Milton strengthens to Category 5, winds at 165 mphSanibel evacuates as flooding and storm surge threaten island
SANIBEL Sanibel evacuates as flooding and storm surge threaten island Sanibel is already dealing with flooding from the heavy rain we’ve seen over the past few days, and Milton is expected to bring 10 feet of storm surge to the island.
ENGLEWOOD Manasota Key residents scramble ahead of Hurricane Milton Parts of Manasota Key are already unrecognizable from the damage Helene caused, and now, with Milton on the way, people are heartbroken and wondering what the future holds.
FORT MYERS SHORES ‘We’re getting the heck out of here’ 416,000 in mandatory evacuation zone in Lee Co. Around 416,000 residents in Lee County are under a mandatory evacuation order that went into effect Monday at noon because of Hurricane Milton.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers businesses prepare for Hurricane Milton Business owners in downtown Fort Myers are getting their businesses ready for whatever Hurricane Milton will bring.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral isn’t offering sandbags, but one Cape Coral local is One Cape Coral resident saw a need during Hurricane Milton and decided to do something about it.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach braces for Hurricane Milton after Helene WINK News’ team coverage brings us to Fort Myers Beach, an area prone to storm surge and still recovering from Helene.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral holds press conference; here are 10 takeaways Cape Coral held a press conference Monday morning to discuss Hurricane Milton. Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter says storm surge is the biggest threat of Hurricane Milton to the city. His message to his neighbors Monday morning is to make a plan and execute it now.
NORTH FORT MYERS Charlotte County man prepares what he can ahead of Milton Hurricane Helene ravaged many homes in Charlotte County, and now locals are getting ready for a potentially stronger Hurricane Milton.
SWFL Florida evacuation orders ahead of Milton There are now mandatory evacuation orders for some barrier islands in Southwest Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton.
What’s open and closed as Hurricane Milton looms As Hurricane Milton strengthens in the Gulf of Mexico, services and businesses in Southwest Florida are adjusting their hours or closing temporarily.
Punta Gorda residents, businesses brace for Hurricane Milton With Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall somewhere along Florida’s Gulf Coast on Oct. 9, some Punta Gorda hotels stopped taking reservations, flight disruptions are expected and residents and business owners spent Oct. 7 prepping.
Lee County coastal businesses evacuate merchandise as Hurricane Milton approaches As Hurricane Milton began making its way across the Gulf of Mexico to a precise destination yet unknown on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Lee County business owners on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and other coastal areas weren’t waiting around to find out.
WINK NEWS List of shelters in SWFL ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, shelters are opening across Southwest Florida to provide safety and refuge for residents.
Know your zone: Evacuation zones ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, get familiar with your evacuation zone.
SANIBEL Sanibel evacuates as flooding and storm surge threaten island Sanibel is already dealing with flooding from the heavy rain we’ve seen over the past few days, and Milton is expected to bring 10 feet of storm surge to the island.
ENGLEWOOD Manasota Key residents scramble ahead of Hurricane Milton Parts of Manasota Key are already unrecognizable from the damage Helene caused, and now, with Milton on the way, people are heartbroken and wondering what the future holds.
FORT MYERS SHORES ‘We’re getting the heck out of here’ 416,000 in mandatory evacuation zone in Lee Co. Around 416,000 residents in Lee County are under a mandatory evacuation order that went into effect Monday at noon because of Hurricane Milton.
FORT MYERS Downtown Fort Myers businesses prepare for Hurricane Milton Business owners in downtown Fort Myers are getting their businesses ready for whatever Hurricane Milton will bring.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral isn’t offering sandbags, but one Cape Coral local is One Cape Coral resident saw a need during Hurricane Milton and decided to do something about it.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach braces for Hurricane Milton after Helene WINK News’ team coverage brings us to Fort Myers Beach, an area prone to storm surge and still recovering from Helene.
CAPE CORAL City of Cape Coral holds press conference; here are 10 takeaways Cape Coral held a press conference Monday morning to discuss Hurricane Milton. Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter says storm surge is the biggest threat of Hurricane Milton to the city. His message to his neighbors Monday morning is to make a plan and execute it now.
NORTH FORT MYERS Charlotte County man prepares what he can ahead of Milton Hurricane Helene ravaged many homes in Charlotte County, and now locals are getting ready for a potentially stronger Hurricane Milton.
SWFL Florida evacuation orders ahead of Milton There are now mandatory evacuation orders for some barrier islands in Southwest Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton.
What’s open and closed as Hurricane Milton looms As Hurricane Milton strengthens in the Gulf of Mexico, services and businesses in Southwest Florida are adjusting their hours or closing temporarily.
Punta Gorda residents, businesses brace for Hurricane Milton With Hurricane Milton expected to make landfall somewhere along Florida’s Gulf Coast on Oct. 9, some Punta Gorda hotels stopped taking reservations, flight disruptions are expected and residents and business owners spent Oct. 7 prepping.
Lee County coastal businesses evacuate merchandise as Hurricane Milton approaches As Hurricane Milton began making its way across the Gulf of Mexico to a precise destination yet unknown on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Lee County business owners on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and other coastal areas weren’t waiting around to find out.
WINK NEWS List of shelters in SWFL ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, shelters are opening across Southwest Florida to provide safety and refuge for residents.
Know your zone: Evacuation zones ahead of Milton As Hurricane Milton approaches, get familiar with your evacuation zone.
Florida Congressman Byron Donalds is proposing a new bill dubbed the “No Tax on Tips Act.” The bill would allow service workers to keep all of the money they make in tips, a particularly crucial source of income for many in the service industry. At 10 Twenty-Five in downtown Fort Myers, James Pires cooks up connections to cash in on more tips. “At the end of the night, it’s all about your hard work and you know, what you put into the community and how you give back to them. So that is truly a testament to how many tips you receive,” said Pires. “I feel like I, you know, I earned that money, you know, through hard work,” said Pires. But with every tip comes a tax… literally. Cash tips face an income tax, plus many establishments take out a percentage of the tips every shift. “I just feel very discouraged about it, because it kind of like takes away from like, a job that you do. Because you’re giving a percentage of your money to something you don’t even know or see ever.” Feeling ‘robbed’ of hard work is something bartender Danielle Fagan knows all too well. “It’s definitely gut-wrenching. I, you know, I understand, like we should pay on the money that we make, but I just feel like it’s…I wish we didn’t have to,” said Fagan. “That’s what I rely on as my tips. Every paycheck is pretty much close to nothing.” RELATED: Should people working in the service industry have to pay taxes on tips? Congressman Byron Donalds hopes to change that. On Monday, the Florida Republican filed ‘The No Tax on Tips Act,’ a bill that would eliminate income tax on cash tips. In a statement, he said, “Our bill allows taxpayers to claim a 100% above-the-line deduction at filing for tipped wages. Policymakers must put the needs and financial interests of hardworking Americans first.” Tip earners that WINK News reporter Maddie Herron spoke to are all for it. “That’s more money in my pocket easier, easier for me to pay my bills,” said Pires. “It would be night and day for me. It would bring a lot of appreciation back to the job itself,” said Cody Wessel, a bartender at Izzy’s Fish and Oysters. Putting tips back in the pockets of those who worked hard to earn them. Although many are excited about this bill, the scales have yet to tip in its favor and pass. If the bill progresses and becomes law, it will apply to taxable years after the start of 2025. For more information, click here.