Propane leak under control at Red White & Boom event in Cape CoralCharlotte County celebrating Fourth of July despite heat advisory
CAPE CORAL Propane leak under control at Red White & Boom event in Cape Coral This afternoon, the Red White & Boom Fourth of July event in Cape Coral is all clear after one of the vending trucks leaked propane.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County celebrating Fourth of July despite heat advisory The heat advisory in Charlotte County is not stopping folks from celebrating the Fourth of July, but they are making sure to hear light colors like red, white and blue and, most importantly, carrying water.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers holds Freedom Fest for 4th of July Free live music, food vendors and more activities will be found throughout the downtown Fort Myers River District on the evening of July 4.
FORT MYERS BEACH Independence Day on Fort Myers Beach Despite the damage caused by Ian, many people chose to celebrate their Fourth of July on Fort Myers Beach.
WINK NEWS Excessive salt intake linked to serious health issues There is a link between high sodium intake and serious health issues, as 90% of Americans consume too much salt.
NAPLES 4th of July festivities in downtown Naples There’s a fireworks show being launched from a barge just north of the Naples Pier, but the celebration started with a parade through downtown Naples this morning.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers police warn against celebratory gunfire during 4th of July The Fort Myers Police Department is reminding the public to enjoy this Fourth of July without firing off guns in celebration of the holiday.
FORT MYERS Hot Dogs for Heroes benefits vets through odd American tradition Some things just go hand in hand, like a hot dog and the Fourth of July — so much so that hot dog-eating contests have become the norm on this American holiday.
SANIBEL Sanibel Police Chief: crews now in recovery mode for missing teen swimmer The search for a teenager who went missing while swimming at a beach in Sanibel has resumed on Thursday.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Heat exhaustion versus heat stroke; spotting the difference People aren’t the only ones who have problems dealing with excessive heat. The Weather Authority has advice for protecting your pets too.
WINK NEWS Fourth of July events across Southwest Florida The Fourth of July is celebrated Across Southwest Florida and nationwide with fireworks, barbecues, patriotic events and more.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral runners compete in Freedom 5K Race A 4th of July tradition continues in Southwest Florida as residents of Cape Coral competed during the annual Freedom 5K Race.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Hurricane Beryl downgraded to Cat 2 storm; impacts Cayman Islands as Cat 3 The Weather Authority is continuing to cover Hurricane Beryl as it moves in the direction of the Yucatan Peninsula.
the weather authority Heat advisory in effect for your 4th of July plans The Weather Authority is tracking a hot Thursday afternoon as Southwest Florida will be under a heat advisory for the 4th of July.
SANIBEL Sanibel kicks off July 4th celebration with annual parade July 4th festivities are set to begin as the City of Sanibel prepares for its 31st annual Independence Day parade.
CAPE CORAL Propane leak under control at Red White & Boom event in Cape Coral This afternoon, the Red White & Boom Fourth of July event in Cape Coral is all clear after one of the vending trucks leaked propane.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte County celebrating Fourth of July despite heat advisory The heat advisory in Charlotte County is not stopping folks from celebrating the Fourth of July, but they are making sure to hear light colors like red, white and blue and, most importantly, carrying water.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers holds Freedom Fest for 4th of July Free live music, food vendors and more activities will be found throughout the downtown Fort Myers River District on the evening of July 4.
FORT MYERS BEACH Independence Day on Fort Myers Beach Despite the damage caused by Ian, many people chose to celebrate their Fourth of July on Fort Myers Beach.
WINK NEWS Excessive salt intake linked to serious health issues There is a link between high sodium intake and serious health issues, as 90% of Americans consume too much salt.
NAPLES 4th of July festivities in downtown Naples There’s a fireworks show being launched from a barge just north of the Naples Pier, but the celebration started with a parade through downtown Naples this morning.
FORT MYERS Fort Myers police warn against celebratory gunfire during 4th of July The Fort Myers Police Department is reminding the public to enjoy this Fourth of July without firing off guns in celebration of the holiday.
FORT MYERS Hot Dogs for Heroes benefits vets through odd American tradition Some things just go hand in hand, like a hot dog and the Fourth of July — so much so that hot dog-eating contests have become the norm on this American holiday.
SANIBEL Sanibel Police Chief: crews now in recovery mode for missing teen swimmer The search for a teenager who went missing while swimming at a beach in Sanibel has resumed on Thursday.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Heat exhaustion versus heat stroke; spotting the difference People aren’t the only ones who have problems dealing with excessive heat. The Weather Authority has advice for protecting your pets too.
WINK NEWS Fourth of July events across Southwest Florida The Fourth of July is celebrated Across Southwest Florida and nationwide with fireworks, barbecues, patriotic events and more.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral runners compete in Freedom 5K Race A 4th of July tradition continues in Southwest Florida as residents of Cape Coral competed during the annual Freedom 5K Race.
THE WEATHER AUTHORITY Hurricane Beryl downgraded to Cat 2 storm; impacts Cayman Islands as Cat 3 The Weather Authority is continuing to cover Hurricane Beryl as it moves in the direction of the Yucatan Peninsula.
the weather authority Heat advisory in effect for your 4th of July plans The Weather Authority is tracking a hot Thursday afternoon as Southwest Florida will be under a heat advisory for the 4th of July.
SANIBEL Sanibel kicks off July 4th celebration with annual parade July 4th festivities are set to begin as the City of Sanibel prepares for its 31st annual Independence Day parade.
A new law is cracking down on saw palmetto berry bandits, who are known for stealing the berries and selling them by the pound. Saw palmetto berries are a valuable resource that grows in Southwest Florida. Now, Florida is pushing a new law that should keep the berries safe with harsher consequences for those who harvest them illegally. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office Agriculture Unit has new laws and consequences for the palmetto berry harvesting season this year. RELATED: Illegal saw palmetto berry harvest leads to more than 15 arrests, hundreds of pounds recovered This means berries need to be harvested with written permission from the land owner and a written permit from the Florida Department of Agriculture. If you don’t, fines and penalties are in your future. Arrests made in illegal saw palmetto berry harvest in Florida. CREDIT: INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE So the question is, what makes these berries so attractive? It’s not your typical berry, but one with healing powers and draws a lot of thieves. “Well, first of all, they are used for prostate cancer, to keep the prostate line from swelling, so that’s why they are harvested in the first place,” said Jeremia Mudge, a harvester at J&B Palmetto Berries in LaBelle. And for such a short harvesting season– only two months long– thieves don’t back down from the challenge to get them, but harvesters are on the lookout. “We have cameras; we have drones; we put about eight to 15 people in jail a year. It’s an epidemic. It’s disgusting. I’ve been cut and injured,” Mudge said. But the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Agriculture Unit said consequences are different this year. Via a Facebook video, they said, “Harvesting without a permit or without written permission is a third-degree felony punishable up to five years in prison; falsifying a harvesting document also is a third-degree felony. Those who want to buy the berry need copies of a harvesting permit, landowner permission, and a two-year, government-issued ID for the harvester. Failing to do so is a “first-degree felony punishable up to one year in jail; buying and possessing unlawfully harvested palmetto berries is [a] third-degree felony punishable up to five years in prison,” CCSO said. Harvesters just want something done to protect their businesses. “Everything can just be bought from a commercial harvester. Stop all this off the side of the road, and you would stop, well, a lot of this,” Mudge said. The harvester told WINK News that thieves hide out until 2-3 a.m. and have stolen around 20,000 pounds of berries that are worth a lot of money. For more information on how to obtain a harvesting permit, go to the Florida Department of Agriculture’s website.