WINK NEWS SWFL Scoreboard: High School Football Week 3 Thunderstorms tried to put a stop to week three of high school football on Friday Night, but gridiron action prevailed.
Man accused of plotting murder-for-hire denied bond A man suspected of being involved with a murder-for-hire plot will stay behind bars. Ryan Toranzo had his renewed motion to set bond denied today in Collier County Court.
LABELLE Two dead after crash on State Road 80 According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there was a crash on State Road 80 that has left at least one person dead Friday evening.
DeSoto County looks to recruit more teachers While it can sometimes be easy to fill a classroom with students, it is not so easy for teachers. Schools across the nation and locally in Southwest Florida are still dealing with the challenges of teacher shortages. With class back in session, so is teacher recruiting for DeSoto County schools. The assistant superintendent, Jake Reynolds, […]
IMMOKALEE ROAD Push for change after deadly crash on Immokalee Rd. We’re told the woman was driving with two kids in the car when a semi ran a red light and hit her Thursday morning.
FORT MYERS BEACH Mobi-Mats deployed on Fort Myers Beach A walkway to paradise! Brand new and blue, the Mobi-Mat is making things easier for Fort Myers Beachgoers.
NAPLES Women of Steel business conference inspiring and empowering women Focused, hardworking, empowered. These women have made a name for themselves as Women of Steel.
NAPLES Beloved Collier County bus driver retires after 20 years After 20 years of getting kids to school safely, a beloved Collier County bus driver is retiring.
Wade Wilson has new death row mugshot Convicted double-killer Wade Wilson has a new death row mugshot.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Sizzle Dining is back in SWFL It’s Sizzle Season! Local restaurants are ready to welcome new faces by offering exclusive menu deals to attract new customers.
PORT CHARLOTTE Player of the Week: Logan Flaherty Port Charlotte’s QB found the endzone twice himself and had two passing touchdowns in the Pirate’s week two victory over North Fort Myers.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral police investigating scooter crash Authorities are investigating a crash in Cape Coral that injured a scooter rider.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach artist’s paint supplies dumped in canal Rogers is a local artist who has painted iconic Fort Myers Beach landmarks like the pier. Sadly, his supplies were taken away, and now he needs your help finding them.
NORTH FORT MYERS Bodycam footage shows deputies respond to NFM alligator attack Lee County Sheriff’s Office has released the bodycam footage as deputies arrive on the scene in North Fort Myers after a gator bit a woman walking her dog near a pond on Thursday night.
Modified form of herpes virus used for melanoma treatment The skin cancer melanoma is one of the most common and serious cancers in the U.S. It can be life-threatening in as little as six weeks.
WINK NEWS SWFL Scoreboard: High School Football Week 3 Thunderstorms tried to put a stop to week three of high school football on Friday Night, but gridiron action prevailed.
Man accused of plotting murder-for-hire denied bond A man suspected of being involved with a murder-for-hire plot will stay behind bars. Ryan Toranzo had his renewed motion to set bond denied today in Collier County Court.
LABELLE Two dead after crash on State Road 80 According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there was a crash on State Road 80 that has left at least one person dead Friday evening.
DeSoto County looks to recruit more teachers While it can sometimes be easy to fill a classroom with students, it is not so easy for teachers. Schools across the nation and locally in Southwest Florida are still dealing with the challenges of teacher shortages. With class back in session, so is teacher recruiting for DeSoto County schools. The assistant superintendent, Jake Reynolds, […]
IMMOKALEE ROAD Push for change after deadly crash on Immokalee Rd. We’re told the woman was driving with two kids in the car when a semi ran a red light and hit her Thursday morning.
FORT MYERS BEACH Mobi-Mats deployed on Fort Myers Beach A walkway to paradise! Brand new and blue, the Mobi-Mat is making things easier for Fort Myers Beachgoers.
NAPLES Women of Steel business conference inspiring and empowering women Focused, hardworking, empowered. These women have made a name for themselves as Women of Steel.
NAPLES Beloved Collier County bus driver retires after 20 years After 20 years of getting kids to school safely, a beloved Collier County bus driver is retiring.
Wade Wilson has new death row mugshot Convicted double-killer Wade Wilson has a new death row mugshot.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Sizzle Dining is back in SWFL It’s Sizzle Season! Local restaurants are ready to welcome new faces by offering exclusive menu deals to attract new customers.
PORT CHARLOTTE Player of the Week: Logan Flaherty Port Charlotte’s QB found the endzone twice himself and had two passing touchdowns in the Pirate’s week two victory over North Fort Myers.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral police investigating scooter crash Authorities are investigating a crash in Cape Coral that injured a scooter rider.
FORT MYERS BEACH Fort Myers Beach artist’s paint supplies dumped in canal Rogers is a local artist who has painted iconic Fort Myers Beach landmarks like the pier. Sadly, his supplies were taken away, and now he needs your help finding them.
NORTH FORT MYERS Bodycam footage shows deputies respond to NFM alligator attack Lee County Sheriff’s Office has released the bodycam footage as deputies arrive on the scene in North Fort Myers after a gator bit a woman walking her dog near a pond on Thursday night.
Modified form of herpes virus used for melanoma treatment The skin cancer melanoma is one of the most common and serious cancers in the U.S. It can be life-threatening in as little as six weeks.
Part of east Lee County is slated to become a 10,000-home development between Corkscrew Road and State Road 82, which could affect Florida panthers living in the area. This project is known as the Kingston development in East Lee County. Sunday is the U.S. Corps of Army Engineer’s public comment deadline for the Kingston development project. The proposed development in East Lee County would include as many as 10,000 homes, but endangered Florida panthers already call this place home. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida staunchly opposes the project and is calling on the public to oppose the Kingston development too. “The 7,000 acres (of the Kingston development project) includes primary and secondary panther habitat. And the US Fish and Wildlife Service has estimated that the traffic costs for this development could kill up to 22 panthers every year,” said Julianne Thomas, the senior environmental planning specialist at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Florida panther standing outside of a wildlife crossing. CREDIT: florida-panther-east-collier.jpg, fStop Foundation, Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved – Used by Permission, https://www.fws.gov/banner/florida-panther-east-collierjpg Florida Fish and Wildlife reports that vehicle collisions are the number one cause of death for the Florida panther. “If this project goes through any panthers that are using the land, and we think there could be as many as seven panthers that use this property based on past telemetry that has been collected by FWC, they’re going to have to use other areas that are available,” said Thomas. “That could cause interspecies aggression, which could end up with moving additional panthers.” RELATED: 16th Florida panther death of 2024, struck by vehicle in Collier County RELATED: Endangered Florida panther deaths surpass 2023 total in 5 months But, Joe Cameratta, the CEO of the company overseeing the Kingston project, Cameratta Companies, has heard the concerns of panther advocates. He says the biggest issue facing the species is feline leukomyelopathy, also known as FLM. “As far as the Panthers are concerned, the number one concern that it’s out there today, is this feline disease (FLM). They gotta get that under control, and our dollars that we’re using in mitigation, we’ll go for research for that feline disease,” said Cameratta. Florida Fish and Wildlife says that Wildlife Crossings are beneficial to panthers. Wildlife Crossings and bridges can be installed in an area that helps wildlife stay out of harm’s way and navigate safely across a road without getting close to any cars. Vehicle strike statistics for Florida panthers. CREDIT: FWC Examples of highway crossings and bridges built for Florida panthers to use. CREDIT: FWC Cameratta plans to have Wildlife Crossings around the construction project if it does go through. “We’re paying a prop share to the county. And that includes monies that they’re going to use in that area to install Wildlife Crossings. Plus, we’re paying for our own Wildlife Crossings, east of the project that was recommended by the Wildlife Federation that connects the project and those properties to CREW,” said Cameratta. “We’re also installing about a dozen small and larger Wildlife Crossings throughout the new road that’s going to be used for hurricane evacuation. Estimates by the National Wildlife Federation put the current Florida panther population at slightly more than 200. To learn more about the Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s opposition to the Kingston Development project, click here. Click here to learn about Cameratta Companies, the company overseeing the Kingston project. Florida panthers have been endangered since 1967. Then in 1982, the Florida panther became the official state animal of Florida.