldn’t believe it. It was a little bit surreal and I was very excited. Winter to Sheppard “The last time we spoke, you described this particular consolidation process as ‘shady.’ Do you feel the same now?” Sheppard asked. “I went through the process, and at first, it definitely looked like it did not play in my favor,” Winter replied. “I maybe had to pay that for a couple years until it finally did, but I made the second round of forgiveness, and I’m very grateful.” Winter smiling while discussing student loan forgiveness, CREDIT: WINK News Now she hopes her story brings hope to everyone chipping away at their student loan debt and that it shines more light on the student debt crisis. “Hopefully, there will be some reform,” Winter added. “to show them that this is not the path forward.” So if her children choose the college route, they won’t be saddled with debt like she was. The Biden Administration’s new student loan relief plan includes wiping away up to $20,000 in interest for those who owe more than the original loan was worth. The plan would also wipe away debt for people who have been paying undergrad loans for 20 years or more or grad student loans over the last 25 years. It also applies to those already eligible for loan forgiveness and for borrowers who can prove financial hardships prevent them from repaying their loans.