The Weather Authority: A bit drier today; not a bad day to head out on the boatFC Naples debuts club name, crest and colors
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: A bit drier today; not a bad day to head out on the boat A great day to celebrate dad. Drier weather with temps topping out in the low 90s under mostly cloudy skies.
NAPLES FC Naples debuts club name, crest and colors FC Naples, the USL League One soccer club, debuted its name, crest and colors Saturday morning.
NAPLES Fire rescue exhibit gives children firefighter experience Children learned how to put out fires from real-life firefighters and got tips on how to stay under the flames with the help of Tank the K9.
PORT CHARLOTTE New video: Search continues for Metro Diner tip jar thief Someone stole a tip jar meant to help a mom with her baby in the NICU. Now, the restaurant is asking for help finding the guy who did it.
FORT MYERS Right lane cleared on Edison Bridge after hit-and-run crash The Fort Myers police department has confirmed this is a hit-and-run crash, and there are no reported injuries at this time.
CAPE CORAL The Weather Authority’s Chief Meteorologist Matt Devitt speaks at Cape Coral Hurricane Expo Meet Matt Devitt, pick up a WINK Hurricane Guide and rain gauge at the Cape Coral Hurricane Expo.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: Scattered storms, mostly cloudy skies, below averages temperatures Signs of improvement in your weekend weather forecast, but some lingering tropical moisture means scattered storms.
FORT MYERS Businesses struggling to stay open in downtown Fort Myers Snowbird season is over, traffic is a mess from the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure and the new parking system isn’t exactly perfect in downtown Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH New numbers show open hotel rooms in parts of Lee County are low Lee County released new data this week on how different areas in the county are bouncing back after Ian by looking at how many hotels have reopened since the storm.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Lake Okeechobee on the rise after recent tropical moisture, days of rain Lake O’s water level has gone up by half a foot over the last several days due to the drenching the southern part of the state has received.
SOUTH FORT MYERS South Fort Myers neighborhood tired of dealing with flooding Residents in a south Fort Myers neighborhood had water going up to their garages after the downpour ended.
Tech-less program helping to keep Charlotte County students engaged The Charlotte County School District is pioneering a unique approach to make summer learning more engaging.
SAN CARLOS PARK Sewage overflows due to rain in San Carlos Park Many in San Carlos Park are worried about the water being hazardous for kids.
Fort Myers City Council extends contract with Edison Restaurant Bringing a restaurant loved by the community back to life. Last year, Fort Myers City Council hoped to save the Edison Restaurant.
PARKLAND Demolishing Marjory Stoneman Douglas High begins For six years, time stood still inside the 1200 building of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, and on Friday, the site where 17 people were massacred is getting torn down.
Southwest Florida The Weather Authority: A bit drier today; not a bad day to head out on the boat A great day to celebrate dad. Drier weather with temps topping out in the low 90s under mostly cloudy skies.
NAPLES FC Naples debuts club name, crest and colors FC Naples, the USL League One soccer club, debuted its name, crest and colors Saturday morning.
NAPLES Fire rescue exhibit gives children firefighter experience Children learned how to put out fires from real-life firefighters and got tips on how to stay under the flames with the help of Tank the K9.
PORT CHARLOTTE New video: Search continues for Metro Diner tip jar thief Someone stole a tip jar meant to help a mom with her baby in the NICU. Now, the restaurant is asking for help finding the guy who did it.
FORT MYERS Right lane cleared on Edison Bridge after hit-and-run crash The Fort Myers police department has confirmed this is a hit-and-run crash, and there are no reported injuries at this time.
CAPE CORAL The Weather Authority’s Chief Meteorologist Matt Devitt speaks at Cape Coral Hurricane Expo Meet Matt Devitt, pick up a WINK Hurricane Guide and rain gauge at the Cape Coral Hurricane Expo.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA The Weather Authority: Scattered storms, mostly cloudy skies, below averages temperatures Signs of improvement in your weekend weather forecast, but some lingering tropical moisture means scattered storms.
FORT MYERS Businesses struggling to stay open in downtown Fort Myers Snowbird season is over, traffic is a mess from the Caloosahatchee Bridge closure and the new parking system isn’t exactly perfect in downtown Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH New numbers show open hotel rooms in parts of Lee County are low Lee County released new data this week on how different areas in the county are bouncing back after Ian by looking at how many hotels have reopened since the storm.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Lake Okeechobee on the rise after recent tropical moisture, days of rain Lake O’s water level has gone up by half a foot over the last several days due to the drenching the southern part of the state has received.
SOUTH FORT MYERS South Fort Myers neighborhood tired of dealing with flooding Residents in a south Fort Myers neighborhood had water going up to their garages after the downpour ended.
Tech-less program helping to keep Charlotte County students engaged The Charlotte County School District is pioneering a unique approach to make summer learning more engaging.
SAN CARLOS PARK Sewage overflows due to rain in San Carlos Park Many in San Carlos Park are worried about the water being hazardous for kids.
Fort Myers City Council extends contract with Edison Restaurant Bringing a restaurant loved by the community back to life. Last year, Fort Myers City Council hoped to save the Edison Restaurant.
PARKLAND Demolishing Marjory Stoneman Douglas High begins For six years, time stood still inside the 1200 building of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, and on Friday, the site where 17 people were massacred is getting torn down.
Traffic is getting worse on Southwest Florida roads, and downtown Fort Myers, one of the most popular areas in the region, is having some issues with foot traffic. Sights of sparse foot traffic in downtown Fort Myers are becoming more common. Businesses are saying 2024 is one of the worst and slowest years they’ve seen in a long time. Businesses and groups organizing events in the downtown area say the numbers speak for themselves. The numbers from April and May don’t paint an ideal picture. If you’re looking for bars, restaurants, retail, entertainment and all that with a view, then downtown Fort Myers is your destination. Downtown Fort Myers people walking around. CREDIT: WINK News “Our downtown is just so charming and beautiful,” said Lisa Sbuttoni, the president and CEO of River District Alliance. The River District Alliance plans events like the Art Walk, Music Walk and the Fourth of July fireworks. The historic downtown has it all, but businesses report they’re feeling the pinch. “April was just a really not good month for pretty much across the board for any kind of business,” said Sbuttoni. Nils Richter has a hand in six downtown businesses. “Cabos, The Lodge, Izzy’s, Social House, Capone’s and Firestone,” said Richter. Richter reports April was actually strong, still basking in the sun of season, but since the sun has set, things are changing. “The May that we’re seeing right now is much more quiet than we expect … so that is concerning,” said Richter. “We saw that drop this year, which we had not seen since COVID,” said Sbuttoni. Sbuttoni said COVID changed tourist behavior in the Sunshine State. Pre-pandemic, we had season, then Easter came, and people left, so the numbers followed, and businesses were used to it. “Jump ahead to COVID, where everything, the whole world shut down, and then Florida opened up,” said Sbuttoni. “In ’21 and ’22, it felt a lot less seasonal, we got a really big uptick of people that stayed down here and stayed down here longer,” said Richter. “Downtown was still thriving, even as other parts of the world opened up, and then Ian hit,” said Sbuttoni. And put a wrench in our era of good feeling. Sbuttoni expected the COVID-tourism boom to end eventually, but the hurricane shifted the outcome. “I’m just hoping that our community rallies around our small businesses this summer more than any other summer. I think we’re going to need them,” said Sbuttoni. There are more factors playing a role in the sparse downtown foot traffic for businesses. Factors like the economy, driving traffic, paying for parking and the relentless heat.