ESTERO Families battling cancer get much-needed break Ten local families battling cancer are getting a much-needed break this weekend.
SOUTH FORT MYERS Permanent memorial honors 12-year-old crash victim The death of a 12-year-old boy is bringing the community together, and his father could not be more thankful.
PUNTA GORDA FEMA trailers on airport property called “junk” by Charlotte County code officers “I certainly would not want to enter into a storm with those (trailers) potentially being debris,” said Patrick Fuller, Charlotte County Emergency Management Director, during a May 28 board meeting.
PORT CHARLOTTE Front wall of Promenades in Port Charlotte demolished by wrecking ball Destruction is usually a bad thing, but for Port Charlotte, it’s a new future as the front wall of the Promenades was demolished.
The pros and cons of using AI to predict weather The conversation around Artificial Intelligence has increased over the last few years, and for good reason; when it comes to weather, AI shows a lot of promise.
LABELLE Experts weigh in on Hendry hazmat hazard The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office said the problem area where the mysterious substance scene is all clear. WINK News spoke with experts.
CLEWISTON Airglades Airport expansion aiming to spark economy The Airglades Airport in Hendry County is getting a $300-million renovation.
HENDRY COUNTY All-clear for hazmat situation in Hendry County; still no answers Some are feeling anxious in a small Hendry County community after several people, including first responders, got sick.
FORT MYERS Expect roadblocks for Music Walk in downtown Fort Myers tonight Music Walk will be going on for several hours, so expect some roadblocks if you’re coming downtown.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Bridge to close for annual Red, White & Boom Fourth of July celebration Believe it or not, the Fourth of July is approaching, which means another bridge closure in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Blue-green algal blooms spotted on Alicante Canal Summer is here, and that means many of us love to head out on the water, but things aren’t looking the prettiest.
Research before buying concert tickets during tax-free holiday this July Do some research before you buy any concert tickets this summer, and in about a week, you’ll be able to save on all summer essentials.
FORT MYERS Riverdale alum Cole Schneider wins UFL Championship Former Riverdale lineman and current Birmingham Stallions center Cole Schneider wins UFL Championship in league’s first year.
NAPLES Dredging project underway at Clam Pass beach park Crews at Clam Pass Beach are moving hundreds of pounds of sand as part of a dredging project aimed at keeping the inlet open.
LEHIGH ACRES Caught on video: Lehigh Acres man confronts car thief in his driveway A Lehigh Acres father confronted and stopped a person breaking into his son’s car.
ESTERO Families battling cancer get much-needed break Ten local families battling cancer are getting a much-needed break this weekend.
SOUTH FORT MYERS Permanent memorial honors 12-year-old crash victim The death of a 12-year-old boy is bringing the community together, and his father could not be more thankful.
PUNTA GORDA FEMA trailers on airport property called “junk” by Charlotte County code officers “I certainly would not want to enter into a storm with those (trailers) potentially being debris,” said Patrick Fuller, Charlotte County Emergency Management Director, during a May 28 board meeting.
PORT CHARLOTTE Front wall of Promenades in Port Charlotte demolished by wrecking ball Destruction is usually a bad thing, but for Port Charlotte, it’s a new future as the front wall of the Promenades was demolished.
The pros and cons of using AI to predict weather The conversation around Artificial Intelligence has increased over the last few years, and for good reason; when it comes to weather, AI shows a lot of promise.
LABELLE Experts weigh in on Hendry hazmat hazard The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office said the problem area where the mysterious substance scene is all clear. WINK News spoke with experts.
CLEWISTON Airglades Airport expansion aiming to spark economy The Airglades Airport in Hendry County is getting a $300-million renovation.
HENDRY COUNTY All-clear for hazmat situation in Hendry County; still no answers Some are feeling anxious in a small Hendry County community after several people, including first responders, got sick.
FORT MYERS Expect roadblocks for Music Walk in downtown Fort Myers tonight Music Walk will be going on for several hours, so expect some roadblocks if you’re coming downtown.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral Bridge to close for annual Red, White & Boom Fourth of July celebration Believe it or not, the Fourth of July is approaching, which means another bridge closure in Southwest Florida.
FORT MYERS BEACH Blue-green algal blooms spotted on Alicante Canal Summer is here, and that means many of us love to head out on the water, but things aren’t looking the prettiest.
Research before buying concert tickets during tax-free holiday this July Do some research before you buy any concert tickets this summer, and in about a week, you’ll be able to save on all summer essentials.
FORT MYERS Riverdale alum Cole Schneider wins UFL Championship Former Riverdale lineman and current Birmingham Stallions center Cole Schneider wins UFL Championship in league’s first year.
NAPLES Dredging project underway at Clam Pass beach park Crews at Clam Pass Beach are moving hundreds of pounds of sand as part of a dredging project aimed at keeping the inlet open.
LEHIGH ACRES Caught on video: Lehigh Acres man confronts car thief in his driveway A Lehigh Acres father confronted and stopped a person breaking into his son’s car.
The flooded roads of Lee County saw fire rescuers jump into action to save a man from his slowly sinking SUV. The South Trail Fire & Rescue Service District rescued a man from inside his sinking vehicle on Plantation Road at around 11:45 a.m. According to the fire rescue, water was over the driver’s lap, and the car was slowly sinking into the mud. Credit: The South Trail Fire & Rescue Service District WINK News was there and watched it all happen. The driver told WINK News Reporter Olivia Jean it was one of the scariest things he had ever experienced. The rain today was dangerous and frightening, and Steven Yanniello is a prime example of how extreme weather can almost take your life. Steven lost control after hitting a big puddle on Plantation Road, right by Daniels Parkway. CREDIT: WINK News “The water caught, and that was it. You could see where I came in. By the time I got here, I had the brakes on, and the car was floating. And I couldn’t back up. It just kept floating until it went all the way in where you saw it. I didn’t know how deep it was. I called the tow truck. They said it would take a while, and the guy told me flat out, ‘I’ll get your car out, but you got to get out on your own.’ So I called 911,” Yanniello said. Around 12 on Wednesday afternoon, Plantation Drive was flooded. EMS, police, firefighters, a tow truck, and Steven’s red Suburu Forester were almost buried in the water. “It was just weird because you’re so shaken up in your soul. What the heck happened?” Yanniello said. WINK News watched as the tower struggled in the water to get the car out of the water. The tow truck driver said he has never gotten a car out of this deep of water. CREDIT: WINK News “The job needs to get done, and there is always a first time for everything, so we got it done. Customer’s vehicle is out of the water, so I’m happy with it,” Rafael Hernandez with Star Five Towing said. EMS rescued Steven. “They already had life jackets and everything ready to go,” he said. Steven is glad to be alive, as thankfully, he wasn’t seriously injured. “There was nowhere else to go. There was nothing I could do. My first thought was, I gotta get a window open or something so I can get out of here,” Yanniello said. He watched as his car was towed out of the mess in the early afternoon on Wednesday. CREDIT: WINK News “You never know what you’re going to find at a water scene and Florida,” Hernandez said. Steven said he wasn’t even planning on driving because of the bad weather, but something urgent came up. The tow truck driver has some strong advice: if you don’t see the road because of water, do not go through it. Steven is shaken up but OK. Rain has been falling at a rate of around two to four inches per hour, with six inches of total rainfall possible over the next four hours.