Election Day crowds expected despite record early votingVoters in Downtown Fort Myers ready for 2024 Election
Election Day crowds expected despite record early voting Election Day is nearly upon us. At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, the polls will be closed, and our team will bring you the results.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Voters in Downtown Fort Myers ready for 2024 Election A lot can change in four years. During the 2020 election, many voters masked up as they cast their ballots, and the pandemic was at the top of many voters’ minds.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda residents frustrated by hurricane debris delays Many people in parts of southwest Florida feel like they’ve dealt with more than their fair share of storm damage lately.
Miracle Moment: A rosy outlook following surprise diagnosis It’s time for Miracle Moment. Today, we meet a toddler diagnosed with a disease without known prevention or cure.
Poll workers ready for Election Day rush in Collier County Poll workers gear up for a busy Tuesday in Collier County; some have been there for a while, and this year marks their first time working at a polling place for others.
CAPE CORAL Voters decide: Will Cape Coral City Council members stay or go? Stipends, Jaycee Park and new developments have been topics of concern in the City of Cape Coral for months now.
MATLACHA Lee County residents still dealing with damage from hurricanes Hurricane recovery has been an ongoing project here in Southwest Florida since Hurricane Ian.
FGCU Former FGCU golfer Frankie Capan III makes PGA Tour After playing two seasons on the Korn Ferry Tour, former FGCU golfer Frankie Capan III is moving up to the PGA Tour.
Parents cast their votes for Lee County school superintendent With just hours now until the election, WINK News wants to highlight a few local races that haven’t gotten as much attention. One of them is the election of Lee County’s next superintendent of schools.
NORTH FORT MYERS Former Dollar General employee accused of stealing $7,000 in returns A woman has been arrested after defrauding a Dollar General in North Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH The Tropics and Red Tide; what happens if or when they interact? The Tropics are active despite the fact that there’s less than a month left in hurricane season. But how will a system interact with red tide?
CAPE CORAL Police investigate gunfire at Cape Coral rental home The bullet holes left behind by shots heard in a normally quiet Cape Coral neighborhood scared one woman into buying security cameras for her home.
CAPE CORAL Bimini Basin residents face housing challenges Time is running out for the families who live in one Cape Coral community to find places to call home.
Harris and Trump make a furious final push before Election Day A presidential campaign that has careened through a felony trial, an incumbent president being pushed off the ticket and multiple assassination attempts comes down to a final sprint across a handful of states on Election Day eve.
Using AI to detect pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. That’s due in part to the limited testing available for early detection.
Election Day crowds expected despite record early voting Election Day is nearly upon us. At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, the polls will be closed, and our team will bring you the results.
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Voters in Downtown Fort Myers ready for 2024 Election A lot can change in four years. During the 2020 election, many voters masked up as they cast their ballots, and the pandemic was at the top of many voters’ minds.
PUNTA GORDA Punta Gorda residents frustrated by hurricane debris delays Many people in parts of southwest Florida feel like they’ve dealt with more than their fair share of storm damage lately.
Miracle Moment: A rosy outlook following surprise diagnosis It’s time for Miracle Moment. Today, we meet a toddler diagnosed with a disease without known prevention or cure.
Poll workers ready for Election Day rush in Collier County Poll workers gear up for a busy Tuesday in Collier County; some have been there for a while, and this year marks their first time working at a polling place for others.
CAPE CORAL Voters decide: Will Cape Coral City Council members stay or go? Stipends, Jaycee Park and new developments have been topics of concern in the City of Cape Coral for months now.
MATLACHA Lee County residents still dealing with damage from hurricanes Hurricane recovery has been an ongoing project here in Southwest Florida since Hurricane Ian.
FGCU Former FGCU golfer Frankie Capan III makes PGA Tour After playing two seasons on the Korn Ferry Tour, former FGCU golfer Frankie Capan III is moving up to the PGA Tour.
Parents cast their votes for Lee County school superintendent With just hours now until the election, WINK News wants to highlight a few local races that haven’t gotten as much attention. One of them is the election of Lee County’s next superintendent of schools.
NORTH FORT MYERS Former Dollar General employee accused of stealing $7,000 in returns A woman has been arrested after defrauding a Dollar General in North Fort Myers.
FORT MYERS BEACH The Tropics and Red Tide; what happens if or when they interact? The Tropics are active despite the fact that there’s less than a month left in hurricane season. But how will a system interact with red tide?
CAPE CORAL Police investigate gunfire at Cape Coral rental home The bullet holes left behind by shots heard in a normally quiet Cape Coral neighborhood scared one woman into buying security cameras for her home.
CAPE CORAL Bimini Basin residents face housing challenges Time is running out for the families who live in one Cape Coral community to find places to call home.
Harris and Trump make a furious final push before Election Day A presidential campaign that has careened through a felony trial, an incumbent president being pushed off the ticket and multiple assassination attempts comes down to a final sprint across a handful of states on Election Day eve.
Using AI to detect pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. That’s due in part to the limited testing available for early detection.
Mention car insurance to almost anyone, and the response is the same – “Mine has gone up!” WINK News Traffic Anchor Rachel Cox-Rosen set out to take a deeper look at what’s driving costs up. We are all supposed to have car insurance. Whether you have a quick five-minute commute, a daily hours-plus slog, or barely drive, it’s legally required. In 2024, that means raking out thousands of dollars a year in Florida. According to Bank Rate, Florida is the third most expensive state in the U.S. for car insurance, with prices 51% higher than the national average. Joe Fantozzi left his 2014 Ford Mustang in Estero when he and his wife returned to Canada for the summer. His insurance just went up another $250 bucks since they left. His yearly bill is now over $2,000 dollars. “I mean, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s disgusting to see this sort of an increase,” said Fantozzi. He’s retired and on a fixed income. He tried to shop around. “I’ve checked out rates on the computer with other companies, and I’m coming up with similar amounts of money,” said a frustrated Fantozzi. Douglas Stevens hasn’t had any luck, either. “I immediately started shopping around for cheaper insurance. However, come to find out there is none,” explained Stevens. For his 2022 Chevy Equinox, Stevens is stuck paying over $2,600 a year—$218 a month—almost double what he paid when he first moved to Florida in 2015. “Now I have to choose. Do I do the things that I would like to do or want to do? Or do I pay my car insurance and continue to be responsible as an insured motorist? I choose to remain insured,” said the Lehigh Acres man. However, in Florida, 14.1% of drivers choose to go uninsured. That’s above the national average of 12%. Skyrocketing insurance rates mean that could tick up even more. “That puts all of us at risk. And that will always, basically, keep us in a position where those rates are going to be high in order to anticipate the risk that these uninsured drivers may place on the industry as a whole,” warned Tasha Carter, Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate. Uninsured drivers are just one thing that is making premiums shoot up. “Key factors include high accident frequency and severity, congested roadways, costly repairs. Those have escalated 45% Over the past four years for both parts and labor, escalating medical expenses to treat accident victims, vehicle theft rates. And another big factor is litigated claims,” added Mark Friedlander, spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute. All that, plus severe weather events like Hurricane Ian. “Hurricane Ian was one of the generators of rate increases in Florida over the last couple of years because we saw more than 100,000 vehicles damaged from the storm, and most of those are totaled,” explained Friedlander. “And it’s not just hurricanes. While the hurricanes get the big headlines for good reason, we have significant storm activity all year round in Florida.” Another worry for insurance companies? Windshield replacement and other scams. So, what can be done with all these factors driving up insurance costs? “I think a major overhaul of the system is really the only way to make changes. We are starting to see some rate moderation, meaning the rate increases we’ve been seeing in the last few years are starting to slow down,” said Friedlander. “At this point, we’re not seeing rates decrease actually where you’ll see a net gain in terms of what you’re paying less.” It is not a comfort to drivers like Fantozzi, Stevens, and many others. Saving on car insurance There are a few ways you might be able to cut your costs. Shop around. According to BankRate.com, “Car insurance companies each have their own methods for calculating rates, and your own individual rating factors play a significant role.” Ask your company what discounts it offers. Some examples include low mileage, safety features, good student and multi-policy discounts. Check your policy. Only pay for what you need. Increase your deductibles. Improve your credit score. BankRate.com reported research shows that the worse your credit score is, the more likely you are to file a claim.