WINK News helps Charlotte County woman recover lost Christmas gifts19 heavy metal bands to perform at 119-year-old Arcadia opera house
PUNTA GORDA WINK News helps Charlotte County woman recover lost Christmas gifts Sheila Nicoloff from Charlotte County faced disappointment when the Christmas presents she sent to her family in Ohio did not arrive on time.
ARCADIA 19 heavy metal bands to perform at 119-year-old Arcadia opera house A 119-year-old opera house will host 19 local heavy metal bands as part of a two-day festival.
Florida officials seek tougher penalties for illegal arcades Experts say that illegal gaming places are like cockroaches: if you squash one of them, a bunch more pop up in their place.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood residents urged to stay vigilant as armed man eludes capture Authorities are still searching for a 20-year-old man considered armed and dangerous, who escaped from deputies during an attempted arrest.
CAPE CORAL Behind the scenes look at upcoming Sunplash upgrades Sunsplash Waterpark in Cape Coral is set to unveil its newest attraction, Paradise Cove, later this year.
little gasparilla island Relief for Little Gasparilla as barge begins debris removal after hurricanes Little Gasparilla Island is receiving much-needed assistance from Charlotte County to clear debris from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Space research may unlock heart repair breakthroughs Researchers are exploring new frontiers in medical science by conducting experiments in space to address cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death.
PORT CHARLOTTE 911 call released of man who shot and killed wife in Port Charlotte home The 911 call of a man who called to report he had shot his wife while his two children were inside the home has been released.
NORTH PORT Gabby Petito documentary coming to Netflix The story of Gabby Petito’s murder captured the hearts and minds of Southwest Florida and the entire country. Now, Netflix is picking it up.
NAPLES Silver anniversary of the Naples Winter Wine Festival brings in lots of green – $34M The Naples Winter Wine Festival auction on Saturday struck a chord with patrons and inspired them to open their wallets.
BONITA SPRINGS Fort Myers woman accused of throwing brick through ex-husband’s window A woman has been arrested after allegedly throwing a brick through her ex-husband’s Bonita Springs house window.
NORTH PORT North Port man accused of staging scene after murdering wife A North Port man has been arrested after allegedly murdering his wife and staging the scene to make the incident look self-inflicted.
NAPLES Child abuse incident at Naples Pier leads to police officer’s arrest A police officer found himself on the other side of law after severely striking his child with a belt on Naples Pier.
the weather authority Chilly January wraps up; what to expect for February’s weather? With January wrapping up, Southwest Florida experienced quite a chilly month. Only two days throughout the entire month reached temperatures of 80 degrees or higher, the fewest since 2016.
downtown fort myers UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz to Grand Marshall Edison Festival of Light Former UFC Light Heavyweight World Champion and Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz has been announced as the grand marshall of the 87th annual Edison Festival of Light parade.
PUNTA GORDA WINK News helps Charlotte County woman recover lost Christmas gifts Sheila Nicoloff from Charlotte County faced disappointment when the Christmas presents she sent to her family in Ohio did not arrive on time.
ARCADIA 19 heavy metal bands to perform at 119-year-old Arcadia opera house A 119-year-old opera house will host 19 local heavy metal bands as part of a two-day festival.
Florida officials seek tougher penalties for illegal arcades Experts say that illegal gaming places are like cockroaches: if you squash one of them, a bunch more pop up in their place.
ENGLEWOOD Englewood residents urged to stay vigilant as armed man eludes capture Authorities are still searching for a 20-year-old man considered armed and dangerous, who escaped from deputies during an attempted arrest.
CAPE CORAL Behind the scenes look at upcoming Sunplash upgrades Sunsplash Waterpark in Cape Coral is set to unveil its newest attraction, Paradise Cove, later this year.
little gasparilla island Relief for Little Gasparilla as barge begins debris removal after hurricanes Little Gasparilla Island is receiving much-needed assistance from Charlotte County to clear debris from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Space research may unlock heart repair breakthroughs Researchers are exploring new frontiers in medical science by conducting experiments in space to address cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death.
PORT CHARLOTTE 911 call released of man who shot and killed wife in Port Charlotte home The 911 call of a man who called to report he had shot his wife while his two children were inside the home has been released.
NORTH PORT Gabby Petito documentary coming to Netflix The story of Gabby Petito’s murder captured the hearts and minds of Southwest Florida and the entire country. Now, Netflix is picking it up.
NAPLES Silver anniversary of the Naples Winter Wine Festival brings in lots of green – $34M The Naples Winter Wine Festival auction on Saturday struck a chord with patrons and inspired them to open their wallets.
BONITA SPRINGS Fort Myers woman accused of throwing brick through ex-husband’s window A woman has been arrested after allegedly throwing a brick through her ex-husband’s Bonita Springs house window.
NORTH PORT North Port man accused of staging scene after murdering wife A North Port man has been arrested after allegedly murdering his wife and staging the scene to make the incident look self-inflicted.
NAPLES Child abuse incident at Naples Pier leads to police officer’s arrest A police officer found himself on the other side of law after severely striking his child with a belt on Naples Pier.
the weather authority Chilly January wraps up; what to expect for February’s weather? With January wrapping up, Southwest Florida experienced quite a chilly month. Only two days throughout the entire month reached temperatures of 80 degrees or higher, the fewest since 2016.
downtown fort myers UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz to Grand Marshall Edison Festival of Light Former UFC Light Heavyweight World Champion and Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz has been announced as the grand marshall of the 87th annual Edison Festival of Light parade.
Chiquita Lock in Cape Harbour. (Credit: WINK News) Should the Chiquita Lock stay or go? It’s been a topic of discussion for decades and a legal battle for years, but now a judge has ruled that it can go, and Cape Coral can remove it. Administrative Law Judge Suzanne Van Wyk’s ruling Monday is welcome news to boaters. The lock is a major point of contention for the thousands of boaters in Cape Coral. On a busy day, you may have to wait hours in a long line in the water to move past the lock. The delays present a major hassle if you want to get somewhere on the water. The Lock is located in Cape Harbour. It provides Gulf access through the river from Camelot Canal and Southwest Spreader Waterway into the Intercoastal. It is located about three miles north of the Sanibel Causeway by water. On the other hand, environmentalists believe removing the lock will further contaminate the Caloosahatchee. The lock was designed to prevent runoff from Cape Coral canals from entering the Caloosahatchee. Too many nutrients in the water can help fuel blue-green algae, and some experts believe the nutrients exacerbate red tide. The recommended order concluded, “Applying the standards of reasonable assurance to the Findings of Fact in this case, it is concluded that the ERP [Environmental Resource Permit] meets the applicable standards in section 373.414 and rule 62-330.302.” Boat in Chiquita Lock. CREDIT: WINK News The Recommendation stated, “Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the Department of Environmental Protection enter a final order: (1) dismissing Daniel Carney as a Petitioner in this case; and (2) issuing Environmental Resource Permit No. 244816-006 to the City of Cape Coral.” This ruling marked “the conclusion of the Final Administrative Hearing pertaining to the Petitioners’ challenge surrounding the issuance of the ERP to the City, which concluded on December 20, 2023, after a multi-week evidentiary hearing.” As for when the Chiquita Lock will be removed, the City sent WINK News a statement. It reads in part, that Cape Coral “is presently evaluating critical next steps surrounding this matter. As part of the evaluation process, the City is exploring all potential option(s) for the expeditious removal of the Chiquita Boat Lock. The City remains committed to ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to address any adverse environmental concerns or impacts while also meeting the needs of the community.