Neighbors hit with flooding in Dean Park communityPrecautionary boil water notice issued for parts of Estero Island
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Neighbors hit with flooding in Dean Park community On Friday, roads in downtown Fort Myers were fairly dry. It’s a stark contrast to Thursday night’s storm surge caused by the outer bands of Hurricane Helene.
ESTERO ISLAND Precautionary boil water notice issued for parts of Estero Island A precautionary water boil notice has been issued for Estero Island on Friday.
SANIBEL Helene aftermath in Sanibel While much of the water has receded, the Sanibel Causeway was closed for several hours Friday morning because city crews were trying to clean up the flooding and debris.
LEE COUNTY WINK News Player of the Week: Riverdale RB Cole Hayes Riverdale running back Cole Hayes rushed for 336 yards and five touchdowns against Cypress Lake to be named the WINK News Player of the Week.
Matlacha resident on difficult road to recovery after Helene Matlacha residents are recovering from Helene’s storm surge on Thursday.
FORT MYERS BEACH Neighbors begin to clean up after flooding on Fort Myers Beach Waking up Friday morning, Fort Myers Beach neighbors had deja vu. The site of debris, the sound of alarms and the unmistakable smell of mud brought back memories of Hurricane Ian.
PUNTA GORDA Fire erupts in Charlotte County home Authorities are responding to a fire in a Punta Gorda home on Friday afternoon.
FLORIDA Rescuers race to free people trapped by Hurricane Helene after storm kills at least 40 in 4 states Hurricane Helene left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the entire southeastern U.S. on Friday, killing at least 40 people in four states, snapping trees like twigs, tearing apart homes and sending rescue crews on desperate missions to save people from floodwaters.
FORT MYERS Parts of Island Hopper Songwriter Festival to continue While Hurricane Helene has caused disruptions to the Island Hopper Songwriter Fest schedule, one show will continue as planned on Friday.
Downtown Fort Myers businesses reopen after Hurricane Helene Only the businesses and restaurants along Bay Street, Dean Street and Lee Street flooded—and that was with a few inches of water, not a few feet like two years ago.
Charlotte County officials: stay out as crews assess Helene’s impact Charlotte County officials are set to hold a news conference discussing the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach homeowners cleaning up damage left by Helene Homeowners are cleaning up their homes on Fort Myers Beach after Hurricane Helene passed through Florida Thursday night.
Perry Gov. DeSantis travels around Florida in the aftermath of Helene Gov. DeSantis travels around Florida in the aftermath of Helene
Blackbird Asian restaurant begins construction at Naples Bay Resort Blackbird Modern Asian waterfront restaurant began its interior buildout Sept. 23 at Naples Bay Resort & Marina in the former longtime space of Bonefish Grill, which was flooded by Hurricane Ian’s storm surge two years ago.
TALLAHASSEE DeSantis confirms 2 dead following Helene’s impact on Florida’s Big Bend Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis presented another unfortunate update on then Hurricane Helene, as another death was confirmed.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Neighbors hit with flooding in Dean Park community On Friday, roads in downtown Fort Myers were fairly dry. It’s a stark contrast to Thursday night’s storm surge caused by the outer bands of Hurricane Helene.
ESTERO ISLAND Precautionary boil water notice issued for parts of Estero Island A precautionary water boil notice has been issued for Estero Island on Friday.
SANIBEL Helene aftermath in Sanibel While much of the water has receded, the Sanibel Causeway was closed for several hours Friday morning because city crews were trying to clean up the flooding and debris.
LEE COUNTY WINK News Player of the Week: Riverdale RB Cole Hayes Riverdale running back Cole Hayes rushed for 336 yards and five touchdowns against Cypress Lake to be named the WINK News Player of the Week.
Matlacha resident on difficult road to recovery after Helene Matlacha residents are recovering from Helene’s storm surge on Thursday.
FORT MYERS BEACH Neighbors begin to clean up after flooding on Fort Myers Beach Waking up Friday morning, Fort Myers Beach neighbors had deja vu. The site of debris, the sound of alarms and the unmistakable smell of mud brought back memories of Hurricane Ian.
PUNTA GORDA Fire erupts in Charlotte County home Authorities are responding to a fire in a Punta Gorda home on Friday afternoon.
FLORIDA Rescuers race to free people trapped by Hurricane Helene after storm kills at least 40 in 4 states Hurricane Helene left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the entire southeastern U.S. on Friday, killing at least 40 people in four states, snapping trees like twigs, tearing apart homes and sending rescue crews on desperate missions to save people from floodwaters.
FORT MYERS Parts of Island Hopper Songwriter Festival to continue While Hurricane Helene has caused disruptions to the Island Hopper Songwriter Fest schedule, one show will continue as planned on Friday.
Downtown Fort Myers businesses reopen after Hurricane Helene Only the businesses and restaurants along Bay Street, Dean Street and Lee Street flooded—and that was with a few inches of water, not a few feet like two years ago.
Charlotte County officials: stay out as crews assess Helene’s impact Charlotte County officials are set to hold a news conference discussing the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach homeowners cleaning up damage left by Helene Homeowners are cleaning up their homes on Fort Myers Beach after Hurricane Helene passed through Florida Thursday night.
Perry Gov. DeSantis travels around Florida in the aftermath of Helene Gov. DeSantis travels around Florida in the aftermath of Helene
Blackbird Asian restaurant begins construction at Naples Bay Resort Blackbird Modern Asian waterfront restaurant began its interior buildout Sept. 23 at Naples Bay Resort & Marina in the former longtime space of Bonefish Grill, which was flooded by Hurricane Ian’s storm surge two years ago.
TALLAHASSEE DeSantis confirms 2 dead following Helene’s impact on Florida’s Big Bend Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis presented another unfortunate update on then Hurricane Helene, as another death was confirmed.
A man walked into a Charlotte County restaurant and took off with a fundraising tip jar. The incident happened on Thursday afternoon at the Metro Diner in Port Charlotte, but this isn’t just any tip jar. The money inside it was going to a beloved worker at Metro Diner, and in moments, that money was taken away by a man who parked his bike, walked through the door and took away a mother’s chance at paying her medical bills after having an emergency C-section for her premature baby. “Heartbreaking is not strong enough of a word, disappointed in humanity,” said Sandy Millis, a server at Metro Diner. Heartbroken and disappointed by the actions of one man. “This gentleman comes in, and he sits down on the bench for a few minutes, then he gets up, takes the jug and runs out the door,” said Karen Yen, managing partner at Metro Diner. The man is caught on video walking into the diner and sitting there for around 30 minutes before eyeing up the tip jar, snatching it and walking out. The contents of that jar were going to a worker at that diner, Andrea. “The way she takes care of all of our team, everybody loves her. She is just such an incredible person and to do something like this to such an incredible person, it just breaks my heart,” said Yen. Yen told WINK News that Andrea has been trying to have a baby for years now, but it didn’t come easy. “She had pre-eclampsia, diabetes, nothing was going good for her, and she had to have an emergency C-section, and the baby was born 2-and-a-half months early,” said Yen. One customer told WINK News she donated $600 in that jar for Andrea to have gas money while driving to Sarasota every day to see her baby in the NICU. “Very disappointing that someone would do that, but it’s hard times, and you know what if they find the person? Male or female the money is gone,” said Alice Rivers, a regular customer. The money might be gone, but co-workers say the generosity given through this hard time was unmatched. “Anything people give when they don’t have, they give instead of keeping. It’s just really beautiful, it really is,” said Millis. Management at Metro Diner said they are no longer putting out a tip jar after this disappointing experience but will accept cash over the counter for their co-worker.